4/19 Amazing Race 14 Discussion

[Erika]

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CBS April 19th - 8/7c

A THROWDOWN AT A CLUEBOX LEADS TO A MAT MELTDOWN, AND ONE RACER’S FRUSTRATION WITH FOREIGN LANGUAGES CONTINUES TO GROW, ON “THE AMAZING RACE,” APRIL 19

“Our Parents Will Cry Themselves to Death” (China) — During the Detour, one Racer is frustrated when a dancing judge doesn’t understand their question, and two Teams battle each other throughout the leg, leading to a full-blown mat meltdown, on THE AMAZING RACE 14, Sunday, April 19 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Last week teams flew from Phuket (Phuket International Airport) to Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport). In this Leg’s Roadblock, one team member had to put a propeller on a traditional Thai long-tail boat to receive their next clue. The Detour was a choice between Broken Teeth or Broken Record. In Broken Teeth, teams headed to the “Street of Happy Smiles” where they had to match five patients with their dentures, after which the teams would receive their clue. In Broken Record, teams had to travel to Bangkok’s Chinatown at Yaowarat Road and choose a group of kathoeys and a “party taxi”; they then sang karaoke, entertaining the other travelers, as the taxi drove through Bangkok traffic. After completing the Roadblock, teams had to navigate the waterways of Bangkok in the long-tail boat using the map provided to find the Peninsula Pier. Brothers Mark & Michael were the last to arrive at the mat but this was a non elimination round. They incurred two penalties for trading personal items which will be assessed on the next round along with their speed bump for being last.

CBS Press Release

[bbgamer]

Bring on the Luke Beat Down!!!! Though since the editors and Phil seam to have the hots for him I can see them making him the victim.

[CFK]

I like the cormorant who bites Luke a lot more than I do any of the remaining teams :lol

[bbgamer]

That bird rocks!

[Erika]

Mark/Mike = Fowl = Fish :lol Dummies :lol

OMG @ the Pitstop!!!!

That was ridiculous.

[alexandra]

Jaime and Cara: "Where there 5 on this leg?" :rofl

Victor: "If we don't win our parents will cry themselves to death"


Funny episode. But yeah the Pit stop got crazy.

Oh also, for the TAR prediction game one bonus question was How many different teams will ask for directions. Did anyone see Mark and Mike ask for direction? That was the only team I was unsure about, and I forgot to tape the show to look it over again. Every other team was seen asking for directions.

[Jay]

alexandra, since I guessed "5" for the bonus question, I'm 100% certain I heard M&M ask for directions. :rolleyes :lol

Luke was wrong to throw an elbow at the Clue box. :wannago

[bbgamer]

It's mean to call a deaf person a bitch? :rolleyes

Guess luke only wants to be treated like everyone else when it suits him

[alexandra]

So I was thinking about the Fast Forwards this season and I couldn't remember them. I went to wikepedia and it said on Leg 7 the FF was unaired and unused. Did we ever see this on tv? or did something happen behind the scenes that they couldn't do the FF so they didn't show it?
Just wondering.

[Mandi]

So I was thinking about the Fast Forwards this season and I couldn't remember them. I went to wikepedia and it said on Leg 7 the FF was unaired and unused. Did we ever see this on tv? or did something happen behind the scenes that they couldn't do the FF so they didn't show it?
Just wondering.

I found that weird too. Usually we have a couple by now.

Lol at Jamie and Cara. Have to be my favorite team still racing, they have been my favorite from day one with Mel and Mike.

[Manny]

Dang, Margie totally threw the race card out there. I actually thought THAT was uncalled for. It may have been Jen that started the fight (it didn't look like Luke was intentionally trying to stop her from going to the clue by sticking out his butt), but the way he acted at the next clue box was ridiculous. Blah. I hope they lose.

I loved how Phil sided with Kisha when Margie was going crazy. And I still love Tammy/Victor. They just had to stand in the middle while they fought it out haha.

[bbgamer]

When they showed the clip again it didnt look like she ran into him at all, she tried to reach in and he kinda checked her with his hip and elbowed her. her hand did graze his shoulder but that is nothing. No way did she shove and bash into him like Margie tried to say :rolleyes

Then at the 2nd clue box he hit her with more force, though not sure if it was on purpose and Jen says she was trying to catch her balance.

