Cannonball Run on U.S.A. Network

Factual Questions
1

I don’t get cable, but I have heard the radio ad several times. The Cannonball Run is a well known race from New York to L.A. Made more public by 2 or 3 cheesy movies. I assume USA network is showing scenes from the real event and not some made-for-cable fiction based on the race.

I wonder why the Straight Dope gets touchy about drug discussions, meanwhile, a major cable network is broadcasting what is essentially an illegal race? What’s the logic? Does USA network simply have more cojones, or better attorneys?

2

“I assume USA network is showing scenes from the real event and not some made-for-cable fiction based on the race.”

Well, you know what they say about when you assume…

I happened to catch an episode of it tonight, and I will say that it was actually quite good… but it is by no means the original race. This race has teams that include Playboy Bunnies, Frat Boys, Rappers, and old Survivor alums (Sue is one). It is filmed with multi cameras and edited to make several days fit into an hour of the show. There are some elements of reality (the rappers are pulled over with guns drawn and cuffed for no apparent reason in Alabama), but the best part is that the survivor cast is playing dirty. They have called locals at each film spot so far to get some extra help (looks like they are going through the Yellow Pages). They got a guy from a hardware store to bring some chain and a lock and locked the only exit gate from the first challange to assure they got out first. Later they got some local glass repair people to happen to “break down” and block in the leader when they were trying to leave the hotel. All that, and they are still sucking in 4th place.

I fell in love with the race when the original “Gumball Rally” hit the theaters… that is when I discovered the Shelby AC Cobra… It may not be the same, but it is still a lot of fun to watch… even in it’s current “made for cable” state.

3

It’s not the same race. Go to the library and read Brock Yates’ column from the August (I think) issue of Car and Driver.

You also can go here: http://cannonballrun.caranddriver.com/
and see if you can figure it out.

4

Dean Martin outake: “These bleads?”
I hate that movie , but that ad-lib just slays me. Dean was soooo cool…

5

Nah, we just have higher standards.

For example, we like folks to do some basic fact-checking before opening a thread accusing us of not having “cojones.”
Do try to keep up.

6

It’s just another stuopid reality show, albeit with a slightly better (IMHO) premise. It’s somewhat real, but it’s all for TV.
That said, I think blasting across America via backroads (interstates are too easy) in a nifty old car would be a great way to spend a bit of a summer vacation. Of course, with the proper car, I’d have to take out a loan to pay for gas (the car I have in mind gets less than 9 miles per gallon of 100+ octane leaded Sunoco)…

7

At least you have a reply that is slightly better that “you’re too stupid to be on this board” that you have used dozens of times.

8

No one is too stupid for typos.

9

Did anyone catch Mtv’s Jackass “Cannonball Run”-like episode? Very funny, especially the part when the some of the participants totaled their Lamborghini Diablo(or something).