Four teams left in the Race! They all leave from Singapore for the 10th leg. Dan & Jordan leave first, flying to Shanghai, China. They will have to taxi to the town of Zhujiajiao, which is the “Venice of China.” They will take gondola boats to their next clue box. Brent & Caite leave next, and Caite is happy she’s the last girl standing. Jet has a wife and a 17-month-old child, and Cord got engaged before he left, so they’re a little homesick. All the teams meet up at the airport and get to hear Caite tell the gripping story of how she U-Turned Carol & Brandy. (It was mesmerizing, I tell you!) Dan & Jordan interviewed that it was a stupid decision and based on personal reasons, and that Jet & Cord are much stronger competitors and they should have been the ones to be U-Turned. The first flight leaves at 12:55 a.m. and they’re all on the same flight.
Everyone grabs a taxi out of the airport - Michael & Louie get one that understands no English, and they’re following Dan & Jordan, whose cab stops to confer with Michael & Louie’s driver. Jet & Cord get to Zhujiajiao and Jet leaves his backpack in the cab (Cord takes his along, seems like the smarter move. I wouldn’t leave my worldly belongings unless I was positive I was coming back!) Brent & Caite get to the gondolas first and float down the channel. Brent, rocket scientist that he is, says he feels like he’s in “Sicily.” (Really, just get yourself a lobotomy and get it over with already!) Jet interviews that it was a “tranquil” ride and Cord has to have him explain the meaning of the word. (Brent & Caite are rubbing off on him!) In the meantime, Michael & Louie and Dan & Jordan are stuck with cabbies who cannot speak English and are lost. Michael says that he spoke to someone on the plane who said that 1/3 of the people speak English “But we met the other 2/3 right away in China.”
Brent & Caite get to the clue box first and the clue is a Roadblock. Phil tells us that noodles have been an important staple of China for 2000 years. They will have to go to a noodle house and learn how to make noodles by hand. Once they’ve made 1 kilo of noodles, the smallest man in the world, He Pingping, will give them their next clue. Caite thinks he’s “adorable” and Brent says he’s as large as Brent’s foot to knee. Caite and Jet start making noodles, and we see Dan & Jordan and Michael & Louie bemoaning their fates with the lousy cab drivers. They end up in some deserted place and find someone who speaks English and tells the drivers where to go. Jet realizes that sprinkling flour keeps the noodles from clumping and seems to be making good headway. The little guy has a cigarette in his mouth and it looks the size of a cannon. Caite is having mega problems with her noodles, and Brent says he’ll never ask to her make some homemade spaghetti. (*eyes rolling*) Jordan volunteers and Louie says he used to help his grandmother make pasta. (Kiss of death, I bet!) Jet is doing great and gets his pasta done, with “gentle hands” according to Jordan. Caite’s noodles keep clumping and she keeps getting “no, no” from the local in charge. In the cab, the Cowboys talk about the little guy’s cigarette, and say “apparently smoking will stunt your growth.” Louie gets 15 grams of good noodles and says “my Grandma is probably turning over in her grave right now.” The Cowboys luckily can go back to their cab so Jet is safe this time. Their clue tells them to go into the fashion house and work together. They will choose a model who has a sketch of a design. They will have to find all the pieces of the outfit from the many racks, and if the model is dressed correctly, they will get their next clue. They start looking through the racks...
And Caite finishes her noodles. Jordan is complaining that his hands are freezing and he’s not going quickly at all. Louie gets a big clump and Jordan asks “how did you do that?” Louie yells “it’s because I’m Italian!”
We see Cord seeing a model with a shirt that looks like his sketch and asks the model if he can have her shirt. (Had she understood English, he may have gotten clobbered). As their model gets dressed, they banter about how fashion conscious they are. Louie finishes his noodles and they yell “good luck” to Jordan as they take off. Jordan gets another clump of noodles done but he’s far from finishing and is getting upset. Dan goes over and gives his brother a hug and a pep talk, telling him “I know how hard this is, but you’re doing great.” You know Jordan’s hands are freezing, because we can see everyone’s breath. Jet & Cord find out their model is dressed incorrectly and go to pick another shirt, which is the right one so they get their next clue, which tells them to go to Hongkou Stadium for their next clue. Brent & Caite then get to the fashion house and Caite thinks it’s funny that they’re usually the ones getting dressed, not picking the fashions. Michael & Louie get their clue (which is right in front of the fashion house) and go wandering off looking for the building. Jordan finally gets done with his noodles and off the Brothers go to find the next clue box. Caite, after hating Carol & Brandy the whole Race for talking about a tiara, asks the model if she needs her tiara to help her change clothes.
Jet & Cord get to the Stadium and find another Roadblock. This is a first, having two Roadblocks on one Race - and the person who didn’t do the first Roadblock has to do this one. And Phil tells us “It won’t be easy.” They will have to take 96 cards and build a puzzle with them, working off of a little picture. They will then give the cards to people in the stands, and once the cards are flipped over, it will give a seat number where their next clue is hidden. Cord started laying the pieces out and says they all look alike. Jet says that Cord isn’t talented in everything, but he makes up for it in “try” and he’s glad Cord is his teammate. Brent & Caite get their model dressed correctly and head to the Stadium. Michael & Louie finally wander back to the correct place and laugh “what kind of detectives are we?” As they get their clothes together, Dan & Jordan walk in and Michael says “being a gay male, this is right up Jordan’s alley.” Michael & Louie are wrong and Michael yells “can we have a shooting challenge please?” They find out they’re wrong again. Dan & Jordan are wrong, also, and they realize that each model is wearing the other’s stockings. Michael & Louie’s model gets dressed first and they take off with Dan & Jordan right behind them. Michael complains that he’d like a challenge where they could “kick a door in” or “chase a crackhead.” Brent is making good headway over Cord, and the wind kicks up and starts blowing their pieces away. Cord starts taking clothes off to hold down his pieces, throwing his jacket and hat and shirt on top of them, then laying on them till the wind quits. Brent is getting pretty ticked and starts yelling to Caite “I was halfway done.” Cord interviews that “having a fit and kicking and screaming isn’t going to help.” The teams are using their backpacks to hold down the pieces as they build the puzzle. Cord gets done and passes out his pieces and they’re correct, because the readable answer is Section 20, Row 16, Seat 33 and there’s the clue! The clue tells them to go to the Shanghai Science & Technology Museum, which is the Pit Stop on this leg of the Race. Dan is building the puzzle like his Dad used to, getting the corners and border first, then the middle. Brent finally gets done and finds his clue. Michael is looking through the individual pieces trying to find them one by one, and getting fixated on finding one piece.
