Amazing Race: All Stars

[JWBear]

Anybody else watching this? What is up with CBS's obsession with Rob & Amber? They're such sleazy, smirky, self-absorbed famewhores. I can't stand the sight of them, and they're ruining one of my favorite shows!

[mousepod]

I enjoyed the first episode. It might take skill to come in first, but bad luck sure brings you in last.

(I like Rob and Amber)

[Ghoulish Delight]

We're actually watching this season. We actually watched a bit of season 1, and enjoyed it, but either it was up against something else we watched, or we just kinda didn't have enough of an attention span to care about Survivor AND AR (and we lacked a DVR). But we figured an All-Star season would be a good one to give it another show.

I liked the first episode. And I'll admit to liking Rob and Amber. I liked Rob in his first go on Survivor. He may be smug and an attention whore...but at least he backs it up by actually being on top of things.

CP and I were having MA flashbacks.

[Strangler Lewis]

As Jeff said, Rob was the star of Survivor All-Stars. He should have won the million without having to marry Ambuh (though he did seem genuinely smitten in his monologues). My memory is vague, but I thought Rob pulled his weight on Amazing Race and CBS contrived to screw them out of the victory. Further, at least Rob and Amber did get married, which is more than you could say for the Bachelor/Bachelorette pairings, except for Trista and Ryan, whom I never understood. Byron and Mary are apparently still engaged, but she's got to be close to 40, what's he waiting for?

It was a phase.

[thecorndogwalker]

I love Amazing Race. And this first episode kept my attention and kept me hooked until the end (next week teaser as well) but I was disapointed that some of the other memorable people were not on it...

But for Rob & Amber, they just dont belong on it. But I suppose they do give us a reason to route against them.. I just really dont want them to win...

I love the underdogs...

Myrna & Shmirna and the Kentucky Bumpkins...

[JWBear]

Whatever they are on becomes "The Rob & Amber Show". They become the focus of it, and I'm sick to death of them. Ugh.... just...ugh.

[thecorndogwalker]

Lets pray they get kicked out very soon..

[Jughead P. Jones]

I might actually be the only one who actually appreciated Rob and Amber's gameplay on TAR7. When they avoided elimination by convincing two other teams to quit the roadblock that they did, they basically guaranteed themselves a spot in the race, because their time penalty expired before theirs did. It was a risky move, but when it actually worked, I was thinking to myself "Damn...that was a smart play!" I'm actually kind of interested to see what other tricks they have up their sleeves, no question about it...but I agree that they shouldn't win...they have too much money already.

I'm so bummed that John Vito/Jill got Phil-iminated! Yes, they made a stupid error in judgment, but so did three other teams. I would have liked to have seen them last longer than a couple of other teams (cough cough Teri/Ian...cough...hack...Guidos), but that's the way the cookie crumbles. I like how it was particularly edited, because I was left wondering who would meet their end until 5 minutes before the show ended!

GO OSWALD AND DANNY!!!

YAY CHARLA AND MIRNA!!!

[Stan4dSteph]

Best quote of the night was from Danny: "Of course we know Rob and Amber... because, you know, we live on this planet."

[Alex]

I felt bad at that moment because I have no idea who Rob and Amber are (in fact, I have no idea who any of the contestants not in the last season are).

With the way it kepting being emphasized that the American flight was scheduled to arrive in Quinto first I was really expecting that the flight would be delayed such that the Copa flight ended up getting there first (has that ever happened on the show where a flight ends up being significantly delayed or cancelled?).

[Strangler Lewis]

Flights get delayed all the time on the show. But wasn't it Rob and Amber's season where the plane actually backed up to the gate so that the team that eventually won could get on? If I recall, they didn't show the team actually working the situation to a successful result. It left the impression that CBS flashed some cash and explained that their finale would be a dud otherwise.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I felt bad at that moment because I have no idea who Rob and Amber are (in fact, I have no idea who any of the contestants not in the last season are).Short history of Rob and Amber:

Rob (aka Boston Rob) was on Survivor 4. He acted like a jerk and seemed like an idiot. But it quickly became apparent that he was completely in control of the first half of the game. Unfortunately for him, they pulled a tribe switch which left him in the minority and he got booted (but not before he let some people know about some planned backstabbings that completely changed the game).

Flash forward to Survivor 8, All Stars. Rob came back. He hooked up with Amber (from Survivor 2) early on. The two of them went on to the final two and Amber won. They were all over each other during the show, and Rob ended up proposing live right before Amber was announced as the winner.

They were so popular that they were invited as contestants on Amazing Race 7 where they came in 2nd. People seem to either love 'em or hate 'em.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I hated Rob on his first Survivor stint, but now I do like them because they are balls-out competitors. I see a lot of "Happy Haunt" in them. :) Being confident is a large part of winning, and they kick a lot of ass.

I swear, Amber is even hotter now than she was before.

On seeing the first episode I said to GD that we are never, ever doing this show, because our MA style (ie: fighting with each other) wouldn't play well at all on TV. :D Also, we'd probably get divorced...

[Alex]

The Amazing Race is the only reality show I've ever applied to, and at the time I'd never seen it.

I watched most of the second half of last season.

[innerSpaceman]

I haven't watched in many years, but it's the only one of these type of shows that I thought was any good at all. I quit mostly because I didn't want to deal with following a serial story that I'd get hooked into.


I happen to know an AR contestant (Josh) from Season 4(??) ... he didn't make it very far ... but, interestingly, I was at his wedding last night.

[Jughead P. Jones]

I haven't watched in many years, but it's the only one of these type of shows that I thought was any good at all. I quit mostly because I didn't want to deal with following a serial story that I'd get hooked into.


I happen to know an AR contestant (Josh) from Season 4(??) ... he didn't make it very far ... but, interestingly, I was at his wedding last night.


Yeah, I remember him! I especially remember the Fast Forward they had to do, which was trying to make their way through a crowded dance floor, holding a tray of filled champagne glasses!

How cool it is that you actually know a former contestant!

[Strangler Lewis]

I can't say I know a former contestant. However, the docket entry to one of my court appointed federal appeals reflected the fact that one of the testifying FBI agents would be Brady, the FBI guy who climbed the greased pole at, I believe, Vanuatu, the season of the conspiracy of lazy fat guys when Chris won. The district court apparently held sealed hearings involving CBS, undisclosed results and unaired episodes to determine what the likely effect of Brady's appearing before the jury at the upcoming trial would be. Sadly, the client's family ponied up a bunch of money for private counsel to lose his case for him instead of me, so I never got to read the transcript.

[Stan4dSteph]

Ooooh! He was HOT! I was pissed when he got voted off.

[Ghoulish Delight]

By the way, those were Land Rovers they were driving, right? What a great advertisement. "Our truck made it through Ecuadorean back-country...on only 3 wheels!"

[Nephythys]

I'm watching- and I love Rob and Amber. :)

[lashbear]

I just think the whole concept of "[insert reality show here] All-stars" is fvcked.

...so lets diddle some good needy folk out of the contest, and give the million dollars to someone who's already won that (or similar) amount.

[Stan4dSteph]

I just think the whole concept of "[insert reality show here] All-stars" is fvcked.

...so lets diddle some good needy folk out of the contest, and give the million dollars to someone who's already won that (or similar) amount.Except that most of the returning players didn't win the million. I don't mind it. People who watch the shows often do this anyway, wondering what would happen if a certain person from season X went up against the other from season Y.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I just think the whole concept of "[insert reality show here] All-stars" is fvcked.

...so lets diddle some good needy folk out of the contest, and give the million dollars to someone who's already won that (or similar) amount.But if an All-Star show renews audience interest (either by attracting fans of earlier seasons that have stopped watching back, or as is the case for CP and I, attracting new fans all together), they are potentially buying longevity for the series, affording more people the opportunity than if ratings tank and the show is canceled a season later.

I don't see any responsibility for reality show producers to be altruistic. If you're someone who is really in need of money, applying for a reality show is a piss-poor method of remedying that with an abysmal success rate. Appeals to "so and so 'deserves' the money because of their sob story" never hold much sway with me. Just play the game. Of course, if someone manages to use their sob story to gain an advantage in the game, more power to then, it's a perfectly valid game strategy. But I'd still consider the other contestants twits if they "fall" for that.

[Matterhorn Fan]

This started already?

It's a miracle I didn't miss the Survivor premiere.

[lashbear]

Of course, if someone manages to use their sob story to gain an advantage in the game, more power to then, it's a perfectly valid game strategy. But I'd still consider the other contestants twits if they "fall" for that.

Can anyone say "Johnny Fairplay" ? :evil:

-How's Gramma?

-Dude, she's dead.

:rolleyes:


...But I do see your points (you and Stan4dSteph) and having thought about it, I guess it's not too bad... but even without the 'needy' aspect, it's still more members of the public who've been kept out of the game while others who were chosen previously get another crack.

Maybe it's jealousy - I'll never be in Survivor - our own versions sucked so hard they turned themselves inside out ! I bet we never get another Aussie Survivor.

[Mousey Girl]

I really wanted to see Kevin and Drew (the bald guys, I think that's their name) get some sort of time penalty for not changing the tire and causing much damage to the car. It will be fun to see if they are forced to change it at the beginning of the next leg.

I am just dissapointed that the Hippies weren't invited to be a part of the race. The were so much fun to watch.

