WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. — Most boys wouldn't care for a nickname such as "The Kumquat Kid." But if it came with a check for $10,000 and a chance to be on national television, they might be persuaded.
The Pond family of Boone hosted a party at their business, the Sunrise Grill, Sunday to show their friends how their youngest member, Ryder Pond, got that particular nickname.
The story began two years ago when Ryder's mom, Nancee Pond, videotaped Ryder eating a kumquat. The sourness of the little fruit was not to his liking but he toughed it out, finally swallowing it while his sister Ruby howled with laughter in the background.
Last year, Ryder's father Casey Pond sent the video into America's Funniest Video's, a television show that airs on ABC each Sunday night.
"Last June we got a call and they said they were interested in it for another show and told us to take it off of YouTube," said Casey Pond.
"The next day we got another call and they said never mind about the other show, we want the video for America's Funniest Videos."
Four weeks ago the entire Pond family, Nancee, Casey, Ryder and his sisters Reid and Ruby, flew out to Los Angeles for the taping of America's Funniest Videos, where they knew they were already one of the three finalists vying for the top prize of $10,000. Their competition included a wobbly model falling off a runway and a little girl punching a Halloween pop-up skeleton yard decoration in the head.
At the end of Sunday's broadcast, the entire party at Sunrise Grill held its collective breath as Bergeron announced the order of the three finalists. When Bergeron declared the Pond Family of Boone as the winners of the $10,000, the entire restaurant was filled with whoops and hollers and a lot of "high-fives."
"So next week we'll be flying out to California for the season finale of the show," said Casey Pond. "This time our video will be competing against other finalists for $100,000."
If the Pond family comes away with that grand prize, the Kumquat Kid might have a nickname that sticks.
WSOC