Jet & Cord make it to the Mat first, and poor Phil looks freezing. Speaking of which, the Cowboy brothers win a trip to Alaska. They’ve won three trips so far, and they both say they’re not going with each other. Brent & Caite are second to the Mat. The crowds at the Stadium are cheering their puzzle makers on, and Dan finishes his puzzle and runs off to get his clue. Michael is bumming and “not seeing this.” He’s not giving up, though. Dan & Jordan get to the Mat in third, and Jordan thinks the girls with Phil are cute. Michael is taking so long that the lights are on at the stadium. Louie says he’s sad, but he’s proud of his partner and gives Michael a hug after he finishes. They get to the Mat last, and Phil tells them that “you are the last team to arrive, and you are out.” (This gave me the hint that this was a non-elimination leg, or else the show just became Project Runway.) Phil smiles and says “...in the cold!” and tells them while they have a Speed Bump next leg, they’re still in the Race. He tells Louie, “don’t make me eliminate you.”
The show ends with “In memory of He Pingping.” The little guy obviously died, and after looking him up on Wikipedia, I found this:
He Pingping was, according to the Guinness World Records, the world's shortest man who was able to walk. He was admitted to a hospital on March 3,2010 in Rome, Italy after complaining of chest pains. He died on March 13, 2010 of heart complications. The Guinness World Records editor-in-chief, Craig Glenday, said that he was "an inspiration to anyone considered different or unusual." He measured 74 cm (2 ft 5 in) tall, and was the third child of a family in Huade county, in the city of Ulanqab in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. He had two sisters, one who stands at 7 feet tall. According to his father, He Yun, at birth He Pingping was small enough to fit in the palm of his parents' hands. When it became apparent the child was growing very slowly, doctors diagnosed the cause as the bone deformity osteogenesis imperfecta, which hinders normal bone growth and body height. His name "Pingping" means wine bottle. He was a chain smoker.
So here are the standings, getting pretty darn close to the end:
1 - Jet & Cord
2 - Brent & Caite
3 - Dan & Jordan
4 - Michael & Louie
So there is one more show before the finale on May 9th. Who will our last three teams be? They all seem capable (as long as there are no tasks needing brains for Brent & Caite).
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Brent & Caite Don't Have to Worry About Those Mean Lesbians Any More! And the World is Right...
Many apologies for being late ... I didn't set my TiVo to tape longer and TAR started late, and the ending got chopped! Had to wait to watch the end online today....
The teams begin in Malaysia at a 100-year-old mansion. Jet & Cord leave at 10:02 a.m. They will travel by bus and train to Singapore to the Victoria Concert Hall and look for Allan Wu, who is the host of the Asian version of the Amazing Race, to get their clue. Carol & Brandy leave next, and their clue warns them that a U-Turn is on this Leg of the Race. (Uh-oh, will Caite get her wish to U-Turn Carol & Brandy?) They talk about working well together, which is a big turnaround from the way they started. Jet & Cord manage to get the first bus out of town. Dan & Jordan tell us they decided at the beginning of the Race that they wouldn’t “throw elbows” and they want people to like them. They end up on the bus with Brent & Caite and Michael & Louie, and ask who they would most want to U-Turn. Michael says “the girls, because they’re the most world-traveled.” Caite says they’re going to U-Turn the lesbians, and Dan asks if it’s because they’re lesbians (yay Dan - make her think! Oops, we’re talking about Caite, right? Sorry), and Caite says “no, it’s because they’re mean to me.”
Jet & Cord get to the train station and find out the train doesn’t leave until 9:30 p.m., and realize that all teams will be on the same train. On the train, Dan sees that it's not the cleanest, and uses a disinfectant wipe and is surprised at the filth on it. The train has no seats (at least where our teams are) but has sleeping bunks. As the train gets close to their destination, Michael & Louie and Brent & Caite are standing in the aisle as Carol & Brandy try to get through to get closer to an exit, but they stubbornly refuse to move to let them by. Brent says “ladies get through, bitches don’t.” (My, isn’t he obnoxious! Totally uncalled for. Then cosmic justice as Caite falls flat on her face outside the train station.) Jet & Cord and Brent & Caite have problems getting a cab outside of the train station, and Jet & Cord have the most trouble and end up leaving last. At the concert hall, the teams end up running inside looking for Allan Wu, but Dan & Jordan stay outside and find him relaxing and reading a paper and get their clue.
The Singapore Flyer is a giant ferris wheel (although Phil says it’s the “tallest observation wheel in the world,” and will be the Fast Forward on this Race. The team who attempts it will wait until their car is at the top (541 feet up), then have to leave it and walk across to another car next to it, then they’ll get the “Fast Forward Award” which will probably say “go to the Pit Stop.” Dan & Jordan decide to go for it, and it turns out to be a great move.
Michael & Louie go outside to look for Allan Wu as Jet & Cord show up, and the two teams get their clue as Brent & Caite and Carol & Brandy look through the building inside for Mr. Wu. The clue from Mr. Wu is a Detour, which entails an ethnic challenge - Pounding the Drums, or a more modern one: Pounding the Pavement. For Pounding the Drums, teams must go to Speakers’ Corner and learn a routine on traditional drums. Their drum teacher will let them know when they are ready and they will have to perform it correctly to get their clue. (And all I can see with this challenge are young, cute kids, so this may be interesting!) For Pounding the Pavement, the teams must go to a pedestrian mall (read outdoor square) and pick up supplies and 10 boxes of ice cream. They must then sell 25 ice cream sandwiches which they will make with wafers or bread (ick! Ice cream sandwiches with white bread?) - and ice cream - and the “ice cream uncle” will give them their clue.