[Alex]

I thought it was pretty smart of them to not wsate time changing the tire since they had to know they were pretty far back in the pack.

Though I'm kind of hoping that the next leg begins with them having to drive back to Quinto and they'll have to fix it for that.

[Jughead P. Jones]

I really wanted to see Kevin and Drew (the bald guys, I think that's their name) get some sort of time penalty for not changing the tire and causing much damage to the car. It will be fun to see if they are forced to change it at the beginning of the next leg.

If you thought that was bad, you should have seen Ken and Gerard in Season 3. They literally shot off sparks as their tire disintegrated on their way to the gas station to get it fixed.

Dangerous? Potentially. But, I admire the fact that they still pressed on, and they ended up in the top three!

If only they had beaten Flo and Zack...:(

[thecorndogwalker]

I was yelling at the tv telling them to change the tire.. but thinking these dudes are never going to make it. But they kept going.. and they made it.. I remember the beauty queens in last season smashed up their car and kept going..


I wasnt really too excited about most of the teams, I really thought a couple of other teams would be on it.. I though the wrestlers and the hippies would be on this all -stars...

[Babette]

Go Kentucky!

We were so excited to see them back and the race beginning in Quito, the location of our last vacation. What they didn't show is how the cabbies totally rip you off!

I like that they made a new team out of the romance Eric & Danielle sparked in season 9. Their relentless flirting that season was cute. I was super-duper happy when Rob and Amber didn't get first their last time. I do admire how they seemed to be the first team to play dirty. Before that most teams were totally by the book. Maybe not nice to others, but not evil like Rob could be. Wasn't he the one who payed off a bus driver to keep the back door closed when they stopped? Rob's politeness on the shuttle this week was not his usual game-play. I am sick of Rob & Amber's CBS reality tour, but they are good players and people seem to love or love-to-hate them. At least it wasn't the Big Brother chick and Donnie again :barf:

Even when it gets to the point where I don't like any remaining teams, this game gets so intense and emotional. I often sit on the edge of my seat, and get tears of pride for these total strangers. Great show!

Hey, GD! You'd better watch what you call a Land Rover. My boyfriend will beat you up ;)

[Jughead P. Jones]

Go Kentucky!

We were so excited to see them back and the race beginning in Quito, the location of our last vacation. What they didn't show is how the cabbies totally rip you off!

I like that they made a new team out of the romance Eric & Danielle sparked in season 9. Their relentless flirting that season was cute. I was super-duper happy when Rob and Amber didn't get first their last time. I do admire how they seemed to be the first team to play dirty. Before that most teams were totally by the book. Maybe not nice to others, but not evil like Rob could be. Wasn't he the one who payed off a bus driver to keep the back door closed when they stopped? Rob's politeness on the shuttle this week was not his usual game-play. I am sick of Rob & Amber's CBS reality tour, but they are good players and people seem to love or love-to-hate them. At least it wasn't the Big Brother chick and Donnie again :barf:

Even when it gets to the point where I don't like any remaining teams, this game gets so intense and emotional. I often sit on the edge of my seat, and get tears of pride for these total strangers. Great show!

Hey, GD! You'd better watch what you call a Land Rover. My boyfriend will beat you up ;)

LOL! Donny and Allison. Yeah, who could forget the dog-walking challenge where Allison exclaimed "MY DOGS KEEP HAVING SEX!!!". Ironic that they lost the race because the dogs kept doing the nasty, when on Big Brother 4, Allison made it to the final 2 for...ahem...doing the nasty. :evil:

Yeah, I'd much rather see Rob and Amber over those two ANYDAY.

[Matterhorn Fan]

When is this show on?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Sundays at 8

[Stan4dSteph]

OMG Drew was such a mess. Thank goodness he is gone. I couldn't stand to watch him meltdown any longer.

I'm rooting for Rob & Amber and Danny & Oswald. D&O give great commentary. :)

[Ghoulish Delight]

I'm not sure who was stupider in that board room: Mary and Shmirna Charla for doing everything but jumping up and down yelling the answer...or everyone else in the room for not noticing.

And I just "loved" how Mirna and Charla, after the psycho meltdown with their cab driver (cripes lady, just admit that you got taken for your money and move on. It ain't Dustin and Kandice's fault you blew your dough on nothing...and trust me, those two haven't had plastic surgery), they tried again later to pay a cab driver to lead them. 'Cause that worked so well last time.

[Alex]

I continue to have the same problem with the show though they do a good job of maintaining suspense anyway.

They have a roadblock challenge that dramatically rearranges the order of the teams and then an hour later they're all on the same plane anyway rendering the whole thing moot.

I'd be very curious to know what those young attractive board members were discussing the whole time to keep themselves occupied.

[Stan4dSteph]

I continue to have the same problem with the show though they do a good job of maintaining suspense anyway.

They have a roadblock challenge that dramatically rearranges the order of the teams and then an hour later they're all on the same plane anyway rendering the whole thing moot.I'm sure some of that has to do with flying in and out of cities with very limited flight options, but yeah it can be really lame.

[mousepod]

Heather and I talked about the "catch-up" stages making the progress moot. We decided that the psychological edge of passing other teams was still worth it. A together team that gets to a "catch-up" point well rested will always do better than a team with communication problems that shows up frazzled and tired. I'm enjoying this season.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I continue to have the same problem with the show though they do a good job of maintaining suspense anyway.

They have a roadblock challenge that dramatically rearranges the order of the teams and then an hour later they're all on the same plane anyway rendering the whole thing moot.
They seem to never be on the same plane. There are always at least a couple options and arriving late means either the flight that lands earlier is booked/has left, or you're too hurried and frazzled to ask the right questions that will get you on the earliest arriving flight.

Plus, as Jesse said, not having to rush, having time to sit in the airport, being able to request the exit-row seat, and generally conserving your energy is probably reward enough.

[Alex]

My watching is limited, but more often than not they all seem to end up on the same plane or are sent somewhere that doesn't open until 8 a.m. and everybody gets there by midnight.

I'm sure the stress of falling behind (not that it helped Mary and Dave who gained many spots with her quickness in the boardroom only to once again fall behind almost everybody while leaving the airport) has its effect on the participants, but as a viewer I find it deflating of the energy generated by the intermediate steps.

It's kind of like watching an NBA game, most of the time it seems like you just need to tune in for the last quarter since that's the only part that ends up being important.

[Ghoulish Delight]

My watching is limited, but more often than not they all seem to end up on the same plane or are sent somewhere that doesn't open until 8 a.m. and everybody gets there by midnight.I have no idea how other seasons have gone, but this season, they've been split onto 2 different flight on every air travel leg with about an hour difference between scheduled arrival times. Of course, this time around the earlier arriving flight got delayed leaving Rob and Amber as one of the last 2 teams to arrive in Chile, and yet they still managed to leap frog every one and reach the pit stop first.

[Alex]

Because the next flight put them all on the same plane. So this was an episode with two different flights involved but the second was was such that only a complete meltdown in the board room would require separate flights on the second leg.


It's not a big deal, even if they immediately deflate it, the show is generally good at generating excitement (in me) in the individual stages I just find it disappointing how often (and no, it isn't every time) that excitement isn't carried over to the next stage.

[Moonliner]

If you are worried about grouping...




[Relatively minor spoiler]
Just wait until they get to Europe. Word is that the teams develop time gaps unlike anything in the race since the first season.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Because the next flight put them all on the same plane. So this was an episode with two different flights involved but the second was was such that only a complete meltdown in the board room would require separate flights on the second leg.No it didn't. Rob and Amber, and whoever the other couple that arrived at the airport rigth behind them, had a different connecting flight that was supposed to have arrived at the final destination an hour earlier than everyone else. But their flight was delayed. When they saw everyone else getting on the second plane, they tried to beg their way onto it, but no luck and their plane eventually departed 15 minutes after eveyone else's.

[Alex]

Am I misremembering? After the board room, they got on another plane to fly to the copper mine right? Or did they drive there (I was flipping between TAR and the Oscars so I may be confusing details)?

That's the flight I'm saying everyone would have bunched up at again except for a major meltdown in a major meltdown in the boardroom.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Am I misremembering? After the board room, they got on another plane to fly to the copper mine right? Or did they drive there (I was flipping between TAR and the Oscars so I may be confusing details)?
Oh shoot, that's right. The delayed flight was before the board room. Reading through a recap, they were indeed all on the same flight out of there. I missed that, probably because I was too busy being amused at Rob and Amber purposely being jerks (rather, Rob being a jerk and Amber failing to play along).

[Jughead P. Jones]

That poor cab driver. Of all the people he had to deal with, he had to experience Charla and Mirna go "el polo loco" on him.

It was probably the saddest, most hysterical moment I'd ever seen in all the seasons of the race. :D

[Jughead P. Jones]

I continue to have the same problem with the show though they do a good job of maintaining suspense anyway.

They have a roadblock challenge that dramatically rearranges the order of the teams and then an hour later they're all on the same plane anyway rendering the whole thing moot.

I'd be very curious to know what those young attractive board members were discussing the whole time to keep themselves occupied.


