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The Amazing Race – Season 9 – Episode 10

THIS WEEK – 1st
LAST WEEK – 4th, arrived at 12:23pm
Ray and Yolanda – This episode, Ray and Yolanda find out how much further you can go when you devote your energy to racing and not fighting with one another. Last place to first place. They may still have some problems, but if the Hippies bite the dust, then I’m voting for these guys. Joseph from Mojo may be channeling Captain Redneck and all his womanly charms, but these guys are channeling the navigation skills from the Old Folks! Gotta give ’em their props this episode. Oh, and 1-year leases on the new Mercedes M-Class for both of them.

THIS WEEK – 2nd
LAST WEEK – 1st, arrived at 11:47am
The Sickening Frat Boys (Eric and Jeremy) – I hate it when these guys do something smart. Canceling the cabs on the Hippies and Ray & Yolanda was brilliant. Wicked, but brilliant. There won’t be a team in future race history who use their real names for call-ahead cab reservations ever again. Hanging around the Hippies seems to have hurt them in the karma department, though, since their *OWN* cab didn’t show up! Too funny! Also, I wish Ray would have seen Jermey macking on Yolanda. It would have been even funnier to see them racing with broken noses. 😉

THIS WEEK – 3rd
LAST WEEK – 2nd, arrived at 11:48am
Mo Jo (Joseph and Monica) – It’s like somebody put the Frat Boys on one side of a coin and Mojo on the other, flipped it to see who I dislike the most and the coin landed on it’s edge. Honestly speaking, though, the Frat Boys are “what you see is what you get”. Mojo, on the other hand came across all nicey-nice and quiet at first. It’s the Amazing Race equivalent of moving into the suburbs only to find out your next door neighbors are really abusive drunks who tip over your trash can, spray paint your dog, and pee on your welcome mat. Grr, I hate that. So, let’s see, it’s “okay” to work with the Frats to cancel all the other team’s cabs and leave them stranded. It’s not okay for the Hippies to talk some smack about you afterwards? It’s “okay” to be in a race for a million dollars and be in the lead. It’s not okay for another team to yield you so that they can try and win the million dollars instead? And what are we, here, twelve years old? Monica tattling to Phil at the checkpoint about how nasty the Hippies are and how they are playing mind games. It’s called “strategy” – kinda like that whole canceling cabs thingy. Besides, I’m not sure *mind* games would work with Monica. She stays with Joseph who incessantly teases her, makes fun of her when she’s down, and calls her names. Perhaps going with the Hippie’s rumors and hanging with Eric from the Frat Boys might not be such a bad idea for her after all.

THIS WEEK – 4th – Saved yet *again* by a non-elimination round!
LAST WEEK – 3rd, arrived at 11:56am
Hippies (BJ and Tyler) – If there were any more non-elimination rounds, Amazing Race would have to move to a premium cable channel, because these two would most likely be racing in the nude. BJ’s down to shorts and no shoes. How’s that going to work??? Somehow a “race for money” has tainted their happy-go-lucky karma because no matter what these guys can’t stay out in front of the pack. I was disheartened to learn that after their first non-elimination they really did tell the other teams to leave them money or they’d yield them. But hey, like they said, they were being honest and playing the game. I’m betting I’d be just a tad bit ruthless with a million dollars on the line too. That’s a *lot* of incense and beads. If you watch the end 3-way race to the mat, BJ blew it by trying to shortcut around the other teams and running down an embankment and through some water instead of going over a bridge to go the final distance to the mat. Monica from Mojo would have been dead last. Guys! C’mon!!! On the plus side, BJ finally got to do a fun task and go sky-diving. After some of the crap tasks he’s had to do (digging in hot desert sand for one) maybe feeling a bit more equal to Tyler will bring them more team harmony.