All the teams except for Dan & Jordan head off for Pounding the Drums. Jet & Cord have problems getting the beat down but are having fun and laughing, and Michael & Louie aren’t doing much better. Carol & Brandy get a very young man and he’s not counting, so they go off to find another drum teacher who will count. Michael & Louie realize they’re way in over their heads (Michael says “I’m white as white can be - I have no rhythm.”) and decide to go try the Fast Forward - thinking that Dan & Jordan went to sell ice cream. Jordan gets to the giant wheel and finds out he has to wear a harness, and realizes that he’s not thrilled about the challenge. As they go up, Jordan tells Dan “maybe this is a good time to tell you I’ve discovered I have an intense fear of heights.” Michael & Louie get there and ask the elevator lady if Dan & Jordan are there already, and she says “you’ll find out when you get up there.” They’re bummed they can’t find out first. They get up to the floor and see a sign saying “Fast Forward in progress” and decide to go sell ice cream. As they get back to their taxi, they can’t find their driver - he’s in the bathroom. They’re bummed again but hey, cabbies gotta pee too!
Jordan is freaking out as they get to the top and Dan, ever the great brother, says “hey if you fall and die I love you.” We see Jordan getting out of the car and shaking as he crawls across. He keeps repeating "This is for a million dollars." I don’t see why he’s that scared - he’s all harnessed up and I’m sure the release they sign at the beginning of the Race doesn’t cover death from a challenge!
Back at the drums, Brent is having problems, and Jet & Cord aren’t doing all that well either. Carol & Brandy debate whether they can “get it” or not. Back at the wheel, Jordan gets to the other car and says that is the scariest thing he’s ever done, and he’s surprised he didn’t pee himself. He says he couldn’t do the Race with anyone but his brother. They finish the task and their clue tells them to go to the Pit Stop, which they can see from their perch - and Jordan says “Phil, we’ll be right there.”
Michael & Louie get their supplies of an umbrella, chairs, and their ice cream and find their cart. Louie yells “buy some ice cream from some crazy Americans!”
Jet & Cord are allowed to go by their teacher and hit the stage, drumming by some puppet-looking things and finding out they're pretty bad. Brent & Caite see Jet & Cord trying and decide they can do it while Jet & Cord go back to practice. Brent & Caite get through the routine and get their clue, which will make them figure out they have to go to Istana Park at the intersection of Penang and Orchard Roads.
Dan & Jordan make it to the Mat and Phil tells them they are team one, each of them winning a motorbike. They tell Phil that they won’t ever get on them, their mother would never let them ride the motorbikes. (What nice boys!)
Brent & Caite get to the clue box and find the U-Turn - which is not anonymous this time, they will have to put their picture on it to let the team know they are the ones doing the U-Turning. And, as Phil says “suffer the consequences of having their identity known.” Brent & Caite will U-Turn the Lesbians, because of a couple of comments about a tiara ‘way back at the beginning of the Race. Brent says “sometimes it is personal” and something tells me they need a bit thicker skin! (I'll have to watch the Elimination Station videos if Brent & Caite get eliminated next - might be some fireworks!) Back at the mall, Michael & Louie are trying their best to sell their ice creams and they convince their cabbie to buy the last ten to get them over the top. Carol & Brandy hit the stage to try their drumming and manage to get their clue...they have a surprise coming! Michael & Louie get dropped off at the intersection and miss the signs and decide they have to go one more block. Carol & Brandy get to the clue box and see they’ve been U-Turned, and say that Caite U-Turned them because Brandy “is prettier than she is.” They say Caite is an idiot, and on U Tube to prove it - “it’s stupid, and let’s face it, she hasn’t built a career on intelligence.” They toss insults Brent & Caite’s way, and end up calling them “Brent & Caite Gump” among other things. Michael & Louie get to the box and see the Lesbians have been U-Turned and say “great job, Brent & Caite.” (Sure, it’s not their ass on the line for the dirty deed!)
Brent & Ciate get to the clue box and it’s a Roadblock. One team member has to work the docks and inspect an enormous anchor chain. They have to count all the links in a chain (521). There is noise, with people banging on iron, someone yapping on a speaker, and Brent is getting aggravated and saying “shut up!” (Like they’re gonna listen to him). Jet & Cord finally finish the drumming and get their clue, while Carol & Brandy are back to sniping at each other as they gather the materials to sell ice cream. (It doesn’t look like they have a cooler for their ice cream, hopefully it isn’t mush by the time they get set up). Michael & Louie say that they “trained their little wolf cubs” and they’re happy that Brent & Caite U-Turned Carol & Brandy, because they convinced everyone that the Lesbians were a bigger threat.
Brent manages to get the correct number of chain links and gets his clue. They have to find Mega Zip on an island for their next clue. Carol & Brandy are barking at everyone to buy their ice cream sandwiches. Michael & Louie get to the docks and Michael will do the challenge - after he gets his pitch counter out of his bag. (I guess he umpires little league games, but what on earth would give him the idea to bring a pitch counter on the Race?) Jet is counting links and Carol & Brandy finish selling ice cream sandwiches and run back to the park.
Brent & Caite get their next clue and find out they have to do a zip line “above a jungle canopy” of Mt. Enbia. Carol & Brandy are still sniping at each other, and at Caite once they get back to the clue box with the U-Turn picture on it. Brent & Caite have a great time on the zip line, and their clue tells them to find the Marina Barrage across town, which is the Pit Stop.
Michael gets the correct number of links, but since he didn’t grab the clipboard, he has to go back and get it and submit his number. Jet goes to the supervisor and gets the number right on his clipboard, and just beats out Michael for the clue. Michael & Louie’s cab had taken off and they try to steal Carol & Brandy’s, telling the driver “they said it was okay” and “they’re very mean, they’ll just be mean to you” but the driver wouldn’t budge. After searching a bit, they offer a woman $20 American money to take her cab, and she accepts.
Brent & Caite find the Mat and Phil, who mentions that they used the U-Turn. Caite gives her whine about how “mean” Carol & Brandy have been to her, and Phil says “looks like they picked on the wrong team.”
Carol & Brandy finish counting (and every team got the right number the first time...I’m surprised!) and find out from their cab driver that the Detectives tried to steal their cab. Jet & Cord are having fun going down the zip lines, and they’re not wearing their hats! I thought a cowboy never takes his hat off, boys! They make it to Phil at the Mat in third place, where Phil teases them about their drumming, saying “I heard it was pathetic.” Jet says “the closest we’ve come to playing a musical instrument is a radio.”
