I howled when Mama Paolo wanted to choose a later start time at the trailer park so that she could sleep longer. That's just precious.

And a clink of the beer bottles to the Linz crew for immediately recoginizing, and correctly identifying, the party bikes. Clear evidence that they're not afraid of fun. Note to self: find them and drink with them...

I hope there isn't a non-elimination round because I want this show over asap! yyyaawwn. Still rooting for the Grievers though.

This episode blew that last snore-fest out of the water. Having said that, we were AGAIN duped into thinking there was some REAL drama - the Desperate Housewife crying, the girl having a breakdown at her father's retardation and the Bible Tumping Widow Clan freaking out about the race track - EVERY. SINGLE. MOMENT. was literally that - a moment, and then back to the party bikes.

WTF?

Was better than last week, though.

Over on Lake Pontchartrain..."It's one of the five Great Lakes," announced Linda. Okay, she's officially an idiot.

Which was further proven when the next scene showed little Carissa stating, "Is this lake bigger than the Great Lakes?" Cracked me up and reminded me why I still watch the Family Edition.

And you know Mama Weaver homeschools her kids too. Poor things.

Oh man, the Weavers at the race track was the closest thing to "blue balls" ever. After a week of anticipation, I was fully expecting a massive meltdown from at least the screamer daughter,and all I got was one lousy "Mommy we can't." Talk about a let down. BTW- Mama Weaver Griever is suing the race track where Papa died for big bucks. Hopefully they will use some of the money (if they win) for grief counseling and pants for the girls.

Very funny recap as usual - but I was disappointed you left out three of my favorite moments:

The Linz kid saying he was going to go home and build an office chair just a 'hair' bigger,
Mama Paolo grabbing Les's hand for a quick shake and yelling "Nice to meet ya" and
Walder joking that he was going to moon the Linzes - his daughters were disgusted, but you could tell he REALLY wanted to do it. That wacky Walder.

Two things: #1) What better shot of the PhilPackage than standing on the race track, eh? Still not much to write home about and #2) I finally heard the weirdness of the Godlewski accent. I guess it never registered with me since I am from the Midwest. But after paying close attention to it last night ("bee-ack pee-ack" for backpack), it sounds to me like the accent of every person I have ever met from Michigan. Not surprised to see they are from IL. They probably say "She-cah-goo", too.

For as much as people rip on Carissa her little song about finding the lucky pen was over looked. I found it kind of funny

Don't you wish Jonathan and Victoria had kids so they could be on this season? I would love to see a fight between Jonathan and Marion.

This episode is beginning to remind me why I love this show.

My favorite bit: When wee Carissa got hit in the face with the handle of the axe at the state park.

But the only remarkable thing the producers could find in Mississippi was a trailer park? What, no giant office furniture in Mississippi?

I love to watch crazy reality show women cry for no apparent reason. I don't know why I find it so hilarious.

This show sucks, its such a bore. I'm tired of hearing about the J-man too.

Anytime a reality show contestant boasts about 'being in their hometown' and knowing 'the city', they end up losing during the episode. I thought the dog faced Schroeder girl crying was funny as well. Boo hoo! She should be crying because she looked in a mirror.

KH

I'm torn about Family Edition, and I think I know why now. There is no money limitation, no statement of each team will be getting x amount of dollars for this leg. Limited money always adds a bit of suspense to things, and it also means if there are nonelimination rounds that there will be no real signifigant penalties for the team that comes in last.

that's a good point Warren. The other thing is that the challenges are so boring. Sawing logs or playing cards? Maybe b/c there are kids they don't want to do anything too dangerous, but it looks like it will pick up next week. The recaps are great though and I still like watching for the family drama. Good times!

I'm from Chicago, and I used to think we Midwesterners didn't have accents. Boy was I wrong! Gad, I hope I don't really talk like tha-yat! Oops. Anyway, those of you who predicted this season would suck, I guess you were right. But they did say in the previews that they leave the country next week, so hopefully it will get better. In the meantime-GO WHITE SOX!