The Amazing Race – Season 9 – Episode 9

THIS WEEK – 1st
LAST WEEK – 4th, arrived at 6:47am
The Sickening Frat Boys (Eric and Jeremy) – Sigh. Back on top again. I’m worried the public loves to hate these guys *too* much. The editing of the show has their sickening comments back in the forefront. Let’s see… what was it this week? “Like getting in girls’ pants. Lie, cheat, steal, whatever it takes.” Nice. Real nice. Thanks CBS for keeping that in prime time. I can’t believe I’m going to admit this, though, but in the heat of the moment as Frats and Mojo were racing toward the finish line, I was rooting for Frats. AHHH!!! Okay, I didn’t want either team to win a trip but when Frats won a trip to Hong Kong, I started thinking. Ha – they could have a deadly run-in with Godzilla! Hmm… wait a minute… Godzilla is from Japan. Darn it. I just can’t catch a break this week.

THIS WEEK – 2nd
LAST WEEK – 2nd, arrived at 5:54am
Mo Jo (Joseph and Monica) – I would have liked to see them last. Second to last. Bicycling off a cliff (geez, it feels more like I’m talking about Frats). But, looking for the silver lining, it must be aggravating as all get-out to come in second *again* and just missing first place to the Old Couple last week and, of all teams this week, Frats. *AND* getting to hear Phil give someone else a wonderful trip to Hong Kong. HAHAHAHA! Okay, okay… second is pretty good no matter what, but I had to think of something to make myself feel better. I thought these two were just sweet and quiet when they started out the race. Then I thought they were a little clueless. The more they opened their mouths, however, the more idiocy – oh yeah, and expletives from Captain Redneck’s successor – spewed out. And, what the heck? They’ve got it out for The Hippies?! GRRR.

THIS WEEK – 3rd
LAST WEEK – 5th, arrived at 8:21am – Saved by a non-elimination round
Hippies (BJ and Tyler) – Hippy Power! All teams started the race with $181. By the time the Hippies got off the first flight, they had over $300!!! They picked up a desert Bedouin prior to this and the guy hooked them up with Snickers (nice product placement, and in a foreign country no less), Mango Juice (right up their alley, I’m sure), and GAS! From context, it sounds like they told the other teams before the start that they’d yield whoever didn’t give them money to help them out. Does this sound like our friendly hippies? Well, Mojo sure took it seriously and were nothing but slimey Fratboy wannabes (oh yeah, that’s right, I’m not above a double slam). If it wasn’t for a bad cab ride, I think these two would have had a shot at first place this week. Still in the running – and they’ll get money next round. Watch out… Mojo vs Karma. I’m taking Karma.

THIS WEEK – 4th
LAST WEEK – 3rd, arrived at 6:26am
Ray and Yolanda – Well, no fighting on camera this week. Umm… beyond that, not much to say. I’d like to see them above Frats and Mojo but not above Hippies and, as I watched this week, not above Fran and Barry. I only got one of those two wishes.

THIS WEEK – 5th
LAST WEEK – 1st, arrived at 5:35am
Old Couple (Fran and Barry) – I really found myself hoping for the impossibility of back-to-back non-elimination rounds this week. His driving skills aside, these two grew on me. Yeah, they got in over their head a number of times. Yeah, they’d gripe incessantly. But they could navigate like nobody’s business and, I’m betting at their age and with the things they’ve been through, they could care less what a lone blogger with four or five readers really thinks. Rock on guys, you have to be the coolest grandparents ever. You deserved more positive energy after giving The Hippies $20 at the beginning of the race – but perhaps it just balanced out with you not helping others earlier on. Still, maybe a really cool team next season will show up wearing Fran & Barry t-shirts. I think I’d like that.

