# Amazing Race 12/05 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 6, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094 "2010-12-06T01:34:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/21 "2010-12-06T17:58:25Z")
Here are the team’s departure times: 1. Nat & Kat = 4:37pm 2. Jill & Thomas = 4:47pm 3. Brooke & Claire = 5:26pm 4. Nick & Vicki (oops, I said Jill/Thomas in my previous post, my bad) = no time given, but it was dark. Now…even if Nick & Vicki arrived right on the heels of 3rd place last week (which, clearly, they didn’t) they couldn’t have left earlier than 11:30pm. More likely, since they were so far behind AND got hit with a six-hour penalty, their _actual_ departure time should’ve been around 3-4am, or even after dawn. My “conspiracy meter” is telling me that the producers must have waived the detour-skipping penalty, and finagled the start times just so the first three teams would easily make the soonest available fight (but not an earlier flight), while Nick & Vicki could _possibly_ make the same flight, if they hauled ass. (Which, clearly, they didn’t.) ---
**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:** [December 6, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/22 "2010-12-06T21:20:10Z")
My theory is that they faked the conversation with the travel agent to add a bit of suspense that didn’t exist. If the showed the time they left, we would have known that the flight had already left. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/23 "2010-12-06T21:20:22Z")
Spoiling the “next week on” spoiler: (They hinted, I have answer.)Next season will be All-Stars. I know the Cowboys will be back, and one other team I recognized but can’t remember off-hand. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/24 "2010-12-06T21:28:54Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > My rankings, starting with the hottest, would be: > > Brooke > Kat > Jill > Claire > Nat This show really gives you a good feel for how artificially made up (some)\* beauty queens are. There are three former Miss America contestants in the cast, only a few years removed from when they competed - Brook (Miss Oregon 2004), Stephanie (Miss South Carolina 2008), and Mallory (Miss Kentucky 2009). Not that any of these women are unattractive, but if you saw them on the street as they were in the race (sans makeup), I don’t think many would think, “Damn, there’s a beauty queen.” A few seasons back two reinging Miss America contestants (who did very well) raced, and were upstaged in the looks department by two former college cheerleaders. - I say some because there are examples of beauty queens who are just naturally beautiful makeup or not. In reality TV world, I am thinking of Danni who won Survivor Guatemala. She was a Miss Kansas. [Danni Boatwright](http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/55323253.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=BC2B213A7DC3B892548297D01F5C2F77C62118FE56C88641C18A3AA2593653ED) In regards to the finale, I can’t see why anyone wouldn’t pick Jill and Thomas. They have done little wrong all through the race, and show no signs of weakness. P.S. I think Jill is better looking that any of the beauty queens. ---
**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:** [December 6, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/25 "2010-12-06T22:43:17Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Spoiling the “next week on” spoiler: (They hinted, I have answer.)Next season will be All-Stars. I know the Cowboys will be back, and one other team I recognized but can’t remember off-hand. To be clear, that spoiler has to do with next season, as does this one: [spoiler] In addition to the Cowboys, the other team I know of is the Pink Goths. And Rob and Amber. Nah, just kidding about that last team.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/26 "2010-12-06T22:52:36Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Spoiling the “next week on” spoiler: (They hinted, I have answer.)Next season will be All-Stars. I know the Cowboys will be back, and one other team I recognized but can’t remember off-hand. Yay! I love the cowboys! ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/27 "2010-12-06T23:17:53Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > The Doucheback of Notre Dame: “Don’t ask _him_, he’s oooold”. What a tard. But that made sense. I’d also think an elderly person would be less likely to speak English than someone younger. > [@](#): > > In order to make sure a “girl” team wins, there will be no grueling physical tasks (that reverse rappel up the bridge, for example) on the last leg. Nor will there be any binge/purge or gross-food eating contests. You mean like when Vicki was the best climbing up the rope or how Nat/Kat were great at eating the cow head? Yeah, the females didn’t do good on those tasks. :rolleyes: You know, every time you post about this season I always get an underlying sense of misogynism. Why does every task have to be something incredibly physical for it to count as a “real” race in your mind? This season is just as “real” as any other. What, a woman has to beat a super strong man to be considered a real winner? ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/28 "2010-12-06T23:26:03Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Yay! I love the cowboys! The cowboys are my favorite team of all time. Oh my gravy! ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/29 "2010-12-07T00:05:57Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > In addition to the Cowboys, the other team I know of is the Pink Goths. Is this confirmed? That would be AWESOME!!! I hope they also include the Rednecks (from S10 or 11, they were the first team eliminated.) And I wouldn’t mind seeing the Weavers again (just because I loved to hate them) – though I’m probably alone in that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/30 "2010-12-07T00:11:00Z")
Another cast spoiler: Flight Time and Big Easy Awesome! ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/31 "2010-12-07T00:14:59Z")
If it’s true, I can’t wait! And I already know who I want to win, without seeing any other teams. Cowboys! Cowboys! Cowboys! StG ---
