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Reality check-in | April 03, 2007
So, two good reality shows in the past two days and still no posts from me? WHAT is wrong with this place?
Well, I'm here now, and ready to talk about The Amazing Race and Dancing With the Stars.
First, last night's Dancing. I might be unpopular for saying this, but I feel that the judges are scoring Heather higher than they would if she didn't have an artificial leg. I mean, certainly, she's doing well for someone with an artificial leg, but she should not have been tied for the lead last night.
Also, I love Clyde, but he has to go. He just seems so insecure/nervous/embarrassed and I HATE to watch him look that way. So ... please don't vote for him. I have a feeling that, like Chris Sligh on American Idol, he wants to go home.
My early favorites are Laila Ali and Apolo Anton Ohno. And the fact that they are getting less practice time than the others makes their performances even more exceptional. I also love Ian after last night, but I think that's all Cheryl's doing. I almost think it's unfair for anyone to get her as a partner because she's so much better at teaching and choreographing than the competition.
Anyway, this week is Shandi's time to go home. PLEASE. If I have to look at her and Brian's waxy, smiling faces anymore I might kill my television. And you all know how I feel about my television.
Now, for my favorite show (yes, FAVORITE, out of everything. Shut it.): The Amazing Race proved on Sunday that it doesn't need Rob and Amber or anything else to be a fantastic show. It took teams to Auschwitz and even those contestants who seem the most vapid were touched (OK, maybe not -- because did anyone else notice that Eric was moved by it, but while he spoke about the experience, Danielle was in the background smacking her gum? Maybe she has never heard of Auschwitz). I especially loved how the experience made Oswald appreciate that he lives in the U.S. rather than Cuba, and how the Guidos appreciated the time in which they were born. It's pretty phenomenal really that a gay couple the age of the Guidos is so appreciative of that, because you know their openly gay lifestyle can't have been easy 20 years ago. I love them.
And then ... their Philimination. Sad, but happy. Because they were happy. The fact that they have kissed so many times on TV this season shows just how far we've come as a country since season 1 (when I don't think they were ever shown being affectionate) or even since season 4 (when Reichen and Chip's kiss on the finish line was NOT in the show). It makes me happy. I know it's just a show, but MAN if it doesn't say a lot of things about the world in which we live.
So, I was sad it was the Guidos gone. I now am rooting for Danny and Oswald and Uchenna and Joyce to make final three. And I don't care if it's Charla and Mirna or Dustin and Kandice who join them, so long as it's not Eric and Danielle (they weren't even a real team, and don't belong in All Stars, I say). That said, I love this show no matter who's on it. I even loved season 6 -- the season of the annoying couples -- when the ugliest of Ugly Americans Freddy and Kendra won the $1 million.
Other episode highlights:
* Oswald's episode title quote to the piano teacher: "If I were in town, I would ask for your number."
* The beauty queens thinking Charla and Mirna's interactions are so hilarious because? THEY ARE! I think Mirna actually growled at Charla at the sausage table.
* When Dustin threw up, Eric's immediate, "Ladies and gentlemen, Miss California!" (Should have been the episode title.)
* Uchenna and Joyce and Danny and Oswald intersecting to get the fast forward. Yay! My two favorite teams at the top of the heap. And then Danny and Oswald giving up their prize without a second thought.
* Dustin and Kandice hiding from Charla and Mirna -- which, if they'd waited for the Guidos might have actually kept the Guidos from Philimination since the beauty queens and Guidos were the two fastest sausage eaters.
(How weird/surprising that I'm starting to like both Charla and Mirna AND the beauty queens?)
Also, for those of you who watched the Elimination Station video and were annoyed that it was only about the nonelimination portion of the episode: Go ahead and watch the one where the Guidos "arrive" now (there won't be more arrivals, I guess, because the Guidos are already closer to the finish line. DUMB!). It's now posted here (best line by Rob: "That's the alcohol talking" when Ian says he's happy to be there with all of them).
7 Comments
Yes, the judges are grading Heather lightly. Her jive reminded me of summer camp my friend, Heather (a nerdy girl I had a crush on), did the roger rabbit to Paula Abdul's Opposites Attract. (see this video for the closest example)
A bigger shock, to me, though was the overall judging last night. According to the scoring, there was almost no difference in the quality of dancing last night, and there's no way that was true. For Leeza's tango to be anywhere near Joey's in scoring is sheer perversion.
