The Meaning of TTOW! (BJ/Tyler of 'The Amazing Race 9')

Aha! I found a good explanation of TTOW, the exclamatory "word" used by BJ and Tyler throughout the recent Amazing Race season. This TV Guide online article also gives lots of insight, so check it out!

But, TTOW? Here ya go:

TVGuide.com: What does "TTOW" stand for?
BJ: Truth, justice and the American way.

TVGuide.com: No, for real.
BJ: It's basically the Chinese word for "good times." We went to China in 2002 and ended up with these awesome shirts that randomly said TTOW on them. In Asian countries, they like English characters and it didn't mean anything at the time, but since we bought the shirts and have been yelling out the phrase on national television, it has become our power call to the universe.

'The Amazing Race 9' - Finale Part 2

I'm so happy, I'm so pretty, so pretty...!

Well, um...

This season was almost perfect in my eyes, at least. After a bit of a recap of the last leg, I'll be reflecting back on a very satisfying season of The Amazing Race.

Now, where were we leave off? Japan? Ah, yes, that's it! Domo arigato! We were at the Pit Stop where Phil announced there would be no more eliminations in the race. However, since Ray and Yolanda came in last on the leg, they lost all of their money and possessions...in Tokyo (a very expensive city) with only the clothes they had on their backs and their passports.

BJ and Tyler only had a two-minute headstart against Jeremy and Eric, but made sure to stop at Ray and Yolanda's car to leave them some money and "stuff." I don't believe Jeremy and Eric left anything at all. While the flight tickets are paid for by the production staff, nothing else is. So, they had to beg.

And, beg they did. They went to restaurants, Ray wore a white sign dangling from his neck which read "yen." While he made more of an effort than I ever thought he would, even a humble and gracious one, it was Yolanda who brought in the bucks. The Japanese businessmen in one restaurant thought she looked like Janet Jackson and she had them handing over the money with ease.

All three teams caught up to each other at the airport and were on the same flight heading to Anchorage, Alaska. None of the teams seemed to be too happy about that situation, but the Frat Boys (Eric and Jeremy) seemed outright disgusted.

Once in Alaska, the teams had to drive thirty miles to Mirror Lake where they faced a Detour (a choice of two tasks relating to the local area). This one was Drill It or Deliver It. In Drill It, teams had to drill ten holes in the lake's ice with an auger, then drag an ice-fishing shack over to their area, setting it up to be approved by a local. In Deliver It, teams would have had to fly supplies 150 miles while doing the navigation for the pilot. Scratch that. All teams had to do Drill It because bad weather grounded all the planes.

Eric and Jeremy finished the task first and received a clue directing them to a chalet in Kincaid Park where they had to don snowshoes and follow an intricate map to find the next clue. BJ and Tyler weren't all that far behind, but walked right by all the snowshoes! Argh! Not once, not twice, but at least three times! A sidenote: When I Googled "Kincaid Park," the information I found starts with "Don't throw snowballs at the moose." Heh.

So...where my favorites, BJ and Tyler, far behind? And, what of Ray and Yolanda? Did they throw snowballs at the moose? Did a polar bear think they were salmon heading upstream? Well, the latter team was way behind, but in the end it didn't matter. All three teams made it on the same flight to Denver.

They first had to head to Golden, Colorado to find hidden clues in what looked like a dilapidated chicken farm. First Eric/Jeremy, then BJ/Tyler. Alas, Ray and Yolanda lost any chance of winning right then and there. Between getting lost and having trouble finding, they were too far behind too close to the end of the race to catch up.

The race would end where it began, in the Red Rocks Amphitheater (Denver). But there was a Roadblock before the Pit Stop. At Red Rocks, one member of each team was confronted with a field containing 285 flags. That team member had to select the 9 flags which represent the countries through which they had traveled. The racer had to take them one by one to a stand where they had to be placed in the correct chronological order. The other team member couldn't help physically, but could shout out advice.

Eric and Jeremy got there first with what seemed like a huge lead, but they really had no clue. BJ and Tyler arrived and, while they had some difficulty, they nailed it in the nick of time and ran their way to the Pit Stop to win the million dollars! Woohoo! As Eric and Jeremy said, "We didn't know the last one would be about brains." I love it!

This team has been my favorite since about the second show. Watching them deal with the people in the various countries was refreshing compared the the "Ugly American" persona we've seen in some teams other seasons. In a lot of countries, they knew at least bits and pieces of the language. They obviously were out to have fun and an adventure, as well as trying for the million dollars. They entertained me without going for that idea of nastiness is "good TV" -- can you say Jonathan Baker?

All in all, this was one of the best seasons in a long time. Even the villains this time around weren't once that had folks up in arms thinking they should be arrested. Amazing Race -- thank you for a fun, entertaining, exciting and truly amazing race.

And, for BJ and Tyler, TTOW! Well done!

If anyone out there reading this is interested, the CBS website has the information for applying to be on The Amazing Race 11. Where was this show before I wrecked my knees? Also, if you missed it, Ray proposed to Yolanda on The Early Show:

Ray shocked Yolanda by proposing, live, on his knees, in the plaza Thursday.

"I think the race was, I mean, it was a once in a lifetime experience," Ray said, "and I mean, you got to hang out with hippies and frat boys but, most of all, sharing the race with Yolanda. It was something that was special. I would have not been here if it wasn't for you and you're like everything I've dreamed of my whole life. Will you marry me?"

With onlookers cheering wildly, she said yes, tears streaming down her face.

Aww...

'The Amazing Race 9' Finale Part 1 -or- "May I Touch Your Beard? Arigato!"

Well, well, well...a perfect conclusion to a fantastic season of The Amazing Race. Of course, that's in my own humble opinion. Yes, the lackluster, boring, tedious, and family-safe family version faux pas of last autumn is but a distant memory. This season was one heck of a whirlwind ride with excellent casting (overall), excitement, and lots of close finishes. Ah, but close doesn't win the million, does it? On with the show...

The three remaining teams (BJ/Tyler, Eric/Jeremy and Ray/Yolanda) left their last Pit Stop at the Marble Temple in Thailand taking a taxi 75 miles to the Royal Kraal Pavilion - an historical place where wild elephants used to be taken in round-ups. Today, it seems like a trained elephant hangout. Now, what would the show be without a product placement? The clue there, passed by elephants to the team (via trunk mail) was a T-Mobile cell phone with a message. Although the teams left the Marble Temple in their arrival order with a few hours between first and last, this was another bunching point as they waited for the Pavilion to open. Rats, there went BJ and Tyler's lead! One thing I noticed -- Ray and Yolanda had a bright pink taxi. I thought some of the taxis in New Jersey had odd colors!

Teams took off to the airport to fly to Tokyo, Japan. BJ and Tyler were ecstatic as Tyler speaks fluent Japanese, has a Japanese girlfriend and hiked the length of the country. Of course, it would have behooved them to get the first flight to Tokyo. Nope. Eric/Jeremy and Ray/Yolanda filled that one. My heart sank. Instead of the two-hour lead they had, all of a sudden they were running two hours behind the other teams! Ack!

Once in Tokyo, teams had to drive to Shibuya which is so much like Times Square in Manhattan that I had to do a double-take. They had to search the huge video ads on the buildings for a clue which turned out to be "Find Hachiko." What's a Hachiko, you ask? It's a statue of a beloved dog, an Akita named Hachiko. Ray and Yolanda fell behind in Tokyo and set the pattern for the rest of the leg. Their obstacles were the language barrier compounded by a big traffic jam. The fun note on this leg was when Ray told Yolanda he was "driving Miss Crazy."

