Amazing Race 7 started yesterday. Thankfully, there are a minimum of models and aspiring actors this time around. There are actually teams that have real foreign language skills! Anybody notice the free “mata de coca” drink they were giving out in front the zip line clue? It’s tea made from the leaves of the plant used to make cocaine, supposingly useful for altitude sickness. And no silly cruises or vacations this time for coming in first:
Inca dude: Welcom-me a [sic] to Cuscu, Peru!
Phil: Debbie and Bianca…… You’re Team number one! (music swells, girls scream).
Phil: Now, I’ve got some good news for you guys. As the winners of this first leg of the race…
[the girls are staring expecting some vacation package]
Phil: … you have won $10,000.
[the girls stare with their jaws dropping]
Debbie: No way! No way! Are you kidding me?
Phil: It gets better… $10,000 each, a total of $20,000.
[mad jumping up and down]
That was enough to convince P– we should try out for #8 with her sister and her sister’s husband.
No more pictures for a while — I totaled my digital camera during the last snow storm. It was either a static shock or some water, but all of a sudden there was a big flash of light and the camera started to smell like smoke. Too bad, I had gotten over 7,000 photos out of that, which was a great investment. Have to find another camera before the next trip.
As for Oscar commentary, not too much interest in who actually won, but Chris Rock showed that he can get down to business. Maybe he got himself disinvited to Oprah’s house, but anyone that can bring in the Oscars 20 minutes early is a genius. Also, a great shout-out to Brooklyn at the end!
Oh yeah – thought it was cool that the Amazing Racers have actual language skills this time. I was thinking that it might be good to have some working knowledge of a non-English major language to get around the world (some attempt at Chinese, French, Spanish could help anyone avoid looking like Stereotypical Ugly Americans).