THE AMAZING RACE VII --TAR7-- Official Show Thread & photo preview

CBS ^ | Feb 24, 2005 | Veto! with a little help from CBS.com

[Veto!]

Begins March 1 on CBS, 9 p.m. Eastern/Pacific

Here we go again, race fans, for the Seventh Season of The Amazing Race (TAR7). We'll vicariously travel with eleven teams as they fly, drive, climb, crawl, leap, slide, and boogie around the world to compete for one million dollars. They'll never know where they're going next or what they'll have to do once there. The last team to arrive at the "designated pit stop" at the end of each week's episode will be eliminated from the race -- unless it is not. So pull up your favorite armchair and travel along with the Freeper Amazing Race contingent every Tuesday night for the next few months as we root for favorites, throw tomatoes at the others, and wish we were the ones living dangerously. BON VOYAGE!

A Thumbnail Photo Guide To This Season's Possibly Amazing Racers

Brian, 27 & Greg, 24 are brothers from Santa Monica, California. Brian is an actor/bartender and Greg is a bouncer. Their primary motivation for participating in the Race is to travel the world with each other and meet new people. Veto!s opinion: Team Bro wants face time on tv. They are big, strong, in shape, and they think they're action stars. But are they wily? Could be they'll be eating other teams' dust.

Debbie & Bianca are best friends from Los Angeles, California and Woodbridge, Virginia, respectively. Bianca is a high school teacher and Debbie works as a photographer. Both are highly educated, experienced travelers, and have lived abroad. Veto!s opinion: Keep an eye on these two. Unless they scratch each other’s eyes out, they’ll probably do just fine.

Lynn & Alex are (would you believe?) a gay couple from West Hollywood, California. They both work as executive assistants. With their four-year anniversary on the horizon, they possibly hope to get married in Amsterdam—if indeed they race through Amsterdam. Veto!s opinion: Need I say?

Megan & Heidi, a make-up artist and fashion designer, are roommates from Oak Park, California. Both are allegedly extremely competitive and not afraid to take risks. They decided to sign up for the Race “just for the challenge and competition.” Veto!s opinion:. Can the Hair Queens keep up the pace when their tresses get tangled? I see hissy fits on the horizon.

Meredith, 69, & Gretchen, 66, are a husband/wife team from Easton, Maryland. Meredith is a retired executive and Gretchen is a retired nurse/flight attendant. He holds seven National Masters Swimming Championship titles, she admits to being quite loud, particularly when upset. . Veto!s opinion: If Gretch doesn’t turn into Nurse Ratched, they may go far and win Freeper kudos for their efforts.

Ray, 44, & Deana, 27, are a dating-on-and-off team from Canfield, Ohio and Youngstown, Ohio respectively. Ray, a former semi-pro football player, is a stockbroker and Deana is a marketing and promotions executive. Both enjoy weight lifting and karate. Veto!s opinion:This season’s “will their relationship last?” team. Ray will overdo it trying to beat younger guys. Ho-hum.

Rob, 29, & Amber, 26, AKA Boston Rob and Ambuh, are an engaged couple from Canton, Massachusetts and Beaver, Pennsylvania, respectively. They formed an alliance and fell in love when they competed with each other on “Survivor: All Stars.” Amber won the one million dollar prize. Rob finished as the $100k runner-up, but proposed to Amber before they knew which had won the big bucks. Veto!s opinion: Two Thumbs Up! Highly athletic and competitive, these two know how to work together. But will their “take-over-the-‘hood” skills that won them Survivor translate to racing’s Hall of Fame? Why, indeed, not?

Ron, 28, & Kelly, 26, are a dating Team from Villa Rica, Georgia and Greenville, South Carolina, respectively. Ron is a former Iraq War POW who is currently a student at the University of Georgia and works as a motivational speaker. Kelly was crowned Miss South Carolina in 2002 and works as a Legislative Correspondent…(for whom?) Ron was an Apache helicopter pilot in Iraq. When shot down, he was captured, interrogated, held captive and later rescued by the United States Marines. Following his rescue, Ron returned home and was introduced to the reigning Miss South Carolina. The two have been an item ever since. Ron is very competitive and admits he’s a thrill seeker. . Veto!s opinion: Two more thumbs 'way up. They’ll be Freepers’ favorites, and they have what it takes to win.

Ryan, 31, & Chuck, 32, are lifelong friends from Landrum, South Carolina and Inman, South Carolina, respectively. Ryan is a general contractor, and Chuck works in boiler tube replacement sales. Both are motorcycle nuts and very religious. . Veto!s opinion: Definitely wily Southern boys. Up against tough competition, but I hope they make a good showing.

