The Amazing Race

[MeMe]

Woo-hoo! I

love

this show! Even

more

than Survivor!

I

hate

the pizza brothers.
I don't like the team with the BigBro chick and the non-dwarf half of the Cousin team (what a whining weirdo).
I like the Bowling Moms & Chip/Kim the best so far.

Several of the other teams just kind of blend together in my mind...they're all blandly attractive and haven't shown any personality so far. Luckily, one of those teams got eliminated this week so I don't have to try to keep them straight in my mind!

I love the new twist with a "yield" rather than a "fast forward" -- I can't wait to see how it will play out...I wonder if several teams can play a yield on the same couple? And, if so, will that team have to wait the hourglass x the number of teams applying it to them? Or just one time through?

Great show. And it's the only reality program to which I've actually considered applying. Come on, spooky...let's

do it

!

[MeMe]

Hey! We could play up the "we're friends who've competed hard both as teammates and against each other...but we've

never met

" angle! Whaddya say?

[MeMe]

Good place to start here.

[MeMe]

I've not ever seen Big Brother -- but Alison must have really kept her abrasiveness in check to finish second (isn't that a popularity contest?). I'm very curious about the allegations of outright lying against the Bowling moms -- it seems that cameras would have captured that exchange if it existed! And the twins doing a complete 180 on Chip was hysterical. It's a freakin' race, people! I'm sure everyone knows what happened to the nice guy who gave up the taxi LAST leg!

As for Charla & Mirna, although speed is just one part of the race -- it's often a

huge

part. They are doing phenomenally well...but Mirna still bugs the crap outta me (and I also still hate the pizza brothers).

MeMe's

I like the teams in this order list

(because I'm a compulsive list-maker, OK?)
1. Linda & Karen (Bowling Moms)
2. Chip & Kim
3. Kami & Karli
4. Bob & Joyce (Internet Widow/Widower)
5. Jim & Marsha (Dad/Daughter)
6. Brandon & Nicole (Committed Christian Models - funniest title ever)
7. Charla & Mirna
8. Colin & Christie (Texas)
9. Marshall & Lance (pizza brothers)

[MeMe]

Charla was so impatient she broke in and spoke English slowly, as if that'd be easier to understand.

Slowly and with a Spanish accent! I was howling!

[MeMe]

Poor Phil - he accepted a bear hug from Chip without comment...but when Mirna came toward him he said "oh - you're hugging me?" Ha!

Mr current Like 'em to Hate 'em list goes:

Chip & Kim

- I love this couple...so upbeat & I was quite glad when they announced that they shouldn't be mad at Brandon & Nicole for playing the game. That's exactly the right attitude...and the twins need to realize this and leave behind their grudge for C & K.

Linda & Karen

(Bowling Moms) - same with them, but I don't see them winning

Colin & Christie

- smart team that seems to work really well together, but they're kinda boring

Kami & Karli

- I can take 'em or leave 'em

Lance & Marshall

- Not as irritating as they were, I agree

Brandon & Nicole

- Ugh. Is a shot of vodka really worse for your system than a couple of pounds of fish eggs? I hate it when Christians read the admonition of sobriety as a command to "never ever ever let alcohol pass your lips." And I hate the whole stumbling block argument too (and those of you who are Christians will know what I'm talking about) -- that's wrongly applied way too much of the time. They're making pretty decent decisions in general, though...but Brandon really, really gets on my nerves. Plus he's prettier than she is.

Charla & Mirna

- They're down here strictly because of Mirna. The way the preview was edited, I thought that Colin was the ass...but, boy-oh-boy. When she interrupted and then had the gall to look at the native man as though she were sharing a private joke with him about how ridiculous Colin was behaving...well, I just wanted to flick her ear.

I...LOVE...this...show.

[MeMe]

Best episode ever! So

packed

with tasks.

