# The Amazing Race 12-23-07: "This is Forever, Now." **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047 "2007-12-23T20:43:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/21 "2007-12-24T15:21:19Z")
Was I the only one who was surprised that Don didn’t already have a tattoo or 2? He totally looked to me like someone who would have an armed forced tattoo at least. And, yes, I joked that perhaps the spa they are going to would have tattoo removal. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/22 "2007-12-24T15:27:48Z")
_Finally_, the first non-elimination leg! And, after all the hype, it’s pretty much a regular non-elimination leg, just with a new-fangled time penalty attached, **Taxi Assessment** **Stuck in the Desert and Officially Detained** - or, Philiminated with extreme prejudice. _Ari & Staella_ and _Kate & Pat_ and _Marianna & Julia_ and _Lorena & Jason_ and _Shana & Jennifer_ and _Azaria & Hendekea_ - Enjoying their non-competitive vacation. **Flat Tire** - or, not likely to get anywhere soon. No one this week. **Stopping for Gas** - or, not broken-down, exactly, but not a good sign. _Nicolas & Donald_ (holding steady) - Wow, _another_ completely upside-down episode. This time, the weakest team, Nicolas & Donald, came in first place. Obviously, this was from their good decision to take the Fast-Forward that no other team wanted, but still, this team didn’t really make any mistakes, and even without the FF would have landed in third place at worst. Weirdly enough, it seemed that their strategy of waiting at the traffic jam and sleeping was actually a _good_ move. Anyway, despite their first place herer, I don’t think this team has a real chance of winning the Race (although getting into the final three isn’t beyond the range of possibility), so they stay ranked here, at the bottom. _Kynt & Vyxsin_ (down from “Passing”) - And now, the teams that I _still_ think of as strongest (Kynt & Vyxsin and TK & Rachel) wound up battling for last in this episode. Kynt & Vyxsin, obviously, are lucky this wasn’t an elimination leg; because of the time penalty on the next leg, I’m bumping them all the way down to here. They got bad directions, and fatigue is certainly starting to set in. I think they may have been better off doing the “invention” detour, because it was closer, and Kynt’s “issues” with the clutch were the icing on the cake of a bad day. Still, with some sleep and a little luck, they can be right in the race again, but we’ll see next episode. **"Rapido! Por Favor?"** - or, making meaningless ineffectual comments from the back seat, but in no immediate danger. _Ronald & Christina_ (holding steady) - No real mistakes this episode, other than getting bad directions from the locals…but other teams got the same directions, and it was pretty meaningless in the end. I’m still suspicious of this team’s long-term viability: Ronald tends to yell at his daughter for things (such as finding the number) which are his own responsibility, too. It’s unlikely that this team will win the Race, but they might very well make it into the final three. _Jennifer & Nathan_ (up from “Stopping”) - If this team is performing well, then they stay focused and don’t bicker. Much. If they fall behind, then the fireworks start. Compare, of course, this episode’s flag twirling with last episode’s ineffectal “rowing.” THe edge this week was mostly luck: they started out with good directions and took it from there. But luck is part of the game, and that edge is going to be the key for them this race: if they can manage to get ahead of other teams, they might wind up _staying_ ahead of other teams. And now, I have a horrible feeling that Jennifer’s whining about never placing first some sort of foreshadowing on the part of the editors. **In the Passing Lane** - or, ahead of the pack, but not quite comfortably. _Rachel & TK_ (holding steady) - This team made so many mistakes, it’s a wonder they didn’t come in last. Losing their clue, not finding the destination name, flat tire…incredible. However, it’s telling that, with all the stress, their mood escalated from “really mellow” all the way to “not quite as mellow.” A good overall strategy. I should point out that this team seems to have shaken its habit of getting lost, and the issues in this leg were mainly on-time things, so they still seem to be set pretty well for the next leg. **Cruisin’ with Earl** - or, drivin’ on the shoulder, takin’ shortcuts, and generally kickin’ butt. No one this week. Next week: We get to see the vaunted “speed bump” in action. My guess is that it will be near the beginning of the leg, with a bunching point afterwards, so the overall effect will be nil. [sub]Props to **Mullinator** and his Raj Ratings.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![RachelChristine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RachelChristine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RachelChristine)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/23 "2007-12-24T15:38:43Z")
