Lo and behold, The Babies have made it onto the 7:20 flight and have a 40 minute lead getting to Paris. Somehow I don't think those 40 minutes are going to make a huge difference in catching the once-a-day flight to Burkina Faso, but I'm sure these two will find some way to turn it into a major argument. The rest of the teams are making it onto the 8:00 flight, but Moronald is forced to run through the airport with the tissue from his abdomen leaking out where it shouldn't, or as Moronald puts it, his hernia is acting up. Yeah, they'll tend to do that. Much to the disappointment of everyone, Moronald and Christina make the flight and everyone is equal again - except for The Babies who are first in line to board the flight to Africa. Jen is all excited to be in Paris. Yes, enjoy the airport, dear.
TROUBLE! The 8:00 flight has been delayed big time due to mechanical trouble. This is bad and very well may put everyone an entire day behind The Babies if they are delayed long enough to miss the Africa flight. We see The Babies boarding the flight to Burkina Faso and hopefully looking over their shoulders to make sure they are alone, but the delayed flight has landed and there are eight teams racing through the airport to make it onto that once-daily flight as well. The Babies put on their pouty faces and give each team a phony "Glad you made it!" as all eight teams file onto the airplane. Ha! Too bad, grumpy ones. Jen, it's Nate's fault. Nate, it's Jen's fault.
"I am going to smash his head in."
Here we are now in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. GDP per capita: One of the lowest on earth. Official language: French. I really hope there is a CBS production assistant riding along in one of the taxis throwing cash out the window. It's the least they could do.
TV in Burkina Faso
Each team jumps into a taxi to head to the train station and the LA Blondes decide to try to barter up a lower taxi price. Ladies, these people are starving. I bet they've never had a facial or a manicure, so the least you could do is pay generously for a taxi ride. Or leave a seaweed mask behind on the seat. Anyway, they give their driver 5,000 francs and ask him for 2,000 back, but he doesn't make change right away. One of the girls starts to wonder if he is taking them to be sold into white slavery. Oh girls, who'd want to buy you? Besides Ryan Seacrest, I mean.
The Babies arrive at the clue box first and discover that they have to travel to Bingo by train where they will find their next clue. Traveling to Bingo by train will require some brain power because they will be let off in the middle of nowhere, and will only know they are in Bingo by listening to the conductor call out "Bingo!" I'm afraid this will confuse the Blondes terribly, and they will be looking around for their game cards. In fact, they're already confused because their cab driver is dropping them off at the train station and only giving them 1,000 francs in change. They keep yelling "Deux!" at him and holding up two fingers, but he just gives them a huge smile and keeps the extra 1,000 as a gift. I never thought I'd say something like this, but good for him. The little one shakes her head at the driver as they give up and get out of the car. It's always good to try to teach lessons to the impoverished about taking an extra tip from rich people. And what he kept is about the equivalent of two dollars. Pick your battles, girls. I guess they just hear 1,000 and think it's what every guy owes them. He giggles as he wishes them goodbye. A taxi driver once did something similar to me in Rome, but it was about 60 dollars and I somehow doubt the Italian guy was a hunter-gatherer in his off-hours. I still made less of a scene than these idiots.
"How can you say no to my boobs?"
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Comments (9)
Oh my God, I wanted to reach through my TV and smack Lorena. I've seen two year olds act more mature then her! I don't know how Jason puts up with her, no wonder he won't marry her. And when she asked him if he still loved her I wanted to puke. I was sad to see the sisters go, I was hoping it was going to be Lorena and Jason. Hopefully next week!!
1 of 9 | Posted by featherhead | Posted on November 21, 2007 4:38 AM
That recap was hilarious. I rarely LOL reading any recap and this one I did many times :) I cannot believe there was not mention of how when Lorena (I think) was trying to milk her camel it definitely looked like she was trying to do something else. I'm mad the sisters got eliminated so early. I really liked them. There's always ignorant people in every season and I think the blondes were cast in that role this season...
2 of 9 | Posted by yankeesfan | Posted on November 21, 2007 7:09 AM
Very funny recap! :)
To answer some of your questions (as I have watched all 11 seasons, thus far, of the Amazing Race)...
First - CBS does pay the people you see in the roadblocks and detours, etc. While I'm sure it's not a high amount to us, it's very lucrative for them.