The Amazing Race – Season 9 – Episode 8

THIS WEEK – 1st
LAST WEEK – 4th, arrived at 6:20am
Old Couple (Fran and Barry) – What?! 1st place?! Did you see the look on Phil’s face when they came up to the mat? I have to give it to them, though, they played a solid race. On the roadblock, he didn’t find the prize quickly – he had to work on it, digging in the excruciating hot sun. So, I won’t chalk this up to pure luck. Their navigation skills this week really kept them at the front of the pack – well, that plus the fact that he didn’t run into anything with the car again. I think the equalizers, where everyone groups back together to wait for a place to open or a flight to depart, helped to make sure nobody else got *way* ahead of them, but that played to everyone else’s favor just the same. There’s some solid retirement mojo going on here! Hippys are still my fav but I think I’d like to see these guys get second place. 🙂

THIS WEEK – 2nd
LAST WEEK – 2nd, arrived at 4:31am
Mo Jo (Joseph and Monica) – Speaking of retirement mojo… If the Frat Boys weren’t still in the race, I’d be voting for this team to retire next. Maybe it was the camera angle. Maybe it was the editing. But when they came in second place, he just looked pissed. It’s down to the wire folks! Be happy you aren’t eliminated! I don’t care how whiney she can be, it’s like he has the spirit of last week’s loser Captain Redneck when he talks to her. I think there’s a lot more pressure in the race than I ever thought. It’s always the silent ones that crack really hard.

THIS WEEK – 3rd
LAST WEEK – 3rd, arrived at 4:41am
Ray and Yolanda – Are they dating or are they brother and sister? The way they bicker lately, I just can’t tell. Advice to him: Stop being so macho and ignore the cameras and your supposed image. There were places you were just plain disrespectful to her and you *knew* but didn’t want to back down for your pride. A simple “I’m sorry” and maybe a hug would have made almost all of your arguments go away. Advice to her: He’s being a man-child. You didn’t get to this age as a woman without knowing how stupid men can be. Let up with the full-court press and give him a chance to save face. You’d like the apology and the hug, but teach him how, don’t clobber him on a national television show. Ray and Yolanda, you edged out team mojo for my Dr. Phil award of the week! Congrats! I predict these two will solve their crap in the dark hours of the night when the cameras are turned off and come out strong next episode. Old Couple, you are going to have to work *extra* hard next week.

THIS WEEK – 4th
LAST WEEK – 1st, arrived at 11:54pm
The Sickening Frat Boys (Eric and Jeremy) – Bwahahaha! Being in 1st place, there’s nobody to follow and you can get lost. Aside from that, my evil laughter is a bit hollow, because they didn’t really do all that bad. Don’t get me wrong, it would have been great to see them stranded in the desert deliriously coming upon a mirage of two barely clothed dancing girls, only to wake up the following morning next to a couple of spitting camels. However, they did seem somewhat subdued this episode when they reached Phil at the mat. For once, I think they really had the fear that they might be last. With the equalizers this leg of the race, the fast forward they took last time did them *no* good whatsoever. I’m still hoping that will play into their demise.

THIS WEEK – 5th – SAVED BY NON ELIMINATION ROUND
LAST WEEK – 5th, arrived at 8:51am
Hippies (BJ and Tyler) – VERY *VERY* LUCKY! If I hadn’t been 100% sure this was a non-elimination round, I’m not sure I could have watched this episode. With their personalities I don’t think they’ll have too much trouble getting money from the locals, but it’s going to cost precious time. I think the time spent digging in the heat at the roadblock really affected BJ. It was the closest this team has come to aggravation with each other. Paraphrasing BJ, “I had to dig for gnomes. I have to dig in the sand. *YOU* got to bungee jump and swing!” Yeah, he should have been drinking water but someone passed him the sour-grapes juice instead. He got over it and I think maybe when you are elbow deep in 100-degree sand and get passed by EVERYONE, then you just gotta vent. They hugged and made up and all way well in hippy-ville once more. My greatest sadness with them this week? I think they lost their “Bowling Moms” t-shirts. 🙁 My last comment goes out to the network execs – maybe it’s not a sitcom you need to give these guys, it’s a permanent segment on Dr. Phil, or let them sub for Ty Pennington on Extreme Home Makeover. Hmm… or a game show. Where you do horrible things to Frat Boys. That would be good too. 😉

End Notes
Notice that the Old Couple and the Frat Boys switched spots from last week to this week. Otherwise, everybody is in the exact same order. Possible AARP world conspiracy going on here.