[QUOTE=Siege] I’m hooked on this show. I might even see if I can pick up a DVD of an earlier season (not the family season!). If I do, has anyone got suggestions? [/QUOTE] They only have seasons 1 & 7 available on DVD. (Boo Hiss) Season 7 is the original Romber Season, plus features some other great teams. Season 1 is fun too. I wish they’d put the others on DVD. I don’t get Game Show Network, and I’m not upping my plan just for TAR. (OK, _I_ would, but DH thinks it’s a silly idea. LOL) Netflix both earlier seasons. It’s totally worth it! ---
**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:** [December 24, 2007, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/24 "2007-12-24T15:47:56Z")
[QUOTE=RachelChristine] They only have seasons 1 & 7 available on DVD. (Boo Hiss) Season 7 is the original Romber Season, plus features some other great teams. Season 1 is fun too. I wish they’d put the others on DVD. I don’t get Game Show Network, and I’m not upping my plan just for TAR. (OK, _I_ would, but DH thinks it’s a silly idea. LOL) Netflix both earlier seasons. It’s totally worth it! [/QUOTE] Season 1 and Season 7 are both really good ones. Season 1 contains what is probably the absolutely most boneheaded move ever made in the history of this show, and Season 7 is, as **RachelChristine** noted, the first Rob & Amber season and that’s always entertaining. They do need to release more of the seasons on DVD, though. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/25 "2007-12-24T16:14:41Z")
With the creation of “Speed Bump”, we now have (or had) the following TAR elements. Which of these things is not like the other? Detour Roadblock Fast Forward U-Turn Yield Speed Bump All of these have real world equivalents…all are road signs/traffic conditions, except “Fast Forward” (which of course is a button on a tape player). I bet in hindsight the producers wish they’d gone with “Short Cut”. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2007, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/26 "2007-12-24T16:17:33Z")
I do actually like the Speed Bump idea, though. It could toss you out of the race on your ear, or it could be something they can actually finish in less than 30 minutes, which is how long they’d have to wait if they were Marked For Elimination. And it’s a damn sight better than getting mugged… Also, this kind of explains why there are only 2 non-elims this season. Unlike muggings or 30 minute penalties, an extra task actually costs money, for props, for attendants, for on-air time. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/27 "2007-12-24T16:29:53Z")
By the way…I just noticed in the past few episodes that Vyxsin is smokin’ hot. And she gets emotional over poverty in Africa, and she misses her mom. Yowza. And then my mind started wandering, and wondering if a TAR contestant has ever done a Playboy spread, as several Survivor contestants have. And then it hit rock bottom…and wondered if the carpet matches the drapes. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/28 "2007-12-24T16:33:25Z")
Doubt it. Vixen looks to be a shaver to me. (I am \*so \* going to Hell.) ---
**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:** [December 24, 2007, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/29 "2007-12-24T16:38:22Z")
[QUOTE=DrFidelius] Doubt it. Vixen looks to be a shaver to me. [/QUOTE] Funny, I thought the same thing about Kynt… ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/30 "2007-12-24T16:43:58Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Season 1 and Season 7 are both really good ones. Season 1 contains what is probably the absolutely most boneheaded move ever made in the history of this show, and Season 7 is, as **RachelChristine** noted, the first Rob & Amber season and that’s always entertaining. [/QUOTE] Please remind me: What was that bone-headed move? Was that the incident of “We won the FF, we don’t have to book it to the Pit Stop”? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/31 "2007-12-24T16:44:13Z")
Damn your eyes, jayjay. I need some brain bleach to get a pale, boney image out of my head now. Like a skeletal cave-dwelling fish… Damn you. ---
**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 24, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/32 "2007-12-24T16:44:46Z")
[QUOTE=Siege] I’m hooked on this show. I might even see if I can pick up a DVD of an earlier season (not the family season!). If I do, has anyone got suggestions? [/QUOTE] It’s apparently not available, but Season 5 is still my favorite. ---
