Two Boulder women finish each other’s sentences and refer to each other as “soul mates.” They have a mutual bucket list of 100 fun and silly things to accomplish in 2012. (No. 8 is “pee in urinals in dresses and high heels.”) And they aim to win “Escape Routes” in a red Ford. Of course they realize that in their reality-TV escapades is part of the deal.
Bre Ortola, 25, and Tara Rhein, 24, of Boulder were cast on NBC’s “Escape Routes,” premiering Saturday at 7 p.m. on Channel 9, after making an iPhone video that had them whipping their hair around in various Boulder locations.
“It was our answer to Tebowing,” Ortola said by phone last week. “They said it was one of the worst audition videos they’d ever seen, but we were 100 percent ourselves,” added Tara. They whipped their hair in Chattauqua, at a fro-yo place, near a light pole, in a bathroom stall. … “Our necks were sore the next day,” she acknowledged.
There’s no one they’d rather be stuck in a car with for seven weeks. “I figure if I’m going to be stuck with someone for such a long time, I’d choose someone who’s in my head already,” Ortola said.
The pair will be on the road for seven weeks, with no hints about what real and concocted challenges to expect. Ortola, who owns Alchemy, a makeup company, will do most of the driving; Rhein, an advertising account executive, will work the phone and social media.
They expect the show to be a lot like “The Amazing Race” with a “Big Brother” aspect as well. “We’ll be on camera 24/7,” they chimed, in harmony, with a laugh. So far, they’ve been told to bring “girly dresses.”
As a way of training, they’ve been practicing “random skills,” like holding their breath and dancing, doing push-ups and obstacle courses.
“We’re really good at nothing that matters,” Rhein said.
What would they do with the $100,000 prize money if they win?
They’d take their moms on a trip, just the four of them (No. 67 on their list).
Finally, how do they feel about being involved in what is essentially an infomercial?
“It’s like a ,” Ortola said, “tapping into social media and TV! It’s gonna be a fun thing!”
And if it’s knocked for being an over-commercialized gimmick?
“We don’t care who says what,” Rhein said, signing off with an admonition to join the team’s Facebook fan page.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