Yeah...those moments (also known as "equalizers") can be a pain...especially when more than one occurs. But, even then, there are ways that teams can get ahead. Positioning for places in line, or even on the plane to the destination can make a huge difference. I remember in season 4, Reichen/Chip and Kelly/Jon were neck and neck in the finale, and because Reichen/Chip were seated at the very front of the plane, and Kelly/Jon were a few rows behind them, Reichen/Chip had a slight lead when it came to leaving the plane and the airport first...and every little bit helped...especially since Reichen and Chip were eventually the winners of the race.

[Alex]

I know it helps and ultimately is for the best of the shows finale (if the winners were five days ahead of second place, not so interesting). But still, the battle for who can get off an airplane fastest isn't all that interesting to watch.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I know it helps and ultimately is for the best of the shows finale (if the winners were five days ahead of second place, not so interesting). But still, the battle for who can get off an airplane fastest isn't all that interesting to watch.No, but watching someone yank someone else's carry on out of the overhead is.

[Jughead P. Jones]

So long, David and Mary...we hardly knew ye...even though you competed last season.

Boy, Dustin and Kandice got lucky didn't they? To make a boneheaded error like they did and still finish in the same place they initially came in? Absolutely incredible.

Of course, it helped that 6 of the 9 teams also made crucial errors as well.

[Alex]

If it had been me and I had been given possession of credit cards for three other teams to go off and try to book flights I would have been very sorely tempted to book myself on the first flight and then book them on the next one. They likely wouldn't have even known until it was too late to try and change since the first half was the same for everybody and then it was divided between two connections.0

Fair game or (too) dirty pool?

[JWBear]

If the spoilers I've read are true, next Sunday's episode will have a very interesting ending.....

[Ghoulish Delight]

Ugh, I'm already sick of people whining when they're followed/overheard/whatever. It's not against the rules, right? Then STFU. Talk quieter and be better at not being followed. Otherwise the other people are just playing the game and you're being stupid.

[Jughead P. Jones]

If it had been me and I had been given possession of credit cards for three other teams to go off and try to book flights I would have been very sorely tempted to book myself on the first flight and then book them on the next one. They likely wouldn't have even known until it was too late to try and change since the first half was the same for everybody and then it was divided between two connections.0

Fair game or (too) dirty pool?

For Rob and Amber, it's just another day. :blush: :D :p

[Moonliner]

No, but watching someone yank someone else's carry on out of the overhead is.

I just wish it had been Rombers bag that he pulled. Now THAT would have made for some interesting TV viewing...

[Moonliner]

For Rob and Amber, it's just another day. :blush: :D :p

Naw, they would never do that.

Romber would have booked them on fights to Siberia and then cancled their credit cards.

[Nephythys]

If the spoilers I've read are true, next Sunday's episode will have a very interesting ending.....

Where did you see spoilers? I love spoilers. :)

Love your avatar- was just looking at a photo of them I took last October!

[JWBear]

Where did you see spoilers? I love spoilers. :)

Love your avatar- was just looking at a photo of them I took last October!

Television Without Pity (http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showforum=424) Click on the Spoilers thread. The information is in the last 10 pages or so.

[thecorndogwalker]

Oh David and Mary. I cant believe they got kicked off.. (well I do) All I kept on thinking when Phil told them they were eliminated was that they are pretty much hooked up. I mean Rosie got them that house and car. Plus they probably made some money that will keep them a float...

But they were way fun to route for...

Now I am waiting to see girl on girl fighting action with Mirna and Shmirna and the Beauty Queens..

[Jughead P. Jones]

Oh David and Mary. I cant believe they got kicked off.. (well I do) All I kept on thinking when Phil told them they were eliminated was that they are pretty much hooked up. I mean Rosie got them that house and car. Plus they probably made some money that will keep them a float...

But they were way fun to route for...

Now I am waiting to see girl on girl fighting action with Mirna and Shmirna and the Beauty Queens..

The only complaint I had about David and Mary is that they figured out way too late that they had to run their own race. I just about cringed when they flashed back to how they helped the Cho brothers! Um, David...Mary...the Chos weren't asked back to the race...this should tell you that you need to do this race ON YOUR OWN!

And, when they formed that "alliance" with Charm (a really ironic name for Charla and Mirna that they use on RealityNewsOnline.com), I knew David and Mary's days were numbered.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The loss of Rob and Amber means that I've lost half my impulse to watch the show. That sucks. :mad: Rob just had a terrible day with mistake after mistake. It was so painful to watch!

[Alex]

Phillipeans?

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Phillipeans?Yeah, that was rather stupid.

[thecorndogwalker]

major spoiler action.. if anyone wants to ruin their viewing pleasure.. check this out....

http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/TV_Shows/A/Amazing_Race_11/2007/03/07/3709816-ca.html

someone leaked..

[Mousey Girl]

Bleh!

I just hope the leaked list is wrong.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Mirna: "Why did you lie?"
What Amber should have said: "Because we're trying to win a race, bitch, quit whining every time someone out-thinks you!"

[JWBear]

There was celebrating in the Bear household last night! (I probably frightened our new neighbors with all the cheering I was doing.) The smarmy arrogant famewhores are GONE!!!! :snap:

[Jughead P. Jones]

Okay, with the editing of last night's show, it was obvious that Rob and Amber were going after the first 10 minutes. It would've been more exciting had the editing been less obvious.

But, it was a nice twist at the Roadblock with the teams getting letters from former competitors. Charla and Mirna's letter from Lance and Marshall was downright hilarious. They aren't TOO bitter, are they? LOL!

[Nephythys]

I love Rob and Amber-I did not enjoy watching last night and will miss them. I think they went out with more grace than many other teams do-

I don't get the hate for them- why are they so worthy of loathing? Good lord there are people who hog the spotlight alot more than those two people.

Heaven forbid- two people (who clearly love each other) happen to have found a career in reality shows.

The horror. :rolleyes: Honestly-the only thing I can chalk it up to (the hatred online for them) is jealousy. Pure and simple.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I love Rob and Amber-I did not enjoy watching last night and will miss them. I think they went out with more grace than many other teams do-
I agree. They didn't complain, they didn't accuse anyone else of cheating or screwing them over. They knew they blew it and that was that. They may be cocky and a little arrogant, but as far as I'm concerned, they've earned it. They've shown time and time again that they know how to succeed at these games. They didn't fair so well this time, but, counting the 3 seasons of Survivor between the two of them and now 2 seasons of Amazing Race, they were competitive in 4 out of 5 of their opportunities. That's hard to argue with. Heck, you can't even really call this time around a poor showing seeing as they were in first for the first 3 legs.

For those that watch the show regularly, is there usually this much bitching about other people taking advantage of opportunities? I mean, these teams have all played before and they seem completely shocked that someone might, gasp, use information they overhear to their advantage. Or even, dear lord, lie to other teams to get ahead. Call me naive, but that's really starting to turn me off of the show more than anything.

[Matterhorn Fan]

For those that watch the show regularly, is there usually this much bitching about other people taking advantage of opportunities? I mean, these teams have all played before and they seem completely shocked that someone might, gasp, use information they overhear to their advantage. Or even, dear lord, lie to other teams to get ahead. Call me naive, but that's really starting to turn me off of the show more than anything.
I wonder something similar...why don't more people play this way? Why doesn't one tribe loot their rival's camp when they're at tribal council? Why do AR teams cooporate? Why, when someone's having trouble with a quest, don't the people having trouble simply stand two inches behind someone else and do what they do?

[Prudence]

I was actually significantly less annoyed by Rob and Amber this time than in their previous outings. This time they seemed more out to have a good time and confident, but not obnoxiously so. Maybe they've matured into their fame or something. In the past, they've bugged me more. And it's not even really their fault - of course they're going to talk about themselves during their interview moments. But the producers chose to give them way more air time than other people. Maybe this time there were other equally notorious teams who shared the air time, so there was more of Romber playing well and less of Rob talking about how he's the most amazing stud since Secretariat.

[mousepod]

At least with Survivor, there's the whole idea that the losers (and ultimately the winners) are chosen by the peers, so the illusion of "fair play" is necessary to a point. For AR, I am amazed at the way some of these teams play the game.

Farewell, Rob and Amber. I enjoyed rooting for you. I wonder if they'll ever go to the Philippines?

[Ghoulish Delight]

I wonder something similar...why don't more people play this way? Why doesn't one tribe loot their rival's camp when they're at tribal council? On Survivor I'd imagine that they have some rules in place against that. But who knows.
ETA: Oh yeah, and what MP said. There are far more direct consequences to pissing the other contestant's off in Survivor than in AR.Why do AR teams cooporate? There is occasionally a good reason. For example, it made sense for Rob and Amber to work with the beauty queens when they were both stuck on the sign post quest. They knew there were other teams behind them, so rather than worry about beating that one team, it made sense to strike a deal and say, "We'll help you guarantee you're at least ahead of the other teams." Why, when someone's having trouble with a quest, don't the people having trouble simply stand two inches behind someone else and do what they do? To some degree I see a kind of unspoken agreement of convenience. Basically, if all the teams were trying to peak at everyone else's work, that would just lead to all the teams doing a better job of hiding their work. So it would kind of be a self-defeating strategy, so the teams probably just naturally don't even bother (kinda like there's an unspoken thing in baseball that says that a batter won't turn around and look at a catcher's sign). But that shouldn't mean you get pissed when you get sloppy and someone does catch sight, or is within earshot, of one of your answers (again, like baseball, there's no such courtesy when a batter's on second base, it's up to the catcher to do a better job of disguising his signs in that situation).