**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 24, 2007, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/33 "2007-12-24T16:49:03Z")
[QUOTE=Scuba\_Ben] Please remind me: What was that bone-headed move? Was that the incident of “We won the FF, we don’t have to book it to the Pit Stop”? [/QUOTE] My first thought was not that but the mother and daughter actually skipping a task altogether. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/34 "2007-12-24T16:56:10Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus] My first thought was not that but the mother and daughter actually skipping a task altogether. [/QUOTE] Wikipedia has a footnote on Nancy & Emily skipping a Detour and being whacked with a 24 hour penalty. Curiously, that was the same leg where Joe & Bill won the Fast Forward, and came in fourth. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/35 "2007-12-24T17:02:51Z")
[QUOTE=Scuba\_Ben] Wikipedia has a footnote on Nancy & Emily skipping a Detour and being whacked with a 24 hour penalty. Curiously, that was the same leg where Joe & Bill won the Fast Forward, and came in fourth. [/QUOTE] I was actually thinking of the Guidos’ Very Expensive Cup of Tea. I forgot about Momily skipping that task… I guess it’s actually a tie then, especially if it was the same leg. If Momily hadn’t gotten that 24-hour penalty, would they have been in before the Guidos? I don’t remember the details at quite THAT level… ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/36 "2007-12-24T17:05:35Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] I was actually thinking of the Guidos’ Very Expensive Cup of Tea. I forgot about Momily skipping that task… I guess it’s actually a tie then, especially if it was the same leg. If Momily hadn’t gotten that 24-hour penalty, would they have been in before the Guidos? I don’t remember the details at quite THAT level… [/QUOTE] Both of which were incredibly boneheaded decisions. I much prefer the current rule on skipping tasks (as I think the Beauty Queens demonstrated a season or two ago) that the team has to go back, however far, and do the task they missed. Admittedly, the BQs simply missed the marker and found Phil before they found the Detour, and it sounds like Momily chose to bail on the task. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2007, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/37 "2007-12-24T17:13:21Z")
[QUOTE=Scuba\_Ben] Both of which were incredibly boneheaded decisions. I much prefer the current rule on skipping tasks (as I think the Beauty Queens demonstrated a season or two ago) that the team has to go back, however far, and do the task they missed. Admittedly, the BQs simply missed the marker and found Phil before they found the Detour, and it sounds like Momily chose to bail on the task. [/QUOTE] I knew there was a reason I keep “My Ox Is Broken” on my bookshelf here at work… Nancy and Emily (Momily) had gone to the Fast Forward behind the Guidos. The Guidos get the FF so Momily have to go back to the detour, which is to get to the Roadblock city by bus or search for a marked car to drive yourself. Unfortunately, both the team members are so flustered at this point that they completely ignore both options and take a taxi the three hours to the Roadblock, which garnered them the 24-hour penalty for completely ignoring the Detour. And yes, the Guidos’ stop for iced tea and decision to WAIT for the bus to the Pit Stop instead of taking a taxi (which they had the money for) actually had them checking in after Momily. Only that 24-hour penalty saved them. I officially declare the holder of “The Most Boneheaded Move In TAR History” a tie between the Guidos and Momily. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/38 "2007-12-24T17:17:51Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] And yes, the Guidos’ stop for iced tea and decision to WAIT for the bus to the Pit Stop instead of taking a taxi (which they had the money for) actually had them checking in after Momily. Only that 24-hour penalty saved them. [/QUOTE] Thanks for the research, **jayjay**. Does _My Ox Is Broken!_ say why the Guidos nursed a drink and waited for the bus? Momily at least could have claimed killer fatigue as the reason for their screwup. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2007, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047/39 "2007-12-24T17:27:31Z")
[QUOTE=Scuba\_Ben] Thanks for the research, **jayjay**. Does _My Ox Is Broken!_ say why the Guidos nursed a drink and waited for the bus? Momily at least could have claimed killer fatigue as the reason for their screwup. [/QUOTE] They do have an interview with Bill and Joe, and Castro asks them about that. They say that there were three ways to get to the Pit Stop, which was 600 miles away: bus, train, or taxi. They went to the bus station first, and found out they’d just missed the morning bus to Krabi (where the Pit Stop was). The lady behind the counter told them they legally couldn’t take a cab on a 1000km trip in Thailand, and basically, they believed her and waited for the next bus. Between her insistence on that and the fact that the last Fast Forward before this had been worth a 14-hour lead, they got careless. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-23-07-this-is-forever-now/431047.md?page=1)