A new "Amazing Race" season starts Sunday

[J-P L]

Just a heads-up!

I had not heard anything about it myself before but last night I saw an ad for a new "Amazing Race" season starting this Sunday.

[Edward The Head]

Does anyone know if it'll be in HD or not? I've seen one ad that was in widescreen, but couldn't tell if it was HD or not. I hope it's at least widescreen to get a tad bit more use of my screen. HD would be really nice though.

[RachelChristine]

Anyone have any early favorites? I kinda like Joe & Heidi, but no one else jumped out at me. A few of them look interesting though, so once I see them and learn their personalities, it might be fun!
Already don't like the pageant chick or the Big Brother chick, just from reading their bios. Maybe they won't be annoying though -- we'll see.
And for a pet peeve "she's a biter". Really? LOL

[zut]

OK, a pre-made thread! Rather than open a new thread, let me post this here:

A new season of The Amazing Race premiers Sunday, February 14, 8/7c with a first episode entitled "Nanna Is Kickin' Your Butt" (Amusingly shortened to "Your Butt" on the CBS schedule. Classy!)

One interesting point is that (in my impression--I'm too lazy to actually resarch this) the average age ofthe cast seems to be skewing upward. There are four teams where both members are in their twenties or very early thirties, but then there are five teams whose members are in their forties or very late thirties, and then two mixed teams where the older member is late fifties or early seventies.

Last season, I started a little early with a Preseason Taxi Assessment (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=533502), which, looking back, was suprisingly accurate (I predicted the correct final four teams, for example; *toot toot* on my own horn). This season, though, the official team bios contain less pertinent Race information and more beauty-pageant "who-do-you-most-admire" kind of Q & A. That makes it even harder to justifiably seperate the teams, because it's not clear what their skills really are.

But lack of actual facts on which to base an opinion hasn't stopped me before, so let me plunge ahead and humbly present the second-ever:

Taxi Assessment: Preseason Edition (Thumbnail Descriptions included to enhance your viewing experience)

Stuck in the Desert and Officially Detained - or, Philiminated with extreme prejudice.
No one yet, but just you wait! The Mat of Elimination is voracious and unstoppable!

Flat Tire - or, not likely to get anywhere soon.
Nope. No one yet. This is a ranking that must be earned by performance.

Stopping for Gas - or, not broken-down, exactly, but not a good sign.
Jordan & Jeff (TD: Big Brother dating couple) - Yay famewhores! Or no, wait...boo famewhores! I can never remember. I'm not a Big Brother fan, so maybe someone else has a bit more insight into the qualities Jordan & Jeff bring to the Race. However, I'll point out that, past history being a judge, Survivor skillz (viz. Rob & Amber) seem more transferrable to the Amazing Race than Big Brother skillz (viz. Alison) do. Anyway, as you might already know, this team is "newly dating" and hope to use the Race to "learn more about their relationship" and "understand each other." Well then. There's no way that thrusting yourself into an extremely stressful situation where you're constantly physically close to someone whose quirks you haven't worked through could possibly be a bad idea, is there? Let's look at their "pet peeve about their teammate": Jordan says: "He gets irritated easily." Jeff says: "She doesn’t think sometimes." Heh. I can see where this is going.
Jody & Shannon (TD: Grandmother/granddaughter) - Jody is the oldest person ever to be on the Race, which is admirable and all, but, shall we say, doesn't make this team look like a shoo-in for the final three. Her bio stresses how healthy and athletic she is, and maybe she could kick my ass in three rounds and have time left over to bake cookies, but she's still competing in a grueling month-long Race against people less than 1/3 of her age. I don't think this team will be the first one eliminated, but I can't see them lasting very long.
Brent & Caite (TD: Dating models/ Miss Teen USA) - Or, longer thumbnail version: the petite blonde and the tall dark-haired guy with the long hair, to differentiate them from Jordan & Jeff, who are the petite blonde and the tall dark-haired guy with the short hair. Brent & Caite both feel they don't listen enough to each other, which is nicely symmetric and pseudo-self-aware, but hardly the best foundation on which to build a winning team. They also list their major achievements in life as, respectively, "my faith" and "being able to overcome the embarrassment from the flub I made on national television." (Caite's wiki entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caitlin_Upton), for the two of you who don't follow such things.) Not to denigrate the strength of their personal convictions (well, not very much, at any rate), but when the crowning acheivements of their lives are a) something my grandmother had in spades, and b) not fucking up lately, I don't see their skills as matching the optimal Amazing Race set. Actually, after some thought, I take half of that back. Caite strikes me as an overconfident flake, but Brent just might have a reservoir of hidden talent: he hopes to prove he has "the strength and faith to endure the craziest of circumstances." Which, circumstantially, might be Caite. Although I'm ranking this team fairly low, I might be underestimating Brent, in which case they just might go suprisingly far.