The clue at Hachiko was a Detour, a choice between two tasks usually having something to do with the locality. The choices were Maiden (carrying a maiden to a tea house) or Delivery (delivering two packages to separate businesses on folding bikes). Eric and Jeremy chose Maiden, probably because there was a woman involved, those HornDogz! BJ and Tyler thought they could make up time with delivery as Tyler could easily ask for and understand directions in Japanese. Ray and Yolanda? Still roaming in the search for Hachiko! Once they got there, they took the Maiden Detour and whined less than Jeremy and Eric about it.

Oh, no! The clue after the detour led to yet another bunching point. All teams spent the night in the Capsule Land Hotel -- a very odd hotel whose accommodations reminded me of morgue shelves with better lighting. Definitely not a place for folks with claustrophobia! Teams departed the hotel in the morning in 15-minute intervals, Eric/Jeremy first and Ray/Yolanda last.

Teams were then off for Fujikyu Highlands, a huge amusement park located near an even larger mountain -- Mt. Fuji. Either Eric or Jeremy called it Mt. Tokyo. (Yes, I rolled my eyes!) In a Roadblock (a task which must be completed by only one team member), racers had to ride three very fast, high, and wild rides searching for a man holding a sign which had their next destination written upon it. At the amusement park and throughout Tokyo, the locals really took a liking to Tyler, blond and bearded, and fluent in their language. "Want to touch my beard?" he asked when a young girl told him she liked it. Both guy teams finished at the same time and headed to the Pit Stop which was a gigantic swan boat in Yamanaka.

BJ and Tyler won the paddle-boat race with Eric and Jeremy to the bird and took first place. As per usual, they didn't win a cruise or trip. They won a T-Mobile phone and service contract, hence the earlier product placement. Jeremy and Eric came in second and got razzed by Phil Keoghan for letting BJ/Tyler beat them in a physical endeavor. Heh.

What? Ray and Yolanda? Dead last. The clue had read the last team may be eliminated. It was a non-Philimination leg. I sort of figured that as they usually have three teams racing for the million dollars at the finish line. They lost all their money and possessions except for their passports and the clothes on their backs.

Stay tuned for Part 2 which I'll be writing up tomorrow evening!

YAY! 'Amazing Race' Finale Winners!

BJ and Tyler!

'The Amazing Race 9' Finale East Coast Update

Pit Stop order:

1. BJ/Tyler
2. Eric/Jeremy
3. Ray/Yolanda

Non-elimination, heading to Alaska

'The Amazing Race 9' - Ep. 11 -or- "No Money, No Pants, No Mo' MoJo!"

Like deja vu all over again, due to last week's non-elimination leg...

Four teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

We last left our teams in the Australian Outback with Ray and Yolanda arriving first at the Pit Stop and mandatory rest period. Teams depart twelve hours after their arrival time and I noticed that they're down to mere minutes betwixt first and last. Ray and Yolanda left at 1:13 AM while the last team (BJ/Tyler) left the Pit Stop at 1:22 AM. We're talking 9 minutes difference in a whirlwind race around the globe as we head into the next to last show of the season. At this time, any of the remaining teams could win the million dollars. The teams are toughening up and trying not to make errors. Ah, but we know some errors will be made. I just hope it's not on the part of my personal favorites, Tyler and BJ!

Speaking of BJ and Tyler, they lost all their clothes, money and possessions while being saved by the last leg's non-Philimination. BJ had no shoes, a t-shirt and boxer shorts. Yolanda left her purple running pants on their car and one of the Frats (Jeremy and Eric) left a pair of sandals. Oh, my...BJ looked very silly in Yolanda's pants! The clue the teams received upon leaving the Pit Stops directed them to drive to the airport and catch a plane to Bangkok, Thailand. Once there they had to take a taxi to a bus terminal, then a bus to the Three Spires Pagoda in Lopburi -- the sacred home of tons o' monkeys. The clue told the teams how much money they had for the leg and ended with "one team has no money...and no pants." Heh, poor BJ!

The BJ/Tyler and Monica/Joe rift is still going strong in the leg. As BJ says, "They have a date with not being in the race anymore." Was he right? Just wishful thinking?

At the Darwin Airport, three of the teams got on a flight expected to arrive in Bangkok at 11 PM. BJ and Tyler headed to downtown Darwin to hit up folks for money. Of course, they were successful. These guys have so much spirit and friendliness that I think it's hard to resist giving them something. BJ even flashed his chest at a couple. He finangled new shorts in addition to the money. When they hit the airport, although the other three teams hadn't left yet, the flight was full. They managed to find a flight expected to arrive fifteen minutes earlier than the other and all looked up for the hippies until...

Argh. The flight carrying the three teams arrived forty-five minutes early! Huh? What? How can that happen? Sigh. So, BJ and Tyler were behind once again. Team MoJo got into a taxi that Joe thought was "shady." He was right -- the driver wasn't the best, not at all. Ray/Yolanda and Eric/Jeremy were lucky to get on a midnight bus to Lopburi. Monica and Joe arrived before BJ and Tyler, but didn't get the right information about the next departing bus. It ended up that BJ/Tyler caught a bus leaving an hour before the one they took. Too bad, so sad for MoJo. Heehee!

The Three Spires Pagoda was a hoot with monkeys all over the place! The clue the teams received before the task was directing them to a Fast Forward -- the last of the two in the race. Eric and Jeremy couldn't do it as they already took the first one a few legs back. Both Ray/Yolanda and BJ/Tyler jumped on it. When it turned out to be eating a school's favorite dish of fried crickets and grasshoppers, Yolanda backed out even though she claimed people from the South can eat anything fried. They headed back to the sacred monkeys while BJ and Tyler struggled with huge bowls of crispy critters. Where was MoJo? Way behind, hooray!

After making an intricate feast table for the sacred (and not so well-behaved monkeys) in a Roadblock, the teams' next clue led them to a Detour. Unlike a Roadblock, a Detour is completed by both members of the team. In this one, teams had a choice between two Thai tasks -- Move It or Altar It. In Move It, teams had to carry 72 pots on their shoulders (supposedly) using a board. Once they delivered the pots to the marketplace, they'd receive the next clue. In Altar It, teams had to make a shrine to Buddha complete with gold paint and gold-leafing. Burnt on the last physical task, Jeremy and Eric chose Altar It, as did Yolanda and Ray. For some foolish reason, Monica and Joe went for Move It -- prompting Monica to fuss and whine that it was "the worst thing I ever had to do." Now, she said that about carrying the swordfish a few legs back. She said that about having to catch a crayfish. What's with that girl?

As the teams worked on the Detour, BJ and Tyler finally finished eating their bowls of ick. Er, crickets and grasshoppers. They got their clue directing them to the Pit Stop at the Marble Temple in Bangkok. Briefly changing their "TTOW" chant to "TTHAI," they were first on the mat. Now, they've been lucky in that both times they came in last, they were in non-elimination legs. However, they've both been unlucky in that both times they came in first, there was no really cool prize. No cruises for them! The last time, they won a digital imaging center or something to that effect. This time the prize was dependent on a clue to be brought with them from earlier in the leg. One clue would have a Golden Gnome (Travelocity), the others would have "gnormal" gnomes. Theirs wasn't the Golden Gnome. Ah, well...at least they're in first place. TTOW!

