Union Jackass

Amazing Race

By B-Side | Wednesday, May 4, 2005 | 4:17 am | 88 Comments

ramber_sulliedI’ll start this post by saying that I’m not particularly angry at anyone on The Amazing Race, but I thought the title “Union Jackass” was cool; so I kept it. Yes, as my punnage suggests, the racers journeyed from Turkey to foggy London Town where they did all sorts of X-TREME British activities like… ride a ferris wheel and… stack boats and… take the Tube. Okay, so it wasn’t the most adventurous leg ever, but it still was fun, if only to hear Uchenna using a foreigner accent yet again, even in an English-speaking country.The episode began with Phil reminding us that Ron and Kelly would be broke for this leg of the race. You see, they came in last on a non-elimination leg last week; hence, they lost their money and their belongings, but not their bickering attitude. Meanwhile, Phil had other pressing questions to ask: “Will Uchenna and Joyce and Meredith and Gretchen be able to stay ahead of the competition?” Uh, I can answer that very simply: no. By some fluke, these two teams had managed to pulls in front of the unstoppable train that is Rob and Amber, but I doubted lightning would strike twice.

Anyway, Uchenna and Joyce headed off to the Sirkeci train station where they found their next clue in a room full of whirling Dervishes. You know, the Dervishes were quite graceful, and the scene was remarkably beautiful, but don’t they have any better places of worship than a back room in a train station? Or am I being just a naive American pig? Maybe next season we can find a religious group that prays in a sewer.

After checkin’ out the Dervishes, Uchenna and Joyce learned they’d be traveling to London where they’d have to find a “zebra crossing” (that’s cheeky British slang for “crosswalk”) made famous on a Beatles album. Let me guess… Yellow Submarine Way! Tally ho! To the Tubes! Well, this little mind teaser proved to be a simple task for Uchenna who figured it out, you know, immediately. Not that it’s any major feat. Anyone with even the faintest knowledge of Beatles trivia could figure it out.

Of course, that is unless you’re Gretchen and Meredith, the lovable but clueless senior couple who have managed to somehow survive in this crazy game. Unlike Uchenna and Joyce, they were stumped by this famous crosswalk riddle, causing Gretchen to lament that she’d be much better equipped for a Mel Tormé-centric clue. No need to feel down, Gretch. There’s always the chance of a London Fog / Velvet Fog reference (heh. Like that will happen, you crazy old bat). Oh, and for those of you still scratching your head, the answer to the riddle is “Abbey Road.”

Next to leave the Pit Stop were Rob and Amber who gave us not one but two different pronunciations of “Dervish”. “Find the room with the Deverish. Once there, the Devish will escort you…” said Rob, happily adding and dropping phonetics as if they were on his fantasy baseball lineup. Luckily Amber was there to regulate as she properly stated “Dervish.” (To Rob’s credit, it is a hard word, what with the two syllables and all.)

While Rob pondered if the Dervish was a topless woman (it’s a logical thought… if you’re an IDIOT), Ron and Kelly read their first clue which said that three teams have a certain amount of money for this leg of the race. “One team has zero,” read Kelly, and thankfully, we were spared the usual sarcastic “I wonder who that is!” or the defeatist statement of the obvious, “Well, that’s us.” Instead, the two hit the town and tried to drum up some funds for their latest journey. I personally was expecting Ron to chime in about how begging for money was like how he begged for food when he was a POW, but shockingly, he shunned the military references altogether. Luckily Kelly was there to fill the void with pointless nattering about getting married. You know how it goes — the race will really show Ron’s true colors; I’ll be able to see if this is the man I want to marry, blah blah blah. It’s times like these that I wish I were a big, black woman so that I could say “Honey, you ain’t gonna be marrying SHIT” with all the proper swagger it deserves.

Anyway, after all the teams had received their clues from the Dervishes, everyone headed over to the airport where the earliest flight to London was at 8:00 AM the next morning, arriving at 10:30 AM. Check that. The earliest DIRECT flight, that is. Clearly not learning anything from their triumphant leapfrogging of Rob and Amber last week, Joychenna and Team AARP (I really wish I had a better nickname for them) only researched direct flights to London. Sure enough, crafty Rob managed to snag a computer and book tickets on a flight that would arrive ninety minutes earlier. The only problem — there was a layover in Frankfurt, and the flight from Frankfurt to London was already sold out. Throwing caution to the wind, Ramber booked the flight anyway and added themselves to the standby list for their connection. Would this be the big break all the other teams needed? Probably not. In fact, moments later, Ron and Kelly grew wise to the situation and booked themselves on the flight too, hence ensuring that if this connection were a dud, Rob and Amber would still have some way to survive (yes, yes, reality TV pun, I know).

Meanwhile, with all the tickets booked, it was time to mill around uncomfortably. Meredith was kind enough to lend some dough to Ron and Kelly, causing the beauty queen to remark “Oh my gosh” so insincerely that you’d think she were attempting an exercise in monotone sounds. She could have a great career standing in a Post Office and saying “Next window please.”

I shouldn’t come down too hard on her though. Without all her clothes and makeup, she was bound to be a little crankier than usual. Luckily, Turkey is a country known for its compassion towards makeup-less women, and when Kelly reached a pathetic low of asking strangers for lipstick, the ticketing agent was more than happy to fork some over. Look, it’s important that she’s pretty for her flight. What if there’s a spontaneous pageant on the plane? Yeah, you can thank me later.

lipstick
“Hey, this lipstick reminds me of the time when I was in Baghdad and I — shit, now I’m doing it too.”

Well, Ramber and Relly soon departed for Germany, and after deplaning, we once again were treated to this season’s umpteenth foot race between the two teams. As Rob mentioned, the first team at the standby desk would have priority. I guess we should have known that both teams would wind up on the plane though because CBS threw in a commercial break while the two duos were still scampering through the airport. Had only one team gotten on, the cliffhanger would most certainly be a slow-mo shot of which ever poor team was left behind. Sure enough, when we came back to the action, Rob and Amber easily snagged two tickets for the flight, and after a brief moment of suspense by the crafty editors, Ron and Kelly landed two seats as well. We then were treated to my most favorite of Amazing Race graphics: the airplane map. This one drove me a little nuts though as the airplane “lines” moved ever so slowly across the map. Go faster, dammit! I can’t sit and watch this animation creep along forever! (It’s sort of amusing seeing what annoys me, yes?)

Anyway, after landing in London, Rob and Amber managed to secure a lead when their subway car pulled away just seconds before Ron and Kelly appeared on the platform. You know, how many times do Rob and Amber have to sneak off on a shuttle or train before Ron and Kelly realize they should just stick on their asses? Nevertheless, once on the Tube, Rob and Amber met Stuart, a foppish Brit who seemed more than pleased to spend the morning with these two reality chums. “This guy’s pumped to be with us,” said Rob quietly to Amber. Luckily, Stuart was deaf to this comment — that or he simply would have only understood had Rob said “I’m terribly sorry, but this fine fellow is excited to be with us, Nigel!” In my world, all British people call each other Nigel and live on Pennythicket Square.

Well, Stuart turned out to be this week’s Sanjay as he guided Ramber to Abbey Road and the next clue: go to the London Eye. For those of you expecting a giant eyeball, relax. The London Eye is actually an enormous ferris wheel, or as it’s officially called – and I shit you not – the “British Airways millennium observation wheel”. In fact, if you go to The London Eye’s official website, the architects firmly deny that the structure is in fact a ferris wheel. It’s an observation wheel, dammit! Hmmm… sounds like a certain landmark is in the ferris closet. It’s okay, London Eye. Everyone already knows.

Anyway, once at the Eye, teams would have to enter a capsule and ascend above the city. They would then have to find a flag on a nearby building, under which would be a clue box. Man, the old people will so suck at this. With their new sidekick in tow, Ramber boarded a capsule whose futuristic design caused Rob to glow, “I feel like I’m in outer space over here!” Yes, that would make sense, if outer space looked like LONDON.

I was sure this challenge would stump teams for quite a while, but instead Rob and later Ron found the flag fairly easily. Oh man. That’s no fun. At least there’s always Gretchen and Meredith. I can just imagine them riding around and around again with Gretchen cooing “Oooooooh. Where is it? Ohhhhhh.”

