S27.E06: My Tongue Doesn't Even Twist That Way

[legaleagle53]

I don't see why Americans should be embarrassed about not speaking French. I don't expect French tourists in America to know how to speak English.

 

I would expect them to, because English is a required course in French schools (and pretty much everywhere else in Europe) starting in about third grade.  Of course some master it better than others, and just because they studied it in school doesn't mean that they're necessarily fluent in it today (the only reason I've maintained my French for 40 years is that I actually HAVE made an effort to keep it up).  But I guarantee that they can at least keep up better than the racers here did (in fact, the French version of TAR had two US legs in its first season, the first in Hawaii and the second in Hollywood.  The racers easily aced both legs and had no trouble at all communicating with the locals.)

 

Actually, I'm surprised that Justin DIDN'T speak at least some French, since he spoke Spanish and Portuguese when he was in South America.  I figured that as a superfan, he would at least have tried to learn some basic phrases and the pronunciation in a host of different languages so he'd be even better prepared to run the Race.  Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Japanese, and Mandarin -- those would probably work well in most of the countries they'd be likely to visit.

Edited November 1, 2015 by legaleagle53

[Bryce Smith]

As to couples being broken up on the race, there was a war hero (recently freed from being a captive of the Taliban) and his girlfriend. As killer fatigue set in, she flipped out, at one point she accused him of taking the easy road by getting captured. They weren't talking by the end.

That would be Ron & Kelly from TAR7.

(in fact, the French version of TAR had two US legs in its first season, the first in Hawaii and the second in Hollywood.  The racers easily aced both legs and had no trouble at all communicating with the locals.)

France has a version?!  You must direct me to this!

Edited November 1, 2015 by Bryce Smith

[needschocolate]

I think the reason I am having trouble rooting for anyone this season is because none of the teams are fun or funny.  They are either obnoxious or annoying or just there.  I think the dancing brothers added some levity, and I have a vague recollection of the cousins being somewhat funny. I think one of the Texans kind of said something sort of funny, but it wasn't funny enough for me to remember it. 

[legaleagle53]

France has a version?!  You must direct to this!

 

Had -- past tense.  The French version only ran for one season in 2012.  Here's the official website for it (in French, of course): http://www.d8.tv/c-divertissement/d8-amazing-race/pid4940-episodes.html?epi_id=657

but I don't think the episode videos are there anymore.  Also, here's the Wikipedia entry, and it's quite detailed as to the "qui, quoi, où, quand, pourquoi, et comment" ("who, what, where, when, why, and how"):  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazing_Race_(France)

Edited November 1, 2015 by legaleagle53

[cooksdelight]

I miss the cousins and the dancers, as they added some personality to the race. I don't care for any of the remaining teams, they don't seem to be in the race for the fun of it, or enjoying where they are... not embracing the experience. Justin just wants to always be first and win something. The Texans just want to beat Justin. Alabama mom is wearing on my nerves, I cannot imagine what her son is feeling. The other teams are a blur except for the paparazzi people who I want gone.

[Bryce Smith]

I don't care for any of the remaining teams, they don't seem to be in the race for the fun of it, or enjoying where they are... not embracing the experience.

I'd say Tiffany & Krista and Kelsey & Joey are having fun, enjoying where they are, and embracing the experience just fine.  You can tell from the former team's enthusiasm and exuberance alone that they're enjoying it.  And I'd say that while Justin does seem obsessed with staying out in front, we have seen him enjoy the things they've done, as well.  Same as Diana.

[cooksdelight]

But those two teams have been almost invisible, at least, to me. I couldn't tell the difference between track star girls and cheerleader girls until the track girls goofed on their clue. And I'm not saying that regarding looks or whatever, but they both dressed similarly and jumped up and down a lot. The reporters are barely seen because they get along and do the job. It's the people who screech, freak out or have a meltdown that keep being shown the most. So, yeah, I don't care, LOL!!

[RCharter]

Woah, what happened? I fell asleep and woke up in my high school French class. Which I flunked.

I thought this episode was kind of boring. Two height challenges and two challenges that involved making fun of Americans' inability to pronounce other languages? Meh.

LMAO -- I know exactly how you feel!

Funny fact: the only thing I remember from French class is the phrase "les ananas ne parlent pas!" which means "The pineapple can't speak!"

It's from this video that apparently a lot of people watched for French class!

https://youtu.be/6K4aTlsC8zM

I thought this episode was pretty good - they got to do some exciting stuff, there was some pretty dynamic shuffling of the teams and it'll be interesting to see how that works out.

Edited November 1, 2015 by cooksdelight
Removing preview talk

[Quilt Fairy]

I don't know what it is, but I find this season almost unwatchable. I still don't know half the teams, and of the teams I do know, not one interests me. At all. I can't really pinpoint what's not happening for me. Haven't kept up with the boards so can someone let me know if the feeling is mutual with other viewers?

