“It’s not an excuse, but it helps explain”: Jonathan addresses Amazing Race behavior after ASD diagnosis

Jonathan Towns might be the most talked-about contestant on The Amazing Race 37—and not for the best reasons.

His tense moments with his wife and teammate, Ana, have been hard to ignore. From snapping during high-stress challenges to bluntly telling her to “stop crying,” Jonathan has become a polarizing figure for viewers. But now, he’s opening up about what might have been going on beneath the surface.

In a recent episode of their YouTube series The Road Less Traveled, Jonathan and Ana shared some insight. Jonathan revealed he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) after filming the show. The line that sticks out?

“It’s not an excuse, but it helps explain.”

That phrase sets the tone for the entire video—and, maybe, for how some fans will view his behavior going forward.

---

Jonathan’s Amazing Race behavior raised eyebrows

Jonathan didn’t exactly win viewers over during the early episodes of The Amazing Race 37. His comments toward Ana often came off as cold or condescending, like when he told her to “stop whining” in the middle of a task. These moments weren’t one-offs—they kept happening. And fans noticed.

In episode 3, for example, Jonathan offered no support while Ana struggled during a Roadblock. Instead, he leaned against a tree stump and looked visibly annoyed. Then came the infamous taxi ride, where he snapped again.

“I told my wife, you know, stop crying, and I said it in a very harsh kind of tone,” he said in the video.

“I apologize for that—that was terrible, there’s absolutely no excuse for that.”

Still, as the tension built on-screen, many wondered: Why was he acting this way? The answer came after the race, and it changed how Jonathan and Ana saw it all.

---

ASD diagnosis sheds light on Jonathan’s mindset during the Amazing Race

After filming wrapped, Jonathan and Ana were puzzled by his outbursts.

“My wife and I both—having been really surprised at some of the extreme and strange behavior that I displayed on the race—we sought out to seek help,” he explained.

That search led to a diagnosis: autism spectrum disorder.

“That condition is known as ASD,” Jonathan said.

“And that stands for autism spectrum disorder.”

The video also linked to the American Psychiatric Association’s definition of ASD, which notes it involves persistent challenges with social communication and behavior.

Jonathan said the diagnosis made a lot of things click.

“There’s incredible explanatory power in an ASD diagnosis,” he noted.

“It helps me to understand a lot of my behavior as I look back on it when I watch these episodes.”

The Amazing Race doesn’t exactly offer a calm environment. For Jonathan, that chaos made everything harder to manage.

---

Sensory overload and stress added fuel to the fire

Jonathan describes himself as someone with a “hyperactive brain.” He explained that being on The Amazing Race took away the structures he uses to stay grounded.

“Unlike when I’m at home, I cannot control the external factors,” he said.

“My routines are completely non-existent, and people like me rely on routines in order to help us regulate our emotions.”

One major moment that stood out for him? That same taxi ride. He described the experience like this:

“There was this perfect storm of factors which contributed to this sort of spiraling… inside my head, it felt like there was a nuclear reactor that was melting down.”

Jonathan admitted that when Ana got emotional, he felt like it was “another fire to put out.” That doesn’t excuse the way he spoke to her—something he’s clear on. But knowing how his brain was reacting in the moment does, as he put it, help explain.

---

For Jonathan, who was under pressure from every direction on The Amazing Race, understanding those motivations becomes key. It’s not about excusing the behavior—it’s about giving it context.

And in a high-stakes show like The Amazing Race, that context might make all the difference in how viewers see what unfolds next.