# The Amazing Race 3/11: "Taste Your Salami" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 12, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509 "2012-03-12T01:28:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [March 12, 2012, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/21 "2012-03-12T12:46:21Z")
> [@zut](#): > > Yeah–I really wish Dave had gone for the FF–it would have been great to see a contest, especially when one of the participants is a real helicopter pilot. > > This is one place where Dave was absolutely right when he suggested they go for the FF, although his articulated reasoning wasn’t very complete. Dave and Rachel were near the front of the pack, they knew one team was an hour-plus behind them, the FF location was pretty close, and they had some reasonable belief they might be able to best another team head-to-head. They should have at least gone and taken a look. Worst case scenario they slip a few spots at the mat, but it would be highly unlikely they would fall to last place, what with Mark & Bopper so far behind (and without going for the FF, they would never be able to compete for the _first_-place prize money, anyway). > > Unfortunately, Dave’s articulated reasoning was more like “helicopter! Me fly!” which isn’t as convincing as it could have been, and Rachel blew him off. Which is too bad, from a viewer’s point of view. I was thinking mostly the same. But even if he didn’t articulate it well, they should have checked it out. He may be a jerk, but I think wifey just stonewalled him out of reflex there. ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/22 "2012-03-12T14:13:50Z")
What is with all the bad blood between Ralph & Vanessa and Rachel & Brendan? Do they know each other, or is Rachel just making a mountain out of a molehill over some perceived slight? Good God, she’s a whiney bitch. And the passive-aggressiveness. Saying she wants to quit, and then when Brendan takes her up on it, she immediately changes her mind. “I want to quit!” “Fine, we’ll quit” “No, baby, we can’t quit!” I can’t stand that shit. **Fenris** , I agree, if you say you want to quit, you’re outta there. ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/23 "2012-03-12T14:15:57Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > The way the final mat scene was edited and/or directed had me wondering if team Number One knew it was a non-elimination leg before they donated half their first place prize to team Kentucky. I wondered the same thing, but want to believe that they were going to do it anyway. They must have told Phil they intended to do it (or at the very least “something.”) They may have even asked if it was to be a non-elimination, although I bet the producers would decide not to tell them. Given that, they clearly had enough time, and should be smart enough, to consider that Team Kentucky might not be going home and still decided to give them the money anyway. Further, I’d guess they could have arranged to wait and see if Phil \*did \*toss the good ol’ boys before they stepped up and gave the money, so to my mind I think they were going to give it to them either way. Besides, once in a while I like to think that people do good things. It gives me a little hope for the race. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/24 "2012-03-12T14:35:44Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > The way the final mat scene was edited and/or directed had me wondering if team Number One knew it was a non-elimination leg before they donated half their first place prize to team Kentucky. I got the impression that they didn’t know that. I got the hint on heir faces that they regretted their decision a little once they knew but I may have been reading something in there that wasn’t there. Not many teams to like this year either because they are obnoxious or bland. I am rooting for Vanessa and Ralph but I have a feeling I am in the minority there. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/25 "2012-03-12T15:18:06Z")
My inner cynic wonders why the money offer had to made on-camera. I’m going to assume a scenario where the Border Agents hang around and see that Team Kentucky might be eliminated and ask if it would be okay to donate half their money to Kentucky. Once the producers learn of the question, they set up an on-camera event because they know it makes good TV. I hope that’s how it came about. Also, the team that I think has the best dynamic (Vanessa and Ralph - although all the ‘angels’ are kind of grating) is also kind of the biggest dicks, with all the carping about Team Big Brother. ---
**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:** [March 12, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/26 "2012-03-12T15:46:32Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > kind of the biggest dicks, with all the carping about Team Big Brother. That’s kind of the price of fame. Remember that Boston Rob had much more than a single team carping about him and Amber, but he didn’t start whining about “haters” and such. He ignored them completely and just was Boston Rob and he came thisclose to winning the season. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/27 "2012-03-12T16:03:28Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > Also, the team that I think has the best dynamic (Vanessa and Ralph - although all the ‘angels’ are kind of grating) is also kind of the biggest dicks, with all the carping about Team Big Brother. There’s so much to carp about. ---
**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:** [March 12, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/28 "2012-03-12T16:18:46Z")
But those comments Vanessa made about being able to see Rachel’s privates last week were totally uncalled for. Rachel was working doing hard physical labor, unloading all those watermelons, and Vanessa had to make incredible rude comments about, “Look! I can see Rachel’s \*\*\*\*\*!” I can’t root for that team after that behavior. It’s a fairly unlikable group this year. But I’m rooting for Nary and Jaime because they seem basically kind and competent, although the whole “let’s hide our jobs” thing is so stupid. But I’m always rooting for an all-female team to win. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/29 "2012-03-12T16:21:14Z")
