Thursday, July 01, 2021

BB23: Meet the Cast - Part 2 of 2

 If you missed the first part of my cast photos/info, you can find it right at this link here. Without further ado, I present the remaining eight hamsters --

Derek Xiao

Say what? Another Derek? Two spelled the same way and not like previous BB winner Derrick? This Derek is 24. His hometown is Baltimore, MD and he's currently living in NYC. He's a start-up founder. Azah in my Part 1 is also from Baltimore, but six years older. Again, like Philadelphia, a big city and they probably do not know each other. He sounds kind of interesting. He started a company that ships meal kits from food influencers, rented and crashed a citi-bike to compete in a triathlon in college, took hip-hop dance lessons and was 1 of 2 Asian kids in his high school graduating class. Sounds all kinds of new wavy, right? 


Hannah Chaddha

Hannah is a very young'un -- nope, no diversity in ages, for sure. She's 21. She's from Chicago, IL and still lives there. She's a graduate student. Oh ... she's a competitive hip-hop dancer! She can give Derek X lessons! She says (without going on and on about it, Britini) that she graduated university at 19. The way that's phrased sounds like not in the US. Her parents are from South Africa and India, so possibly abroad. She can hold her breath for 90 seconds and used to be a personal stylist. It sounds like she might be good at both mental and physical comps.


Kyland Young


Ohh ... one of the older ones. Kyland is 29 but will turn 30 on the 13th. He's an account executive (?) originally from San Bernardino now living in Venice Beach, both CA. He's read all the Twilight books (so impressive), has four sisters, has seen every Best Picture Oscar film for the last 20 years (again, achievement!), sneaks into Comic Con with a fake police badge in costume because it can be done, went to sky-diving school, thinks he's a Jedi (no, he's NOT Howie of BB6!), works for an app company that helps students find finances for their schooling. Well, he might be one of the "older" hamsters but most mature? Probably not!


Sarah Steagall


Sarah is 27, will be 28 on August 9. She's originally from Boiling Springs, SC and currently resides in Ft. Myers, Fl. She's a forensic scientist. Born with a speech impediment, she couldn't communicate clearly until she was seven. Although a chemist, she's a horrible cook and cannot follow a recipe. She has moth/butterfly phobia. She's into cosplay and apparently is very creative with styling, props and sewing. I'm not seeing anything physical listed. She may or may not be good at comps. I hope she realizes that she will need to clean since she can't cook and, if you do nothing around the house, you become very expendable.


Tiffany Mitchell

Here's the "old" hamster! Yes, indeed. She's, get this, 40. She will be 41 on August 5. I hope she packed her Geritol. She's a phlebotomist from Detroit MI and still in Detroit. She loves cats, especially her own two cats. That's really how it should be. She's obsessed with horoscopes, does voice impersonations of friends and family and her favorite color is Tiffany Blue. Hmm. I like blue and I like cats. But none of this gives me any kind of hint how she will do in the house.


Travis Long

Travis is 22, originally from Austin TX now living in Honolulu HA. He's a tech sales consultant (and I bet surfer). He's an author who has published books available on Amazon. I'll have to check him out. He's almost fluent in Spanish due to soccer and growing up in Costa Rica. He says he's started up many businesses since high school and has been sued by "massive titans of industry." Hmm. Sketchy stuff? He's into pranks and spearing fish for dinner multiple times per week. Oh, gee, sounds like quite the free spirit, doesn't he?


Whitney Williams

Whitney is 30, a make-up artist hailing from Portland OR and still residing there. Now, we will be having a blog pool but we need to band together for her success this season. She's a friend of one of our original blog community people! For all I know, she might have even been a regular reader here. If the person who knows her speaks up, fine. Otherwise, we just all root for her! She was named after Whitney Houston, but cannot sing. Her company won a Best in Oregon award only three years after she started it. She can wiggle her nose like a bunny. Now, if she were older she would say like Samantha! She developed her own Tillamook ice cream flavor -- white chocolate raspberry -- and it's available in stores that carry that brand. Remember ... blog wide cheering but you will still be assigned a random hamster if you join the pool.