The arrival order of the other teams:
2. Jeremy and Eric
3. Ray and Yolanda - Golden Gnome clue in hand. They won a cruise around the Sidney (Australia) Harbor, a trip to the Barrier Reef and a hotel stay for the evening.
4. Monica and Joe - Philiminated!

I'm so not sorry to see those two go. I'm tired of her crying and fussing. If she thinks everything she's had to do is "the worst thing I've ever done," I'd hate to see her face a real crisis. Joe has his own bad points, but he didn't irk me as much as Monica. So long, MoJo, not sorry to see you go!

Next week is the two-hour finale show. My "hippies" are still in the race! Yay! At this time, I think any of the teams are deserving. All three left are very competive and it should be an exciting finish to the season. That said, this season has certainly redeemed the show from last season's family-safe version. That is a good thing indeed.

'Amazing Race 9' East Coast Update 5/10 - Finish Order and Philimination

The teams arrived to the Pit Stop in this order:

1. BJ and Tyler! Alas, they won nothing as this time around a clue brought to the Pit Stop must contain a Golden Gnome.
2. Eric and Jeremy
3. Ray and Yolanda - Had the Golden Gnome clue, won a cruise around Sidney, Australia, a trip to the Barrier Reef and a hotel stay.
4. Monica and Joe - My least favorite of the remaining teams...Philiminated! Too bad, so sad. Heh.

A full recap/review will be posted late tonight. Also, at approximately 9:30 PM EDT I'll be posting the American Idol boot. Now, I must watch Lost!

'The Amazing Race 9' - Ep. 10 -or- "Warning! Crocodiles bite. They also move quickly."

It's down to the Final Four teams. Who will be eliminated next?

Last week we left our amazing teams in Perth (Australia) at the 9th Pit Stop of the race. Since Eric and Jeremy were the first to arrive there, they were the first to leave after a 12 hour long mandatory rest period. At 11:47 pm, they opened the clue which directed them to the Swan Bells Tower located about 15 miles away. The last team to leave, Ray and Yolanda, left at 12:23 am. So, we're talking a roughly a half hour between first and last - that's not a heck of a lot in a race around the world.

Oh, but of course, that doesn't stop the show from having yet another one of its infamous bunching points where the teams have to wait for a place to open! Sure enough, all the teams gathered before 1:00 am awaiting the opening of Swan Bells Tower at 8:00 am. As the race nears the end, teams are definitely a bit more stressed. Monica and Joe seem to have a few nasty words about everyone, but mostly directed at BJ and Tyler. Meanwhile, BJ tried to instigate Joe's jealousy by hinting that Eric was flirting with Monica. Hey, he flirts with every woman he sees. Of course, he's flirting with her. Ray and Yolanda got a bit away from the others, most likely to preserve their own sanity. Eric/Jeremy and Monica/Joe are now considered the "pretty teams." Um. Okay. Me? I still like BJ and Tyler the most with Ray and Yolanda running second. I find Monica and Joe pretty...pretty annoying, that is!

Why annoying, you ask? Well, here's one example: All of the teams called taxis to meet them after they found the clue in the tower. What did Joe do? He schemed with Eric and Jeremy to impersonate both Ray and Tyler canceling the taxis! What a lowdown dirty sneaky thing to do! When the time came to catch the cabs, BJ and Tyler had entered one believing it to be the one they ordered only to have Joe go into a thorny snit about it being his cab. BJ and Tyler got out and it wasn't long before the dirty deed was exposed. I may have missed it, but it looks like Joe even canceled Jeremy and Eric's cab although they were in on the scheme to cancel the others.

Ah. but once again, it didn't matter as all the teams ended up on the same flight to their next destination - Darwin, Australia. At the airport, Joe and Monica once again tried some sneaky moves by trying to get the ticket clerk to keep their flight a secret. Monica promised to kiss the clerk when he asked what it was worth to them. Obviously, that didn't work.

If the teams didn't bunch up enough on the same flight, once they arrived to their destination in Darwin, Crocodylus Park, they bunched more. It was closed with an opening time of 9:00 am. Okay, let me get this on record. While I understand the bunching points to keep the racers at least a bit close to each other (remember the team some seasons back stuck days behind in Alaska while the other teams finished the race in the finale thousands of miles away?), but I feel that for the past few seasons there are too many places where the teams gather for the night. It's become overdone. I realize that when they plan the show, they have no idea whether the teams will arrive during the day or night. But I suggest fewer time-restrained venues for them. There has to be some sort of happy medium. This season seems to have more than a few in each leg.

Once they entered the park, the warning sign read: "Warning! Crocodiles bite. They also move very quickly." Well, yeah...they're crocodiles, mate! That's what they do! Both team members had to don special wade-through-crocodiles garb and walk across croc-filled pools to retrieve their clues. No one got bit. Argh. I was hoping one would at least nip at Monica to freak her out.

The clue picked up in the Croc Pit led teams to an airstrip in Batchelor and warned that there would be a Yield ahead. (Now, you know what team I want Yielded...!) Once at the airstrip, teams faced a Roadblock - a task only one member of the team can complete. Skydiving, woohoo! BJ and Tyler got there first and completed first. All the teams seemed to get a kick out of that one, even Monica. Yes, she's the one who did it and unlike any fishy escapades, she loved skydiving. But, before she and Joe could get to the airstrip, BJ and Tyler rightfully Yielded them. Like sand through the hourglass, what comes around goes around. Heh.

After the Roadblock, teams had to drive 20 miles to the Magnetic Termite Mounds in Litchfield National Park. Have I mentioned recently how much I love learning new things watching this show? I've never heard of "magnetic termites" before. Their mounds always face to the north, such the name. Cool. But I wouldn't want one in my yard.

That clue led teams to a Detour - a choice of two tasks usually having something to do with the country or culture at hand. Teams had a choice of Wet or Dry this time around. In Wet, they had to swim a mile down a shallow creek amidst poisonous spiders and plants to receive the next clue. In Dry, teams had to drive 6 miles on a dirt road, pick up a painted diggery-do, track down an Aborigine playing a diggery-do with the same markings and each learn to play a note. Here's where both BJ/Tyler and Jeremy/Eric messed up. While it sounds easier to hike/swim a mile, the other task took less time. Ray and Yolanda got through the Dry task with ease and earned themselves first place at the Pit Stop for the first time. The other teams were literally in a footrace to the mat almost to the point of pushing and stumbling to get ahead.

Here's the order of arrival at the Pit Stop:
1. Ray and Yolanda - each won a year's lease on a Mercedes
2. Eric and Jeremy
3. Monica and Joe
4. BJ and Tyler - only saved as it was a non-Philimination leg. Phew!

What's really bugging me about Monica and Joe is that they think BJ and Tyler were so wrong to Yield them, yet it was okay to cancel the cabs of others to get ahead? The Yield is a part of the game and can be used. Canceling the arranged taxicabs of other teams is just a sleazy sneaky thing to do. I can't share in their sense of outrage over it. As Judge Judy would say, "You didn't come in here with clean hands." I felt bad when Dani and Danielle got needlessly Yielded by Lake and Michele earlier in the season. That was just Lake being mean. This time, BJ and Tyler had reason to use it and they did.

I want Joe and Monica to go away next week. Please!

'The Amazing Race 9' East Coast Update 5/03 - Finish Order

Phew... it's a non-elimination leg!

1. Ray/Yolanda - Each won a year's lease on a Mercedes
2. Eric/Jeremy
3. Monica/Joe
4. BJ/Tyler -- saved by the non-elim!