Yeah, I like the federal agents, too. And the Mississippi girls. ---
**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:** [March 12, 2012, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/30 "2012-03-12T16:24:29Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > The people here who never saw Rachel and Brendon on Big Brother got a small taste of what the rest of us already knew was coming. I’m not psychiatrist but those two have got to be a textbook case of something very bad. I just want to apologize to all the BB watchers who posted in the pre-season TAR thread about how much of a train wreck these two would be. Because in my head I was thinking “Come on, they can’t be _that_ bad, we’ve had some pretty heinous teams on TAR.” I was wrong, you were correct. They are horrifying. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/31 "2012-03-12T16:34:32Z")
As noted above, the product placement was bad enough – but to be in a monument to Italian motoring, driving up in a Ford and looking for a Ford…was just dumb. Do the product placement somewhere else, and put the clue in a Bugatti. Didja notice the use of “Ride of the Valkyries” during the Fast Forward helicopter challenge? I love the Amazing Editors. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/32 "2012-03-12T16:44:40Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > . > > It’s a fairly unlikable group this year. But I’m rooting for Nary and Jaime because they seem basically kind and competent, although the whole “let’s hide our jobs” thing is so stupid. But I’m always rooting for an all-female team to win. I can’t think of a team that I actually care about. And with the exception of the Heli Pilot and Rachel there is no one I really dislike. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/33 "2012-03-12T16:51:44Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > As noted above, the product placement was bad enough – but to be in a monument to Italian motoring, driving up in a Ford and looking for a Ford…was just dumb. Do the product placement somewhere else, and put the clue in a Bugatti. You know Bugatti was a French manufacturer, right? Founded by an Italian, but French. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/34 "2012-03-12T16:59:48Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > You know Bugatti was a French manufacturer, right? Founded by an Italian, but French. Did not know that…just went for the first Italian-sounding name that came to mind (without going for the obvious, like Ferrari) ---
**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:** [March 12, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/35 "2012-03-12T17:05:50Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > You know Bugatti was a French manufacturer, right? Founded by an Italian, but French. You beat me to it. There would also be precedent for going to that factory and then having the clue in a Mini. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/36 "2012-03-12T18:34:33Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I just want to apologize to all the BB watchers who posted in the pre-season TAR thread about how much of a train wreck these two would be. Because in my head I was thinking “Come on, they can’t be _that_ bad, we’ve had some pretty heinous teams on TAR.” I was wrong, you were correct. They are horrifying. Still not as bad as Jonathon and Victoria though\* Hell, they’re not even in the worst 5 yet. \*He kept _hitting_ her. Ok, shoving, slamming trunks/car-doors on her, pushing. ---
**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:** [March 12, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/37 "2012-03-12T18:58:07Z")
My fandom of Rachel and her army guy husband took a hit this week; that guy is such a dick. Do we know how long he’s been back since his last tour? Loving the divorcees. They seem like fun people who genuinely like to be with each other, and I was impressed with their stick-to-it-iveness in the watermelon stacking. That the woman keeps making mean, petty, spiteful, crass, tasteless and inappropriate comments about BB Rachel makes me love them all the more. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/38 "2012-03-12T19:11:35Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > My fandom of Rachel and her army guy husband took a hit this week; that guy is such a dick. Do we know how long he’s been back since his last tour? There have been at least 10 other posts about what a dick Army Guy is, and while I wont argue, from where I was sitting his wife seems to be a right nasty bitch herself, absolutely giving as good as she got. I missed last week, so I may not have the full picture, but I thought she seems every bit as petty and vindictive as her husband seems bossy and authoritarian, so it’s not a great match for the Race, or, I am guessing, for a happy marriage. Finally, others have mentioned that the female FBI? agents are racing “undercover” but I am not sure what they are referring to. (the blond is pretty cute though, and they both seem competent and friendly) ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/39 "2012-03-12T19:13:01Z")
I’m rooting for the statue washing guy. “It’s a very old statue.” “Are you guys engaged?” ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509/40 "2012-03-12T19:30:10Z")
> [@panamajack](#): > > I’m rooting for the statue washing guy. > > “It’s a very old statue.” > > “Are you guys engaged?” Really proud of the good ole Southern boys for taking a ‘gay’ remark totally in stride and in good spirit. Awesome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-3-11-taste-your-salami/615509.md?page=3)