The editors are making it look like Carol & Brandy have a shot at getting ahead of Michael & Louie. They arrive at the park at what looks like pretty much the same time and Carol & Brandy seem to be right on their heels at the zip line. Michael tells Louie he has to step it up and hurry, and Louie, panting all the way, says he’s trying. BUT after the zip line ride, Louie sees the beautiful girl giving out the clues and beats Michael to her - I guess all Michael has to do to get Louie moving faster is to have a gorgeous woman run ahead of him!
Carol & Brandy complain some more about Brent & Caite as they ride toward the Pit Stop, and it looks like they get to the Pit Stop as Michael & Louie do - but Michael & Louie get fourth place and Carol & Brandy are eliminated. Brandy tells Phil “there’s no reason they should have U-Turned us. There were two other teams that did consistently better than us. Dumb did us in.” Carol adds that they’ll get over the bad day and "enjoy the richness of the experience - and then I’ll translate that into first grade language for Caite.”
So, after all the back-and-forth sniping from Carol & Brandy at Brent & Caite, and Brent & Caite at Carol & Brandy, and Carol at Brandy and Brandy at Carol, do you think like I do that Brent & Caite used a tool to their advantage and got rid of a good team? Or should they have U-Turned the Detectives or Cowboys? We’re down to four teams (and one girl) - who’s got the best shot? We’ll find out next week!
The teams begin in Malaysia at a 100-year-old mansion. Jet & Cord leave at 10:02 a.m. They will travel by bus and train to Singapore to the Victoria Concert Hall and look for Allan Wu, who is the host of the Asian version of the Amazing Race, to get their clue. Carol & Brandy leave next, and their clue warns them that a U-Turn is on this Leg of the Race. (Uh-oh, will Caite get her wish to U-Turn Carol & Brandy?) They talk about working well together, which is a big turnaround from the way they started. Jet & Cord manage to get the first bus out of town. Dan & Jordan tell us they decided at the beginning of the Race that they wouldn’t “throw elbows” and they want people to like them. They end up on the bus with Brent & Caite and Michael & Louie, and ask who they would most want to U-Turn. Michael says “the girls, because they’re the most world-traveled.” Caite says they’re going to U-Turn the lesbians, and Dan asks if it’s because they’re lesbians (yay Dan - make her think! Oops, we’re talking about Caite, right? Sorry), and Caite says “no, it’s because they’re mean to me.”
Jet & Cord get to the train station and find out the train doesn’t leave until 9:30 p.m., and realize that all teams will be on the same train. On the train, Dan sees that it's not the cleanest, and uses a disinfectant wipe and is surprised at the filth on it. The train has no seats (at least where our teams are) but has sleeping bunks. As the train gets close to their destination, Michael & Louie and Brent & Caite are standing in the aisle as Carol & Brandy try to get through to get closer to an exit, but they stubbornly refuse to move to let them by. Brent says “ladies get through, bitches don’t.” (My, isn’t he obnoxious! Totally uncalled for. Then cosmic justice as Caite falls flat on her face outside the train station.) Jet & Cord and Brent & Caite have problems getting a cab outside of the train station, and Jet & Cord have the most trouble and end up leaving last. At the concert hall, the teams end up running inside looking for Allan Wu, but Dan & Jordan stay outside and find him relaxing and reading a paper and get their clue.
The Singapore Flyer is a giant ferris wheel (although Phil says it’s the “tallest observation wheel in the world,” and will be the Fast Forward on this Race. The team who attempts it will wait until their car is at the top (541 feet up), then have to leave it and walk across to another car next to it, then they’ll get the “Fast Forward Award” which will probably say “go to the Pit Stop.” Dan & Jordan decide to go for it, and it turns out to be a great move.
Michael & Louie go outside to look for Allan Wu as Jet & Cord show up, and the two teams get their clue as Brent & Caite and Carol & Brandy look through the building inside for Mr. Wu. The clue from Mr. Wu is a Detour, which entails an ethnic challenge - Pounding the Drums, or a more modern one: Pounding the Pavement. For Pounding the Drums, teams must go to Speakers’ Corner and learn a routine on traditional drums. Their drum teacher will let them know when they are ready and they will have to perform it correctly to get their clue. (And all I can see with this challenge are young, cute kids, so this may be interesting!) For Pounding the Pavement, the teams must go to a pedestrian mall (read outdoor square) and pick up supplies and 10 boxes of ice cream. They must then sell 25 ice cream sandwiches which they will make with wafers or bread (ick! Ice cream sandwiches with white bread?) - and ice cream - and the “ice cream uncle” will give them their clue.
All the teams except for Dan & Jordan head off for Pounding the Drums. Jet & Cord have problems getting the beat down but are having fun and laughing, and Michael & Louie aren’t doing much better. Carol & Brandy get a very young man and he’s not counting, so they go off to find another drum teacher who will count. Michael & Louie realize they’re way in over their heads (Michael says “I’m white as white can be - I have no rhythm.”) and decide to go try the Fast Forward - thinking that Dan & Jordan went to sell ice cream. Jordan gets to the giant wheel and finds out he has to wear a harness, and realizes that he’s not thrilled about the challenge. As they go up, Jordan tells Dan “maybe this is a good time to tell you I’ve discovered I have an intense fear of heights.” Michael & Louie get there and ask the elevator lady if Dan & Jordan are there already, and she says “you’ll find out when you get up there.” They’re bummed they can’t find out first. They get up to the floor and see a sign saying “Fast Forward in progress” and decide to go sell ice cream. As they get back to their taxi, they can’t find their driver - he’s in the bathroom. They’re bummed again but hey, cabbies gotta pee too!
Jordan is freaking out as they get to the top and Dan, ever the great brother, says “hey if you fall and die I love you.” We see Jordan getting out of the car and shaking as he crawls across. He keeps repeating "This is for a million dollars." I don’t see why he’s that scared - he’s all harnessed up and I’m sure the release they sign at the beginning of the Race doesn’t cover death from a challenge!
Back at the drums, Brent is having problems, and Jet & Cord aren’t doing all that well either. Carol & Brandy debate whether they can “get it” or not. Back at the wheel, Jordan gets to the other car and says that is the scariest thing he’s ever done, and he’s surprised he didn’t pee himself. He says he couldn’t do the Race with anyone but his brother. They finish the task and their clue tells them to go to the Pit Stop, which they can see from their perch - and Jordan says “Phil, we’ll be right there.”
Michael & Louie get their supplies of an umbrella, chairs, and their ice cream and find their cart. Louie yells “buy some ice cream from some crazy Americans!”