"But still, CBS, never do Family Edition again..."

That quote from last week says it all.

sg-dub, I also noticed how funny it was that after Mama Weaver identified Pontchartraine as a Great Lake, Carissa, who is only 9, revealed that she knew better. Great editing there.

There are plenty of more interesting things they could send these teams to see and do than just a trailer dealership and playing blackjack.

I think this season can be wrapped up by a direct quote from my non-plussed 8 year old. "This is so boring." He then proceeded to beg me to watch "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." Yes, CBS my very hip kid would rather watch Milton Berle and Spencer Tracy for 3+ hours than sit through this excrement. However, I kept watching and was pleased with some of the fun things to snark on. I can't really figure out who is who still. Having the blacks, I mean Black's would be good for that. The Linz's are definitely invited to my next party. A shout out to HicksPub for noting that they can likely swill with the best of 'em. God help us with those Weavers. In the immortal words of somebody's mother "What greater Hell is there than a heaven full of people like that?" Amen Sister!!! She's a homeschooler? Thanks you stupid "it's one of the 5 Great Lakes" bitch. You further cement the idea that homeschoolers are religious bufoons who should not be educating their children, to an already suspicious public. Next week she'll be talking about how dinosaurs and cave men once cohabitated in the Grand Canyon 5,000 years ago. Wicked cool!
Oh my Gawd!! I felt so bad for the premenstrual Gawdlewski. "I'm taking my bay-yuck pay-yuck. Wah!!! I need my tampons."
I want Mama Paulo to smack some respect into those nasty brat kids of hers.
How embarrassing for the New Orleans family to lose on the New orleans leg. Duh, it's your freakin' neighborhood! But they sucked anyway. I loved the ugly man's version of a trophy wife. Very nice.
I hate to say I'm cashing it in on this season being exciting. It's a straight up yawn fest. I'll still watch for ripping my fellow human beings apart sake. Oh, and I love Carrissa and her puppy. What? That's her brother? Who knew? She reminds me of the Poltergeist girl. And a shout out for suburbs of Hartford. Woo-woo!!!

what about one of the Linz boys saying that he thought the Bransen girls were hotties or something like that??? I thought for sure it would have made the re-cap!

"I'm torn about Family Edition, and I think I know why now. There is no money limitation, no statement of each team will be getting x amount of dollars for this leg."

This week's first clue as read aloud stated that each team had fifty-one dollars for this leg.

Joslyn (#14) I get bashed about my accent all the time. I lie and say it's southern but I never fool anyone. But I pride myself on not saying Da Bears the SNL way.

YES SOX!!!

I was hoping that after saying "Schroeder Family, I 'm sorry you have been eliminated" he would say "On the bright side, you can walk home from here."

Excellent recap! Gave me a chance to chortle all over again. What would be a trip South without a trip to the world's largest office chair and a trailer home park? How Springer!

And GASP.....props to Carissa! She's actually starting to grow on me (or her "EViiiiiiiiiL" is taking hold of my mind) At least she hasn't resorted to blubbering like all those "adults".

Go Weavers! I love you guys!

These people shouldn't leave the country because they do even know anything about the U.S. I mean, the Great Lakes? C'mon. And it's Hattiesburg like a hat, not Hateysburg, like hate. Two teams mispronounced that. The most boring missions, CBS! I was going to try not to watch but now I need to watch to see how bad it can get. I was kind of hoping for a little update on the Schroeders since they were from New Orleans.

Holy Christ (sorry Weavers) this show needs to end soon!

The Weavers need to settle down a bit about the Car thing, it's not like the challenge was going to be "Dodge the Racecar."

"On the bright side, you can walk home from here."

LOLOLOLOL How funny would THAT have been?

I have stopped watching AR and now only read B-side's excellent blog for updates. Sweet Jesus I am looking forward to a new season.