"Rapido! Por Favor?" - or, making meaningless ineffectual comments from the back seat, but in no immediate danger.
Carol & Brandy (TD: Short-haired dating lesbians) - Although it hasn't been so severe in later seasons, the Amazing Race has always favored men, and younger men at that. Carol and Brandy aren't exactly old, particularly compared to the average age this season, but they're not college-age, and they're clearly not men. However, they have some travel experience, and they look like a well-balanced team. I don't think they'll be one of the first teams out, but once the incompetants are cleared out, they're vulnerable.
Dan & Jordan (TD: Frat-boy-type brothers) - Another Jordan, only of the opposite sex! What are the odds? Hopefully Dan and Jeff aren't confused. Anyway, it seems, the brothers have a shared interest: their favorite hobbies align ("Watching and playing sports" and "Tennis, New England Patriots"), their passions align ("Boston sports" for both), their to-do lists align ("get married, have kids and make them huge Boston sports fans" and "meet Tom Brady"). As a bonus, Dan's biggest achievement is "being at the Winter Classic when the Bruins won in overtime." Now look, lots of people like sports. I'm a big college football fan, and I know lots of people who are huge hockey fans and/or baseball bans and/or basketball fans. But when it takes over your life to the point where your biggest achievement is not "winning the love of my beautiful wife" or "graduating with a degree" or even "training for and running a marathon," but is instead "I bought a ticket and watched other people do stuff..." that's a little more devotion than is called for, I think. Anyway, this team ought to be physically on the top, as one of the two all-male twenty-something-ish teams, and if nothing else an interest in sports should give them a feel for competition and teamwork, both of which are important. But I have a feeling that their insular viewpoint will hurt them.
Steve & Allie (TD: Father/daughter) - Heh. In Allie's bio: "If I could switch places with someone, it would be Phil Keoghan." OK, big points for that. Steve's a professional baseball coach, and despite my opinions about Dan & Jordan's narrow focus, I think extended experience in a profession that requires both teamwork and win/lose competition is probably a good preparation for the Race. However, Steve's also the second-oldest person on the Race this season, and, according to him, they both get lost easily. Not a positive skill in a competition that requires you to go places without getting lost.
Dana & Adrian (TD: Black couple) - Kind of a blank slate here, because their bio doesn't reveal much about their Race skills. Not a lot of negatives, but they're not showing that they're better than the other teams, either. Their shared goal ("show the unity that can exist between husband and a wife" and "show that high school sweethearts can still love, respect and have fun with each other") is a little creepy, because... why, exactly? Why is this important to show? If you need to demonstrate this to each other, then maybe it's not actually true. If you need to demonstrate it to other people, then why do you think other people need to know this? Anyway, according to Adrian, "the Race epitomizes what a relationship goes through in life." Only if you love painful analogies, Adrian. I think this team is probably smart and able, so I'm ranking them on the high side to start out, but it's a tough call.

In the Passing Lane - or, ahead of the pack, but not quite comfortably.
Monique & Shawne (TD: Black lawyer moms) - A pair of lawyers with some decent travel experience. They both want to "push themsleves" to another level on the Race, which is what you might expect from a pair of lawyers. I'm optimistic about this team's chances: I think their drive to succeed and their savvy will outweigh the fact that they're a suburban mom team.
Louie & Michael (TD: Mustachioed buddies) - These guys are a pair of undercover cops. Remember what I said about the advantage of extended experience in a profession that requires both teamwork and win/lose competition? Yeah, I think being a cop qualifies. (Although if they continue undercover work, they'd best hope the Columbian cartels are not TAR fans.) They're a little on the upper end of the age range, even for this season, and they admit to over-packing (check out their backpacks at the beginning), so they're coming in with some handicaps. But I admire their self-confidence, so I'll predict they stay around for a while.
Joe & Heidi (TD: Asian couple) - This team is totally, totally devoted to their family. They both list their parents as their heroes, their children as people they'd like to switch places with, and their family as their passion. I don't think that affects Racing ability one way or another, but it's eerily Stepfordian. However, their pet peeves about each other ("she can’t multi-task" and "he's very intense and short tempered") might be a warning signal. Nonetheless, they both seem smart and driven and not all that combative. Plus Joe speaks fluent Mandarin, which has helped teams win before. In a season that, on paper, doesn't relaly have any clear winners or losers, I'm bumping this team up to near the top of the pack.
Jet & Cord (TD: Cowboy brothers) - I'm going out on a limb and calling Jet & Cord my preseason favorite. A fit, athletic all-male team ought to have a pretty good chance on the Race, so they've got that going for them. They have some travel experience (although not international, I suspect), and I doubt they have any Mika-like hangups. But just how bright are they? I'm struggling to figure out if these guys are being slyly or unintentionlly hilarious. To wit: What's Cord passionate about? "My beliefs." Heh. What's Jet's greatest achievement? "Making it on the Amazing Race." How very meta. I'm cautiously predicting that this team is actually a lot smarter than a pair of stereotyped bull-ridin' cowboy hicks. I hope I right. We'll see.

Cruisin' with Earl - or, drivin' on the shoulder, takin' shortcuts, and generally kickin' butt.
No one for a few weeks yet.

So, there are my predictions. Tune in on Sunday to see how they pan out.

Props to Mullinator and his Raj Ratings.

[RachelChristine]

Oh, I am happy now! My top three favorites are in Zut's top 4! No I want to go back and read about the lawyers, because I don't even remember them from this morning. But last year I had also picked out the same top 3 or 4 during pre-season, and look how far they went! I can't wait for tomorrow night!

[brownie55]

I did not see a thread, so, I though I'd put out a reminder. Just about an hour to go on the east coast. All I really know is we have cowboys.

[Drain Bead]

And such as the Iraq.

[tumbleddown]

I'm torn between Race and Figure Skating. Race is always TiVoed, but Figure Skating is shown again overnight. Hmmm.

