Who are Kim + Penn Holderness, from viral ‘Christmas Jammies’ video to ‘The Amazing Race’?
Raleigh viral video stars and internet personalities Kim and Penn Holderness were crowned the winners of CBS’s “The Amazing Race” in 2022, crossing the finish line ahead of two other teams and walking away with $1 million.
The News & Observer followed along with the couple’s journey each week of the race — but local viewers were likely already a little familiar with the duo: Penn spent six years as an evening anchor at WNCN/CBS 17 in Raleigh and the family gained national fame after they released a “Christmas Jammies” video that went viral in 2013.
So, what else should you know about the Holdernesses? And what are some of their most popular videos?
We’ve compiled that information and more to get you up-to-speed on the newest champions of “The Amazing Race.”
Holdernesses before the viral videos: Florida, TV news
Before the Holdernesses released their now-famous “Christmas Jammies” viral videos in 2013, both Kim and Penn worked for several years in the TV news industry. Together, they have a combined 25 years of experience in the industry.
▪ Kim graduated from the University of Florida in 1998, where she was a member of the Dazzlers dance team with sports commentator and “Dancing with the Stars” contestant Erin Andrews.
▪ After graduating, Kim worked as a local TV reporter in Florida before joining “Inside Edition” in New York for three seasons from 2004-2008. In a 2019 video on the Holderness Family Vlogs YouTube channel, she said she mostly reported on red carpet events for “Edition,” and got to interview Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney.
▪ Penn grew up in Durham, attending Charles E. Jordan High School and the North Carolina Governor’s School. After high school, he attended the University of Virginia, where he majored in philosophy.
▪ After graduating from college in 1996, Penn worked in local TV news, first in Colorado, then in Orlando.
▪ Penn’s other on-air TV jobs have included hosting “Designer Finals” on HGTV, working as a video essayist for ABC and ESPN in New York and anchoring the evening news for WNCN/CBS 17 in Raleigh, where he worked until 2013.
▪ The couple met while they were working in local news in Orlando, and got married in 2005. They have two children: Lola, 14, and Penn Charles, 11. They also have a dog, Sunny.
“Christmas Jammies” goes viral
The couple’s life as internet personalities began in Christmas 2013, when Kim and Penn decided to send a “Christmas video greeting” instead of mailing out traditional family Christmas cards.
▪ The duo just thought that their family and friends would watch it, but the video, called “XMAS Jammies,” went viral — with more than 18.4 million views on YouTube to-date. The video was even spoofed in a 2014 episode of “Saturday Night Live,” in a sketch called “Christmas Sweatpants.”
▪ Eventually, the duo launched their own business, chronicling “their marriage and their family with funny music videos, vlogs, skits” on their popular “The Holderness Family” social media accounts. The couple’s website says they have accumulated over a billion views on their videos and 4.5 million followers across social media.
▪ They were the subjects of a reality show called “The Holderness Family,” which aired on UPTV in 2015 for one season.
▪ The couple’s online accounts and other ventures are now their full-time jobs. They make money through ad revenue on their videos, and brand partnerships and sponsorships, among other sources of revenue.
Most popular Holderness Family videos
In addition to “XMAS Jammies,” the Holdernesses have several other viral videos, often musical parodies, on their YouTube channel.
Some of their most popular videos include:
▪ “Baby Got Class -- A back to school parody” (8.6 million views)
▪ “’All About That Baste’ (Thanksgiving Song)“ (5.9 million views)
▪ “Where Is My Phone? - ‘Into The Unknown’ Frozen 2 Parody” (4.5 million views)
▪ “Penn Goes into Labor for Mother’s Day” (4.4 million views)
▪ “Ultimate Thanksgiving Mashup: Hello, Hotline Bling, and Nae Nae, Holderness Family Style” (3.2 million views)
▪ “We Don’t Talk About COVID - ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ Parody” (2.5 million views)
▪ “Quarantine (is Not Quite Over) - Billie Jean Parody” (2.4 million views)
Other Holderness ventures: Book, podcast
Aside from their popular videos, the Holdernesses also produce other online content, including a podcast.
▪ The Holderness Family Podcast, which launched in 2018, is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora and Stitcher.
▪ The duo also released a book, “Everybody Fights: So Why Not Get Better At It,” in March 2021.
More information about the Holdernesses
Find out more about the Holdernesses on their website, theholdernessfamily.com.
This story was originally published March 3, 2022 at 2:29 PM with the headline "Who are Kim + Penn Holderness, from viral ‘Christmas Jammies’ video to ‘The Amazing Race’?."
