'The Amazing Race's Afghanimals Leo and Jamal are the unstoppable favorites we can't help but love
Leo Temory and Jamal Zadran can be quite a handful, as fans of 'The Amazing Race' already know. Be it in the spirit of the Race or not, the team, better known as the "Afghanimals", are famous for the cutthroat competition and the funny, loud and often abrasive remarks they make on the show.
The team had appeared first on 'The Amazing Race 23' and then on 'The Amazing Race: All-Stars'. On TAR 23, the team was knocked out towards the end as Leo struggled with the robot building roadblock. On 'TAR All-Stars', they fell just short of the final three as they got lost driving to the roadblock as well as the detour.
Racing the race for the third time both Leo and I have survived 3 Uturns. Only Team in The Amazing Race History. THIS WEEK WE HAVE A SURPRISE DOUBLE U-TURN IN LAOS, WILL WE BE UTURNED FOR THE 4th TIME?? OR IS IT OUR TURN TO UTURN ANOTHER TEAM. TUNE IN TO “THE AMAZING RACE,” pic.twitter.com/VECEx5iph4
— Jamal Zadran (@JamalZadran) April 21, 2019
Back on the Race for the third time, the Afghanimals are as enthusiastic as ever, still loved by fans and disliked by other teams for their constant lying and tactics they employ on the show. They finished the first two legs of the Race rather effortlessly, and think that TAR team Tyler Oakley and Korey Kuhl are their biggest competition.
On episode two, the brothers talked team Becca and Floyd into double U-turning Tyler and Korey as they consider them as threats on the Race. The Afghanimals were called out by fans for this move, as well as for lying to Nicole as she and Victor were close behind when they were just about to finish the second leg of the Race.
Season 31 of the Race is also its first-ever reality TV showdown, with 11 teams from previous seasons of 'TAR', 'Survivor' and 'Big Brother' competing. This has led to increased tension between many of the teams, and the Afghanimals have already formed a bitter relationship with 'Survivor' contestants Corinne Kaplan and Eliza Orlins. The duo called Corinne and Eliza "Survivor snakes", while the two were seen hating on the 'Afghanimals' both on the show as well as on a video that didn't make the final cut.
"The Afghanimals just remind me of the gen pop area of any crappy Las Vegas nightclub," Corinne can be heard saying on the video. "They don’t have enough money for bottle service and they’re just milling around trying to get numbers. There’s something really skeevy about the two of them. And I can’t put my finger on it, but I will." The spat between the brothers and the 'Survivor' contestants started when Corinne and Eliza slowed down the brothers' tuk-tuk while they were on their way to the airport in Tokyo, on episode one.
Oh boy this is going to be interesting.... https://t.co/dmsUkfo3Xo
— Jamal Zadran (@JamalZadran) April 30, 2019
Some of the Afghanimals' fanbase also comes from their roots. Fans have appreciated the team for brown representation on the Race, and much of the hate that the brothers receive also get deflected that way. "Leo and Jamal have won their second leg in a row, glad to see more brown representation on reality tv!!!" wrote a fan on Twitter.
In a teaser that dropped ahead of episode three which airs on May 1, Jamal was seen exhausted while trying to dance in the dark. While fans are eagerly waiting to see if their favorite team will make it first to the finish line of this leg of the Race too, Jamal has tweeted: "Dance Dance Revolution Vietnam Style. Hope you ready for some Afghanimals Dancing Moves. Same time as always see you Weds on CBS 8 pm on THE AMAZING RACE SEASON 31." Did the cousins dance just fine, after all? Guess we'll have to wait to find out!