You're not alone.  I've been wondering if I've just gotten tired of the show.

[Croquetteknits]

Maybe it comes from having watched TAR Canada this summer, but I can't believe how little interest I find in the roadblocks and detours this season. There are so many tasks that are just plain boring to watch on tv : painting a giraffe one straight color! shucking oysters! Spotting things from the air! Most tasks seem to require very little ingenuity or creative thinking, which means we're concentrating on team conflicts instead and that gets repetitive.

As a French Canadian, I cringed at some of the most inventive pronunciations : French is not that easy to learn and that rap was really complicated. I had a good laugh when one of the male contestants asked his taxi driver "The Arc de Triomphe, you know where it is yes?". It's good racing to check before getting in the cab but the chances of a Paris cabbie not knowing the Arc are super slim. Cannot believe the cheerleaders ran through the roundabout to reach the Arc instead of using the underground tunnels : that is a super insane busy road with cars criss-crossing. They were lucky not to get hit.

Edited November 1, 2015 by cooksdelight
Removing preview talk

[Kitla]

I don't see why Americans should be embarrassed about not speaking French. I don't expect French tourists in America to know how to speak English.

Besides that, if not for us ignorant, ugly 'muricans, they'd be speaking German in Paris.

I don't necessarily expect them to be able to speak it or not have an American accent when they do but anyone with a modicum of education (e.g., high school) who hasn't been living under a rock should be able to produce a reasonable facsimile of correct French PRONUNCIATION.  It's not as if French is some obscure language and the words weren't "difficult" ones.  Eagle-lite?  Frater-nite?  When the English words are so similar?  These people are just ignorant boobs.

Edited November 1, 2015 by Kitla

[Sayla Vee]

I feel so alone.

 

I am enjoying TAR this season....not all the tasks, but then that's true of every season and every reality show.  I also like many of this cast.  In fact, it's only Justin that I don't like, and I haven't since the first leg.  Everyone else seems just fine to me.  I  agree that some of them say or do something that may seem stupid to me just as I would probably say/do something that appears stupid to them if they were sitting on my couch and I were in the Race), and that some of them act inappropriately at times.  I only travel for business or pleasure, and I know how tired, or hungry or just sick of my companions I can get sometimes, and I don't look pretty at these times.  I can only imagine the stress created by having to follow clues and do tasks as well as go without sleep, miss meals, and never have a moment alone could cause havoc  in your brain. 

 

I also don't understand why every citizen of the U.S. should be expected to speak some French or at least pronounce that very difficult language properly without some education in speaking the language.  Why shouldn't they also be expected to know Italian, Spanish, German, Danish, Polish, etc. as well?  Aren't people who can't speak these languages or at least pronounce the words in these languages properly ignorant boobs just as well as those who can't speak French? 

 

I travel a great deal for business, and for the most part I've enjoyed every second of it.  I've met some wonderful people along the way and there are many I count as friends.  But, boy, let me tell you, I've met some crass, classless folks in every country.  It's not just Americans who can be Ugly.

[possibilities]

I think I like the TBC better than non elimination legs. So I hope it's the new thing.

Me, too.

 

Male Chac whose name escapes me right now seems to be loosening up. I like him a lot more now than I did at the beginning.

I noticed this also. I hope it's for real, and not just a sweet edit.

 

Nice to see Russell Brand gainfully employed, albeit in Paris.

BWAH!!!

 

The visuals are nice and I was actually surprised at how high everyone's heart rate was-- not right after the jumps, but even during other tasks. But like many others I miss the days when the race was more challenging. Remember people pushing cannons up hills, counting exactly 100 small parts at Ikea, looking for a red bean, scaling an ice wall, and paddling more significant distances while also having to navigate on the open sea? Remember when people were getting dirty, not just sweating because of the weather but actually having to dig, or falling in the mud on failed attempts to leap over a pit? The reason the teams aren't making much impression is that they're all kind of walking through the tasks, most of the time no one is severely challenged or having to be creative or reach deep down and call on their inner strength to roll another hay bale or continue rappelling up the mountain. nd when people got lost, they were not just a few blocks in the wrong direction in a city where they failed to read a map or ask for directions, they were hours into the wilderness on narrow roads with no one else in sight. No one is seriously melting down because it's truly beyond their capacity. It may be awkward or a little outside their comfort zone, but no one is being pushed to their absolute limit, where you'd say they went down in defeat after giving it their all and you have great respect for their incredible heart and grit and how they powered through to the bitter end. It's not even the fault of the racers, because if the tasks aren't that tough, they can't show their fortitude, they can just look a little out of sorts or goofy as they struggle.

[In Pog Form]

Most of them could not pronounce egalite? (Eagle-ite?)

That's definitely not how it's pronounced.

