I'm an unabashed fan of non-dating reality TV-- Survivor, Big Brother (returning later this summer), Fear Factor-- and the least mean-spirited of the bunch is The Amazing Race. One of the reasons Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was successful was that everyone watching it played the meta-game of "Who would I pick as my lifeline?" The Amazing Race has a similar element, with viewers imagining who they'd team up with for this competition. For me that'd be college friend Dave, with whom I once spent six weeks galavanting around Europe (years before the now-infamous Word Freak incident). By the end of the show, Dave would probably owe me the GNP of Luxembourg in Cribbage debt.
The casting team typically does a great job picking diverse pairs to compete. I've already picked the team I most want to win (how can you not root for a pair of circus clowns?). But the team I most sympathize with is Millie and Chuck, a southern couple who've been dating for 12 years. And they're virgins. How do I know? The Amazing Race apparently feels it's important enough, that it defines who they are so dramatically, that they flash it on-screen every time they cut to that couple. For other teams, it's "Jon and Al: Circus clowns" or "Steve and Dave: Air traffic controllers". But for this couple it's "Millie and Chuck: Dating 12 years: Virgins".
I don't care what they're doing, or not doing, in the bedroom. They don't say "Tian and Jaree: Latex fetishists" or "Kelly and Jon: Doggie style". Hell, they don't even say "Reichen and Chip: Gay gay gay". So why is it so vital to remind us that Millie and Chuck are virgins? It's nobody's business but their own, regardless of what they, CBS, or anyone else thinks.
Oh, and as for Monica and Sheree, using the Fast Forward when they knew four teams were on a bus two hours behind them... it's a good thing they're married to (presumably well-off) professional atheletes, because there's no way these dingalings are winning the race.
Posted by Peter at May 30, 2003 06:47 PMActually Peter, I think you might be being a little presumptuous to assume that the whole "virgins" thing is CBS' doing. What about the participants themselves? Clearly the two seem to apparently revel in the fact that they have never had sex before, and given some other statements by Chuck it would not surprise me if they were the ones to ask for or suggest the virgin tag.
I only hope they get to spend an extended amount of time with Reichen and Chip myself, since I see that as being a "hilarity ensues" type moment.
Great show though. I agree that Monica and Sheree are not exactly, uh, competitive stalwarts. I think Tian and Jaree are going to be gone in the next two episodes though, which is a bold prediction, but when one of you is more concerned with free coffee than the race, trouble is brewing :P
Posted by: Mark Evans on May 31, 2003 05:24 AMI couldn't agree more with Peter's take on all the little tag lines under the contestants, What would celebrity amazing race be? Bill & Hillary Clinton (The slut and the Nut), Don King and Mike Tyson (Weird and Weirder)? Next thing you know they'll be set dressing for each couple. You know some type of lubricant placed in the bag of the gay guys and Ben Gay in with the two old traffic controllers...It's INSANE
Posted by: Laura on June 11, 2003 08:55 PM