# Amazing Race 10/3 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960 "2010-10-04T00:45:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/1 "2010-10-04T00:45:48Z")
Here in Utah it will be starting on time. So far, I don’t have a feel for who will be in it for the long haul, but I have to say that there are not yet many teams to root for or against, although the tattooed couple from Vegas are obviously not Rhodes Scholar material, and I feel sorry for Stephanie, buying a house with jackass Chad after dating for 7 months… ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/2 "2010-10-04T00:53:47Z")
Once again, I’ve got a big black box in the bottom half of the screen. Very, very weird. This is the only show that this is happening on. Ah, wait, it just got some closed captioning stuff in the box … so there’s some kind of malfunction there. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/3 "2010-10-04T01:28:59Z")
**Twickster,** I’ll bet you have your closed captioning set to text by accident. There’s usually four options: CC1, CC2, Text 1 and Text 2. Make sure it’s set to CC1 if you want closed captions. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/4 "2010-10-04T01:44:16Z")
Was it ever said that Nat and Kat a couple? I didn’t see it at first, but during the “interview” spots, they have their arms linked… ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/5 "2010-10-04T02:02:28Z")
Does Babbling Brook ever shut up? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/6 "2010-10-04T02:17:50Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > **Twickster,** I’ll bet you have your closed captioning set to text by accident. There’s usually four options: CC1, CC2, Text 1 and Text 2. Make sure it’s set to CC1 if you want closed captions. I’ll check the next time I have the TV on – it’s just weird that this is the only show I’m having this problem with. Adds to the challenge, though, trying to figure out what’s going on when you’re missing about a third of the picture … 😉 ---
**Author:** ![running\_piglet\_cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/22d042/32.png) [@running\_piglet\_cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_piglet_cheese)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/7 "2010-10-04T02:38:25Z")
Have to say this leg was pretty boring. The Home Shopping Ladies were in their element with the sunglasses. Cold sales are definitely a talent, you either have it or you don’t. Not something to learn on the fly. The only thing even fairly interesting were those bizarre coffins. Pretty Rad. Home shopping duo looking very good as well as the doc’s. Fem fatales. Going home within a week or two is Beauty Queen and Dad and Vegas Tatoo Dweebs. Glad to lose Mom and daughter. Just no competitive spirit there. Dark horses would be Harvard Tenors and Housemates. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/8 "2010-10-04T02:42:57Z")
> [@running\_piglet\_cheese](#): > > Have to say this leg was pretty boring. . Have to agree—one of the least engaging single episodes of Amazing Race I can ever remember. I really dislike the challenges that are based on selling things to locals—they always seem scripted and artificial to me… ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/9 "2010-10-04T03:48:09Z")
> [@running\_piglet\_cheese](#): > > Glad to lose Mom and daughter. Just no competitive spirit there. They should have some nice bonding time in sequester-ville, where-ever that might be this season. I don’t like selling tasks. If ever I go on the race, my partner would have to do the selling tasks. I can drive a stick shift, I can read the clues carefully, and I can navigate. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/10 "2010-10-04T04:21:34Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Does Babbling Brook ever shut up? Probably not. And strangely, I don’t mind. She may narrate her life out loud, but she’s had a good attitude on the race so far, and when she told the one guy that the sunglasses “have a little ‘pop’” it was hysterical. Plus, they did fine with the antenna challenge. Good for them. I also loved that the dad was good at the sales challenge - I wouldn’t have guessed it. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/11 "2010-10-04T12:03:50Z")