**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:** [December 7, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/32 "2010-12-07T00:19:58Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Another cast spoiler: > > Flight Time and Big Easy > > Awesome! When it came to any challenges that required critical thinking, those two were pretty much clueless, if I recall correctly. (I remember they had to take a 6 hour penalty when they couldn’t figure out a word puzzle in Prague, but I think there were other episodes that showed these two are not exactly Rhodes Scholar material.) That said, both seemed like nice guys overall, and certainly excelled on physical challenges. ---
**Author:** ![RachelChristine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RachelChristine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RachelChristine)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/33 "2010-12-07T00:20:45Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > The cowboys are my favorite team of all time. Oh my gravy! [SPOILER] Almost every week my five-year old daughter, who obviously doesn’t understand the concept of different seasons, keeps asking me what happened to the Cowboys and why they aren’t on any more. We are both be so over-the-moon excited! I wonder how many seasons back they will go with their picks? [/SPOILER] ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/34 "2010-12-07T00:45:18Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > When it came to any challenges that required critical thinking, those two were pretty much clueless, if I recall correctly. They did make it to #4, however. And certain past seasons have established that intelligence is NOT required to win the million dollars. 🆒 ---
**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 7, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/35 "2010-12-07T14:26:19Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > When it came to any challenges that required critical thinking, those two were pretty much clueless, if I recall correctly. > > That said, both seemed like nice guys overall, and certainly excelled on physical challenges. > [@fuzzypickles](#): > > They did make it to #4, however. And certain past seasons have established that intelligence is NOT required to win the million dollars. 🆒 They weren’t that bad. In a post show interview, they said they gave up on the “FRANZ” puzzle because they thought they had already tried “FRANZ” and failed, so that was just bad bookkeeping. And on the gold challenge, they figured out how to do the calculation (since total cost divided by price-per-ounce = required weight was too much for some people) and were smart enough to borrow a calculator from another store. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/36 "2010-12-07T15:24:58Z")
I think the other challenge that make them seem, er, challenged was the watch/attache case one. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/37 "2010-12-07T17:22:12Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > You know, every time you post about this season I always get an underlying sense of misogynism. Why does every task have to be something incredibly physical for it to count as a “real” race in your mind? This season is just as “real” as any other. What, a woman has to beat a super strong man to be considered a real winner? Yeah, I can’t understand why a mental or searching or detail task is somehow less of a race than something requiring you to lift heavy weights. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/38 "2010-12-07T17:31:47Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > You know, every time you post about this season I always get an underlying sense of misogynism. Why does every task have to be something incredibly physical for it to count as a “real” race in your mind? This season is just as “real” as any other. What, a woman has to beat a super strong man to be considered a real winner? I don’t think it’s misogyny, he’s just kinda ridiculously suspicious of the game being faked up. Last week he was suggesting the producers had faked up a whole restaurant rather than just rent one out. Seems like a running theme. Not sure why he enjoys the show when he seems so convinced it’s rigged or fake. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/39 "2010-12-07T17:37:12Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > You know, every time you post about this season I always get an underlying sense of misogynism. Why does every task have to be something incredibly physical for it to count as a “real” race in your mind? This season is just as “real” as any other. What, a woman has to beat a super strong man to be considered a real winner? I just watched the episode online and I have to agree. These people are moving and any of the teams would be “worthy” of being the winner, whatever that means. And a lot of Fenris’ problems don’t even make any sense. - There have been plenty of physical challenges this race. - The Amazing Producers did away with a regular 12-hour Pit Stop nearly ten seasons ago. - And his idea of “roughing it” Pit Stops was never consistent in earlier seasons (there were just as many nice hotels/mansions as there were “sleep in this field” stops) and there were a few outdoorsy Pit Stops this year as well. - I’m also not seeing the “poor competition” argument. Brook/Claire and Nat/Kat have hauled through challenges that have humbled some of the men. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094/40 "2010-12-07T17:50:55Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > - I’m also not seeing the “poor competition” argument. Brook/Claire and Nat/Kat have hauled through challenges that have humbled some of the men. I largely agree, except for this last point. There wasn’t a single competitive all-male team this season. The glee club “pussies” (as labeled by Joel McHale on The Soup) were ridiculous, and an argument could be made that the gay black couple had zero chance to make it past the first leg since the huge guy had no chance to float in that little boat. Where are the globetrooters, the detectives, the brothers, the cowboys? Not one competitive all-male team, and by my count there were three competitive all-girl teams if we include the surprisingly ineffective volleyballers. The deck did seem suspiciously stacked to me. The challenges also seemed watered down to me, even though I’ve only seen the last few seasons. Nothing approached the giant hay bales in the field, for example, or the cheese blocks you had to carry up the hill, or the mud pit volleyball thing. They still had the intricate challenges (assemble a bike) and the eating challenges and the subtle perception challenges (toy model sitting behind them at the top of the tower), but don’t they also usually have physical challenges? This season’s only physical challenges were carrying bricks, unless I’m forgetting one? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-12-05/563094.md?page=3)