The Amazing Race 14, Episode 1 Part 2

Don't Let a Cheese Hit Me

By David Mumpower

February 17, 2009

These smart people went on Amazing Race to 'test their relationship'. Brilliant.

New at BOP:
Share & Save
Digg Button  
Print this column
While Christie and Jodi were very lucky yesterday, they quickly realize that reversals of fortune come hard and fast on The Amazing Race. Simply by going one way instead of another, they miss the area where taxis are available, causing them to fall behind all three of the other 7:15 departures. In fact, they waste so much time awaiting the arrival of a taxi that one of the 7:30 teams passes them as well. Of course, it could just be a subtle form of stalling, delaying the inevitable bungee jump a bit longer. I wouldn't blame them for it.

Mark and Michael were last to arrive at the encampment out of the 7:15 grouping, but they are the first to arrive at the bungee jump of doom. This is important because only one person may go at a time, creating swings of about ten minutes per jump. The difference between first and last place this morning was only a half hour at the start. Just the difference between the first and fourth teams to do the bungee jump will be more than that. The last team to perform this task is going to be in a lot of trouble if there is not a later bunching in store for all 11 teams. Of course, there is another factor here that comes back to bite the stuntmen. The first person to have their equipment on gets to go first independent of order of arrival. Victor's speed in strapping on the safety harnesses that are there to save his life may not be the savviest move in terms of survival instinct, but it does make him the first (insane) bungee jumper.




Advertisement



Surprisingly, the experience looks like a blast. In point of fact, several of the contestants who make the leap of faith are jubilant as gravity pulls them down and they remain on an adrenaline-based high for quite a while afterward. The order of departure from the first groupings is Tammy and Victor followed by Mark and Michael, Margie and Luke (who signs "That was so cool. I loved it!"), and Mel and Mike. While they make their jumps and exit the area, two notable events occur. The first is that the flight attendant who will perform the task, Jodi, gets a little bit more terrified with each passing jump. The second is that Steve is apparently not content just to make his wife cry. He inexplicably starts talking smack to another team as they run to the bungee equipment. His ominous quote is, "You wanna think about it first. You know those things, they'll bounce back and and break your neck, don't you?" Even Preston would be horrified by that comment.

A dramatic commercial break is intended to make the viewer wonder if Jodi will chicken out, but her composure is remarkable relative to her innate fear of the jump. Her completion of the jump puts them smack dab in the middle in sixth place. The order of finish afterward is Kris and Amanda at 8:41 a.m., Jaime and Cara at 8:49 a.m., Preston and that bitch he hates at 8:58 a.m., Jennifer and Lakisha at 9:07 a.m., and finally Steve and the poor sucker who has been married to him for 17 years at 9:14 a.m. The half hour gap between seventh and last place is rather significant. Depending on what is in store for the contestants at the next challenge, the bottom three teams seem to be the likely contenders to be first ones out this season. Unless Linda picks it up, I expect Steve and her to go home first.


Continued:       1       2       3       4       5       6

     


 
 

Need to contact us? E-mail a Box Office Prophet.
Sunday, May 19, 2024
© 2024 Box Office Prophets, a division of One Of Us, Inc.