Jet & Cord are allowed to go by their teacher and hit the stage, drumming by some puppet-looking things and finding out they're pretty bad. Brent & Caite see Jet & Cord trying and decide they can do it while Jet & Cord go back to practice. Brent & Caite get through the routine and get their clue, which will make them figure out they have to go to Istana Park at the intersection of Penang and Orchard Roads.
Dan & Jordan make it to the Mat and Phil tells them they are team one, each of them winning a motorbike. They tell Phil that they won’t ever get on them, their mother would never let them ride the motorbikes. (What nice boys!)
Brent & Caite get to the clue box and find the U-Turn - which is not anonymous this time, they will have to put their picture on it to let the team know they are the ones doing the U-Turning. And, as Phil says “suffer the consequences of having their identity known.” Brent & Caite will U-Turn the Lesbians, because of a couple of comments about a tiara ‘way back at the beginning of the Race. Brent says “sometimes it is personal” and something tells me they need a bit thicker skin! (I'll have to watch the Elimination Station videos if Brent & Caite get eliminated next - might be some fireworks!) Back at the mall, Michael & Louie are trying their best to sell their ice creams and they convince their cabbie to buy the last ten to get them over the top. Carol & Brandy hit the stage to try their drumming and manage to get their clue...they have a surprise coming! Michael & Louie get dropped off at the intersection and miss the signs and decide they have to go one more block. Carol & Brandy get to the clue box and see they’ve been U-Turned, and say that Caite U-Turned them because Brandy “is prettier than she is.” They say Caite is an idiot, and on U Tube to prove it - “it’s stupid, and let’s face it, she hasn’t built a career on intelligence.” They toss insults Brent & Caite’s way, and end up calling them “Brent & Caite Gump” among other things. Michael & Louie get to the box and see the Lesbians have been U-Turned and say “great job, Brent & Caite.” (Sure, it’s not their ass on the line for the dirty deed!)
Brent & Ciate get to the clue box and it’s a Roadblock. One team member has to work the docks and inspect an enormous anchor chain. They have to count all the links in a chain (521). There is noise, with people banging on iron, someone yapping on a speaker, and Brent is getting aggravated and saying “shut up!” (Like they’re gonna listen to him). Jet & Cord finally finish the drumming and get their clue, while Carol & Brandy are back to sniping at each other as they gather the materials to sell ice cream. (It doesn’t look like they have a cooler for their ice cream, hopefully it isn’t mush by the time they get set up). Michael & Louie say that they “trained their little wolf cubs” and they’re happy that Brent & Caite U-Turned Carol & Brandy, because they convinced everyone that the Lesbians were a bigger threat.
Brent manages to get the correct number of chain links and gets his clue. They have to find Mega Zip on an island for their next clue. Carol & Brandy are barking at everyone to buy their ice cream sandwiches. Michael & Louie get to the docks and Michael will do the challenge - after he gets his pitch counter out of his bag. (I guess he umpires little league games, but what on earth would give him the idea to bring a pitch counter on the Race?) Jet is counting links and Carol & Brandy finish selling ice cream sandwiches and run back to the park.
Brent & Caite get their next clue and find out they have to do a zip line “above a jungle canopy” of Mt. Enbia. Carol & Brandy are still sniping at each other, and at Caite once they get back to the clue box with the U-Turn picture on it. Brent & Caite have a great time on the zip line, and their clue tells them to find the Marina Barrage across town, which is the Pit Stop.
Michael gets the correct number of links, but since he didn’t grab the clipboard, he has to go back and get it and submit his number. Jet goes to the supervisor and gets the number right on his clipboard, and just beats out Michael for the clue. Michael & Louie’s cab had taken off and they try to steal Carol & Brandy’s, telling the driver “they said it was okay” and “they’re very mean, they’ll just be mean to you” but the driver wouldn’t budge. After searching a bit, they offer a woman $20 American money to take her cab, and she accepts.
Brent & Caite find the Mat and Phil, who mentions that they used the U-Turn. Caite gives her whine about how “mean” Carol & Brandy have been to her, and Phil says “looks like they picked on the wrong team.”
Carol & Brandy finish counting (and every team got the right number the first time...I’m surprised!) and find out from their cab driver that the Detectives tried to steal their cab. Jet & Cord are having fun going down the zip lines, and they’re not wearing their hats! I thought a cowboy never takes his hat off, boys! They make it to Phil at the Mat in third place, where Phil teases them about their drumming, saying “I heard it was pathetic.” Jet says “the closest we’ve come to playing a musical instrument is a radio.”
The editors are making it look like Carol & Brandy have a shot at getting ahead of Michael & Louie. They arrive at the park at what looks like pretty much the same time and Carol & Brandy seem to be right on their heels at the zip line. Michael tells Louie he has to step it up and hurry, and Louie, panting all the way, says he’s trying. BUT after the zip line ride, Louie sees the beautiful girl giving out the clues and beats Michael to her - I guess all Michael has to do to get Louie moving faster is to have a gorgeous woman run ahead of him!
Carol & Brandy complain some more about Brent & Caite as they ride toward the Pit Stop, and it looks like they get to the Pit Stop as Michael & Louie do - but Michael & Louie get fourth place and Carol & Brandy are eliminated. Brandy tells Phil “there’s no reason they should have U-Turned us. There were two other teams that did consistently better than us. Dumb did us in.” Carol adds that they’ll get over the bad day and "enjoy the richness of the experience - and then I’ll translate that into first grade language for Caite.”
So, after all the back-and-forth sniping from Carol & Brandy at Brent & Caite, and Brent & Caite at Carol & Brandy, and Carol at Brandy and Brandy at Carol, do you think like I do that Brent & Caite used a tool to their advantage and got rid of a good team? Or should they have U-Turned the Detectives or Cowboys? We’re down to four teams (and one girl) - who’s got the best shot? We’ll find out next week!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Sweating Through Malaysia with Snakes and Coconuts
The teams begin in Seychelles, where half of its island land is protected as a national park. Steve & Allie got a great reward for their first-place finish of dinner on the pirate's beach during the Pit Stop - but I wonder where Allie got that pink sarong-towel thingy she was wearing? Remember, last leg their backpacks were left with the turtles. Maybe it was a bedsheet!
