# Amazing Race 12/02 - "We Really Burned Bridges, For Sure." **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 2, 2007, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589 "2007-12-02T22:18:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/21 "2007-12-03T11:06:00Z")
I am completely shocked that looking pretty proved to not be a viable strategy for the race. You’d think that eventually it would work with the more than dozen times pretty but brainless teams have tried it. Oh well, I guess my pretty but brainless team will have to race on our looks in Amazing Race 13 because the skill that gets us by in life will surely transfer to the race this time… ---
**Author:** ![RumMunkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@RumMunkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumMunkey)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/22 "2007-12-03T13:19:31Z")
[QUOTE=KGS] Actually, unless something’s changed, non-elimination legs [have been eliminated this year.](http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/the-amazing-race-12-run-shorter-drop-non-elimination-pit-stops-5562.php) I’d be surprised if we didn’t get some two-part episodes, though. [/QUOTE] I’d heard there were not going to be any non-elimination legs this season, but I think in ep 1 there was some math that didn’t add up. I just _assume_… they’ll eventually have to send hernia-dad home when his gut finally bursts on national TV. ---
**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:** [December 3, 2007, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/23 "2007-12-03T13:51:06Z")
Europe! Confusing streets! Cathedrals! Gnomes! Sort of! Festivals where everyone dresses up! But anyway, time for the… **Taxi Assessment** **Stuck in the Desert and Officially Detained** - or, Philiminated with extreme prejudice. _Ari & Staella_ and _Kate & Pat_ and _Marianna & Julia_ and _Lorena & Jason_ - Kicking back, sipping mai tais, and Not Racing. _Shana & Jennifer_ (down from “Flat Tire”) - A completely unsurprising elimination. This team has been slowly breaking down a little more each episode. This week, the wheels finally came completely off. They got completely lost and panicked, which just made it worse. Last to the Roadblock (despite being on the first plane!), last to the Detour, frustrated by counting, and that’s all she wrote. If only they’d remembered to use their sex appeal to find the Church! Ah, well, lost opportunities. **Flat Tire** - or, not likely to get anywhere soon. No one this week. **Stopping for Gas** - or, not broken-down, exactly, but not a good sign. _Ronald & Christina_ (up from “Flat Tire”) - A second top-three finish in a row, and this team is bumped up a notch in the ratings. I’m still skeptical of their long-term viability. Ronald just can’t help being a dick, and he can’t _see_ how “teaching his daughter” how to “deal with people” is counter-productive. Plus, he’s going to seriously injure himself sometime soon. Although, Ronald at least gave Christina props for the brilliant idea of hiring a cab to lead them…which isn’t exactly novel, as anyone _who did any preparation_ would know. _Nicolas & Donald_ (holding steady) - I’m not sure what the heck happened this episode. Nicolas got hosed by his ticket agent, and then completely screwed up the Roadblock, spending “hours” looking for the hair salon. Fortunately, he aced the counting task at the Detour, coolly recounting despite erroneously including fenceposts, to sneak in ahead of Shana & Jennifer. They came uncomfortably close to last place (and elimination) this week. Now, on the one hand, the point of each leg is to _not get eliminated_, which they’ve successfully done. On the other hand, the remaining teams are stiff competition, and this team especially (with one oldster team member) can’t afford mistakes. **"Rapido! Por Favor?"** - or, making meaningless ineffectual comments from the back seat, but in no immediate danger. _Jennifer & Nathan_ (down from “Passing Lane”) - This team just does not handle adversity well, does it? I’m tempted to downgrade them farther, but they still managed to land in the middle of the pack this week, despite all the bickering and finger-pointing. A good decision to abandon the counting in favor of the stilts (although…why the Hell did Jennifer originally think she couldn’t do stilts? Isn’t she a cheerleader? Do you not need a sense of balance for that job?). Still, this team seems the most likely to collapse into a roiling ball of loathsome at a moment’s notice, so it’s a team to watch. **In the Passing Lane** - or, ahead of the pack, but not quite comfortably. _Rachel & TK_ (up from “Rapido!”) - I think this team’s strength is how it handles adversity (unlike, to pick a random example… _Jennifer & Nathan_). They came in second-to-last in the previous ep, but weren’t particularly bothered. In fact, this week, they successfully conquered their propensity to get lost, and wound up with a first place. _If_ they can stay on track and not wander into the wrong country, they’re a shoo-in for final three. _Kynt & Vyxsin_ (holding steady) - Second place, and a solid leg. I think this team, like Rachel & TK, tend to be pretty mellow and comfortable, even if they think they’re doing poorly. That should become more important in the latter stages of the race, as teams get fatigued and the competition gets stiffer. **Cruisin’ with Earl** - or, drivin’ on the shoulder, takin’ shortcuts, and generally kickin’ butt. _Azaria & Hendekea_ (holding steady) - Despite the slip this week down to fifth place, I’m still keeping this team here in front, as the the most likely team to make the final three. Apparently the hair salon (Nicolas’s downfall) was harder to find than the other destinations. Next week: Speculation: Perhaps a non-elimination extended leg? 'Bout time for one of those. [sub]Props to **Mullinator** and his Raj Ratings.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/24 "2007-12-03T14:29:22Z")
