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

My husband is hoping that Meredith and Gretchen get eliminated next or else he is planning to stab himself in the eardrums if he has to hear more of her screeching. She was so annoying in this episode, Meredith must have the patience of a saint not to completely lose it with her.

I still can't believe Kelly telling Ron that he quit/took the easy way out of the army by becoming a POW.

Yeah, because being a former pageant winner is so hard.
I think Joyce looks great with her head shaved!

What did Phil say to Meredith and Gretchen at the pit stop? My cable cut out for about five seconds and I missed it (something about being the oldest couple to ever make it to the final four?)

The ride is over for M&G now, as all the douchey teams are gone, and they'll need some seriously crazy luck to eliminate one of the remaining three. Dan, you called the final three about six weeks ago -- nice job!

I was surprised Meredith didn't tell Gretchen to blow kisses. That seems to be his normal answer.

He said they were the oldest couple to make it that far.

I really hope that POW and beauty queen bite it soon. I bet some of their winnings would go to the GOP.

"Beauty."

OMG I'm so sad I missed this last night! Joyce shaved her head, huh? That's FINE with me, she was looking like that freaky bitch from The Dark Crystal that gave the gelfling the crystal shard.

I used to love M&G, until that one thing involving the 600+ metal boxes with clues in only 5 or whatever. Gretchen just kept LOOKING AROUND and COMPLAINING, I kept waiting for Meredith to lose his cool and be like "OPEN BOX ONE, QUEEN OF THE HARPIES!". Actually, I think I've been waiting for him to lose his cool since day 1, and he really hasn't.

I can't believe Lois Lane said that to GI Joe!

http://mirrorimageorigin.collegepublisher.com/media/paper337/stills/solcgd0z.jpg
"UCHENNA, THE CLUE, IT'S OVER HERE!"

Joyce looked really great without her hair, she shouldn't have worried about it at all.

Kelly is the plainest "beauty queen" they've had on the show. I really have to wonder how she won anything, because it's not as though she has a great personality either.

I imagine Ron gingerly landing his helicopter in enemy territory, strolling up to an Iraqi soldier and saying "Hey, take me as your prisoner. This military commitment thing is just not working out for me." Definitely the easiest way to get out of the army.

"See it's gems like these that I miss"

you didn't actually miss it. it was shown on the preview for next week's show.

Median salaries of the current batch of racers broken down by job description. You will never guess who makes the most money.

You're right, I would have never guessed. What is she doing with a loser like Ray? For reals...

She's half his age and makes three times his salary, so the only answer I can see is SEXUAL WUNDERKIND. Which, based on televisual evidence, makes absolutely no sense.

Either that or she is full of snakes.

Looks like it might be: MEREDITH - Corporate Executive.

Those salary guidelines have a pretty big possibility of error, since the contestants probably inflated their job titles somewhat. Marketing Executive in Youngstown? .. She sells phones at a kiosk in the old Dairy Queen.

Deana's median salary is $14K higher than Meredith's! Not that I would sneeze at either's.

(I do see your point, though.)

I do like the Amazing Race pin Television Without Pity is selling:

http://www.glarkware.com/media/product_detail_t_random_ron_big.jpg

Hahahaha awesome!

FREE RON!

roffeaul!

Rob and Amber being so smug about their lead was absofuckinglutely classic!

I was kind of amazed that the old lady climbed that thing.

"WHAT IS A GNOME???" still has me in stitches.

karma

That episode was fantastic. I now kind of hope that Gretchen and Meredith stumble their way to a win, because how embarrassing for everyone else???

WHO'S WATCHING THE FINALE???

It's obvious that Rob and Amber aren't winning because they keep showing clips of Rob saying that they're going to win.

haha i love this show

After getting on the 10 AM flight to Miami, how can Rob and Amber possibly lose?

Kelly: when you close your hand like that, it drives me insane, I think it's very disrespectful

Ron: OK, SO JUST BE QUIET

haha pwned

Oh, I see. Damn pilot!

Yay happy ending!

I like how the past 3 seasons have gone: good guys, bad guys, good guys who won.

And I hope that R.Kelly do end up getting hitched because then they will keep telling each other to shut up for a couple more years.

that ending was maddening. the cabdriver thing. if rob and amber had pulled up when they were still short of cash, what then? it was confusing. but i'm glad they won. even if it was kinda rigged by major sponsor american airlines. or maybe pilots let people on their planes after they have closed their doors ALL THE TIME. but somehow i doubt it.

overall, i thought it was a good season though. lots of action. good guys. bad guys. something for everyone.

I think Rob and Amber got enough extra help along the way that I didn't feel cheated when Uchenna and Joyce were able to get on the plane. Still, I kind of wanted both of them to be able to win, but those are the breaks. At least it didn't end as horribly as last time.