[brownie55]

I'm torn between Race and Figure Skating. Race is always TiVoed, but Figure Skating is shown again overnight. Hmmm.

Having seen biathlon and Nordic combined I don't think I can watch figure skating.

[Just Some Guy]

Edit: I mixed up my stupid blonds. There seems to be a lot of them this season.

[notfrommensa]

Read the clue!

[brownie55]

And such as the Iraq.
I did not get this until i saw the show.

Well played.

[slitterst]

So is there some official Race Rule that teams have to call each other "Baby?" Even the detectives were doing it!

[NoClueBoy]

We're going to China!

[jayjay]

I have more respect for Jordan after seeing her do that Roadblock than I had for her after an entire season of Big Brother. And I felt a little bad for Miss Teen SC when everyone was making jokes about her and it got back to her.

And I don't think I've seen quite as much critical failure at a single task as I did tonight. That was, what? Four teams that messed up reading the clue on the housepainting task at once?

[Siege]

I'm still amused by the guys who got the inside of their house painted. That team looked strong to me, but now I'm not so sure.

I'm having trouble keeping my dumb blondes straight, too. Which one said she was going to China? Was it the Big Brother star or Ms. South Carolina? Then there are the cowboys who got Brazilian money and said they were out to prove that people from Texas aren't dumb hicks. I don't think they've done a good job of that yet.

[MPB in Salt Lake]

I can understand wanting to show pride in your identity or occupation, but can anyone actually think that Levi's, boots, 10-gallon hats and Western shirts are conducive to being successful on The Amazing Race?

[Frostillicus]

Things I learned from watching tonight's episode:

1. In order to get a flight to Chile, tell the agent you are going to China.

2. If LAX does not offer Chilean currency, Brazilian currency will do just fine. After all, it is right next to Chile.

3. Apparently the Spanish word for stairs is venicular.

4. Large overweight men are perfect for challenges that require balance and agility.

5. Miss South Carolina is still really, really hot.

[Clothahump]

I've gotten kinda burned out on TAR. It's a real reality show in that the people are actually engaging in a contest, but they've had some real assholes on the show lately and they've turned me off.

I was rooting for the Globetrotters last year, though. :D

[notfrommensa]

It was a wise decision for the three teams on the early flight to abandon those plans after the mechanical failures.

[Batsinma Belfry]

I have more respect for Jordan after seeing her do that Roadblock than I had for her after an entire season of Big Brother. And I felt a little bad for Miss Teen SC when everyone was making jokes about her and it got back to her.....



It was great that karma got both snarkers so quickly.

[FallingLeaves]

It kind of bothers me that Jordan, who has already won Big Brother, is now on The Amazing Race. I know you see lots of reality TV contestants show up again and again, trying to become famous, but she's already won one show, isn't that enough? Give someone else a chance.

[In Winnipeg]

It's a toss-up so far -- all the teams seem just as stupid as the ones they are racing against.

What a way to keep up that opinion that the rest of the world has about Americans!

[Ellis Dee]

I was a huge fan of Jeff and Jordan on Big Brother, so I'm going to be rooting for them hard this season.It kind of bothers me that Jordan, who has already won Big Brother, is now on The Amazing Race. I know you see lots of reality TV contestants show up again and again, trying to become famous, but she's already won one show, isn't that enough? Give someone else a chance.In fairness, Jordan isn't on the show because she won Big Brother. She's on the show because she and Jeff formed a real honest-to-goodness relationship as opposed to the typical Showmance you often see on reality shows. I'd bet good money they'd still be on even if Jordan came in third on Big Brother.I have more respect for Jordan after seeing her do that Roadblock than I had for her after an entire season of Big Brother. And I felt a little bad for Miss Teen SC when everyone was making jokes about her and it got back to her. heh, as soon as she said "I guess I can do it" I was like oh shit, they're toast. Then I remembered the 4+ hours on the rotating log and figured she had decent enough balance that maybe it wouldn't be a total disaster.

Jeff had a couple great lines:

When they started painting: "Just like Karate Kid"

Jordan: "We're going to China!"
Jeff: "No, Sandiego Chile..."

heh, nice callback to the "Didn't you ever watch Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?"

I was heartened to see them win the first leg, as I kind of assumed their collective stupidity plus Jordan's general incompetence would get them eliminated in the first leg in humiliating fashion. Hopefully they make it a few more weeks. Not too long, though, because when they start yelling at each other I'm going to be majorly bummed out.

[obfusciatrist]

I wonder if the cameraman knew they were in a private residence unrelated to the show. Because if so I love that he did nothing to stop trespassing and vandalism.

[Batsinma Belfry]

It kind of bothers me that Jordan, who has already won Big Brother, is now on The Amazing Race. I know you see lots of reality TV contestants show up again and again, trying to become famous, but she's already won one show, isn't that enough? Give someone else a chance.

I doubt they'll win. Besides, Jordan is entertaining.

[Justin_Bailey]

Not quite as good of a start as Survivor: Heroes and Villains, but I can see this being an entertaining season.

Snap judgments after one episode ahoy (in reverse order of a predicted final finish)...

Dana & Adrian (Black couple) - Called their early demise before the credits.

Carol & Brandy (The lesbians) - Brandy (the dark-haired one) sounds really delicate. Talking about designer clothes, fearing public tranportation and basically sounding exhausted on the first day. Never a good sign.

