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A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 13 OcTOber 2020
Volleyball's Beard Bros go from beach to 'Amazing Race'

By JIMMY GOLEN get last, and you'll ad- for the collegiate title in
AP Sports Writer vance,'" he said. "And that 2012.
Riley and Maddison McK- was our thing, because I The brothers also played
ibbin traveled enough to think we just didn't want to indoor professionally to-
circle the globe three times miss out on any opportu- gether in Greece before
while playing on the inter- nities that we could have teaming up as a beach
national beach and snow seen to travel the world." volleyball twosome on the
volleyball tours last year. As In addition to the Hawaii- domestic and international
professional athletes, they born McKibbins, compet- tours; they are currently
also know a little bit about ing on "The Amazing Race" ranked No. 11 on the AVP.
performing under pressure. this season are former NFL They also play on the na-
Even that couldn't prepare players DeAngelo Williams scent FIVB snow volleyball
them for "The Amazing and Gary Barnidge, Olym- tour, where they have one
Race." pic hurdlers Kellie Wells-Brin- gold and one silver in the
"I will tell you that on the kley and LaVonne Idlette, three events held so far.
race, it's a completely dif- In this 2018 photo provided by CBS, professional volleyball and a sprinkling of dating Spending all that time to-
ferent animal," said Riley brothers Maddison McKibbin, left, and Riley McKibbin pose for a couples, siblings and spous- gether gave them a famil-
McKibbin, who with his photo in Los Angeles. es. The show often high- iarity that can be an ad-
brother will be competing Associated Press lights the conflict between vantage on the race when
on the travel challenge re- ed until there are just three stops including France, teammates. The McKibbin competing against a cou-
ality show that premieres left racing to the finish line Germany, Kazakhstan and brothers say they've had ple that has been dating
for its 32nd season on Oct. and a $1 million prize. Brazil for those that last that their share of those through for a matter of months. Go-
14. The McKibbins said they long. The brothers aren't al- the years, but on the vol- ing in, they knew Maddison
"You know what to expect" watched the show growing lowed to say where they leyball court they usually would handle any chal-
as a pro volleyball player, up and would yell at the went or how long they last- have a few weeks before lenges involving heights;
he said. "When you're on contestants on TV about ed, though they estimated the next tournament to get Riley speaks Italian and
the race, you have no idea all the mistakes they were that between volleyball, over it. can drive a manual trans-
if the challenges are go- making. They applied un- vacation and the show "You're normally super ex- mission, but he is a nervous
ing to be playing to your successfully once or twice they've now been to 50 hausted after a tourna- traveler.
strengths or to your weak- before being cast for this countries; they keep track ment. And there is a good "And that's where I come
nesses. ... So just trying to season. "It's just the ultimate on a map that was out of chance one of you is mad in," Maddison said. "I hold
harness those nerves and test of brains and brawn," view of the camera they at the other one and you on to all the passports."
adrenaline and try to put Riley McKibbin said. "Finally were using for the Zoom just want to chill and, like, The show was originally
it into a productive way being able to put all of your interview with The Associ- not talk about what just scheduled to air in May,
was probably the biggest theories to the test, and re- ated Press. happened," Riley said. but CBS postponed its re-
thing." ally measure up against all "We had this plan, we just "But the race showed us lease amid the coronavirus
First airing in 2001, "The of the trash that you talked want to see as many dif- that, yeah, we need to do pandemic. Filming of the
Amazing Race" sends as a little kid to the contes- ferent countries as we pos- that." Riley McKibbin, 32, 33rd season was suspend-
pairs of friends or relatives tants on the TV — I think sibly can," said Maddison was a first team All-Ameri- ed in late February and
around the world to eat that was like the most spe- McKibbin, who is two years can at Southern California the contestants and crew
bizarre foods, learn local cial part for me." younger and the bushier of in indoor volleyball and a were pulled off the road.
dances, decipher a riddle This season, 11 teams left the siblings known on the member of the team that So much has changed
or bungee jump from a the Hollywood Bowl in Los AVP beach circuit as "The reached the NCAA final in since the filming that the
bridge or skyscraper. The Angeles in November 2018 Beard Bros." 2009. Maddison followed McKibbins said it will be
team to finish last in each and headed to Trinidad "We kind of had this motto him to USC and was on the strange to watch them-
episode is usually eliminat- and Tobago, with future of, 'Just don't get last. Don't Trojans when they played selves traveling and sur-
rounded by people.
Killer Mike to earn Change Maker Award at Billboard Awards "So life has definitely
changed. ... It's like the po-
lar opposite of what we're
live on NBC from the Dolby about issues affected the experiencing right now," Ri-
Theatre at 8 p.m. EDT. Black community. ley McKibbin said. "It prob-
Atlanta-born Killer Mike first The Billboard Change Mak- ably is going to be a little
made waves in music with er Award will be presented weird, but it's we can kind
his appearance on Out- by Atlanta Mayor Keisha of live vicariously through
kast's 2000 album, "Stanko- Lance Bottoms at the Afri- this show. Which would be
nia." He later won a Gram- can American Panoramic a good little escape from
my with the duo for the Experience Museum in At- the reality right now."q
Top 20 pop hit "The Whole lanta. Kelly Clarkson will
World." He's also a mem- host the ceremony, which Solution Sudoku
ber of the hip-hop duo Run will include performances
the Jewels, which released by Alicia Keys, Bad Bun-
Killer Mike of Run The Jewels performs at the Bunbury Music their fourth album in June. ny, BTS, Sia, Kane Brown,
Festival in Cincinnati on June 2, 2019. But Killer Mike has made Luke Combs, Doja Cat, En
Associated Press noise outside of music, too. Vogue, Khalid, Swae Lee,
By MESFIN FEKADU Award at the 2020 Billboard He's spoken out against Demi Lovato, SAINt JHN
AP Music Writer Music Awards. police brutality, inequality and leading nominee Post
NEW YORK (AP) — Gram- NBC and dick clark pro- in Black communities and Malone. Because of the
my-winning rapper and ductions announced the race relations. Last year pandemic, some of the
social-political activist Killer new award and recipient he hosted Netflix's "Trigger performances will be pre-
Mike will receive the first Monday, two days ahead Warning with Killer Mike," a taped while others will take
Billboard Change Maker of the show, which will air 2019 documentary series place live.q Puzzle on Page 13