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"Dirty, Dirty Hookers": Yet Another Reason I Want Eric Off "The Amazing Race"

Wow. I never thought that Eric was the epitome of refined wit, but it blew my mind watching last night's episode of The Amazing Race just how misogynistic and repulsive this guy truly is. Sure, I should have had an inkling of that fact from his advice to his bleached blonde girlfriend Danielle to "use your boobs" during a Roadblock, but last night definitely summed up his entire persona, idiotic t-shirts and all.

I'd like to point out first of all that the Yield is part of the Race itself and has been for quite some time. It's as much a part of the game as the Detours and Roadblocks (and, yes, the dreaded Intersection); that said, I never understand why people get so angry at being Yielded. Frustrating? You bet, especially when there's a possibility that you could be in last place. I get it. But to become so irate that you refer to the people who yielded you (that would be Beauty Queens Dustin and Kandice) on national television as "dirty, dirty hookers" and "dirty pirate hookers" steps over a line into poor sportsmanship, mean-spiritedness, and misogyny. There, I've said it. I really do think it is one of the lowest points in any season of TAR and made me question Danielle's sanity if she were to stay with this guy when all of this is over.

Let's step back for a second. Last night's episode saw the teams travel to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia via several different flights and connections. And sadly, Uchenna and Joyce took the riskiest method possible, leaving themselves only one hour to make an international connection. Unfortunately, they arrived in Frankfurt and did not have enough time to check into the flight and were delayed until the next day, sealing their fate. Charla and Mirna meanwhile used the hotel internet (after refusing to let Eric and Danielle get onto one of the two computers they were using) to secure the earliest possible flight, something the hotel concierge and the airline representative seemed unable to do for Team Cha Cha Cha or Uchenna and Joyce.

Charla and Mirna blew their lead of several hours pretty quickly by opting for the cookie Detour (how many times have I said not to do the Detour that involves searching?), which forced teams to eat their way through 600 boxes of cookies in search of one that had a black licorice center (yum!). The cousins spent so many hours there that Dustin and Kandice managed to catch up and wisely picked the batik Detour, which they finished quickly, leaving Charla and Mirna in their dust... in fact, they completed the Roadblock (which involved collecting residents' used newspaper on bicycle) before Charla and Mirna even showed up. Brava, girls.

Personally, I think it was smart for the Beauty Queens to yield Eric and Danielle. At that point, they had no idea where they were or how far behind them the gruesome twosome were, so it's just smart gamesmanship, rather than pointlessly making an enemy, according to Danielle. Correct me if I'm wrong but is this a race to win a million dollars or to make friends? Besides, you mean to tell me, that Eric wouldn't have yielded Charla and Mirna if they had gotten to the Yield first? Puhlease. He would have done so in a heartbeat, given his punitive actions at the airport earlier.

Meanwhile, I was shocked to see Danny and Oswald, easily the two of the calmest participants, nearly at each other's throats. Oswald was entirely right to be suspicious of the cookie Detour and Danny was acting petulant for no reason whatsoever. But guys, you need to stick to a decision; you can't waffle back and forth between two Detours. Fortunately, in the end, they decided to go for the batik challenge instead... and, even more fortunately, Uchenna and Joyce were a day behind the other teams. You can't put a price on that kind of luck.

Next week on The Amazing Race: Dustin and Kandice clash with Charla and Mirna at an airline ticket counter, a challenge forces teams to act like kung-fu fighters, and everyone gangs up on the Beauty Queens in an attempt to eliminate them from the Race. Will it work? (Let's hope not.)

What's On Tonight

8 pm: How I Met Your Mother/The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS); Deal or No Deal (NBC); Everybody Hates Chris/All of Us (CW); Dancing with the Stars (ABC; 8-9:30 pm); House (FOX)

9 pm: Two and a Half Men/The King of Queens (CBS); Thank God You're Here (NBC); Girlfriends/The Game (CW); The Bachelor (ABC; 9:30-11 pm); 24 (FOX)

10 pm: CSI: Miami (CBS); Thank God You're Here (NBC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Everybody Hates Chris.

On tonight's repeat episode ("Everybody Hates Hall Monitors"), Tanya learns that her friends are hanging out with her just to get close to Drew, while Chris makes the uncomfortable realization that his classmates don't take him seriously when he becomes hall monitor. Word to the wise, Chris: hall monitor has never equalled popularity. Ever.

8:30 pm: Old Christine.

On tonight's episode ("The Real Thing"), Christine once again proves why she should not be allowed near any electrical equipment when she sends an email meant for BFF Barb to all of the parents at Ritchie's school. Ouch.

9 pm: 24.

It's Day Six of 24. While FOX doesn't give us much in the way of previews, here's what we do know: the administration continues their offensive maneuver, Jack comes face to face with Fayed (finally) and there's yet another shocking development. Wake me up when it's Day Seven.

10 pm: The Riches on FX.

Is anyone else watching new drama The Riches on FX? On tonight's episode ("The Big Floss"), Wayne is forced to cover up one of Hugh's, er, shadier deals, while Dahlia tries to find ways of amusing herself. Just stay away from the meth, Dahling.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Least suspenseful AR ever.

Poor U&J.

I love how they did the quick cutting between Eric & Danielle's car and CCC's car, as if there was some big suspense. Sorry, editors - tension long gone.

I agree 100% with all your Eric/yield comments.

Go BQ - woo!!
Anonymous said…
I was so happy to see the BQ come in first! Eric and Danielle were completely obnoxious at the Yield. I'm not sure which was worse...Eric calling the blondes "dirty hookers" or Danielle calling them "bitches." Apparently, in Eric and Danielle's small little world, playing the game well = being a whore. If that were really the case, wouldn't Eric and Danielle be in first place?!
Very happy the Beauty Queens are in first place. I would love it if they were the first female team to win Amazing Race. (Please, God, don't let it be Charla and Mirna!)

If not the blondes, I would be very happy if Danny and Oswald came in first but they need to step it up a notch. There will be no time to stop for lemonade or fight over cookies in the last couple of legs!
rockauteur said…
I miss Rob & Amber. I say this every week and I still miss them.

Sad that Uchenna and Joyce got the boot for a missed flight, but hey, it plagued the other teams earlier and got Teri & Ian and the Guidos eliminated, so it can happen. And hey, they already won.

Glad the Beauty Queens are in the first and that Team Cha Cha are still in the race, despite their fight this week. Oswald, you were completely wrong about how to do the cookie detour; if it wasn't for that fight they never would have found the cookie, though they still would have been in the game because of Uchenna/Joyce's flight. I still don't think the Beauty Queens needed to have yielded Eric/Danielle. At that point, they would have known that only Charla/Mirna were ahead of them and wouldn't have needed to do it, thus saving the yield for later down the line.

I miss Rob & Amber. And I still hate Charla and Mirna. At least there were less fake accents this week.
Anonymous said…
Just some context: "dirty hooker" and "dirty pirate hooker" are lines from Anchorman. Of course, if there was anyone who was a woman-hater it was Ron Burgandy...

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