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Jonathan Towns, who is currently a participant on season 37 of The Amazing Race alongside his wife, Ana Towns, recently opened up about his reactions and overall behavior shown on screen. In an episode of his and Ana's video podcast, shared on their YouTube channel on April 9, 2025, Jonathan revealed why he had those outbursts, shedding light on several concerns that goaded that behavior.
"We sought out to seek help and understand why I was having such extreme reactions... on The Race. So, we started by doing some research, and then we consulted with some professionals, and they came to the conclusion that I have a condition. That condition is known as ASD, and that stands for Autism Spectrum Disorder," Jonathan explained.
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The Amazing Race star is often shown having meltdowns and outbursts in the show, particularly directed toward his wife, Ana. Many a times, Jonathan did not support Ana and even criticized her ideas or suggestions. In one of the episodes, he demanded that Ana "stop whining" and "stop crying."
In the video podcast, titled The Road Less Traveled, Jonathan addressed the issue and explained why he behaved that way. Jonathan wondered if some of the viewers had already suspected his condition while he revealed that he was completely unaware of it.
"You're going to be upset and rightfully so" — The Amazing Race star Jonathan addresses viewers and explains his behavior
While The Amazing Race star Jonathan confessed that he was unaware of his condition, he shared that his family had "long speculated" it. He added that he had found out about his condition only six months before filming the video and hoped viewers would keep that context in mind while watching him compete on the show.
"You're going to be upset and rightfully so at the ways that I lash out oftentimes at the person who's in closest proximity to me, which is my wife, and you'll be, like I said, rightfully angry and upset at that," he said.
However, Jonathan requested viewers to take his condition into consideration and try to understand what could be going on "underneath the surface." He mentioned that his plea was not "an excuse" because he understood why viewers were unhappy with what they saw.
Jonathan reiterated the importance of seeing behind the curtains and figuring out the "missing context."
He then recalled his "over-the-top" reaction in episode 1 of The Amazing Race after reaching the LAX airport. Jonathan explained that although it seemed exaggerated, it was not, because what was not shown was that he and Ana had lost their clue on their way to the airport, and had to go back and retrieve it. Consequently, his reaction was one of excitement at not coming last.
"Now that you have this missing context about me, I hope that it can help fill in some of the gaps and help you understand why you see me behave these ways. Again, not as an excuse but just to bring some understanding, and hopefully, a little bit of grace as we move forward into The Race," Jonathan added.
The Amazing Race star then introduced his wife by calling her the "paragon of patience," convinced she was the only woman "strong enough" to deal with someone like him.
Ana then expressed that although she knew Jonathan was "different" and "unique," she never had an explanation for why he acted in certain ways or needed things to be in a specific manner. However, she confessed that his diagnosis helped her understand his reactions better.
Jonathan added that he would appear persistently "irritable" during the race, especially because he had no control over his routine or other external factors. Consequently, it triggered him and made him hyperactive.
Ana got emotional, recalling how she tried to maintain composure but failed since she was unaware of his condition. As a result, she offered grace and patience, which she believed came across as "doormat" behavior.
"No, this was me loving my husband and giving him the patience that he needed from me," The Amazing Race star said.
The couple then admitted that Jonathan's behavior on the show was a "complete surprise" for them, like it was for the viewers.
The Amazing Race season 37 airs every Wednesday at 9:30 pm ET exclusively on CBS.