Xavier Prather

Xavier is 27, an attorney originally from Kalamazoo MI now residing in Milwaukee WI. Oh my gosh. He has ten siblings. His poor parents! He was born with a severe clubfoot and learned to walk in a cast. He did a cross-cultural study in Scotland and England. That sounds great! I think I'm jealous! He does not like coffee. He gives us nothing on physical stuff but in the photo looks very fit. He also must be smart to have made it through law school and pass the bar. Plus he's attractive. He can stay around ... unless he's obnoxious, that is.

BB23: Meet the Cast - Part 1 of 2 UPDATED

 Now we can get a bit excited. BB23 cast information and photos were revealed today. It's really coming! Since there are 16 of them, I'm breaking it into two parts and it's still lengthy. You might want to go get a tasty beverage and settle in! Part Two will be up in a few hours.


Alyssa Lopez
  
Alyssa is 24, will be 25 on July 17. She's from and still resides in Sarasota, FL. She's a swimwear designer who has plans to release a swimwear line. She might do well in physical comps -- she did gymnastics for ten years. Her Bachelor's degree is in Broadcast Production and she has her drone aircraft license -- neither of which will probably help her in the hamster house.

Azah Awasum

Azah is from and currently residing in Baltimore, MD. She's 30. She's a Director of Sales Operations, company not mentioned. Her name means "able to make friends." We'll be the judge of that! Oh my -- her grandfather was a polygamist with six wives and 47 children. Yikes! She attended a Messianic Jewish primary school and loved to travel before COVID. Don't think any of that will help her this summer. I do love the old school 'fro!


Brandon "Frenchie" French

Frenchie-Brandon is 34, originally from Camden, TN and currently residing in Clarksville, TN. He's a farmer with a two-time grand national champion bull. He was very athletic at 13, winning a national NFL punt, kick and pass competition. He's prior military. The only thing he's scared of is his rooster! (I understand!) But, what's most interesting in this increased diversity cast -- he's a proud card-carrying member of the NAACP. Hmm. He just might be a contender. It will depend on personality and threat level.


Brent Champagne

Brent is a flight attendant, age 28. He's from and still resides in Cranston, RI. He's a former D1AA Collegiate Athlete although I'm not quite sure what that is. He's also formerly the Yolanda Vega of Rhode Island! Er, sorry, she's the New York one. I mean to say that he formerly was the Live Lottery Television host for Rhode Island. He won his first car, a 2008 Honda Civic in a video making contest. He has his own fishing website. I'm not sure how much any of that will help him win, maybe the athletics.


Britini D'Angelo

Britini, who I rhyme in my head with bikini so I spell it right, is a kindergarten teacher raised in Niagara Falls, NY and still there. She's 24 and apparently very smart. She won both the Niagara Medal (voted on by the members of the senior class as the individual who represents Niagara University the best) and the Senior Medal (Valedictorian – Perfect 4.0 GPA across 2 Degrees) at Niagara University. Oh my, the first to win both in 162 years. She has her Master's and all kinds of certificates, as well as a black belt and she dances and and and ... Dang, I hope she doesn't talk as much as she writes about her accomplishments. She just went on and on about how smart and great she is. Hmm


Christian Birkenberger

Christian is 23 and currently residing in Harwinton, CT. I don't know where he's originally from. Maybe raised by wolves with that hairstyle. He's a general contractor assistant. He can ride a unicycle, his pupils are two different sizes, he likes chicken and waffles, he has had only one girlfriend and he can do multiple flips. I already like him better than I do Britini. 


Christie Valdiserri

Christie is 27, originally from Philadelphia, PA, currently living in North Hollywood, CA. She's a professional dancer. She's been a vegan for 3.5 years and a pescatarian for ten. Instead of bragging that she was graduated from Penn State early she gave a "lol" when mentioning it. Hear that, Britini? When she was 15 she started a dance company called Diva Dance in her parents' basement. She has11 piercings, five done by herself. I think I might like her.

REPLACING CHRISTIE ...

