# Amazing Race Finale Possible Open Spoilers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 8, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207 "2011-05-08T23:27:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/41 "2011-05-09T15:49:08Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Did anyone else get a kick out of the number of times teams were saying “Rapido, por favor!” from the backseat of their cabs in Brazil? Hey, at least it’s close. Better than when they’ve done this in India. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/42 "2011-05-09T15:49:58Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Did anyone else get a kick out of the number of times teams were saying “Rapido, por favor!” from the backseat of their cabs in Brazil? Yeah, I liked that. I’ve already decided that if I ever got on the Amazing Race I would have to wear a shirt that said “Rapido! Por favor?” on it. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/43 "2011-05-09T15:58:41Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > Hey, at least it’s close. Better than when they’ve done this in India. I wonder if Justin has learned what language they speak in Brazil. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/44 "2011-05-09T16:01:05Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Did anyone else get a kick out of the number of times teams were saying “Rapido, por favor!” from the backseat of their cabs in Brazil? According to babelfish, that’s an acceptable translation of “Fast please!” to Portuguese. Close enough for cabbies I guess. BTW, does anyone know if other countries have the same issues that the USA has, where a large number (perhaps a majority) of cab drivers in big cities have the native language as a second tongue at best? ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/45 "2011-05-09T16:04:48Z")
They should use public transportation or the show should supply the racers a car and a driver. The driver only goes where the racers tell them to go. I think an good twist would be to have the final task be a a “dual roadblock” on the lest leg. One racer a roadblock while the other racer does another roadblock across town. Meeting up at a the finish line. Imagine the stress as one player waits at the finish line for his/her teammate finishing up. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/46 "2011-05-09T16:33:02Z")
> [@zut](#): > > _Zev & Justin_ (down from “Cruisin’”) - I’ve noted before that Zev & Justin’s Achilles heel might be the equal-Roadblocks rule, and that’s exactly what did them in, **as they finished the Roadblock dead last after starting in first**. I don’t necessarily disagree with Justin’s assessment that they wanted to go into the finale with an equal Roadblock count, but in hindsight, I think Zev would have done better at both the final Roadblocks than he did on the dancing one, so maybe they should have reconsidered. I’d also like to know what drove them to pick the bikini-selling Detour option first. I suspect it was a gamble, in that there’s no way they could’ve made up time doing a mechanical task like making caipirinhas (aside: mmmmmmmm caipirinhas) with the other three teams ahead of them, but with some luck they might have been able to sell bikinis. If they really thought it was the best option, then…well, obviously they were wrong. But it really didn’t matter, because it was the Roadblock that eliminated them, not the Detour. Bolding mine. Not true, Zev & Justin finished that Roadblock before the 'Trotters. In fact, Big Easy had to redo the dance once. They got to the waxing salon while Keisha & Jen were still there, so they must not have been too far behind. And then all of them were gone before Zev & Justin arrived. Since the waxing was a fixed-time task, and Z & J seemed to do okay with making the drinks, it was really that taxi ride that knocked them out. The editing seemed to downplay them getting lost. They must not hae been hysterical enough in the cab. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/47 "2011-05-09T16:52:50Z")
Oops; you’re right. Still, their lead on the Globetrotters was slim at the time, and given that they arrived for the caipirinha-making task while the Globetrotters were still there (and after the failed bikini-selling), it seems like their cab troubles may have been significant, but not deadly. I’m guessing that with a better cab ride OR better Roadblock performance, they would at least have been competitive at the end, but with both things going wrong it was all over. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/48 "2011-05-09T17:15:41Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > Selling tasks are generally more like begging tasks. The fact that they not only had to sell bathing suits to _people who were already on the beach in their bathing suits_, but they also had to have the women model them for the camera is I think part of what went wrong. I mean, if that weren’t the case, they could probably have just lowered the price to R$2/each and sold 50 of them quickly. I’ve wondered…is there a rule stating contestants can’t give their own money to locals so they can hand it back in exchange for the goods? > [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > That reminds me that I meant to say how much I hated the forklift task. Most of the tasks were lame. Forklift was linear with no room for error. The bikini wax was a time challenge that as long as you stuck to it, had absolutely no bearing on the race, and the diving challenge was more luck than anything else. Add to that the excessive taxi usage and you have a god-awful setup for a final. It seems like even the producers don’t know how to make this show anymore. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/49 "2011-05-09T17:27:02Z")
