# Amazing Race All-Stars: Back in the Saddle (2/23) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 23, 2014, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013 "2014-02-23T12:11:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [February 24, 2014, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/21 "2014-02-24T14:39:25Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > …it only makes sense to have a backup team in the wings before every season. Maybe they set it up so that if you’re a backup who doesn’t get used in one season, you get a guaranteed spot on the next season. But I don’t believe it was really a last minute call to Mallory - setting up all the travel visas and the like can’t be an easy thing to do. That’s a really good point - getting visas is not a trivial thing, and there’s zero chance _that_ got accomplished on twelve hours notice. I wonder why the decision to join Mark and Mallory rather than wholly substituting in Gary & Mallory? “Better TV,” I suppose… ---
**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:** [February 24, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/22 "2014-02-24T15:14:48Z")
I wonder how the money thing will work out if by some miracle Mark and Mallory win? Does Mallory get Bopper’s $500K? Then Mark and Bopper split the other $500K? Both guys seem to really need the money. They’re now both unemployed. I’m so happy to see my Cowboys do so well. And ready to see the You-tubers crash and burn in some spectacular way. StG ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/23 "2014-02-24T15:17:29Z")
I’ve been watching TAR since the very beginning but I feel they outdid themselves this year (deliberately?) in bringing together some of the most irritating pairs in TAR history. And some of them, if I’m not mistaken, were even at their third or fourth tries. How many chances do you get to win that million bucks? Never mind the fact that one of them made it to another reality show – several times – and managed to win the big prize. Getting back to TAR, I’m not sure this season won’t turn out to be the proverbial straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back, at least for me. We’ll see. ---
**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:** [February 24, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/24 "2014-02-24T15:21:40Z")
> [@zut](#): > > That’s a really good point - getting visas is not a trivial thing, and there’s zero chance _that_ got accomplished on twelve hours notice. I wonder why the decision to join Mark and Mallory rather than wholly substituting in Gary & Mallory? “Better TV,” I suppose… Well, if they had substituted the whole team, they probably wouldn’t have even mentioned it in-show. So if you want the tear-jerker of the medical problem killing Bopper’s race then you got to let Mark continue or the producers look heartless. So yeah, better TV. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/25 "2014-02-24T16:39:51Z")
Judging the brief exchange in the ferris wheel bubble, and previews of next week’s leg, I wonder if **Mark** will be the racer who _punches the glacier_ this season. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/26 "2014-02-24T16:50:17Z")
Is this the first time heading West for a season? I can’t remember the time where it did that. (It’s better jetlag wise I would think at least). ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/27 "2014-02-24T16:56:51Z")
Sigh… I just love the Amazing Race. Some teams are whiney, some are loud, some just get 'er done. But the show is such a simple concept, yet I love watching people travel the world and do nutty things. ---
**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:** [February 24, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/28 "2014-02-24T17:00:19Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > Is this the first time heading West for a season? I can’t remember the time where it did that. (It’s better jetlag wise I would think at least). They’ve done that quite a lot the last several seasons. First country in David & Conner’s first season was Tahiti. The first time they did it was the one where the Muslim brothers were eliminated on arrival in China, IIRC. ---
**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:** [February 24, 2014, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/29 "2014-02-24T17:02:15Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > Is this the first time heading West for a season? I can’t remember the time where it did that. (It’s better jetlag wise I would think at least). You mean on the first leg? They’ve gone west lots of times - Amazing Race 10 started Seattle-\>Beijing, TAR 15 started LA -\> Tokyo, TAR 18 was LA-\>Sydney (oof) , 19 was LA-\>Taiwan, 21 was LA-\>Shanghai, 22 was LA-\>Bora Bora. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/30 "2014-02-24T17:12:45Z")
As others have said, I suspect they select one or two alternate teams every season (including All Star Seasons) just in case something like this happens. I imagine what was atypical here was mixing and matching one of these e alternates with an existing team. What I was surprised by was I haven’t watched in several seasons but I knew every team but one (the annoying “schemer” guys). ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/31 "2014-02-24T17:17:14Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Why all the hate for the twinnies? I don’t want them to win, but I could watch them bicker at each other all day. Am I the only one who thinks people on TV are puppets performing for my amusement? To me, they crossed the line from irritating to despicable when they stole the money that the Rockers lost. They knew whose money it was and decided to keep it. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/32 "2014-02-24T17:28:26Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > To me, they crossed the line from irritating to despicable when they stole the money that the Rockers lost. They knew whose money it was and decided to keep it. That was huge, imho. Also, for me, I see enough people who are assholes for no good reason irl, so why am I watching it for entertainment? Some a-hole stuff on “reality” television is admittedly entertaining. For me, tho, the assholishness should have a purpose. The Twinnies were simply whiny, bratty, assholey jerks for no good reason. And they acted that way to each other, to other racers, and to everyone they met on their part of the race. THAT is annoying and NOT entertainment. IMHO, YMMV (as usual on the ab/fab SDMB) ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/33 "2014-02-24T18:11:31Z")
Thank the lord they are gone! I don’t know that I could have watched another second of those two yelling at each other. Now we just need to get rid of Rachel. ---
**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:** [February 24, 2014, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/34 "2014-02-24T18:18:37Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Now we just need to get rid of Rachel. Which reminds me that last night reminded me about Rachel’s Negative Taste Factor. Those shorts and boots! Oh, my god… ---
**Author:** ![slitterst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@slitterst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slitterst)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/35 "2014-02-24T20:01:38Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Which reminds me that last night reminded me about Rachel’s Negative Taste Factor. Those shorts and boots! Oh, my god… I didn’t notice them over the screaming fashion fail that was Joey Youtube’s outfit. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/36 "2014-02-24T20:13:02Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > As others have said, I suspect they select one or two alternate teams every season (including All Star Seasons) just in case something like this happens. I imagine what was atypical here was mixing and matching one of these e alternates with an existing team. I agree with this. Survivor’s couples season had a last minute replacement too. One of the returnee’s father was actually on the island when he had a health issue. Since it was before they were to be dropped off on their beaches the flew the standby out (Candace and John) ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/37 "2014-02-24T23:25:50Z")
> [@Dr\_Doom](#): > > Judging the brief exchange in the ferris wheel bubble, and previews of next week’s leg, I wonder if **Mark** will be the racer who _punches the glacier_ this season. Excellent use of our new phrase! I watched, even though I said I wouldn’t watch until the Twinnies were eliminated, and I was satisfied. ---
**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:** [February 25, 2014, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/38 "2014-02-25T02:04:08Z")
So happy the Twinnies are gone. Hate them. Now how about Brendan & Rachel next followed by the Youtubers? I’d be so happy… I was never a fan of the cowboys, having been turned off by their godbothering, but they won me over this leg. Go cowboys! > [@Moonlitherial](#): > > I agree with this. Survivor’s couples season had a last minute replacement too. One of the returnee’s father was actually on the island when he had a health issue. Since it was before they were to be dropped off on their beaches the flew the standby out (Candace and John) I never knew that, and now it explains why everyone voted out Candace in the immediate first vote before anything had happened. I figured she must be just a massive bitch in real life to get such unanimous, out of the blue votes but if she was a last minute alternate that makes perfect sense. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/39 "2014-02-26T15:49:10Z")
Just chiming in to confirm that shows like TAR and Survivor normally have alternate teams on call and ready to go until the competition starts, in case of a last minute scratch like we saw. I really like Mallory - she just has an infectious joy - and I think it will be fun to watch her and Mark, who is more low-energy, learn to race together. ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013/40 "2014-02-28T22:51:13Z")
Unlike everyone else here, I was disappointed by the outcome of this leg. I’m just praying for Rachel, Leo, and Jamal to disappear as soon as possible. (Rachel’s husband can stay; I don’t give a crap about him.) She is horrible, and the other two are annoying. Yes, the twinnies were annoying, but at least they were entertaining. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-all-stars-back-in-the-saddle-2-23/682013.md?page=3)