RHAP: We Know Big Brother – Izzy & Paige Post-Season Interview (Amazing Race 38)

Date: December 17, 2025
Host: Mike Bloom, with Jessica Lee
Guests: Izzy and Paige (BB25, Amazing Race 38)

Main Theme & Episode Overview

This post-season deep-dive brings together Mike Bloom and Jessica Lee with Amazing Race 38’s standout team (and newlyweds) Izzy and Paige. The episode explores the couple’s incredible Euro-adventure on TAR, their unique preparation and relationships with other racers (including BB alums), the real impact of game design on equity, and how their experience was shaped by both high drama and small, unforgettable moments. The conversation is candid, emotional, and hilarious—covering race secrets, behind-the-scenes mishaps, and the personal growth that came from reality TV.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life Updates and Broadway News (02:53)

• Izzy celebrates her birthday during the interview. The hosts congratulate the couple on marrying just weeks previously.
• Paige excitedly shares the news of her upcoming Broadway debut in Titanique at the St. James Theatre, alongside other BB alums.

"Titanique just announced we're going to be opening at the St. James Theater on Broadway this spring. So thrilled to make my Broadway debut with the show that I've been a part of for so many years now." (03:19 - Paige)

2. Casting Secrets & Keeping Up Appearances (04:50)

• The hosts recall how Izzy & Paige outright denied being cast on TAR at the S37 premiere, only for it to have been an elaborate ruse:

"These two just dead ass looked us in the eye and said, no, they didn’t even call us. And I was like, that is a travesty." (05:53 – Jess)

• Izzy describes the secrecy as intentional:

"We very much did not want to pregame. We did not want anyone to know we were going to be there." (08:48 – Izzy)

• The duo recounts spotting other cast members based on social media clues, while simultaneously avoiding any pre-game alliances.

"We clocked that the Chadas were probably going to be there because...suspiciously, Simone was showing up in D.C. You know, on Hannah’s Instagram." (09:11 - Paige)

3. Preparation: What Helped & What Didn’t (10:20)

• Izzy and Paige watched previous seasons and analyzed challenge patterns, prepping for Roadblocks and focusing on “formalizing our Race IQ.”
• They note cardio-centric training failed them; they’d focus more on building strength if given a second chance:

"We had a ton of focus on cardio and like, very little focus on strength...I learned so much about how to be like a healthy, athletic person since this race." (12:35 - Paige)

• Joseph Abdin of BB fame “checks on our protein intake every day.”

"He’s just managing everybody’s diet, isn’t he?" (13:27 – Jessica)

4. Harsh Realities: The Grueling Journey Begins (13:34 – 16:46)

• The grueling start to the race included 36+ hours of travel, little to no food, and virtually no sleep.
• Frequently mic’d up mid-transit, with no time to rest—race started immediately upon arrival in the Netherlands.

"We got mic’d up on the train. Like, no one’s been mic’d up before. And they’re like, all right. And I’m like, belly out on this, like, public Netherlands train..." (13:51 – Izzy)

• After the first exhausting legs, a 17-hour train to Prague, and a physically draining second leg left racers “feral.”

"If you are not in tears, you are not racing right." (16:54 – Izzy)

5. Express Pass & Production Twists (19:45)

• Izzy and Paige rail against "forced" twists, like the Express Pass being assigned instead of earned:

"It’s like, first of all, I’m not a huge fan of twists…an Express Pass should force teams to risk their place. We didn’t have a choice." (20:09 – Izzy)

• The duo refused to campaign for the Express Pass and remained self-assured:

"Honestly, it would have been embarrassing if we pleaded for it...we’re self aware." (22:44 – Izzy)

• Any manufactured drama with Jag/Jazz about the pass was dismissed:

"We were like, they can have it." (22:59 – Paige)

6. Dynamics with Jag & Jazz, Social Game Philosophy (27:27)

• They anticipated that Jag/Jazz would be power players, but focused on personal preparation:

"We were confident in our independence and how we were approaching it…We should try to win every leg." (28:45 – Izzy)

• No plans to directly target; instead, they prepared to triumph in the final quiz:

"You only have to win one leg." (30:32 – Paige)

7. Preparation Pays Off (and Sleep Loss) (30:36 – 33:14)

• Despite initial setbacks (12th in sledding), they rebounded to third place in Leg 1, riding high on meticulous navigation prep and adapting quickly.