Claire Rehfuss


Claire Rehfuss is 25. an AI (Artificial Intelligence, I assume) Engineer living in NYC but originally hailing from Chagrin Falls, Ohio. We now have our definitely alpha-WOMAN in the house. She's an ubersuperfan with an online presence, her own popular Survivor online game, creates crosswords and might just be the first one to make a women's alliance actually work. She "wants to target the alpha males and team up with her fellow “black widows” to clear a path to finale night." 

In the article I read at the Big Brother Network, she shows extensive BB knowledge even dating as far back as BB2. Why the heck didn't she make first cut? Sheesh! 


Derek Frazier

Oh, cool. Derek is "Smokin" Joe Frazier's (the boxer) son. He's 29 from Philadelphia and still living there. He's a safety officer. Now, Christie above is also from Philly and only two years younger. Do they know each other? Probably not. Philly is a big city with many schools. Scratch the thought of high school -- he went to a military boarding school. We'll find out. He can fall asleep sitting up or standing. Hey, my cat can do that! He must be quite strong as he goes on about bench presses and such. That isn't always a plus in the comps in BB. He LOOKS like a safety officer, doesn't he?

Part 2 with the remaining hamsters can be found here at this link.


Wednesday, June 30, 2021

BB23: No Cast Information Release Today

 ... now they are saying tomorrow. CBS put up a tweet saying so. 

So it must be true.

Remember last season ...

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

BB23: Some More Information ...

 


Oh, we're getting close now. A week from tomorrow is the live Big Brother 23 season premiere! The cast reveal is set for tomorrow. Yes, of course I will be posting on that! Unfortunately (at least, in my opinion), Allison Grodner is still the executive producer. While CBS is pretty much demanding diversity in the form of around 50% people of color on reality shows, there is nothing said about age diversity -- something this show is woefully lacking. With her at the helm, I expect more hamsters will look great in bikinis than not.

I found an interesting interview with Grodner at this link. Here are some tidbits gleaned from it:
  • The theme for the season is actually BB Beach Club. It's to be set up like a Vegas boutique hotel. Yeah, you know all those beaches in Vegas, right?
  • Apparently gambling of some sort or other will be a thing this season. Hmm. That's not really my favorite thing.
  • No, absolutely none, returning players! She said a few superfans, some fans and some who don't really know the show at all.
  • In the live 90-minute season premiere, the hamsters will be split into teams, vying for team captain AND there will be an HoH comp.
  • The team captains supposedly get a "snapshot" of the hamsters and decide who they want on their team. I'm not sure if they have to split it male/female, but I hope so. We don't need a pure alpha-male team of four!
  • Yes, I said teams. There will be four teams of four (16 hamsters this season). At least that should reduce house votes! Grodner also points out that it will cut down the large alliances ruling the game. True dat.
  • An excerpt from Allison Grodner in the linked article: This season, our theme is full of risk-versus-reward dilemmas. We're dialing up the risk, hoping and anticipating the houseguests are faced with decisions they've never really had to make in the Big Brother house before.  -- Okaaayy ...
  • Julie Chen-Moonves will be making a "double or nothing offer" that cannot be refused (but surely will be by most) at the end of the live episode. I'm thinking it might be a bribe to quit. We don't expect an eviction the first night.
  • Hmm ...

Monday, June 21, 2021

Long Time, No Blog -- BB23 Starts Soon!

 


So ... how have you been?

Before we get really into things BB23 -- I received notification that Feedburner will be eliminating email notifications to anyone subscribed in July. Oh noes! Offhand I don't really know of another service. I will have to research that. What I can suggest is using my social media notifications on either Facebook or Twitter. I always link my posts to those platforms as soon as they're published. Here's the info -- My Twitter and my Facebook Big Brother Page. (Click on the links.) You can always sign up for my personal FB page but I only post show night links there, not the live feeds and other links.

What's the latest news about the show?!?!

Unfortunately, the latest news is that there isn't much news. Hmm ... let's see ...