I blame Margie I dont think she has coddled him his whole life and never taught him to take responsability when he was wrong. But he is grown too so he is to blame as well He acted like a spoiled child at that pitstop.

[Dennis]

I felt that as a basketball player Jen should understand a box out. Luke had inside position on the first clue box and his elbow raising I think was forgivable because it is instinct when somebody is crawling on your back.

At the second clue box, it was all Luke's fault IMO. Jen was way in front of him and he ran her right over. I don't know if it was on purpose, but it was sure reckless.

I didn't have any problem with Margie playing the "race card". She was only trying to relate to them how they could understand some of Luke's struggle.

[CFK]

How could Luke be so mean to that cormorant by calling it "dumb"? Doesn't he know what it's been through its whole life?? Doesn't he know that they're both minorities? Biting's just his way of communicating and he shouldn't ever laugh when does something moronic :cries

Worst team ever. This season's bad enough without their entitlement making it even worse.

[Riddle]

I have to admit this episode was an amazing one.

I loved all the Luke bashing this episode. It was great. Margie just went overboard she was still ok with me, but for things she said at the pitstop really put her on the same level as Luke. I guess the sayings true the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

Sorry I hope what I'm about to say doesn't make me look mean or rude in anyway, but I don't see how someones race and someone being deaf is the same thing... So by Margie throwing at the race card that really did piss me off.

Luke seems to think he deserves special treatmeant just because he is deaf. If you want to use the special treatmeant card then Keisha/Jen should get a ST for being black, Tammy/Victor should get a ST For being Asian, and Jaimie and Cara should get a ST for being red-headed. Sorry I just don't see the logic behind that...

Luke uses his deafness way to much. did we ever see Mark and Mike use their shortness as an excuse or use it in a way Luke uses his himself being Deaf? No.

Another thing is when Luke Said if he wasn't deaf and he heard Jen call him a Bitch it would have been on. Oh so he would have hit a girl? He may not have meant it in this way but this is how i took it and another reason why I can't stand him.

Sorry you can just see how much I truly dislike the team of Margie/Luke. This episode even more so. Luke is a big baby and when he doesn't get his way he throws a fit.

I hope I'm not the only one feeling this way about Luke.

[babydoll]

:yeahthat I agree 1000%, Riddle and could not have said it better myself!

[CFK]

I agree with Riddle on everything except this being an amazing episode. Apart from the annoying drama, it was incredibly boring.

Unseen task: http://wwwimage.cbs.com/cms/files/gallerix/albums/13/24872/full/3.jpg

[toque]

I agree with you too, Riddle, however, I felt all FOUR of them were acting utterly ridiculous!

To get this heated over a little pushing and shoving at a clue box was so stupid. Throughout the entire rest of the leg, Kisha and Jen wouldn't shut up about it either. I was hoping one of the teams would take the high road and just let the whole stupid thing GO, (Margie, I was expecting it of YOU) but they really were completely ridiculous.

The two comments that really showed how dumb they can be:

Luke: You don't call the deaf kid a bitch
WTH? I thought deaf people weren't supposed to get special treatment, and should be treated like everyone else? AND, you're a 22 year old MAN, so calling yourself a kid tells me something.

Kisha or Jen in the cab: we're going to laugh and smile because we know it will make them angrier
Ah, familiar bitch move of the mean girl in highschool. Do what you can to tick someone off and then laugh at them when they get angry. OMB. GROW UP!!
Phil was dead wrong when he thought their smiling at Luke when he was angry didn't mean anything. They are mean mean beotches, and they enjoy it more than Jaime.

The only team I really like now is Victor and Tammy. :( Though Victor was a little prick the first half of the show, they have really been having far more fun this latter half. Even when they aren't in first they seem to be maintaining a great attitude. :up

[Ladytex]

Yeah, the smiling was passive/aggressive. Done it myself, works like a champ. That being said, I'd have probably done it in this situation. As far as the girls not letting it go, how do we know that the film crew with them didn't keep asking about it/ egging it on. I wouldn't put it past them to make 'good television'. Margie, your boy is grown and he can take care of himself. Stop babying him. That is part of his problem. Him punching his hand talking about what he would have done if he'd have heard that remark, kinda made me wish he had. That girl woulda laid him out flat. I did hate that she went all ABW on him, but ...