[JWBear]

...I don't get the hate for them- why are they so worthy of loathing? Good lord there are people who hog the spotlight alot more than those two people...

Why do I hate Rob? He’s a self-absorbed a$$ who thinks he’s clever and charming, and expects us all to love him and his antics because he’s such a charming scamp (not!). I can’t stand is arrogant attitude. I don’t find him the least bit charming, and every time I hear him speak, it’s like fingernails on a chalkboard.

...The horror. :rolleyes: Honestly-the only thing I can chalk it up to (the hatred online for them) is jealousy. Pure and simple.

It has nothing to do with jealousy. It has everything do with finding his slimy personality abhorrent.

[Jughead P. Jones]

I think a part of Rob and Amber's charm wasn't so much how they played the game, but how other teams COMPLAINED about how they played the game. Seeing teams like Charla/Mirna whine and complain and freak out over how Rob and Amber were playing the game actually made Rob and Amber rise in my ranks, because as self-absorbed and high and mighty as they seemed to be on the race, they never once complained about anyone else's game and how everyone else was screwing them over, because what other teams thought was never a concern to them. Rob and Amber basically ran their own race the whole time, making short-term alliances to try and advance in the race. It's one main reason why they were the runners-up in season 7, after all. And, I think it's why a lot of people seem to respect their GAME PLAY.

I can't really comment on their personalities, though. I've never met Rob and Amber, and in all likelihood, I probably won't either. ;)

[Jughead P. Jones]

For those that watch the show regularly, is there usually this much bitching about other people taking advantage of opportunities? I mean, these teams have all played before and they seem completely shocked that someone might, gasp, use information they overhear to their advantage. Or even, dear lord, lie to other teams to get ahead. Call me naive, but that's really starting to turn me off of the show more than anything.

If you thought this season was bad, you really should have watched Season 8 (the family edition) with the holy-rollin' Weavers. At one point, one of the Weaver kids was upset and made the statement "Nobody likes us because we're Christians!"

I'm sure you can get the gist of what the rest of the season was like for them.

Usually, every season has one or two teams that whine and yammer about the advantages other teams seem to get. Unfortunately, many of the teams in the All-Star season were ones that did just that in their respective seasons. :rolleyes:

[JWBear]

I think a part of Rob and Amber's charm wasn't so much how they played the game, but how other teams COMPLAINED about how they played the game. Seeing teams like Charla/Mirna whine and complain and freak out over how Rob and Amber were playing the game actually made Rob and Amber rise in my ranks, because as self-absorbed and high and mighty as they seemed to be on the race, they never once complained about anyone else's game and how everyone else was screwing them over, because what other teams thought was never a concern to them. Rob and Amber basically ran their own race the whole time, making short-term alliances to try and advance in the race. It's one main reason why they were the runners-up in season 7, after all. And, I think it's why a lot of people seem to respect their GAME PLAY.

I can't really comment on their personalities, though. I've never met Rob and Amber, and in all likelihood, I probably won't either. ;)

Teams complaining (and obsessing) is not new to Rob & Amber. In most of the past seasons there was a front-runner who the other teams talked about. I suspect that the reason we see more of it with them has to do with editing. Other teams from season 7 have said that there was a lot less “Ramber” obsessing going on than was shown - it was edited to make it look like it was constant.

As far as respecting their game play goes, while I acknowledge that they are excellent racers, I just can’t get past his personality. I tend to root for teams I like, regardless of how well they are racing.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Visible mojo for JPJ. I'm not saying I'd ever want to have Rob and Amber over for tea, but I completely respect them as competitors.

[Nephythys]

Why do I hate Rob? He’s a self-absorbed a$$ who thinks he’s clever and charming, and expects us all to love him and his antics because he’s such a charming scamp (not!). I can’t stand is arrogant attitude. I don’t find him the least bit charming, and every time I hear him speak, it’s like fingernails on a chalkboard.

It has nothing to do with jealousy. It has everything do with finding his slimy personality abhorrent.

You are hardly the only one with Romber hate out there. I guarantee some of it is jealousy out there.

I like them- always have.

I find their relationship to be sincere and heartwarming. I love watching them play the game. The rest of the teams are so obsessed with them, they made them stick out in the spotlight more than Rob or Amber ever did.

I was really impressed by the way they went out. That "slimy personality" has more on the ball when it comes to what is important than most of the people playing that game.


I am watching for fun only now- no sense in rooting for anyone when I know how it comes out (if that list is right)

Those letters were interesting- some were encouraging and some were simply hateful. Honest to God- when you are so obsessed with hating two other people who did better than you then you are only hurting yourself.

Pathetic- some of the people who wrote "hate" mail to the current teams.

[Ghoulish Delight]

As far as respecting their game play goes, while I acknowledge that they are excellent racers, I just can’t get past his personality. I tend to root for teams I like, regardless of how well they are racing.

It's funny, I'm usually the same way. But for some reason it doesn't bother me as much with Rob. I can't put my finger on it, but I think it all comes down to him really separating the game from reality. Most of the time when he's an asshole to someone (behind their back or to their face) it's because that someone is doing something that's really irrational in the context of the game and they probably deserve it. Doesn't mean he's not an asshole, but at least he's usually right.

[Nephythys]

This is a game- a race. What is with people getting mad because someone lied to them, or someone passed them up.

It's a RACE- the idea is to pass each other, not make friends and help someone else win!

I had the same issue with Survivor All Stars- Lex had a hissy fit and said he was ending his friendship with Rob because Rob helped vote him out- wahhhhhhhhhh- that's how the game works!

[Ghoulish Delight]

I had the same issue with Survivor All Stars- Les had a hissy fit and said he was ending his friendship with Rob because Rob helped vote him out- wahhhhhhhhhh- that's how the game works!
Oh, that was a feaking classic because Lex had done the exact same thing to Ethan, Colby, Hatch, and Jerri. He definitely wins for biggest Survivor baby ever (and that's a hell of a title to earn).

[Nephythys]

Oh, that was a feaking classic because Lex had done the exact same thing to Ethan, Colby, Hatch, and Jerri. He definitely wins for biggest Survivor baby ever (and that's a hell of a title to earn).

I miss players like Rupert- who was willing to steal the other teams shoes!!

Sorry-don't mean to derail to Survivor. The whining is so pathetic- win or lose on your own merit and stop whining when someone outplays you. (especially Mirna- bleaugh!!!)

[JWBear]

I miss players like Rupert- who was willing to steal the other teams shoes!!

Sorry-don't mean to derail to Survivor. The whining is so pathetic- win or lose on your own merit and stop whining when someone outplays you. (especially Mirna- bleaugh!!!)

I agree. That's one of the reasons why I'm rooting for the Cha Cha's and the BQs (in that order).

[lashbear]

I guess the reason we don't really like Romber (and btw we also dislike the laziness of compressing two names into one like Romber and Brangelina) is because we believe that people should have a bit of integrity to their character, and some morals, but Rob & Amber have demonstrated time and time again that these shows are just devices to allow us to see the worst of peoples behaviour.

We will continue to watch it, because you do get people with some sense of compassion and morals who will stop and help someone who's broken down, or who will give money to teams in need (especially if they pose no threat to your team)

I think it is possible to win one of these races without lowering yourself to Unconscionable Conduct.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I think it is possible to win one of these races without lowering yourself to Unconscionable Conduct.

I guess I just don't see using tactics that are within the rules as "unconscionable." These people voluntarily signed up for a race. Not a cooperative team-building event, not a leisurely world tour. A race. Short of breaking rules or causing someone harm, I don't find anything done within the game to get an advantage in that game "unconscionable". Within the game, Rob and Amber are ruthless, but above board. They don't cheat, they don't blame their failures on anyone but themselves, and they are completely up front about being there to win the game.

They don't strike me as the type who would carry that same philosophy outside of the game. The may be arrogant and ruthlessly competitive, but nothing's ever given me the impression that they're like that in real life.
Their whole attitude is, "This is a game, the only goal is to win the game, so why weaken my position with concepts of charity, honor, and morality that have no bearing on the game."

[Nephythys]

See, I just don't get that. This is not a competition on who is nicer, more generous or kinder- it's a RACE. It's not like they were physically assaulting people- they simply took advantage of circumstances that presented themselves.

I think Rob masterminded one of the most amazing moves the first season he was on- remember the meat eating competition?? His choice to bail out and convince other teams to do so ensured their ability to stay in the race.

[Nephythys]

funny- the quote as soon as I left this page was-

If you follow all the rules, you miss all the fun.
- Katherine Hepburn

posted by JWBear ;)

Someone notify the people on TAR :)

[Jughead P. Jones]

I think Rob masterminded one of the most amazing moves the first season he was on- remember the meat eating competition?? His choice to bail out and convince other teams to do so ensured their ability to stay in the race.


That's the point in season 7 where I said to myself..."Damn...that's BRILLIANT!!!"

That way, he secured his position by getting Meredith/Gretchen and Ray/Deana to drop out AFTER he did!

[Mousey Girl]

I love watching team Cha-cha-cha and the BQ's. I would really like to see Uchena and Joyce go all the way again. They seem like truly "nice" players.

