# The Amazing Race 12/14 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 14, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770 "2004-12-14T12:47:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/141 "2004-12-17T15:40:44Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > **KGS** , IIRC, at the first non-elimination pitstop, Phil said it was the first of _three_ “scheduled” ones. I woiuld’ve sworn I had heard the word “several” last week, but I missed the beginning of the show this week, and I forgot to tape it. Anyone have a recording? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/142 "2004-12-17T15:43:59Z")
I’ve heard it as “several” at least twice – but not on tape. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/143 "2004-12-17T15:51:04Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > Regarding the disgust at Kendra’s remark that “Africa is so filthy and disgusting, and they just keep breeding and breeding”, and it’s being compared unfavourably with Don and Mary Jean’s appreciation of the beautiful colours and the smiling children, the context is important. If, as has been argued quite forcibly, Gramps and Granpa are just along for the ride - perhaps taking a kind of second honeymoon (or should that be third, given they were married before) - then their comments are in line with what would be expected of tourists who have chosen to include Africa on their itinerary. Sorry, that just doesn’t hold water. People compare the comment to Don and MJ’s attitude because it offers such a clear contrast. But compare their comments to ANY of the other contestants, and the only conclusion you can logically come to is that Kendra is ignorant, likely with racist tendencies. Hell, even Asshat didn’t make any comments to be construed as such, and he’s the most “rich, white, privileged, … highly-esteemed [person]” of the bunch. Being privileged does not give you a pass on ignorance. Being rich does not give you a pass on making comments about the poor. Hell, being IGNORANT doesn’t give you a pass on making ignorance remarks. And I’m sorry, but just because they’re a couple weeks into the race in no way means that they’ve “become used to the cameraman and sound recordist following them everywhere”. This isn’t a National Geographic photographer who uses a zoom lens and parabolic mic from 500 yards away. This is a guy with a steadicam sitting in the front seat of a taxi pointing it and a 120 watt bulb in your face prompting you for a comment on your surroundings. You’re extremely aware of being on camera. > [@](#): > > Back at the hotel, they would moan about the filth - we all do - but on camera, or while taking a taxi, they would look for nice things to say. Speak for yourself, please. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/144 "2004-12-17T16:20:47Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > (Was it really racist anyway? “Breedist”, maybe.) Nobody has ever accused WASPs of over-breeding. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/145 "2004-12-17T16:23:44Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > I woiuld’ve sworn I had heard the word “several” last week, but I missed the beginning of the show this week, and I forgot to tape it. > > Anyone have a recording? Phil specifically said “three predetermined non-elimination legs”. He’s said it in at least two episodes so far this season. ---
**Author:** ![annieclaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5a626/32.png) [@annieclaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annieclaus)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/146 "2004-12-17T16:36:28Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > I woiuld’ve sworn I had heard the word “several” last week, but I missed the beginning of the show this week, and I forgot to tape it. > > Anyone have a recording? I do not have a recording, but you are correct. Phil did say “several” last week and “three” this week. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/147 "2004-12-17T21:49:23Z")
That reminds me. Usually, Phil only uses the phrase “the last team to arrive _may_ be eliminated” when it’s a non-elimination round. This week was the first time I recall him using the word ‘may’ during an elimination round. ---
**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 17, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/148 "2004-12-17T21:54:12Z")
Actaully, after te first season, when folks figured it out, they have gone to the "may’ for pretty much all the legs. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/149 "2004-12-18T02:05:05Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Sorry, that just doesn’t hold water. People compare the comment to Don and MJ’s attitude because it offers such a clear contrast. But compare their comments to ANY of the other contestants, and the only conclusion you can logically come to is that Kendra is ignorant, likely with racist tendencies. Hell, even Asshat didn’t make any comments to be construed as such, and he’s the most “rich, white, privileged, … highly-esteemed [person]” of the bunch. Being privileged does not give you a pass on ignorance. Being rich does not give you a pass on making comments about the poor. Hell, being IGNORANT doesn’t give you a pass on making ignorance remarks. Negative comments about the culture, cleanliness, manners of