Uchenna, 40, & Joyce, 44, a childless married couple from Houston. Uchenna worked for Enron as an energy trader and Joyce worked in sales for WorldCom, have different jobs since their companies went bankrupt. If they win, they say they’ll use the money for in-vitro fertilization. Veto!s opinion:A tough, scrappy pair, but too much tension here, methinks, for them to get much traction. They’re hardly Kim and Chip, the wonderful black couple who won Amazing Race two seasons back.

Susan, 54, & Patrick, 26, are mother and gay son. She is the Director for Judicial Affairs for Miami University in Ohio and Patrick is a writer now living in Hollywood. Susan, married to Patrick’s father for 34 years, earned her college degree as a “non-traditional” student. Patrick says his family has always been very supportive of him,even —surprise, surprise-- when he told them he was gay. Veto!s opinion: They’re looking for love in all the wrong places; hopefully, their elimination from the show will be swift and merciful.

That’s it for the Preview.

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

I think that Ron is also a male witch. If he said SHUT UP to her once he said it a million times. Plus I was a little put off by his denseness.

I agree completely. Ron made more than his fair share of dumb and stupid mistakes. However, what gets me about Kelly is her constant harping, nagging, whining and put-downs aimed at Ron throughout the entire race.
And then, during the last episode, she goes into a crying hissy fit because he says he isn't ready to commit, settle down and subject himself to a lifetime of her abuse!

[Slicksadick]

I'm convinced that CBS held that plane up. As shown, U&J didn't even get wait listed or have a boarding pass for that flight. The last half hour would have been a non-race without at least two couples on that flight.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

I really tire of these sanctimonious so and so's in regard to the way that team Romber played the race. And I agree with the comments that had team Juchenna stiffed the cab they could have been charged with theft of services. And also have been in violation of TAR rules. Although Phil was so clearly biased for team Juchenna, I imagine he would have found some way to gloss over their violation, had they not paid the cabbie.

The luck of the draw? The pilot and gate crew on the last flight should possibly be investigated for any possible collusion. What they did in allowing team Juchenna on after the gate had already closed, I bet is in violation of anti-terrorist rules. The same thing happened to Romber and the air crew in that instance did the correct thing in not allowing an extra late boarding.

Anyway I think this does it for me and the Amazing Race, I just can't get into the idea of 4 on a team in the next race. Besides which, I have absolutely burned out on the bunching that goes on in the race. I also think that the non-elimination rounds should be done away with, at least don't strip the last team of all their money. The begging scenes of team Juchenna was pathetic and embarassing.

Anyway thank you, Veto for all your hard efforts in keeping this thread running. Much Regards,

Axel.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

I'm convinced that CBS held that plane up. As shown, U&J didn't even get wait listed or have a boarding pass for that flight. The last half hour would have been a non-race without at least two couples on that flight.

I agree, something don't smell right in Denmark.

[Slicksadick]

To put it another way, knowing what we know about CBS, would they NOT rig it to make it "better TV"?

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

Check out my post here -> http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1400845/posts?page=3#3

And then tell me you think SeeBS held that plane up.

[hattend]

I think you are right.

[mtbopfuyn]

I have to agree that things did look fishy, but as the link said it wasn't mainland US so rules could have been more lax. However, the plane was already delayed so why delay passengers even longer? But then, it's an extra three seats sold so who knows. I'm just pleased that finally, after 7 races, the ending was good. I hadn't been happy with any of the previous winners, but this had a happy ending.

Romber isn't off the airwaves, yet. Next up is their wedding. Enough already!!! Ok, gotta admit they don't fuss and whine like others do.

[EveningStar]

Thank you, Veto! You did a wonderful job! :)

[Slicksadick]

First off let me say that you're probably right, its just easier to distrust CBS, as I hate them already. But here are some thoughts anyway.

a. That U&J’s cameraman called a producer, who called his boss, who got some head honchos at CBS together to determine the best option for the show.

There could be "leg" or "location" producers able to make that call, on the spot. They could leapfrog each other the entire race, all involved know in advance what the final run consists of. Knowing that, it makes sense to force two teams on the same flight.

b. The head honchos agreed that they should intervene and, then called together their legal team to see if they agreed they could interfere without consequence.

Knowing that the race will suck huge if one team runs off. I'm sure this has and was discussed in advance. As for a legal team conference, well it's CBS remember.

c. Then the legal team put all this in writing.

Nothing in writing, some weird memo might show up someday

d. Then the producers met to finalize the interference plan, agreed to interfere, called a head honcho at AA, pulled him out of whatever meeting he was in, and got him/her to waive a general security policy for better ratings and a PC ending.