Player thoughts:

--Chip & Kim are awesome, but they need to start being ruthless on the final legs of the race. Good thing is almost everyone at this point should feel kindly toward them -- not that that means much to the other teams!
--Mirna is dead weight -- has she done

any

of the roadblocks so far?
--Brandon & Nicki's "you're sweet...no YOU'RE sweet" back and forth was sickening
--Colin & Christie are imbeciles to be bickering when they have every reason to be celebrating (and the preview is - like - WOW...note that they're apparently tied with Mirna & Schmirna when arguing over the cab, despite having started the next leg with a lead of at least half a dozen hours)
--Bowling moms must use a yield next episode if they are in front of ANYONE when it comes up. Can you believe they took ALL the cash? I mean half I could understand...or all but they get the money for the next leg...that's harsh.

Twins & brothers? Yawn.

[MeMe]

Narn - each team leaves exactly 12 hours after they hit the pit stop, so if a team is 6 hours ahead at the end of a leg -- they are automatically 6 hours ahead at the beginning of the next leg.

Watch the departure times next episode.

[MeMe]

I'm so glad the pizza brothers are out...it was torture just to

watch

him.

Mirna -- oh my word. She is completely delusional! She thinks the teams hate her because they're "jealous"? Please. I don't think any of the teams wish they were like Mirna & Charla. I laughed out loud when she straightfacedly said that Colin's got a Napoleon complex and that Christie is submissive. I think that, just like the rest of us have from time to time, she's getting Christie & Nicole confused...

As for the taxi episode -- I thought it was perfectly logical and good play for C&M to try to grab one of the other teams' taxis; I didn't have a problem with the plan and effort to execute it. What I

did

have a problem with was their refusal to budge once Colin told her they were holding the cab...Mirna's telling the cabbie that C&C are maniacs...and Charla's yelling "Go then if you're in such a hurry!" at them.

When Mirna was digging, Charla was not a cheerleader by any means. Did you hear her? She said things like "you're so slow!" and "Dig your ass over here!" The rest of the teams at least try to cheer for each other when one's doing a roadblock. I'm beginning to wonder if Charla & Mirna aren't cut from the same cloth but CBS is just not interested in airing "bitchy little person" segments, focusing instead on Mirna's behavior. Just a thought.

In conclusion:

Go Chip & Kim

!!!

[MeMe]

I havent read the whole thread yet so if I mention something thats already been said just ignore it, but did anyone notice Chips referra to the Nile as where Moses said Let my People Go?

Yes, I noticed. So?

[MeMe]

Absolutely. All four of us knew immediately what they were talking about. But this was no weirder than last week's "I think the prodigal son is Jesus!"

[MeMe]

You know, blackhawk -- the Nile

is

where Moses said "Let my people go." Or am I misunderstanding why you think it's funny?

[MeMe]

I think that it's because although Egypt is part of continental Africa, the cultures are so diverse. No one thinks pyramids and camels when you say "Africa."

Another great episode, eh? I'm glad that I won't have to hear any more of Mirna's attempts at locally accented English...

Anyone have any theories about why Brandon/Nicole & the twins got charged so much for the bus? Was it their attitude or the fact that they wanted the bus to leave before it was scheduled or what? We thought, at first, that it might be because the bus operators saw the first group with video cameras...and put two & two together about rich American TV people when the second group came along...but then we laughed even harder when the third group got charged least of all! And although the situation with the man demanding more payment was frightening -- what a wussy Brandon was. And I can't believe that Nicole threw the cash on the ground. Regardless of the situation, someone proclaiming their Christianity at every opportunity should be very careful about respecting others. You can disagree without demeaning.

Order I like the teams currently

:
Chip & Kim (by a HUGE margin)
Bowling Moms
Twins
Colin & Christie
Brandon & Nicole

[MeMe]

I don't understand how you're breaking down the bus costs, CoolBot....doesn't every team have a camera crew?

And I think that your observation about the Moms being followers is apt -- but it applies to the twins as well (maybe even a little more so) -- and I just

like

the moms better.

[MeMe]

Time for Colin to go. I would now be

seriously

upset if that ass won.

And I'm beginning to think that Mirna might have had something there when she said a few weeks ago that Christie's submissive. When she first apologized to him, I though "OK - smart girl. Just smooth things over to continue the race." But then at the pit stop they showed her saying that she was stressed out unnecessarily and that was wrong or whatever (not exact, but that was the vibe). Weird.

