# The Amazing Race - April 24, 2011 - We're good American people. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 25, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605 "2011-04-25T01:07:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/21 "2011-04-25T12:21:21Z")
I don’t mind information sharing either – it’s simply part of the race, and if you’ve got an alliance with someone, it’s the thing to do. I can understand the rest of the teams “icing” the Cowboys, though. They were considered the team to beat for all the reasons why they made such a great team. If Cord (?) hadn’t miscalculated the kilometers, it would have been a very different game once they got to Zermatt. As it was – hey, you gotta hand it to them for catching up as quickly as they did! I’m going to miss them. As for the other teams…you know what? Any of them can win and I’ll be happy 🙂 ---
**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:** [April 25, 2011, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/22 "2011-04-25T12:32:33Z")
I like the cowboys but they deserved exactly what they got. 1. From all the stories I heard about their last race, they were (actually Jet was) extremely stand-offish and didn’t interact much with the other racers. IF TRUE, that’s just stupid play and cost them the race. 2. They’re so-so racers. They’re great with challenges, but terrible with a map. It’s entirely appropriate that getting lost (again) cost them the race. Kynt (IMO) has just now sunk near Flo’s (season 3?) level as the most dead-weight racer ever. But Vyxxxxxxen is no Zach and can’t carry the big snivelly pussy all the way to the end like Zach did. I’m really impressed with Zev/Justin. They’re a solid team. Very disappointed that whichever sister gave the Globetrotter the answer did so. Dumb strategy since the GTs are easily as strong a team or stronger than the sisters. Especially if it was because she had a crush on one of them. I like the double-U turn better than the regular one since it allows some competition between teams that are screwed. I’d rather not have one at all, but if they must, a Double-U is better than a single one. That said, I’d make one change: Not only can a team only use a u-turn once, a team can only BE U-turned once. I’m still rooting for Gary/Mallory. I like no-drama teams. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2011, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/23 "2011-04-25T12:48:24Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > TAR fans, can I please just brag for a minute? I had the greatest inspiration on Saturday. I decided to make an Amazing Easter Race for my kids. I hid their baskets and worked backwards from the finish line, making clues and riddles and challenges. There was a Roadblock (_Who’s aiming to have a good Easter?_ The team member needed to shoot 3 baskets to get the next clue) and a Detour (_Egg-sact change_, in which they needed to sift through pennies and find ones with certain dates; or _Egg-sact replica_, in which they needed to color a picture of an easter egg using the same colors as the example I had done. They chose egg-sact change). I made the clues look like the official ones, with the right colors for Route Info, etc. It was so fun, and I seriously can’t decide if they enjoyed it more or if I did. Sounds like fun. I must point out, however, that this may have been our only chance to get a Flotillas or Chinchillas Detour. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2011, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/24 "2011-04-25T13:13:03Z")
Sorry to see the Cowboys go, but one of their mistakes finally caught up with them even if it got an assist from a few other teams. They were great sports of it. I like that they’ve apparently replaced the U-Turns with Double U-Turns, which provide a little more drama when two teams are targeted. But having the turn right before the Pit Stop is bad, especially when only one team is turned - it provides absolutely zero chance to recover. But no hard feelings for the Globetrotters - it absolutely made sense for them to play it when they did. I still like all the teams that are left, except Kent. It’s nice to know that I’ll probably be happy no matter who wins. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/25 "2011-04-25T13:36:04Z")
