this is the thread where we talk breathlessly about the best TV show on North American television: THE AMAZING RACE!

January 4, 2005 -- IT was all an act, claims the abusive, wife-shoving "Amazing Race" contestant who has angered millions with his appalling behavior on the popular reality show.
"We went in being the villains. We went in playing it over the top, and CBS kind of helped it along with their storyline," racer Jonathan Baker, 42, told "Access Hollywood."

"I've had to do a lot of apologizing to a lot of people because they actually think it's real," he said.

During a recent episode, Baker became so angry with his wife, Victoria Fuller, for hampering him during a challenge that he shoved her — hard — as she cried.

"And yeah, some of it's real," he told the TV show. "But you know at the end of the day we really wanted to play it campy, over the top, you know. But we do love each other and we are together. We're still together."

The "I was acting," excuse is just the latest of several Baker has used to explain away his abusive behavior during the show, in which he verbally assualts Fuller, a former Playboy model, and other contestants.

In an interview Baker gave before the latest season of "Amazing Race" began, Baker — knowing how likely it was that he would appear to be a jerk on the show — first blamed the editing of the series. Later, he claimed his behavior was due to stress, a rare medical condition and the prescription drugs used to treat it.

"Amazing Race" producers were so horrified by his antics that the show's chief, Bertram van Munster, even took Baker aside several times during the taping last summer and told him to "chill out."

Worse, the Web site and Baker's other attempts to explain his behavior could land the foul-tempered reality fiend in even more trouble with CBS, since he is prohibited from speaking publicly until he either wins the game or is kicked off. "

I was sad to see Gus and Hera go, but they always picked the wrong challenge. Though I'm not sure if Gus would have fared much better at water polo.

I know it's cruel, but it was hilarious how Freddy was doing really well at the soup challenge until Kendra pointed out all the vomit on the floor.

On another forum someone got all huffy that Jonathan called her a monster, saying "Oh, like he has a right to talk!" The people on that forum are FUCKING DUMBASSES.

Also, I don't know why he's so hung up on Rebecca - since he's so obviously gay.

and who oh why haven't people figured out by now that when given the choice of two tasks you should always do the first/faster one?

Still, the way Jon and Victoria went out was fitting. Their weekly shouting match caused them to lose their concentration and misread the directions. Something like that was bound to happen.

It was also nice to see that the Ethiopians (unlike the Senegalese) have passed Kendra's litmus test and are worthy of continuing to breed.

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Freddy and Kendra, oh man. Hey lady, if you can talk, you're breathing.

So painfully OTM, Huk-L

I'm glad J & V lost. And I'm glad they finally said "may be eliminated" instead of "will be" but Philiminated someone nonetheless.

Also, they must have had to do some task near the Chicago Fire Academy or Manny's Deli on the near SW side, which was not aired, because they were near Jefferson & Roosevelt when they hailed their cabs to Gino's East, not anywhere near the Water Tower.

Props to the teams for finding that park at the end, though; I would have guessed Chinatown, but I had never heard of that place before.

KKKendra and Freddy won, which is a bummer. John and Kris were so obviously the nicer, stronger team.

But tonight's episode was worth it to see Dave Grohl Hayden losing her shit.

Now that you mention it, Hayden does look a lot like Dave Grohl.

- Adam (to Kris): "You in raging bitch mode is like her..." gestures at Rebecca "...on a good day". Cue hurt and bewildered look on Rebecca's face (and yet, stangely, no follow-up).

- Rebecca (rowing), to "formerly dating" teammate: "Nice long strokes, Adam" (Heh.)

- Racist Kendra, upon arriving at the 2,000 year-old Terracotta Army in Xi'an, China, an archaelogical wonder of the world: "Do we have to dig, honey?" (yeah, just like you had to tear down the fucking wall in Berlin, you twat.)

- Weird conversation about language differences between Kris and Jon: Kris decides that Chinese isn't Germanic, like English, and blurts:

"Babe, I love you"

Jon inexplicably says: "Can you please fetch me some water?"

(I fully accept that this entire exchange probably went right over my head, though.)

- The Official Ugly American Moment: Cabbie leads Aaron and Hayden far off the beaten track. They've had enough, and want to bail. Naturally, he still wants the fare. It looks like they refuse, and he hangs onto Aaron's pack as he tries to walk away. Cue Ugly American: "Touch me and I'll kick your ass!" Ha! Cut to Aaron floating face down in the Yangtze (a small part of this summary is an untruth).

- Rebecca, when confronted with an array of padlocks and only one key: "Very Zen, isn't it?" Followed quickly by: "Open! Open! Open!"

- Hayden has a weird breakdown and Aaron shrieks: "I hate China!!!" Heh.

- Kendra: "The Year 2". WTF?

- Rebecca: "He has three testicles!" Ha ha ha...

- Adam, in despair: "You're very mean. Do you understand the word mean? You are very cold."

- Kendra, after Freddy tried to get a cop to escort their cab to their destination: "Honey, it's not an EMERGENCY to a POLICE OFFICER!!!"

A: I don't eat tomatoes
R: I don't eat cheese
A: I don't eat tomatoes
R: I don't eat cheese

Wow, what a wild television ride. I hate that Kendra, the "Ghetto Africa" woman, won this thing, though.

They cut some of it .. I thought I heard her say take the train downtown to the Howard Train and take it to Chicago.. Which is also a bit wrong because does anything refer to the Red Line as the Howard Train anymore?

They're accepting applications for season 8 right now!