Thank God they're finally leaving the country. Are they going to Mexico?, or maybe even Canada! You know it can't be too far. And the Carissa lucky pen song had me cracking up. I knew the evil trailer wouldn't go unnoticed. I look forward to every recap. I even find myself reading other shows. Who needs to watch TV when you have TVGasm?

suebee, there's an article somewhere on CBS.com (just google schroeder new orleans or something like that) that talks about how the schroeders moved in with the rogers family for two weeks after the hurricane, and that their house was pretty seriously damaged.

How about that PhilPackage? I mean, yowzer! I guess we all know that he dresses to the right now, huh?

CBS.com now has an internet show the day after TAR:FE with the family that just lost (exactly like the one for Survivor). Here are some of the high points:

*the stepmom was actually saying that it was hard because on some of the days they were going for almost 12 hours. (12 hours? that would be a short train/bus ride for the regular seasons)

*the son only talked twice and each time it was about five seconds long. You could tell he was totally dragged into doing this race.

*the host (one is from a previous season and I don't know who the chick is) said that this season is "much harder than previous seasons". They said it was because you have to deal with the family dynamic, which I think is bullshit. That is an everyday thing, eating four pounds of meat that came from god-knows-what animals is hard.

*the dad said that at the trailer park they were so tired because it was 12:30 at night. Oh, 12:30 at night, but I guess when you had to get up at 8:00am that is a long day.

*they also said the real reason they lost (they got to the mat only a couple of minutes after the devil children) was because they got pulled over on the bridge. The toll is $3, which they knew and paid, but there was an extra charge for the trunk thing on top of the car that they did not know about.

*the family is doing fine, they are rebuilding their home. They are friends with all of the other families except one (i am guessing the jesus loving bunch). Stacci is an annoying little bitch you just want to slap, she totally still thinks that she is the only one for her dad, not her stepmother.

"Dodge the Racecar" LMAO...too funny!

Here are a couple of news stories about the Weaver dad - he left the ministry to work at the Speedway.

http://www.local6.com/news/2831789/detail.html

http://www.andalusiastarnews.com/articles/2004/08/10/news/982news.txt

A friend of ours is always quick to point out how the Weaver kids don't consistently wear seatbelts (particularly the daughters, and often the one who does a lot of the driving). I checked for it this time and, sure enough, 2 of 4 were without seatbelts. Can they really count on Jesus to save them in a crash? They don't exactly have a great (track) record with that...

Carol: Was there any mention of young Hunter telling Rolly that his step-mom was a real bitch?

Well, at least the Schroders got to sleep in their own beds that night.

I knew thats what your title would be. "One minute makes the biggest difference!" She was such a whiner, but its funny she was right. That had me laughing all night.

My favorite part of the whole episode was the Schroeder girl's neck. It was seriously glowing red the whole time, what's up with that?

"Dodge the Racecar." (#24) HA! Panic, I was laughing so hard I was crying...!! Great recap B-side but I am with victoria (#6) I can't believe you left out the Linz kid's comment about building a chair just a hair bigger...!

Is anyone watching the first season being re-aired on GSN? That season, not even compared to Family Edition (cause this definitely isn't the same show,) is like a completely different show. Every clue is actually a "clue" and involves figuring out a riddle or puzzle. None of the "drive yourself to such and such place and chop onions" easy stuff from more recent seasons. Watching that season makes me hate Family Edition even more.

mac (34) - they did not talk about that, since that would actually mean that the son would have to talk.

Megan (36) they actually talked about why their necks were glowing red, it was because the feather boas from the blackjack got wet and stained their necks.

b-side - Why didn't you mention what the Schroeder Dad said after they lost, how they would be able to handle any hardship from now on. There were a lot of moments that had a totally different meaning now after the hurricane.

OK - I think there may be a slight glimmer of hope for this season - or I'm just now tired enough that I'm starting to enjoy this TAR-FE. I to, am starting to have my FAV FAMS on FE. Oh, B-Side - I know the race is not better, the fams are not good, but your recaps are the BOMB! Thanks.

I just about fell off the couch when the Paolo boy screamed "PAPER CUT" at Marion. Boy, those kids are snippy!