[Bryce Lynch]

I don't necessarily expect them to be able to speak it or not have an American accent when they do but anyone with a modicum of education (e.g., high school) who hasn't been living under a rock should be able to produce a reasonable facsimile of correct French PRONUNCIATION. It's not as if French is some obscure language and the words weren't "difficult" ones. Eagle-lite? Frater-nite? When the English words are so similar? These people are just ignorant boobs.

I disagree. When I hear foreigners pronounce English words the way those words would be pronounced in their native languages I don't think they are "ignorant", I think they speak a different language.

[AZChristian]

I had a good laugh when one of the male contestants asked his taxi driver "The Arc de Triomphe, you know where it is yes?". It's good racing to check before getting in the cab but the chances of a Paris cabbie not knowing the Arc are super slim. Cannot believe the cheerleaders ran through the roundabout to reach the Arc instead of using the underground tunnels : that is a super insane busy road with cars criss-crossing. They were lucky not to get hit.

 

True story.  We got into a cab in Paris.  The driver was from a European country.  He spoke NEITHER French nor English.  We had difficulty getting him to understand Eiffel Tower OR la tour Eiffel, even with hand gestures.  

 

It was like being in New York City!!!

[Bryce Lynch]

Me, too.

I noticed this also. I hope it's for real, and not just a sweet edit.

BWAH!!!

The visuals are nice and I was actually surprised at how high everyone's heart rate was-- not right after the jumps, but even during other tasks. But like many others I miss the days when the race was more challenging. Remember people pushing cannons up hills, counting exactly 100 small parts at Ikea, looking for a red bean, scaling an ice wall, and paddling more significant distances while also having to navigate on the open sea? Remember when people were getting dirty, not just sweating because of the weather but actually having to dig, or falling in the mud on failed attempts to leap over a pit? The reason the teams aren't making much impression is that they're all kind of walking through the tasks, most of the time no one is severely challenged or having to be creative or reach deep down and call on their inner strength to roll another hay bale or continue rappelling up the mountain. nd when people got lost, they were not just a few blocks in the wrong direction in a city where they failed to read a map or ask for directions, they were hours into the wilderness on narrow roads with no one else in sight. No one is seriously melting down because it's truly beyond their capacity. It may be awkward or a little outside their comfort zone, but no one is being pushed to their absolute limit, where you'd say they went down in defeat after giving it their all and you have great respect for their incredible heart and grit and how they powered through to the bitter end. It's not even the fault of the racers, because if the tasks aren't that tough, they can't show their fortitude, they can just look a little out of sorts or goofy as they struggle.

Agree 100%! More challenging and grueling tasks are desperately needed. This season has been the worst I can remember in terms of race design. Half the tasks have required no skill or endurance whatsoever and most of the others have been fairly easy. Way too many scary theme park ride type tasks.

[Netfoot]

I don't know what you're supposed to learn in school.  I had four years of Latin (Caesar adsum iam forte. Brutus aderat!),  four years of French (Où est la plume de ma tante?) and even a year of Ancient Greek (sorry, not one word remains).  None of this would have helped me with the motto of the French Revolution.  But I was taught history.  During the course of which, the French Revolution was mentioned.

 

And since my school days, I have kept my eyes and ears open.  I have watched -- and read -- The Scarlet Pimpernel.  And The Three Musketeers. And I've watched Last tango in Paris and Léon: The Professional and other films with Jean Reno.  And Green Card and other films with Gérard Depardieu.  So, the fundamentals of the French Revolution are known to me.  I've also heard a word or two spoken in french, by real frenchies!

 

I didn't remember the motto, but as soon as I saw égalité, it came back to me.  And I knew I'd horse-up the pronunciation if I tried, but I knew it wasn't Eagle-Light! (Knowing that "light" isn't really spelled "lite", not in real-real words, probably helped there a little, too.)

 

So who are these people?  What did they learn at school?  Advanced Texting?  And have they had their heads in a bucket since they left school?  

Edited November 1, 2015 by Netfoot

[Kitla]

That's definitely not how it's pronounced.

That was the point.  The poster was reproducing the racer's clearly incorrect pronunciation, not suggesting how it should be pronounced.

[cooksdelight]

I think everyone's now has had a say in which way to pronounce a French word, how much French one did or did not take in school, whether or not Americans are ignorant for not knowing how to speak French....

[Bryce Lynch]

I think everyone's now has had a say in which way to pronounce a French word, how much French one did or did not take in school, whether or not Americans are ignorant for not knowing how to speak French....

I agree. Though I would point out that the French would EAT that poor horse we beat to death. :)

[raven]

 

You're not alone! I'm also enjoying this season!

Me too!  Especially if the Texans vs Greens silliness is over with.   I'm not really rooting/for against anyone, which means I just relax and enjoy the ride.  The scenery has been outstanding I think and though quite a few of the tasks are lame, unfortunately that's been the case for a few seasons now, so it doesn't bug me.  For the most part it's been fun to watch. 