With Ron and Kelly not far behind (but none too close either), Rob and Amber arrived at the clue box under the flag and pulled out the Detour: Brains or Brawn. Man, that’s the least creative Detour name yet. Have they simply run out of creative alliterations? And for crying out loud, they’re in England! Couldn’t they have come up with some sort of fish or chips Detour? Man, that would have been DOPE — or as dope as that sort of thing can be (which is not very dope at all). I also would have accepted the following Detours: Harry or William, Posh or Becks, bangers or mash, and “schedule” or “shhhhedule”. Honestly, the possibilities are endless.

Nevertheless, we were stuck with Brains versus Brawn. In Brains, teams had to solve three riddles in the London Underground which would then lead them to the famed address of Sherlock Holmes. And because The Amazing Race is never one to shy away from costumed locals, teams would receive their next clue from what appeared to be Ian McKellan dressed up as Mr. Holmes himself. What an honor!

sherlockholmes
It’s been a little rough landing an acting gig after Gandolf…

Brawn was much less interesting. It was just the standard break-your-back activity of pulling five rowboats out of a river and stacking them. Yawn. Surprisingly, Rob and Amber opted to take on “Brains”, and as long as none of the puzzles involved pronouncing the words “Dervish”, “Aardvark” and “Amber” (not “Ambah”), it looked like Ramber would be breezing through once again.

Meanwhile, over at Heathrow, the last two teams finally arrived, only to discover that Rob, Amber, Ron, and Kelly had already been through two hours ago. “We just gotta play the game really smart right now,” said Gretchen, whose previous forays into intelligent racing have included climbing on teak elephants and meandering up and down Turkish towers. Needless to say, my confidence in the oldsters was not high.

Back at the Detour, Rob and Amber successfully completed their first riddle which then sent them to another train station looking for “three naked men.” Turns out these gentlemen in the buff were but mere statues. Still, that didn’t stop Rob from scoffing, “What’s up with the British?” I know! NAKED statues? I’ve never heard of such a thing!

Once the shock of nude artwork wore off, Rob and Amber were able to finish up their Detour and head to the next clue, located at the Millenium Dome. The team hopped on the Tube where sadly, it was time for Stuart to grow his own wings and make his way in the world. “What are we gonna do?” asked Rob once his sidekick left. Yeah, how will he ever find help now? Where will he ever find an English speaking person in, you know, ENGLAND??

Speaking of English, Uchenna amused me to no end with his overly British way of addressing the locals. “Good morning! Might you summon a cab for us?” he asked one person. He then added, “Jolly good traffic this morning. Must have been ten lorries holding up the queue! Isn’t that so, Nigel?” To which Joyce replied, “My name’s not Nigel.”

Anyway, while Joychenna and the old folks toiled away at “Brawn” (odd choice for Meredith and Gretchen, but hey, if they were up for it, I was up for it), Rob and Amber arrived at the Dome where conveniently a Yield awaited them. After brief deliberation, they yielded Ron and Kelly, claiming that using it on Uchenna and Joyce would be a waste. No, actually, using it on Ron and Kelly would be a waste. With two other teams certain to be a few hours behind, there’s no way that using the Yield on Relly would cause them to be eliminated. It would only delay them a bit. Using it on Uchenna and Joyce, however, would ensure their elimination, and if Meredith and Gretchen were to get into the top three, the odds would significantly increase in Rob and Amber’s favor. But whatever. No use in ranting over it. Might as well enjoy the show.

Well, after the Yield, Rob and Amber found the Roadblock which involved driving a double decker bus through a course demarcated by traffic cones. If the driver hits a cone, he or she has to start all over again. Amber feared that the bus would be stick shift; so she had Rob do the challenge. Hey – aren’t teams not supposed to read the Roadblock description until after they’ve chosen who will do it? CBS CONSPIRACY!!! Nevertheless, Rob got to work driving the big, red bus, and in no time he knocked over a cone. “Watch where you’re going,” advised the instructor with that refined passive aggression we so expect from the Brits. The only thing that could have made the moment more PA (and therefore wonderful) would have been Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith appearing out of nowhere and simply saying “Teaching an American to drive a bus? I see… Pass the tea.” A harpsichord could play in the background too, if necessary.

Anyway, Rob managed to navigate through the cones successfully, and soon he and Amber were off to the Pit Stop for their umpteenth first place. I wonder if they’ll win a prize? I mean, it’s not like they did anything like cut off their hair, but they did manage to navigate through a city with reliable transportation and no language barrier. That’s got to count for something!

Back at the Dome, Ron and Kelly arrived to discover that they had been Yielded. Question: how did they fall so far behind anyway? Originally, they were just one subway ride behind Rob and Amber, but now they were trailing by seemingly an hour or more. Was Stuart the difference? Would they have been in better shape had they found a local sidekick? Maybe Ron stopped to explain to a woman how she reminded him of the women in Baghdad.

Meanwhile, over at the Detour, the oldsters struggled with the heavy boats, and while Gretchen has always been the weird noisemaker of the two with all her beeps, buzzers, and toots, this time it was Meredith who provided the strange auditory contributions to the episode. The old man let out a strange guttural noise that was something between a scoff, a growl, a grunt, and a cough. I guess it was sort of like the noise a horse makes when it sneezes. Either way, I feared that he might just keel over right there. Luckily, since I studiously watched my Amazing Race promos this week, I knew Uchenna would come along to help. Unfortunately, that’s not allowed in the rules, and so the much hyped helping-moment lasted all of five seconds, tops. But what a special five seconds those were. *Heart is melting with humanity’s potential for kindness.

Speaking of kindness, resident snakes Rob and Amber ambled up to the mat where a dapper gentleman greeted the two. No, not Phil – although he is quite dapper. Instead, it was a charming bloke from 1924 whose bowler hat prompted Amber to say that he looked nice. Phil merely raised his eyebrows high into the sky and gave her a look that seemed to say, “Don’t you think I look rather spectacular as well?” Unfortunately, he didn’t actually say that. Instead, he congratulated the two for coming in first place, and guess what? They won a prize! Okay, this is ridiculous. Rob and Amber have won a prize all four times they’ve placed first. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but poor Uchenna and Joyce. Need I say it again? THE HAIR! Ray and Deana take the fast forward, walk across a bridge and win two cars. Joyce shaves her head and she gets… a bandana? Phil, you’ve got to make it right. MAKE IT RIGHT, PHIL! (I’m thinking a custom turtleneck from the Keoghan collection)

Adding salt to the wound, Rob and Amber once again pulled the naive card by saying “We’ve had more luck than any other team.” And by “luck”, Rob meant “television exposure.” Again, I’ve jumped off the CBS conspiracy theory wagon, but man, they make it so easy to get back on. (However, for the record, I do think Rob and Amber have run a nearly flawless race so far).

phil_eyebrows
“They say the more collars you wear, the more dapper you are. Might you agree, fair Amber?”

Over at the Roadblock, Kelly and Ron finally ended their Yield, and even though Ron claimed he could do it better, he let Kelly tackle the double decker bus. Meanwhile, the intrepid duos of Uchenna and Joyce and Meredith and Gretchen showed up, and soon we had all three teams battling it out. As Kelly, Joyce, and Meredith all literally went nuts in the driver’s seat, the producers were kind enough to pipe in some of that oompa music usually reserved for the finest old people follies. Kelly eventually managed to finish first, and as she and Ron rode over to the Pit Stop in a cab, she expressed her utter annoyance at Ron’s asshole comments. Luckily, he had a perfectly rational explanation:

“This is the women and men problem. You become a soldier, you don’t have to deal with it.” Man, we had come THIIIS close to going a whole episode without some military reference, but now he’s even comparing basic human relations to the military. You know, Mother’s Day is coming up this Sunday. I wonder what Ron writes to his mom? “Dear Mom. I love you so much. Our bond reminds me of the bond I share with my commanding officer in the Army. In fact, writing on this paper reminds me of the very paper I used in the service. It’s crazy how many parallels there are. Huh. ‘Parallels.’ I remember using that word once in the military.”

