Was Erika Kirk on the amazing race
Executive summary
Erika Kirk (formerly Erika Frantzve) filmed and circulated an audition tape for The Amazing Race in 2014 with then-boyfriend JT (Tyler) Massey, but multiple contemporary reports note she and Massey were not cast on the CBS competition series; her reality-TV credentials instead include a later appearance on Bravo’s Summer House [1] [2]. The resurfacing of that audition tape in 2025–2026 has generated renewed scrutiny of her past and prompted divergent readings — from straightforward reporting of a rejected audition to partisan commentary framing the clip as evidence of personal inconsistency [3] [4].
1. The concrete fact: an audition tape exists, not a season credit
Reporting across US Weekly, Times Now, Distractify and several entertainment outlets documents a 2014 audition video in which Erika (then using her maiden name) and JT Massey introduce themselves to The Amazing Race casting cameras and make playful, flirtatious remarks; those outlets explicitly say the pair “auditioned” but were not selected as contestants for the show [1] [3] [2]. Multiple outlets that republished the clip emphasize that this material is an audition submission — not proof of having been part of a broadcast season — and note the couple didn’t go on to compete on The Amazing Race [1] [2].
2. How the resurfacing shifted the narrative about her public image
When the footage resurfaced amid intense coverage of Erika Kirk following Charlie Kirk’s high-profile death and her elevation as a public figure, outlets framed it variously as “unearthed,” “resurfaced,” or “viral,” using the tape to question perceived differences between the woman on-camera in 2014 and the public persona she projects later; this framing appears in pieces from OK! Magazine, Yahoo Entertainment and the Times of India among others [4] [5] [6]. Some coverage focuses on sensational soundbites from the tape — notably the “sex sells” line — to suggest inconsistency with her later religious or “trad wife” image, while other reports simply document the existence of the audition and the fact she was not cast [5] [7].
3. Contrasting interpretations and potential agendas in reporting
The same footage is used by different outlets and commentators to serve different narratives: tabloid and entertainment sites often highlight risqué lines to attract clicks and imply a scandalous backstory [4] [8], while other pieces — including Times Now’s contextual reporting — situate the audition within a longer timeline of Erika’s early pageant days, summer-house reality TV work, and claimed volunteerism, and also note supporters’ complaints about disproportionate scrutiny given her recent public role [3]. Readers should note that political or ideological agendas can shape which frames get amplified: some critics use the tape to impugn authenticity, while sympathetic coverage stresses it as an artifact of youthing audition culture and not disqualifying of later personal transformation [3] [2].
4. What the sources do and do not establish
The assembled reporting establishes two clear points: that Erika Frantzve appeared in a 2014 Amazing Race audition submission with JT Massey, and that she was not cast on the series [1] [2]. What the sources do not provide are internal casting records from CBS or an official casting statement confirming rejection; outlets rely on the tape itself and on absence of a broadcast credit to conclude the pair were not contestants [1] [2]. Additionally, while some sources weave the tape into broader arguments about character or credibility, those more interpretive claims extend beyond the basic factual record and reflect editorial position rather than a documented change in status [4] [5].
5. Bottom line and how this matters to the question asked
Answering the direct question succinctly: Erika Kirk auditioned for The Amazing Race in 2014, appearing in an audition tape with JT Massey, but she did not appear as a contestant on the televised Amazing Race series; her later reality-TV credit is on Bravo’s Summer House rather than CBS’s race competition [1] [2]. The resurfaced tape has been repurposed in different outlets to serve entertainment-driven or politically tinged narratives, so distinguishing the verifiable audition-from-casting outcome from editorial spin is essential when assessing the clip’s significance [4] [3].