"At the cheese market, we arrived with a bunch of people and picked up our cheese and started walking off and we were like—they’re not coming." (32:14 – Paige)

• Sleep was a struggle; frequent train changes meant little actual rest.

"I do think that we did manage to find moments of real sleep, even if they were short on the train...security detail helps." (18:09 – Izzy)

8. Frankfurt Gate: The Pedestrian Night from Hell (33:36 – 38:06)

• The infamous overnight at the Leipzig open-air station: teams slept in a stairwell until German police roused them.

"We get woken up by German police straddling us. Oh, dear Lord. Standing over us, speaking to us in Germany. 'You gotta go, you gotta go, you gotta go.'" (36:59 – Paige)

• They found a velvet lounge in a hotel lobby for warmth—a rare respite.
• The “Trainwreck alliance” was born of shared hardship, but Izzy and Paige wished they could’ve run alone:

"We realized that these teams kind of needed us…we would have been fine alone." (38:28 – Paige)

9. Handling Alliances & The (Not So) Social Game (39:36, 56:06)

• Despite “flocking” toward Izzy and Paige for directions, they refused to formally work with other teams, an attitude that incited a U-turn from Jag/Jazz:

"You have to make eye contact with us if you want to work with us." (41:39 – Paige)

• They reflect on the difference between relationship games on BB and the more individual nature of TAR.

"It’s inherently less social between teams…I mean, we never saw Turner and Megan on the race ever." (56:28 – Izzy)

10. Race Challenges: Philosophy, Practice, and Memorable Moments

A. The Dance & Music Challenges (44:05 – 49:56, 86:43 – 94:12)

• Strategic approach: emphasize musicality, count structure, and prep for “do it once, do it right.”
• They practiced unique skills like bottle-balancing (Will Memorial Challenge) and played to Izzy’s musical strengths.
• Paige recalls:

"If anyone is watching that and thinking, 'oh, it must be so annoying for your partner to feel like an authority on this,' you need to reassess how you have relationships. I was so happy to see the light on in Izzy’s eyes." (92:53 – Paige)

• On the flute detour in Romania:
  • Weeks ahead, Izzy actually rehearsed the Amazing Race theme on the flute with Paige—this prep paid off perfectly.
  • "I was like, I can’t believe I’ve never done this. ... We should know the notes. What if we do something like this?" (88:34 – Izzy)

B. The Animal Encounters (81:02 – 83:46)

• Paige is physically lifted off the ground by a sheep—humorous and traumatic.
• Misalignment during the challenge cost them time:

"We were really out of sync...We wasted, like, half an hour both thinking the other was leading." (82:43 – Paige)

C. Physical Leg Barriers & Equity in Game Design (67:46, 68:48 – 72:45, 124:00 – 128:38)

• Race structure inherently advantages physically larger/stronger contestants (weight classes proposed).
• They highlight inequities in challenge setup, costumes, and design:

"Equal for everyone is inequitable because the bike has to be a different height for people...What are we testing?" (68:15 – Izzy)

• Gendered costuming in dance challenges challenged Izzy’s self-image and fairness:

"If you’re looking to treat me the way everyone else is treated, you’re going to put Izzy in pants...I’m a butch woman, and these are the type of underwear I wear." (126:36 – Paige/Izzy composite)

• The judges’ decision to fail them on a technicality in the cancan dance proved a turning point, emotionally and competitively.