Steve & Allie (Father/daughter) - They painted the inside of someone's house before realizing it was wrong! This team is a 24-hour penalty waiting to happen.

Jody & Shannon (Grandmother/granddaughter) - Gotta go with zut on this one. There's no way a 71-year old woman, no matter how fit, even sniffs the final four.

Louie & Michael (The Cops) - Big, slightly-older, all-male teams never fair well on TAR and I doubt Louie & Michael will be an exception. They'll go far enough though.

Jordan & Jeff (Team Big Brother) - They're not as stupid as I expected Big Brother contestants to be, but they still seem pretty dense. I think this 1st is a fluke.

Jet & Cord (The Cowboys) - Another team of not very bright brothers. Their physical fitness will probably take them far, but they won't win.

Brent & Caite (Miss Teen USA) - Oh boy. "We're going to China!" Although Brent seems like a competitor, so we'll see.

Dan & Jordan (The Brothers) - A tad dim, but top four for sure.

Monique & Shawne (Lawyer Friends) - We didn't get a real feel for these two yet which makes me guess they'll go far.

Joe & Heidi (Asian couple) - Calling it now, they win.

[Ellis Dee]

Brent & Caite (Miss Teen USA) - Oh boy. "We're going to China!" Although Brent seems like a competitor, so we'll see.That was Jordan (Big Brother), not Caite.

[amarinth]

I have more respect for Jordan after seeing her do that Roadblock than I had for her after an entire season of Big Brother.When watching her intro footage, I just kept thinking "what must it be like to be considered so pretty that it doesn't matter that you can't tell time."
It's just a totally different life than mine.

I wonder how hard it was to find the street? And painting the inside of the house killed me, but it wasn't a penalty, and they seemed to recover.

[Saltire]

I laughed heartily several times. Jordan saying China, The Cowboys exchanging all their cash for the wrong currency, painting the inside of a random house--all great moments.

One that Caite did that no one's mentioned yet: When the local gave her the clue after the housepainting, she said "Danke" to him.

[Terminus Est]

Are the racers unusually stupid or incompetent this season? There seems to have been an unusually large amount of FAIL. Aside from everything that's already been mentioned above, they've already assessed two penalties as well as the last team utterly failing to complete the last task, forcing Phil to come out to eliminate them. It's only the first Pit Stop!

[DrFidelius]

Stupid is entertaining. I'm liking this season so far. So many chances for Fail, and all attributable to the racers themselves.

[twickster]

...Then there are the cowboys who got Brazilian money and said they were out to prove that people from Texas aren't dumb hicks. I don't think they've done a good job of that yet.
Esp. since they're from Oklahoma. :confused:

Agree that the ages skew high this season -- but that's balanced by the fact that IQs skew low. No, wait, that doesn't balance anything.

Lots of dumb people, and lots of really dislikeable people as well. (The dykes came across as really entitled and obnoxious, if significantly smarter than about half the field ... not that that's saying much.)

Agree that the Asian couple will do well; they and the black moms should go all the way. Third pick ... the straight/gay brother duo, just because they seem less iditioic than much of the competition. Oh, wait, weren't they the ones who lost a paintbrush? :smack:

[lorene]

I absolutely loved the indoor painting. The chief painter was completely nonplussed when they showed him the clue. It killed me.

[Robot Arm]

Then there are the cowboys who got Brazilian money and said they were out to prove that people from Texas aren't dumb hicks.I'm willing to cut them a little slack on that. If I go to Canada, most places, especially those close to the border, seem to have figured out how to accept American currency. Maybe that was their plan for Chile, that they'd be more accustomed and more likely to accept currency from a close neighbor like Brazil.

The down side is that you lose a little bit in the transaction every time you change from one currency to another, and saving for later legs is usually smart.

And the cowboys must have kicked ass at the painting task. They were one of the last teams on the wire and finished the leg in third, so they must have something going for them.

[Fenris]

Heh--Good to know I'm not the only one who does snap judgements. Swiping Jordan's list..

Dana & Adrian (Black couple) - Can't we have a non sob-story black husband and wife team? Uchenna and Joyce were childless, Frank and Margarita were separated, and these guys lost all their money in a bad business deal. I knew they were doomed when he called himself the "Big dawg".

Carol & Brandy (The lesbians) - The dark haired one thinks God's a lot more interested in her than I think he is. Praying for God to break the other team's plane is hubristic at best and kinda sociopathic at worst..

Steve & Allie (Father/daughter) - Despite seeming dumb as rocks this episode, I kinda like them.

Jody & Shannon (Grandmother/granddaughter) - Gotta go with Zut and Justin. The only reason that the Grandfather/grandson team made it as far as they did a few seasons back is that Grandson carried grandpa through much of the trip--(literally carrying his bags much of the way, etc). Not that grandpa didn't rock, but still...and this lady's like 10 years older than Grandpa and the granddaughter isn't nearly as tough as the grandson.

Louie & Michael (The Cops) - IF they don't get overconfident (like the beefy lawyer last season), I think they might make final three. That said, they'll get overconfident/arrogant and do something stoopid.

Jordan & Jeff (Team Big Brother) - She seems dumb as a rock but they (so far) seem supportive of each other and that will help. Plus they both have a good attitude. They rose in my estimation this ep-I was expecting to loathe them. (How do you win on Big Brother anyway? Is it Survivor-esqe where people are voted off? Based on what?)