Alas. I was kind of rooting for the cowboys, and here they can’t catch a break for the entire leg. Or, rather, _other_ teams caught breaks instead. **Taxi Assessment:** **Stuck in the Desert and Officially Detained** - or, Philiminated with extreme prejudice. _Amanda & Kris_ and _Mel & Mike_ and _Jaime & Cara_ and _Margie & Luke_ and _Ron & Christina_ - Already eliminated. _Jet & Cord_ (down from “Passing”) - For the third week in a row, the cowboys had to play catch-up, and this time they couldn’t quite make up enough time despite a valiant effort. The problem from the cowboy’s perspective was that Jet was the only Racer to not either run the Roadblock correctly the first time, or get a little help along the way. That put them far enough behind that no team other than the Globetrotters felt threatened, and so the only U-Turn used was on the cowboys themselves. If the leg had been more bunched up, it’s possible that Gary & Mallory or even Kisha & Jen would have also used a U-Turn, resulting in a stiffer competition for last place (although, in truth, a more bunched-up leg may have just gotten the cowboys U-Turned sooner). **Flat Tire** - or, not likely to get anywhere soon. No one. **Stopping for Gas** - or, not broken-down, exactly, but not a good sign. _Kent & Vyxsin_ (holding steady) - Good for Vyxsin for dragging the rest of her team (literally! ha!) to their second top-three finish in a row. She seems to be increasing her Racing effort in just a little greater proportion than Kent is reducing his, and they’ve finished in the top half for two legs. But, I should point out, the last two legs were the _only_ ones where Kent & Vyxsin finished in the top half, and that by only one place. It will take more than two not-horrible legs by one member of the team for me to bump up their standing. **"Rapido! Por Favor?"** - or, making meaningless ineffectual comments from the back seat, but in no immediate danger. _Flight Time & Big Easy_ (holding steady) - The Globetrotters used exactly the best U-Turn strategy by U-Turning the cowboys to make sure they didn’t drop into last place. They were a little lucky not to get U-Turned themselves, especially after begging for the Roadblock answer and losing a couple luggage tickets, but the point here is simply not to be last. And they weren’t. This leg. However, there are only five teams left competing to get into the final three. Two teams won’t make it, and the Globetrotters seem to be volunteering to again bow out in fourth place. _Gary & Mallory_ (holding steady) - Gary & Mallory overcome a predictably lame Speed Bump, mathematical in nature, to finish in fourth place. That’s not so bad, considering they came in last at the previous Pit Stop. It seems to me that Gary & Mallory are just a little weaker than Kisha & Jen and Zev & Justin, so I’m leaving them ranked here; however, they’ve shown they can be competitive with either team. **In the Passing Lane** - or, ahead of the pack, but not quite comfortably. _Kisha & Jen_ (holding steady) - A second place finish is Kisha & Jen’s best yet. Jen got a little help at the Roadblock from Justin, which saved her a likely fruitless search and long delay, so in some sense the top-three finish isn’t all of their own doing. Still, as I’ve said repeatedly before, Kisha & Jen have never some close to elimination, which is what these legs are all about. **Cruisin’ with Earl** - or, drivin’ on the shoulder, takin’ shortcuts, and generally kickin’ butt. _Zev & Justin_ (up from “Passing”) - Two firsts and a second in the last three legs is enought to put Zev & Justin back on top in my book. The only fly in the ointment is that Zev’s done only three Roadblocks to Justin’s five, which will be important if the Roadblock-equality rule is still in place. Still, with a little taxi help, Zev & Justin are once again out in front for the entire leg. They seem to rarely make mistakes, despite their infamous blunder their first season, and have to be the favorite to win it all. [sub]Props to **Mullinator** and his Raj Rating[/sub] **Next week:** I am out of the country, with little access to the internet and (likely) none at all to CBS. Just so you know. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/26 "2011-04-25T13:46:59Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Kynt (IMO) has just now sunk near Flo’s (season 3?) level as the most dead-weight racer ever. Literally since she had to drag him on a cart like a sack of potatoes. I like her but he is worthless. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2011, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/27 "2011-04-25T14:01:15Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I like that they’ve apparently replaced the U-Turns with Double U-Turns, which provide a little more drama when two teams are targeted. But having the turn right before the Pit Stop is bad, especially when only one team is turned - it provides absolutely zero chance to recover. Yeah, I think this leg could have been designed better to take advantage of the Double U-Turn. The Double U-Turn will add to the drama only if _two_ teams are U-Turned. The problem with this leg was that there was clearly one team in last place, so the teams in front didn’t feel like they needed to use the U-Turn. A better-designed leg would have the Detour directly after a bunching point, and have equalized Detour legs so teams would roughly split between the two. Then there are a bunch of teams who don’t know how far ahead or behind they are, and a greater incentive to use the U-Turn. The fifth episode of this season, where the other U-Turn was used, did this more successfully. