Kriti Mehrotra
With CBS’ ‘The Amazing Race’ season 37 living up to its title of the “season of surprises,” the competing teams had a lot of twists and turns to get through in the hopes of walking away with the $1 million grand prize. Amongst them were best friends and professional gamers Carson McCalley and Jack Dodge, whose stint in this original production was undeniably one for the books. After all, although they stepped into this once-in-a-lifetime adventure determined to win, it was the fact that they had fun every step of the way that made them one of the best.
Carson McCalley and Jack Dodge’s Strategy Worked Wonders for Them
As best friends, the compatibility and trust Carson McCalley and Jack Dodge share were undeniable from the moment they first came across our screens. Then, as professional gamers, their competitiveness was obvious, but so was the fact that they were determined not to take things too seriously and enjoy this adventure for what it was. They enjoyed exploring the world with a person they truly care about, and combined with their honesty, integrity, and sheer likability, they even managed to secure 1st place during four different legs.
Legs 1, 6, 10, and 1 ended with Carson and Jack in first position, with the latter two actually being very significant since it was just prior to the semi-finals and the semi-finals. They did have rough times too, particularly during leg 7 when the self-driving and navigation aspect had them lost and three hours behind the rest of the team, but thanks to a U-turn no one saw coming, they managed to survive. Then, with Jack’s positivity, Carson’s quiet strength, and their unwavering teamwork, they managed to make it all the way to the top 3 as the team to beat, and then won.
Carson and Jack Wholeheartedly Believe They Are Platonic Soulmates
San Diego, California, natives Carson and Jack were just teenagers when they first met. They immediately felt a natural yet platonic spark. This resulted in them building a friendship that became even stronger when they came out to one another and continued as they went their separate ways for future studies. The former decided to pursue his dreams in theater and acting by attending the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland before enrolling at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art.
On the other hand, Jack attended Emerson College before transferring and graduating from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Communication Studies in December 2020. This was two years after Carson had also earned his Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies from Carnegie Mellon University. Eventually, the duo both settled down in Brooklyn, New York, and today, they reside in different apartments of the same building as best friends, co-workers, and platonic life partners. In fact, in their own words, they have been together through almost every stage of life, so they know that no matter what happens, they will always have one another.
Carson McCalley is a Broadway Star Turned Proud Social Media Producer
Carson was a fresh graduate when he kickstarted his career as a part-time Games Coordinator at Brooklyn Games Labs while also trying to make it as an actor, just to make his debut in 2019. He landed the role of Chad in the 2019 movie ‘Two Seven,’ unaware his big break was right around the corner in the form of a Broadway production. In 2020, he was a part of Matthew Lopez’s two-part play ‘The Inheritance,’ where he took on multiple roles to help share what it’s like to be gay in the modern world and the legacy of the AIDS epidemic.
As if that’s not enough, Carson even did some regional shows like The Odyssey, Hamlet, and This Ain’t No Disco, all the while also making brief appearances in films and television shows like ‘Human Capital,’ ‘Outsiders,’ and ‘Alternatino.’ However, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck and shut down the theatres, he had no choice but to expand his wings. He ultimately found his calling in social media. He started off as a freelance content creator and editor before diving deep into his passions and mixing both gaming and content into one.
In 2021, Carson took up the role of Digital Performance Director at New York University for 4 months, and in February 2022, he joined Kapwing as a Social Media Marketing Producer. However, it was in October 2022 that he really stepped into his own by establishing ‘Please Don’t Kill Us: An Interactive TTRPG Adventure’, a Dungeons and Dragons livestream game with his best friend Jack Dodge. He later also launched a podcast with him called ‘Dweeb Wars,’ where they debate nerdy topics with different special guests. So today, the Brooklyn resident and 11-time Tony Award nominee (for ‘The Inheritance’) is a Social Media Manager at Mostly Human, a Creative Director, and a co-founder of two very successful projects across the internet.
Jack Dodge’s Career Revolves Around Content Creation and Strategy
Jack kickstarted his career in Los Angeles, California, first as an Art Direction Intern at Full Screen Media from June to August 2017 and then as a Creative Development Consultant from October to November 2017. During this period, though, he even served as a Digital Marketing Specialist at Enlarge Media Group from September 2017 to January 2018, all the while also dabbling in the world of YouTube. However, it wasn’t until August 2019 that he launched a new project, the ‘Dating Straight’ podcast, alongside co-host Amy Ordman, and he became a true content creator and host. After all, it ultimately grew to such a point that it was not only recognized by publishers such as Cosmo, People, E! News, Teen Vogue, Buzzfeed, etc, but also sponsored by HBO, Postmates, Glossier, Curology, and more.
The ‘Dating Straight’ podcast ran until May 2021, but in between this period, Jack had also spread his wings to be a freelance photographer for Captive8 and a C
Carson and Jack Both Seem to be in Happy, Healthy Relationships
While neither Carson nor Jack has been extremely vocal about their personal romantic connections, it does seem that both of them are in joyful relationships at the moment. The former appears to have been dating casting producer Alexander “Alex” James Cortinas since 2022, and they seem to have a really fun-loving, adorable bond. We should mention that Alex has worked on many major projects across his career, including ’80 For Brady,’ ‘The First Lady,’ ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘Shazam 2,’ and many more. As for Jack, he is reportedly head over heels in love with Michael Thomas Mort, who is the Executive Director of the Head of Innovation at JP Morgan Private Bank. In other words, he is quite far removed from the entertainment industry and anything related to content, but that’s what appears to make their relationship work.
Honestly, both Carson and Jack seem perfectly content with their lives these days, which is all that matters in the long run. We should also mention that whenever Carson and Jack are not working, having fun together and with other friends, or spending time with their reported partners, they enjoy quality downtime with their respective families. Unfortunately, from what we can tell, Carson lost his mother a few years ago. He is now particularly close to his brother Austin, especially as he is the one person who understands his grief more than anyone else. On the other hand, Jack seems to have a close relationship with both his parents, who even visited him in New York mere months after he had relocated. Considering their success and fulfilled personal lives, we truly wish this pair of best friends nothing but the best for years to come.
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