 

I would never have attempted the rap task, as much fun as it looked like.  I have zero musical talent and would have been told "more vibe, more vibe" over and over. LOL.  It was great to see the cheerleaders rock that out and skip up to 2nd place.  There was decent shuffling I thought, due to various factors, which I like.

 

I also like the TBC rather than a NEL and hope that's a permanent change.  The racers are probably dying for a break, other than whatever down time they get when they're waiting around for something to start.

Edited November 1, 2015 by raven

[Eolivet]

I'm finding it really hard to like this season, as well, as both this and Survivor have switched their normal content with An Awkward White Dude Superfan: The Story of His Reality Show Experience. I'm not here for The Justin Show Starring Justin, when he gets every title quote and the majority of camera time. When Diana mentioned she didn't do well at the "French love poetry" portion of her proposal (which...what even...?), I began to side-eye the show with my conspiracy theory-tainted glasses, that maybe they were making up tasks to fit Justin's strengths.

 

I mean, maybe they've scraped the bottom of the reality show contestant barrel that they feel the need to showcase the few superfans who audition, and put patsies in for the remainder of the casting (a la Boston Rob's fourth Survivor appearance). But as someone who tunes in to reality shows to watch the tasks and the ever-changing dynamics between teams or groups of people, "Let's watch the big personality!" is not my idea of a good time. If I all wanted to watch were big personalities, I'd watch non-competitive reality shows. With Kardashians in them.

 

So, I've actually been grateful to the Texans -- and to Diana this leg -- for voicing what may be the silent majority: that Justin is not nearly as entertaining as he or the show seems to think he is -- that he's a camera hog and seems like kind of a jerk who would rather run the race with camera people than his partner, and that I really don't care just how much he loves TAR, his fandom does not equal good television. I don't root for superfans because they're superfans. They have to show me something other than...y'know...obnoxiousness. You don't win the race on effort or enthusiasm alone.

 

#FreeDiana and #CancelTheJustinShow. Preferably at the same time.

Edited November 1, 2015 by Eolivet

[RCharter]

I'm finding it really hard to like this season, as well, as both this and Survivor have switched their normal content with An Awkward White Dude Superfan: The Story of His Reality Show Experience. I'm not here for The Justin Show Starring Justin, when he gets every title quote and the majority of camera time. When Diana mentioned she didn't do well at the "French love poetry" portion of her proposal (which...what even...?), I began to side-eye the show with my conspiracy theory-tainted glasses, that maybe they were making up tasks to fit Justin's strengths.

 

I mean, maybe they've scraped the bottom of the reality show contestant barrel that they feel the need to showcase the few superfans who audition, and put patsies in for the remainder of the casting (a la Boston Rob's fourth Survivor appearance). But as someone who tunes in to reality shows to watch the tasks and the ever-changing dynamics between teams or groups of people, "Let's watch the big personality!" is not my idea of a good time. If I all wanted to watch were big personalities, I'd watch non-competitive reality shows. With Kardashians in them.

 

So, I've actually been grateful to the Texans -- and to Diana this leg -- for voicing what may be the silent majority: that Justin is not nearly as entertaining as he or the show seems to think he is -- that he's a camera hog and seems like kind of a jerk who would rather run the race with camera people than his partner, and that I really don't care just how much he loves TAR, his fandom does not equal good television. I don't root for superfans because they're superfans. They have to show me something other than...y'know...obnoxiousness. You don't win the race on effort or enthusiasm alone.

 

#FreeDiana and #CancelTheJustinShow. Preferably at the same time.

I agree

 

The sad thing is that I honestly think that if they focused on the other teams they would find something interesting to highlight about each one.  I get that every reality show has to have a villain or super obnoxious douchebag.....I get it, I accept it, to some degree I embrace it.

 

But each of these people had to send in an audition tape and there have to be hundreds if not thousands of audition tapes every year....so these are people that want to be on TV and someone had decided they could be interesting enough to make good TV.  So why not throw a little focus their way?  The doctors make funny comments and they seem like good people.   The reporters are sort of funny too.  And the Texans are entertaining too.  Any of the teams could make good TV, so why focus so hard on one team?  I guess as someone had said before, Justin is going to be this years Hayley.  But I could have done with a lot less hayley last year.

 

Justin is just one of those guys that needs attention ALL.THE.TIME.  He is a little like a grown up version of Gene from Bob's Burger.  And while I respected him for not U-Turning the Texans -- I just don't like him.  I don't like the way he chides Diana to "get over things" yet he spent like an hour crying when he made an error on the first task.  She was supportive of him and now I wish she had just told him to "get over it."  I don't like the way he rolls his eyes at the camera, like we are all in on the joke and we all think Diana is crazy too.  

