The Yak chatted with the most recent eliminated team from The Amazing Race 20 (much to the disappointment of MANY fans), Mark Jackson and William “Bopper” Minton. Keep reading to see what they had to say!
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The Yak: Thank you for taking time today to speak with me. I am with Yakkity Yaks.
Mark and Bopper: Hello!
Bopper: No problem one thing I love to do is Yakkity Yak!
The Yak: At Yakkity Yaks we talk back and you are both welcome to come on the site and chat with us!
[Laughter and thanks for the invitation.]
The Yak: First up I wanted to share some things that folks wanted you all to know! The two of you have been a great example not only for your own children but for the children across America. You have been the embodiment of family you have shown how two friends can be from start to finish and support each other and that you have made this season well worth watching. People were very sorry to see you all go.
Mark: We was too!
Bopper: We was too but I can’t explain to you how it has touched us to know how proud our county and the state of Kentucky and the world is of us. We had no idea we were just two poor country boys that had a chance to win a million dollars and we had to go in there and do our best for our families and represent our county in the best way we could.
The Yak: You should be very proud I am sure they were over the moon with how you behaved unlike those snippy girls!
[Laughter]
Mark: You know if that is the way they wanted to behave that is their life but we are too respectful to try to hurt somebody’s feelings on national television, to try to down somebody. The way we look at is that everybody in the world are all the same, some are more fortunate than others and we should never look down on nobody.
Bopper: That is one of the main morals I teach my child to love, you treat others the way you want to be treated and I definitely wouldn’t want to go on national tv and have the world see me do something that would embarrass my family, my county or my child and I kept all those things in mind while running the race. What I kept in mind mostly was that I have a sick child at home that I am dedicated to and changing her quality of life and getting her relocated to a better and healthier environment was my priority. Priority one was my child and I am sorry Mark but Mark was my second priority!
[Both laughed!]
Mark: Hey listen, if it weren’t then something was wrong with you; that was my main goal too brother.
The Yak: I will also let you know that each team that I have spoken to since the start of the race had one thing in common, that the two of you are who they would want to keep most in contact with.
Mark: We touched everybody. We went around the world and saw all the people, the other teams kept on walking but me and Bopper, we’re not like that we stopped and we gave them blankets, the food we had or if it was money even with other teams behind us and thought they would start to do the same. We made them feel like somebody… they may have been homeless but we made them feel like a million dollars by stopping and when we left they had a blanket over them and a smile. But the answer to your question was that every team we were in the race with has kept in touch with us
Bopper: We are life long friends with all of them.
The Yak: Would the two of you do The Amazing Race again?
Bopper: In one half second sweetheart if they called me right now I would gladly do it.
The Yak: How excited were the kids to see you on tv?
Bopper: My child was ecstatic, my kid’s always been proud of me but when she would look at that tv she would look over at her daddy and had a glimmer in her eye that money can’t buy. She was so proud of her father!
Mark: That is the same way my kids are! (Telling about his youngest child‘s experience at school) “Daddy, I had to sign some autographs” ( Mark responded with) so long as you know Daddy loves you more.
The Yak: Did Art and JJ actually make good on sharing their first place leg win money with you?
Mark: That was not with me that was for Bopper with his daughter.
[Mark shared that until the show completes on air that prize money will not be issued.]
Bopper: I have spoke with them on the phone and I told them I am not going to hold you guys to that because it was a moment that you made a decision. I will not look down on you guys, you won that money and you are more than welcome to keep it but they said no, when we give our word we keep it and as soon as we get our money that child will have a third sent to her. It touches me deeply that they respected me enough to see the love I have for my child to do that for her. I don’t care what (others) think in my book they are alright.
The Yak: Several people wanted to know if there was a way they could donate to help your daughter?
Bopper shared that several news channels had put out that he needed the money for his daughter’s medical bills and that is not the case. She does have good medical insurance coverage. He wanted to be sure that the record was set straight; he was seeking the money to relocate the family to another home to improve her environment.
The Yak: What was your favorite challenge?
Bopper: My favorite challenge was facing my fear of being trapped under water. One of my phobias was being trapped in a tight spot and I am real proud of myself for doing it.
Mark: Shaving our heads to try and stay in the race after doing the speed bump.
The Yak: Out of the two speed bumps you completed which was more difficult yodeling or painting the tiger?
Bopper: I think the painting because I can yod-a-le-hee-hoo any time I want too!
Mark: Painting the belly was hard and standing in the sand, it was hot.
Bopper: The sand was burning your feet! The first thing I noticed was that they were standing in little holes, you had to dig a little hole with your feet to get down to the cool sand.
Asks Mark if yodeling was his favorite…..says he thought he (Bopper) looked pretty good in the outfit on tv
Mark: You would be wrong!!
[Laughter]
The Yak: You both cut a mighty fine yodeling figure.
[Laughter]
Mark: We both enjoyed every minute of the race and we enjoyed everybody that was around us, that is why we didn’t get into any of that junk… if they wanted to argue then me and Bopper would walk away. My mom says if it doesn’t have anything to do with you don’t get in it and so we stayed away from it.
Both Mark and Bopper expressed thanks to all members of production and CBS for the wonderful opportunity to be on the race. They were grateful for the chance to better their lives by winning TAR but they are happy to know that despite losing their families are very proud of them.
The Yak: Which city or country was your favorite to visit?
Bopper: Africa! The very best place I have ever been to in my life is Africa.
Mark: The same thing with me it was just amazing! Africa was unbelievable!
The Yak: How close were you on the last leg? I know you had large amount of time to make up but on tv it looked close?
Mark: I don’t know, I know we got eliminated but I think it was about 30-40 minutes.
Bopper: We were 3 hours behind to start but we made a pretty good comeback but it just wasn’t enough.
The Yak: When we saw that the fast forward was shaving your heads we knew neither one of those women would do that.
Bopper: I said you can shave my hair off since I am doing this for my child. I said they could take one of my legs. I know this may sound crazy to a lot of people but if giving a leg would change the health of my child I would give both of my legs in a heartbeat.
The Yak: That’s not crazy that’s the love of a father.
Mark: It’s crazy but it is the love of a father. Who’s gonna ride bicycles with her she is just 7 years old she has a long life to live. God is good, things will change in your life as long as you believe good is going to happen to you. I got fired as soon as I got back from the race for some unorthodox reason and I just can not see… money cannot buy you happiness. You need to walk her down the aisle and ride bicycles with her. Giving that up is not worth the million dollars.
Bopper: You are getting off the point. I said I would give my leg to change my daughter’s health, that is the love of a father.
Mark: Nobody in this world could doubt the love we have for our kids. We gave everything we had to show our love for our kids and change the lives of our kids, to let them know their daddies’ love them more than anything in this world.
The Yak: Thank you Mark and Bopper for chatting with Yakkity Yaks!
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Well, what do you think? Were you disappointed to see them go as much as the rest of us? Who are you rooting on to win now? Leave us a comment below!
***Also, to all you Yaksters, be sure to get in your questions for the four remaining teams as I will be speaking with them all after the last leg! What questions would you like to ask? The Yak will try and get all your most burning questions answered! Leave us your questions below, or, come join us in the FORUM where you can discuss the Race and leave your question!