Nevertheless, a whole argument sprung forth with Ron bragging that he could have driven the bus better than Kelly. “I flew a $35 million helicopter. Highly, highly trained to operate a mobile machine,” he said. Um, except a helicopter isn’t a double decker bus. You know, that whole propeller and flying thing? Yeah, busses don’t have that.

“You just have this big ego thing,” claimed Ron, the man who just finished telling us about all the expensive and hi-tech helicopters he’s flown. Luckily, Kelly was on our wavelength, and she quickly threw the ego comment in his face, leaving him with little to do other than mumble “Military… Military… Military…”

aarp_eliminatedAnyway, the bickering couple checked in second, and so we were down to Joychenna and the old folks. Joyce successfully completed the Roadblock first, but in a vintage moment of Joychenna, the two somehow wasted away precious time searching for a cab. It was clear that Meredith and Gretchen would be eliminated, but this was where the producers try to make it seem much closer than it was. We saw lots of footage of Uchenna and Joyce wandering around followed by Meredith and Gretchen looking like they’ve got their act together. The only problem was that the sky kept alternating between dusk and night, depending on which team you were watching.

Sadly, the old folks’ impressive run finally came to an end with Phil calling them an “inspiration.” He then added, “Here, take this pair of jeans as a souvenir. They’re mine, and they’re extra tight; so be careful.” This leaves only one likable team (for me) left. Hopefully Joyce and Uchenna can pull it out next week, but you never know what really will happen during those crazy Amazing Race finales, unless you read spoilers (or accidentally stumble upon one like I did).

About

88 Comments

  1. 1
    JoyceEllaine
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 5:42 am

    Yea!!!!!Rob and Amber came through again. Just give them the million now. Those two are “amazing” in this race. Bravo.

  2. 2
    Retroqueen
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 6:17 am

    Thanks for the excellent recap B-side! Such an added treat to enjoy the pics of “Dapper” Phil-baby with my morning coffee!

    Correct me if I’m wrong but Ron did say he flew “a” (singular not plural) 35 million $ helicopter, wasn’t he shot down in that very helicopter?

    …and to win? Hopefully Joyce and Uchenna but I’ll take Romber over Ron and Wendy Whiner

  3. 3
    Nixah
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 6:33 am

    I think Kelly stated that their cab ride to the Roadblock took an hour. They would have kept up with Ramber had they taken the train.

    And isn’t it amazing that it seems like everytime Ramber arrives at the pitstop in 1st place, they win a damn prize? What a bunch of BS.

  4. 4
    B-Rock
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 6:43 am

    Ok, I am so mad. When Ramber won ANOTHER prize last night for coming in first place I thought I was going to explode. They are the only ones (with the exception of Ray & Deana) that have won prizes for coming in 1st. It’s so set-up.

    Hasn’t CBS paid those 2 enough money already? Survivor, the wedding…? I bet they are on the CBS payroll.

    GO UCHENNA AND JOYCE!!! Love them!

  5. 5
    huh?
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 6:52 am

    “Hey – aren’t teams not supposed to read the Roadblock description until after they’ve chosen who will do it? CBS CONSPIRACY!!!”

    I was only half watching at this point and missed a lot of what happened, but did Ramber read the description of the challenge beforehand? I thought they assumed that they were going to have drive those big red buses sitting in front of them and made the decision based on that. Can someone clarify for me?

  6. 6
    HicksPub
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 6:53 am

    I can’t decide which is more disturbing…Kelly asking to borrow a total stranger’s lipstick, or the fact that the lady did not recoil in horror at the request.

    Do women really do this??? Eeeuuuwwww…

  7. 7
    Akaidah
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 6:54 am

    Well, another disappointing episode. This season of TAR has to be the worst in the history of the game. It’s getting more and more difficult to tune in and root for the “good guys” when they seem to be dropping like flies. The unfairness of it all makes me want to scream! Thank God for Joychenna! My heart and all my hopes go out to them. I’m so happy they made it this far at least. But I have to say if they get eliminated next week, there is no reason to watch anymore. And further kudos to Team AARP for coming as far as they did. I saw them on GMA this morning – Meredith looked downright dapper.

    Unlike you, B-side, I am FIRMLY on the CBS conspiracy bandwagon and this episode only served to further confirm it. The media have become so predictable. Let anyone show even the slightest ratings fodder and they feel it necessary to shove them in our faces at every opportunity while we cry “Enough, please!” And it always seems to be people who represent the worst that society has to offer. Romber has had more than their 15 minutes of fame and then some. They have definitely overstayed their welcome on my television. And let’s face it folks, f.a. Rob is manipulative, back-biting, back-stabbing, rude, crude, unintelligent, disrespectful, mean, conniving, and just plain unworthy. And he has chosen for wife a woman so stupid that all she can do is stand around with that look on her face that says “My IQ is twelve and so is my shoe size!” and whose vocabulary consists of four words – “Way to go, baby.” I guess Rob needed someone dumber than him to marry. It was a challenge I’m sure, but he found her. And now we can add a distinct lack of taste, style or substance to their growing list of faults. Only they could watch the Dervishes and their dance and call it “creepy”! O….my….God!!! Do these two have any redeeming values? If so, then CBS sure has been meticulous at editing those parts out.

    Anyway, enough about Romber. I’m going to continue to root for Joychenna, who seem to be only decent people left in the race. Sorry for the long post, but my despondency left me with the need to purge.

    As always, thank you, B-side, for telling it like it is and doing it so well.

  8. 8
    Ashes
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 6:56 am

    When I saw in the promos that they were going to London, I told my sister that at least one team would shoot themselves in the foot by taking a cab instead of the tube for a longer distance trip. Sure enough, Ron and Kelly lost a ton of time and the chance to overtake Rob and Amber by doing just that. Of course, Rob and Amber didn’t know that had happened, so I think they used the yield on Ron and Kelly to assure themselves first (based on the assumption that Ron and Kelly were still just a few minutes behind), not to attempt to knock a team out. Of course, I might be justifying their decision not to yield Joychenna just because I would have hated to see Joychenna go and was glad they yielded Ron and Kelly instead.

  9. 9
    Ashes
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 7:03 am

    Akaidah, one of the beauties of the Race is that anyone can win if they perform well; it’s not based on who’s “good,” unlike a show like American Idol where a terrible singer can advance if people like him/her for some reason. If you think this is the worst season of the Race, you either didn’t watch last season or you aren’t watching for the game itself and are watching for likeable personalities only. I agree with you about how media overkill happens, but if Rob and Amber are getting ratings, then obviously not many people are saying “Enough, please” just yet. When people truly say that, Rob and Amber will go away. If more people felt like you, then ratings for the Race would have dropped, not risen.

  10. 10
    Tgasm fan
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 7:06 am

    DAMN!! Is there no God ? I am wailing, pls dont let Romber win.I cant stand that obnoxious man. I am rooting for U & J. and sorry to see the poor oldsters go.
    Wait! on second thoughts there is a God. He gave us B-side and an AR recap right the next day. Hallelujah…

  11. 11
    jack
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 7:08 am

    well, you knew the oldsters were going to get cut sooner or later, but i was sad to see them go, gretchen’s whiny old lady noises not withstanding.

    kelly clearly did not specialize in the ‘poise’ category back in her pageant days. this bitch is delusional. yeah, ron’s a dingbat and a chauvanist (you’d think, given his affection for yapping about his military background, that he’d remember that there are quite a few women who wear the uniform), but really. last week she made the infamous POW crack, and two or three weeks ago she called him ‘redneck trash,’ and she wonders why the guy isn’t ready to commit. furthermore, isn’t it a bit contradictory to say ‘i’m ready’ and ‘i know you’re the one’ BUT ‘i’m not going to wait around for you’? women.

    and i must second the kvetching about the payout of prizes and trips. i mean, joyce and uchenna have gone from being indifferent towards each other, openly remarking that their marriage was rocky, to a loving, mutually respectful couple who appreciate everything about the race (especially each other) and do what they can to help the floundering oldsters whenever possible. joyce gets her head shaved without hesitating, they come in hours ahead of the others, and they get nuthin’. squat. diddly. ron and kelly come in dead last (nevermind that they can’t stand each other and are barely holding it together for the cameras), and they get $20,000 to spend . . . on trips . . . together. i’m not even capable of addressing the rombers’ massive pile of loot.

    please god let joyce and uchenna win; after freddy and kendra, i’m not sure i can bear to watch the rambers or team passive-aggressive take the mil.