  • Julie Chen-Moonves will be hosting as she has done every season.
  • No house images have been released yet.
  • CBS has new criteria for diversity on their reality shows. But I bet we still won't see a lot of diversity in ages! (Grr.)
  • According to various sources, the casting has been finished and the new hamsters and alternates have started their pre-season sequesters which include a two-week quarantine due to Covid precautions and a third week of regular sequester. They will once again be tested for Covid prior to entering the house.
  • The season premiere is set for Wednesday, July 7 at 8pm ET/PT and will be 90 minutes.
  • The regular weekly shows are to be an hour and are scheduled for: Sunday, Wednesday, Thursdays all at 8pm ET/PT, followed by Love Island (gag).
  • CBS All Access has changed to Paramount Plus. Same feeds venue, different name.
  • RUMORS: All new cast, theme for the show and the house is BB Rebirth or New Beginnings. No one goes home the first night and an HOH will occur in the premier. These rumors I can't really verify other than they're coming from a fairly often reliable spoilers source.
More news as I get the news ...

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

TAR32: Season Finale Blog Pool and Party

 


Welp, here we are at the season finale. That went by quickly, didn't it? I a bit surprised that it's only an hour show tonight. But, if memory serves, they had more than the final three going into the longer finales. It's not like Survivor or Big Brother with a reunion show following the finale. There's no jury, no voting ... just whatever team makes it to the last welcome mat wins it all. 

I have not been keen on the alliance bit this season, not at all. To me, it ended up with the teams not in the alliance akin to the child chosen last in a schoolyard game pick. I understand teams occasionally helping out others or not. But, to me, the alliance dominated the game and knocked out other teams. I'm old school. I think every team needs to race on their own merits. Oh, well.

Lifeguard SueGee has updated the blog pool for the last time --
The Final Three  
Hung / Chee -- Bizaro22. Glenn Allen. chrob61 
Riley / Maddison -- Dr_Celine, PDX Granny, Marthalight 
Will / James -- Petals, CherylNY, Nickelpeed 

 Philiminated: 
Nathan / Cody (everyone reassigned back into pool) 
Kellie / LaVonne -- David, ChicMc, Sharon N 
Jerry / Frank -- Donna NY, Monty924, Andi, Willie J 
Michelle / Victoria -- Mario L, Jackie, SueGee 
Alana / Leo -- Jennasmom, Sharon C, Donna in FL 
Kaylynn / Haley -- Jennifer, Indiana Jane, Ed in Ohio 
Aparna / Eswar -- Cheryl in NC, Kelsey NY, Skyriverblue 
Gary / DeAngelo -- JLaf, CherryPie, Judy Sweeney     

I will be updating this entry with the major happenings as they air here on the East Coast. Please refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Feel free to join in on the discussion! May the best team win!

We're getting a brief recap of the season. Yes, the alliance of three made it to the final leg together. We know that.

Teams are flying to New Orleans. Party on Bourbon Street, so they're heading to the French Quarter. They have more luxury on their flight than I've ever seen!

They're heading to Louis Armstrong Park. All teams flew there together. 

Route info cards gotten. They have to collect 50 red and 50 gold necklaces thrown on Bourbon Street to get their next clue. The necklaces have to match the ones the Grand Marshall is wearing. The Beard Bros are lost.

James and Will finish the beads first.

Who will be left holding the baby? Next up they have to find the baby in the cake for their next clue. That's a tradition in which a small (not real!) baby is baked in a large King Cake. This will be a needle in a haystack kind of Roadblock.

James/Will found the baby first and then had to sit and eat a ton (or six) of gooey pastry beignets.

They head to the New Orleans Convention Center next. Will/James remain in the lead. 

Roadblock. Climb under a bridge, then onto a beam, then jump out about 200 feet over the Mississippi River to grab a clue. Crescent City Convention Bridge.

Beard Brothers still in last.

Both team members must rappel back down from the bridge. Then they have to roll a ten foot ball back through town.

James/Will at the ball. Hung/Chee headed to the ball. Maddison/Riley just finished finding the baby.

