Herbert "Flight Time" Lang and Nathaniel "Big Easy" Lofton are a team of Harlem Globetrotters on The Amazing Race 15, The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business, and The Amazing Race: All-Stars.
In The Amazing Race 15, the Globetrotters took advantage of their team's recognition with both locals and American travelers around the world, receiving help at several points in the race. However, Flight Time & Big Easy proved to be a strong team in their own right, using their physical abilities to their advantage, as well as generally working well together, in sharp contrast to several of their competitors. Their strong racing abilities propelled them to the final four where Big Easy, who had a tendency to struggle with mental tasks, was faced with a mental Roadblock on the penultimate leg. After over two hours of struggling to unscramble a 5-letter word, Big Easy elected to quit the task and take a four-hour penalty which proved to be too much of a deficit for the Globetrotters to overcome, causing their elimination in 4th place.
In Unfinished Business, their charisma allowed them to work well with several other teams, most notably Kisha & Jen and Zev & Justin. However, they again tended to struggle with mental tasks, usually needing help from their allies to give them answers to bail them out of difficult situations. This strategy, along with their ability to work well together, allowed them to make it to the final three, where they ran a smart leg, being neck and neck with Kisha & Jen throughout. They were ultimately edged out by the sisters by a narrow margin, finishing in 2nd place.
In All-Stars, Flight Time & Big Easy's charisma again won over their competitors and locals alike. However, racing against teams who were less willing to help them out of difficult situations forced the Globetrotters to fend for themselves, and they found themselves struggling more often and adopting a mindset of racing to avoid last. Starting the eighth leg in last already, they struggled with navigation early on, followed by switching Detour options twice. This put them far behind the other teams, ensuring their elimination in 6th place.
Profile[]
Retrieved from CBS.com
Herbert Lang (32); Nathaniel Lofton (28) Their athletic talent brought these two friends together five years ago when they met at the Harlem Globetrotters training camp. While getting to know each other, Herbert and Nathaniel discovered that their occupation and need to entertain others were not the only things they had in common. They both live in Louisiana, have two children and shared the same college basketball coach. Recently, Herb and Nate lost one of their best friends and teammate, Chris Richardson, who passed away in December — and both continue to struggle with that loss. The three were commonly referred to as the "three amigos" throughout their inner circle. Herbert believes he can get along with anyone on the planet and that he brings joy and laughter to all corners of the globe. Standing at 6'3," Herb is known among his colleagues as "Flight Time." Nathaniel, who goes by the name "The Big Easy," towers over the competition at 6'9," and admits to being worried that seating could present a problem on some of the flights. Both have traveled extensively with the Globetrotters. Herbert has traveled to over 60 countries, and Nathaniel has traveled to over 30 countries. Despite their love of exploring new places, and their extensive knowledge of other countries, they're eager to see how well they can travel together when it is just the two of them. Even if their fancy footwork does not translate to winning the $1 million prize, they both are confident that their relationship will remain the same regardless of where they end up in the Race.[1]
Flight Time[]Age: 34 Big Easy[]Age: 30
Flight Time[]Age: 37 Big Easy[]Age: 33 |
The Amazing Race 15[]
Race History[]
Flight Time & Big Easy's Race History | ||||||
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Episode | Leg | Destination(s) | Detour Choice (underlined) |
Roadblock Performer |
Placement | Notes |
1 | 1 | United States → Japan | No Detour | Big Easy | 5 of 12 | |
2 | Japan → Vietnam | No Detour | Flight Time | 3 of 11 | ||
2 | 3 | Vietnam | Child's Play / Word Play | Flight Time | 1 of 10 | |
3 | 4 | Vietnam → Cambodia | Cover / Wrap | Flight Time | 2 of 9 | |
4 | 5 | Cambodia → United Arab Emirates | Build a Snowman / Find a Snowman | Big Easy | 3 of 8 | |
5 | 6 | United Arab Emirates | Gold / Glass | Big Easy | 6 of 7 | |
6 | 7 | United Arab Emirates → Netherlands | Farmer's Game / Farmer's Dance | Flight Time | 3 of 6 | |
7 | 8 | Netherlands → Sweden | Nobel Dynamite / Viking Alphabet | Big Easy | 1 of 5 | |
8 | 9 | Sweden → Estonia | Serve / Sling | Flight Time | 3 of 5 | |
9 | 10 | Estonia → Czech Republic | Fast & Furious / Slow & Steady | Big Easy | 3 of 4 | |
10 | 11 | Czech Republic | Did not perform | Big Easy | 4 of 4 | [1] |
Average | 3.10 | |||||
Legend:
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Notes:
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The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business[]
Race History[]
Flight Time & Big Easy's Race History | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Episode | Leg | Destination(s) | Detour Choice (underlined) |
Roadblock Performer |
Placement | Notes |
1 | 1 | United States → Australia | No Detour | Flight Time | 5 of 11 | |
2 | 2 | Australia | Sprit World / Natural World | No Roadblock | 2 of 11 | |
3 | 3 | Australia → Japan | Prayer of Purity / Frog of Luck | Flight Time | 5 of 10 | [2] |
4 | 4 | Japan → China | Hammer / Horn | Big Easy | 6 of 9 | |
5 | 5 | China | Honor the Past / Embrace the Future | Big Easy | 6 of 9⋑ | |