Jet & Cord (The Cowboys) - If the Brazil money=Chile money thing was a fluke, they're my pick for the win. They went from 9th or 10th place getting to the rope challenge to 3d. That's pretty impressive. My money's on them for the win.

Brent & Caite (Miss Teen USA) - I have no feel for these two at all, except that they started the race by not following directions. This isn't a good sign.

Dan & Jordan (The Brothers) - A) I'm really sick of "I loooove you, bro!" and it's only the first ep. B) I hate the gay one. The bitchy, catty queen thing is an ugly stereotype and the gay one is buying into it. Pull in your claws and raaaaaace bud, this isn't Survivor.

Monique & Shawne (Lawyer Friends) - Got a good vibe about these two, but yeah, I agree with Justin: no real feel for them.

Joe & Heidi (Asian couple) - I predict big, BIG meltdowns. EVERY time a competitor has described themself as "Intense", what they mean is "I'm an unrepentant, immature asshole who will throw tantrums." That said, they (and the gay/not gay brothers) will go far because of the luck of the evil.

[Fenris]

A couple of other things--have we ever seen the safety stuff actually used before? I mean, people wore it, but we've never seen it come into play.

I also have always wanted someone to do what coach/daughter did: go to the wrong place and start doing the task. Heh.

[Robot Arm]

Louie & Michael (The Cops) - IF they don't get overconfident (like the beefy lawyer last season), I think they might make final three. That said, they'll get overconfident/arrogant and do something stoopid.To call them overconfident isn't quite it, at least, not in the same way as the guy last season.

I remember hearing something about adventure racing that may apply here. There would usually be some military teams; and not regular grunts, but hardcore SEALS or special forces types. They'd be in phenomenally good shape physically, but the culture of the teams was such that they couldn't stop, get input, think, and make good decisions. All their training tells them to act fast, be decisive, and press on. I'll be watching to see if they fall prey to that.

[muldoonthief]

I'm willing to cut them a little slack on that. If I go to Canada, most places, especially those close to the border, seem to have figured out how to accept American currency. Maybe that was their plan for Chile, that they'd be more accustomed and more likely to accept currency from a close neighbor like Brazil.

The down side is that you lose a little bit in the transaction every time you change from one currency to another, and saving for later legs is usually smart.


I don't know - you don't even have to be an arrogant American to assume that every airport in the world that has incoming flights from the USA will also have a place that lets you convert US currency to local. When they found that the LAX currency exchange didn't have Chilean cash, they really should have just bailed. This seemed too much like "I'll try out my Spanish skills in Germany" to me.

[zut]

First episode, and they're off! But not, as my wife pointed out, without making a whole raft of errors. A fact that makes this episode tough to assess, because no one really looks like a winner. Luckily I have uninformed speculation to fall back on.

Taxi Assessment: (Thumbnail Descriptions included to enhance your viewing experience)

Stuck in the Desert and Officially Detained - or, Philiminated with extreme prejudice.
Dana & Adrian (TD: Black couple) (down from "Rapido!") - I was all set to give Adrian props for jumping of their delayed flight and onto the Miami flight (not that it was all that brilliant, but it was probably the smartest thing anyone did all episode), but he goes and blows it on the cable-walking Roadblock. Way to not overcome challenges, Adrian.

Flat Tire - or, not likely to get anywhere soon.
Jody & Shannon (TD: Grandmother/granddaughter) (down from "Stopping") - Jody's getting the "tough granny" edit, where all the other teams emphasize how strong and competitive she is. I take that to mean this team gets eliminated in the next episode, and I don't see anything in this episode to change that opinion. They didn't do anything very dumb, at least not on-camera, yet they were consistently behind all the other teams (most of whom did do dumb things), and only Adrian's crash-and-burn kept them in the race. That just doesn't bode well.

Stopping for Gas - or, not broken-down, exactly, but not a good sign.
Brent & Caite (TD: Dating models/ Miss Teen USA) (holding steady) - I'm more than a little sympathetic to Caite's plight, in that if I was forever associated with some embarassing gaffe I made when I was seventeen, I might be focused on living it down. Especially when every snarky gay guy I meet starts repeating it back verbatim. But proving you're not a ditz is gonna mean doing all those hard things like reading the clue, Caite. "Funicular" might be an unfamiliar word, but you can't just ignore it. Add to that their struggle to find Templeman Street (you can't just ask a local?), and this team turned a cab-assisted cruise to first into a middle-of-the-pack finish. It's certainly valid to point out that this team must have done something right to jump into first place to begin with, and Caite did flawlessly dance across the high wire, but I'm not impressed overall, so I'm keeoing them ranked here. Perhaps I, like Jordan, am underestimating this team, but there will be plenty of time later to find out.
Carol & Brandy (TD: Short-haired dating lesbians) (holding steady) - "Public transportation to us is like not using a valet parking." OK. High maintenance and the Amazing Race do not mix. To Brandy's credit, she pushed through and made it to the other side of the ravine. In addition, they did finish in the middle of the pack rather than near the bottom, so perhaps I'm underestimating them, also. But this is still an under-athletic all-female team, and I just don't see them competing for the whole Race. We'll see.

