On September 27th, the 15th installment of the CBS reality show “Amazing Race” will debut at 8:00pm ET following news program “60 Minutes.” PocketFivers who tune in will know at least one face among the crowd: Ultimate Bet pro Tiffany Michelle. PocketFives.com can confirm that Michelle is among the cast for the popular Emmy Award winning series, which hit television airwaves in primetime back in 2001. According to various unconfirmed reports, Maria Ho will join Michelle on the race around the world. CBS has not released the cast of characters who will battle against the duo on the “Amazing Race.”
Michelle (pictured at left) and Ho represent the Last Women Standing in the 2008 and 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Events, respectively. Michelle, known in the poker world as “Hot Chips,” racked up $334,000 for her 17th place finish in the 2008 WSOP Main Event. Many who watched the action unfold on ESPN can vividly remember Michelle calling the clock in a hand featuring PocketFiver Scott r_a_y Montgomery and Paul Snead. Montgomery pushed with A-4 after a flop of J-3-10 against Snead’s J-7. For Snead, however, it represented a significant portion of his stack to call and thus a tough decision. Ultimately, Michelle called the clock and Snead looked up Montgomery, only to be a victim of an ace on the river. November Nine member Craig Marquis quipped, “Really not cool” to Michelle after the hand was over.Ho earned $237,000 for her 38th place showing in the 2007 WSOP Main Event, a tournament ultimately won by Jerry Yang. This year, she was back in the spotlight, finishing in 11th in the $10,000 buy-in World Championship of Limit Hold’em during the WSOP for $41,000. An image that appeared on RealityFanForum.com showed Ho at the Los Angeles International Airport allegedly after the start of “Amazing Race.” However, she does not appear to be wearing a backpack (as would be the case with most “Amazing Race” contestants). Instead, the Last Woman Standing in the 2007 Main Event appears to be pulling a piece of luggage.
Michelle was a no-show at the 2009 WSOP Main Event. In a blog posted on her official website in late June, she wrote, “It'd have to be something pretty big to deter me from the WSOP Championship Event this year and trust me, it is! I can't disclose much right now, but I'll be leaving the country to film a project for a month and it conflicts with the Main Event.” She added, “This project and my role are very huge and it's an opportunity just too good to pass up.”
“Amazing Race” is one of reality television’s cornerstone brands. This year, Phil Keoghan is nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program. His competition: Ryan Seacrest (“American Idol”), Tom Bergeron (“Dancing with the Stars”), Heidi Klum (“Project Runway”), Jeff Probst (“Survivor”), and Padma Lakshmi (“Top Chef”). The show is also nominated for Outstanding Reality Competition Program and will go up against “American Idol,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Project Runway,” and “Top Chef.” “Amazing Race” will serve as the lead-in to the brand new CBS show “Three Rivers” in September.
Her fellow Ultimate Bet colleague and PocketFiver Annie Duke (pictured at right) competed on the second season of NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice,” ultimately finishing as the runner-up to comedian Joan Rivers. In the process, $730,000 was raised for Refugees International, Duke’s chosen charity. In past seasons, the “Amazing Race” has boasted a grand prize of $1 million. On the show, teams of two race around the world completing challenges. At the end of the majority of legs, the last team to arrive is eliminated. Last season, countries visited included Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Romania, Russia, India, Thailand, and China. The contestants traveled over 40,000 miles and, in the end, siblings Tammy and Victor crossed the finish line first in Hawaii.Other unconfirmed reports have two Harlem Globetrotters, Miss America 2004, and a lesbian Cirque de Soleil couple appearing on show. Each team boasts its own unique relationship such as couples, friends, brothers, sisters, mother and son, or father and daughter. The 14th cycle included the “Amazing Race’s” first deaf contestant, Luke. It also featured Mike White, the writer behind “School of Rock” and “Orange County.”
Ultimate Bet proudly accepts players from the United States and offers 30% rakeback for signing up through PocketFives.com. Michelle joined the online poker site last July and can be found battling under the name “Tiffany M.” We’ll have more “Amazing Race” news as it becomes available.
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