Yes, ANYTHING beats last season's ending.

It is rather amazing that all three teams who lost on a non-elimination leg were able to bounce back strong on the next stage.

What a well-edited finale.
I gave up on U&J about five times, it was an emotional rollercoaster.

yeah at the end i was losing my shit--JUST RUN TO THE FINISH LINE AND PAY THE GUY LATER YOU IDIOTS!!

but then i realized there's probably a rule that sez you aren't allowed to ditch your cabdrivers without paying (or at least satisfying) them.

i left myself wide open with that "satisfying" comment.

Heheh "wide open"

I don't think there is such a rule, as in past seasons and this one even, we've seen dudes blow off cabbies.
I think U&J just didn't want to be like that. And the cabbie didn't seem too upset about it. I mean, he didn't even get out of the car.

But why, in Jamaica, did U&J go to the airport first? I was screaming at them, "Just go do the challenge and get money as you go!"
The people in the airport who wouldn't give them money "No, I'm not into it" were fucking dicks.

Uchenna and Joyce Agu beat Rob and Amber, win 7th season of Amazing Race
By Derrik J. Lang
NEW YORK (AP) — Rob and Amber who? Married couple Uchenna and Joyce Agu outraced a pair of former Survivor contestants and a former prisoner of war and his beauty queen girlfriend to win the seventh edition of CBS’ The Amazing Race and the $1 million prize.
“It’s so amazing, if I can use that word,” Joyce told The Associated Press while grinning and giggling at the CBS season finale party.
Uchenna, 40, and Joyce, 44, from Houston, lugged boats in London, balanced water jugs on their heads in Africa and weighed complete strangers in Turkey — among other silly and strenuous tasks — in order to reach the finish line. Unlike previous seasons of Amazing Race, the racers didn’t travel around the globe, instead they semi-circled from Long Beach, Calif., through South America, Africa, India, Europe and the Caribbean to their final destination in Miami.
Because the Agus arrived last during a non-elimination leg before the home stretch, the couple was stripped of all their belongings and cash per the reality show’s nefarious rules. The Agus begged their way to the finish line but didn’t have enough money to pay their cab driver. Although they were only steps away the finish line and the $1 million prize, the Agus continued to beg from nearby strangers until they paid their cab fare.
“It was all about honour,” said Uchenna. “That cab driver was going to get his money.”
During an earlier stretch of the race in Jodhpur, India, Joyce agreed to shave her head as part of a Fast Forward challenge, allowing the Agus to skip to end of the leg. Uchenna cites that bold “sacrifice” as one of the turning points in the race.
“Once you shave it off, you have nothing to hide behind,” said Joyce. “People can actually see your soul. It’s so bizarre. I’m glad I did it.”
Much of the seventh season of Amazing Race was dominated by recently wed former Survivor contestants Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano, 29, and Amber Brkich, 26, who placed second in the race. Dating couple Ron Young, 28, from Villa Rica, Ga., and Kelly McCorkle, 26, from Greenville, S.C., placed third.
“We thought they were regular people like us,” said Joyce of Mariano and Brkich. “Really, it was an eye opening experience when we got on the race and saw that their notoriety was so amazing and people all over the world recognized them. We tried to ignore all that and do our own race just to spite what was happening with them and obviously it still paid off.”
Uchenna, an energy broker who once worked for Enron, and Joyce, a sales manager who once worked for WorldCom, plan to use their earnings for “bills, bills, bills” and to take their family on their own amazing trip. The Agus, who’ve tried unsuccessfully to have a child in the past, also said they would use their $1 million prize toward a baby.
“My doctors offered us a free round of in vitro (fertilization),” said Joyce. “So after all this is over, if it doesn’t work out, we have the money. We can adopt.”

The most irritating part was when they were begging for the final cab fare... the guy who was like "Begging isn't the way to make money." God what an asshole.

Gay Ottawa couple from The Amazing Race to exchange vows Wednesday
OTTAWA (CP) — A gay Ottawa couple from the hit reality TV show The Amazing Race plan to exchange wedding vows Wednesday morning before about 400 guests.
Lynn Warren and Alex Ali picked up their marriage licence at City Hall on Tuesday, then headed over to a jeweller to pick out their wedding bands — platinum rings accented by small diamonds.
The rings, valued at more than $5,000 and donated by Jubilee Fine Jewellers, are to be engraved with “Love Lynn” on one, “Love Alex” on the other, and “Amazing” on both.
Confirmed guests for the wedding include Race winners Joyce and Uchenna Agu, and fellow contestants Gretchen Smith, Bianca Smith and Debbie Cloyd, and mother-and-son team Patrick and Susan Vaughn.
(Ottawa Sun)

September 27. Family Edition. Be There or be square. Yes, I am pitiful. And yet, I have a lot to live for.