"Rapido! Por Favor?" - or, making meaningless ineffectual comments from the back seat, but in no immediate danger.
Louie & Michael (TD: Mustachioed buddies) (down from "Passing") - Painting grafitti? WTF? Come on, I thought this team would be smarter than that. They were taking up the rear of the pack much of the way, and the only reason I'm not dropping them even further is because of their inordinately high preseason ranking.
Dan & Jordan (TD: Frat-boy-type brothers) (holding steady) - Oh no! Where's the paintbrush? Heh. I wish I knew if the teams had a good feel for the magnitude of the time penalties awarded. Did Dan & Jordan luck out and only get 15 minutes, or did they have reason to believe the penalty would be that short and made an informed decision to take the penalty? Either way, they could have avoided the penalty by not dropping the damn brush to begin with.
Steve & Allie (TD: Father/daughter) (holding steady) - My wife thinks that Steve & Allie painting some random dude's house is just about the most hilarious mistake ever. Other than that, we don't learn a lot about this team in this episode, so I'm keeping them ranked in the middle.
Jordan & Jeff (TD: Big Brother dating couple) (up from "Stopping") - It's quite possible I underestimated this team; they were ahead of the other teams from start to finish, and there was no bickering in sight. But they still get points deducted for Jordan's hilarious fixation on getting tickets to China instead of Chile. Yes, I know, brain fart and all, but those last two letters are really really important when you're racing around the world. I'm tentatively bumping them up a notch, but I'm going to be taking a hard look at how they react when things aren't going their way.
Joe & Heidi (TD: Asian couple) (down from "Passing") - We didn't see much of this team, and they didn't seem to make a lot of mistakes, but they didn't show any flashes of brilliance either. I'm bumping them down on the strength of their mediocrity, but I kind of expect them to go back up later.

In the Passing Lane - or, ahead of the pack, but not quite comfortably.
Monique & Shawne (TD: Black lawyer moms) (holding steady) - One of the few teams that (apparently) didn't make any real mistakes on this leg, they finish in second place. We didn't see a whole lot of this team, but what we did see (like successfully finding their house to paint) looked pretty good, and I'm cautiously optimistic. Plus, about carrying a long heavy wooden object through the streets: "If Jesus can do this, I can do this." That inspirational analogy is all kinds of awesome. Because, really, what can Jesus do that she can't?
Jet & Cord (TD: Cowboy brothers) (holding steady) - Brazilian money? Seriously? Ouch. I can see the logic behind that decision, made by someone who's been near the US/Mexican border occasionally but nowhere else internationally, but the logic is clearly faulty. I'm not yet willing to conclude this team is pure dumb, but they're certainly inexperienced in this whole "travel around the world" thing, and that might be critical. However, on the upside, they recovered nicely from their mistake, going from battling Jodi & Shannon for last place all the way up to number three at the mat. Know how they did that? They didn't make any more mistakes. A critical skill, and I'm leaving them here at the top for now.

Cruisin' with Earl - or, drivin' on the shoulder, takin' shortcuts, and generally kickin' butt.
No one for a few weeks yet.

Props to Mullinator and his Raj Ratings.

[Raygun99]

I'm willing to cut them a little slack on that. If I go to Canada, most places, especially those close to the border, seem to have figured out how to accept American currency. Maybe that was their plan for Chile, that they'd be more accustomed and more likely to accept currency from a close neighbor like Brazil.

Unluckily for them, they were in one of the two countries in South America that don't border Brazil.

[Robot Arm]

I don't know - you don't even have to be an arrogant American to assume that every airport in the world that has incoming flights from the USA will also have a place that lets you convert US currency to local.Sure, but they're in a race. They were cooling their heels waiting for the flight to leave L.A. If they could change their money then, it might save them a few minutes in Chile and get them out of the airport first. It's a sound strategy to use any down time to do something that might take up some time later. It might also have been a good idea to find an internet terminal (or better still, some bored traveler who'll let you surf for free) and look up info on the next destination.

It didn't seem to save them any time getting out of the airport, so I'm wondering if all the teams just kept their American money after they landed. (Memo to myself: if I ever get on the Race, research which countries accept American money and which require the local wampum.)

[Frostillicus]

Steve & Allie (TD: Father/daughter) (holding steady) - My wife thinks that Steve & Allie painting some random dude's house is just about the most hilarious mistake ever. Other than that, we don't learn a lot about this team in this episode, so I'm keeping them ranked in the middle.

Since they painted the wrong house, the owner obviously did not have a clue to give them when they were done. So how did they know to go to the Pit Stop?

[Justin_Bailey]

Since they painted the wrong house, the owner obviously did not have a clue to give them when they were done. So how did they know to go to the Pit Stop?

Very few teams were actually shown doing the painting. They walked down the street, yelled "There it is!" and then the camera cut directly to them walking up to the Pit Stop.

I think this happened to the Father/Daughter, the Lawyer Friends and the Cowboys.

[Robot Arm]

Since they painted the wrong house, the owner obviously did not have a clue to give them when they were done. So how did they know to go to the Pit Stop?After finding out that they painted the wrong place, they must have gone out and found the right one. The Editors seemed to have cut out a lot of action for that task. Good thing they didn't use up all the paint.

Painting the wrong room was one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. Imagine you're a house painter in Valparaíso, Chile, and some random Americans and a camera crew come in and start painting. It's so spectacularly random that it's hysterical.

[muldoonthief]

So they did a nice Olympic tie-in with the 1st place prize - a trip to Vancouver. Yet they somehow neglected to edit out that they'd be trying Skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre, where a luge competitor died a few days ago. I think I'd skip that part of the trip.