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/28 "2011-04-25T14:24:19Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > Also, I was initially not physically attracted to Mallory AT ALL when I first saw her (she’s certainly not my type, and I have never been drawn towards blondes), or even at the start of this season of AR, but now, Holy Mother, she has transformed before my very eyes into a stone-cold stunner. I suppose it must be her quirky, silly, somewhat bizarre personalty and attitude, but I never gave her a second look until just a few weeks ago, when I suddenly noted to myself that I would really, really enjoy a good olde-fashioned Austrian “play-show” with her, and how… I watched last season, but I was not aware until this season that she was Miss Kentucky, and fourth runner up for Miss America 2010. So it’s not surprising you find her to be a stone-cold stunner. > **[Mallory Ervin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallory_Ervin)** > > Mallory Christina Ervin (born October 26, 1985) is an American YouTube personality, former entertainer and former beauty pageant titleholder from Morganfield, Kentucky. She held the title of Miss Kentucky 2009 and was 4th runner-up to Miss America 2010. In September 2010, it was announced that she competed on The Amazing Race 17 with her father Gary Ervin. The Amazing Race was filmed in May and June 2010 and premiered on September 26, 2010. Gary and Mallory were also one of the teams to return Er... Not that smart though. Did anyone else hear her trying to puzzle out the speed bump and arguing with her father? Gary [thinking aloud]: Okay, it’s 25:1, so if we put 2.0 liters in the can…" Mallory: “No Dad! We need to start with twenty-five liters of gas in the [clearly less than 5-liter] can.” They’re still one of my favorite teams though. I find Mallory’s enthusiasm quite infectious, and really enjoy Gary’s down-to-earth attitude. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/29 "2011-04-25T14:26:17Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > TAR fans, can I please just brag for a minute? I had the greatest inspiration on Saturday. I decided to make an Amazing Easter Race for my kids. I hid their baskets and worked backwards from the finish line, making clues and riddles and challenges. There was a Roadblock (_Who’s aiming to have a good Easter?_ The team member needed to shoot 3 baskets to get the next clue) and a Detour (_Egg-sact change_, in which they needed to sift through pennies and find ones with certain dates; or _Egg-sact replica_, in which they needed to color a picture of an easter egg using the same colors as the example I had done. They chose egg-sact change). I made the clues look like the official ones, with the right colors for Route Info, etc. It was so fun, and I seriously can’t decide if they enjoyed it more or if I did. That’s brilliant. I’m totally stealing your idea for next Easter - my girls are big TAR fans. > [@Eyebrows of Doom](#): > > I was surprised that they had a U-Turn on an eating task. Did they have to eat all that bread with the cheese or couldn’t they just take mouthfuls of the cheese? I imagine it was the bread more than the cheese that filled them up. I was wondering the same thing. I would have just gotten a spoon and started scooping out cheese. Next episode preview - It looks like on the tasks is making a life size Travelocity gnome out of candy or chocolate - they had plastic molds with red triangular hats in them. That should be amusing. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/30 "2011-04-25T14:33:10Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > I watched last season, but I was not aware until this season that she was Miss Kentucky, and fourth runner up for Miss America 2010. So it’s not surprising you find her to be a stone-cold stunner. I find her hot in spite of her pageant background, not because of it. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/31 "2011-04-25T14:33:13Z")
The task in Liectenstein? Why even have a task if one person gives everyone (but the Cowboys) the right answer? TAR really has to put some limits on helping like when an answer is required to be given to someone, you can’t give another team the right answer. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/32 "2011-04-25T14:41:14Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > Not that smart though. Did anyone else hear her trying to puzzle out the speed bump and arguing with her father? > Gary [thinking aloud]: Okay, it’s 25:1, so if we put 2.0 liters in the can…" > Mallory: “No Dad! We need to start with twenty-five liters of gas in the [clearly less than 5-liter] can.” Even worse, IIRC, she actually first said, okay we need 50 parts gas … I think she was somehow reasoning that if they needed double the _amount_ of oil, they would also need to double the gas side of the _ratio_. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/33 "2011-04-25T15:10:48Z")