the country are standard on TAR when the contestants visit third world countries. Is it specifically the use of the word “breeding” that has upset sensibilities so much? What about if Kendra had said “Sanitary conditions in this country are filthy and yet the people keep bringing new life into it without what appears to be any thought about their children’s future”. Personally, I didn’t think much of the way that the show’s decision makers decided to make a whistle-stop tour of a tiny corner of Senegal. (Presumably, getting further than 20 miles out of Dakar was considerered too dangerous for the Americans involved.) I felt the slave museum segment was absolutely out of place on a show of this kind, and the slow-mo rose-dropping ceremony nauseating. It was a pretty cynical - and shallow - exercise in romanticising sentimentalisation. > [@Munch](#): > > This isn’t a National Geographic photographer who uses a zoom lens and parabolic mic from 500 yards away. This is a guy with a steadicam sitting in the front seat of a taxi pointing it and a 120 watt bulb in your face prompting you for a comment on your surroundings. You’re extremely aware of being on camera. Have you been a contestant on the show? I think otherwise the “speak for yourself” line can be tossed right back. And I did speak for myself, as someone who has travelled in third world countries, or “developing countries”, if one wants to be PC. ---
**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 18, 2004, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/150 "2004-12-18T05:19:30Z")
To go back a bit, since I’ve not been online much the last few days: > [@](#): > > Some of Jonathan’s absurd posting under a sock are also at Amazing Race forum at Survivor Sucks. At least three of his socks are edog (definately), GoodiePi (possibly), and louie77 (probably). Some of us have been tracking his various socks for some time now. So far we know he posted on Tarflies as tar fox and donte – then he posted under his own name, but I for one kept talking about CBS’s lawyers coming down on people posting before they were allowed to, and how they read the boards, etc., till he figured out that maybe it wasn’t a good idea and went away and left us the hell alone, thank God. He’s also posted at Survivor Sucks as Reality This. And on TWOP, we’ve definitely identified him as zoolander, and he may have other socks there as well. It’s pathetic, really. All the guy does is sit there and google himself all day long. And I don’t think Jonathan is going to get penalized for shoving Victoria if for no other reason than it’s not the first time this has happened. Back in Season 1, episode 1, Frank shoved Margarita several times. And apparently in Season 2, Chris and Alex actually got into a fight and one at least slugged the other one. And as for verbal abuse, there’s lots of good candidates – Tara and Wil, Colin and Christie – who never got penalized for it. I think the penalty CBS applied was shedding the light of day on Jonathan’s behavior. He’ll never have a shred of credibility again. Which is still more than he deserves. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/151 "2004-12-18T11:35:46Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > Actaully, after te first season, when folks figured it out, they have gone to the "may’ for pretty much all the legs. I took notes last season, and it was always ‘will’ unless it was a non-elim leg. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/152 "2004-12-18T15:38:46Z")
The teams’ clues, which they read on-air, always read ‘may’. In previous seasons, Phil has said ‘will’ for elimination legs. They will _sometimes_ show Phil saying ‘may’ for non-elimination legs. However, towards the latter parts of the race, they will often not show Phil’s explanation, leaving only the teams’ reading of the clue. There’s no pattern to this; just because they don’t show Phil, doesn’t mean that it’s a non-elimination leg. ---
**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 18, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/153 "2004-12-18T17:12:01Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > Negative comments about the culture, cleanliness, manners of the country are standard on TAR when the contestants visit third world countries. Is it specifically the use of the word “breeding” that has upset sensibilities so much? What about if Kendra had said “Sanitary conditions in this country are filthy and yet the people keep bringing new life into it without what appears to be any thought about their children’s future”. But she didn’t say that. It pretty much is the word breeding. Do you ever speak of people “breeding?” Do people typically speak of human reproduction as “breeding,” or is it a word that we usually use to refer to animals reproducing? ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770/154 "2004-12-21T02:32:59Z")
As the scientists on the board keep reminding us, we’re all animals, sharing 90+ per cent of our DNA with the other apes. Seriously, though, give me Kendra and her prejudices any day to Michael Moore’s sycophantic pseudo “anti-Americanism”. Those who rail against those who make them ashamed to be American remind me of Hollywood actors who rail against the neoliberal inequities of capitalism. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-14/279770.md?page=7)