I’d heard that, too, about the non-elim legs, but Phil still damn near gave me a heart attack with that really long pause…usually he does that before saying that they’re still in it. I’ve watched an awful lot of the Race, I’m impressed that he could fake me out. Ronald must never have watched the show, or else he’d know about getting a cab to lead you to wherever you’re going. They should stay in Lithuania and have more of those really hot Lithuanian guys on the show. The city looked nice, and the people looked even nicer! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/25 "2007-12-03T14:46:13Z")
I was geeked that it was in Lithuania, home of my ancestors. (My mom was first-generation American.) The festival looked fun. Who was it who told the guy in costume to STFU as he was trying to count? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/26 "2007-12-03T14:56:10Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] I was geeked that it was in Lithuania, home of my ancestors. (My mom was first-generation American.) The festival looked fun. Who was it who told the guy in costume to STFU as he was trying to count? [/QUOTE] That was either Jen or Nathan. Lovely couple, aren’t they? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/27 "2007-12-03T15:03:00Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] That was either Jen or Nathan. Lovely couple, aren’t they? [/QUOTE] :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/28 "2007-12-03T15:25:59Z")
TK and Rachel seem to have won the best prize yet for coming in first – a 10-day trip to Japan. Good for them; they ran well. The Lithuanian festival was giving me some serious Wicker Man vibes, but looked like a great time, especially with all the distractions for the picket counters. ---
**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:** [December 3, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/29 "2007-12-03T15:35:24Z")
When did “Vilnius” get to be so hard to pronounce? Jennifer did seem to feel compelled to be unnecessarily antagonistic during a counting challenge, but I have to say that if I was with someone who couldn’t “count in their mouth,” let alone in their head, I might become a bit irked, too. I thought the editors did a good job picking out the moment where TK tells Nathan that the teams who can’t keep their emotional stuff together are the ones who get eliminated, showing Nathan repeating this like a wise man to Jennifer, and then showing him losing his emotional stuff completely. Nicely turned! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/30 "2007-12-03T15:40:52Z")
I still can’t figure out why no one did the obvious thing and started each team member at opposite ends and then compare notes. That way nobody gets in anybody else’s headspace with out-loud counting. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/31 "2007-12-03T16:21:50Z")
I hope Jen & Nathan were sitting together watching when we saw that the only reason they screwed up the count the first try was that Jennifer counted “88, 89, 100”. ---
**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/32 "2007-12-03T17:04:01Z")
Thought the episode was fun! The fatigue is setting in, and emothional baggage is piling up with nowhere to stow it. The coming episodes promise more downhill slides, especially from Jen! Funny thing this week was the sound effects. I know that they have always been a staple of the show, but they were packed in tightly tonight. When they got in the cars and tried to figure out which way to go out of the parking lot (paraphrased): Team1- Go left. _off key guitar strum_ Team2 - Go straight! _bass wah-wah_ Team3 - follow them! _Law and Order DUM-DUM_ Team4 - Left? _3 stooges nose twist_ Team5 - I don’t know… _Price is Right losing song_ Team6 - Go right. _Windows sound panel asterisk_ Team7 - stop yelling! _Coyote anvil impact_ The barbie-Goths really seem to be in the best shape in terms of their relationship, they are still supportive and getting along, and they look like they are breezing through (most) of the tasks. Have they had any arguments yet? BTW, [this chart](http://homepage.mac.com/yakc/tv/tar12.html) is still being updated… ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/33 "2007-12-03T17:14:28Z")
[QUOTE=muldoonthief] I hope Jen & Nathan were sitting together watching when we saw that the only reason they screwed up the count the first try was that Jennifer counted “88, 89, 100”. [/QUOTE] Heh! Yeah, I yelled out to **supervenusfreak** (which was unnecessary, as I was actually right beside him), “She pulled a Bolo!” ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/34 "2007-12-03T17:24:48Z")