A full review/recap will be posted late tonight.

If you're a West Coast American Idol fan, stop back in about a half hour for the boot in East Coast time!

'The Amazing Race 9' - Ep. 9 -or- "BJ and Tyler Rise Up Down Under"

We last left the teams in Oman where my personal favorites Tyler and BJ managed to squeak through to the next leg only because it was a non-elimination. They lost their money and all of their possessions except for the clothes they were wearing at the arrival (TTOW shirts!) and their passports. Will they recover? Can they get back in the running? Tonight would make or break them. And, if it doesn't break them, it will be the end of another team.

Five teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

Fran and Barry, the team who arrived first at the Pit Stop, were the first to leave at 5:35 pm. The clue directed them to fly to Perth, Australia. Before getting on their way, they stopped at BJ and Tyler's car to drop off $20. What sweeties! Not as sweet at all, actually rather evil, were Monica and Joe. They pretended to leave money in the car, said that BJ/Tyler shouldn't have asked and shouldn't have threatened to yield them. Huh? Something happened betwixt those teams which wasn't shown. There was one Yield so far in the race - BJ and Tyler didn't use it. That one was Lake/Michelle yielding Danielle/Dani. Some kind of bad blood is going on, though. And I'm not quite sure why. Oh, well...it gives me yet another reason not to like MoJo. They're my least favorite team since Lake and Michelle were eliminated. The Frat Junior Boys (Jeremy and Eric) left an I.O.U. for $100 to be paid after the race. A big help they are, huh? BJ and Tyler, the last team to leave, left for the airport at 8:21 pm.

All of the leading teams before BJ/Tyler ended up stuck in traffic because the King was in town. I know what that's like. Have you ever tried to get across Manhattan when the President is in town? About the only cool thing about the delay is that the teams got to see fireworks and it gave my boys a chance to try to catch up a bit. Would they?

BJ and Tyler even had an adventure on the way to the airport as they decided they'd pick up a hitchhiker. They picked up a man who said he was from the desert and he was fantastic! They told him about the race and their plight (no money) and he bought them gas when they were on empty, candy bars and snacks, too! I think this sort of thing is why I'm enjoying the team so much - their spirit of adventure and they way they embrace life in general is contagious. Even strangers are picking up on it!

Much to the dismay of MoJo, in particular, BJ and Tyler just made it boarding the plane by the hair on their chinny-chin-chins. Take that, you evil MoJo team! The Frats weren't too thrilled about their arrival either, but at least they didn't have hate in their eyes. I swear Joe was trying to send death rays at them. Fran/Barry and Ray/Yolanda seemed happy to see them. To make MoJo even more upset, BJ/Tyler collected $300 from passengers on the plane and, with the exception of wardrobe issues, they're in the money once again.

The teams all started out on even footing once they landed in Perth to head to the next clue. They had to take taxis to the State War Memorial in King's Park. The race was on! And we have...a bunching point. The first ferry wouldn't leave until 7:30 am. The teams headed to hostels and hotels for the night. Fran and Barry's room at the hostel was named the Pleasure Dome, but the pleasure is only there if you like onlookers. It was a shared hostel room, not very romantic at all.

After their ferry ride to Rottnest Island, the teams had to ride tandem bikes 3 miles to a lighthouse where they'd find their next clue. MoJo had trouble with the bike, so did Ray and Yolanda. Meanwhile, the Oldsters (Fran and Barry) are avid bicyclists. They passed both teams with ease.

The clue in the lighthouse was a Detour - a task to be performed by both members of the team. They had a choice of Sea or Sand. In Sea, teams had to don Speedos (yes, the Frat Juniors looked good) and snorkel gear, then dive to find two crayfish (one each) in a lot of 50 mostly empty traps, then swim to shore and hike to turn them in for the next clue. In Sand, teams had to drag forty branches across the beach to a sand dune, something that's called "brushing the beach." Monica and Joe really messed up the task as only Joe brought back a crayfish. They had to go all the way back, then Monica was scared and had a hissy fit screaming, "I can't do this! It's the worst thing I've ever done!" I thought carrying the swordfish was the worst thing she had ever done. I believe she should live inland. She seems to have issues with the sea and its creatures.

Argh! No! No! Jeremy/Eric were the only team catching the first ferry back to Freemantle to head for the next clue! Another big lead for them! Grr. BJ and Tyler decided to take a ferry elsewhere and then catch a cab while the other teams gathered on the next Freemantle ferry and made arrangements from the ferry for cabs. The increasingly annoying Monica and Joe stole the cab reserved for Fran and Barry.

Where were they headed? Straight to prison! Okay, it was the Freemantle Prison, built by prisoners and shut down in 1991. And, it was a Roadblock - a task only one member of the team can complete. In a blatant product placement, the team member had to find a flashlight and Duracell batteries in a certain block of the prison, then go down through the tunnels beneath the prison in a canoe searching for the clue which would lead them to the Pit Stop. Jeremy and Eric blew their huge lead when Jeremy took forever on the task, but the other teams never were able to catch up.

The Pit Stop was at the Freemantle Sailing Club and the teams arrived in this order:

1. Jeremy/Eric - won a trip to Hong Kong
2. Monica and Joe (Grr.)
3. BJ and Tyler (Yay!)
4. Ray and Yolanda
5. Eliminated -- Fran and Barry

I'd rather Fran/Barry stay in and Monica/Joe go! Although I was tired of Fran saying she couldn't do this or couldn't do that, Monica is much worse. And I think Jeremy and Eric are getting way too smug about themselves. I'd love to see them barely make it to the mat for the next Pit Stop. Out of the teams left I would like to see Ray/Yolanda (despite their bickering with each other - they're nice to others) and BJ/Tyler as the final two teams. With a BJ/Tyler win, of course!

'The Amazing Race 9' - 4/26 East Coast Update - Order and Elimination

A full recap/review will be posted late this evening and, if you're a West Coast American Idol fan - an AI boot update will be posted here as it happens on the East Coast.

Here's the arrival order at the Pit Stop:
1. Eric and Jeremy - won a trip to Hong Kong
2. Monica and Joe
3. BJ and Tyler
4. Ray and Yolanda
5. Fran and Barry - Philiminated

'The Amazing Race 9' - Ep. 8 -or- "TTOW! Dig It, Hippies, Dig!"

Perhaps the desert sun was beating down, but I was shivering; shivering in fear that my favorite team would hear the words, "I'm sorry to tell you, but you've been eliminated." Yes, we're due for a non-Philimination leg, maybe even overdue for one. Usually the non-elims save teams I want to go away. So, what happens on this week's The Amazing Race?

Five teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

The show opened on the southern tip of Greece where the teams spent 12 hours in a mandatory rest period at the last Pit Stop. The "Frat Boys" Eric and Jeremy (also known as HornDogz and Surfer Jerks) were the first to depart as they had arrived first in the last leg of the race. The clue directed them to take one of two charter buses to the airport where they would head to Muskat, Oman. That's near Saudi Arabia. The hitch was that there were two buses, one leaving an hour after the other. All the teams except one got aboard the first bus, set to go at 9 AM. Oh, no! The team running an hour behind? Fan favorites and my personal favorite team of BJ and Tyler! Waaaah!

They took it in stride, though. They pretended the empty bus carried not only them, but the teams eliminated thus far during the race. BJ did a spot on impersonation of Lake and I smiled despite the fact that my team was already starting behind all the others.