 

I think Diana is crazy, but mostly because she hasn't strangled him in his sleep yet or laced his energy drinks with antifreeze.

 

I don't like the Paps either, but I can maybe understand their arguing because they are so far behind everyone.  But Justin and Diana are in first place, and they are arguing?  As I said above, they are going to be an absolute shit show if they ever find themselves in the back of the pack.  I wouldn't be surprised if they don't absolutely self destruct.

[Netfoot]

#FreeDiana and #CancelTheJustinShow. Preferably at the same time.

 

Well said, all!

 

I get that every reality show has to have a villain or super obnoxious douchebag.....I get it, I accept it, to some degree I embrace it.

 

We disagree on this.  Obviously, TPTB think this way, but I don't think a season with a list of truly likable teams would be a bad thing.  In fact, if they could identify 11 teams of nice folks and make a show, TPTB might be pleasantly surprised!  (Mind you, I don't mean the Cho Brothers.  I'm not looking for teams that will stand back and say, "No, you first onto the mat!")

 

I don't like the way he chides Diana to "get over things" yet he spent like an hour crying when he made an error on the first task.  She was supportive of him and now I wish she had just told him to "get over it."  I don't like the way he rolls his eyes at the camera, like we are all in on the joke and we all think Diana is crazy too. 

 

He's pretty off-hand with her.  To the point where I've wondered if the entire relationship is a sham, because he needed a race-partner.  He certainly comes across like the kind of guy who would pretend to like someone because he needed to use them.  He says "What do you want to do?" but it's like he does that for the camera.  No matter what she replies, he then proceeds to do what he wanted to do, all along.

 

As I said above, they are going to be an absolute shit show if they ever find themselves in the back of the pack.  I wouldn't be surprised if they don't absolutely self destruct.

 

And this is what I keep hoping will happen, because it will be wondrous to behold!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The sad thing is that I honestly think that if they focused on the other teams they would find something interesting to highlight about each one. I get that every reality show has to have a villain or super obnoxious douchebag.....I get it, I accept it, to some degree I embrace it.

I watch the various Bake Off shows (currently the British, Irish, Australian, and South African versions) as well as a few of the spin offs (Great British Sewing Bee, Great Allotment Challenge) and Face Off, none of which actively seek out the obnoxious douchebag villains that we have come to expect on most American reality tv shows. I actually enjoy those drama free shows more because instead of getting the same old "I'm not here to make friends" or "I'm just being honest" bitchery and scheming we are forced to watch on American reality tv, I get to see the contestants compete based on their actual skills. Sometimes they still have bad luck but they don't lose because some manipulative egomaniac who wants more camera time sabotaged them.

[Rick Kitchen]

UO: Justin doesn't really bother me.

[Percysowner]

UO: Justin doesn't really bother me.

 

He doesn't bother me that much either. He's not my favorite, but he's not driving me away, unlike Brenchel who made me ditch the show twice. It's unfortunate that the racers who stood out, the Dancers and the Cousins went out early. That left me with a lot of teams who blended together i.e. two teams of girls that I couldn't tell apart easily, Justin who can grate at times, the Texans who I don't care for and Denise and James (like him have problems with her). I should remember the Paparazzi couple, but they kind of blend into couples who squabble, which I hate. ChacAttack is low key enough that I kind of forget they are there.

[anhydrite]

For everyone who's interested, here's an (approximate) translation of the rap sung by the racers:

 

Less in the neighbourhood, driven to beat down,
I gear mine to move and constrict.

Ninety one first disc, first part in the bins,
ninety two / ninety four our tactics always attack it.

It's Passi soloing for a new album
For all metropoles but also for all DOM-TOMs*

 

*overseas departments / territories

 

Sorry if it's incomprehensible, but the original text didn't make much sense either.

 

As far as casting appreciation goes, I actually don't mind it that much, although I do agree that this cast is far from being the best. The cheerleaders and Alabama I midly dislike, but they're still tolerable, the Texans are non-objectionable to me, the doctors ans reporters could be interesting to watch if they weren't so underedited, and for some reason I actually quite like the Paps when they're not arguing. The only one I really don'T like is Justin. He seriously said that he "may have bullied [his fiancée] in it but that [his] sort of "charisma" would erase her doubts" or something like that? He comes off to me as that sort of person who always needs to be right, and if you don't agree with him, you're wrong, except he's acting much more like a (totally not) conniving manipulator. Bleh.

 

Those airplanes lokked soooo cool. Ultralights, open cockpit planes, that's quite the right season for an aviation fan, I'm almost jealous.