11. Social & Emotional Climax: The U-turn, Being Seen, and Elimination

A. U-turn Drama with Jag & Jazz (52:41 – 55:36, 98:52 – 101:38)

• After being U-turned by Jag & Jazz, Izzy feels targeted and triggers “Big Brother 25 trauma”:

"Are you gonna take this from me somehow?...Because you’re uncomfortable with my passion, because it’s so personal for you." (53:00 – Izzy)

• Paige forces a conversation with Jazz on a skydiving leg, keeping cool and turning the tables:

"You don’t get to call us the angry ones. You don’t get to call us the crazy ones." (76:04 – Paige)

• The public U-turn vote and Taylor's speech about “women at the top” stings deeply, prompting reflective criticism:

"Words matter...her saying, 'it is so hard to be a woman at the top of this game,' as if our struggle from the back…was less valuable." (102:13 – Izzy)

B. Elimination, Lasting Impact, and Affirmation

• Their elimination is by a matter of minutes.

"It wasn’t like a foot race…they made it to the mat probably about when we were getting out of the cab." (139:06 – Paige)

• The appreciation from eliminated all-women teams supported them:

"The most respect you can show someone on these games is to see them as people and also want to be competitive with them." (66:07 – Izzy)

• Mike, Jess, and Paige acknowledge “being seen,” “belonging,” and affirming their relationship and identities through the race.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On strategy:
  • “Do it once, do it right.” (46:49 – Paige / 46:51 – Izzy)
• On game design:
  • “Equal for everyone is inequitable.” (68:15 – Izzy)
  • “How many seasons in a row of all male teams winning this race? We’re not the problem. Women are not the problem.” (128:23 – Izzy)
• On relationship:
  • “I was so happy to see the light on in Izzy’s eyes…Why would I not be thrilled to take the backseat?” (92:53 – Paige)
• On affirmation and visibility:
  • “I’m a woman who feels feminine being masculine…when I’m in a dress, I look out of body, I look wrong…All I wanted was to feel the same way in a costume that every other person felt in a costume.” (124:00–126:36 – Izzy)
• On their competitive fire:
  • “We're going to have the audacity to try and win every leg.” (145:53 – Paige)
• On personal fulfillment:
  • “I loved watching us back on the race. I said this before, like, wow, I never felt like I would see myself on TV…damn, that's me. I love what it looks like, I think it looks good, I think it looks strong, I think it looks in love." (126:36 – Izzy)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:53 – Wedding news & Paige’s Broadway debut
• 13:34 – Start of race: grueling travel, fatigue, and confusion
• 19:45 – The “forced” Express Pass twist and Izzy's perspective on game twists
• 33:36 – Frankfurt train station overnight and “Trainwreck alliance”
• 44:05 – Dance challenge strategy
• 52:41 – Being U-turned by Jag/Jazz and emotional impact
• 67:46 – Gender and physical equity in race/task design
• 81:02 – The sheep debacle
• 88:18 – Prepping for the flute detour
• 124:00 – CanCan task, costuming, and gender presentation
• 135:13 – Getting married in the Bronx between elimination and finale filming
• 141:33 – Post-race debrief with all eliminated teams, affirmation, and healing

Final Thoughts and Looking Forward

• Openly discuss future plans: Paige is content with her reality TV experience; Izzy is game for any future shows—Survivor, BB return, House of Villains.
• Affirmation: Both find tremendous pride and closure in this journey, especially after feeling misunderstood or “unfinished” after Big Brother.
• Strategic Takeaway: If they race again, they’ll “practice winning” every leg, not just surviving.
• Thankful & Humorous Goodbyes: The couple plugs Paige’s show (Titanique), Izzy’s social (Bluesky @flutedyke), and joke about their wedding adventures and ongoing relationships with other racers.

Tone & Atmosphere

Rhythmically hilarious, frequently emotional, sharp, self-aware, and deeply affirming. The conversation balances brutal honesty (about production, gender, and personal identity) with self-deprecating humor about travel disasters, race mishaps, and relationship challenges. The hosts encourage vulnerability, earning multiple admissions from Izzy and Paige about what the race really meant to them.

For Further Behind-the-Scenes, Referenced Interviews, or Stories:

• "Gay Amazing Race" podcast
• The Exclusive with Sharon Tharp

If you loved Izzy and Paige’s run, this pod is a must-listen—it’s a masterclass in preparation, strategy, and heart, with lessons reaching far beyond The Amazing Race’s finish mat.