[JWBear]

I guess I just don't see using tactics that are within the rules as "unconscionable." These people voluntarily signed up for a race. Not a cooperative team-building event, not a leisurely world tour. A race. Short of breaking rules or causing someone harm, I don't find anything done within the game to get an advantage in that game "unconscionable". Within the game, Rob and Amber are ruthless, but above board. They don't cheat, they don't blame their failures on anyone but themselves, and they are completely up front about being there to win the game.

They don't strike me as the type who would carry that same philosophy outside of the game. The may be arrogant and ruthlessly competitive, but nothing's ever given me the impression that they're like that in real life.
Their whole attitude is, "This is a game, the only goal is to win the game, so why weaken my position with concepts of charity, honor, and morality that have no bearing on the game."

If I wanted to watch a reality show about lying, cheating, and back-stabbing I'd watch Survivor or Big Brother.

[Ghoulish Delight]

If I wanted to watch a reality show about lying, cheating, and back-stabbing I'd watch Survivor or Big Brother.Cheating?

[lashbear]

Short of breaking rules or causing someone harm

It's not like they were physically assaulting people

Ah, see, but this brings me to remember when the vehicle containing the Hippy dudes overturned. There was every possibility to the casual observer that something could have gone terribly wrong, but rather than stop to check that people were OK, R&A just drove merrily past making conversation to the effect that they were sure to get an advantage from the situation.

Problem is, there aren't a whole lot of rules to be broken in the first place.

Not cricket IMO, but that's just me. You know how Mary Poppins I can be.

[Moonliner]

There was every possibility to the casual observer that something could have gone terribly wrong, but rather than stop to check that people were OK, R&A just drove merrily past

Ahh but the problem is that YOU were not the casual observer. The way they edit the show it's quite possible that by the time R&A drove by there were four tow trucks, eleven ambulances, a gaggle of fire trucks, two priests and a girl scout on the scene, but in the "editing" process all YOU would see would be the two of them driving by the "wreck".

[lashbear]

Darn you, Moriarty !! :p


You don't mean I'm... being .. I can't say it, no.... Yes, Manipulated ??

[JWBear]

Cheating?

Cheating on the rules, or cheating other racers... Both are wrong, IMO. My I remind you that it was R&A that stole the paper with directions that a flight attendant wrote out for U&J? Nasty people. Ugh!

[Jughead P. Jones]

I love watching team Cha-cha-cha and the BQ's. I would really like to see Uchena and Joyce go all the way again. They seem like truly "nice" players.

Yeah, I'm definitely rooting for Oswald and Danny.

And, last season, I wanted Dustin and Kandice to win so badly, and for them to come in fourth place was really upsetting. I'm glad they're getting a second chance!

I'm a fan of Uchenna and Joyce too...and you know what? Although the Guidos really annoyed me during their season (season 1)...this time around, I'm actually starting to...gulp...LIKE them!!!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Cheating on the rules, or cheating other racers... Both are wrong, IMO. My I remind you that it was R&A that stole the paper with directions that a flight attendant wrote out for U&J? Nasty people. Ugh!
All's fair in love and war. If your catcher's not disguising his signs with a man on second base, you deserve to have your signs stolen.

Perhaps I'd dislike the way they play a little more, and perhaps I'd feel for the other players if those other player weren't whining so much about it. But the more they whined, the more I wanted R&A to play them like fools. It's one thing to be annoyed at them being sneaky and manipulative. But DO something about it. Don't bitch and moan and expect them to suddenly make nice. You know what you're up against, do what you need to do to either accept it or fight back.

[JWBear]

All's fair in love and war. If your catcher's not disguising his signs with a man on second base, you deserve to have your signs stolen.

Perhaps I'd dislike the way they play a little more, and perhaps I'd feel for the other players if those other player weren't whining so much about it. But the more they whined, the more I wanted R&A to play them like fools. It's one thing to be annoyed at them being sneaky and manipulative. But DO something about it. Don't bitch and moan and expect them to suddenly make nice. You know what you're up against, do what you need to do to either accept it or fight back.

IOW, descend to their level. No thanks. I’d rather watch a show where teams win or lose based on their racing abilities, not on how well they can screw the other teams. (I hate the Yield for that very reason.) As I said before, if I wanted to watch Survivor, then that’s what I’d be watching.

[Ghoulish Delight]

IOW, descend to their level. No thanks. I’d rather watch a show where teams win or lose based on their racing abilities, not on how well they can screw the other teams. (I hate the Yield for that very reason.) As I said before, if I wanted to watch Survivor, then that’s what I’d be watching.
No, I didn't say descend to their level. There are other options: i.e., do a better job of avoiding them and not giving them the chance to "cheat" off of you. Don't fuel their fire by yelling at them. If play your game and don't waste your time and energy on them. If your game really is the better way to play, you'll win. Whining, yelling at them, crying foul when none is committed does zilch except make them look better and you look foolish.

Of course, I still don't consider anything I've seen Rob and Amber do "descending" to anything. The WORST thing that they did was when Amber said "got it" when they came back from the wrong direction, and the only way that's bad is if Mirna and Charla did exactly what you're saying Rob and Amber do wrong, namely take cues from other teams.

But in the end, Rob and Ambers actions should have no bearing on the other teams. Fortunately for them, it does. If the other teams would stop whining and start thinking, Rob and Amber-like tactics would become moot. As long as they continue to want everyone to play nice rather than ensuring that they aren't "victims", they will continue to be "victims".

[Nephythys]

Besides that- I was not aware that taking advantage of circumstances that help you run the race was cheating, or somehow dishonest.

Rob and Amber did not victimize anyone, they just knew how to take advantage of situations to make them work to their advantage. If the other teams don't want to do that and wanted to spend all their time hating them for being in the race- that was their problem, not Rob and Ambers.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Rob and Amber did not victimize anyone, they just knew how to take advantage of situations to make them work to their advantage. If the other teams don't want to do that and wanted to spend all their time hating them for being in the race- that was their problem, not Rob and Ambers.

Which is why I put "victim" in quotes. And why I stand by my baseball analogy. And why I say that accepting Rob and Amber's style as a valid style is NOT the same as saying the only way to beat them is to "sink to their level". You don't have to steal signs in baseball to combat a team that steals signs. You just have to be better at disguising your signs.

Getting away from Rob and Amber, look at how Mirna and Charla dealt with the team that followed the same cab as they did (was it the Guidos or the BQs, can't remember). They obviously talked to a cabby, paid him, and got in their car to follow him within sight of that other team. What was that other team going to do, patiently wait until they were out of sight and find their own way? If you say that's what you'd do I say you're full of it. If someone shouts an answer to a puzzle in their excitement, would you pretend you didn't hear it and figure out yourself? I doubt it. If you don't want people following you or using your knowledge, don't make it readily available. Part of this kind of race is being on the ball and if you can't keep your guard up, oh well. Either do a better job of protecting your knowledge, or accept that it's going to be "stolen" and work around that. But don't get bent out of shape and blame the other team for your sloppiness.

[JWBear]

...The WORST thing that they did was when Amber said "got it" when they came back from the wrong direction, and the only way that's bad is if Mirna and Charla did exactly what you're saying Rob and Amber do wrong, namely take cues from other teams...

…Rob and Amber did not victimize anyone, they just knew how to take advantage of situations to make them work to their advantage. If the other teams don't want to do that and wanted to spend all their time hating them for being in the race- that was their problem, not Rob and Ambers.

You both are forgetting them stealing the directions that the flight attendant wrote for U&J. That was pretty slimy, IMO.

They haven’t been trying to screw other teams as much this time as much as they did in season 7, but they sure haven’t been saints either.

[Ghoulish Delight]

You both are forgetting them stealing the directions that the flight attendant wrote for U&J. That was pretty slimy, IMO.And what was U&J's response?

[Nephythys]

Stealing?

Did Uchenna leave it there for Rob to take? Yeah, I think he did- even if he did not mean to.

Responsibility lies with Uchenna and Joyce- if you don't want someone to pick up that paper, don't leave it there.

Once again- Rob and Amber made use of something that happened to be staring them in the face- so they took it. I find it impossible to believe that any other team would not have made the same choice.

The goal is to win a race- not sainthood or an award for being pious.

[Alex]

The event with the flight attendant wasn't actually shown and the two accounts differed so I don't know what actually happened.

But I wouldn't be surprised if they did somehow steal it and I also wouldn't be surprised if a relatively benign event that was whined into exaggeration.

[Nephythys]

Uchenna saw Rob take it- so the paper had to have been left there away from Uchenna and Joyce in order for Rob to take it. Had Rob snatched it from under their nose I would imagine there would have been a confrontation.

I think Uchenna saying that Rob "stole" it was hyperbole on his part.

[Jughead P. Jones]

You both are forgetting them stealing the directions that the flight attendant wrote for U&J. That was pretty slimy, IMO.

Well, yeah...but Uchenna and Joyce are at least still in the race.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I got the feeling that Rob just intercepted the flight attendant as she was headed to U&J's seat to deliver the paper.

[JWBear]

Stealing?

Did Uchenna leave it there for Rob to take? Yeah, I think he did- even if he did not mean to.

Responsibility lies with Uchenna and Joyce- if you don't want someone to pick up that paper, don't leave it there.
Are you honestly telling me that taking something that doesn’t belong to you is not stealing if it’s just sitting there?!?! Try telling that to the police! “But officer… the car was just sitting there in the parking lot. Nobody was in it; I thought it was up for grabs!”