Next they have to search a warehouse for puzzle pieces and make a globe out of their ball.

James/Will finish the globe and they're the first team heading to the finish line at the New Orleans Superdome.

JAMES/WILL WIN THE AMAZING RACE! And we have a down on one knee marriage proposal.

Hung and Chee come in second place.
We know who's on third.
And, there they are -- Riley and Maddison.
This season put the show over 1,000,000 miles raced.











Wednesday, December 09, 2020

TAR32: December 9 Episode Blog Party

 


Welcome, all! I hope you're well. My apologies for the health issue last week. I just couldn't blog the show while seeing double (and weird) from eye dilation!

And, tonight might be a bit weird. I saw a promo for it and it's not a normal leg with a Roadblock and a Detour. It's something about sprinting around a city. Hmm. I will do my best to update this entry with the happenings as they air here on the East Coast.

Lifeguard SueGee has updated the blog pool and the latest standings are at this here link.

The real party is in the comments area ... I hope to see you there!

Phil tells us tonight the final four will become the final three.

The teams have to fly to Manilla, the Philippines. I did not know that Manilla is the texting capital of the world. Hmm ... they have to take marked taxis to meet Phil. Weird, yep. They're all on the same flight.

Phil greets them in downtown Manilla. First time ever, a city sprint. Racing through Manilla (most densely populated city center). Phil advises them they shouldn't help out another team. They get their first clue from a Cartiki (sp?). 

They have a riddle to solve the clue. They have to find a personality-laden traffic control guy and grab the next clue from him. Off to the Mall of Asia next! Neither Will/James nor Hung/Chee were able to grab their clues from the traffic cop on the first try.

Heh. At the mall the teams have to run a footrace in high heels! Riley/Maddison were there first. Gary/DeAngelo next.

The next clue leads them to the Chinatown area of the city. Then they have to search for a clue in a costumed lion's mouth. Uh-oh ... Hung and Chee are lost.

Next they have to go to a post office, find a horse and carriage, find and mix ingredients to feed. Gary and DeAngelo have a slight lead over Will and James.

Will/James have taken the lead. They have to go to Mayhan (sp) Gardens for the next clue. It's listening to a band play a medley of songs they've heard on the race and identify four of them. They have to line up the maps of the country where they heard the song in chronological order as in the race.

Hung and Chee finally caught up and are now trying the task along with the other teams. The three teams work together shunning Gary and DeAngelo. So, they decide to take the penalty and give up.

The teams head to the Pit Stop where they started.

Pit Stop order --
1. Riley/Maddison
2. James/Will
3. Hung/Chee

Phil tells them they're going to New Orleans next.

DeAngelo and Gary were Philiminated. DeAngelo is bitter about it. Hmm.

Next week is the season finale.



TAR32: UPDATED Blog Pool Team Match-Ups!



To familiarize yourself with your team you can find photos and my brief takes on the teams on my Meet the Cast posts here, here and here.

Lifeguard SueGee (affectionately also known as SqueeGee) has kindly done the random pool match-ups. 
 
Gary / DeAngelo -- JLaf, CherryPie, Judy Sweeney 
Hung / Chee -- Bizaro22. Glenn Allen. chrob61 
Riley / Maddison -- Dr_Celine, PDX Granny, Marthalight 
Will / James -- Petals, CherylNY, Nickelpeed

Philiminated:
Nathan / Cody (everyone reassigned back into pool)
Kellie / LaVonne -- David, ChicMc, Sharon N
Jerry / Frank -- Donna NY, Monty924, Andi, Willie J
Michelle / Victoria -- Mario L, Jackie, SueGee
Alana / Leo -- Jennasmom, Sharon C, Donna in FL
Kaylynn / Haley -- Jennifer, Indiana Jane, Ed in Ohio
Aparna / Eswar -- Cheryl in NC, Kelsey NY, Skyriverblue    

Wednesday, December 02, 2020

TAR32: December 2 Blog Party

 


Unfortunately, I have to bail on y'all tonight. My eye appointment ran late and right now my good eye's vision is still all dilated and not right. Well, as right as it gets. After it clears some I'll try to get the Pit Stop order and Philimination (or not) posted here.