The Amazing Race – Season 9 – Episode 7

THIS WEEK – 1st
LAST WEEK – 1st, arrived at 10:33
The Sickening Frat Boys (Eric and Jeremy) – It’s amazing how moving the show to an earlier prime time slot cleaned up how these dorks look on camera. 10pm time slot Frat Boys say, “Give me a piece of that! Oh, I want to spank you! We’re just here for as much loving as we can get!” 8pm time slot Frat Boys say, “We just like to have fun! Here Grandma, let me help you across the street!” Not sure what’s more sickening, these two dorks or CBS’s blatant editing. Hmm… wait. These two dorks. Hate ’em or hate ’em, but they’re like The Amazing Race cockroaches – you just can’t kill them. For doing so well, I’m not sure why they wasted the Fast Forward – but it does mean they can’t use it later in the race. I *hope* this plays in later. As a reward for their perseverance with the face of idiocy, they won a trip to the red carpet premiere of The DaVinci Code. My perfect scenario… While there, they sign ironclad agreements to star in a movie where they get to do full frontal bedroom scenes with their leading “ladies”. The working title to the film? Crying Game 2. 😉

THIS WEEK – 2nd
LAST WEEK – 3rd, arrived at 11:40
Mo Jo (Joseph and Monica) – Wow. Breaking down crying and yelling at each other in the previous leg of the race is actually really motivating. Who knew. Watch out Dr. Phil, “Mo” is gunning for your job with his motivational talk to his partner. “Lift up your spirit before I get pissed.” Watch out Frat Boys, they’re all fired up for the number one spot next week – especially if more teams have penalties (see next couple).

THIS WEEK – 3rd
LAST WEEK – 6th, arrived at 1:02
Ray and Yolanda – Pretty solid this week. She sorta spanked him in the Herculean challenge. The man could not throw a spear – but he did look pretty tough bungee jumping from the bridge. So, thrower = no, throwee = great. When they get along they kick some butt. Previews for next week look stormy for them, though. I’m thinking it’s just a little bit of stress at this point in the race and they’ll overcome. Besides, I’m betting for a non-elimination round next time. All in all, coming from last place (well, just above getting kicked out) to 3rd place is a pretty good move. 15-minute penalty at the finish… Scary guys. You could have had 2nd.

THIS WEEK – 4th
LAST WEEK – 4th, arrived at 11:53
Old Couple (Fran and Barry) – Consistant. I really thought they’d be gone by now. 60-something years old and she jumped off a bridge. In the cold. In the pouring rain. You’ve *GOT* to give her props for that. They’ve got to push harder though. Physical is going to hurt them before this is out and they’re really not that much stronger mentally than anyone else. Basically, they need to avoid stupid mistakes and hope others make them. Oh yeah, and one more thing… Don’t let him drive anymore. Smashing the back of the SUV into a tree was classic. “I didn’t see it.” Whoa. Note to CBS – eye tests.

THIS WEEK – 5th
LAST WEEK – 2nd, arrived at 10:38
Hippies (BJ and Tyler) – Boys, boys, boys! You had me on the edge of my seat almost the entire race! Without your quirkiness I have to root for the Old Couple. I know you’re anxious to start your new sitcom you’ve so desperately earned after the race (come on network execs, take the hint here!) but please stop getting lost. I love the humor, but maybe a few less jokes and a little more map-reading. However, if you had to screw up before the end, better now than upcoming episodes. You’ve still got weaker teams you know you can take. With that 15 minute penalty you incurred, you almost *had* to count on a non-elimination. Very very lucky. Points, though, for staying positive when you were almost out of it! Double-points for the mud wrestling! Triple-points for the silly frog hat! 😉