Second - while the production company has it's own cameramen for the show, they are usually the ones who follow the teams. The company makes a concerted effort to use local cameramen and assistants in any country they go too, in order to aid the local economy. (According to the CBS website, this season over 2,000 locals were employed.)
Third - all airline tickets are paid for by credit card (and that's the only thing they can use the credit card for). Fun fact - when you hear the ticket agent say there are "2 seats available" the agent actually has to have 4 seats per team - because teams cannot travel without their two personal cameramen.
And while I know it's hard to watch images like the child with flies covering his face, I would rather CBS show me what a country is really like - and hopefully be moved to act on my discomfort, rather than see just the pretty sights of Paris and London and ignore the poverty that does shape most of the world.
Great recap! I look forward to the rest of the season, Honey Gangsta!
3 of 9 | Posted by LoneButterfly | Posted on November 21, 2007 7:28 AM
My favorite most horrifying Ugly American moment was when Ronald was trying to teach the student the word 'skyscraper" by reminding him of the movie King Kong. I guess I fast forwarded through the scene where one of the delapitated huts had a "Blockbuster Video" sign out front for all those HDTV plasma movie nights the children must enjoy.
4 of 9 | Posted by lagitha | Posted on November 21, 2007 7:51 AM
THANK YOU LoneButterfly!
Your info makes me feel much better about episodes like this. Employing locals is a fantastic way to help, and I'm so glad to hear that they do give money to the places they visit.
I have watched some seasons of The Amazing Race, and I've always loved it, but I haven't followed the series closely enough to know all the details. It's fun to take a closer look.
Lagitha - LOL on the Blockbuster comment!
Thanks for keeping me laughing (and informed) guys!
Much love!
-HG
5 of 9 | Posted by Honey Gangsta | Posted on November 21, 2007 8:58 AM
Good recap.
I think throwing money around randomly in that situation might have attracted a mob.
While I don't normally like dishonesty, I did enjoy the incident with the cab driver.
I think this was one challenge where grandpa was the best choice. He clearly had milking experience (just maybe not with camels).
I wanted the sisters to last longer! Maybe Karma is getting even for them being so naturally adorable.
6 of 9 | Posted by fire@will | Posted on November 21, 2007 10:00 AM
thanks for the recap Honey!!! Loved the engagement ring . . . that guy is so running for the hills . . . what do these people not understand about being kind to animals . . . . wasn't the donkey a lesson enough!? Personally I thought Grandpa's comments on the sisters was riotous, no!? Sorry to see them go too . . . I'm just so over the bitchy couples . . . for reals, they can just skip them for me and just use nice people . . . is it too much to ask!?
7 of 9 | Posted by juddfan | Posted on November 21, 2007 11:20 AM
Your Loreta comments were funny even though I shouldn't be laughing at someone's obvious distress. Man, she was having a bad afternoon.
I felt sorry for her but I wouldn't marry her. Run, Jason, Run.
I have watched all 11 seasons too and I bought Season 1 on DVD.
8 of 9 | Posted by weasel dearest | Posted on November 21, 2007 1:48 PM
I liked your recap Honey. Thanks for the giggles, they were very much appreciated.
And I just wanted to echo Lone Butterfly, CBS has a pretty good track record of trying to help the local economy of every place they visit, not just on Amazing Race, but Survivor too. So we can feel free to enjoy the mindless entertainment, and maybe, be inspired to try to help in our own way too.
I also wanted to comment about this:
[Q]My conscience is disturbed again. CBS has set up this Road Block and a task that is meant to be dirty and gross and you know they're intently waiting for someone (or everyone) to throw up when they drink the milk, and for the local nomads, this is their life. They do this regularly - Phil even said so - this is how they live and we're watching these Americans trying to stomach it once for our entertainment. Why do I want to cry? [Q/}
followed by:
[Q]Jason lets Lorena do the milking and she is immediately terrified of the camel, who keeps kneeing her hands and knocking the milk out of her dish... and the local nomads stand around in the background...[Q/}
[i]laughing[i/]!!!
One of the best parts of this show, for me, is watching the locals react to the incompetence and ineptitude of the racers. For the most part, the locals are very understanding and forgiving. But a lot of times you can just see the sheer stunned disbelief at American stupidity on their faces, and it's a joy to watch.
9 of 9 | Posted by weejie | Posted on November 21, 2007 7:20 PM