I still don't like the Gagging Fam. Carrissa gets more eviiiilllllll with each episode. If we are lucky, we will be rid of them next week!

Oh Linda Weaver, oh you poor, stupid thing.....I hope Jebus will allow you to look at a book of lakes and you will figure out that Lake Pontchartraine is NOT one of the Great Lakes! (AND it's not one of the Wonders of the World!!)

MOUNTAIN GIRL - good eye!

B-Side - I think the picture of Char looks as though she lost the immunity challenge on Survivor. Interesting??

I was hoping this season would get better but now I am just watching for the recaps. I mean C'MON...find a big chair in Anniston, Alabama? Whats next? Drive 20 miles to the Bean Pot Diner in Crossville, Tennessee to find an "I heart Jesus" blanket made out of folded up cigarette packs? This is pathetic.

You know, sawing a log or playing a blackjack sounds mundane, but The Amazing Race has always used mundane things like that for challenges (transporting books to a library, serving tea). It's all about testing luck vs. brawn. Duration vs. brawn. or duration vs. luck. So while I think this season is tame, I don't think the Detours are at fault.

This season is tame and the Detours are still random. But there is a huge advantage when everyone around you speaks English.

I wish there was a picture of the devil girl in her mask they made her wear for the log chopping.

I get the log sawing and blackjack - that stuff is great - especially when some of the detours involve chance. But the biggest office chair in Alabama compared to the Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro? I love the detours - I just hate that they have to go to a BP station to pick up a clue. I not going to change the channel because I still love the show.

Dude, What was with Step-mom Char just breaking down bawling at the end. I mean, I've seen other teams get choked up. I've seen a few teams break down in the final three, but she just lost it. Wait to be strong for the kids, lady.

B-side, you gotta admit that transporting 1,000 books on a dolly to a library that you have to find, 6 blocks away on unusually named streets...

and delivering tea to people with similarly spelled foreign Indian names in a 3 story office building is a lot more complex (and enjoyable) than anything we've seen so far this season.

Altough this show is off my TIVO I had to tune in for the Grievers and their racetrack drama. Lo and behold... no drama. Hardly anything to snark about except for Phill's package.

Next week TAR goes to PANAMA! Maybe there will be some serious drama with the Weavers - children, you know the Erie Canal was built to model the Panama Canal......write that down in your bibles then let's pray.

GO WHITE SOX!!!

Sure, in all the other seasons they got to go around the world... riding elephants, going to New York...

But those seasons didn't have Les or the giant office chair.

B-side-
I love your recaps, but miss your team nicknames. Please bring back the nicknames!
I'll even contribute:
I think the Weavers should be Team Jesus.

Please?

"and delivering tea to people with similarly spelled foreign Indian names in a 3 story office building is a lot more complex (and enjoyable) than anything we've seen so far this season."

Oh that was a good one. B-side that duration/luck/brawn formula is a good way of breaking it down. But there's also often wildcard factors such as fear (Weaver's relatively minor pre-Party Bike breakdown notwithstanding), or the sheer unpleasantness of the task. Ain't been nothing nastay yet, though I doubt the Hungarian soup episode could ever be outdone.

Yeah..I'd like to see Billy "Let ME do it" Gaghan eat 4 lbs of meat!

Oh, and I almost forgot pain. And not the kind that is simply a result of being middle-aged and out-of-shape.

I noticed Carissa...like the Weaver's...wasn't wearing a seatbelt in at least one scene. That bothers me. I don't know how old she is but in my state, you have to be in a booster seat until you are 8 years old or 80 lbs.

I agree with most people on here that mundane tasks done in another part of the world where many people don't speak English, the culture and customs are unfamiliar, and the transportation is unique or complicated are quite different from driving on American interstates, ask directions of anyone around, and do things the mundane tasks in familar circumstances.

Plus, past TARs have had more than just mundane luck/time tasks. There are always fear-inducing tasks, disgusting tasks (not just eating but getting dragged in muck or digging in manure come to mind), and tasks of true physical challenge (such as rock climbing or running up hundreds of stairs.) It looks like we get a fear task next week, but otherwise, we've gone close to halfway with only mundane tasks done in familiar surroundings and language.

