The Amazing Race

[donnamgraduates]

But don't you think Rob knows he is an asshat and tries to play it up for the cameras/ his own amusement?

First off, no. I don't think so. I think Rob thinks he's a great guy and that he is really amused by himself. But even if he was "playing up for the cameras" I think pretending to be an asshole makes you an asshole. It's just like Jonathan on the last race, thinking that "pretending" to be the villian made him interesting. Why would anybody think that it's entertaining to pretend to be a dick? Why would anybody "pretend" to abuse his wife, or "pretend" to call the other racers a bunch of blind idiots? From my point of view, the most interesting contestants are the ones who appear the most sincere (e.gs, Jon and Kris, the Bowling Moms, Don and Mary Jean, and even Team Oldster from this season). "Asshole-ish behavior" does not equal entertainment, in my book.

[heyalice]

And what have learned from last night's leg? If you're in a hurry in London DO NOT take a taxi

Team Shady Pines ran a good leg but so did everyone else, bless their hearts.
Ron so wants to smack Kelly.

[Deleted]

I hate this season of TAR. Hate hate hate.

Whew. That felt good.

It's not just because of Romber, although that is a huge reason. I hated the idea of them on TAR before the season ever even started. This season had become the Romber Show, featuring the Amazing Race. And I hate it bad.

I have also hated alot of the tasks because they don't really do anything to shake up the order of the racers. The tasks have been boring to watch. They aren't really all that hard. Maybe physically for some of the teams (M/G) but that's not fun to watch. All the top teams (R/A; R/K; U/J) have just sailed through each task without breaking a sweat!

[topher]

I miss the puzzles where you have to show some smarts. All the best character teams were out way too early. The Romber show kills some of the TAR love I have. I actually got hooked on House last night.

[donnamgraduates]

And I hate that when there is a task that requires a little thought, like the Sherlock Holmes thing last night, Rob & Amber get a local to do all the thinking for them. They should be penalized for that.

[polygal]

DonnaMGraduates said:

And I hate that when there is a task that requires a little thought, like the Sherlock Holmes thing last night, Rob & Amber get a local to do all the thinking for them. They should be penalized for that.

Especially since the boat task said in the instructions they couldn't get help from anyone. Although, if they didn't get help, Amber still might be at that open-air market in Africa.

I miss the old TAR, before it became a ratings powerhouse and was about the racing.

[tagglore]

Penalize them already, please. Just penalize them and get things back to sanity.

It was supposed to be a difficult "mind task" precisely because the racers aren't locals, and they had to figure things out FOR THEMSELVES. THAT'S WHAT PUZZLE CHALLENGES ARE FOR. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THEM YOURSELF.

It completely goes against the spirit of the Amazing Race that Rob and Amber get locals to do everything for them (in the flea market leg, the local girl accompanied them all the way to the bathmat. What the fuck is that?!?!?!?!?!?)

If it's too late to rectify it this season, at least adjust the format for next.

I would react exactly the same way if another team did it. I am just more vehement because Rob is a smug, arrogant, cocky, self-righteous, blowhard piece of day old shit with vomit on top.

[Deleted]

And I hate that when there is a task that requires a little thought, like the Sherlock Holmes thing last night, Rob & Amber get a local to do all the thinking for them. They should be penalized for that.

I believe that any team who didn't immediately know the anwer to any of the clues would have asked locals for help, so I won't hold that against Rob and Amber as far as the race goes. Ron and Kelly asked locals, too - they just didn't have one guy tagging along. Did anyone catch if Rob and Amber's helper was a Survivor fan (is the US version of Survivor even shown in the UK?) or if he just was a guy who wanted to be on television? I do agree that asking locals for help is sort of annoying but that isn't necessarily always going to pay off - I remember some teams in past seasons being tripped up because they relied on local knowledge. It would be pretty be awesome if Rob and Amber ran into a non-fan who gave them the wrong information (and I am a huge Romber fan).

I do miss the good old days of really having to figure out clues and transportation (Remember the one that said "Go to this country" and there was a picture of a flag? Those really were the days) but it seems like there was always a certain amount of local help and interaction. People would get lost and ask how to get somewhere or sometimes just straight up ask where something was etc... I guess it just doesn't bother me that much (and its not simply because I lurve Rob, I didn't mind when Jonathan - the most horrible contestant... ever did the same thing by convincing one local to accompany him to a location etc...).

[donnamgraduates]

It's one thing to ask locals "do you know what the 'three naked men (or whatever)' are?", it's another thing entirely to have a local take you to it, and then stick around while you read another clue so that he (the local) can provide you with the answer to NEXT one also. If the racers aren't required to put at least a tiny bit of thought into figuring shit out, what's the point of riddles in the first place?

[Alilou]

Everyone uses locals. I see no difference in asking 4 people or taking one person along... Well since it's in the rules I guess I do see a difference taking somoene along is smarter.

I will not defend Rob's smarmy ass but if they win they will deserve it.