Jon & Al

Jonathan "Jon" Weiss and Albert "Al" Rios are a team of Best Friends/Clowns on The Amazing Race 4.

The two friends made it far with their good-natured antics and alliance with Millie & Chuck, as well as being one of the few teams not to bicker with each other. However, a delayed flight to Australia proved to be their undoing as they were never able to catch up and were eliminated in 4th place.

Profile[]

Retrieved from CBS.com

“We feed off each other. We just work well together.”

Jon, 40, is married with three children, and lists his current occupation as "Human Cannonball" for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He has traveled with them for the past 20 years and has over 5,000 notches in his cannonball belt. He graduated from Suffolk Community College and has also studied at the Disney Institute and Clown college. Jon is determined to win. He fears "getting into an accident and not being able to support his family." Jon enjoys golf, cooking and watching sports, and describes himself as "friendly, honest and ambitious." He speaks no foreign languages and has traveled to Mexico and Canada. His teammate, Al, most disappoints him with his "lack of trust before performing together. Al gets so nervous he drives me crazy every time." Jon admits that he procrastinates and is a "go-with-the-flow type," while Al "gets stressed out." Of his clowning skills, Jon says, "If I can pick it up, I can balance it on my nose/chin."

Al, 34, currently works as a substitute teacher and as a cruise ship entertainer. He holds a BA in Special Education. Al is a "people person" and no stranger to traveling. When in the circus, he lived on a train for six years traveling the US, in a trailer for 1 1/2 years in Europe and on a cruise ship for two years in the Caribbean. He has been to the UK, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Estonia, Morocco, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Czechoslovakia. He considers himself "friendly, determined, outgoing, compassionate and emotional." He fears heights and eating "yecchy things," getting sick with no help, or "getting stuck in a life-threatening situation with no way out." The only time his teammate, Jon, disappoints him is when he doesn't follow through with things. Jon will be "Mr. Nice Guy," and they'll get "screwed" because he doesn't "bluntly explain what the deal is." They sometimes argue, but if he's upset, Al usually gets quiet first, or he'll go off "alone and just scream out loud or have a good cry." Al's the motivator, while Jon can "waste time."^[1]

How would you describe your previous travel experience?

Jon: I have traveled for 20 years to about 48 cities in the US.
Al: Extensive traveling in the United States (I have been to 49 of the 50 states, my last state will be Hawaii. I have also traveled extensively throughout Europe.

What is the most stressful aspect of traveling?

Jon: Not knowing where to go or the language.
Al: For me it would be the unexpected, especially when it is life-threatening or a medical emergency.

What is the most important item in your backpack, and why?

Jon: Alarm clock.
Al: My alarm clock.

Why did you want to be on THE AMAZING RACE?

Jon: For the chance to win, travel and just have fun with the Race.
Al: To experience something that is unique and few people have done, to push myself to the limits.

Have you and your partner traveled together before? If so, what was it like?

Jon: Yes, it was great. We feed off each other. We just work well with each other.
Al: Yes, throughout the United States and Mexico with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

What do you fear most about competing in THE AMAZING RACE?

Jon: Coming down with the Norwalk virus.
Al: Being eliminated first (it ain't gonna happen)!

What strengths and weaknesses do you bring to the Team?

Jon: Motivation, persuasiveness, great people skills.
Al: Strengths: great people skills, lots of traveling experience, very adaptable. Weaknesses: Fear of heights and certain kinds of food.

What strengths and weaknesses does your teammate bring to the Team?

Jon: Al brings great strengths like people skills, great with teamwork.
Al: Strengths: Great motivator, positive attitude, tons of energy and very persuasive. Weaknesses: Not organized.

What will you miss the most from home (besides your bed)?

Jon: My family, wife and kids.
Al: My family and friends.

What languages do you speak?

Jon: English.
Al: None fluently, except English. A bit of Spanish, German and sign language.

What destination are you hoping to visit?

Jon: China.
Al: Australia and China.

What country do you feel best prepared for?

Jon: United States.
Al: United States.^[2]

The Amazing Race 4[]

Race History[]

Jon & Al's Race History
Episode	Leg	Destination(s)	Detour Choice (underlined)	Roadblock Performer	Placement	Notes
1	1	United States → Italy	Search / Rescue	No Roadblock	7 of 12
2	2	Italy	Waterway / Pathway	Al	6 of 11
3	3	Italy → Austria	Mozart / Beethoven	Jon	6 of 10
4	4	Austria → France	Ropes / Slopes	Al	2 of 9
5	5	France → Netherlands	500 Kilograms / 15 Feet	Al	2 of 8
6	6	Netherlands → India	Suds / Duds	Jon	6 of 7
7	7	India	Baskets / Trunks	Al	2 of 6
8	8	India → Malaysia	Net / Trap	Jon	1 of 5
9	9	Malaysia	Chop / Haul	Jon	2 of 5
10	10	Malaysia → South Korea	Strong Hands / Strong Stomach	Al	3 of 4
11	11	South Korea → Australia	Face First / Feet First	Al	4 of 4
				Average	3.72
Legend: The team finished in first place The team finished in last place and was eliminated from the race The team finished in last place in a non-elimination leg The team that won The Amazing Race The team that crossed the Finish Line second The team that crossed the Finish Line third ► The team used the Fast Forward pass

Post-Race[]

For The Amazing Race 5, 6, and 7, Al provided recaps for TARflies.^[3]
- He also wrote about his experiences on the show.
For Seasons 8, 9, and 10, Jon hosted the online web-series, "The Finish Line: The Amazing Race Internet Talk Show" with Sarah Bernard, New York Magazine Contributing Editor.^[4]^[5]
- He left the show sometime before The Amazing Race: All-Stars (2007) premiered.
In 2006, Jon & Al created a board game based on the show.^[6]
Both friends have participated multiple times in Reality Rally, which raises funds for Michelle's Place Breast Cancer Resource Center.^[7]^[8]

Trivia[]

Jon & Al were featured in a CBS.com gallery celebrating 'National Best Friends Day' in 2015.^[9]

External links[]

Interviews[]

Harry Smith on The Early Show (08/08/2003): "Send Out the Clowns"
FansOfRealityTV (08/08/2003): "Our Interview with John & Al"
Ethan Alter at TV Guide Online (08/12/2003): "Amazing Race Clowns Get Serious"
TARflies (08/19/2003): "Beware the Fog!"
Dave Price on The Early Show (08/21/2003): "Clowning Around Finale Is Here"
Phil Kural at RealityNewsOnline (08/14/2003): "Send in the Clowns: An Interview with The Amazing Race 4's Jon & Al"
Logan Saunders & Michael Harmstone at RTV Warriors (11/20/2018): "Long-Term Expertise"