You're on your own in the comments area. If you could give updates, great! If not, that's okay, too. 

Pit Stop
1. Maddison/Riley - won trip to Norway
2. James/Will
3. Hung/Chee
4. DeAngelo/Gary
5. Eswar/Arpana - Philiminated 

Sorry about this.

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

TAR32: November 25 Double Episode Blog Party

 


My gosh. A double episode, or at least, two episodes in a row, on the eve of one of the biggest holidays of the year isn't best for neither the ratings, nor the blogging. The comments have only been drawing a small amount of folks each week although the visitor "hits" seem to be strong. I'm not anticipating large crowds for either tonight. If folks are at home, there could be too much food prep going on for two hours of television.

Lifeguard SueGee has updated the blog pool and you can find the latest pool standings at this here link.

I will do my best to persevere and get this entry updated with the major happenings as the show airs here on the East Coast. Refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party -- probably small and social distancing -- is in the comments area. Please feel free to join in on the fun!

Six teams remain. It's a mega-leg ahead. Who will be eliminated next?

Teams are flying to the middle of India. I'm not even going to try to spell the name of the city, but it's known as the Cyber City. James and will are off first heading to the airport. While they are a good team, I'm not personally liking them much. Now they have decided that the NFL duo is no longer helpful to them. All the teams are on the same flight.

They scramble for taxis at the airport although there are plenty available. They have to get the next clue after doing three smog checks on vehicles called auto rickshaws. The hardest part is getting the rickshaw drivers off the street for the test. Otherwise it looks like standard emissions checks.

Detour -- Team up with a food delivery service and deliver three meals. Or, use motion sensor tech which has them catching light balls of one or zero to receive a code to decipher the next clue. Most of the teams are doing the Number Trap. The blonds go for the food delivery.
NFL gets the code first. Now they have to decipher it.

Oh, no. The blonds are lost AGAIN.

Hung and Chee are having problems with the Number Trap and are still at it while most are deciphering the clue. 

James and Will get the clue first. They have to head to a mausoleum where there is a Yield ahead. They decide to Yield the blonds as they know they don't have an hourglass, it gives them a huge buffer for a losing team and won't get "blood on their hands" with their alliance.

Roadblock -- Who's ready to flip their lid? They have to identify three people's turbans digitally and then in real life.

Hung/Chee decided to switch detours. The BFL are second to the Yield station. Hung and Chee found the food delivery right away and are off to a good start. The blonds just arrived there. The teams are in radio contact with a navigator person. It seems like the blonds are giving their navigator a headache. 

Meanwhile teams at the match the turban cyber and reality are finding it hard. I'm smiling that James is having problems at the turbans. I'm mean like that.

Maddison/Riley and then NFL get the clue to the next clue first.

The blonds get to their Yield and it's the one twenty minute one. If that doesn't get them gone this week, nothing will.

Ah, it was set up as two separate episodes even with the mega-leg. We're starting the second episode.

Eswar/Arpana just finish the turbans as the blonds finish their time-out.

Meanwhile the other teams are headed to the next clue.

Detour - This or That. No more explanation. This is finding a bangle bracelet set -- needle in a haystack kind of thing. Eswar/Arpana chose That so we'll find out what That is finally! The blonds actually do well with the turban Roadblock. 

Riley and Maddison are off first to the next clue. Yield ahead.

That is taking a mold of a patient's teeth and fitting them to the patient to make dentures.

Teams will dress in traditional outfits and ride a horse and carriage to a castle. Now Riley and Maddison Yield the blonds, mainly because they knew Hung/Chee were running behind.

Roadblock - Who wants to set things straight? Prepare 10 royal dinner settings according to art.

The blonds are doing the dentures That. They don't know of the Yield yet.

Either James or Will (off camera) said the five team alliance is now dead. It's three -- them, Riley/Maddison and Hung/Chee.

All the teams but the blonds are doing the settings now. Very fussy. I don't think I could eat there. I'd probably mess something up!