Once the teams arrived at the airport, it happened all over again. All the teams except for BJ/Tyler ended up on one flight. BJ and Tyler took a flight which landed in Oman an hour later as the first one was full. Life just ain't fair, I tell ya! Oh, wait. Maybe it is fair. Maybe it's a bunching point which will even up all leads once again. They were supposed to find this huge incense burner building and sure enough, its opening time allowed all the teams to run for the clue at approximately the same time. Phew!

The Incense Clue directed the teams to the town of Sur, about 135 miles away. They had to find the ferry crossing which held their next clue. All of the teams were impressed by the country, as was I. Stunning architecture, interesting people. But we didn't have time to dawdle - there's a race to be run! In a bit of Revenge of the Nerds, Fran and Barry passed Jeremy and Eric. I loved it! Monica/Joe and Ray/Yolanda both got quite lost. Ray and Yolanda fought from the start of the leg, too. Too bad, so sad. The teams had to drive their 4-wheel drive vehicles through sands and floods. In the latter, a native of the area on foot led them through the water. BJ/Tyler knew how to say "thank you" in Arabic. Cool. The phonetic pronunciation is SUE-cah-ron. I learned something new.

The clue received at the ferry was for a Detour - a choice of two tasks, each usually having a cultural glimpse into the area. The choice this time was Camel or Watchtower. After I stopped humming "All Along the Watchtower," I noted that most of the teams chose Watchtower where teams had to find a cluebox located in one of three watchtowers. Not all the watchtowers held clues, some held multiple clues and it was first find, first get clue. Once the clue was found, they had to deliver it. It was a very ornate silver doohickey containing the clue. I want one! BJ/Tyler and Fran/Barry teamed up and got the first clues! Woohoo for the Hippies and the Oldsters!

The Frat Juniors chose Camel as their task. They had to use a block and tackle to raise a camel into the back of a pickup truck, then deliver the camel to receive their clue. They had been first, but got incredibly lost driving what should have been a few minutes to deliver the camel. Joe and Monica, who changed tasks, beat them. Ray and Yolanda, running last, took only a few minutes for the delivery if you can believe the editing.

The clue after the Detour led to a village 80 miles away towards sand dunes and desert territory. (Not to be confused with dessert territory, in which I have a personal expertise!) Uh-oh, it's a Roadblock - a task only one member of a team can complete. This one looked miserable. There were 117 sand mounds. The chosen team member had to dig for what was actually food cooking in a sand oven ... in the heat. BJ and Tyler got there first, but it was the second arrivals Fran and Barry who actually found the food first.

Here's where my boys ran into trouble. All of the teams arrived after them and BJ was still digging long after all the other teams left. And, they knew the clue they'd receive directed teams to the next Pit Stop (Jabreen Castle) where one team may be eliminated. Oh, no! Horrors! BJ looked like he was going to pass out! The bickering Ray and Yolanda beat them! Jeremy and Eric got hopelessly lost once again and beat them! Everyone beat them! I was about to have a panic attack for my favorite team, yes I was! I knew deep down that a non-elimination leg was overdue. Please, please, Phil! As the boys said, "The Eliminator will not eliminate us!" They never lost their spirit even though BJ was visibly exhausted. I was on the edge of my seat.

The arrival order at the Pit Stop was:

1. Fran/Barry. Oh, my. Who woulda thunk it? They also won a Rome vacations. Good for them.

2. Monica/Joe

3. Ray/Yolanda

4. Eric/Jeremy

5. SNIFFLE - BJ/Tyler arrived clicking their heels and happy even though they knew they were last.

But ... yay! It is indeed a non-Philimination leg. They're still in the race! TTOW!

I'm so happy that for once a non-elimination leg saved a team I wanted to remain in the race. These two guys are upbeat, intelligent and just plain fun. I love how they've known at least some of each language in each country though which they've traveled. I love how they root on Fran and Barry. I love that, while they're definitely competitive, they're not mean to anyone. I want them to win.

What team's your favorite? Did you think Fran and Barry would ever make a first place finish?

'Amazing Race 9' 4/19 East Coast Update Arrival Order and ...

The teams arrived to the Pit Stop in this order:

1. Fran and Barry. Yes, I said Fran and Barry. They won a trip for two to Rome.
2. Monica and Joe
3. Ray and Yolanda
4. Eric and Jeremy
5. Last ... BJ and Tyler... BUT, it's a non-Philimination leg! They're still in it! Phew! We were due for a non-elim. I'm glad it's now.

A full review/recap will be posted later tonight. An East Coast Update for the American Idol boot will be posted when it's announced here.

'The Amazing Race 9' - Ep. 7 -or- "Fast Forwards, Penalties and a Hippie Scare, Oh My!"

I still have to get used to this new day and time. The 8 PM hour is better than 9 PM as it would then be against Lost. I don't want that to happen! Yipes! But, remember folks ... it's now on at 8 PM ET/PT on Wednesdays in most viewing areas. I know a few folks got caught off guard with the change last week and this season's too good to miss!

Six teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

We picked up with the teams at their Sicily Pit Stop from last week. Here's one of the things I love about the show -- the history of some of the places where they travel. Their location is Sicily was founded in 734 B.C. Wow! That right there is amazing, isn't it? Jeremy/Eric were the first team to leave at 10:33 PM while the last team to depart was Ray/Yolanda at 1:02 AM. That's not an incredibly huge time difference. Well, if I were racing for a million dollars, I may think otherwise. But, in the end, it didn't matter. The clue received directed the teams to travel by train to Rome where they then must find the Trevi Fountain, locate a man on a red and yellow scooter and get the next clue from him. It turns out that the train station didn't open until 4 AM and the first train to Rome would be at 8 AM. So, two and a half hours between first and last meant nothing -- we hit another infamous TAR bunching point.

However, it was at the train station that either Jeremy or Eric said of Lake: "I think he's bipolar." They could be right!

I noticed a few teams taking a taxi. Ray/Yolanda and BJ/Tyler. Uh-oh! Didn't the clue specify train? All the other teams took the train. Hmm...

Continuing to set the pace, Jeremy/Eric got to the clue first. That clue directed them a mile away, but more importantly it gave them the first piece of a DaVinci Code graphic. The instructions told them to put the pieces together and crack the code. The first team to bring the correct solution to the Pit Stop would win ... something. Okay. When BJ/Tyler found their piece, the conversation went like this -
"What's that?"
"It's a naked man, that's what it is!"

That clue led them to the airport where there was yet another bunching point. All the teams ended up on the same flight to Athens, Greece. They're bunching teams a lot this season. While I understand that the teams can't get spread too far apart or the outcome won't have any kick to it, twice in a leg? If that bunching point with the flight didn't get them, their destination in Greece would. It didn't open until 8 AM. What was amazing at that time is that Fran/Barry got to the clue first! The clue indicated a Fast Forward was available, one of two on the race. More than a few teams made a go at it. Mo/Jo got there first, then Jeremy/Eric. Since it was a one mile hike on foot, Fran and Barry lost their lead. Much to the dismay of MoJo who had been at it for a while, Jeremy/Eric found the clue breaking plates to reveal a TAR flag. A small one, of course. Supposedly, the breaking of plates wards off mischievous spirits. Who am I to argue? Excuse me while I go to the kitchen to break a plate or two...

There. I'm back. Where was I? Oh. Greece.