Go Chip & Kim!

[MeMe]

Well, the editors kind of stepped on the "will they or won't they" aspect of the haircutting fast forward by showing a Brandon & Nicole giving a post-episode testimonial earlier in the show (hair intact). In this case, Nicole was speaking of grabbing the #1 place for the water slide because Chip rushed past it accidentally. I really wish that when participants talk about the episode that we wouldn't be able to see them talking. I can always rule out more than half the participants as the eliminated by how they look during those testimonials. If they're in a good mood -- they're probably still in the game. I want it to be in doubt up until the very end! That said -- I knew the models would be too vain to shear their heads. And wasn't it funny that they both made it sound as if they weren't doing it because of the other player? Nicole said that Brandon's hair is his selling point and Brandon said that he wouldn't mind but he wasn't going to have Nicole cut her "beautiful head of hair." Heh.

Anyway, that fast forward was downright wrong. Especially since that's the second of only two in the game.

Go Chip & Kim!

[MeMe]

Well -- great & cool how they edited it to

appear

that way, anyhow...

Still hatin' on Colin.

Go Chip & Kim!

[MeMe]

Well -- great & cool how they edited it to

appear

that way anyhow...

What Do You Mean By That

I mean - yes it's cool. But I can't be sure that it

was

immediate.

The show is edited for maximum excitement and anything "cool" that happens could have been manipulated to be even cooler than it was. Case in point: last night's episode was edited in such a way that we were supposed to think that C&K and the twins were heading toward the finish at the same time -- but, in reality, the time difference was big enough that the sun had set between the two groups and they didn't see each other through the entire Roadblock.

[MeMe]

You're surprised B&N went with the mud? Haven't you noticed yet what a bawk-bawk

chicken

Brandon is? I loved how he said something about "Nicky's head banging around" when I just

knew

it was more about him being scared. He was even nervous about the Zorb (or whatever it's called).

And since we're talking about Brandon & Nicole, I'm frankly surprised they got any money the way they went about it. They sounded almost like inexperienced scammers -- I mean, what was that crap about it taking him out of his "comfort zone"? I'm sure it's true, but what a weird thing to say to the person you're hitting up. It seemed rather obvious to me that the smarter method would have been to split up and let Brandon go after groups of women alone.

[MeMe]

Both good points, CoolBot.

Though I do believe Brandon to be a fraidy-cat, he does generally make decent decisions. And I was embarrassed on their behalf in my

living room

when they were begging; must've been so much worse in person.

[MeMe]

I really hate the mentality that using a yield is somehow "playing dirty."

This is my preferred order:

Chip & Kim
Karen & Linda
Brandon & Nicole
Colin & Christie

I will be really freakin mad if C&C win.
I will be mildly annoyed if B&N win.
I will be fine with K&L winning.
I will be ecstatic if C&K win.

[MeMe]

I can't believe neither of them thought of having Christie steer.

And if they hadn't been yielded, they would have been there with the other teams and seen how to do it. Yielding them was exactly the right move and I hope that C&K don't hold on to any guilt about it. I'm hoping that the other two teams will have the guts to side with C&K and tell C&C that they wanted them yielded as well (yeah - sure that wish is gonna come true).

That roadblock was something else. If I had to do it, I'd be right there with Chip, inching along the girder. And then to jump off?

Shudder

Amen. They would've had to push me - no way would I have been able to move my legs to "jist steepoff" as instructed.

[MeMe]

I got home from my trip early in the morning & sat down to watch the episode (taped) at about 2:30 a.m. At about 4 a.m., when I watched Chip & Kim exit their van for the final sprint, my spontaneous cheering awoke Dirge. This is the happiest I've EVER been with the outcome of a reality show.

I think that everyone standing at the finish line (Phil included) was genuinely glad to see Chip & Kim hit the mat first because they spent the bulk of the game making friends out of their competitors.

[MeMe]

Christie always has "TEXAS" on her ass.
Nicole thinks Brandon looks "awesome" without a shirt.

Other than that, they're identical.