Once again- Rob and Amber made use of something that happened to be staring them in the face- so they took it. I find it impossible to believe that any other team would not have made the same choice.

The goal is to win a race- not sainthood or an award for being pious.
Again… taking something that does not belong to you is theft. It is wrong. Being in a competition does not excuse theft.

I find it very possible to believe that most teams would not steal from other teams. Most people are basically honest.

Yes, the goal is to win, but there have to be rules, and there have to be limits; otherwise you have anarchy. If you allow (or encourage) the stealing of directions, where do you draw the line? Why not steal another teams clue or their passports? Why not injure or kill them? Anything to win, right?

I must be old fashioned, but I believe that winning is meaningless if you lie, cheat, and steal to achieve it. Sportsmanship, fair play, having fun, and knowing how to accept defeat gracefully is far more important than whether you win or lose.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Yes, the goal is to win, but there have to be rules, and there have to be limits; otherwise you have anarchy.But that's just it. There ARE rules. And if they aren't being penalized, then they haven't broken any rules. If the producers of Amazing Race don't want it happening, they'd put it in the rules. It would be one thing if the teams were disagreeing about what is and isn't within the rules. It's another thing for them to be complaining about something that is clearly within the rules.

I would totally understand if a team were in a situation where Rob and Amber were asking for their help and they said, "Sorry, we don't like the way you play so we're not helping you," (though if it would benefit them as well I'd think it would be a poor choice). But to just complain to them that "it's not fair?" If I wanted to watch people play a game and complain that the rules aren't fair, I'd go watch a game of kickball at the nearest elementary school.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I keep wanting to come back to the stealing signs in baseball analogy because it's so apt. But as I think about it, it's prevalent in every sport. Why do football teams huddle up before a play? Why does the quarterback yell random words and numbers? Why do basketball players use hand signals to set their offense? It's all to prevent the other team from "stealing" their information, from knowing what they're going to do next. Why don't they just rely on the other team's sense of sportsmanship to not listen in? Or, going back to baseball for a moment, how incredibly rude for players to be stealing bases.

In professional sports, there's no leeway. A professional player will, and should, do anything they can within the rules to win. If that means they embarrass a pitcher who forgot to call timeout before talking to his catcher by stealing a base, no one calls them a dirty player or accuses them of cheating. It's the pitchers fault for failing to pay attention to the game. Who cares if it's usually "understood" that a pitcher wants a timeout when he talks to the catcher?

If you allow (or encourage) the stealing of directions, where do you draw the line? Why not steal another teams clue or their passports? ? Why not injure or kill them?Because one is explicitly against the rules, and the others are illegal.

I'd turn that question around. Where do you draw the line for within-the-rules cheating? Is someone who is lost but finds there way when they see another team running the opposite direction a cheater? If I overhear another team blurt out an answer, am I cheating if I use that answer? If two teams are in a foot race to the finish line, but one team sees an easier path, are they cheating if they don't stop and point out that path to their competitor?

My answer is, the line is the rules and the law. If it's not expressly forbidden, it's fair game.

[Nephythys]

Are you honestly telling me that taking something that doesn’t belong to you is not stealing if it’s just sitting there?!?! Try telling that to the police! “But officer… the car was just sitting there in the parking lot. Nobody was in it; I thought it was up for grabs!”

A slip of paper with a few scribbled directions is not an item of value like a car is.
Apples to oranges.

As far as we can tell from the show that slip of paper may have been destined for the trash can- so Rob grabbing it makes no difference anyway. Uchenna was laughing about it- excuse me if I do not share your outrage over Rob picking up a piece of scratch paper.


Again… taking something that does not belong to you is theft. It is wrong. Being in a competition does not excuse theft.

I find it very possible to believe that most teams would not steal from other teams. Most people are basically honest.

Again...taking a piece of scratch paper with directions on it is not a grand felony crime. Some perspective please?

I don't believe for a minute that the other teams would not do the same thing if they felt it would help them get ahead.

Yes, the goal is to win, but there have to be rules, and there have to be limits; otherwise you have anarchy. If you allow (or encourage) the stealing of directions, where do you draw the line? Why not steal another teams clue or their passports? Why not injure or kill them? Anything to win, right?

No- but I chalk that up to hyperbole similar to Uchenna's ;)

I must be old fashioned, but I believe that winning is meaningless if you lie, cheat, and steal to achieve it. Sportsmanship, fair play, having fun, and knowing how to accept defeat gracefully is far more important than whether you win or lose.

I do not agree that they stole anything.
Everyone lies- outright or by omission. I have seen other teams lie to each other in this race- it was not just Rob and Amber.

Rob and Amber dealt with their defeat with infinate grace- and appreciation for the blessings in their life. Class act IMO.

[mousepod]

I once got into an argument with a group of loved ones over a game. We were playing Quiddler, which is a word game played with a special deck of cards. Each player has to use the cards that they're dealt to make words. Whatever letters you don't use are subtracted from your total.

I was dealt a crappy hand, so I knew that the only way I could stay in the game was to bluff, and put down a word that I knew to be false.

You are allowed to consult a dictionary before you play your hand, but not during your turn or if you are challenging someone - the fact that challenges are addressed in the rules made it clear to me that bluffs are part of the game.

So I bluffed.

Nobody challenged me, so the game went on.

A few minutes later, someone picks up a dictionary and accuses me of cheating.

"I didn't cheat. I bluffed."

"That's not how we play the game. We play a friendly game."

Clearly, this debate about the Amazing Race (or more specifically, Rob and Amber), is a debate on the unwritten rules of the game, or "sportsmanship". I understand that JWBear holds "sportsmanlike" values sacrosanct, while Neph and GD seem to appreciate the rules and the limits to which they can be pushed in order to advance in the game.

I shared my story to illustrate how I feel.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Kwyjibo - a big, dumb, balding North American ape. With no chin. And a short temper.

[Nephythys]

LOL!

[JWBear]

I guess it just comes down to those of us who believe in fair play and sportsmanship, and those who don’t - between those of us who prefer to see teams succeed or not based on their own abilities (and not on how good they are at sabotaging their competitors), and those who enjoy the backstabbing that characterizes most other reality shows – and leave it at that.

[Ghoulish Delight]

That's your definition of "fair" and "backstabbing", not mine. I've seen no one do anything "unfair".

[Nephythys]

I guess it just comes down to those of us who believe in fair play and sportsmanship, and those who don’t - between those of us who prefer to see teams succeed or not based on their own abilities (and not on how good they are at sabotaging their competitors), and those who enjoy the backstabbing that characterizes most other reality shows – and leave it at that.

mmmkay- ethical judgement based on how we feel about a reality TV show edited for impact and ratings.


That's a doozy.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I thought that episode was pretty lame. The whole thing was nothing but catch-up legs:

* Wake up and hurry your asses to the glacier...but you all have to wait for the 8AM ski lift

* Hurry up and find a better flight or you'll end up on the flight arriving at 3PM. But they all made it on the earliest flight.

* Pull out your buggy whip and get your driver to get you to the training field as fast as possible...where you stop and wait at the gate while everyone else catches up to you.

And then, to top it off, the only part of the race that actually matters came down to getting lucky and picking the right detour option as one took WAY longer than the other (all three teams that chose nail painting leap-frogged in front of everyone else who took the coal delivery). Though I did like the idea of teams being punished for thinking "A man can't get away with painting nails."

Overall, lame as can be.

As much as I didn't want Mirna and Charla to win anything, CP had a good point. Them coming in first means 20 minutes of the episode without having to listen to them. Hooray! And can you imagine them doing the coal challenge? Ugh the thought of watching them scream at each other while doing that makes me shudder.

[Moonliner]

Have you noticed the detours trend this season?

Horse care VS Artifact Searching

Sign Building VS Compass Walk

Nail painting VS Coal schlepping..

The detours are clearly designed so that one is faster/easier than the other. Hopefully the smarter teams will pick up on this and start switching tasks at the drop of a hat.

Oh and thank the maker that Ian's cabbie took them to nail painting and not the coal schlepp. Yea old folks in paper underwear!

[Jughead P. Jones]

You know, I'm starting to think that maybe Charla might have benefitted more by choosing a different partner other than wackjob-Mirna. Granted, Charla can get just as loud and obnoxious as Mirna, but at the very least, Charla tries her hardest at anything she does, which is a lot more than I can say for her whiny partner in crime. But, at any rate, it is nice to see Charla/Mirna win at least one leg...as long as it's not the final leg.

I have to say that I cringed once again when Dustin and Kandice failed to read yet another clue again. As much as I love these two and want them to go all the way to the end, they need to wake up! At least they chose the nail painting option to come in second place so they redeemed themselves.

[Mousey Girl]

Danny and Oswald make a reference last night that made me laugh. When they were leaving the pitstop and going to their car once of them did a perfect "Santino" voice and asked, "Where's Andre?" Now I get to call my mom and explain that it came from Project Runway.

While I am glad that the airport was not a total equalizer, I still didn't feel the whole thing was very fair.

[mousepod]

I actually liked the episode. The fact that early risk-taking at the airport determined the final order was gratifying. Though I'm not really enamored with Charla and Mirna, they played the leg right.

[Nephythys]

blarg- missed it.
We went biking last night and Ian asked me to tape Extreme Makeover:Home Edition and I totally spaced AR. Meh- I kept thinking I had missed something- now I know what it was.