 

I thought the racers garbled pronunciations of the French motto were funnily goofy. They did make me laugh. The rap, not so much, maybe because of the music and the fact that the phrases were more complicated, some of it didn't even sound like the subtitle. But kudos for the racers for trying their best. And finally a task that I could have aced this season, being a native fracophone and all :P

 

Speaking of, those of you who said that the tasks were too easy are right. Even the double legs didn't seem to induce killer fatigue. Too much "wait in line" tasks, while most the rest of it isn't very hard, not a lot of opportunities to catch up, the same frontrunners all season long, not enough self-navigation or sending teams in remote corners of the planet... Oh well, it's still the Amazing Race, and I'l still continue to watch it as long as it goes despite everything.

 

All in all, a decent episode I say.

[RCharter]

I remember Justin saying that he had bullied Diana into the task, but his charisma would help them complete the task fast.  Because Justin's way always seems to be to try to "charm" judges into letting him complete the tasks quicker. 

[helent]

As to couples being broken up on the race, there was a war hero (recently freed from being a captive of the Taliban) and his girlfriend. As killer fatigue set in, she flipped out, at one point she accused him of taking the easy road by getting captured. They weren't talking by the end.

Wow, I'm speechless. 

 

I remember Justin saying that he had bullied Diana into the task, but his charisma would help them complete the task fast.  Because Justin's way always seems to be to try to "charm" judges into letting him complete the tasks quicker.

 

But completely failing to take into account that Diana's charisma was needed to, and she was telling him she couldn't do it.

Edited November 2, 2015 by helent

[RCharter]

Wow, I'm speechless. 

 

But completely failing to take into account that Diana's charisma was needed to, and she was telling him she couldn't do it.

I'm sure Justin thought his charm was so overwhelming it would be enough for them both.

[selkie]

Cannot believe the cheerleaders ran through the roundabout to reach the Arc instead of using the underground tunnels : that is a super insane busy road with cars criss-crossing. They were lucky not to get hit.

 

As soon as they announced the Arc as the pit stop, I found myself saying 'someone is going to end up playing Frogger with the eight lane traffic circle of doom that surrounds it. I hope they don't die."

[auntlada]

As soon as they announced the Arc as the pit stop, I found myself saying 'someone is going to end up playing Frogger with the eight lane traffic circle of doom that surrounds it. I hope they don't die."

That was a nice callback to season one also, when several teams did that. No one slipped and fell on the mat this time though.

[Quilt Fairy]

I don't like the way he chides Diana to "get over things" yet he spent like an hour crying when he made an error on the first task.  She was supportive of him and now I wish she had just told him to "get over it."

When Diana said "Yeah, I'm the one that always has to get over it", I thought, "Wow, that's the sub-text of every relationship I've ever had". (Yes, I am that pathetic.)

[SnideAsides]

Speaking of, those of you who said that the tasks were too easy are right. Even the double legs didn't seem to induce killer fatigue. Too much "wait in line" tasks, while most the rest of it isn't very hard, not a lot of opportunities to catch up, the same frontrunners all season long, not enough self-navigation or sending teams in remote corners of the planet... Oh well, it's still the Amazing Race, and I'l still continue to watch it as long as it goes despite everything.

Yeah, seriously. It says something that the hardest task this season - by quite a wide margin - is something that was literally once a Speed Bump.

[NutMeg]

To be fair, I'm fluent in French, but I might have hard a hard time at the rap challenge too...

[Whimsy]

UPDATE ON PREVIOUUS MOD POST- any and all talk about French history, pronunciation of French words, etc will be deleted without warning annd the poster will get a warning. We already said that's beating a dead horse and has been discussed thoroughly.

Thanks and happy posting.

[green]

As to couples being broken up on the race, there was a war hero (recently freed from being a captive of the Taliban) and his girlfriend. As killer fatigue set in, she flipped out, at one point she accused him of taking the easy road by getting captured. They weren't talking by the end.

 

As Bryce Smith pointed out, that was Ron & Kelley from "TAR7: The Boston Rob Edition".  And no no no he was never captured by the Taliban.  Nor was he ever in Afghanistan for that matter.  He was captured by the Iraqi army when his Apache helicopter got shot down.  And he wasn't all that great in real life choosing to go on with Kelley when the original applicant, his old girlfriend and mother of his child, was dumped by him for the SC beauty queen instead.  The producers liked his storyline and let him take his new trophy beauty queen girlfriend instead.  So he got the girlfriend he chose.

 

Also Kelley explained afterwards she was trying to make a light-hearted joke which, of course on a TV show, came out all wrong.  She had a brother serving at the time and felt terrible how it came out all wrong.  It was no big deal.  Just a poor choice of a joke that backfired big time on her.  Ron didn't take it badly.  Much ado about nothing in the end.

 

I find the cast this season okay.  I actually can tell all the teams apart as opposed to last season.  I can NOT even remember who won last season since it was all a blur of trash TV dating couples and I never could sort any of them out.  I can't remember a single name from that season.  Worst season ever and worst cast ever in TAR's history.  So yeah this cast is looking up compared to that trainwreck since it is all relative.