[Manny]

I agree with Riddle on everything except this being an amazing episode. Apart from the annoying drama, it was incredibly boring.

I kinda get what you mean. You alluded to it before that the tasks this season haven't been so hard. I didn't notice it until yesterday. The roadblock required no skill, it was all dependent on the bird. And what kind of speed bump was that? I do think they made it easier for Mark/Mike since they were already 4 hours behind. It was ridiculous seeing everyone just following Tammy/Victor because they spoke Chinese.

Can't wait for the puzzle at the end before the finish line. It will really test everyone - especially Jaime/Cara :lol .

[CFK]

The only tasks that have really impacted the race in terms of determining who gets first and who gets eliminated were:
- the parachute jump (though Linda/Steve were last beforehand, but they fell further behind)
- the Romanian Detours (let Mel/Mike get first)
- the woodpile (let Margie/Luke stay ahead of Amanda/Kris)
- the word scramble (let Christie/Jodi take first place)
- the rickshaw (only because of penalties, otherwise it wouldn't count)
AND THAT'S ALL - 6 out of 26 tasks

Some of the others shuffled the order a little (like the camel-feed task) but the harder tasks were normally followed by bunching (i.e. the gymnastics Roadblock forcing everyone on the same train + the cormorants putting Tammy/Victor in 4th only for them to bunch up at the easy Detour that everyone finished at the same time). All the ultimate order has been determined by taxis, flights etc out of the teams' control.

I do think they made it easier for Mark/Mike since they were already 4 hours behind.

I don't think they ever change the tasks unless there's a serious issue (like in TAR11 when everyone was spread out in Zanzibar). TK/Rachel had an easier/quicker task and they were on the same flight as all the others.

[Dennis]

The only thing that being deaf and being black have in common are that they are something you are born with and you don't get to choose. I think that is all that Margie was talking about and I don't see why it was off base for her to bring that up. She wasn't asking for special treatment.

She thought (wrongly IMO) that Kisha was laughing because Luke was deaf. I think Kisha and Jen clearly said earlier that they would laugh in M&L's faces if they kept up the confrontation. It was their way of getting under the opponents skin. It wasn't as if they said, "if he starts using sign language we will just laugh at him because he can't talk." Far from it.

It is pretty sad that this whole animosity stems from something that never actually happened. Kisha and Jen assume that Margie and Luke's cab driver gave theirs the wrong directions. While it is true that Margie told her cab driver not to tell theirs where to go, it ended there.

[CFK]

It is pretty sad that this whole animosity stems from something that never actually happened. Kisha and Jen assume that Margie and Luke's cab driver gave theirs the wrong directions. While it is true that Margie told her cab driver not to tell theirs where to go, it ended there.
Margie/Luke also lied to the other teams that Kisha/Jen said that they would want to use the Yield (which is why Amanda/Kris assumed it was the girls who did use it).

She wasn't asking for special treatment.She was, though, she seemed to expect Kisha/Jen to listen silently and respectfully while her brat had a hissy fit and she lied about what went on (how did Jen push Luke at the second cluebox? :rolleyes). I'd laugh at a grown man acting like a five-year-old regardless of what "minority" card he decided to play.

[toque]

Yeah, the smiling was passive/aggressive. Done it myself, works like a champ. That being said, I'd have probably done it in this situation. As far as the girls not letting it go, how do we know that the film crew with them didn't keep asking about it/ egging it on. I wouldn't put it past them to make 'good television'. Margie, your boy is grown and he can take care of himself. Stop babying him. That is part of his problem. Him punching his hand talking about what he would have done if he'd have heard that remark, kinda made me wish he had. That girl woulda laid him out flat. I did hate that she went all ABW on him, but ...

Perhaps I hate that smiling thing because it is a personal pet peeve of mine. Such an incredibly immature way to deal with anything... and it was made worse to me because the planned ahead to do it. As for the "not letting go", the girls were continually saying "we HAVE to beat them, etc" all over the place (taxis, running around) not just in confessionals.
They all had the option of letting it go, but they chose to escalate the situation. ALL of them.

