Amazing Race Contestants Gearing Up

There are bound to be a lot of obstacles in the way when trying to race around the globe, and for one team on the new season of The Amazing Race there's an extra challenge beyond the normal language barriers: Luke Adams, 22, is the show's first deaf contestant, and doesn't read lips or speak at all. His mother Margie is his partner, and he speaks through an interpereter.

 ''I thought it would be easy because my mother and I have always communicated really well,'' he tells the Associated Press through an interpreter. ''In the airports, my mom had to do all of the work because she had to do all of the talking. It was kind of hard for me to depend on her to do all of that.''

Another noteworthy team is actor/director/screenwriter Mike White, who's racing alongside his dad, Mel White, the season's oldest contestant at 68. He's a gay-rights activist and former speechwriter for Pat Robertson and Billy Graham, while his son wrote School of Rock and Nacho Libre, and Chuck and Buck and has appeared in many movies as well.

''Compared to some of the other teams, I think we got along like a Hallmark card,'' Mike says of his chemistry with his father during the race.