I’ve heard people grumble about taxi luck before, and that was, in large part, what this episode boiled down to: firstly, can you choose the right taxi; and secondly, can you sell trinkets in the market? The Detour, which I thought was the most interesting part of this leg (not saying a lot, really), didn’t seem to figure into the final arrival time at the Mat. The frustrating part for me is that this episode didn’t do much of anything to differentiate the teams as far as pure Racing ability. Nevertheless, here’s the season’s second: **Taxi Assessment:** **Stuck in the Desert and Officially Detained** - or, Philiminated with extreme prejudice. _Ron & Tony_ - Already eliminated. _Andie & Jenna_ (TD: Brunette mother/daughter) (down from “Flat Tire”) - I don’t think you can point to any particular thing Andie & Jenna did to earn elimination; their troubles were taxi-related for the most part. However, they’ve never seemed like they were all that interested in actually Racing, either; they were just going through the motions, and I think the lack of hustle at least contributed to their slippage. Maybe that’s not true; maybe Andie & Jenna only seem dispassionate when under stress. All the same, I think they’ll be happier relaxing on a beach somewhere rather than trying to make a good impression on each other in the midst of a chaotic race. **Flat Tire** - or, not likely to get anywhere soon. _Nick & Vicki_ (TD: Punker couple) (holding steady) - Nick & Vicki didn’t have a chance to do anything all that dumb his week, which was rather disappointing. But they weren’t all that impressive, either, and stayed out of last place mostly due to other team’s bad taxi luck. I expect Nick & Vicki to be in the running for last place in every episode they’re actually in. **Stopping for Gas** - or, not broken-down, exactly, but not a good sign. _Michael & Kevin_ (TD: Asian father/son) (holding steady) - The third place this week was pretty impressive compared to what I thought this team was capable of. On the one hand, the top-three finish was only because of Michael’s ability to sell in the marketplace; a narrow skill at best. On the other hand, that illustrates exactly why someone like Michael can shine: his background and upbringing in Taiwan was _different_ than the other Racer’s background, and so Michael is more comfortable in situations like the busy market. That’s not a fluke, that’s life experience. However, the point of these rankings is to estimate each team’s longevity in the Race, and a single success is neither unusual nor does it necessarily lead to a re-evaluation of a team. Michael still strikes me as old and out-of-shape, and I don’t think he can hold up over an entire race. _Chad & Stephanie_ (TD: Brown- & SHORT-blonde-haired couple) (holding steady) - A better finish this week, and not as much screen time, which probably meant Chad was being less of an ass. Hurray for him, but let’s see how he performs as fatigue set in. **"Rapido! Por Favor?"** - or, making meaningless ineffectual comments from the back seat, but in no immediate danger. _Connor & Jonathan_ (TD: Nerd-buddies) (holding steady) - I’m impressed that Connor seeemed to be the only one who realized that selling sunglasses for a _minimum_ of three cedis doesn’t also mean selling them for a _maximum_ of three cedis. But they bailed on the Detour after only a hint of trouble, which looked like a bad decision from where I sat, comfortably ensconced in front of my TV. And getting freaked out by third-world beggars? Understandable, perhaps, but that doesn’t instill any confidence in this team when the Race has a history of passing through impoverished countries. I’ll again keep them ranked here in the middle of the pack, but I expect they might go either way. _Gary & Mallory_ (TD: Kentucky Father/daughter) (down from “Passing”) - Gary & Mallory have been hurt by transportation issues, both last week with the flat tire, and this week with a stalled taxi _and_ a lost driver. I’m dropping them a notch in the rankings because of their overall frustratingly poor finishes, but I think they may deserve better. Hopefully next week we see what this team can do without being hampered by issues out of their control. **In the Passing Lane** - or, ahead of the pack, but not quite comfortably. _Brook & Claire_ (TD: Blonde/brunette emoting TV hosts) (up from “Rapido!”) - I admit I’m still skeptical about this team. They did come in first this week, but the only real task was selling sunglasses for an enormously reasonable price, which I would think a professional pitchwoman could do in an instant. As, indeed, Brook did. But they _did_ place first, and they _did_ come in fourth last week despite Claire’s watermelon incident, and they’ve had plenty of opportunity to screw up but haven’t. Plus, Brook’s natural (or possibly feigned, but does it really matter?) gregariousness can be a great asset. Getting help from the locals can be awfully useful; the first step is not being afraid to actually ask,and the second step is to be persuasive. Brook can do both. I don’t know if I’d want her as a next-door neighbor, but she’s probably fun in small