 

Justin is starting to turn into a Wil-type personality not in detail but kind of in "feel" for some reason for me.  But since Tara & Wil are in my top ten of all time favorites I'm fine with that.  But Team Texas is no Team Boston Boys or even Blake from Blake & Paige as the token Texas team of TAR2.  So I hope Texas goes home soon.  I doubt they will of course.  It seems their storyline and Justin's is the major storyline edit for the season, alas.

 

The overhead view of the GREEN-clad cheerleaders running across the street to the mat was a Frogger shout-out.  George from Seinfeld is envious.  I agree I miss a team doing the Team Guido slip at the mat though.  But back then the mats were all tiny, little "local" ones and had no backing to them that would prevent them slipping.

 

Like death and taxes the paps will always be with us it seems.  Sigh.

Edited November 2, 2015 by green

[proserpina65]

I don't understand why anybody would choose trying to rap in a language they don't speak over arranging shellfish on a tray. It makes no sense to me.

I don't know how efficient they had to be, but they could have mucked up opening the shellfish. Especially if you don't know how to do it. Some might be able to pronounce foreign language words better than opening shellfish.

 

I totally would've chosen rapping in French over opening and arranging shellfish because: a. I speak French and have a decent sense of rhythm, and b. I hate seafood and have never shucked a clam or oyster in my life.

 

But hey, chacon a son goute.

[proserpina65]

Seeing the biplanes, I was worried that they were going to repeat some of the WWI tasks .... Trench warfare with field telephones.

 

Awwww, I loved those tasks!!

I feel so alone.

I am enjoying TAR this season....not all the tasks, but then that's true of every season and every reality show.  I also like many of this cast.  In fact, it's only Justin that I don't like, and I haven't since the first leg.  Everyone else seems just fine to me.  I  agree that some of them say or do something that may seem stupid to me just as I would probably say/do something that appears stupid to them if they were sitting on my couch and I were in the Race), and that some of them act inappropriately at times.  I only travel for business or pleasure, and I know how tired, or hungry or just sick of my companions I can get sometimes, and I don't look pretty at these times.  I can only imagine the stress created by having to follow clues and do tasks as well as go without sleep, miss meals, and never have a moment alone could cause havoc  in your brain.

You're not alone.  While this hasn't been the best season of AR, I'm still enjoying it.  There are a couple of teams left for whom I can root, the locations have been gorgeous, and the tasks interesting for the most part.

 

[danheaton]

I was really bored by the first half of this episode. Despite one mistake, the first two challenges were probably cool to do but not exciting TV because it was based on the order of arrival. I did really enjoy the rapping, and that nearly made up for the rest. Will we get any non-elimination legs this season?

[Jersey Guy 87]

Another to be continued leg bummer! I wanted Logan and Chris to get eliminated

 

Logan and Chris weren't in last place though, so they weren't going to be eliminated no matter what.  And they were mildly more tolerable this episode.

 

Last episode I thought Justin toned it a good amount and was much more tolerable, this episode he cranked it way back up.  And Diane was allowed to talk and turned out to be a little unpleasant herself (yeah, she was complaining about Justin's over the top behavior but she still complained far too much - accept that Justin isn't going to value your opinion on which task to do and move on for the sake of racing).

 

I'm rooting for the reporters at this point as the classic "hey, who are these guys?  I can't remember them from any previous legs and they're in the finals" type of racers.  Because they've been completely ignored in the editing.

[ProfCrash]

I am enjoying the season but have not found too many teams that I really like.

 

I have developed a fondness for the Cheerleaders as they have shown themselves to be pretty good racers who have great attitudes. I like their approach to the race. I don't think I have ever said that about cheerleaders on the race before.

 

I am lukewarm towards Chac Attack. They have grown on me the last few episodes after a rocky start.

 

I lean towards don't like on the Mother/Son team. Their backstory bothers me. I almost get the feeling that she started talking to him again so they could be on TV. I have not been fond of her approach to tasks. I appreciate that she has chilled a bit but you can see how strained their relationship is. The Amazing Race as relationship therapy strikes me as a bad idea. But they both have had some really great moments.

 

I don't like Team Texas. I have never liked the Alpha Male teams. They bore me. These two are worse because of their awful sense of strategy and their total desire to get out Team Green.

 

I don't like Team Green. Justin is annoying and Diane is rapidly moving into annoying territory. I am finding that Super Fans who announce that they are Super Fans annoy the hell out of me. They have this desire to prove how much they know about the show which is just annoying. I don't like how they interact or communicate.

 

I strongly don't like the Paparazzi. I don't like their backstory, I find their profession troubling and it is more then disturbing to me that people can make a living doing what they do which is more a problem with society then their job but there you have it (all in one poorly worded sentence). I don't like how they interact. I don't like the whinging and the bickering. I don't like how they pay no attention to detail not matter how many times it bites them in the ass. I really don't like that they are still in the race.