  12. 12
    TexasK
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 7:19 am

    Ron … what a bastard. Yes, Kelly is irritating as hell, but no more so than he is. What really bugged me this week was Meredith was kind enough to give those a-holes a bunch of money only to have Ron refer to he and Gretchen as “the old people” later in the show.

  13. 13
    freakgirl
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 7:21 am

    Great recap. Just as an FYI, though, B-Rock, Debbie and Bianca won $10 grand apiece (!) for coming in first way back in the beginning, didn’t they?

  14. 14
    B-Rock
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 7:28 am

    freakgirl, you could be right. I missed the frist couple of episodes. But, regardless, EVERY time Ramber comes in first, they win a prize. They’ve never been denied. CONSPIRACY!!! ;)

  15. 15
    missmermaid
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 7:36 am

    Hey, this show isn’t called “Friendship Race”. Or “Cuddles and Hugs Race”. Or “Goody-goody Cutiekins Rainbows and Unicorns Race”.

    Ramber have played the game the best. They use their brains, plan, pay people off and run!

    This is why American reality shows are clunkers more than half the time. It’s all product placement, a thousand commercials, and morality under the guise of beautiful white toothed smiles. And it’s why your “Big Brother” series is such a snore. Booooooo-ring!

    I don’t want to watch an hour long group hug or therapy session! I want to watch people muck in, and get going. What happened to American admiration for rolling up your sleeves and getting down to business?

    Ramber to win! Ramber to win! All the way- they are the ones who deserve it!

  16. 16
    victoria
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 7:58 am

    Great episode and recap! Rob and Amber are the best – say what you all want, they have played the hell out of this game, without ever losing their composure or sense of humor. How totally DULL would this season have been without them??

    In the words of the famous Real World/Battle of the Sexes/Gauntlet, etc. alumni Coral, “Stop hating, start congratulating!” Go Romber!

  17. 17
    is2005
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 8:08 am

    “They say the more collars you wear, the more dapper you are. Might you agree, fair Amber?”

    That’s funny.

    Also the good has to conquer the evil and stupid.
    I hope Uchenna and Joyce win.

  18. 18
    biancaneve
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 8:11 am

    I am soooo tired of Ramber winning all the prizes. I’m not totally buying the conspiracy theory, but I’m cynical enough to believe that CBS guaranteed them a certain amount of prizes and has manipulated the prizes so that they would always win something when they came in first. Even though I can’t stand Ramber, I agree that they make good television, which is all CBS is interested in, but CBS should at least try to look like they’re playing fair. For the record, here is who has won what:

    Ep 1 – Debbie and Bianca – $10k each
    Ep 2 – Ramber – trip to Atlantis
    Ep 3 – Alex and Lynn – NOTHING
    Ep 4 – Ramber – European trip
    Ep 5 – Ray & Deana – Rav4s; Ron/Kelly – NOTHING
    Ep 6 – Ramber – trip to Monte Carlo
    Ep 7/8 – Joychenna – NOTHING
    Ep 9 – Joychenna – NOTHING
    Ep 10 – Ramber – home entertainment system

  19. 19
    Jillie
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 8:16 am

    I have to agree with Ramber on this one….I thought the whirling dervishes were scary. They looked like they were hanging from their necks, suspended from a rope. And it was smoky, and their skirts, they were a-twirling…it gave me nightmares. Eeeeeewww.

    And I think Kelly should have been asking for some ProActiv solution instead of lipstick. I am so mean.

  20. 20
    TV Freak
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 8:17 am

    b-side. I can not believe you did not mention the part about the local asking Ramber where they were from: “America” they responded. The man then said “You must be those reality wh**es Rob and Amber.” Speaking of Ramber, was I the only one who noticed that the greeter at the pit stop seemed to recognize Amber? Phil actually asked Rob about his luck. Could it be our clueless Phil is finally catching on to the conspiricy? Anyone got their opinions about this?

  21. 21
    CocoNuts
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 8:20 am

    That shade of lipstick that Kelly borrowed at the airport matched perfectly with the rouge color of her pimples. I must say that I really enjoyed all that Dervish twirling. They had a lot of grace, speed, and form on all of their rotations. I should know. It truly reminded me of when I was very young and would twirl for hours on-end hoping to make like Lynda Carter and spin my way and transform into a kick-ass, busty Amazonian princess known as Wonder Woman. It never worked for me, however. For some reason, Amber thought the Dervishes looked as if they were “dead.” Ah, perhaps she’s thinking of people “spinning” in their graves? This makes me ponder: Can dead people change themselves into Wonder Woman?

  22. 22
    TV Freak
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 8:21 am

    By the way-was I the only one LOL when Ramber chose brains.

  23. 23
    jash
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 8:24 am

    ugh, kelly–did you see how NASTY her skin was without the makeup? HA!

    btw romber used expedia to book their tickets online instead of SHOW SPONSOR travelocity…where was philTM with his pistol then, huh? also, joychenna and AARP looked for nonstop flights. with no connection. direct flights have the same flight number but include a stop and possible plane change somewhere…i’m just sayin is all.

    i am also QUITE CURIOUS how ron/kelly were able to afford their cabs in london. my god going from baker street to the milennium dome would be like 20 pounds, or $38US…and they took more than one cab–if they could rustle up that much money, i need to use that ploy when i’m abroad!

    great post, and hilarious london eye musings!

  24. 24
    betsy
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 8:29 am

    Akaidah, my sentiments exactly. And for those of you who keep claiming Ramber runs a good race, it’s very easy to run a good race when in each city you are recognized from Survivor and local people offer to help. Without all of the help from the locals they would not have come in first so many times. They can’t even read the clues let alone decipher them without local help. I mean Rob didn’t even know Abby Road for crying out loud. I know Abby Road and I don’t even like The Beatles. Good Grief. I totally hate CBS and Ramber.

  25. 25
    khaled
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 8:29 am

    Oh, Jebus on a stick!!! Another “volunteer” for Team Rob! How many has that been?

  26. 26
    uh OK
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 8:34 am

    Hey, this show isn’t called “Friendship Race”. Or “Cuddles and Hugs Race”. Or “Goody-goody Cutiekins Rainbows and Unicorns Race”.

    missmermaid, I agree with you but how far would Romber get if they actually had to use a map and find a place on their own?

    Yaeh, I know, the other teams can do the same thing, but isn’t the point to see how well the contestants can play the game?

  27. 27
    joslyn
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 9:03 am

    Jillie:
    OK, I noticed that, too, about Kelly’s skin. Oh so that is just acne on her face, especially on her chin? I could figure out if that was a mole, or a birthmark or what. Yucky.

    See, and Kelly thinks that Ron is not a nice guy! I haven’t heard him make one nasty comment or crack about the so-called beauty queen’s busted grill. I think that shows great restraint, which was probably learned from this one time when Ron was at POW camp….

  28. 28
    moonman
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 9:09 am

    Rob and Amber didn’t really do anything this episode except follow around the british guy. Honestly, I wish that help from locals should not be allowed, or to the extent that Rob and Amber use them. The only smart move by Rob and Amber while in London was Rob figuring out that Amber should do the Road Block so he would still be able to do the next one.

    Have they changed to rules about flights. In previous seasons, once you bought your tickets, you could not buy other tickets. CBS is shelling out a lot of money for the ways of Ramber (two sets of tickets).

  29. 29
    heather
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 9:12 am

    i think what i don’t like most about romber (and there are so many things to dislike), is that they’ve added an element of nastiness to the race that i don’t feel was there before. personally, i don’t prefer shows that bring out the worst in humanity and reward ugly human behavior (like survivor). in past seasons, even though there was competition & occasional deception, you could tell that the teams all liked & respected each other. i find it rather telling that all the teams seem to dislike romber & i don’t think it’s all jealousy. you can be a good racer & gain the respect & admiration of other teams. i thought amazing race was good tv before romber & it will be better tv without them. i just hope that future teams don’t follow their example & change the tone & nature of the show from an exciting race around the world to people backstabbing and undermining each other & general nastiness. screw romber! they soooo don’t deserve to win. they are not good people & although it’s not “kisses & cuddles” amazing race, until now it wasn’t “evil selfish assholes with no friends” amazing race.