It is pretty sad that this whole animosity stems from something that never actually happened. Kisha and Jen assume that Margie and Luke's cab driver gave theirs the wrong directions. While it is true that Margie told her cab driver not to tell theirs where to go, it ended there.

:nod Really sad and more than a little stupid

[Erika]

Just chiming in to say that I think Margie/Luke are easily on teams that are just not enjoyable to watch.

Luke is a brat! He does seem to want it both ways - I'm just like you, don't treat me different and when it favors the situations - I'm deaf, give me a break.

As for Margie, I think her telling Luke what the girls called him at the cluebox was stupid. Why in the world, as a mother, would you tell your child that if they couldn't hear it? Of course anyone being called a 'bitch' is going to get riled up about it. Did she expect anything less of her brat? It was bad parenting at work I'd say - she should have been trying to diffuse the situation, as someone else mentioned, but instead she made it worse. Dummy.

I'm sorry but I don't Jen/Kisha did anything that bad. Calling Luke a bitch was sort of rude, but at least that did it right to him and aren't hiding their disdain. They treated Luke like a racer that they were having friction with - I thought he wanted to be treated like everyone else.

[toque]

Dummy.
I wouldn't advise you to call her that to her face! :eek If she can take a smile wrong, imagine how she would take that. :lol

You really don't think that Kisha and Jen were acting like spoiled brats too? I thought it was so funny when the got to the cormorant task and started yelling at everyone how Luke pushed her. :lol They were ridiculous!!

[Ladytex]

The smiling may have been immature to you, but it is a strategy. Luke and Margie are all riled up and Kisha is still calm. In 12 hours or less, will Luke/Margie still be riled? Will it affect their gameplay? Will it take them out of their game? Maybe so, and if that's the case, then it works ...

[toque]

Then it's ugly, immature strategy in my book. Yuck. Course, Margie and Luke were stupid for even letting it bother them. But that doesn't excuse the beotch sisters from being beotches.

[CFK]

You really don't think that Kisha and Jen were acting like spoiled brats too? I thought it was so funny when the got to the cormorant task and started yelling at everyone how Luke pushed her. :lol They were ridiculous!!

She didn't "yell at everyone", she told Tammy/Victor who were passing at the time.

I think they were both acting fairly immaturely at the actual clueboxes. But Luke was sickening in the cab (slamming his fists, "it's not nice to be mean to the deaf kid!") and Margie/Luke were both grotesque at the pitstop. I didn't see that they did anything wrong except try and smile through their pathetic display; they're heroes for not guffawing out loud.

The four nice teams all left in a row starting with Brad/Victoria :(

[Bambi]

I think Luke, Kisha and Jen were all acting like spoiled brats. I think Margie was just acting like a Mom, it's hard not to act like a Mom.

But, and I hope nobody takes this the wrong way, but animals (especially those that are not actual pets), seem to go after those who they feel are weak, etc. I can understand why the Cormorant bit Luke. But I don't understand why Luke acted so wounded and acted like it hurt so bad, that bite didn't look like anything I've ended up with when just bathing my two cats. Luke just seems a bit wimpy when it comes to just a bit of physical pain.

[CFK]

. I think Margie was just acting like a Mom, it's hard not to act like a Mom.

Just like Mrs Bates

http://www.uni-ak.ac.at/culture/withalm/wit-texts/wit99-6iass/Psycho2.JPG

If I had a Mom that awful, I'd run away from home :eek

[ticklishmonster]

I actually just registered for an account just so I can talk about this episode.

I've loved Margie and Luke since the first episode. Being hard of hearing and using ASL myself, I loved that there was a deaf contestant and I could really relate to him. Some of you have been going 'Oh, he's using his deafness too much!' except that really, think about it. The times where he has talked about being deaf and not being able to do something, he really couldn't do. A deaf person can't hear music to know when to start and stop dancing. The can't hear music to sing along to. Don't get mad at him for really not being able to do something.

As for the pushing and shoving...at the first one, he couldn't hear her behind him, and if all of a sudden there was a person in your personal space, you would probably freak out as well. I think what he did was just instinct. I don't think that Margie should have told him that he was called a bitch, but that could be the producers egging the whole thing on.