 

The team I totally had to work to remember is the reporters. I like that they wear hats with their names on them, one day I might remember their names. I like their attitude but over all they are boring enough that they are not getting any air time.

 

I tend not to like the seasons where there is some massive asshat that I want out. I tend not to like the seasons where everyone is focused on getting out one team, or their is an alliance of some sort to get another team out. This season we have the developing asshat in Justin and everyone targeting him. I fully understand why they are targeting him, based on what we have seen he is annoying as all hell and gone. I just don't like the leaders of the movement, Team Texas, because I don't think they are great racers, interesting, and I tend not to like the alpha teams.

 

So I am kind of neutral on this season. I need one of the teams I dislike to be booted soon, I would not mind a triple elimination if it got rid of Texas, Green and Paparazzi.

[kingshearte]

Diana didn't seem passive-aggressive to me, she stated from the get go that she didn't want to do the rap, and he ignored her. So, she kept saying it.

I agree. It bugs me when people who declare their opinions, get overridden, and suck it up and proceed in a manner they were not advocating (sometimes while continuing to point out why it's not a good plan) get labelled passive-aggressive. Would people rather that such individuals stamp their feet and throw temper tantrums until they get their way? One is allowed to accede to someone else's wishes without necessarily having to be all on board with those wishes.

 

I think someone suggested something to this effect earlier, but I'm also getting the sense that in the beginning, having not spent that much actual time with him before this, she might have figured he was just steamrolling over her because of race enthusiasm. But the longer they spend together and the more often he dismisses her feelings like that, the more she may find that that's just the way he is, and if she's going to be with him, she's going to have to be prepared to be dismissed. A LOT. Whether or not that's a dealbreaker for her is her call, but it sure as hell would be for me.

 

The reporters are still my very low-key favourites, but I think maybe I don't hate the Chacs, either. If nothing else, I think he may go on record as the first contestant ever to proclaim his attention to detail skills and then actually back it up by nailing detail-oriented tasks. At least twice, so far.

 

And I hope this doesn't stray into trouble territory, but that one judge's facial expressions were by far the funniest part of this episode for me. I loved her.

[meep.meep]

As Bryce Smith pointed out, that was Ron & Kelley from "TAR7: The Boston Rob Edition".  And no no no he was never captured by the Taliban.  Nor was he ever in Afghanistan for that matter.  He was captured by the Iraqi army when his Apache helicopter got shot down.  And he wasn't all that great in real life choosing to go on with Kelley when the original applicant, his old girlfriend and mother of his child, was dumped by him for the SC beauty queen instead.  The producers liked his storyline and let him take his new trophy beauty queen girlfriend instead.  So he got the girlfriend he chose.

 

Also Kelley explained afterwards she was trying to make a light-hearted joke which, of course on a TV show, came out all wrong.  She had a brother serving at the time and felt terrible how it came out all wrong.  It was no big deal.  Just a poor choice of a joke that backfired big time on her.  Ron didn't take it badly.  Much ado about nothing in the end.

 

Thanks for setting me straight.  Clearly I would fail in a memory test!  It was the most memorable on-race flame out that I remember.  Kelley's joke did not come across that way at all.

[zoey1996]

Yeah, seriously. It says something that the hardest task this season - by quite a wide margin - is something that was literally once a Speed Bump.

What was the speed bump?  I couldn't find it on that page.

 

Nice to see Russell Brand gainfully employed, albeit in Paris.

Could you explain the reference?  I know who Brand is, but don't know why you wrote this.

[kdm07]

I think my top team is the Reporters. Purely because they seem to be just getting on with the race and not resorting to any crazy histrionics. Or maybe they are and TAR is just editing them out.

[Vyas]

What was the speed bump?  I couldn't find it on that page.

 

Could you explain the reference?  I know who Brand is, but don't know why you wrote this.

 

The SB was to solve a slide puzzle of the Malawian* flag, though its alleged legacy of difficulty failed to knock out the team who had to do it (nor did its appearance this season prevent someone from placing in the podium at the end of the premiere, a.k.a. making the top three):

 

 

I too found the painfully tacky Fantome Blanc (a la that histrionically moronic Filipino crossing guard in Manila a year ago) more akin in appearance to Austin of this summer's BB than the ex of the gal who contributed unofficial finale themes for S15/S17:

 

 

=

 

 

=/=

 

 

* Coincidentally the last visit to Southern Hemisphere Africa during its winter, i.e. all other trips in the seven seasons in between having occurred in the corresponding summertime.

Edited November 2, 2015 by Vyas

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

Sucker MCs And Sad-Faced Clowns Try To Entertain You On The Amazing Race
Amazing Racers spend a long, stressful day in Paris missing tough details and butchering the French language.