  30. 30
    Crystal
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 9:14 am

    Ok, so I was starting to feel bad for Ron since he was being bashed for his military experience and references…until last night’s episode.

    So, basically what Ron is saying is that he would rather spend all his time with men. He gets his satisfaction with and is happiest with men. Hmmmm….I’ve always wondered when guys say “I’d rather be with the guys” what they really meant. Now it it all clear to me.

  31. 31
    heather
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 9:16 am

    also, folks, can we lay off the nastiness about kelly’s break out? seriously, like most of you posting don’t get a zit or 2 now or then? how clear would your skin be after spending 30 days with little sleep, high stress and questionable nutrition? i’m not defending kelly, but i’m personally offended by all the ugly comments about her skin. acne is not a character flaw, it’s something that happens to the best of us and further stigmatizing it only makes it worse for those who break out from time to time. and yes, that includes me.

  32. 32
    corkie
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 9:42 am

    I have now seen a whirling dervish … I can die happy

    Oh and heather heres a crying towel and some clearasil

  33. 33
    meg
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 9:43 am

    i have no prob with ambob/romber doing well. they’re annoyingly good cutthroats, er, racers. but what irritates me the most is how they get prizes EVERYTIME they get on the mat, whereas other teams don’t. and that stupid travelocity promo. i bet they wanted ambob/romber to take it as well.

    i’m just curious abt the ending, when the teams cross the final mat. what will be the the other racers reactions (cheer/boo/silence) with an ambob/romber sighting?

  34. 34
    Tgasm fan
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 9:50 am

    I agree with Heather and Moonman, ROMBER are nasty wimps. yeah, working hard is the American way, not ploying, conniving, scheming,Pushing kids from the streets to do THEIR dirty work( That irritated the Fcuk outta me) . They have screwed with the spirit of this whole amazing race, I wouldnt be surprised if in the next season, ppl are allowed to book travel guides BEFORE the leg (what the heck? I make a mil.)And we will be deprived of the “AARP- Lost our way” moments. CBS should ban asking for volunteers to lead the whole way, Do u really think ROMBER are “survivors” If CBS pays them to divorce- I’m sure they will, (yay! 15 mins TV time)? Kelly! How vain is she ? She would rather get cold sores from a stranger than go without lipstick ? YUCK !!
    Go Joychenna!

  35. 35
    Tgasm fan
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 9:50 am

    I agree with Heather and Moonman, ROMBER are nasty wimps. yeah, working hard is the American way, not ploying, conniving, scheming,Pushing kids from the streets to do THEIR dirty work( That irritated the Fcuk outta me) . They have screwed with the spirit of this whole amazing race, I wouldnt be surprised if in the next season, ppl are allowed to book travel guides BEFORE the leg (what the heck? I make a mil.)And we will be deprived of the “AARP- Lost our way” moments. CBS should ban asking for volunteers to lead the whole way, Do u really think ROMBER are “survivors” If CBS pays them to divorce- I’m sure they will, (yay! 15 mins TV time)? Kelly! How vain is she ? She would rather get cold sores from a stranger than go without lipstick ? YUCK !!
    Go Joychenna!

  36. 36
    reggie mantle
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 9:50 am

    why do successful people become successful? do they sit back hoping an opportunity with fall into their laps? or do they create opportunity by putting themselves out there?

    why are people upset with the way rob and amber are playing the game? in this game there is very little room to make a mistake. rob and amber have obviously taken the approach of asking people familiar with areas they are racing in for help and by doing so increase their chances for success in the race and this leads to more opportunities for themselves. remember the episode when the 2 girls travelled for 2 hours in the wrong direction? what was it that held them back from pulling into a gas station and asking directions much sooner?

    the teams that haven’t found success in this game don’t even play the game of chance. why not take the chance and ask for directions. you have a 50-50 chance the person will know and if they don’t know you move onto the next person and play the game of chance over and over again. you can’t sit back and debate and think it through. you have to react in the moment.

    people live in closed off, comfortable shells in their regular lives and they bring this mentality into the game. they are afraid to ask questions, they are afraid to do so because they feel they will make themselves look stupid.

    i remember the first time i left my comfortable surrounding. i was waiting for a train from amsterdam airport into the downtown. i was too afraid to ask the people standing next to me when the train was due to arrive and because of this i almost ended up on the wrong train. it wasn’t until the last possible moment did i have the courage to ask if i was on the right or wrong train. this is an example of what rob and amber haven’t done in this race. they don’t wait for opportunity, they create it.

    i am willing to place a wager that if this was rob’s (i am not taking anything away from amber by making this presumption. she doesn’t say a lot which to some would make her look like a yes man no man kinda person but she in her own right has succeeded) first trip onto reality t.v. he would be playing the exact same game as he is now. to say they have an unfair advantage because they are recognised from a previous t.v. show is ridiculous in my opinion. rob is aggressive and is not afraid to put himself or amber out there. he to me looks like he would rather lose taking a chance than win sitting back following the leader.

    this game is life. you have the people that know what they want and they will do what they think they need to do to win and then you have the people who are happy to sit back and have the leaders pave the way and if they succeed right on, if not so be it, it wasn’t meant to be.

    p.s. cbs could very while be editing out the other teams prizes from the show in order to cast rob and amber in a suspicious light?

  37. 37
    Katrina
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 9:59 am

    Yielding Uchenna and Joyce would have been smart. But Rob makes the decisions. Thats all I have to say about that.

    I was kinda sad to see Merideth and Gretchen go. I was hoping it would be Ron and Kelly. They better not win…

  38. 38
    smiley
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 10:05 am

    Moonman – Rob did the roadblock. Amber was afraid it would be a stickshift and didn’t want to risk it. So, now I do not think Rob can do anymore roadblocks.

  39. 39
    jack
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 10:25 am

    heather, most folks who suffer the occasional acne breakout don’t go on TV claiming to be ‘beauty queens.’ as a general rule, when you act pretentious and obnoxious and selfish and passive aggressive, etc. on international TV, you’re fair game in the blogosphere. read between the lines: people rip on kelly because she acts like a jerk on the show. lynn and alex gave us plenty of excuses for mockery, yet they tended to get treated lightly and somewhat affectionately by us snarksters because they were cool and decent and good-humored throughout the race. likewise with joyce and uchenna and the oldsters. we all want to rip on ron and kelly and the rombers because they’re mean and nasty and selfish. the rombers aren’t always so bad, but watching them shamelessly exploit their survivor fame to solicit escorts from place to place is very frustrating (there really ought to be a rule against this sort of thing–if uchenna wasn’t allowed to help the oldsters with the boats, rob and ambah shouldn’t be allowed to drag along a local escort, either). kelly and ron are too busy treating each other like assholes to appreciate what an amazing (sic) opportunity they’ve been given to see the world and have rare and unforgettable experiences. i’ve been dying to visit istanbul for years but haven’t had the time or the money. it’s one of the most beautiful and historically significant cities in the world, and these two spent their whole time there fuming and condescending to each other. i can’t imagine wasting such a gift vacation–not to mention the 1 in 4 (now 1 in 3) chance at a million dollar payday–fighting nonstop with the person i’m supposedly in love with. they deserve every bit of shit they get, here and elsewhere.

  40. 40
    Plumes
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 10:26 am

    Akaidah, really relax, it’s a television show. Romber have gone around the world on a great trip and have done what few guys have ever done —- ASK FOR DIRECTIONS.

    Maybe next year they will allow GPS ???

    Also, maybe once someone buys an airline ticket they could go to a bookstore at the airport and buy a Frommer and read up on the next leg.

    Anyways, next episode will be a tight one, all leads evaporate, ’cause at one point in the preview you could see all six people running down a laneway….