[zut]

Since they painted the wrong house, the owner obviously did not have a clue to give them when they were done. So how did they know to go to the Pit Stop?Although they weren't shown actually doing the task, there was a half-second glimpse of them running past other teams who were painting, so they obviously found the correct spot.

[muldoonthief]

Sure, but they're in a race. They were cooling their heels waiting for the flight to leave L.A. If they could change their money then, it might save them a few minutes in Chile and get them out of the airport first. It's a sound strategy to use any down time to do something that might take up some time later. It might also have been a good idea to find an internet terminal (or better still, some bored traveler who'll let you surf for free) and look up info on the next destination.

It didn't seem to save them any time getting out of the airport, so I'm wondering if all the teams just kept their American money after they landed. (Memo to myself: if I ever get on the Race, research which countries accept American money and which require the local wampum.)

I don't think there's any country, with the possible exception of some Carribean islands where 80% of their economy is based on US tourists, where you can count on every business taking US cash. I'm not denying that changing cash during downtime before you leave isn't a good thing to do. I'm just saying that when you find that the cash of the country you want isn't available, converting to different cash just because the countries are on the same continent is remarkably stupid. It's a huge risk for very little gain.

[notfrommensa]

So they did a nice Olympic tie-in with the 1st place prize - a trip to Vancouver. Yet they somehow neglected to edit out that they'd be trying Skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre, where a luge competitor died a few days ago. I think I'd skip that part of the trip.

I thought it was strange too, but they probably edited this episode weeks ago, and TPTB never gave it a 2nd thought as the tragedy happened just a couple of days ago.

[Robot Arm]

I don't think there's any country, with the possible exception of some Carribean islands where 80% of their economy is based on US tourists, where you can count on every business taking US cash. I'm not denying that changing cash during downtime before you leave isn't a good thing to do. I'm just saying that when you find that the cash of the country you want isn't available, converting to different cash just because the countries are on the same continent is remarkably stupid. It's a huge risk for very little gain.In my box of travel mementos, I probably have some Eastern Caribbean Dollars and Deutschmarks.

Yeah, the cowboys screwed up on the details this time, but I like that they were thinking ahead.

[jacquilynne]

I'm surprised to find Joe and Heidi so highly ranked in the assessments. That couple has 'massive relationship meltdown' written all over them.

[tsm]

Painting the wrong room was one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. Imagine you're a house painter in Valparaíso, Chile, and some random Americans and a camera crew come in and start painting. It's so spectacularly random that it's hysterical.I agree! I laughed out loud at that whole sequence. Loved the subtitles. "It is ugly. They do not know how to paint."

[Algernon]

Stupid is entertaining. I'm liking this season so far. So many chances for Fail, and all attributable to the racers themselves.
I agree. This leg had virtually no reliance on grabbing a smart and aggressive cabbie. The racers succeeded or failed on their own. Luck was not a factor as it often is.

I agree! I laughed out loud at that whole sequence. Loved the subtitles. "It is ugly. They do not know how to paint."
And wasn't there another subtitled statement along the lines of "I don't know what they are doing here."? Because of the locals' response of being nonplussed and simply letting them paint, this was one of the most hilarious mistakes ever.

[Ellis Dee]

(How do you win on Big Brother anyway? Is it Survivor-esqe where people are voted off? Based on what?) Basic Big Brother gameplay involves dopey physical challenges plus the occasional memory challenge:

1) The week starts with a challenge where everyone competes to be Head of Household. HoH can't be evicted, and s/he nominates two people for elimination.

2) Couple days later the two nominees, the HoH and three random others compete for Veto. Winner can't be evicted, and can take down (save) one of the nominees. If they do, HoH must nominate a new second nominee.

3) End of the week everyone but the HoH votes one of the two nominees out.

Other than that it's all reality show cliches, with making alliances and getting paranoid and backstabbing etc.. Next paragraph decribes how Jordan specifically managed to win.

Through the first part of the game Jordan and Jeff hung out apart from the group and just snuggled. The second half of the game Jeff turned it on and started smoking everyone in the dopey physical challenges. The only reason he was sent home is because you can't be HoH twice in a row. Jordan was kept around by everyone else because they figured she was a coattail rider who would guarantee them a win in the final two. However, Jordan stepped it up bigtime and won two legs of the crucial three-part final challenge, meaning she could choose who to bring in the final two. She smartly brought an even bigger coattail rider than she was. With nothing else breaking the tie, the fact that Jordan was sweet and kind and personable clinched the win over the hateful, meanspirited troublemaker with terrible hygiene she brought with her to face the final jury. (Last seven people eliminated.)

[tsm]

Because of the locals' response of being nonplussed and simply letting them paint, this was one of the most hilarious mistakes ever.Yes! That was the best part! You'd think they would have thrown them out but they just let them paint.

[Johnny Q]

I'm sure much was forgiven when they saw the camera crew. And the rest was forgiven when the producers slipped them a few bucks to pay for the damage.

[Polly Glot]

I dunno, but I think if some strangers welcomed themselves inside my house and promptly began painting it, I'd bring them a beer at the very least!

[RachelChristine]

Okay, the painting the house is one of the all-time funniest moments ever, but when one of the blondes said "Danke", my husband and I about fell out of our chairs! Of all the times these people have spoken their broken Spanish in all the non-Spanish-speaking countries, we get this! Hilarious.