Riley/Maddison are the first team off the the Pit Stop. The blonds find out that they are Yielded once again.

Pit Stop Order
1. Riley/Maddison - won a 7 day Caribbean cruise
2. James/Will 
3. DeAngelo/Gary
4. Hung/Chee
5. Eswar/Arpana
6. Kaylynn and Haley -- phinally Philiminated

Thank you for reading and I hope all have a great Thanksgiving! Stay safe!


Wednesday, November 18, 2020

TAR32: November 18 Episode Blog Party

Hopefully our turnout will be a bit better tonight than it was last week. I found out after the fact that the show was against the Country Music Awards show. That could very well be the problem!


Lifeguard SueGee has updated the blog pool to show that both Lifeguard SueGee and I were Philiminated last week. You can see the update at this here link.

I will be updating this entry with the major events as the show airs here on the East Coast. Refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. I hope to see you there!

Seven teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

Teams will take a train to Berlin, Germany. They're all on the same train, so it's off to an even start once again.

They have to go to the Berlin Wall (or site thereof). Their clues have them driving themselves around in a Trabant. They have to head to a disco. Apparently Berlin is big on disco and clubbing. Teams have to get in the groove, dancing until the music stops, to get their next clue. They have to get their picture as proof.

Then they're off to a hotel where Phil says there will be a Yield and they'll have the chance to use their hourglasses. Will and James are once again having trouble getting into gear, this time in a Trabant.

It was just brought to my attention that it's two hours tonight.

Is it the clutch on the car or their driving?

NFL is in the lead, they don't yield anyone. The Roadblock is not only rappelling down a building but solving a word scramble as they go. DeAngelo didn't even see the scrambled word going down. He makes a deal with Hung. It turns out the letters are visible as they're being hooked up to rappel, not while they're doing the act. The word is Sauerkraut. Three teams are sticking together -- Hung/Chee, NFL and one other.

Hung and Chee finish first. Detour - Learn beer yoga poses and then teach them Belch it Out or Belt it out, singing a song. 

NFL dudes are learning beer yoga. It's way more complicated than you would think. 

Haley and Kaylynn are once again running the leg in last place. Right now  now Haley is repeatedly doing the rappel, stuck on the word scramble. In her defense, other teams helped each other with the word.

NFL is headed to the next Pit Stop first!

Pit Stop Order:
1. DeAngelo and Gary - won $7,500 each
2. Riley and Maddison
3. Hung and Chee
4. Will and James
5. Eswar and Arpana
6. Leo and Alana
7. Haley and Kaylynn ... saved by the second non-Philimination!

Hmm ... offhand I can't think of any team saved twice by non-Philim legs, but there must have been.

Onto the second episode. Seven teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

Teams are flying to Kazakhstan. I had to look that one up or spell it wrong!

They have to make a movie stop. A man goes by in flames on a horse. Eep. They have to watch an action sequence then answer questions. Or they have to learn a fight routine.

The Speed Bump for Haley and Kaylynn -- have to apply prosthetic beards to each other.

After the Detour, Yield ahead as they head off to the desert.

In the desert they meet up with camels. Teams must accessorize a yurt -- a movable hut. It is a freezing desert. (I know what this is due to Frankie -- Lily Tomlin -- in Grace and Frankie!) 

No teams have Yielded anyone yet. Argh. Leo and Alana are in last place and Will/James are yelling for next to last Blonds with beards to Yield them. Argh. They do it.

Sigh, Will/James finish the yurt first and are heading to a meat marketplace for their next clue.

The Pit Stop is at the location where the first apple tree grew. Will/James (unfortunately) are headed that way first. They are getting under my skin constantly going after Leo/Alana.