doses when you’re sitting on your tractor. I still think this team is a little frail to go the entire distance, but Brook & Claire look like awfully good competitors. _Nat & Kat_ (TD: Blonde/brunette doctors) (holding steady) - It’s hard to call this one. Nat & Kat were only a hair out of last place for a while, and slid into seventh only because of an awesome taxi driver. Conversely, they were only at the rear of the pack because their earlier driver got lost (oh- and because Kat couldn’t sell sunglasses in Africa). For right now, I’m going to call it a wash and keep Nat & Kat ranked here. _Katie & Rachel_ (TD: Blonde volleyball players) (holding steady) - Almost no screen time for Katie & Rachel this episode, and that’s probably good. It means they’re working well together, and their comfortable second-place finish will probably hold up for a while. _Jill & Thomas_ (TD: Brown- & LONG-blonde-haired couple) (holding steady) - A middle-of-the-pack performance for Jill & Thomas, and some cracks in their communication…but not really that bad overall, and remember they still have their “Get Out of Task Free” card. I’m keeping them ranked at the top for now, but keep an eye on their performance. **Cruisin’ with Earl** - or, drivin’ on the shoulder, takin’ shortcuts, and generally kickin’ butt. No one yet–this ranking needs to be earned. [sub]Props to **Mullinator** and his Raj Rating[/sub] (I’m on travel for the next two weeks, so Assessments may be posted relatively late.) ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/12 "2010-10-04T12:28:30Z")
Yeah, this was one of the more unmemorable episodes. Actually, the most amusing part to me was the woman who shimmied before the camera after trying on the sunglasses! I’ve heard about those coffins before. Bizarre, certainly, but I’d think they’d pose issues during actual burial. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/13 "2010-10-04T12:46:47Z")
This episode was B-to-the-oring! Sheesh. It appeared that carting the coffins around was exceptionally easy. Nobody was shown having navigational problems, and the singers were able to get one task mostly done and jump ship to the coffin task without major difficulty. Perhaps they should have made one of the racers ride _in_ the coffin. I wondered why it appeared so easy to tune the aerials. A little wiggling and the image comes in? What happened to to old days where you had to fiddle and tweak and still had to have someone standing by the tv holding the rabbit ears in order for the picture to come in? Also, I call shenanigans on the images they showed - all the tvs appeared to be on the same channel, and they were showing some stereotypical African drumming thing. Is this really what they would be spending their time watching in Ghana? ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/14 "2010-10-04T13:29:34Z")
I agree on the relative boring episode. certainly not worth the massive struggle I had trying to get my kids to bed without missing too much. (FWIW, we decided to just let them stay up and watch it. It’s educational, right? geography and other cultures and sales techniques…) ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/15 "2010-10-04T13:29:35Z")
“I kissed a guy! On his tractor!!” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/16 "2010-10-04T13:40:24Z")
No episode that involves a giant fish hat can be all bad… but this one almost was. Yeah, pretty boring. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/17 "2010-10-04T15:18:38Z")
This one was rather lack luster. I was doing other things while watching. I hope things pick up soon. ---
**Author:** ![ChordedZither](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9c0ed/32.png) [@ChordedZither](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChordedZither)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/18 "2010-10-04T18:56:06Z")
I thought the racing taxis near the end was a worthwhile highlight. We often get rather boring sequences of teams urging their drivers on and eventually someone passes someone else - appearing to cruise slowly by. It’s usually about as interesting as, well, as watching traffic drive by. But last night’s sequence actually had a sense of excitement to it, probably because the reactions of the team members were so frantic. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/19 "2010-10-04T19:24:37Z")
The best part was the taxi race at the end, and the comments the doctors and Gleeks were making from the backseats. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960/20 "2010-10-04T19:27:58Z")
“I’m just glad I haven’t soiled myself.” “I think I did, a little.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-10-3/555960.md?page=2)