UTurns should come before the roadblocks. There has to be a way to regain time after a U Turn, otherwise it’s just forcing the loss. There was no way to recover, because what followed was “ride in a taxi to the pit stop” there was no way to get lost really, there was no way for someone to recover from the UTurn. I also might be a bit pissed because I think the cowboys got a really raw deal - being the only team to have to do the roadblock twice (when several other teams really deserved to be on that bike for 36 miles) & still nearly catching up to the pack. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/34 "2011-04-25T15:13:08Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Literally since she had to drag him on a cart like a sack of potatoes. I like her but he is worthless. Imagine a Vyxxn/Zach team. Heh–or a Flo/Kynt one. 😉 ---
**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:** [April 25, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/35 "2011-04-25T15:24:00Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > The task in Liectenstein? Why even have a task if one person gives everyone (but the Cowboys) the right answer? TAR really has to put some limits on helping like when an answer is required to be given to someone, you can’t give another team the right answer. I don’t entirely agree–if one person is an ass (and I don’t know that Jet was…but imagine some of the more douchey racers) why shouldn’t the other teams be able to gang up on them? Being a jackass (and again, I don’t know that Jet was) should have some consequences. That said, there’s precedent for making that kind of rule. About 2 seasons back they apparently (base on what we’ve seen) ruled that no Ferns (local guides to shepherd them around) were allowed and that there would be no paying a taxi to lead them places. Both of which have resulted in much better races. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/36 "2011-04-25T15:26:25Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > UTurns should come before the roadblocks. There has to be a way to regain time after a U Turn, otherwise it’s just forcing the loss. There was no way to recover, because what followed was “ride in a taxi to the pit stop” there was no way to get lost really, there was no way for someone to recover from the UTurn. My thinking as well. All this U-turn did was put extra space between the GT’s and the Cowboys. Unless the last task was difficult, this was pointless…and the last task consisted of Ride a Taxi to the Pitstop. Not much chance of changing the outcome. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/37 "2011-04-25T15:31:24Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > UTurns should come before the roadblocks. There has to be a way to regain time after a U Turn, otherwise it’s just forcing the loss. There was no way to recover, because what followed was “ride in a taxi to the pit stop” there was no way to get lost really, there was no way for someone to recover from the UTurn. > > I also might be a bit pissed because I think the cowboys got a really raw deal - being the only team to have to do the roadblock twice (when several other teams really deserved to be on that bike for 36 miles) & still nearly catching up to the pack. I agree with you on both points. Also, isn’t it true that the same process played out on one of the first tasks - the one where they had to decode the message on the boat flags? I think almost all the other teams were given the answer, whereas Jet and Cord fell well behind because they had to go back at least once to get the correct message. I’d like to see a rule put into place that you cannot share the correct answer. One of the things I value about TAR relative to other reality television is that it is largely not based on this kind of alliance crap, but is more a function of individual skills and talents, combined with real-world luck. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/38 "2011-04-25T16:08:50Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > I was wondering the same thing. I would have just gotten a spoon and started scooping out cheese. That’s what we were saying, too (geez, I could have upended that pot and just drunk the stuff if it came to it), but apparently Justin tweeted last night after the show that the rules specified skewers and bread. You couldn’t spoon, drink or scoop with your fingers. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/39 "2011-04-25T16:57:40Z")
So tear the crusts of the bread off and use 'em like fritos to scoop up the cheese. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605/40 "2011-04-25T17:03:30Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > That’s brilliant. I’m totally stealing your idea for next Easter - my girls are big TAR fans. I’m South of Boston. We can meet in the middle and pit our teams against each other. 🙂 \*\*Robot Arm \*\*can come, too, in the hopes of getting to do a chinchillas vs flotillas detour. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-april-24-2011-were-good-american-people/579605.md?page=3)