The Amazing Race 8/17

Cafe Society
61

I can only field this one for myself. My intense dislike for Colin is strictly a gut feeling, but it’s a very strong one. There is something about him that smacks of “control freak” and “abuser” – maybe it’s his eyes, or the way he “tries” to be encouraging to Christie without ever actually, you know, saying anything nice. The way he says “babe” to her through gritted teeth and a tight sneer has actually made me stop saying it to my husband. Coming from him, it’s not an endearment. After she ate all that gross caviar, he sounded like he was being forced to say he was proud of her for doing what he was too damn big a pussy to do himself. And that one episode when he told Christie that she was too high strung and she was making other people upset? Yeah, I’d have knocked his teeth down this throat, then kicked him in the 'nads. YMMV.

The twins just remind me of people I knew in high school who were all pert and perfect and everybody (else) loved them but I have absolutely zero idea why. They’re stupid and annoying, and they don’t even seem to like each other. Clearly they have no concept of teamwork. And they haven’t made an independent decision for the entire game so far. They just follow along after everyone else and then complain when they fall behind – like last night’s bit with SwissAir. They nauseate me, and I seriously hope one or both of them gets some dread disease, like dysentery or sepsis or something. Irksome.

62

Jim & Marsha recounted to the camera that the Moms told them to change their money. At no point did they show actual footage of the Moms telling them to do so. I’m sure if such footage existed, it would have been shown, the better to sir up controversy.

63

Additionally, despite the term “Africanized,” not all bees in Africa are the so-called “killer” bees. I’d be willing to bet these were just plain ol’ nice normal bees.

I also noticed the big bucket everyone had during the egg eating thing. I was wondering what the vomit rule was for that challenge.

Colin and Christie seem to be really easy-going and relaxed…as long as they’re in first place and everything’s going well. Colin, in particular, seems to have a hard time dealing with setbacks. I was a little embarrased for him when he nearly lost it while trying to fill the bowl with egg. It looks like he only gets worse next week.

64

Yeah - That’s what I remember: Jim & Marsha said
the Moms told them to exchange money, but we don’t see the moms saying anything. The official CBS recap just says says “…Jim & Marsha trailed the pack because Linda & Karen had told them to exchange their American dollars. After seeing that the other Teams didn’t exchange money, Marsha said, “I think the moms…screwed us.”” But that can be read both ways and doesn’t mean anything either. I think I’m gonna go find the insider videos for that episode and see what’s what. I’m really curious now.

65

Since I got really curious about this, I just went to the insider site but I couldn’t find anything. There are three videos for Jim & Marsha: the pre-race interview (which I didn’t watch), something for episode two (chapter 4) called “positive attitude” which is just Marsha talking about her Dad -no mention of the money-changing thing, and their final words (episode 3, chapter 3) which don’t mention the money-changing thing either. Phil’s diary entry for episode two does mention it, but (without actually confirming that the Moms did give wrong info to Jim and Marsha) seems to corroborate what Jim & Marsha said - that the moms had actually told them to change their money.

So, I dunno. It seems that if they had that footage they’d air it as it would be good TV but everything I can find (and I could very well be missing something) seems to verify that the moms gave wrong info. to Jim and Marsha.

66

The Moms could’ve given Jim & Marsha the bad info while they were still on the plane. The cameras aren’t running while they’re in the air.

Just a possible explanation. I don’t know if it’s likely or not; it seems kinda out of character for the Moms. They haven’t tried to screw anyone else, that we’ve seen.

67

Did anyone else pick up on the beginning of the show? Phil told us that we got to Crocodile Island near Luxor, where the teams had a chance to mingle, eat, sleep, etc. To prove it we were shown a shot of the whole group at a banquet. I think that there was even an allusion to the differences between Charla/Myrna and C&C.

But the shot of the group was in daytime. C&C, who were the first to arrive, got there at dusk. Most of the other teams got there after night had fallen (but, if I recollect correctly, within about 2 1/2 hours of C&C). So when did they have enough time to have a banquet outside in daylight before continuing with the trip? C&C, after all, left at 5:something in the morning. And all the other teams caught the 7:00 flight to Cairo, too.

WTF?

68

To be specific, do they always only give them 12 hours between legs? Or occasionally do they give them 36 and lie to us?

69

I think sometimes they do get 24 hours for resting.

70

Actually both Jim and Marsha admitted in a interview after getting eliminated that the MOMS never told them to exchange their money. It was a conversation that the MOMS were having amongst themselves about whether if they had to or not to exchange currencies. I believe it was Jim who admitted to eavesdropping on the MOMS conversation and when they arrive in Chile or Argentina (can’t remember), that they tried to go and exchange their money.

Here’s the link: http://p085.ezboard.com/bsurvivorsucks once there click on the “Amazing Race”.