The clue tells them to fly to Penang, Malaysia and go to the Snake Temple, which is a house of worship where snakes live. (Ooh, I want to see Carol & Brandy and Caite roam around there with the snakes! They have to take the 2:00 a.m. ferry to another island to the airport. Steve tries to buy a hotel employee’s shirt off his back, but only gets some plastic bags to carry their extra stuff. They do some checking and find out Malaysia is a warm country, so they’re not worried about freezing. Dan & Jordan are psyched to be as far in the Race as they are. Michael & Louie like working with Brent & Caite, saying they’re respectful and “someone you’d be proud to call your own kids.” (As long as you don’t want kids with brain cells!) They all discuss going to the Snake Temple and Caite says she likes snakes. Caite calls the Detectives “the Daddies.” The two teams talk about wanting to get rid of Carol & Brandy - Brent & Caite because “they’re mean” and Michael & Louie because they see the lesbians as threats. They plan to U-Turn the girls at the next opportunity. The Cowboys realize they have a second chance and say they aren’t out of it unless they quit, and that won’t happen.
At the ferry, Michael & Louie give Steve some underwear and a little clothing. All the teams are on the same ferry and same flight, and the Cowboys say that once again, they’re tied for first place. Brent & Caite get out of the airport and on their way first, and their driver tells them the Snake Temple is five minutes away. Dan & Jordan get a cabbie that passes every single other team and gets them to the Snake Temple first.
The clue is a Detour: Buddhist Tradition or Chinese Custom. For Buddhist Tradition, the teams must go to a Temple, choose 12 very large incense sticks (which actually look like bottle rockets for the Jolly Green Giant) and lug them up 150 steps. At the top they must place the incense into holders, light them, and then a ceremonial fire to get their next clue. For Chinese Custom, teams go to a field and choose huge 32-foot flag poles, balance them on their foreheads, and walk 120 feet across the park for their next clue. (Doesn’t look like they get padding under the poles, either - wonder how long it will take for the dent in their foreheads to wear off after they do this one?)
Dan & Jordan were bummed that they let “the best cab driver in the world” go, and scrambled around looking for another cab. All the teams except Jet & Cord decide to do the Buddhist Tradition. The Cowboys’ taxi took off and they join Brent & Caite running the street looking for a cab. Brent & Caite manage to find one leaving the Cowboys to complain that they told their cab to stay and he didn’t. They manage to find a guy willing to call a taxi for them, telling them to wait for “maybe” five minutes. Looks like Michael & Louie end up with Dan & Jordan’s original cab driver and end up passing Carol & Brandy and the Brothers. Carol & Brandy end up being the first team there, and take two 8-foot sticks with Brent & Caite close behind.
Allie & Steve, Dan & Jordan and Michael & Louie get stuck in a traffic jam. Steve & Allie find out that it’s about five minutes away if they run, so they tell their driver to meet them there and take off on foot. (Steve also slings a small backpack over his shoulder, so obviously they spent some of their money on that....hope it doesn’t come back to haunt them!) Dan & Jordan follow suit, but Michael & Louie stay in their cab and decide to sprint once they get there.
As Jet & Cord get to the field with the flags, they marvel at the size of them and think that maybe they chose the wrong task. Cord flies across the field, figuring out that once you get the flag leaning the right way, and catch the wind, it’s all “gravy” from there. Jet doesn’t get it on his first try, but gets it figures out pretty quickly and the Cowboys get their clue.
They must now taxi to Teluk Bahang and find a temple with their next clue. They’re feeling pretty good about getting that task done so quickly, saying that even with the Speed Bump they “might be able to finish some place besides last.”
Back at the fireworks Temple, the teams are lugging their fireworks up the multitude of stairs. Brent remarks “I wish God would turn on the air conditioning.” In Teluk Bahang, Jet & Cord find their Speed Bump. They must go to a spice garden and find a lady sitting and crushing spices and making spiced tea. They must then determine which pot of tea was made with the lady’s spices and deliver it to a meditating guru. If they’ve made the correct choice, they will get their clue. They’re bummed that they have to drive to the spice garden about a half-hour away and hope everyone else is having trouble. I don’t know about trouble, but they are working pretty darn hard, dragging their incense up the steps in the hot sun. Louie & Michael, who made the wise choice to stay in their cab, are working hard and Louie ends up hacking away as he gets to the top, and Michael calls him “cardioman.” (Maybe “myocardial infarctionman!”)
The Cowboys sniff the spices and take a chance on a pot of tea, which isn’t the correct one. We are then treated to the sight of Steve & Allie and Dan & Jordan running up an inclining road to the Temple, with Steve saying “this was stupid.” Steve & Allie run into their cab driver about a block away from the Temple and get a ride the rest of the way. Unfortunately, they find out once they get there that it isn’t the right Temple, and Dan & Jordan try and take their cab but the cabbie tells them he’s waiting for Steve & Allie. As they take off, Dan & Jordan are bummed about having to walk further to find the correct location. The second pot of tea was the correct one and Jet & Cord realize they’re on even ground with everyone else now that the Speed Bump isn’t looming over them any more.
Steve asks their cabbie if he knows where he’s going, and he says “I don’t know.” Steve says “huh?” and the cabbie then tells him “no problem.” (Uh-oh, I see problems with this one!) They stop and ask for directions and find out they’re closer to the flag field and decide to change tasks.
Jet & Cord run back to the clue box and don’t see any other teams there, or cabs, for that matter. The clue is a Roadblock, and they must take place in two Hindu rituals to assure them good luck. They must first smash coconuts until they find one with a bright color inside. They must then use local materials and a chunk of their coconut and make a floating offering and present it to a guy in the water. He will set it afloat and give them their clue. Cord told Jet it was his Roadblock to do, and afterward we find out that Cord decided it was far too hot to attempt this task himself, so he sent his brother off without any discussion. Back at the Temple, Brent & Caite finish first and get their clue, followed by Carol & Brandy. I don’t think Louie is going to make it to the next location, he’s hacking so bad. Dan & Jordan show up as the Detectives are leaving, and Steve & Allie find the field. After a couple of what looked like lame attempts at balancing the flags, they decide to go back to their original idea - except now their cab is gone and they have to find another.