I loved this episode of Amazing Race. We spent *half and hour* watching the racers wait for planes. But there was so much drama involved in getting those tickets that I didn't regret one minute of it! Also, I am starting to warm to more of the racers. I like to see corners cut, cunningly, and that was Rob and Amber's specialty. In their absence, I'm starting to appreciate the Beauty Queens and Charla and Mirna more. I appreciated Charla and Mirna's linking their visit with their own culture's genocide.
Posted by: Earnest | April 3, 2007 03:14 PM
I'll give you some comment love back! ;-) Get ready for a lot of agreement.
Definitely agree w/ you that TAR-AS is doing just fine w/out Rob & Amber (even though I like 'em)... the Race is all about normal folks (well kinda) and it is better w/out the distraction of those two. I hadn't really thought about there only being 5 teams left Hmmm, Danny and Oswald are my faves... and like you probably don't care who else is there except for Eric & Dani. (And okay, it would probably be nice if Uchenna & Joyce did not win AGAIN, though I like them.)
DWTS... ha! Although we're no fan of Shandi, it's really Brian who drives us nuts, can't stand looking at him. Don't worry about being politically incorrect, I agree that Heather is getting some special treatment. Yes, it is amazing, admirable, inspirational... but on a different grading curve that's for sure. Don't really have any BIG faves like prior seasons, tho.
Posted by: Ed | April 3, 2007 03:21 PM
I didn't notice Danielle smacking her gum. That's why I'm not a TV goddess! I was pretty sure she and Eric would be the least respectful (and she would be the most clueless) when they were there. She's really sad, I think all she's gotten out of all this travel was Eric. It was cool that he realized that the arguments they have aren't slightly significant after being there. I think every other team was really able to relate to the experience somehow, which also made the whole visit really cool.
I loved the Guidos, I need to watch their original season now. They were awesome in this one, though. I'm glad they could show them kissing. Again, I didn't even realize they'd cut that stuff before. Idiots. I digress. I wish they could have stayed, I wonder what WOULD have happened had the BQs stayed hidden and then paired up with them? (That cracked me up.)
Eric's "Miss California!" comment at the sausage station made me actually like him for a second, it was hilarious. Although the look on Danielle's face when Charla was gagging herself was even better.
My picks are Danny and Oswald, Joyce and Uchenna, and the BQ's for the final three. I think there's a good chance of it (knock on wood) because they're the teams least likely to flip out at the tiniest little things.
I also liked in this one that Charla yelled back at Mirna during one of her insane rants. She needed that.
Posted by: Kate | April 3, 2007 04:23 PM
I finally got caught up with DWTS today. And yeah, Heather is getting treated differently. And those shoes...I know she had to wear them, but they looked ridiculous.
And was I the only one that noticed they use a Paul McCartney song for one of the dances? Dude, what do you think Heather thought about that? (Maybe she gets a cut of the royalties and is cool with it, but I thought it was sort of tasteless!)
I agree with Earnest, it just didn't make sense that there were so many tied for first. HELLO!
Posted by: Isabel | April 3, 2007 06:35 PM
I dont watch the Amazing Race but I love,love,love Dancing with the stars. I agree about Heather Mills. I mean the basically say it everytime they score, "that's difficult, but..." then they go on and talk about her disability. Not really fair. I love Apolo he and his partner are just so cute. Joey is my favorite though. I love his silliness. I am so glad Shandi went home. Next week, Clyde needs to go.
Posted by: Heather | April 4, 2007 07:14 PM
I agree with everything you said about DWTS - particulary the Shandi and Clyde part. I think Clyde, Lisa and John are next to go, or I hope. And maybe Heather can go soon thereafter.
Also, Cheryl needs a crappy partner next season. If she gets someone young and hip again, I'm going to call bullshit.
I'm also mourning the cancellation of Six Degrees this week. I know no one else liked it - but I thought it was good and didn't get a chance. Much like Eyes which I loved. So basically ABC is on my shitlist this week :)
Posted by: C | April 7, 2007 12:38 PM
for some reason, eric and dani don't bother me. i think it's because i accept them as jerks. i think charla and mirna are the ugly americans. they speak the same to every person... rudely, loudly and in broken english. i was happy to see them treated poorly in poland.
i'm cheering for danny and oswald. they seem to be the most geniuine people on the show now that joyce and uchenna have been eliminated.
Posted by: christine | April 9, 2007 11:54 AM
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