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Robert "Rob" Carlo Mariano and Amber Joy Mariano (née Brkich) are an Engaged team on The Amazing Race 7, and a team of Newlyweds on The Amazing Race: All-Stars.

Coming off the heels of Survivor: All-Stars, Rob & Amber had to deal with the ire of several teams who were not pleased with their presence in The Amazing Race 7. Their competitiveness, notoriety, tendency to be assisted by locals who recognized them, and trademark cutthroat gameplay allowed them to easily reach the final three. However, they could not decipher the final clue as fast as eventual winners Uchenna & Joyce, leaving them to finish in 2nd place.

They would eventually return in All-Stars, dominating the first three legs, winning every single one. However, this domination resulted in them being targeted by every single team, who wanted them out of the race. They suffered a spectacular collapse in the fourth leg, first struggling with the Detour, relegating them to the second charter flight to Argentina. There, they found themselves racing to avoid last place during the Roadblock with Charla & Mirna and Uchenna & Joyce, where they came out on the losing end, causing their shocking elimination in 8th place.

Profile[]

Retrieved from CBS.com

Rob & Amber are an engaged couple from Canton, Massachusetts and Beaver, Pennsylvania, respectively. They had an alliance together and fell in love when they competed with each other on "Survivor: All-Stars." Amber won the one million dollar prize, and Rob finished as the runner-up. During the live finale of the show in May 2004, before the outcome was even announced, Rob proposed to Amber, while she wore a t-shirt with the inscription, "I Love Rob!"

Prior to "Survivor: All Stars," Rob competed on "Survivor: Marquesas," the fourth installment of the series, where he was the seventh voted off. Amber previously competed on "Survivor The Australian Outback," the second installment of the series, where she was eleventh voted off, but was a part of the jury to decide the winner. Before their lives on SURVIVOR, Rob worked as a construction foreman and Amber as an administrative assistant.

Both of them are excited to participate in the Race, as they have been fans of the show for some time. They hope their competitive natures, which helped them compete on SURVIVOR, will propel them through to win THE AMAZING RACE.[3]

America's Sweethearts met, fell in love and got married...all in front of the cameras. It all started during Survivor: All-Stars, where Rob finished in second place to Amber.

Shortly after, they were cast on the seventh season of the Race and fought their way to the top of the pack, ultimately finishing as the runner-ups to Joyce and Uchenna.

Considered by many to be one of the best reality television competitors, "Boston" Rob changed the way the Race was played forever, adding a level of manipulation never seen on the game. Despite the difference in their personalities; Rob is outspoken and boisterous while Amber is more quiet and reserved; they somehow balance each other out and are very strong competitors.

Since their time on the Race, Rob has gone on to host his own segment for CBS's The Early Show, "Rob to the Rescue," and he and Amber have built a home and settled in Pensacola, Fla. Rob describes himself as competitive and intense while Amber describes herself as caring and pragmatic.

It will be interesting to see how the other teams will react to this competitive duo. To what lengths will Rob go to avoid finishing as the runner-up yet again? Truth be told, it's less about the money for this team and all about the bragging rights.[4]

The Amazing Race 7[]

Race History[]

Rob & Amber's Race History
Episode Leg Destination(s) Detour Choice
(underlined)
Roadblock
Performer
Placement Notes
1 1 United States → Peru Rope a Llama / Rope a Basket No Roadblock 3 of 11
2 2 Peru → Chile Shop / Schlep Amber 1 of 10
3 3 Chile → Argentina Paddle / Pedal Rob 5 of 9 [1]
4 4 Argentina Shipwreck / Island Rob 1 of 8
5 5 Argentina → South Africa Tunnels / Tribes Amber 5 of 7
6 South Africa → Botswana Food / Water Rob 2 of 7
6 7 Botswana Carry It / Milk It Rob 1 of 6
8 8 Botswana → India Solid / Liquid Amber 1 of 5 [2]
9 Trunk / Dunk Amber 3 of 5
10 9 India → Turkey Columns / Kilos Rob 3 of 4
11 10 Turkey → United Kingdom Brains / Brawn Rob 1 of 4>
12 11 United Kingdom → Jamaica Raft It / Build It Amber 2 of 3
12 Jamaica → Puerto Rico → United States Pony Up / Tee It Up Amber 2 of 3
Average 2.42
Legend:
     The team finished in first place
     The team finished in last place and was eliminated from the race
     The team finished in last place in a non-elimination leg
     The team that won The Amazing Race
     The team that crossed the Finish Line second
     The team that crossed the Finish Line third
The team used the Fast Forward pass
> The team used the Yield
< Recipient of the Yield

Notes:
1: Rob decided to forfeit the Roadblock and was issued a 4-hour penalty at the Roadblock site starting from the arrival of the next team.
2: Leg 8 was a double-length leg with two Detours and two Roadblocks shown over two episodes. The placement listed in the top row reflect the order teams arrived at the leg's halfway point.

The Amazing Race: All-Stars[]

Race History[]

Rob & Amber's Race History
Episode Leg Destination(s) Detour Choice
(underlined)
Roadblock
Performer
Placement Notes
1 1 United States → Ecuador Wrangle It / Recover It No Roadblock 1 of 11
2 2 Ecuador → Chile By Hand / By Machine Amber 1 of 10
3 3 Chile Vertical Limit / River Wild Amber 1 of 9
4 4 Chile → Argentina Navigate It / Sign It Rob 8 of 8
Average 2.75
Legend:
     The team finished in first place
     The team finished in last place and was eliminated from the race
     The team finished in last place in a non-elimination leg
     The team that won The Amazing Race
     The team that crossed the Finish Line second
     The team that crossed the Finish Line third
The team used the Fast Forward pass
> The team used the Yield
< Recipient of the Yield

Post-Race[]

Mariano Daughters

Rob and Amber's four daughters after Adelina's arrival.