BTW, I have been dying to be on this show, (yeah I know, me and 6 million other losers...). How do you do it? What are the requirements? I have a fantasy that my girlfriend and I are the first all girl team to win. I think it will still count even if the Gaaadlewski girls win it all because everyone knows this version is gay. And retarded. Please forgive me if the answers are common knowledge. I'm new to this world. And now, for your reading pleasure, I present your very own Snark-o-Tron 8300, the Mrs. Weaver version: Mrs. Weaver is like a ballpark hot dog: more annoying than Spike Lee on speed.
What's more disturbing: Stalin, a pus-filled sore, or Mrs. Weaver? And my personal favorite: If Carol Channing and an old French whore had a lovechild, it would be Mrs. Weaver.

HicksPub, thanks for you comment because i have been getting made fun of mercilessly by my boyfriend ever since i made the comment (in the most non-stalkerish way possible) that i wouldn't mind running into the linz fam since i live in the 'nati too. they seem like fun.

does anyone else get incredibly frustrated when they have challenges where there are 3 departure times and people just settle on one without looking for an earlier time? this is season 8, how do the contestants not know better by now?!!

this is also incredibly hilarious because you can tell the parents are so embarrassed:

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race8/teams/bio_gaghan.shtml

and click on "billy and carissa gaghan spill their family sercets"

I can't believe they went to a trailer park in the South - how stereotypical! Would they have stopped in a trailer park in Washington State, or California, or New York? I don't think so.......

This has been driving me crazy but the Weaver mom looks so familiar. Does anyone know what famous person she looks like??

Did anyone see the preview for Vampire Bats during TAR last night? The much anticipated reunion of Lucy Lawless and CBS Made for TV Sci-Fi Movies is just begging for some LiveBlog lovin'.

Word Deena. This is driving me nuts as well. I see some resemblance to Kathy from Survivor Marquesas, but that's not it. She also reminds me of a blonde and unappealing Gilda Radner, but that's not it either. One of the brilliant minds here will surely figure it out.
Speaking of Survivor, how bout a live blog of that again? It just ended and what a doozy!!! How fun for us to chat about it now instead of later. But whatever, I'll take B-Side and J-Unit wherever I can get them. ;}

I love every recap I read and I know that if I applied for the family episode I would be very upset. I have watched TAR from season one and this is just awful. This season is by far the worst. CBS has pretty much ruined TAR. Unless next season is incredible they will not be able to inlcude me in their viewing audience.

I just love reading about people who won't watch because it's not the same as the other seasons but when TAR9 comes back, they'll watch then.

'Cause, you know, the networks ALWAYS renew shows that people tune out and stop watching.

Get over yourselves, watch the show and keep the ratings up so it *WILL* get renewed.

Megan - I noticed that too, but I think it was after she had on the hot pink boa....it totally rubbed off on her so her neck was bright pink the rest of the leg.

The Gaghan mom is growing on me, after Carissa said "I wish my legs were longer" on the party bikes and she responded with "yeah, ME TOO". This leg I think was the first where the parents realize that they have to work extra hard and their kids can't help (cutting the logs was a major one).

Thank Jebus this episode was better than the last. I have just read on the CBS website that "the teams are estatic when they learn they are leaving the US." I think I can speak for the rest of us on this board when I say that we are too.

I don't have much to say about the Schroeder family (it is nice to hear they seem to be doing okay after Katrina) but the father royally screwed up on this one. He had better raise his daughter's allowance. What an idiot. The apparent agony they all felt after their defeat was quite humorous when contrasted with their son's look of relief. He so didn't want to do this.

I would have to agree with post #58 (Sean) - seriously, could a trailer park in Mississippi be any more stereotypical? I'd have to agree with Daddy Schroeder on this one, "nah, it couldn't be a trailer park."

