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 cruise2. BJ and Tyler, frolicked their way in3. Joe and Monica4. Fran and Barry5. Lake and Michelle6. Ray and Yolanda7. Dave and Lori - last team to arrive and PhiliminatedSigh. 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?
Bottom three --Elliott. Mandisa and Paris.Paris is safe.Mandisa is going home.
Arrival order to Pit Stop:1. Eric/Jeremy - won a Caribbean cruise2. BJ/Tyler3. Monica/Joe4. Fran/Barry5. Lake/Michelle6. Ray/Yolanda7. 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.
Well. This is the week with the new day and time for The Amazing Race. While I didn't care for the 10 PM (ET) slot for the show, I liked the day. I just wanted it at 9 PM. I just got into watching Bones in its Wednesday at 8 PM time slot instead of taping. Now it's back to taping. Grr. For me TAR was best on Tuesday night for another reason -- my regular day off from work is Wednesday, so I could watch the Philiminated on The Early Show. Now no more. I can't watch the eliminated Survivor, nor Amazing Race folks now,either. Grr! Tonight's TV plan is as follows:I will watch The Amazing Race, taking notes for a later tonight (before midnight ET) blog entry while I tape Bones for my Sunday afternoon viewing. As Amazing Race ends here on the East Coast, I will post a blog entry with the finishing order and who was eliminated or whether it's a non-elim leg. Then, at 9 PM, I'll watch Lost with American Idol taping, but on with no sound just a glance away on a second TV. I'll post the bottom three and the voted off American Idol as soon as it airs on the East Coast. Then it'll be a toss up of watching or taping C.S.I. NY or Law and Order. While I watch one, I'll write up the recap/review/blog entry for The Amazing Race and get that posted to the blog. Yes, I multi-task. ;-)So, stop by later for East Coast updates!
Well, here we are at the sixth week of the fifteen week interview. Gee, that's longer than some people I know have ever held a job! No, I'm not referring to me. I've been gainfully employed for a number of years. Um ... decades. Okay, more than a score. Eek. At least Donald Trump is older than I am!
Back to the show - As Gold Rush awaits the non-fired, they want it to be Tarek gone. Alas, no go. Even though Charmaine and some of the others think Tarek holds the team back, he's not the one fired. Bryce decides to take Tarek under his wing and help him. He calls a team meeting to discuss how they should get off to a fresh start and forget past problems. Yes, it's a great idea, but it doesn't seem to go over too well. He's volunteered to the the Project Manager, but will his team listen to him? Will they respect him? 
Of course, Tarek blew the play nice party when he decided he was oh-so-great-and-powerful and told them that's why they target him. After all, they're the coyotes chasing after the buffalo (him). Yes. I'm rolling my eyes. Aren't you?All the rain they kept showing looked very familiar to me. It rained for a good part of September here. Sure enough, it was filmed during Yom Kippur - another holiday that Lee took off to observe. I don't fault him for doing so. Religion is a personal issue and most businesses allow folks the time off for such purposes. I will say it's a shame that the show was filmed when it was as Lee has had to miss part of the "interview." Even though he definitely had a valid reason to go, it can create problems on the team to have a member missing for a task. Or, it can if the Project Manager delegates responsibility properly.Trump summoned the teams downstairs to the lobby area of Trump Tower where he showed the display cases with the Trump branded merchandise. I took the photo above in the same area of Trump Tower the last time I was in there. (No, I wasn't there for an interview, but I do recommend the public restrooms there!) He then introduced two Arby's corporate bigwigs to the teams and told them their task this week is to create a jingle touting Arby's new all natural chicken line, the only fast food chain offering such. The rest are unnatural, I guess. Aren't nuggets a body part?They had to write the lyrics and the melody or tune with the aid of a professional band to perform the finished jingle. Lenny wanted to know what a jingle is. Even after it was explained, he played Russian about it all. I know he's smarter than that. It's something I feel just wasn't a strength of his and he fell back to acting like he just stepped foot into modern society. I don't buy the act. Sean decided to be the Project Manager for Synergy and, for the first time, I personally thought both teams worked well on the task. No one really fought; no catfights. Andrea was almost nonexistent except for working along. Gold Rush made a horrible error which cast a shadow on anything they'd do in the task, though. They showed up 25 minutes late for the meeting with the CEO and other bigwig. Yikes! Dumb move! This week's Donald Trump lecture and quote was about needing the respect of your employees. I think he was pulling straws with this one. In other weeks, it was evident who would lose the task by the lecture point. This time, I found it a bit murky. Neither Project Manager was really not respected. Out of the two, perhaps Bryce was a bit disrespected as his smile on your brother meeting didn't work. But Gold Rush did pull together as the task went on. I think Trump could have gone with a "Nice Guys Finish Last" quote and lecture, but it wouldn't put him in a great light, would it?The jingles were played for the bigwig folks, Trump and a bunch of Arby's customers. Donald danced to the Synergy one. I think I'll probably have nightmares tonight. Unfortunately, Gold Rush left out the vital "Arby's is the only natural chicken" and, combined with a bit catchier tune from Synergy, they lost. They will have to go to the Boardroom. Synergy won a fancy-schmancy meal which included $4,000 a pound white truffles. The girls fawned all over Shawn while poor Michael (who is an attractive young man) was left out. Shallow, shallow. Thankfully, Andrea was a bit quiet. Me? I'd prefer a meal at Arby's, probably going for the roast beef and not the chicken.As Gold Rush prepared to go to the Boardroom, they were all getting along and really wanted no one fired. Heck, they even forgot how much they disliked Tarek! Bryce did something very right in leading this team in the task. While they lost, they had worked as a team. Bryce also held his head high and refused to backstab or place blame. I think his actions were pretty admirable, but it was a bit like Dead Man Walking to me. Unless he blames others, it will be him gone as he was ultimately responsible for the entire team as the Project Manager.In the Boardroom, we didn't see fighting as in previous weeks. Lenny knew he didn't contribute much to the task and was resigned to his fate of being chosen to be a fired possibility. I think Bryce took the easy way out by choosing Lee to go with them. He knew Lee wouldn't be fired and that had he brought Charmaine or Tarek, one of them might be. I believe he figured he was a goner. He didn't want Lenny fired either. But, someone had to be fired. He was the Project Manager. He was responsible. Plus, he argued with Trump which sealed the deal."Bryce, you're fired!"When he rode off in the taxi, he was a bit arrogant. But I think he may be right. Watching him bring Gold Rush together on the task this week, he worked miracles. I think Bryce may be the best candidate not hired yet. He wasn't perfect, but he got that team working as a team. I understand the firing - he was the logical candidate in this case. He'll do well in life without winning the show.Your thoughts?Dollar bills, y'all...