71

But it’s not an area of the world with food problems. Africa is a big place, and Kenya is one of its economic jewels. Its populace is more than 85% literate, which is pretty good considering the Islamic influence (men are more than 90% literate.) It’s the East African hub for trade and finance. Its GDP real growth rate is 1.7%, and agriculture comprises almost 20% of its GDP. In fact, 75% of its workforce is agricultural, producing mostly tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables, dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, and yes, eggs. The biggest problem Kenya faces, besides judicial corruption, is AIDS. The prevalence of AIDS among adults is 15%. So, no need to wring your hands over starving Kenyans.

72

Savonarola – the layovers are sometimes 36 hours, for various logistical reasons. (Sorry, no cite.) I’m not sure I’d say they’re “lying” to us about that – they say, “there’s a pit stop, where people can rest, eat, mingle with the other teams. Team A arrived at 3:40 PM, so they’ll leave at 3:40 AM” – they don’t state in so many words that it’s 3:40 AM the very next morning, that’s your inference.

73

They ended this leg of the race in Tanzania, not Kenya (although they did go through Kenya to get there). Things look a little different there:

Tanzania’s resources are also being spread a bit thin these days due to an influx of refugees from Burundi and Rwanda. They’ve also had serious droughts and floods since 2000 which have affected their agricultural situations somewhat.

74

Thanks for correcting the record, Rockle. Indeed, if the eating contest took place in Tanzania, then unless it was held in some pocket of relative prosperity, it was indeed bizarre.

75

Ahaa! and here’s the specific thread about it: http://p085.ezboard.com/fsurvivorsucksfrm23.showMessage?topicID=3320.topic

76

Did anyone else pick up on how Mirna kept calling the locals “Habeeb”? Not only did she do that in Cairo; the callous ignoramus did it Nairobi, too. I found myself embarrassed for my nationality! Why, oh why, did none of those taxi drivers just turn around and pop her one? That’s the kind of violence I can get behind.

I was happy Mirna and Charla got eliminated. They talk too much and get all buggy-eyed with immature indignance, both of 'em. Mirna reminds me of a kid that thrives off tattling and yapping off at the mouth continuously, crying bloody murder at the most minor of slights. Charla was all right, but she loses points for not telling Mirna to shut the hell up already.

The twins annoy people, I think, because they act so intense and look so strong and scrappy, but end up overthinking things so much that they miss the obvious. I don’t think they are stupid, though. They are a bit like chiuhahas.

77

Maybe they all actually were named Habib. After all, it sounds like Arabic is the one language she was actually able to speak passably. Maybe she was reading their little name cards.

78

I think she was saying “habibi,” which is, as far as I understand, a term of endearment. Like saying “sweetheart” or “my darling” or “dear.”

79

Yes, that is exactly what she was saying.

80

FINALLY got a chance to watch my tape of this week’s episode!

From the leaderboard (which seems to change column by column as the race progresses)

1. Chip/Kim: Way to eat those eggs! Especially when there was every indication that it was VERY hot AND humid during the egg-pounding competition. And way to enjoy yourself in a place you always dreamed of going. I love Team Cosby Show!

2. Colin/Christie: I loved watching the Roadblock decision getting made this time around. Christie didn’t even need to say anything to make it ABSOLUTELY clear who was going to be choking something down this time around. And Colin was quite the wuss-bag after getting all grouchy at Christie’s timidity during the Russian caviar, wasn’t he? What the hell was with his eggs, though? I would not have eaten them, Sam-I-Am.

3. Linda/Karen: Who would have thought these two would ever be back in the running? Although in Chip’s shadow as far as being eating champions, these two always seem to gain ground during the eating challenges. Again, shows what changing diapers will do for the strength of your stomach. If any of the younger waifs on this show marry and have kids, they’ll dream of the days when it was just eggs they had to deal with heaping piles of…

4. Brandon/Nicole: Oh, how I wish they had “Amazing Race After the Show”, because I would give ANYTHING to have seen Brandon’s face when he found out at the Pit Stop how little the others had paid for their bus rides. Heh heh. That was a seriously freaky scene at the clue box, which otherwise always seems to be in a little coccoon of its own time. It was really building up to something ugly there for a moment.

5. Kami/Karli: Whatever. I’m always amazed to see these two finish before someone else. Seems they are too.

Charla/Mirna: And the nation breathes a sigh of relief. I really grew tired of this team, but now a lot of the color will have gone out of the show, just as things usually get really gritty. And Phil, getting all choked up. The man’s a class act.

Episode twleve has to be a non-elim round, and I doubt they will bunch them up too much, so episode 10 will be non-elim as will episode 8, next week. I like the “we take all your money” aspect. It lends some element of suspense to the next six weeks that would otherwise be a little lacking.