Arts & Entertainment

Laguna Niguel Couple Chase $1M on 'The Amazing Race'

Flight attendants Bill Smith and Ron Zeitz, one of 11 teams, say they are in it for the memories, not the money.

Two Laguna Niguel flight attendants might soon have enough money to buy their own plane—a small one, that is.

Ron Zeitz, 44, and domestic partner Bill Smith, 49, make up one of the 11 teams in the new season of CBS' The Amazing Race, which starts Sunday. The winning team collects a $1-million prize.

The global journey sets off from the foothills of Southern California, where teams' problem-solving abilities will be tested as they search for clues to their first destination, Taipei, Taiwan. On the first leg of the race, they will be sent to an 8th-century Buddhist temple in Indonesia and ride elephants through rain forests in Thailand. And then comes the first-ever double elimination.

Find out what's happening in Laguna Niguel-Dana Pointwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

While viewers watch the contest, the two flight attendants and other teams will be mum, committed not to reveal the conclusion of the race, which was  taped earlier this year. However, they were able to talk about their philosophy in the competition.

"We went into the race with an absolute sense of who we were as a couple and an absolute commitment as a couple," Smith told Laguna Niguel Patch, explaining why the pressures of playing never threatened their relationship of 13 years. "Coming out of the race, we have the same strengths. We have the same love and commitment we had going in. We just now have some incredible memories as a result of the race."

Find out what's happening in Laguna Niguel-Dana Pointwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

There definitely was pressure, they said, and a lot more than is revealed in the TV series, which is starting its 19th race.

"As a viewer, you get all the briefings from Phil [Keoghan, host]," Smith said. "You see where this whole thing will be, where they're going to find what they are looking for.  As a racer, you walk into an arena, however small or big, that you know nothing about. You have no idea where something will be. You have no idea if it's in front of you or behind you. At every juncture and every turn, you're trying to figure out what will be the next thing.

"When you're in the race, the adrenaline, the excitement and the emotion are so high that the most common things could easily slip by because of the excitement of the moment."

Perhaps the biggest lesson from their participation was the discovery that a smile and a warm hello is a universal form of communication.

"It's going to sound sappy, but we really saw the value of meeting someone and sharing a smile even if you don't know the language," Smith said. "People are ready to reach out to other people."

Added Zeitz: "The language barrier can be vast, but somehow you're able to communicate."

Zeitz, who grew up in a Cleveland suburb, and Smith, who moved to California from Las Vegas when he was 2, settled as a couple in Laguna Beach in 2000, attracted by the weather, the rolling green hills and the proximity to the shore. "People come here to vacation, and I'm fortunate that I get to live here," Zeitz said.

Their favorite restaurant is Wahoo's Fish Tacos. "We live there. They know us by name," Smith said. "It's like our second family."  Also popular with the couple is the Harbor House Cafe in Dana Point.

Smith said he doubts American Airlines passengers will recognize him from The Amazing Race. He should know better.

Zeitz recalled working a flight carrying "the two bowling moms"—Linda Ruiz and Karen Heins of Palmdale—a popular team from the fifth series of The Amazing Race in the summer of 2004. "When I saw them there, I thought, 'There's that team from The Amazing Race.' I know the excitement I felt. So perhaps I'm naive in thinking people won't be excited to see us."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here