Bummer- did I miss anything great?

[JWBear]

I'm going to miss Teri & Ian. I knew it was coming, but it was still sad to see. I was enjoying them this time around.

[Moonliner]

Romber out, Terri and Ian out, WitchBitch at the top of the pack...

Could this season go any more wrong?

[Alex]

I forgot about this and was watching Planet Earth on Discovery Channel for the first 20 minutes. So I missed whatever happened to separate everybody at at the airport. I wasn't clear on how separated they were other than that the first two planes finished before dark on one day and the last teams finished after dawn the next.

Anybody willing to give a quick rundown?

[Nephythys]

3/25/07 episode re-cap (http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race11/shows/ep06/)

:)

[Stan4dSteph]

I forgot about this and was watching Planet Earth on Discovery Channel for the first 20 minutes. So I missed whatever happened to separate everybody at at the airport.How was Planet Earth? The previews looked very interesting. I got distracted by the House marathon and forgot to watch it.

[Alex]

It was a commercial for HD (which I don't have). Very pretty photography but not much purpose other than showing very pretty photography.

But I turned to it during a TAS commercial break just in time to see the jumping great white so I was happy.

[Jughead P. Jones]

Funny moment of the show.

PHIL: You're team number 1 and I have good news for you. You have both won a catamaran.

CHARM: What's that?

PHIL: It's a little boat.

CHARM: Oh...um...YAY!!!!!

[Prudence]

I thought it was funny when they didn't get the hooker jokes when they were waiting on benches.

[Ghoulish Delight]

That whole airport thing felt very...staged isn't the word. Over-orchestrated? Maybe it was just the way it was edited (like the fact that they were clearly overdubbing what the ticket agents were saying). I wouldn't say I got the feeling that anything was rigged against any one team, but I gotta believe that the producers made some sort of arrangement with the airlines that ensured X number of teams made it on the first flight, Y on the second, and Z on the third. I can understand why they would do that, but I'd much rather it happen a little more naturally than it seemed to happen.

You know, I thought that once again they set up the detour such that if you made the wrong random choice you were screwed, but the beauty queens rocked with the "schlep" challenge. Damn are those two in shape.

At this point, I'd say Danny and Oswald are my favorites, but I wouldn't mind if either they or the Beauty Queens win. The BQs space out on occasion, but they don't panic and for the most part are on the ball. Everyone else just kinda bugs me, some for intangible reasons (I was happy to see Ian and Terri go), some for far more tangible.

Okay, the M&C's broken English thing was bad enough up to this point..but Charla's Italian accent this episode just put it over the top. They seem to think that it somehow makes them appear more sympathetic to the locals. And I can't blame them for thinking it works...because it does work just not for the reason they think it does. It works because whoever they're talking to just does whatever they say to shut them the hell up. If they didn't have cameras pointed at them, they'd more likely get punched in the face than a ride. Ugh.

ETA: We caught the Deep Ocean episode of Planet Earth. We really loved it, some gorgeous shots and some amazing examples of cooperative hunting. I'd kill to see in person a pod of 50 dolphins booking it at full speed in open ocean. I could have done without the gratuitous preaching at the end, but it was just one statement, very overlookable.

[Alex]

According to the voiceover that was 500 dolphins.

[Ghoulish Delight]

According to the voiceover that was 500 dolphins.
And according to my brain it was too. According to my thumb, apparently, it was 50. Yeah. 500.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

What GD said, of course.

My interest in this show is waning waning waning. Nearly all of the winning is due to luck, not skill. In fact, it seems there are only two skills that really work: the good old MA "read everything" skill, and being so damn annoying that everyone around you will help you get to where you're going. Seriously, this show is about bugging airport workers and harassing cab drivers. I just sit in my chair and feel awful for the people that have to deal with these screaming jerks who are being followed by camera crews. Ugly Americans indeed.

Did I mention that I hate nearly all of these people? I know that even if I watched it all the way to the end and one of the teams I sorta root for actually won, my entire reaction would be "well, there's that." Mostly because that's how I feel at the end of each episode.

GD seems determined to give it one more week, so I will too, I guess.

[Prudence]

I miss the hippies. At least they actually seemed interested in the people they met along the way.

[Jughead P. Jones]

Can I just say that the producer that came up with the really stupid move of combining an "Intersection" and a "Fast Forward" on a single leg of the race should be fired? I appreciate the fact that now TWO teams are forbidden to take another fast forward, so it'll make the competition that much more fierce...but, come on...why combine them? And, why was the Fast Forward such a cake-walk? Counting steps...oooooh...that's challenging! Oh well, I imagine the next fast forward option will be something disgusting like drinking caterpillar guts or something like that.

And, although Team Guido wasn't my favourite team of the bunch, they certainly got screwed. What was the point of a non-elimination leg for them? They were already 18-20 hours behind the other teams, and competing for LAST PLACE with Eric and Danielle. You can't possibly tell me that they had a shot after that...especially with the 30 minute penalty they got for finishing last. That whole set-up was painful to watch. You just knew that no matter how much they tried, the Guidos were toast, and it's a real shame.

Although, the sausage detour was incredibly entertaining. I especially laughed when Dustin threw up and Eric proclaimed "Let's hear it for Miss California!" LOL!

[Alex]

Having had reason to count a large number of stairs before (for making a MouseAdventure) but not nearly so many as that, let me say that it is surprisingly difficult to do it and get the same number twice. Though helped by having four instead of two people do it.

I was pretty impressed when they got it on the first try.

It is also good preparation for future travels to know that when lost in Warsaw, to not bother asking a policeman for help.

[Stan4dSteph]

Having had reason to count a large number of stairs before (for making a MouseAdventure) but not nearly so many as that, let me say that it is surprisingly difficult to do it and get the same number twice. Though helped by having four instead of two people do it.

I was pretty impressed when they got it on the first try.Me too. It helps to have multiple people, since in the end they went with the guess where two people agreed.

It is also good preparation for future travels to know that when lost in Warsaw, to not bother asking a policeman for help.Yeah, that was interesting.

"Can you help us?"

Policeman: "No."

[JWBear]

...It is also good preparation for future travels to know that when lost in Warsaw, to not bother asking a policeman for help.

...If you're Mirna. (Seriously, it should tell you something when an entire nation wants nothing to do with you!)

[Jughead P. Jones]

...If you're Mirna. (Seriously, it should tell you something when an entire nation wants nothing to do with you!)


And, then they complain that everyone in the country is just so rude and horrible. :rolleyes:

[Moonliner]

I can't say I'm too happy with their choice of destinations.

Something about having a game show filming an episode at Auschwitz just did not sit well with me. Go to the Gdansk shipyards or the Wieliczka salt mines (http://www.poland-embassy.si/eng/poland/wieliczka.htm)instead.

[Alex]

Yes, I was very prepared to be offended at any gameplaying they might do at or around Auschwitz (and working through in my head how I'd respond if put into that situation).

But since all they did was look at it, light some candles, give weepy interviews, and then move on I'm not really bothered. And since it was the middle of the night they didn't intrude on anybody else's experience.

[JWBear]

I know I'm going to hell for it, but I just couldn't stop laughing at Charla falling over during the Roadblock.

[Stan4dSteph]

I know I'm going to hell for it, but I just couldn't stop laughing at Charla falling over during the Roadblock.Ditto.

[katiesue]

I tuned in last night since reading this thread intrigued me.

I too was laughing when Charla fell over. Although I was a little worried that the horse was going to step on her. Good lord but those two are the whiniest women. I also found it amusing that no one would help them.

I also thought the stairstep counting was kind of easy. I know keeping a large number in your head isn't easy but if you're counting as you go up each step that has to be easier than say counting letters on a sheet of paper or something where you have to keep track of where you are. Plus if you have four people doing the same thing your odds of coming up with a number must increase.

But I do like the show. I'll have to add it to my DVR list.

[Prudence]

I was wondering if the trouble whatstheirnames was having in Poland was due to perceived ethnicity. I don't pretend to know the intricacies of ethnic stereotypes in that swath of the world, but knowing a Bulgarian, Estonian, and Armenian (that's a huge range in territory, I know) now living in the US, I do know that there are some conflicts and stereotypes.

[katiesue]

I thought that too Pru. I also thought maybe they don't like obnoxious americans with huge tv camera, lights and boom in their faces.

[Alex]

I have a friend in Bulgaria right now with the Peace Corps, and while things do vary from country to country she does report that ethnic shunning is widespread and along fault lines most of us wouldn't even recognize (particularly Roma and people from countries farther east than wherever you are).

From what she says I also wouldn't be surprised to find out that they thought dwarfism is contagious.

[Prudence]

I thought that too Pru. I also thought maybe they don't like obnoxious americans with huge tv camera, lights and boom in their faces.

Except that they don't look American. And the producers didn't show others having that trouble (which could, of course, just be editing.)

[katiesue]

True Prudence not necessarily americans from their look and accent.

Alex I also agree about the dwarfism. Some cultures are still very supersticious.

[Stan4dSteph]

Except that they don't look American. And the producers didn't show others having that trouble (which could, of course, just be editing.)No, but it's quite possible that the do look Armenian. There may be some friction there between Poland and Armenia.

And I agree about the dwarfism being something that people might not understand and be afraid of.

[Prudence]

No, but it's quite possible that the do look Armenian. There may be some friction there between Poland and Armenia.


