Reichen (Lehmkuhl) Kuhl is the winner of the 4th season of the hit show The Amazing Race. While staying in his home-town years after filming, Reichen recalls a surprise reunion with the show’s host, Phil Keoghan.
Reichen (Lehmkuhl) Kuhl made international news when he was half of the winning team of 2003’s season of The Amazing Race, broadcasted on CBS. Apart from demonstrating impressive skill and aptitude throughout the show’s various challenges, Reichen Kuhl was the first openly gay winner, competing with his then-partner for the 2003 season.
The show ran for a total of 31 seasons and won a range of Emmy Awards and the attention of millions of worldwide viewers. When their season is over, competitors rarely have the opportunity to meet up with each other or with the showrunners. In Reichen Kuhl’s case, though, he was able to reunite with the host Phil Keoghan during the filming of the final season.
The last season of The Amazing Race took place in Hermosa Beach, which also happened to be the same town Reichen currently called home. He could see a bunch of kites that looked like jellyfish from where he stood in his backyard and decided to see what the celebration was. Arriving on the beach, he saw film equipment, a production crew, and tons of fans gathered together around someone familiar. Before long, he realized they were filming a segment of The Amazing Race with the host Phil Keoghan at the center.
“I looked for Phil and there he was. When I walked up to him, he had a crowd of fans around him and he immediately said, ‘Oh my God it’s Reichen, the winner of Amazing Race 4,’” says Reichen Kuhl, “and we stood together for a bunch of pictures, many from my own phone because I could not believe they were in my backyard!”
Years had passed since Reichen competed for the million-dollar prize on CBS’ hit show, and the entire crew had suddenly appeared in his backyard.
“It was surreal, to say the least, but a very pleasant surprise,” says Reichen Kuhl.
The show was created by Elise Doganieri and Bertram van Munster, and originally aired in the US in 2001. Since airing, The Amazing Race has gone on to win thirteen Primetime Emmy Awards, ten of which are for the “Outstanding Reality-Competition Program.” Though it began in the United States, the show had a handful of international spinoffs that followed a similar format. It remains one of the most famous landmark reality-competition shows of all time.
Reichen Kuhl is formerly known as Reichen Lehmkuhl, whereas he and other members of his
family shortened their last name to “Kuhl” in 2014.
