CBS has announced that Lauren Caitlin “Caite” Upton, former Miss Teen South Carolina, will be one of the 22 contestants (11 teams) on the upcoming 16th season of the highly popular show The Amazing Race. The 20-year-old graduate of Lexington High School in Lexington, SC will be teaming up with model/boyfriend Brent Horne on the multi-Emmy award winning reality competition show.
Caite has modeled for such companies such as Nautica and Wrangler and graced the pages of national magazines like Seventeen, Cosmo Girl, and American Cheerleader. The attractive young blond was thrust into the national spotlight when she had an infamous “map question” flub on national television during the Miss Teen USA pageant in 2007 – a flub that has resulted in well over 50 million views on youtube to date!
Here is that embarrassing moment for Caite with subtitles
Q: “Recent polls have shown a fifth of Americans can’t locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?”
A: “I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uh, some people out there in our nation don’t have maps and, uh, I believe that our, uh, education like such as, uh, South Africa and, uh, the Iraq, everywhere like such as, and, I believe that they should, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., uh, or, uh, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian Countries, so we will be able to build up our future, for our children”.
Since this pageant Caite has worked hard to overcome this embarrassing moment and continue with her career ambitions of being an actress and model. The following is Caite on The Today Show, she is given the opportunity to answer the question again and does just fine. Matt and Ann are very kind in their interview and complimentary of Caite’s willingness to face the music. It says alot about her fortitude to not run and hide from the negative attention.
Q: “Recent polls have shown a fifth of Americans can’t locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?”
A: “Well personally, my friends and I, we know exactly where the United States is on our map. I don’t know anyone else who doesn’t. And if the statistics are correct, I believe that there should be more emphasis on geography in our education so people will learn how to read maps better”.
In addition to Caite’s appearance on The Today Show, her notoriety led to other spoofs of the incident in the Weezer video for their song “Pork and Beans,” an appearance at the 2007 MTV Music Awards, Tosh.0‘s “Web Redemption” and a pistachio “Get Crackin'” commercial.
Here’s a Q&A with Caitlin from the CBS Amazing Race website:
Caite Upton
Age: 20
Hometown: Lexington, S.C.
Connection to your Teammate: Dating
Current Occupation: Model
Pet peeve about your teammate: He picks his nose with tissue paper, throws it in the toilet and doesn’t flush
Favorite Hobbies: Art, sports, modeling and acting
Achievements: Being able to overcome the embarrassment from the flub I made on national television during the Miss Teen USA pageant
Lifelong To Do List: To advance my career as an actress and model. I also want to complete my college career in art with a minor in business at UCLA
If I could switch places with someone: Nobody, I’m very content with who I am.
Role Model/Hero: Johnny Unitas because he continued to be a good person while in the limelight and was very headstrong, genuine and determined to achieve everything he put his mind to
What are you passionate about? My lifelong goals and dreams
What would you do if you won the million dollars?Buy a Maserati and a round of drinks for my friends. Hah
People would be surprised to learn: I’m very athletic and can pretty much beat every guy in anything. I am also an amazing artist
Favorite place you have ever visited:Montabaur, Germany.
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: We both are headstrong and feel as if we are alpha males in the relationship. We will also need to do a better job listening to each other
What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other than winning one million bucks)? I hope to learn how to stay calm in tense situations
Here’s an Amazing Race preview video prepared by CBS for Caite and Brent.
Season 16 of The Amazing Race will premiere Sunday February 14th on CBS. We are looking forward to another great season and following Caite on on her new adventure!
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