    Again, Alkaidah, relax and have a beer and enjoy life!!

  41. 41
    yankeegirl
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 10:27 am

    aargh. Rob and Ambuh winning prizes EVERY leg they have finished first is highly suspect.

    I don’t know how I am going to sit still waiting until next week. Please let Joyce and Uchenna win. I’d even take R&K. If it’s Rob and Ambuh, I will throw up.

  42. 42
    Lady J
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 10:53 am

    The two women who won the first leg each won $10,000 for that. So it’s more than jacked that the last two legs had no prize and then Rob and Amber win again.

    Why are people so willing to help them? Don’t people have lives to tend?

    Kelly is in her own relationship. She keeps picking these fights, then carrying Ron’s side so she can amp herself up more. He needs to break it off a-sap. When she flipped and called him “red-neck piece o’ trash” that said it all. Forget that she was unjustified. Who wants to hitch themself to someone who would go to worst possible place at the drop of a hat.

    You don’t need a big, Black woman to tell her like it is. Just say your peace.

  43. 43
    jess
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 10:59 am

    On a more lighthearted note, did anyone else notice the tears in the dapper dude’s eye when Meredith spoke about how wonderful Gretchen is? *sniffle* I’ll miss our cooing and buzzing and hooting little AARP team.

    (and ICK! to Kelly borrowing lipstick like that. ew ew ew.)

  44. 44
    Amanda
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 11:02 am

    Flat out, Ramber have played the best game. Like Survivor All-Stars, Rob made the most aggressive moves to progress through the game, and if they win, they earned it. Sure Amber is a follower, but like in any relationship, there can be only one leader. That she chooses to let Rob take the driver’s seat a lot of the time doesn’t mean she’s stupid, it means she’s not a natural born leader and is comfortable with letting her fiance take the reigns and lead them to victory. Not everyone is a leader and there’s nothing wrong with that in my opinion.
    Personally, I am rooting for Joychenna because they are so likeable and could use the $$ a lot more than Ramber. But if Ramber wins, I’m not going to cry and threaten to never watch the show again. I’m willing to give credit where credit is due. I do really wish Joychenna had won something during the 2 legs they won. She really earned it by shaving her head. Ramber have won plenty, it’d be nice to see others profit from the show also.
    Crossing my fingers Joychenna take it home in the final leg!

  45. 45
    ShadyChrs
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 11:13 am

    In all likelihood, Ramber’s ability to get people to help them probably has less to do with being on Survivior then it does with the production crews and cameramen following them around.

    People seem to confuse Rob’s lack of eloquence with stupidity, but he’s outsmarted every other team so far. If Rob is stupid, then the rest of the cast are riding the short bus to school.

  46. 46
    biancaneve
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 11:21 am

    Ramber have played the game very well, but they have also received tons of help due to their celebrity. I doubt it would have occurred to Rob to hire a local to guide them around if they hadn’t had so many locals volunteering to do the job in the first couple of episodes. Ramber fans who can’t admit that Ramber have an unfair advantage over the other teams are delusional.

  47. 47
    chris
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 11:31 am

    I’ve yet to see an episode where having all of a team’s money taken away hurt them in the slightest..it seems sometimes they end up with more money !!! I think AR needs to get more creative in the “punishment for coming in last” category

    so many people are so upset with how Romber is playing this “game” on “television”…think about it people…it’s a GAME on TELEVISION…it’s not meant to be fair or just…it’s meant to create ratings and,in turn, dollars because that’s what television is for

  48. 48
    b-side
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 11:46 am

    I agree with Amanda and others — say what you will about Rob and Amber, but they’ve not only played the best game, but they’ve been a remarkably functional couple all along (unlike similarly shrewd but dysfunctional duo Colin and Christie from Season 5). It’s frustrating to see how their fame has benefited them, but at the same time, they tend to be sharp and quick-witted where other teams flounder. It’s probably easier for them to get a local guide, which sucks, but then again, other teams in the past have had success recruiting locals as well.

    That being said, it is incredibly frustrating seeing them win so many prizes. I’m sure it’s just good luck on their part, but man, it really does feel unfair, especially when all the “good guys” get nothing. Still, that’s the way the game goes.

    At the end of the day though, Rob and Amber’s reality whoredom is what truly bugs me, which is why I’m firmly rooting for Joyce and Uchenna to take the cake.

  49. 49
    Akaidah
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 11:47 am

    I’m reading all the posts and what is bothering me are those of you who commend Rob’s “aggressive”-ness. What you see as aggressive I see as nasty, mean, antisocial behavior. Oh yes, he’s nice when he wants something, but if he doesn’t get it, look out! That is someone who everyone of you would steer clear of face to face. In other words, folks, aggressive is not grabbing kids by the shirts and flinging them at a wooden elephant screaming “PUSH!” Aggressive is not flying past a serious car accident without so much as a glance.

    I agree with heather, the race has taken on a sinister tone and we have Ramber to blame for it. I will be seriously disappointed if this becomes the tone for future races.

    Note to Ashes: You’re wrong. Ratings for the show are down, seriously down. In fact, it didn’t even make the top ten and barely made the top 20 last week (it came in 20th). Let’s hope CBS takes note and finally pulls the plug on Ramber before it gets any worse than it already is.

  50. 50
    Binky
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 12:07 pm

    Am I the only one who saw the comical scene when team AARP smacked their heads together while trying to move the boat? It was a classic TiVo moment.

  51. 51
    eddys
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 12:10 pm

    Wow! Only the next morning and so many responses! Yes, Ramber have raced VERY VERY well and I admire that. I don’t admire their egos and smugness. I don’t believe in any conspiracy. I would like to see those who can use their celebrity to advance in the race (like Ramber have done) not allowed on the race. It seems the whole Ramber issue really revolves around how “Survivor” they’ve made the show. Asking directions is one thing, paying for a companion to lead you along and do things for you is another. I wish they’d not allow it. If everyone on the race were as conniving and cut throat as Rob has been… I just wouldn’t watch the show anymore. And finally… let’s not kid ourselves fans….. as much as we love the really likable Uchenna and Joyce (and they are racing very well)…. Ramber has won. They won because they race well, they are good with each other, and because they’ve lied, cheated others, and manipulated. I don’t think CBS would be airing their wedding if they didn’t win. This years TAR is totally UNexciting for me… due to all these reasons….last night was back to the same old… same old. Some rules need to be re-formed, or just start a new series of “Amazing Race Survivor”. Hopefully we’ll get back to a real, honest, “do it yourself through your own brain and effort” Amazing Race.

  52. 52
    sturan
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 12:22 pm

    Hey Reggie Mantle, will you be giving that inspirational speech for grdauation? It’s okay to cheer against TV villans.

  53. 53
    Megolopolis
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 12:43 pm

    First the brothers, then the boyfriends, now Team Fogey!?!?! Good thing next week is the finale or it might not even be worth watching anymore. All my favorites have been eliminated. Hopefully JoyChenna can pull this off, but I’ll accept even Romber over Ron and Kelly.

    If Ron gets down and proposes to Kelly at the end of the race I will projectile vomit all over my tv. Anyone remember last seasons Ron & Kelly: Hayden & Aaron. She spent the whole time whining and nagging as well and then Aaron got down on bended knee like the lapdog he was and proposed. Hopefully all the time Ron spent as a prisoner in his former LTR (with his one true love: the military) will keep him from the life sentence of being Kelly’s husband. Ick.

    Anyway, does anyone know how to get on this show. My friend and I want to try out. We could be the College Dropouts, or Team Alcoholic or something.

  54. 54
    gmp
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 12:52 pm

    I’m gonna be happy as long as Ron/Kelly lose. Other than that I could live with either result. I don’t think Ramber cheated. They lied in the form of misdirection, which I think is fine in the context of the race. The same goes for ‘manipulation’. They are certainly fun to watch. The only thing I wish Rob didn’t do was grab those kids, but I’d like to see all of the footage before deciding he was an ugly American. Really, I see no difference between what Rob does and what Carla did – exploit what you can to get ahead in the race. If Ramber wins this, I hope he looks into the camera and says “how’d ya like dem apples”.