Jeremy and Eric went onto the Pit Stop at the Fortress of Dorion where they not only arrived first, but had their DaVinci Code bit figured out. I'll talk about that later, but the other teams still had a race going on. The remaining teams had a Roadblock (a task only one team member can perform) ahead. Bungee jumping, woohoo! Of course, we had to watch Monica cry and Fran/Barry whine a lot trying to get there. Once at the Roadblock, Fran would have something to whine about. It was either her turn to do the Roadblock or she just committed to doing it before reading the entire clue. It turns out bungee jumping scares her to death. Not quite. She lived through it. Just barely, though. It was 240 feet into a canal. I'd love to give that one a try!

The clue after the bungee jump led teams directly into a Detour, a choice of two tasks tied in with Greek Mythology or culture. The choices were Herculean Effort which had the teams perform three Olympic sports - discus, javelin and wrestling or It's All Greek to Me where teams had to select nine pottery chunks marked with Greek letters, translate the letters to English, then solve the clue as the word would be a location on a map they received. Most of the teams chose the sports event and the wrestling was a hoot! Fran and Barry knew that the physical task wouldn't be a wise choice and went for the cerebral challenge. Lake and Michelle ended up at that task only because they got lost.

The show then got very scary. Y'see, BJ and Tyler are my favorite team this season. They got lost! Oh, no! They got to Herculean Effort after all the other teams departed! Nononononono! For a while, it looked like they would be the last team to arrive. Thankfully, Lake and Michelle got more lost after leaving All Greek to Me. Phew!

The finish order was:
1. Jeremy/Eric - Since they also presented the finished DaVinci Code Product Placement Propaganda puzzle, they will attend the Hollywood premiere of the movie on May 19 and get the red "cappet" (as Phil pronounces it) treatment.
2. Monica/Joe - Originally Ray/Yolanda, but they got a 15 minute penalty for taking a taxi to the station and MoJo arrived before the 15 minutes were up.
3. Ray/Yolanda
4. Fran/Barry - Who should have gotten some sort of penalty for Barry smashing the whole back end of the car into a tree. "I didn't see it."
5. Arriving piggyback, BJ/Tyler. They also got a 15 minute penalty, but no teams arrived during it.
6. Lake/Michelle. Last and Philiminated. Bye, bye Lake ... I won't miss you!

To be honest, I didn't think it would be Lake and Michelle gone this week. I actually figured it to be a non-elimination leg. We're overdue for one of them. I thought Barry and Fran would be last to the mat, elimination or not. It's a good thing I'm not a gambler, eh?

What did you think of tonight's episode?

'The Amazing Race 9' East Coast Update 4/12

Here's the order at the mat -

1. Jeremy and Eric used the Fast Forward. Won a trip to the Hollywood premiere of The DaVinci Code
2. Monica and Joe replacing Ray and Yolanda who received a 15 minute penalty
3. Ray and Yolanda
4. Fran/Barry
5. BJ/Tyler - who got lost and received a 15 minute penalty
6. Lake/Michelle, indeed Philiminated.

A full report will be posted later. I must watch Lost! I have American Idol taping in the background and will get the boot up when I know.

'The Amazing Race 9' - Ep. 6 -or- "He's Not Heavy; He's My Swordfish"

So, I had some nice grilled swordfish for dinner around 7 PM, then tuned into The Amazing Race at its new day and time - 8 PM ET/PT on Wednesday. I like the time, but prefer my TAR on Tuesdays. 9 PM on Tuesdays is good. Someone fix that, please. Huh. For some reason, I don't think the network cares what I think. Darn them to heck. There. I told them!

Apparently the new day and time necessitated a recap of the whole season thus far. Yikes! I sat through each team's trials and tribulations wondering when tonight's episode would really start. I'm not too thrilled with reality shows showing a five, sometimes ten, minute recap of the previous week. I've been watching. I don't need it. Oh. I forgot. The network didn't listen to me on time slot and day; they don't care what I think of weekly recaps. To the show ...

Seven teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

The show opened where we left the teams in Sicily at the last Pit Stop. I learned that the word vandal is historically connected to a group of people from that area. Cool. I love learning trivia stuff! As the show progressed, it seemed fitting with the amount of graffiti on the walls of the cities there. It could almost rival the Lower East Side of Manhattan or along the NJ Transit train lines. I kept looking for an Uncle Sex tag to no avail.

After pausing to skritch-scratch a puppy's tummy, the first team to leave was BJ and Tyler. The clue directed teams to drive approximately 135 miles to the city of Catania where they had to find an historic amphitheatre. They referred to Jeremy and Eric as the Frat Brats while Eric/Jeremy mentioned pixie dust while talking about them. Of course, neither comment was actually made to the teams. The race is on!

The destination was supposed to be yet another bunching point for the teams, something which usually gives the teams departing later a chance to catch up -- it didn't open until 8:30 AM. BJ and Tyler arrived first and decided to make an "official" sign up sheet for arriving team order and entrance once the site opened. Jeremy and Eric came along next, noticed BJ/Tyler napping in their car and almost fell for the "official" notice until it dawned on them that it was the other team's handiwork. Both teams were the only teams there at 8:30 when the gates opened as all the other teams got stuck in rush hour traffic and/or got a bit lost. The teams had to first find a clue, then count the number of heads on fenceposts around the structure. No, not real human heads, silly! Then they had to find the groundskeeper to tell him the count and receive the next clue. Jeremy/Eric edged out my favorite team of BJ/Tyler by moments, but it was enough to hand over the lead. I found this task very simple and, while the location was indeed historical, it wasn't too challenging at all.

That clue led to my dinner. Well, not directly to my dinner. At least, I don't think so. Teams were faced with a Detour -- Big Fish or Little Fish. In Big Fish, teams had to travel by foot to a street vendor, then each had to carry a 32 pound swordfish for a third of a mile to a street market. Once there, they had to find a particular vendor and swap the fish for the next clue. In Little Fish, teams traveled by foot directly to the market where they had to sell 2 kilos of a small fish whose name escapes me. Both groups of guys carried the Big Fish the best way, over their shoulders. Other teams had some issues. Monica had a breakdown over her fish, cried and fussed. In tears she declared it "the worst thing I've ever done!" Get a grip, girl! Even Ray was trying to carry his in one hand so as to not get his clothes fishy. Fran and Barry made the wise decision not to attempt Big Fish and were the only ones doing Little Fish. Amazingly, it didn't take them all that long to sell 2 kilos worth of fish. Little fish, that is. They thought it was fun.

Teams then had to drive to the town of Siracusa (not to be confused with Syracuse) where they encountered a Roadblock. Now, of course, a Roadblock is a task only one member of the team can undertake. This one was kayak water polo, which actually looked like fun. The racer had to join an existing game as part of a team, then score a goal. Most teams didn't have too much trouble with this. Barry had some rowing issues while Ray managed to capsize his kayak, but all got through it.

The clue after the Roadblock directed them to travel on foot to the Pit Stop where one team may be eliminated. Jeremy and Eric hung onto their lead and made it to the Pit Stop first passing a band playing some nice music. We got to see Phil dance. Um ... that brought back my nightmares of Donald Trump dancing. Make him stop!

The order of arrival was:
1. Jeremy and Eric -- won a Caribbean cruise
2. BJ and Tyler, frolicked their way in
3. Joe and Monica
4. Fran and Barry
5. Lake and Michelle
6. Ray and Yolanda
7. Dave and Lori - last team to arrive and Philiminated

Sigh. I liked Dave and Lori. I would like to see Lake and Michelle outta there. Or, even Monica and Joe. Ah, well. I guess the Force just wasn't with them. Watch ... next week one of the teams I want gone will be last and it will be a non-elimination leg. I'm still liking BJ and Tyler the best out of the bunch. They're smart, funny and entertaining. I'd love to see them win!