Jet managed to find a pink coconut and ran off to make his offering, laughing that it was “my first time for arts and crafts.” How he manages to concentrate at all with the singing going on there is beyond me - the women singing (with their hands clasped in prayer) sound very, very bad. I guess God just appreciates the effort (but I didn’t). He manages to get it to the guy in the water and gets his clue, saying “let it say Pit Stop, c’mon, baby” and gets his wish. They must go to a historic part of the island and find the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, a 100-year-old house built by one of the richest guys on the island of Malaysia. Jet & Cord are ecstatic, and Carol & Brandy see the Cowboys leaving as they are arriving at the coconut-smashing Temple, wondering how they managed to get that far ahead. Carol is doing the challenge smashing coconuts and looks as if she’s going to blow right past the colored one, until Brandy tells her she’s got it. As the camera follows her to the arts and crafts table, it’s splashed up with coconut juice and I can only imagine what the poor camera guy looks like - and smells like! Nice, sticky coconut juice in his hair, in 90-degree sunshine, lugging around a 60-pound camera.
Louie is doing the task and finds the colored one after smashing his second coconut, which cheezes Carol & Brandy off. As Caite starts smashing coconuts, Jet & Cord get to the Mansion and find Phil at the Mat. Phil tells them they are the first team to come in last, complete the Speed Bump and manage to place first. Carol gets her offering built and gets her clue, and Louie is behind her. Michael & Louie shout encouragement to Caite as they leave, calling her a “coconut smashing fool.” Carol & Brandy get to the Mat and Phil remains stoic, not giving anything away. Carol says “I’m waiting for the eyebrow to go up” and Phil obliges her. Obviously Phil isn’t in the mood to talk, so Carol & Brandy do it for him: “Carol & Brandy, you are team number.....” and Phil puts up two fingers.
Dan & Jordan finish their incense and take off. Steve & Allie get done and leave also, but then we see Dan & Jordan’s cab stopping for gas, and Dan again complaining that they let the best cab driver on the island get away. Steve & Allie seem to be having problems with their driver, and Steve is complaining that he wants a “rabbit, not a turtle.” Allie apologizes for him, saying they’re stressed. Michael & Louie get to the mansion and Louie gripes about “more steps” but not about being the third team to check in. Jordan, reading “who’s ready for some color?” laughs that he is going to do the task and gets a colored coconut pretty quickly, but then messes up building his offering and has to go back to fix it. They manage to leave before Steve & Allie show up, and Allie gets through the challenge (although I noticed that the guy in the water was up to his chest, making Allie go further out in the water than the other teams had to. She wasn’t wearing a white top to give the guys a wet t-shirt shot, so I have no idea why he did that). We see Dan & Jordan get stuck in a traffic jam, and Steve & Allie hoping their cabbie can drive fast enough to win the leg for them. But in the end, they were too far back and end up in sixth place and get eliminated. Steve compliments her, getting emotional and telling Allie that she’s pretty tough.
Here’s how they finished:
1 - Jet & Cord
2 - Carol & Brandy
3 - Michael & Louie
4 - Brent & Caite
5 - Dan & Jordan
6 - Steve & Allie - eliminated
The end is getting close! Only five teams are still around - who do you think will win? Can Brent & Caite think themselves out of a paper bag and surge ahead? Are Carol & Brandy together and poised to make a run at the million? We’ll find out next week!
The clue tells them to fly to Penang, Malaysia and go to the Snake Temple, which is a house of worship where snakes live. (Ooh, I want to see Carol & Brandy and Caite roam around there with the snakes! They have to take the 2:00 a.m. ferry to another island to the airport. Steve tries to buy a hotel employee’s shirt off his back, but only gets some plastic bags to carry their extra stuff. They do some checking and find out Malaysia is a warm country, so they’re not worried about freezing. Dan & Jordan are psyched to be as far in the Race as they are. Michael & Louie like working with Brent & Caite, saying they’re respectful and “someone you’d be proud to call your own kids.” (As long as you don’t want kids with brain cells!) They all discuss going to the Snake Temple and Caite says she likes snakes. Caite calls the Detectives “the Daddies.” The two teams talk about wanting to get rid of Carol & Brandy - Brent & Caite because “they’re mean” and Michael & Louie because they see the lesbians as threats. They plan to U-Turn the girls at the next opportunity. The Cowboys realize they have a second chance and say they aren’t out of it unless they quit, and that won’t happen.
At the ferry, Michael & Louie give Steve some underwear and a little clothing. All the teams are on the same ferry and same flight, and the Cowboys say that once again, they’re tied for first place. Brent & Caite get out of the airport and on their way first, and their driver tells them the Snake Temple is five minutes away. Dan & Jordan get a cabbie that passes every single other team and gets them to the Snake Temple first.
The clue is a Detour: Buddhist Tradition or Chinese Custom. For Buddhist Tradition, the teams must go to a Temple, choose 12 very large incense sticks (which actually look like bottle rockets for the Jolly Green Giant) and lug them up 150 steps. At the top they must place the incense into holders, light them, and then a ceremonial fire to get their next clue. For Chinese Custom, teams go to a field and choose huge 32-foot flag poles, balance them on their foreheads, and walk 120 feet across the park for their next clue. (Doesn’t look like they get padding under the poles, either - wonder how long it will take for the dent in their foreheads to wear off after they do this one?)
Dan & Jordan were bummed that they let “the best cab driver in the world” go, and scrambled around looking for another cab. All the teams except Jet & Cord decide to do the Buddhist Tradition. The Cowboys’ taxi took off and they join Brent & Caite running the street looking for a cab. Brent & Caite manage to find one leaving the Cowboys to complain that they told their cab to stay and he didn’t. They manage to find a guy willing to call a taxi for them, telling them to wait for “maybe” five minutes. Looks like Michael & Louie end up with Dan & Jordan’s original cab driver and end up passing Carol & Brandy and the Brothers. Carol & Brandy end up being the first team there, and take two 8-foot sticks with Brent & Caite close behind.
Allie & Steve, Dan & Jordan and Michael & Louie get stuck in a traffic jam. Steve & Allie find out that it’s about five minutes away if they run, so they tell their driver to meet them there and take off on foot. (Steve also slings a small backpack over his shoulder, so obviously they spent some of their money on that....hope it doesn’t come back to haunt them!) Dan & Jordan follow suit, but Michael & Louie stay in their cab and decide to sprint once they get there.