Well, yes, that's what I was getting at. As far as I can tell, from the Armenian perspective there's friction between them and pretty much everyone.

[Alex]

A brief Wikipedia history of Armenians in Poland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenians_in_Poland). 800 ago they were quite the major minority, but not so much these days.

Nothing mentioned on that page indicates any current animus or reason for one.

And if you care, America has the fifth largest Armenian population (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_diaspora) in the world behind Armenia, Russia, France, and Iran.

[Strangler Lewis]

No, but it's quite possible that the do look Armenian. . . .And I agree about the dwarfism being something that people might not understand and be afraid of.

No wonder Cher divorced Sonny.

[Alex]

I thought it was because he was so stupid he kept hitting on trees.


Really bad, really stupid joke but one that has stuck in my head for many years now.

[Alex]

Ok, I missed the first 10 minutes since I was still making dinner so can someone tell me

how they ended up so far behind everyone?

[Stan4dSteph]

They booked a flight through Frankfurt that had a very tight connection, only one hour. The flight into Frankfurt landed about 10 minutes late and by the time they went to get their tickets to Kuala Lumpur, the flight was closed. The next flight wasn't until the next day.

It made the whole "race to the mat" editing for second to last a bit silly IMO.

[Jughead P. Jones]

Let's see...design and paint a small piece of fabric or try to find one licorice cookie in 600 boxes. To me, the choice would be a no-brainer, and given the choices some teams made in the detours, they proved they ARE no-brainers.

[Alex]

I don't know. Eric and Danielle started the cookies at the same time Cha Cha Cha were starting the fabric painting and they both ended up at the newspaper task at about the same time.

Danielle may have complained about having to do the "boy" task, but since breasteses seemed to be a big help it is probably best she did. If only she hadn't wrecked her bike.

[Jughead P. Jones]

I don't know. Eric and Danielle started the cookies at the same time Cha Cha Cha were starting the fabric painting and they both ended up at the newspaper task at about the same time.

Danielle may have complained about having to do the "boy" task, but since breasteses seemed to be a big help it is probably best she did. If only she hadn't wrecked her bike.

Eric and Danielle got LUCKY. I can only imagine how many cookies Charla and Mirna bit into before they switched detour options.

[Moonliner]

I had to go back and check but from what they read/said on the show there was no reason they had to bite into the cookies. Why not just break them up and move on.... ?? There must have been something written in the clue about biting each one or these guys really are thick.

Also Phil stated they should "proceed on foot" to both detours. Yet two teams took taxis. Why was there no penalty for that?

I'm also sad for Joyce and Uchena. I liked them, but I thought it would be fun to see them tying to recycle newspapers at four in the morning...

[Jughead P. Jones]

Can I just say how annoyed I am at teams complaining that the Yield option is unfair, and that anyone who does use it is scum? The Yield is a PART OF THE GAME, which if used correctly, can help teams get further in the race. Dustin and Kandice realized this, and yielded Eric and Danielle, because while Uchenna and Joyce got held back, they had no way of knowing this. As far as the BQ's were concerned, they thought they were fighting for last place, and they needed an edge.

I could maybe understand Eric and Danielle's frustration at the beginning, but there's no need to harbour a grudge. That's just petty. And, why the hell would Charla and Mirna get on their cases like that. It's not like they were yielded BY them. Yet, I bet that they'd be the first to yield the BQ's the next time a Yield option is available. :rolleyes:

[Alex]

I really though the fast forward was lame. There should have been some interactivity with the players in it. All they had to do was sit strapped into a car.

I apologize also for complaining about the lack of airport drama since now I'm sick of it. I know they're trying to be rude to each other but they just end up being rude to the airline employees.

In past seasons has anybody ever been barred or kicked off a flight for poor behavior?

[mousepod]

I've been thinking about the situations where 2 out of three couples make it onto a plane. Does anyone know how the camera people are booked? Does each team need 3 tickets for a flight, or can there be one cameraman per flight? Has the need to get the AR crew on board ever bumped a team?

[Alex]

I'm told that frequently there is only one camera on the plane and the teams pick up new crews at the destination (logistically easier as the game goes on since you have more spare crews).

[Jughead P. Jones]

In past seasons has anybody ever been barred or kicked off a flight for poor behavior?

I don't recall anybody getting thrown off a flight, but in season 6, Jonathan and Victoria were thrown out of a taxi for Jonathan's less than stellar behaviour.

I still laugh about that three years later. :D

[mousepod]

2 non-eliminations in a row? How would it have worked had the team "marked for elimination" actually come in last?

[Alex]

I imagine they still be marked for elimination on the next leg.

I'm glad I didn't know how many episodes are left in the season or some suspense would have been lost there.

[jdramj]

2 non-eliminations in a row? How would it have worked had the team "marked for elimination" actually come in last?

My DH and I were wondering if they threw that one in just to see the fireworks explode between the blondes, Erick and Danielle, and Danny and Oswald on the next leg of the race.

I did love seeing Danny and Oswald's picture on Eric's butt while waiting at the pit stop. That was funny.

[thecorndogwalker]

Dont they normally do only 3 non-eliminations each season? Hasnt there been four? I do agree it is probably thrown in because it creates more tension btwn the teams....

[thecorndogwalker]

We will miss you Cha-Cha queens! Last night's ep was good...

[Stan4dSteph]

"Oh my God, the Teletubbies go to war!"

I will miss the ChaChas. :(

[Mousey Girl]

At this point I don't really care who wins. I read the spoilers with the winner's list and I was hoping it was wrong.

[Jughead P. Jones]

At this point I don't really care who wins. I read the spoilers with the winner's list and I was hoping it was wrong.

I know what you mean. At this point, the only team that I really want to see win is Dustin and Kandice...and if they don't, then to me, the whole season seems to be a letdown.

[JWBear]

If D&K don't win, it will be the biggest disappointment since Freddie & KKKendra.

[Alex]

Ok, if I were playing I would have come out of that last road block with a big advantage.

When it comes to games like that (where one person has to answers questions and then your partner has to match your answers) I have a standing rule (discussed with Lani and would be discussed with a TAR partner):

If it is multiple choice, always pick the first option.

So the code would have been 1111 and my partner wouldn't even have to think about it.

I developed this personal rule as a kid watching The Newlywed Game.

[mousepod]

I was not unsatisfied with the outcome of the game.

But now I'm wondering, Alex - how would your strategy apply to The Newlywed Game? I remember the questions being fill-in-the-blank, not multiple choice...

[Alex]

I remember there being multiple choice and fill in the blank mixed in. But I had a whole suite of "rules" for cheating the game.

If a body part seems appropriate, say "arm"
If a woman's name seems appropriate, say "Sue"
If a man's name seems appropriate, say "Greg"
If it could be either a man or a woman, say "Sue"
If a room of the house is called for say...
If an article of clothing...

and so on. So maybe I just included the multiple choice rule for completeness. All in the services of winning a $400 washing machine.

[mousepod]

You amaze and entertain me. Thank you for your explanation.

[JWBear]

That sucked, but at least it wasn't Pinky and the Brain (http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race5/teams/charla/bio.shtml)....

[Stan4dSteph]

Alex, you are an evil genius.

[thecorndogwalker]

It was not a great ending (although I spoiled it for myself) by actually reading the spoilers at the beginning of the season. I just felt like the winning team wasnt even couple from the previous shows. So it feels weird calling them all-stars... It was an exciting ending and heres to a new crop of racers..... ciao for now!

[Jughead P. Jones]

Hopefully, season 12 will be much more interesting.

Granted, the All-Star season was great in theory, and there were some memorable moments...but I think it could have been executed a lot better.

Heck, it would have made the season much better if Gretchen and Meredith could have made a cameo appearance at the the pit stop, where they could have said "Oh, Meredith, we got a bad pit stop!" ;)

[Mousey Girl]

I would have liked to se the BQs win. Nickolas said, "I don't care who wins, as long as it isn't the team with the midget."

[Ghoulish Delight]

Good to know those horrible bitches didn't win. I don't really care otherwise.

[thecorndogwalker]

charla and mirna were entertaining... i would have wanted to see them win...

[Prudence]

I know I'm in the minority, but I like Charla and Mirna.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I couldn't stand them. Pure bitch. The were utterly condescending to the locals, their habit of lapsing into broken English was disgustingly insulting, especially in light of claiming to speak 7 languages. And when that act didn't work, they'd resort to badgering people (including each other) until they got their way. I don't know if they realize they were being such bitches or if they were just blind to the fact that they got their way because people wanted to just shut them up and get them out of their faces, thus reinforcing their delusion that they were being charming and sympathetic. Whatever the reason, the end result was the same. Obnoxious whiny bitches that induced me to stop watching the show.

[Alex]

I didn't really have a problem with them but Eric and Danielle created much the same response in me.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I didn't really have a problem with them but Eric and Danielle created much the same response in me.
They bugged me too, but when we stopped watching they really hadn't shown much of them. Maybe if I'd have kept watching I'd hate them nearly as much.

[thecorndogwalker]

I didn't really have a problem with them but Eric and Danielle created much the same response in me.

i just could get over the fact that they were not a real team that played previously... they annoyed me... but so did the beauty queens... they really annoyed me...

[Jughead P. Jones]

I was half-hearted about Team Charm (Charla/Mirna)

Loved Charla...despised Mirna.