[MeMe]

And we're off again! Anyone watching it this time around? I'm already crazy about this season. I was pretty worried when I read a few weeks back that the contestants were going to be model- and actor-heavy (there's even a couple that are professional wrestlers)...a lot of the charm of this show is that it's largely

real

people who go back to their regular ol' lives after the show rather than trying to parlay their recognition into sad little spokesperson careers...but, so far, the casting gambit is working.

I hate Jonathan (duh) -- he's like Colin x 10. Colin, at least, could be normal -- he'd just snap occasionally. Jonathan is in permanent snapped mode (sample dialogue with his way-too-patient wife, Victoria: 1) her: "Turn left up here." him: "Don't you TALK to me like that." 2) him: "I want you up with me or ahead of me every step of the way, do you

understand

that?" her: "You do realize I'm carrying more than you, right?" him: "That doesn't matter."). Plus he's almost a superhero (according to him), has dyed the back of his hair blue for some stupid reason and was bouncing up and down like a pogo stick when Phil was giving the instructions before the race started and woo-ing at high decible levels on the boat and at the pit stop (in full "look at me!" mode, as Dirge dubbed it). Basically, the guy needs a moderate-to-heavy sedative.

The Mormon model girls: where the heck do they model? Sears catalogs?

I like:
Freddy & Kendra
the couple with the adorably excited blond woman in the blue jacket
and -- against my better judgment -- the wrestlers

I'm indifferent about:
Hayden & Aaron (I really like him but haven't made up my mind about her)
the grandparents
the roommates
Hellboy's team

I don't like:
the sisters
Jonathan & Victoria
Hera & Gus (though I don't mind her)

The race is

on

, people.

edited to fix the spelling of "dyed" -- that was

really

bugging me.

[MeMe]

Johnathen wasn't so bad this week, but I thought he'd never hand out candy if the cameras weren't there. After all, he stopped and talked to the camera after he did so. And who brings candy on the Race?

My thought about this was if Victoria had stopped to hand out candy, he'd be screaming at her to stop wasting time!

Adam was a wuss on that roadblock. It looked to me like he could've lifted those baskets, but was dogging it in a play for sympathy.

Did you laugh out loud when he tried his "do you want me to jump off the boat" crap and Rebecca said "that would be

awesome

"? About time.

And I agree about wishing this hadn't been a non-elimination leg. Better if it'd been last week instead (first unfair elimination, in my mind)...and, from the look on Don's face, I thought

he

was pretty disappointed he still had to race, as well!

[MeMe]

Oh and Kris is my favorite racer -- I can take or leave her partner Jon.

[MeMe]

Jonathan is abhorrent....sadly, that's probably why they cast him. I think that Phil's comment could easily be translated: "Get the hell out of my face, you poor excuse for a man." The horror factor just ratchets up when you consider that this abuse was over coming in second rather than first...it's not even as though they were in danger of elimination! But, you know, he owns a Ferrari, so I guess it's expected.

And CoolBot, I'm with you on Kendra. I was so shocked by her comment itself (made worse by the fact that it was made in FRONT of a native who spoke

at least

enough English to get them where they wanted to go), that my younger son thought I was ill. He was all "are you OK, Mom? What's wrong?" because I gasped so loudly. I was bothered a little bit by her "American Princess" behavior last week (when she just had to demonstrate how stinky she thought everything was with a throwing-up face and that she called the location "Ghetto Africa") -- but she plunged down to Jonathan level this week. It'd be cool if they threw in a "switch partners" twist...then maybe Jonathan & Kendra could pair up -- Kendra could get the bawling out she deserves and they could get eliminated together; and Victoria could find out what it's like to be with a patient man and. Alas --

nothing

could help Jonathan. Is there any kind of time penalty for physical abuse? That shove near the finish line should count against him

somehow

.

I also wanted to give Gus a kick in the pants for his "you've got a *bit* of a drinking problem there, bub" weirdness in the pub. I could feel Hera's appropriate frustration.

Last but not least: what is UP with Hayden's shirts? Doesn't she have

any

that fit? Did she grab her 13-year-old sister's backpack by accident when she left home?