  • Rob & Amber married on April 16, 2005 in Paradise Island, The Bahamas.[5] They have four daughters: Lucia Rose (born July 4, 2009[6]), Carina Rose (born December 10, 2010[7]), Isabetta Rose (born May 5, 2012[8]), and Adelina Rose (born June 20, 2014[9]).
  • Rob and Amber attended the wedding of fellow The Amazing Race 7 racers Ray & Deana on May 21, 2005.[10]
  • In 2007, Rob & Amber filmed a 10-episode show for the Fox Reality Channel, Rob and Amber: Against the Odds.
  • Rob competed on a Survivor Primetime special of The Price is Right that aired in May 2016.[11] Rob and his partner, Alysse, lost their pricing game and were unable to make it to the Showcase.[12]
  • Rob will compete as a contestant on Deal or No Deal Island spin off series of Deal or No Deal https://ew.com/deal-or-no-deal-island-cast-boston-rob-claudia-jordan-exclusive-8423235

Return to Survivor[]

  • Rob competed on Survivor's twentieth season, Heroes vs. Villains. Rob was voted out on Day 18, finishing in 13th Place.
  • Rob competed for a fourth time on Survivor's twenty-second season, Redemption Island. Rob advanced to the Final Tribal Council and won the title of Sole Survivor in an 8-1-0 jury vote. Amber was present at the season's reunion.
  • Rob returned to Survivor alongside fellow Survivor winner Sandra Diaz-Twine as mentors to the new castaways in the show's thirty-ninth season Island of the Idols. As a mentor, he did not compete, thus ineligible to win the season. He and Sandra were mentors until Day 36.
  • Both Rob and Amber competed on Survivor's fortieth season and twentieth anniversary, Winners at War. Amber was the second person voted out and sent to the Edge of Extinction, while Rob was the sixth out, finishing 20th and 17th respectively. However, both served as jurors.

Trivia[]

Franchise Records[]

  • Rob & Amber are the first team to consist of two former reality TV show contestants.
    • Rob & Amber were the first team of former Survivor castaways.
    • Rob & Amber the first reality show team to make it to the final leg and cross the Finish Line. They are also currently the only Survivor team to archive this feat.
    • Rob & Amber are one of two teams, along with Brendon & Rachel, to appear together more than once on multiple reality shows, appearing together on The Amazing Race twice and Survivor on the same season twice.
  • First team to win a trip sponsored by Travelocity as a prize.
  • First team to win the first three legs of the race, achieving this feat in The Amazing Race: All-Stars.
  • First team of Returning Racers to be eliminated for the first time on their second race.

US Records[]

  • Highest racing average of a team who finished in 8th Place, at 2.75 in All-Stars.

Other[]

  • Rob & Amber are the first team consisting of two Survivor winners to compete on The Amazing Race, followed by Ethan & Jenna.
    • However, unlike Ethan & Jenna, Rob had not yet won a season of Survivor until after both his appearances on The Amazing Race.

External links[]

Interviews[]

Season 7[]

  • Ethan Alter at TV Guide (05/16/2005) "Rob and Amber's Agony of Defeat"

All-Stars (2007)[]

  • Caitlin Johnson at CBS News (03/12/2007) "Rob And Amber Knocked Out Of "Race""
  • Christopher Rocchio at Reality TV World (03/12/2007): "INTERVIEW: Rob and Amber talk about their 'Amazing' wipeout"
  • Eric Goldman at IGN (03/13/2007): "Amazing Race: All-Stars Interview: Rob & Amber"

Social Media[]


References[]

The Amazing Race 7 Teams
 Brian & Greg
Brothers
S7 BrianGreg
 Debbie & Bianca
Lifelong Friends
S7 DebbieBianca
 Lynn & Alex
Boyfriends
S7 LynnAlex
 Megan & Heidi
Roommates
S7 MeganHeidi
 Meredith & Gretchen
Married/Retired
S7 MeredithGretchen
 Ray & Deana
Dating On and Off
S7 RayDeana
 Rob & Amber
Engaged
S7 RobAmber
 Ron & Kelly
Former POW/Pageant Queen
S7 RonKelly
 Ryan & Chuck
Best Friends
S7 RyanChuck
 Susan & Patrick
Mother/Son
S7 SusanPatrick
S7 UchennaJoyce
The Amazing Race: All-Stars (2007) Teams
S11 CharlaMirna
 David & Mary
Coalminer and Wife
S11 DavidMary
 Dustin & Kandice
Beauty Queens
S11 DustinKandice
S11 EricDanielle
 Joe & Bill
Life Partners
S11 JoeBill
 John Vito & Jill
Formerly Dating
S11 JohnVitoJill
 Kevin & Drew
Lifelong Friends
S11 KevinDrew
 Oswald & Danny
Best Friends
S11 OswaldDanny
 Rob & Amber
Newlyweds
S11 RobAmber
 Teri & Ian
Married Parents
S11 TeriIan
S11 UchennaJoyce
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