How about you?

'Amazing Race 9' East Coast Update 04/05

Arrival order to Pit Stop:

1. Eric/Jeremy - won a Caribbean cruise
2. BJ/Tyler
3. Monica/Joe
4. Fran/Barry
5. Lake/Michelle
6. Ray/Yolanda
7. Dave/Lori -- last and indeed Philiminated. So long, Nerds. I really enjoyed you on the show!

In an unrelated matter, I had grilled swordfish for dinner.

A full review/recap will be posted late this evening. An American Idol East Coast boot entry will be made as soon as it happens here. Meanwhile, I must watch Lost.

'The Amazing Race 9' - Ep. 5 -or- "Lake is Just a Big Meanie Pants"

Do you know what "good television" would be? I personally think good television would be seeing Lake's head explode like in a cartoon! If I were more talented with digital imaging or knew someone with a cool digital imaging center, I could create it myself. Oh, what I'd have come out of his head! Bananas, cat excrement, boxes of Fiddle-Faddle ... the possibilities are endless. After all, what the heck is in his mind?

Here'a brief lowdown on what happened on last night's show:
The teams started out from their last Pit Stop in Munich, Germany. Jeremy and Eric (the HornDogz) had been the first to arrive there at 2:15 PM, so they were the first to leave at 2:15 AM. The last team to depart was Danielle and Dani (Double D's or Pinkies, though I hate the latter) at 7:28 AM. So, there was quite a time difference betwixt first and last and the DD's wouldn't be able to hook up with the Dogz this time 'round. Who would they hitch onto this week? Would they sink or swim on their own? I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here, but they sank a bit on their own and partly a Lake sank 'em. A mean, nasty despicable Lake.

While I find BJ and Tyler perhaps my most favorite team ever, they waited for Lake and Michelle while leaving the Pit Stop! Ack! Boys, boys, boys ... stay away from them! Lake is an evil meanie pants! He'll cut your throats while extracting your teeth with no Novacaine just to watch you bleed! He may have shot a man in Reno just to watch him die! Stay away from him. Wear garlic if you must be near him! I personally would love to see a team made up of Jonathon Baker and Lake. I know we'd be seeing exploding heads there, right?

The teams had to go to the airport to catch flights to Palermo, Italy. BJ/Tyler used those Ivy League brains and purchased tickets for the earliest flight on the Internet while Lake got ticked at Michelle because she couldn't understand enough German to pick up a ticket in the same manner. Ditzy Monica proclaimed how un-ditzy blonde she is by repeatedly pronouncing their destination as PAL-or-moe. Yeah, I know they probably edited that to make the situation look ditzier, but I snickered. Her oh-so-unditzy boyfriend Joe actually substituted a totally different word. Heh.

I know there are folks out there upset that Jeremy/Eric and BJ/Tyler played with the airport wheelchairs. Don't count me in as one of those folks. I've been around people in chairs for most of my life. I myself am a veteran of more than a few knee surgeries. Wheelchair sports are actually a big thing. They're fun for those involved and it's not in any way a mockery of those who need the chairs to get around. I don't know anyone in a chair who would have been offended by the guys racing and playing around in the airport's wheelchairs. Had they deprived someone who needed one to play, that would be another matter. I think they would have immediately handed over the wheelchairs if someone was in need. Pick your causes well and get over it (directed at those who think it was insensitive)!

The absolute best part of the airport waiting was watching Lake get madder and madder. I so wanted his head to explode! Now, you know the why behind my opening paragraph. He acted like a cornered cockroach frantically trying to figure a way out when he realized not only was he not on the first flight, he didn't make the second flight either. Heehee! Hmmm ... maybe I want him to stay in the race just to watch him implode. Perhaps I have a mean, evil streak myself.

Once the teams made it to Palermo, the next clue led them to a Detour. Their choices were Foundry or Laundry. In Foundry, the teams had to go to a metal works foundry to retrieve a 110 pound bell, load it onto a little truck thingee, drive it to a church and then carry it for quite a distance up steps to hand over to a priest for their clue. Laundry wasn't physical, but it could be time-consuming. The teams were faced with 2400 pieces of hanging laundry and had to find an Amazing Race label marked tag inside. There were only ten tags amongst the laundry, if memory serves. Most of the teams chose the laundry, but the teams who chose the bell seemed to make good time. Yolanda was so proud of Ray as he carried the bell solo. Joe also carried the bell solo, but Monica's reaction wasn't as sweet as Yolanda's. Over at the Laundry task, BJ and Tyler were so cute as they politely kissed the Laundry Woman and thanked her in Italian. (Is there a language these guys don't know?) The stragglers to Laundry were frantic and frustrated. Said stragglers would be Lori/Dave, Dani/Danielle and Lake/Michelle.

The clue teams received after the Detour warned them there is a Yield ahead, one of two in the race. BJ/Tyler, in the lead, clicked their heels and went on about Yielding the "Fratboys" - which would be Jeremy/Eric. However, once they hit the Yield, both in unison sang they chose to Yield ... nobody. It would have been a waste to use it, anyway. They had a good lead. They next hit a Roadblock, a task only one member of the team can complete. It was assembling the statue of David, but there was a hitch to it. Once properly assembled, there were two extra pieces. Eventually a team would cost themselves the race due to those extra pieces. Poor Lori had a breakdown trying to assemble the statue due to them. And, her equally poor David, lovebird that he is, cried actual tears because he had gotten frustrated with her as she freaked out over the statue. (Now, I'd like to see Lake go there, huh?) BJ/Tyler sailed through the task and were instructed to walk a mile to the Pit Stop where "one team may be eliminated."

No one was using the Yield until ... Lake came along. Michelle had told him she wouldn't use it; it was his decision. He knew that Dani/Danielle were a bit behind them, but also that Ray/Yolanda were even behind them. Out of some sort of pure mean dark soul kind of action, he used it on Dani/Danielle. Don't get me wrong -- I think they (DD) aren't a good team. I even had a cyberbet elsewhere that they would be eliminated this week as they're such a poor team overall. They hitch onto others, they frustrate easily, they aren't worldly. They had a lot going against them. But there was absolutely no need for Lake to use that Yield against them. They weren't a threat to him or Michelle. He's just plain mean. I bet he didn't use it on Ray/Yolanda because either one of them could whip his butt in the race (or elsewhere). He chose the girls because they're fairly defenseless in his mind. Nasty man, I tell you. Mean-spirited, sexist and plain ol' nasty.

Ray and Yolanda ended up passing DD at the Roadblock when DD furthered their woes with the two extra pieces of the statue. I watched The Early Show this morning. DD said that Ray/Yolanda had about ten minutes on them and it wasn't a race to the end at all as both R/Y are runners and they (DD) aren't.