[Neidhart]

I don't think there's any country, with the possible exception of some Carribean islands where 80% of their economy is based on US tourists, where you can count on every business taking US cash. I'm not denying that changing cash during downtime before you leave isn't a good thing to do. I'm just saying that when you find that the cash of the country you want isn't available, converting to different cash just because the countries are on the same continent is remarkably stupid. It's a huge risk for very little gain.

The US dollar is the official currency of Ecuador.

[TheBoltEater]

In my box of travel mementos, I probably have some Eastern Caribbean Dollars and Deutschmarks.

Yeah, the cowboys screwed up on the details this time, but I like that they were thinking ahead.

Well, if they were really thinking ahead they would've exchanged dollars for Brazilian and South African money. Cause, you know, Africa is the next closest continent and it's pretty much straight East to Cape Town.


....Of course, it's also just about straight West to New Zealand, so they probably should've bought Kiwi money too. Or at least Australian money if they couldn't find any New Zealand Dollars, cause that's close enough. :smack:

[In Winnipeg]

Re "Danke" in South America:

Maybe she found out that they were among an enclave of Nazis, still hiding out in South America.

[DrFidelius]

They were in Chile, not Argentina...

[Terminus Est]

They were in Chile, not Argentina...

China, Argentina, they all speak foreign over there, anyway.

[amarinth]

The "Danke" I didn't mind at all. To me, it didn't look or sound or seem to be like she thought she was speaking in a relevant foreign language. It didn't come across to me like saying "we're in a race-o" in Japan and expecting it to mean something.

[Proudest Monkey]

Basic Big Brother gameplay involves dopey physical challenges plus the occasional memory challenge:

1) The week starts with a challenge where everyone competes to be Head of Household. HoH can't be evicted, and s/he nominates two people for elimination.

2) Couple days later the two nominees, the HoH and three random others compete for Veto. Winner can't be evicted, and can take down (save) one of the nominees. If they do, HoH must nominate a new second nominee.

3) End of the week everyone but the HoH votes one of the two nominees out.

Other than that it's all reality show cliches, with making alliances and getting paranoid and backstabbing etc.. Next paragraph decribes how Jordan specifically managed to win.

Through the first part of the game Jordan and Jeff hung out apart from the group and just snuggled. The second half of the game Jeff turned it on and started smoking everyone in the dopey physical challenges. The only reason he was sent home is because you can't be HoH twice in a row. Jordan was kept around by everyone else because they figured she was a coattail rider who would guarantee them a win in the final two. However, Jordan stepped it up bigtime and won two legs of the crucial three-part final challenge, meaning she could choose who to bring in the final two. She smartly brought an even bigger coattail rider than she was. With nothing else breaking the tie, the fact that Jordan was sweet and kind and personable clinched the win over the hateful, meanspirited troublemaker with terrible hygiene she brought with her to face the final jury. (Last seven people eliminated.)


Thank you for this. I was going to ask someone to summarize what J & J were like on Big Brother, and you offered up the perfect synopsis just from the brain waves I sent!

(I've only watched a couple of BB seasons from start to finish, and was done for good when that evil dad and his skanky daughter started running the table.)

Every time the cowboys were on screen, I heard Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger in my head. Trite and tacky of me, to be sure, but I've learned to live with my failures. None of the teams have really made much of an impression on me yet. Actually, I think I need to rewatch the entire episode since I had consumed several vodka gimlets by 8:00 -- and I was so amped up over Phil telling them to travel safe and the frigging opening music that I was too much of a bleary, teary blob of emotion to sort out all the teams. Except for the "I can't quit you" brothers.

[Ellis Dee]

(I've only watched a couple of BB seasons from start to finish, and was done for good when that evil dad and his skanky daughter started running the table.)This past season with Jeff and Jordan is the only season I've ever watched, and I only watched it because a couple weeks into the season I flipped to Showtime2's Big Brother After Dark to see if there were any hot naked chicks running around. Jordan caught my attention quickly so I started watching the network show to see what was up.

Jeff and Jordan quickly paired up, but unlike other reality show romances she simply would not put out. Seriously, it took him something like a month to get a first kiss. They were always very affectionate but also unbelievably chaste. (Lots of backrubs.) Combine their cute innocence with the fact that they were huge underdogs and it made them easy to fall in love with. For the first half of the game their friends all got picked off one after another leaving them alone and in the crosshairs of all the power players. Yet they managed to hold on and get Jordan the win.

[corkboard]

I'm already sick of the bitchy gay bro and his dead-on impersonation of Miss Teen America, or whoever she is. Why would he still have that little speech memorized, what, four years later? Bitch.

The lesbians also are already irritating me. Praying for a flight's mechanical failure, then rejoicing when your prayers are answered, is sort of sick.

I feel bad for the Big Dawg and his wife. It was over when he volunteered to do the cable walk.

I'd love to see Nanny Triathlete kick some ass.

And not only was the house painting thing funny already, but their paint was the exact same color as what was already on the walls! WTF!!

[jayjay]

And not only was the house painting thing funny already, but their paint was the exact same color as what was already on the walls! WTF!!

Well, it's the same color indoors, out of the sunlight. Of course, if it hadn't at least been a shade of dark red, they wouldn't have thought it was the right house in the first place.