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Thanks to the Raiders/Chiefs game, my Amazing Race suffered a one hour penalty. How prophetic. It’s a good thing last night was Daylight Savings Time.

Anyway, spared elimination last week in Mother Russia, Nick & Vicki need to catch a break to pull themselves out of last place. The illustrated couple was the only team checked in after the sunset, so they have their work cut out for them. Well, the luck of the Russian is apparently still shining on them, in the form of circus operating hours.

Our first place finishers Jill & Thomas rip in to the clue and leave the Pitstop for a circus. After being treated to a quick confessional interview that underscores this dating couple’s major problem (“He talks at me, instead of to me.”), they pull up to the big top only to find that it is closed until later that morning. This levels the playing field for all the teams.

Littered with over-caffeinated clowns, who seem to have gone to the Mime School for Highly-Irritating Behavior and with whom Team HSN’s Brook should feel right at home, the circus presents teams with this leg’s Detour – Circus Band or Circus Clown.

Both tasks are straightforward in description only. For Circus Band, the teams have to pick an instructor who will teach them a song on the accordion. For Circus Clown, they have to learn and perform a plate spinning routine, which consists of having ten plates spinning simultaneously atop what appears to be six-foot poles. Both tasks really require a calm setting but this is not even close to calm.

Adding to the chaotic atmosphere are the aforementioned clowns, who are distracting the teams while they work on their task. Based upon this and Nick’s confessed distaste of clowns, I think that one of these Bozos may end up with a fist to his red clown nose.

Initially, father/daughter Gary & Mallory and doctors Nat & Kat are the only ones to choose Circus Band. If the fates would allow and I was on the Race, I would definitely be pulling up a chair next to these teams. As usual, I would tend to go with the task that gives me more control over its success.

It doesn’t take long for a team to bail on the plate task and the first quitters are Jill & Thomas. I hate to say it, but I think that Thomas has an actual sound rationalization for switching – the tasks are at the same location and they should at least see what the other one involves.

Team HSN Brook & Claire finish their plate spinning and get the next cryptic clue. The teams have to find the place guarded by four creatures with golden wings. Meanwhile, Nat & Kat are explaining their brilliant approach to learning accordion. This involves them assigning numbers to each of the notes and then writing out the order to play them back. Making Steve Urkel proud, the lady doctors (not to be confused with a “lady’s doctor”) successfully do the task on the first performance.

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