Here's the finishing order at the Pit Stop:
1. BJ/Tyler - Won a digital imaging center. Maybe I can get them to digitally make Lake's head explode!
2. Jeremy/Eric
3. Monica/Joe
4. Fran/Barry
5. Lake/Michelle
6. Dave/Lori
7. Ray/Yolanda
Last and Philiminated: Dani/Danielle

My final thoughts on the remaining teams? Well, I want to know how many times we're going to see Fran and Barry walk by clues. I swear they have blinders on and no peripheral vision. I don't think we'll see them last a lot longer on the show. I'm pleased that BJ and Tyler are doing so well. Perhaps they're a bit of a gimmick, but they're enjoyable to watch. They're polite to the native folks in the various countries. They're respectful and even have a basic knowledge of most of the languages so far. They're nice to the other teams, but focus on doing well each leg. And, they're having fun with it all. I can take or leave the HornDogz. Yeah, they're male eye candy. I sort of wish they weren't as strong a team as they are -- the more I see of Ray and Yolanda, I'd like to see them take the reins up near the top. I still like the Nerds, Dave and Lori. I don't think they're a particularly stong team, but they're kind of like the representative of Normal Folks on the show - not too well traveled, not in fantastic shape, but in the adventure of a lifetime. As for Monica and Joe, they can go. I think they're a stronger team than the Nerds or Franberry, but they've done nothing to endear themselves to me. And, after all, it's all about me, right?

Heehee! What do you think?

'Amazing Race' East Coast Update - Finish Order and Philimination

For those of you on the West Coast who just can't wait --

1. BJ/Tyler - Won a digital imaging center. "Whoa! A digital imaging center!"
2. Eric/Jeremy
3. Monica/Joe
4. Fran/Barry
5. Lake/Michelle (Who YIELDED DD when they weren't even a threat!)
6. Dave/Lori
7. Yolanda/Ray
Last and Philiminated -- Danielle/Dani

A full recap/review will be posted in the morning.

'The Amazing Race 9' - Ep. 4 -or- Lederhosen Me to the Gnomes!

Hmmm... I don't know. Perhaps it's only episode 3B, but we'll call it 4. I certainly hope this is it for the "to be continued" legs of the show. I'm easily confused!

Nine teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

We last left the teams in Moscow, Russia, where they were all starting to meet up with Phil Keoghan on the Red Square. Last week we saw Jeremy and Eric arrive first thinking they won the leg only to be handed a clue envelope from Phil and be told the leg wasn't over. They looked exhausted. It's still not over! Will Jericmy retain their lead? Will BJ and Tyler take over the race once again? (I hate calling them the Hippies. Long hair doesn't a hippie make, but I guess I'm just a 60s purist, eh?) It's kind of interesting to compare the teams' arrival order at this time to the actual end of the leg. Well, at least interesting to me! So, here's the placing at the Red Square: Jeremy/Eric, Lake/Michelle, Ray/Yolanda, BJ/Tyler, Fran/Barry, Dani/Danielle, Desiree/Wanda, Monica/Joe and placing last was Dave/Lori.

The clue received in Moscow directed teams to fly to Frankfurt, Germany. Once there, they had to take a train to Stuttgart to the flagship Mercedes-Benz factory. Jeremy and Eric really lucked out -- they were the only team on an early flight, thus increasing their lead. Once in Germany, they managed to catch a train just before it left. How lucky can these guys get? The second flight leaving Moscow only took two teams -- Lake/Michelle and BJ/Tyler narrowly squeaking in. The rest of the teams all made the last flight, leaving in the morning. Once again, in typical TAR fashion, the time difference didn't mean a heck of a lot as the Mercedes-Benz place didn't open until the moming. So, instead of a 12 hour or more difference between teams, it was pared down to just a couple of hours.

Now, I would have found the challenge at the Mercedes-Benz factory a bit more um ... challenging if they had to drive it themselves, but the teams each had a driver racing them through the oldest test track in the world affectionately called "The Wall of Death." Oh, this one looked cool as the cars went horizontal on the curve! I want to try it! Oh, Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz, my friends all have Porsches, I must make amends! While it indeed looked cool, all the teams did was go along for the ride. Sigh. Nothing more to see here; let's move along.

Teams then had to drive 200 miles on the Autobahn to a field where they'd face a Roadblock. Here's where Wanda/Desiree screwed up royally by going in the wrong direction for over twenty miles ... twice! So did Dani/Danielle as they were fool enough to be following W/D! Sheesh. First Dani and Danielle clung to Jeremy/Eric until they loused that up by forgetting their bag. Now they're clinging to Wanda and Desiree? Don't these girls think for themselves? The Roadblock (a task which can only be completed by one member of the team) wasn't anything scary, but it was the epitome of product placement. The team member had to find the Travelocity Roaming Gnome hidden in a large field. There were ten gnomes hidden under cones, gnome half sculptures, etc. Of course, this task got tougher with each one found and later teams really depended as much on luck as strategic methodical searching tactics.

Oh, no ... it's onto a Roadblock! Teams finding the gnomes had to bring their gnome along to the Bavarian Film where they had a choice of Break It or Slap It. This is the kind of event that makes me smile at the show. In Break It, teams were faced with a table that held hundreds of prop bottles and had to smash a bottle over their teamate's head hoping to find one with a label which had PROST (German for Cheers!) inside. Oh. They also had to wear lederhosen and only break a bottle each time the cuckoo came out from its cuckoo clock roost. All depended on luck and eventually the maddening native musicians and dancers made for a rather surreal bad comedy act task. In Slap It, teams had to learn the dance steps to a native German dance and perform to the approval of the dancers while also wearing lederhosen. Nothing was funnier than Fran/Barry and Ray/Yolanda in lederhosen! (Well, I'd be funnier, but thankfully I'm not on the show.)

From there, the teams headed to the Pit Stop with Jeremy/Eric retaining their lead. They came in first winning a trip for two to Africa which includes whitewater rafting, a safari and a trip to Victoria Falls. The arrival order of the other teams was: BJ/Tyler (running backwards for their own odd reasons), Lake/Michelle (boo), Fran/Barry, Dave/Lori, MoJo, Ray/Yolanda, Dani/Danielle and ... last and Philiminated -- Wanda and Desiree.

So, that's what happened on the show. Now it's time for me to go into a bit of what I think of the season. It's so much better than the family-safe family edition last season! I'm really liking the teams and their interaction with each other this season. I don't think we've ever had a TAR season where the teams got on so well together. Even the Evil Lake will work with other teams. Teams are sharing taxis, following each other (sometimes almost to ruin) and honestly seem to like one another. I love how BJ and Tyler are rooting for Fran and Barry! Call me a dork, but I still like Dave and Lori -- I'm thrilled they're making a comeback and getting a bit strategic. I want to be offended at Jeremy and Eric's shallow sexist ways, but I have to laugh at the Horndogs. Will all this togetherness between the teams end as the race goes on? I mean, they can't be so congenial forever, can they?

My personal favorites for the win are BJ and Tyler. No, I won't call them hippies. But, these guys have a great sense of adventure, are funny and smart. I couldn't help but notice they knew enough German to get by. They seem to have a high frustration level and I think they're perhaps one of the strongest teams ever on the show. They may overdo their schtick a bit, but they're the team to watch.

I would love to see a Final Four team list like this -- BJ/Tyler, Fran/Barry, Ray/Yolanda and Dave/Lori. Will it happen? Who are your favorites?

Oh ... and I'm not all that sad to see Wanda and Desiree go. While I think Desiree was a good race candidate, Wanda was really getting on my nerves. If you go on a show like The Amazing Race, whining at every task isn't the way to win. You defeat yourself and you tick off the viewers. Next, Lake can go. He's on my nerves, too. After that, Dani and Danielle can go bye-bye. They're followers, not leaders. Get 'em gone. Then I predict that Jeremy and Eric will have a secret rendezvous with two Swedish milkmaids and miss a plane. After that, out with MoJo! I still don't know these two much at all so they'd be no great loss. I know. I'm horrible, aren't I?