After 6 plus times at this, the producers had to have talked this over , at lenght, and in advance. As AA is a paid advertiser on the show, it stands to reason an AA decision maker would be on hand, at least in locations where the soonest flights available after the forced bunch ups would be AA. As an aside, Think maybe AA likes seeing itself in so kind a position, that they hold a flight for a penniless black couple, in urgent need of help, maybe.

e. All the while, waiting on the phone while AA checked with their legal team to ensure that they were’t breaking FAA regulations.

Had to be considered in advance. Here is where the benefit of NOT being in America come to help the producers. An AA rep, and a handful of $100.00 bills could go along way.

f. Then after AA agrees to the deal, they place a call and explained the “special deal” to the local Puerto Rico representative, who runs to the woman at the gate, who explains the special deal to the pilot and who has a change of heart and reopens the plane.

I really believe that AA would have been warned in advance that this requirement might arise. And knowing that in advance, would have made it easy and subtle to pull off.

Those are my quick thoughts, thanks for yours, that is what makes this show, and Freerepublic, so much fun. As I consider more loopholes in that final leg I'll try to post them.

[pbear8]

Thanks Veto!, you did an amazing job on The Amazing Race. Excellent reviews and thanks for the weekly pings.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Very excellent, and I think right on the money. A race this complicated and involved does take a lot of pre-planning. And I will bet that some of that pre-planning considered possible scenarios such as the one that happened last night.

I strongly suspect that a cBS producer, with the authority to make whatever decisions necessary, (such as simply getting the gate agent to let him talk to the pilot), was with all the three teams at this point in the race.

Nice work.

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

Yep! This is why FReepers have so much fun!

Now, since we are coming up with ways to beat the TAR out of SeeBS (pun intended!), try this on for size:

Since Romber won all those trips and prizes for coming in first in so many legs . . . AND
Since Romber's wedding will be a big to-do TV wise with SeeBS footing the bill and all . . .

(How’s this for a stretch of the imagination!) It was never intended for Romber to win!
Yep! It was all a big publicity stunt to boost ratings.

SeeBS had it all arranged with Romber ahead of time that for "considerations" (like those mentioned above and a bundle of cash that the TV viewers will never know about), they would give the impression of running a tight race but would not actually win.

In fact, this could explain Romber's unexpected "error" at the road block "bridge jump". Why would they pick that moment to make such a huge blunder, if not to give the other teams a big lead? They had no way of knowing that R&K would get lost on the way to the airport. Or that they would in fact beat U&J to the airport after placing themselves “so far behind.”

So to keep up the illusion of “running a tight race”, SeeBS has to pull all the strings to get U&J on that flight as well! (They couldn’t do anything about R&K’s ineptness in reading directions.)

Not only that, but SeeBS made sure that U&J got a taxi driver who could read and understand Spanish while Romber got one that couldn’t read Spanish.

How’s that for beating up on SeeBS?

[Slicksadick]

Thanks, I'm having fun running all the possibilities through my head.

[Slicksadick]

Great thinking Cuz, Romber could very well be part of an intentional loss. Their wedding at Atlantis has to be worth a million or so, and the added exposure will probably lead them to another show or series option.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

LOL, actually I think W., whoops, I meant Rove was behind this to make c^BS look bad.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Hey, you know what? I will have to run the tape back from last night, but I thought I saw Elvis in the background at the AA gate last night. Dang, that C^BS will stop at nothing to hype their network shows.

[hattend]

"Why did Rob and Amber go the wrong way at the bridge jump" is a good question. The clue box was right next to the stairwell. Didn't they wonder why nobody was chasing them before they went a 1/2 mile out of their way?

It's always possible, but personally, I have never seen the jetway come back to the plane to onload last minute passengers. But then, I only fly about 3-4 times a year on the same airline so I don't have the airline experience to draw a definitie conclusion.

What's really fishy with that is Puerto Rico is a Customs entry point for the US. Post 9/11, would somebody showing up late at a gate with a ticket for another flight and no luggage really be allowed on the plane after the flight was closed and the jetway pulled back?

[kingu]

How’s that for beating up on SeeBS?

Not bad.. And I like how you didn't mention that televising the wedding was a deal that Mark Burnett had set up before Rob and Amber had made the deal to go on The Amazing Race.

What I'm always curious about is how Rob and Amber made it through customs just about everywhere before everyone else...

[kingu]

Thank you for the great job you did this season, and I do hope that you reconsider hosting next season's thread as well - you do a great job.

Just wish that there was a way to have a East Coast thread and a West Coast thread, because I'd love to chatter about the show, but don't risk getting on FreeRepublic before it is done airing in my timezone for risk of finding out the results early.