“Teddy-bear” boyfriends Ricky & César just made ‘Amazing Race’ history
*Spoilers ahead for the 36th season of The Amazing Race, which aired its finale on May 15.*We finally got a chance to catch our breath this week as another whirlwind season of CBS’s hit reality competition show The Amazing Race came to a close.But we didn’t sit around for too long because there was something major to celebrate: New York City-based boyfriends Ricky Rotandi and César Aldrete were first to cross the finish line, joining the series’ growing LGBTQ+ winners circle.Subscribe to our newsletter for your front-row seat to all things entertainment with a sprinkle of everything else queer.What’s more, by coming in first place for seven of the race’s legs (i.e.
individual episodes), they hold one of the best track record’s in the American series’ history. In fact—according to The Amazing Race fan wiki—looking at their placements each week, Ricky & César have the highest racing average ever!Not too bad for a couple of (in their words) teddy bears, huh?
Congrats Ricky & César on a well deserved win!A post shared by César Aldrete (@cesarald)Pre-school teacher Ricky and chef and food stylist César, both 34, first met back in 2018 and began officially dating the following spring.
In an interview with Out‘s Bernardo Sim, the couple shared that César had been a super-fan of the show and got Ricky hooked as they binge-watched seasons during lockdown in 2020.Eventually, they decided to apply to compete on the show—and got a call about casting the very next day!Self-dubbed “the bear couple,” Ricky & César initially saw themselves as underdogs and knew they’d have stiff competition from teams who were maybe more athletic or physically fit.