I guess he should have expected anything after finding the deadliest/rustiest, giant, ugly-ass office chair on the face of the earth. "Why do you need this tetanus shot?" "I cut myself on the world's largest office chair and I want to prevent lockjaw and/or death." The people of Anniston, AL are proud of that?!?

And now for my weekly comments on the Weaver clan. I was proud of Mother Weaver telling her children that they should go ahead and race because their father loved auto racing -- too true. He wouldn't have wanted them to give up at a place he would have enjoyed. Next, WWJD -- I don't think he'd gamble. Pennsylvania must be a state and now we have six Great Lakes (until she sees the Great Salt Late and we have seven). Also, I dislike them not using safety belts and they made up quite a bit of time between the two groups of racers (first bus and second bus). I think they drive rather fast which screams hypocrisy -- I guess they think they'll be okay as long as they pray.

They do seem to be rather lucky and isn't it strange that the last two teams eliminated were the very teams that bad-mouthed these holy folks?

This episode made me like the Bransen family. Now I have 3 teams I wouldn't mind seeing win. Speaking of which, how is Marion Sim going, B-Side?

Damn, missed a typo -- Great Salt LAKE -- oops.

Jay, TAR 9 has already been made and is airing this spring. CBS has committed to that. The Family Edition isn't doing quite as well as the recent regular ones, but it hasn't lost that much in the ratings, certainly not enough for the entire franchise to get cancelled (especially with all the Emmy Awards it's won and the fact that any other show in that time slot would probably get about the same ratings.) CBS stuck with the show in the first few seasons when it had really low ratings, so I doubt they'll cancel it just because some diehard fans are disgruntled with the Family Edition and aren't going to watch it.

Stop writing Jebus instead of Jesus. Good Lord, that's annoying!

As if spelling His name properly is a sin or something...geesh!

Breaking News: Jesus doesn't give a sh-t about blogging. I'm thinking smiting those who spell His name properly on a web blog is not high on His priority list, you know?

Is it just me, or did Phil dis on the Gaghans? He pronounced their name GAG-in. I thought it was GAY-gin.

mac -

I have it on fairly good authority that it is, indeed, "GAG-in."

I am dying at the Charger reference, although we they did win that game, thank God.

#68, "Stop writing Jebus instead of Jesus. Good Lord, that's annoying!

Jesus doesn't give a sh-t about blogging."

Oh the irony. That is hilarious!!! Relax shelley, it's not like g_d, jebus is widely used and is just meant to be kinda silly.

Chronic - thank you.

I was wondering why people kept spelling it Jebus...I thought it was bc they were afraid of his wrath! lol.

Now I know, and knowing's half the battle. (Yooo Joe!)

jebus: homer simpson's version of god.

it's funny cuz it's true.

Jay,
Unless you are a Nielsen household, nobody cares if you watch or not. It doesn't change the ratings. So Nielsen households, watch for us to keep the show alive!

Nascar, rusty metal chairs, trailer parks and gas stations.

Glad I got to see the South in all its glory.

O_o

Really, is this the best they could do?

In response to #59, if you want to know who Mrs. Weaver looks like, look no further than Ghostbusters II, she is the living incarnation of Vigo, right out of the painting.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/slickidiot/vigo.jpg

Those damn partybikes are every NYer's nightmare. They are ridden around the Times Square area with tourists giggling and screaming, tying up traffic and annoying pedestrians. On a positive note, I was thrilled to see Phil's Package was back.

Eureka! I have found it! Mrs. Weaver is... Dog the Bounty Hunter. See for yourself. http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2003/06/19/bounty.jpg

GregNYC you are right on about those party bikes - I live in Hell's Kitchen (really close to Times Square for those not in the know) and I see people coming THIS close to dying on those things almost every single day.

This ep was the best of the season so far - which isn't saying much. While FE does suck I can't say the casting is to blame - these families are quite fun to watch. I just miss the trip around the world. We'll see what next week is like when they leave the country (I'm guessing to some country that's like 50 miles off the coast of Florida but at least it's something).

Eureka! I have found it! Mrs. Weaver is... Dog the Bounty Hunter. See for yourself.

Dog is prettier.