The Goths counted sensibly – they’d stop at each 100 and compare notes. Notice when they got to 400, they were off, so they went back to 300. I’m not sure how they marked the 300th post, but presumably they smeared a bit of makeup on it or something. Lord knows they have enough of _that_ available. I was extremely happy to see the blondes go, and now if only we can get rid of the Bickersons, we’ll have a pretty decent bunch. Sure, Ronald is a bit of a dick, but he’s counterbalanced by Christina’s _unbelievable_ patience (dare I call it appeasement?); and Azaria has a tendency to come down heavy as the big brother – is Ethiopia a patriarchal society or something? But if Nate & Jen are the next to go, that will leave me with no team I completely hate, which will be a first in a long, long time. I can remember several races where I didn’t care about _any_ of the last few teams, so this is a massive improvement. Not the best leg in terms of editing – but showing all that ticketing chaos was rather insightful in terms of showing us which teams interact well with others, especially across language barriers, and which teams don’t get along with other teams, which is looking to be more and more of them. Not to mention showing that getting a good itinerary from Ouagadougou to Vilnius is probably not the easiest thing in the world. If it had been a London to Paris itinerary, it would have been far more boring, IMO. I am impressed with the good design of the legs of this race thus far. So far so good – here’s hoping they keep up the good work! ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/35 "2007-12-03T17:32:32Z")
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian] When did “Vilnius” get to be so hard to pronounce? [/QUOTE] Really. Haven’t these people seen Hunt for Red October 20 times? (Sean Connery is the “Vilnius Schoolmaster”) ---
**Author:** ![FlightlessBird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cdc98d/32.png) [@FlightlessBird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlightlessBird)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/36 "2007-12-03T17:50:02Z")
[QUOTE=cantara] The barbie-Goths really seem to be in the best shape in terms of their relationship, they are still supportive and getting along, and they look like they are breezing through (most) of the tasks. Have they had any arguments yet? BTW, [this chart](http://homepage.mac.com/yakc/tv/tar12.html) is still being updated… [/QUOTE] I don’t know. I think TK and Rachel are having a lot of fun on this race. They seem to handle each challenge with wide-eyed wonderment. of course by not seeing this as a race, they may not have the drive to win. They are my favorite, so I hope they win. (The teams that get help from locals always do well) I guess I can see how Kynt and Vixsyn are also enjoying everything, so they can do well too. Liked the link BTW! ---
**Author:** ![ChordedZither](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9c0ed/32.png) [@ChordedZither](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChordedZither)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/37 "2007-12-04T03:53:41Z")
Did anyone else think that the greeter at the end of this leg looked like he could have modelled for one of the gnomes back at the village? Loved the outfit, loved the beard! My daughter nearly fell out of her chair laughing at the preview for next week, showing one of the teams trying to paddle a rowboat using the oars as canoe-style paddles, ignoring the oarlocks. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/38 "2007-12-04T05:05:15Z")
Noting irks me more than the whole karma thing. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/39 "2007-12-04T11:05:11Z")
Jen really is a piece of work. Did anyone else catch her at the beginning of the episode when she said again that Azaria & Hendekea should have let them win the previous leg because they’d already won so many times? Well, Azaria & Hendekea didn’t win this leg, and, gee, Jen and Nathan still didn’t come in first. Should the other teams have deferred to them? :rolleyes: I was trying to remember if they were the couple where one had cheated; while I’m no fan of cheating, I do wonder what got him to go back to her, other than good looks. (OK, she could be good at other things, but are men really that desperate?) Ron’s amazing. First, he decides he’s good at listening, so he’ll do the Roadblock. I’m amazed he did as well as he did, considering he shows no signs of listening to his daughter. What really got me though is, despite talking about how much trouble his hernia’s giving him and repeatedly telling his daughter he can’t run, when given a choice between a physical task and a mental task, he opts for the physical one. I don’t think Christina could have stopped him, but I have to wonder what he was thinking. By the way, was that Lithuanian she was thanking people in? If so, I give her credit for the extra courtesy. I liked the festival and the various characters, even their attempts at distracting people while they were counting. I would have done what Kynt Vixsyn did and marked every 100th (or 50th) post if it were possible or noted that the 107th post came at the end of a gate. I usually think of Goths as being a bit too pretentious for me, but these two seem sensible and level-headed at heart, even if Kynt’s resorting to a British accent was odd. I think I’m in this race for the duration. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589/40 "2007-12-04T12:53:20Z")
[QUOTE=Siege] By the way, was that Lithuanian she was thanking people in? [/QUOTE] According to [this page](http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/lithuanian.php) of useful Lithuanian phrases, “Thank you” is “ačiū”, which certainly looks like what she was saying (I definitely remember thinking it sounded like a sneeze (“Achoo”)). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-02-we-really-burned-bridges-for-sure/428589.md?page=3)