  55. 55
    Lisa
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 1:30 pm

    “This leaves only one likable team (for me) left. Hopefully Joyce and Uchenna can pull it out next week, but you never know what really will happen during those crazy Amazing Race finales, unless you read spoilers (or accidentally stumble upon one like I did).”

    It seems like every time you bring this up more people click on my post. Whatever floats your boat…

  56. 56
    walkon
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 1:34 pm

    Does anyone have a tally of how many Road Blocks each person has done? It will be interesting to see Amber do all of them from here on out. Hopefully there is another eating one, she won’t do it.

  57. 57
    punkrox
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 2:08 pm

    Megolopolis:
    go here

    http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race_application/

    for an application for TAR.

  58. 58
    Becky
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 2:25 pm

    I’m surprised to hear so many people bemoaning Rob’s nastiness and how he’s ruined watching AR for them. I think we’ve seen much more ugliness from teams like Jonathan & Victoria, Colin & Christie or Kendra & Freddie.
    Frankly, I think Kelly & Ron have been a lot nastier to watch than Ramber. You’d never hear Amber calling Rob “trash,” or Rob criticizing Amber’s performance. When she had trouble with the camel, he was clearly frustrated, but never ceased to be supportive her.

  59. 59
    WICKED
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 2:28 pm

    HICKSPUB——–you took the words right out of my mouth. not to mention the close ups of kelly’s adult acne. some pageant queen. ew.

  60. 60
    WICKED
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 2:35 pm

    i’m with jack!

  61. 61
    Ashes
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 3:16 pm

    Ok, here’s my two cents on two hot “Romber” topics, the locals helping and the prizes:

    Anyone can ask a local to help. And we’ve seen other teams get help, so it’s not like Survivor notoriety is a prerequisite. All of the teams have American tv crews with them–do you really think that Rob and Amber get attention only for past shows while the other teams aren’t getting any attention at all? OF COURSE NOT! Romber just asks for someone to stay with them all day, something no one else has even tried to do. If another team tried that and the person said, “No, because I haven’t seen you on tv before,” then you’d all have a point. But just because Romber thinks to do something (ask for help) to a greater degree than the others doesn’t mean it’s a conspiracy!

    The prize legs are supposedly set ahead of time, as are the yield and non-elimination legs. If CBS had a conspiracy, don’t you think they’d hide it by having Romber not win a prize at least once (after it became clear that they were going to win many legs)? And wouldn’t they win at least one of the big prizes ($20,000 or vehicles, as opposed to prizes worth probably $3000-$5000)? Of course the smaller prices are nice and I wouldn’t turn them down but still, Debbie and Bianca, Ray and Deanna, and Ron and Kelly have won about as much in value for winning a single leg as Romber have for many legs!

  62. 62
    Ashes
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 3:20 pm

    *addendum to my previous post: Ron and Kelly didn’t win the $20,000 for winning the leg, of course, but they still won a prize that’s probably bigger than two or three of Romber’s prizes (for actually winning, no less) combined.

  63. 63
    smithie
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 3:45 pm

    I saw the oldies on The Early Show this morning and Gretchen said Meredith would have punched Rob’s lights out if he had said the things he did in front of him (ie Meredith pushing Gretchen down for sympathy)She is really a bitter loser…
    Also although I am a huge Romber fan, I rolled my eyes as they adopted yet another countryman to add to their United Colors tour guides…
    I’ll be sad if Rob and Amber lose, or if it comes down to another pizza eating competition…Romber is certainly more deserving than Freddy and Kendra, they sucked…

  64. 64
    smithie
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 3:46 pm

    PS Where did Kelly and Ron get the pen to draw on their faces? I thought all their stuff was taken? Suspicious…

  65. 65
    missmermaid
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 4:17 pm

    It’s hysterical how people keep bringing up the fact that Romber/Ramber are only “recognised” from Survivor, and that is why they are helped all over the world! Sorry, but that is the type of arrogant thinking that gets Americans loathed by the rest of the world. Guess what? I’ve lived in Europe for the last decade and NOBODY over there has seen the American version of Survivor. Why? Because they have their OWN versions of the show- they hardly need to tune in to some second hand American reality show for kicks.

    Nobody aside from North Americans with TVs gives a rat’s arse about the has-been cast of Survivor. They aren’t global superstars or celebrities that are “recognised” like Tom f*cking Cruise or something! Yeesh!

  66. 66
    John
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 4:33 pm

    A friend of ours lives in Greenwich, by the Millenium Dome. It’s a helluva long way from Central London, considering traffic. The minute we saw Ron and Kelly get in a cab, we knew they were doomed.

  67. 67
    b-side
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 5:17 pm

    Missmermaid — An informed person like yourself surely didn’t overlook the episode where Rob and Amber found themselves on the cover of a magazine in the Third World. And hopefully, you remember the time when the woman in the marketplace recognized Amber and helped her through the challenge. And surely you’ve not forgotten when the starstruck nurses in that hospital showered the duo with hugs. Surely, had you remembered these instances, you’d realize that readers are basing their tongue-in-cheek comments on previous actions, not some naive jingoist assumptions, you know, like the kind you just made.

  68. 68
    WackAttack
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 9:15 pm

    Can I ask what is the difference between Romber getting local help and past teams paying a taxi driver to lead them to the next clue (when they have to drive themselves)?

    And the comments about Romber “dirty” tactics changing the tone of the game that is a load of BS every season has their “dirty” player. (and as Gretchen would say) “for god sakes” the Guido’s (in season 1) blocked a passage to flight in hopes their competitors would miss their earlier flight. And Kelly and Jon were brutally mean behind their competitors back in season 4. I don’t even have to bring up the A-holes from last season which was just about ever team.

    And the one thing I have to say about Romber is at least they get along, and we don’t have see them fighting each other episode after episode. And the apart from the “local help” the reason they do so well on the race is because the are focused on the race, not on their relationship, or being everyone’s friend.

    With that said I hope Uchenna and Joyce WIN, they’ve had some real hardships in their lives, and they are great people, who deserve some good fortune.

    PS. I secretly hope there is a some sort of train involved in the next leg so we can hear Ron say “DANG, we missed the Train” one more time

  69. 69
    Lynn
    Posted May 4, 2005 at 10:53 pm

    To smithie:

    “I saw the oldies on The Early Show this morning and Gretchen said Meredith would have punched Rob’s lights out if he had said the things he did in front of him (ie Meredith pushing Gretchen down for sympathy)She is really a bitter loser…”

    It doesn’t have anything to do with being bitter, you see. Wouldn’t you be pissed too if someone claimed YOU deliberately pushed your spouse just to gain sympathy?

  70. 70
    pentax13
    Posted May 5, 2005 at 7:49 am

    Was anyone else wishing that there would be a route marker at King’s Cross Station in London – specifically at Platform 9 3/4?

  71. 71
    Ashes
    Posted May 5, 2005 at 7:52 am

    Lynn, I think part of the reason so many other teams hate Romber is that the teams were too close to the situation to see that Rob was being a deliberate wiseguy and wasn’t serious about many of the things he said. At least part of the time, he was playing to the camera and to his reputation. That doesn’t mean that some of the things he’s said weren’t rude and unnecessary or that he didn’t mean some of them. But if the other teams would have realized that Rob doesn’t mind the negative reaction (and may actually be looking for that kind of kneejerk response sometimes) they’d hurt him more than they can by yelling and screaming about how evil he is (by denying him attention) and would have done a better job of focusing on and having fun with the Race instead of letting him dominate it both in the results and in their minds. They let him define the entire Race for them, which had to be part of his goal all along.

  72. 72
    Jersey
    Posted May 5, 2005 at 8:44 am

    Is it just me, or did Phil say “pacific” again instead of “specific” when explaining the YEILD? Team POW-geant has gotten on my last nerve. Go Joychenna!

  73. 73
    bonggargler
    Posted May 5, 2005 at 9:36 am

    “Hmmm… sounds like a certain landmark is in the ferris closet. It’s okay, London Eye. Everyone already knows.”