THIS WEEK – BYE BYE!
LAST WEEK – 5th, arrived at 12:17
Married Parents (Lake and Michelle) – You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody almost gripe and whine themselves into a heart attack like he did this episode. I imagined an ambulance pulling up with Dennis Leary driving and humming “I’m an asshole…” Surreal. Anybody notice she had no problem bungee jumping off the bridge? To get away from him, I would have done it with *NO* bungee cord. Oh well. In their exit interview she said they were happy and “it worked for them”. Two tickets back to Dysfunction Junction please.

End Notes
All in all, this seemed like a pretty fast paced episode. I would have bet on it being a non-elimination but no go. Just as well, the Hippies pulled out in the end and Captain Redneck went to last. Works for me. If it really was as frantic as I thought and not just editing, I think tiredness is going to play into the next leg.

The Amazing Race – Season 9 – Episode 6

The Sickening Frat Boys (Eric and Jeremy) – AHHHHH! Somebody shoot me! They came in first *again*. On the plus side, since CBS moved the show back to “family time” I think they are editing out some of the more sickening comments by these two. They have proven one important thing that applicants to TAR should pay attention to – you do *not* have to be a genious to do well in the race. One step at a time, don’t overthink (not a real problem for these two), keep moving forward, and don’t be afraid to ask stupid questions. Unlike these two, though, you can leave out questions like “Hey hottie foreign girl, how about some directions to your room?” Barf.

Hippies (BJ and Tyler) – How exactly did they fall behind the frat boys? They don’t seem to stress about it though. Sucks that they aren’t winning some of the cool trips, but I think if they went home on the next show (unlikely) they’d still be in good spirits. I’m sure they’re hamming it up a bit more than normal life for the TV cameras (hello! technicolor clothes), but hey, they’re succeeding. It’s good TV. I’d like them to win. I predict – unless something catastrophic happens – it will be them, the frats, and anybody’s guess for the final three.

Mo Jo (Joseph and Monica) – Wow. I liked them so much better when they were invisible and I couldn’t remember them. How about him saying he was going to stick the swordfish sword through one of the local’s heads? Niiiiiiice. Real nice. And, heaven forbid she smell like fish. 😉 I think the local fish market folks found her crying and him yelling so annoying they didn’t even want to help them.

Old Couple (Fran and Barry) – Great with maps, not so good with driving? I love how they seem so close and loving in interviews. I want to be like that. However, when he’s out doing the kayak polo and trying to throw the ball in the goal, she’s all “He’s pathetic!” and “Does he even know what he’s doing?” And, she’s saying it in front of another team – oh yeah, let alone the entire freakin’ viewing audience. AND, just like the episode where they were about to step on the pitstop map and they STILL wouldn’t help another team, they chose not to help someone again when they passed them by in their car. I know everyone is out to win, but what comes around goes around. Maybe the hippies should give karma lessons at night?

Married Parents (Lake and Michelle) – I’m so sick of Captain Redneck.

Ray and Yolanda – Now that they are a little less invisible, I like them more. It was a little funny/sad when they were asking for directions that they were being ignored. Perhaps if he had taken off the cap and tried not to look all “hoodlum” it would have helped. Ironic that they mentioned that they’d never stop in the middle of the night in America to ask for directions for fear of what would happen, but they felt safe doing so in the foreign country – and then they didn’t get the same help it looked like the other teams received. I’ve got a feeling, though, they could be the wildcard team of the game. The other teams should be careful.

Young Love (David and Lori) – I’m said, but not surprised. They walked when they should run. They didn’t ask for directions when they should have. They seemed a bit overwhelmed. I hope that the race really did bring them closer together. I really hoped this episode would have been a non-elimination, but no dice. I’m sure that will only happen for the old folks, the frat boys, whiny mojo, or Captain Redneck. Blah.