Pit Stop Order --
1. Will and James - won a trip to Las Vegas
Phil tells them the next leg is a mega leg, double everything and two hours for us.
2. Riley and Maddison
3. Hung and Chee
4. Gary and DeAngelo
5. Haley and Kaylynn
6. Eswar and Arpana
7. Leo and Alana -- Philiminated





Wednesday, November 11, 2020

TAR32: November 11 Episode Blog Party

 

I hope all of you are doing okay despite election anxiety and increased COVID-19 worries! With the election hoopla last week I hadn't even realized it was supposed to be two episodes back to back. Due to all the news (or, at that time, the lack thereof) CBS decided to air election doings instead of the second episode. Not to worry ... the shows will still air in order. I think.

Since the last show was a non-Philiminaton leg, the blog pool remains the same and can be found at this here link.

I will be updating this entry with the major happenings as the show airs here on the East Coast -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please feel free to join in on the fun!

Let's get this show on the road ... or in a taxi ... or on a plane!

Yes, they are in order. Good. That would be confusing!

Teams are flying to Paris, France to find their first clue in a town thirty miles away. So far, as they talk, it seems like most know how to drive a stick-shift. The first flight has four teams and the flights are 50 minutes apart.

Uh-oh. Will said he knew how to drive a stick. He doesn't seem to know how. Leo ends up helping them only because they were in the way. Ah, he was trying to go in 3rd gear.

Roadblock - Who has an eye for art? Second most antique paintings after the Louvre. They have to study paintings and match up a costumed person to a painting. They also have to know the artist's name. Maddison and Riley finish first. 

Teams must make filling and fill up four pies. Hmm. That seems out of place. Okay, back to the pies. Riley and Maddison are there. Leo and Alana are there next.

Haley and Kaylynn are lost. 

Whoa! As they deliver the pies, they are pelted with pies.

Next they drive back to Paris to an art museum.

Double Roadblock - Who wants to step right up? Teams must win three marked carnival games to get the next clue.

Speed bump has Haley and Kaylynn cleaning horse tack.

From the arcade it's onto the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris for the Pit Stop.

Now Michelle and Vic are lost.

Pit Stop order:
1. Riley and Maddison - won a trip to Vietnam
2. Hung and Chee
3. Leo and Alana
4. Will and James
5. DeAngelo and Gary
6. Eswar and Arpana
7. Kaylynn and Haley
8. Michelle and Vic -- Philiminated

Yep, I'm now out of the blog pool!



Wednesday, November 04, 2020

TAR32: November 4 Episode Blog Party

 


I'm not sure if we'll make it through the entire show without having election news updates, but we'll give it a try! The latest blog pool update from that wonderful Lifeguard SueGee can be found at this here link. I am getting better with the names of the teams although I often find myself not knowing who is whom within a same sex team. Progress!

I'll be updating this entry with the major happenings as the show airs here on the East Coast. Refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. I hope to see you there!

Eight teams remain. Who will be eliminated NEXT?

Teams are flying to Paraguay in South America next. James and Will have an alliance with four other teams. Of course, they are the ones who solidified trouble with Leo and Alana by U-Turning them. Ohh ... Will and James stopped at an Internet place and printed out a map of Paraguay. Gotta give them credit for that move! All teams are on the same flight.

Uh-oh. Taxi problems! 

Who is feeling instrumental? The Landfill Harmonic ... repurpose items from a landfill to make a cello. It's an actual place where they use discarded items to make musical instruments for the community.

Leo might have an advantage as he grew up around stringed instruments even though the other teams are helping each other. DeAngelo finishes first though. They have to take a taxi to their next clue and it tells them to keep their hourglass handy as there is a Yield.

Teams have to prepare a national beverage, fill a thermos with it and carry it through the rest of the leg.

Detour - Stacking watermelons or balancing bottles on their heads. Both challenges have been done before in previous seasons. It turns out Will and James had practiced balancing bottles on their heads after watching the show.

So far no one has Yielded anyone.

The Pit Stop is Plaza Italia (?)

Pit Stop order --
1. Will and James - won $5,000 each
2. Michelle and Victoria
3. Leo and Alana
4. Riley and Maddison
5. Eswar and Aparna
6. Hung and Chee
7. DeAngelo and Gary
8. Kaylynn and Haley -- NON-PHILIMINATON LEG!

All teams still in it to win it.