6 | 6 | China → India | Hindu Art / Bengali Literature | Flight Time | 7 of 8 | |
7 | 7 | India | Feed the Fire / Feed the Buffalo | Big Easy | 1 of 7 | |
8 | 8 | India → Austria | Long Hard Walk / Quick and Easy Meal | Big Easy | 2 of 6 | |
9 | 9 | Austria → Liechtenstein → Switzerland | Cheese / Wheeze | Flight Time | 5 of 6⊂ | |
10 | 10 | Switzerland | Search / Rescue | Flight Time | 1 of 5 | |
11 | 11 | Switzerland → Brazil | On the Rocks / On the Beach | Big Easy | 3 of 4 | |
12 | Brazil → United States | No Detour | Flight Time | 2 of 3 | [3] | |
Big Easy | ||||||
Average | 3.75 | |||||
Legend:
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Notes:
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The Amazing Race: All-Stars[]
Race History[]
Flight Time & Big Easy's Race History | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Episode | Leg | Destination(s) | Detour Choice (underlined) |
Roadblock Performer |
Placement | Notes |
1 | 1 | United States → China | No Detour | Flight Time | 7 of 11 | |
2 | 2 | China | Featherball / China Cup | Flight Time | 5 of 10 | |
3 | 3 | China → Malaysia | River Delivery / Run Through the Jungle | Flight Time | 5 of 9 | |
4 | 4 | Malaysia | Mix Master / Master Mix | Big Easy | 6 of 8 | |
5 | 5 | Malaysia → Sri Lanka | Fishing Pole / Spin Control | Big Easy | 6 of 8 | |
6 | 6 | Sri Lanka | Trunk / Sheets | Big Easy | 6 of 7 | |
7 | 7 | Sri Lanka → Italy | Gladiator / Charioteer | Flight Time | 6 of 7 | |
8 | 8 | Italy | Donkey Run / Donkey Build | Flight Time | 6 of 6 | |
Average | 5.88 | |||||
Legend:
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Post-Race[]
- In 2016, Flight Time & Big Easy competed on a The Amazing Race edition primetime special of The Price is Right that aired on May 26, 2016.[4] They helped their respective contestant, Katherine, win a tablet and headphones, and made it to the Showcase, but the trio lost the final bid to Erin & Joslyn.[5]
Trivia[]
- Big Easy's height posed certain logistical problems, and he was not allowed to perform certain tasks.[6]
- In The Amazing Race 15, Big Easy was not allowed to ride the Fritt Fall at Tivoli Gröna Lund in Sweden.
- In The Amazing Race: All-Stars, Big Easy was not allowed to perform the Roadblock the third leg, which required racers to rappel down the Kiansom Waterfall in Malaysia.
- First team to be eliminated in the Czech Republic on the original American version.
- First team to be U-Turned by a team who had also been U-Turned in the same leg.
- First U-Turned team to check in ahead of the team that U-Turned them.
- First team to be successfully U-Turned by a team who would be eliminated in the same leg.
- First all-male African-American team to qualify for the final leg and cross the Finish Line.
- First team to run 30 legs over the course of their career.
External links[]
- Flight Time Lang - Harlem Globetrotters Website
- Big Easy Lofton - Harlem Globetrotters Website
- Flight Time's Wikipedia page: Herbert "Flight Time" Lang
- Big Easy's Wikipedia page: Nathaniel "Big Easy" Lofton
Interviews[]
Season 15[]
- Joyce Eng at TV Guide Online (11/30/2009): "No Regrets About Taking Penalty"
- Jessica Shaw at EW.com (11/30/2009): "Talking with Flight Time and Big Easy"
- Digital Spy (11/30/2009): "We chat to the Harlem Globetrotters about just missing the final."
- Gina Scarpa at Reality Wanted (11/30/2009): "The Amazing Race 15: Exclusive Interview with Flight Time and Big Easy"
- Christopher Rocchio at Reality TV World (11/30/2009): "Exclusive: 'Flight Time' Lang, 'Big Easy' Lofton talk The Amazing Race"
- People.com (12/01/2009): "The Globetrotters Have No Regrets"
Season 18[]
- Gina Scarpa at Reality Wanted (05/09/2011): "Season 18 Exclusive Interview with Flight Time and Big Easy"
- Digital Spy (05/09/2011): "The Harlem Globetrotters talk about their second Amazing Race."
- Reality TV World (05/10/2011): "Exclusive: Flight Time and Big Easy talk about their Amazing Race return"
- Joyce Eng at TV Guide Online (05/10/2011): "We Didn't Bully Kent and Vyxsin"
Season 24[]
- Dave Walker at NOLA.com of The Times-Picayune (02/21/2014): "NOLA's racer returns to The Amazing Race"
- Joyce Eng at TV Guide Online (04/21/2014): "It's the Donkey's Fault!"
- Rob Cesternino at RHAP (04/21/2014): "Interview with the Latest Team Eliminated from The Amazing Race 24"
- Elizabeth Kwiatkowski at Reality TV World (04/21/2014): "Exclusive: Herbert 'Flight Time' Lang and Nate 'Big Easy' Lofton talk The Amazing Race" [Parts 1 & 2
- Ruth Myles at Calgary Herald (04/24/2014): "It ain't easy being Big Easy (and Flight Time, too)"
Social Media[]
- Big Easy's Facebook: /nathaniel.lofton.9
- Flight Time's Facebook: /herbertflighttime.lang
- Flight Time's Twitter: @datrotter4
- Flight Time's Instagram: /datrotter4
- Big Easy's Instagram: /nate.bigeasy.lofton_realtor
References[]
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20221129052054/https://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/cast/36577/
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20211027040658/https://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/cast/53152/
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20230327100552/https://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/cast/214805/
- ↑ http://parade.com/472671/joshwigler/survivor-big-brother-amazing-race-the-price-is-right-photos/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enuGBP4dUJ0
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09H8QcdeZlk
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The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business Teams | ||||||||||||
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The Amazing Race: All-Stars (2014) Teams | ||||||||||||
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