As Jet & Cord get to the field with the flags, they marvel at the size of them and think that maybe they chose the wrong task. Cord flies across the field, figuring out that once you get the flag leaning the right way, and catch the wind, it’s all “gravy” from there. Jet doesn’t get it on his first try, but gets it figures out pretty quickly and the Cowboys get their clue.
They must now taxi to Teluk Bahang and find a temple with their next clue. They’re feeling pretty good about getting that task done so quickly, saying that even with the Speed Bump they “might be able to finish some place besides last.”
Back at the fireworks Temple, the teams are lugging their fireworks up the multitude of stairs. Brent remarks “I wish God would turn on the air conditioning.” In Teluk Bahang, Jet & Cord find their Speed Bump. They must go to a spice garden and find a lady sitting and crushing spices and making spiced tea. They must then determine which pot of tea was made with the lady’s spices and deliver it to a meditating guru. If they’ve made the correct choice, they will get their clue. They’re bummed that they have to drive to the spice garden about a half-hour away and hope everyone else is having trouble. I don’t know about trouble, but they are working pretty darn hard, dragging their incense up the steps in the hot sun. Louie & Michael, who made the wise choice to stay in their cab, are working hard and Louie ends up hacking away as he gets to the top, and Michael calls him “cardioman.” (Maybe “myocardial infarctionman!”)
The Cowboys sniff the spices and take a chance on a pot of tea, which isn’t the correct one. We are then treated to the sight of Steve & Allie and Dan & Jordan running up an inclining road to the Temple, with Steve saying “this was stupid.” Steve & Allie run into their cab driver about a block away from the Temple and get a ride the rest of the way. Unfortunately, they find out once they get there that it isn’t the right Temple, and Dan & Jordan try and take their cab but the cabbie tells them he’s waiting for Steve & Allie. As they take off, Dan & Jordan are bummed about having to walk further to find the correct location. The second pot of tea was the correct one and Jet & Cord realize they’re on even ground with everyone else now that the Speed Bump isn’t looming over them any more.
Steve asks their cabbie if he knows where he’s going, and he says “I don’t know.” Steve says “huh?” and the cabbie then tells him “no problem.” (Uh-oh, I see problems with this one!) They stop and ask for directions and find out they’re closer to the flag field and decide to change tasks.
Jet & Cord run back to the clue box and don’t see any other teams there, or cabs, for that matter. The clue is a Roadblock, and they must take place in two Hindu rituals to assure them good luck. They must first smash coconuts until they find one with a bright color inside. They must then use local materials and a chunk of their coconut and make a floating offering and present it to a guy in the water. He will set it afloat and give them their clue. Cord told Jet it was his Roadblock to do, and afterward we find out that Cord decided it was far too hot to attempt this task himself, so he sent his brother off without any discussion. Back at the Temple, Brent & Caite finish first and get their clue, followed by Carol & Brandy. I don’t think Louie is going to make it to the next location, he’s hacking so bad. Dan & Jordan show up as the Detectives are leaving, and Steve & Allie find the field. After a couple of what looked like lame attempts at balancing the flags, they decide to go back to their original idea - except now their cab is gone and they have to find another.
Jet managed to find a pink coconut and ran off to make his offering, laughing that it was “my first time for arts and crafts.” How he manages to concentrate at all with the singing going on there is beyond me - the women singing (with their hands clasped in prayer) sound very, very bad. I guess God just appreciates the effort (but I didn’t). He manages to get it to the guy in the water and gets his clue, saying “let it say Pit Stop, c’mon, baby” and gets his wish. They must go to a historic part of the island and find the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, a 100-year-old house built by one of the richest guys on the island of Malaysia. Jet & Cord are ecstatic, and Carol & Brandy see the Cowboys leaving as they are arriving at the coconut-smashing Temple, wondering how they managed to get that far ahead. Carol is doing the challenge smashing coconuts and looks as if she’s going to blow right past the colored one, until Brandy tells her she’s got it. As the camera follows her to the arts and crafts table, it’s splashed up with coconut juice and I can only imagine what the poor camera guy looks like - and smells like! Nice, sticky coconut juice in his hair, in 90-degree sunshine, lugging around a 60-pound camera.
Louie is doing the task and finds the colored one after smashing his second coconut, which cheezes Carol & Brandy off. As Caite starts smashing coconuts, Jet & Cord get to the Mansion and find Phil at the Mat. Phil tells them they are the first team to come in last, complete the Speed Bump and manage to place first. Carol gets her offering built and gets her clue, and Louie is behind her. Michael & Louie shout encouragement to Caite as they leave, calling her a “coconut smashing fool.” Carol & Brandy get to the Mat and Phil remains stoic, not giving anything away. Carol says “I’m waiting for the eyebrow to go up” and Phil obliges her. Obviously Phil isn’t in the mood to talk, so Carol & Brandy do it for him: “Carol & Brandy, you are team number.....” and Phil puts up two fingers.
Dan & Jordan finish their incense and take off. Steve & Allie get done and leave also, but then we see Dan & Jordan’s cab stopping for gas, and Dan again complaining that they let the best cab driver on the island get away. Steve & Allie seem to be having problems with their driver, and Steve is complaining that he wants a “rabbit, not a turtle.” Allie apologizes for him, saying they’re stressed. Michael & Louie get to the mansion and Louie gripes about “more steps” but not about being the third team to check in. Jordan, reading “who’s ready for some color?” laughs that he is going to do the task and gets a colored coconut pretty quickly, but then messes up building his offering and has to go back to fix it. They manage to leave before Steve & Allie show up, and Allie gets through the challenge (although I noticed that the guy in the water was up to his chest, making Allie go further out in the water than the other teams had to. She wasn’t wearing a white top to give the guys a wet t-shirt shot, so I have no idea why he did that). We see Dan & Jordan get stuck in a traffic jam, and Steve & Allie hoping their cabbie can drive fast enough to win the leg for them. But in the end, they were too far back and end up in sixth place and get eliminated. Steve compliments her, getting emotional and telling Allie that she’s pretty tough.
Here’s how they finished:
1 - Jet & Cord
2 - Carol & Brandy
3 - Michael & Louie
4 - Brent & Caite
5 - Dan & Jordan
6 - Steve & Allie - eliminated
The end is getting close! Only five teams are still around - who do you think will win? Can Brent & Caite think themselves out of a paper bag and surge ahead? Are Carol & Brandy together and poised to make a run at the million? We’ll find out next week!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
