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RSS'The Amazing Race': Zev and Justin learn a valuable lesson about passport holders
"The Amazing Race" traveled to Cambodia this week, and ended a lackluster episode with a heartbreakingly unlucky elimination. Of course, it started 45 minutes late thanks to what I assume was a football game that ran long. Stupid sports. And really, did they have to air the entire "60 Minutes"? I don't think we needed to see Andy Rooney pontificate on the amount of sleep he gets for what felt like an hour.
From the pit stop in Ho Chi Minh City, the teams fly to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The first flight isn't until the next day, so they all cluster and the teams ahead lose their leads. Upon arrival, teams get a photo of Jackie O. (not that many of them recognize her, hilariously -- guesses range from Queen Elizabeth to a Cambodian princess), and must find a hotel with a suite named after her. Since every single local seems to know where the hotel is, it doesn't seem like a very hard challenge.
The first detour sends teams either selling motorcycle helmets on the street or finding a woman wearing a patterned scarf at a market. Virtually everyone chooses the scarf task (Lance and Keri, of course, refuse to run with the gazelles and pick the helmets), with Zev and Justin coming out ahead. Gary and Matt hilariously compare finding a woman in a scarf to spotting a pheasant while hunting. I'm sure the women would be psyched to hear that.
At the next roadblock, a teammate has to dress up and act like a monkey. It actually looks kind of fun, but Zev has a ridiculously hard time with it. Dude, if you can't walk on a log on all fours, how on earth do you expect to make it through this competition? I think Canaan was my favorite monkey. Way to get into the spirit of it, man. Maria and Tiffany struggle and fall into last place.
The pit stop is at Wat Phnom, a gorgeous temple, and Zev and Justin make it there first - mostly because they cab it there rather than taking a slower tuk tuk like Sam and Dan. Zev, unfortunately, has misplaced his passport someplace along the way - if they can't find it before the last team arrives, they'll be DQ'd. You know, I was just thinking that the challenges weren't that interesting or tough this week, but the passport situation does add some drama.
Lance does some sort of terrifying spinning air kick when he and Keri reach the pit stop, and Phil (as always) says what's on everyone's minds: "Man, you're scaring me to death!" Is it too early to call them the Jonathan and Victoria of this season? Zev and Justin don't beat Maria and Tiffany back to the pit stop, nor do they even find the passport, and they are eliminated. Unbelievable. From first to last place because of a lost passport. That's just heartbreaking. When I saw the passport situation in the previews I assumed it was just being exaggerated for dramatic effect, and would wind up as a five-minute panic with a quick resolution. It didn't even occur to me that they'd get eliminated because of it!
How did you feel about the challenges this week? Were you disappointed by the DQ elimination?
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I was so bummed that they were eliminated! At first (as the episode was nearing the end) I thought maybe the producers had goofed and aired previews for next week's episode instead. I really wish they had found it. What a shame.
Why can't Lance and Keri get that kind of bad luck! Blah.
(...and you're right. That crazy spinning kick was just weird.)
Did you notice when Lance and Keri were on the bus getting close to the airplane? Lance started flexing his muscles in the window (so the other teams could see him?) *gag*
1.The kick was weird.
2. It was very sad and frustrating to watch the most interesting team get dq. I really want to know at what point (if they did) ever find the passport. I assume that they (the producers) have copies of the passports to allow the return home.
I was most disappointed to see Zev and Justin get DQ'd. I liked them and their approach to the race and life.
What is up with trial lawyer kicks-does he do that in court? Weird????
I never had really considered Zev and Justin as a team in the runnings for the million, but they definately prooved themselves tonight! I really started to like them, and when they went from first to last that broke my heart. They were my favorite team!! :(
I just think that they worked so well together, and justin was such a good friend to zev and vice versa.
I almost cried! but it really is a beautiful story.- their friendship that is.
You can't use a copy of a passport to travel. What has to happen is that the team would need to go to the US Embassy with identification and a police report about the loss as well as a fee and request an emergency temporary passport.
its a very good post dear
thanks
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Best friends Zev and Justin lose a passport during the race and automatically have the result of disqualified elimination, The rules is the rules no exemption.
The elimination was heartbreaking, indeed. I had missed the fist episode of this season, so last week's episode I was pretty much deciding on my favourites - and I'd just settled on Zev/Justin or Sam/Dan.
And this happened!
And I agree with you - when I saw the preview I thought it wouldn't be as serious a situation as it is. I think it's an unfortunate disqualification.
And as for the Jonathan/Victoria comparison, I -so- agree. Lance is a complete Male Chauvinist Pig.
Liz,
You act like this is the first time the show started late for football!?
And considering that 60 Minutes draws more viewers than Amazing Race, of course they are going to broadcast it all.
Oh, and I forgot to add this:
Zev most probably had trouble with the 'monkey roadblock' because he has Asperger's Syndrome, and those diagnosed with this are typically physically clumsy.