    I see a new TV show brewing “London Eye for the Straight Guy”

    Yikes people it’s just a show…it’s not supposed to be about how “Americans” are…

  74. 74
    CaliGirlinGA
    Posted May 5, 2005 at 11:24 am

    I think the thing that struck me the most about this episode was when Uchenna was helping Meredith and Gretchen with the boat and Meredith said, “Thanks, but remember we are not allowed to get help with tasks.” Okay, if that’s true, why are Rob and Amber allowed to have someone help them with their tasks?

  75. 75
    Ashes
    Posted May 5, 2005 at 11:41 am

    CaliGirl,
    Obviously that rule doesn’t always apply. Everyone had help with the pushing the teak elephant task. Everyone asks locals for directions (they just don’t ask the local to come along like Rob does.) Some tasks probably have a special rule that no help is allowed but it is obviously not a rule for the entire Race (or else everyone, not only Rob and Amber, would be in violation again and again.)

  76. 76
    eddys
    Posted May 5, 2005 at 12:29 pm

    Clear up the confusion… both are right…
    Yes… Ramber are great in getting along, a great team, don’t ‘go at each other’ and more teams should learn from them. Yes, he’s a smart-ass in an endearing way I love and they are good TV. (and Yes I don’t like them either). Yes, other teams can ask for help as Ramber have done. Yes, sometimes they get help from people that don’t recognize them. Yes other teams can do that too.
    and…. Yes, many times they have gotten help simply because they are recognized… which is an unfair advantage. Yes, they play ‘dirty’ and if everyone played that way it would be a different show. Yes, asking directions is a good thing. Yes, having a local get 15 minutes of TV fame by bringing them with you as a guide is questionable.
    Purely a matter of taste and style….all these comments above are right…but I’ve enjoyed this season a lot less.

  77. 77
    Ashes
    Posted May 5, 2005 at 3:28 pm

    eddys, I don’t see how Romber has fundamentally changed the game. Other teams in past seasons have done the sorts of things that people label as “changes to the game” when Romber does them. Other teams have made negative comments about their competitors to the camera, have insulted teams that weren’t around or even teams that were in earshot, have made “alliances,” have tried to physically block others from entering a building or getting in line, have told ticket agents not to help a certain person, have lied about information, have tried to move to other locations to prevent an arriving team from seeing where the clue box is, have wanted bus drivers to hurry up and leave before other teams can board, and so on. If I could talk to all of the people, including the eliminated teams from this season, who have complained that Romber is the first team to play “that way” and that they have ruined the game, I’d ask how it is that Romber has the power to do that if the earlier teams who did such things didn’t. Everyone has given Romber way too much power, which is what Rob wanted all along. The other teams played into his game.

  78. 78
    missmermaid
    Posted May 5, 2005 at 6:13 pm

    Hey B-side:

    It’s a bit of chicken and egg with the “recognition” factor with Romber. People may just scratch their heads and rubber-neck when they see a fleet of cameramen taping 2 ovbiously foreign people in backpacks running around town like nutjobs. Or have you considered it just may be the show’s execs who want to drum up the “Rah-Rah our show is so ground breaking and fabulous, we’re at the center of the TV universe!” sentiment, by getting some bystanders to shake and freak out like the Beatles have just landed again?

    I can’t speak for Africa because I haven’t lived anywhere there, but I certainly can tell you that the American version of Survivor was NOT screened in 99% of Europe. And like I said, it’s because each almost every country has their OWN version of the show, with their own people on it. Why on earth would someone in France or Germany care about a US reality show? They bitch and moan that they get far too many American television imports like “Friends” etc with “real” celebrities as it is clogging up the airwaves- they are hardly going to tune into a bunch of American nobodys.

  79. 79
    b-side
    Posted May 5, 2005 at 11:51 pm

    I agree that I think most Europeans won’t care or know who Rob and Amber is, but I think it’s a bit of a stretch by turning this into a debate about national self-absorption.

  80. 80
    Phil_K
    Posted May 6, 2005 at 4:37 am

    b-side,

    I am a flat-out conspiracist!

    Have you or anyone else noticed that Romber has had an ability to get off of airplanes first, before any of the other teams, in most episodes? I think that Rob has even commented on his ‘ability’ to get seated nearest the door on airplanes. But since they never film this portion, we do not know if the flight crew ‘recognizes’ Romber and seats them where they want.

    Surely this would be an unfair advantage in TAR.

    On the first episode, their guide ‘recognized’ them on the airplane and spring boarded them to the head of the pack. Weren’t they on the second plane? And they managed to jump ahead of most of the first group. Wasn’t the guide American?

    And when they where in Turkey, where did Rob get the notepad with the Turkish sentences written on them? Rob was resourceful and asked someone to jot them down for him, you may say. Fine. But if the camera doesn’t show how he obtained them, why wouldn’t it be a CBS exec handing them over?

    Some other lingering questions that I have.
    Does the amazing race have to circle the globe? Why does the editors insist on showing Romber being held back by the police in the preview for next week (in Jamaica? or another Caribbean island?) and lead us to believe it will affect the outcome? We should know by now that it won’t. Did anyone else think that the 24 hr travel agent in India (the gnome episode) trying to stay awake, look like Baba-booey? And lastly, what does the public think of my book?

    Keep up the terrific recaps b-side, and yes, I am ravishing!!
    Phil K.

  81. 81
    Chris
    Posted May 6, 2005 at 8:52 am

    I was recently scrolling through a Muslim website and came across a discussion board thread about Amazing Race. The posters were mostly from India, and they were discussing the portrayal of Lucknow from a few episodes ago. They get the show via satellite TV, a channel called AXN, which has also shown the U.S. Survivor in past seasons. And I’m pretty sure Amazing Race has aired on SKY in the UK once or twice (though not Survivor). With satellite TV, you can get darn near anything.

  82. 82
    yamamam
    Posted May 6, 2005 at 9:57 am

    I was in London over New Years this year and saw survivor on tv. We did not watch it long, but I am pretty sure it was a rather recent season. Also, went to Germany a year ago, and saw survivor there too. Both places, it was the American version.

  83. 83
    Ashes
    Posted May 6, 2005 at 2:10 pm

    Sure a few people in a city like London might recognize Rob and Amber, but the guy who helped them this past week never indicated that he recognized them. It’s not like their past is the determinative factor in receiving help. The other teams also have camera crews with them and could ask for the ongoing help Rob brazenly asks for, but they don’t.

    We saw Meredith and Gretchen practically getting worshipped in India, while Rob and Amber were not, so it’s not like Rob and Amber are major worldwide celebs while the other teams get ignored. A man rode to the next location with Meredith and Gretchen (riding in front of them), so if they could get help through someone tagging along, why can’t anybody?

  84. 84
    TinkerbellAPixie TinkerbellAPixie
    Posted May 6, 2005 at 4:52 pm

    Didn’t Jonathan get people to guide him and Victoria a few times last season?

  85. 85
    Megolopolis
    Posted May 6, 2005 at 10:40 pm

    I was in Ireland last April and watched Survivor in the lounge of my hostel until some drunk guy came in and changed the channel. It was the All-Stars season which would explain how people would recognize Rob and Amber.

  86. 86
    eddy
    Posted May 7, 2005 at 10:27 am

    i think the producers are making it like rob and amber are gonna win the race by getting first everytime but in the very last important race, they’ll lose out.. or maybe get 2nd place. its the kind of outcome that you would like to see don’t you? that if, you believe in cbs conspiracy. imagine the amount of outrageous viewers they’ll get if rob and amber won another million.

  87. 87
    Ashes
    Posted May 9, 2005 at 11:32 am

    eddy, good point. If CBS had a conspiracy, it might have been to keep Rob and Amber in the game the whole way but make sure they can’t win. If Rob and Amber win, it could actually be a sign against the existence of a conspiracy, because the conspiracy wouldn’t be in favor of having unpopular winners.

  88. 88
    eddys
    Posted May 10, 2005 at 9:44 am

    ooooh…. I know ‘eddy’ is a fine fan and poster here…. have to let people know for both of us that we are different people, with different posts…. they are ‘eddy’ and I’m ‘eddys’.
    Thanks for your eye’s attention. Looking forward to the finale tonight…. and looking forward to the end of this season (my humble opinion only).

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