> [@zut](#): > > Oops; you’re right. Still, their lead on the Globetrotters was slim at the time, and given that they arrived for the caipirinha-making task while the Globetrotters were still there (and after the failed bikini-selling), it seems like their cab troubles may have been significant, but not deadly. I’m guessing that with a better cab ride OR better Roadblock performance, they would at least have been competitive at the end, but with both things going wrong it was all over. The Globetrotter were finished with the waxing before Zev & Justin arrived, so the lead must have been at least 15 minutes. There wasn’t much opportunity to make up time making drinks, so I think Z&J tried the bikini selling as their only chance to catch up. If they hadn’t gotten lost on the way to the salon, the situation would have been reversed. I wonder if the Globetrotters would have had more luck selling bikinis. How long did that bartending task take. Two people making fifty drinks each; how long does it take to make one caipirinha? ---
**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:** [May 9, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/50 "2011-05-09T18:18:33Z")
I think the way to do the drinks would’ve been assembly-line fashion. One team member chooses the lime and sugar and smooshes them together, the next person adds the ice and licquor, shakes and dispenses. StG ---
**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:** [May 9, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/51 "2011-05-09T19:41:47Z")
My biggest surprise during the show was finding out that this is the last week of Survivor. There are still nine people alive! ---
**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:** [May 9, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/52 "2011-05-09T20:14:44Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > My biggest surprise during the show was finding out that this is the last week of Survivor. There are still nine people alive! Grand melee…they get to beat the crap out of each other with nerf clubs while balancing on a giant jungle gym. Last three standing go to FTC. Just kidding. I’d love to see that, though. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/53 "2011-05-09T20:43:31Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > My biggest surprise during the show was finding out that this is the last week of Survivor. There are still nine people alive! By the end of Wednesday, that will probably be down to 5 - the final RI challenge will send 3 people home, one back to Murlonio, then the regular TC will send one person home. That will set up the standard 5 person 2 hour finale episode on Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/54 "2011-05-09T21:00:58Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > By the end of Wednesday, that will probably be down to 5 - the final RI challenge will send 3 people home, one back to Murlonio, then the regular TC will send one person home. That will set up the standard 5 person 2 hour finale episode on Sunday. Apparently, Probst tweeted that the finale would have 8 people that could win the game. so look for only one elimination Wed. Night. If so, they have a lot to cover on Sunday night. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/55 "2011-05-09T21:41:14Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Apparently, Probst tweeted that the finale would have 8 people that could win the game. so look for only one elimination Wed. Night. > > If so, they have a lot to cover on Sunday night. I think **muldoonthief** is right, just not about he timeline. Instead of someone coming back Wednesday night, they come back at the start of the finale. It should be 4 in the tribe + 4 on RI, which is eight. Then just one person comes back right at the beginning, which would be five, which fits in with the finale. It’s not much more to cover, and there’s plenty of filler in the finales that they can trim. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/56 "2011-05-10T01:43:11Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > I’ve wondered…is there a rule stating contestants can’t give their own money to locals so they can hand it back in exchange for the goods? No one knows about this? I think it’d be an awesome trick if it’s not expressly forbidden (though I suspect it is, otherwise it would have probably already have been used…) ---
**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:** [May 10, 2011, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/57 "2011-05-10T04:54:55Z")
I wonder if the absence of a ‘have you paid attention?’ test at the end was related to the fact that the producers knew going in that the two most favorite teams were both significantly, uh, non-spectacular at mental challenges? ---
**Author:** ![tsm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@tsm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/58 "2011-05-10T07:51:24Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > No one knows about this? I think it’d be an awesome trick if it’s not expressly forbidden (though I suspect it is, otherwise it would have probably already have been used…) I don’t know about it, but my guess is that any money earned by selling items in a task is not kept by the teams. So if a team used their own money to buy items, then they would no longer have that money. Just a guess, though. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/59 "2011-05-10T09:23:49Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > One of the racers from a much earlier season said that the Amazing Producers have enough trouble keeping people from speeding on a normal leg. They don’t want to risk any sort of bad publicity from a speeding racer killing someone on the last leg. > > That said, why not plan it around public transportation. The bus drivers aren’t going to get lost. I remember one racer getting a speeding ticket in NZ, and another going off the road after going too fast for a corner (maybe in the same episode). ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207/60 "2011-05-10T09:26:19Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > I doubt if Kent has much hair but I am sure he would have whined big time if he had his legs and chest waxed. > > Has anyone ever seen a hirsute guy wax (or shave) their chest or back into an interesting pattern? Or even dye their hair green or pink? As soon as I read abt the challenge here it was “40 year old virgin” that kept jumping into my mind. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-finale-possible-open-spoilers/581207.md?page=4)