Him slaming his fist into his hand is not him going 'I want to punch her face in right now.' It's really not. It's the sign for 'I'm really really pissed off right now.'

I think that both teams over-reacted to the situation, so I don't think that either is in the right or the wrong.

[toque]

Thanks so much for registering and offering your insight, ticklishmonster! :welcome

It occured to me that Luke wouldn't have heard Jen coming until she was right on top of him, so he could react pretty strongly to that, but my guess is that because he was frantic at the box that he knew she was coming anyway... course, I could certainly be wrong about that.

They obviously don't like each other, I just hope they can move past it.

[CFK]

As for the pushing and shoving...at the first one, he couldn't hear her behind him, and if all of a sudden there was a person in your personal space, you would probably freak out as well.But he knew she was behind him because they were right next to each other, then ran for the cluebox. He's deaf, he doesn't have short-term memory loss.

I did like that last week they didn't make a big deal about Luke not being able to do the karaoke. If there was more of that and not all the bitterness about "people like you" that Margie brought into an unrelated argument they'd get a lot more respect. I think a lot of the 180 on the team if less to do with the fact they got into a scuffle (where both teams were definitely at fault), but both teammembers attitude towards it which had nothing to do with Luke's hearing, just his maturity level (and Margie's chip on her shoulder).

If you do want to see a great representation of a hard-of-hearing contestant on reality TV, I would recommend trying to download The Amazing Race Asia 2 :)

They obviously don't like each other, I just hope they can move past it.

Not likely with the webclues:
"An Olympic task leaves racers gasping for breath. Animosity grows as two teams continue to hold a grudge against each other. One racer is paralyzed with fear-after coming this far, will they choose to go home? A Chinese foot massage puts racers through more pain than pleasure."

Since there is no other drama or interesting dynamics, I won't be surprised if they milk it.

It's worth pointing out that Kisha/Jen are the only team left from the Air France flight in Episode 1, so the only team not in Margie/Luke's original alliance, so they were definitely the outsiders in this Final 5.

[toque]

But he knew she was behind him because they were right next to each other, then ran for the cluebox. He's deaf, he doesn't have short-term memory loss.

That was pretty funny, but kind of bitchy to a newbie, buddy!

Not likely with the webclues:
"An Olympic task leaves racers gasping for breath. Animosity grows as two teams continue to hold a grudge against each other. One racer is paralyzed with fear-after coming this far, will they choose to go home? A Chinese foot massage puts racers through more pain than pleasure."

Oh, dear. I want like Margie so badly... because she's been such a great racer. :( I am looking forward to that foot massage, though. :lol

[CFK]

That was pretty funny, but kind of bitchy to a newbie, buddy!

It was only meant to be bitchy to Luke, since he's earned it :p

[TV Fan]

I can't believe everything that happened in last night's episode! I've never seen the teams bicker like that before! Well, all I can say is that I'm ok if the sisters go - I'm still on the Margie & Luke boat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCASoKDIBaU

[bbgamer]

UHg watching that again ticks me off even more :lol

Margie- "Jen Bashed into him and Grabbed him!"

LIAR!!! both Luke and Margie!

Let's also not forget that some of Jen and Kisha's hostility could stem from when Luke and Marge made it seem like they were the ones who yielded that one team.

If luke wants to play dirty then he should expect to be hated and called a bitch

[mckenzie]

Just my feeling on the Luke/Margie subject. Being deaf is a disability. Comparing it to "race" doesn't hold any water, and while color does "disable" a person from many things, unfortunately, in our society, that it shouldn't, I feel that what Margie said was just an opportunity to let what she might really feel in her heart to come out in the heat of a moment..

When we all play games here or anywhere else, one of the main comments is "Don't get so upset, it's only a game". I understand that money is at stake on TAR, but clearly this particular battle revealed a bit more in my mind than who wants to win. I don't think bringing a person's race into a situation is called for, and my personal feelings for both Margie and Luke have definitely changed since I first saw the show...not solely because of last night's episode, but because I've noticed that they look at deafness as Luke's disability when it suits them, and when it doesn't, they believe it shouldn't be an obstacle.

One could also use the "respect" card, as well, when it comes to Luke, because clearly he doesn't seem to have any for his mother.