By Jim Memmott
Amazing Race All
Stars, Season 24, Episode 6
SRI LANKA – Picture this. The buzzer blows. Kentucky
players embrace, put on silly hats, scream
they’re going to the Final Four.
Michigan players hold their heads. Fight back tears.
 |
| Kentucky Coach |
And then the
smooth-to-the-point-of-bland Jim Nantz strolls to center-court and says:
“We have just
learned that this is a non-elimination game. Kentucky vs. Michigan. Tomorrow
night. All over again.”
Cheers, jeers,
across the land.
Now you know
how Amazing Race addicts felt as host
Phil Keoghan told country singers Caroline and Jennifer, the seventh and last
team to arrive at the pit stop on this episode, that they did not have to go
home.
It was, yes, a
non-elimination leg, the second in six episodes this season.
 |
| Product Placement |
Not that it was
a bad episode, and not that this season, one featuring veterans of races past,
hasn’t been a Cracker-Jack competition. We are, after all, talking All Stars.
“It’s on a
whole different level with the people we’re racing against,” Jennifer said,
comparing this season with her Season 22 experiences. “Nobody is making
mistakes.”
Generally,
that’s right, but there have been a few lapses in concentration.
In this
episode that played out entirely in Sri Lanka, for example, Rachel, the feminine half of Team Brenchel, violated the
first rule of Amazing Race
participation: READ THE CLUE.
The clue told
her to put gas in four Tuk Tuks (auto rickshaws) marked with green tags. She
thought
she was supposed to gas up four green Tuk Tuks, so she started rounding up all the greenies she could find.
 |
| Green Tuk Tuk |
Cue the tears.
No way. This is the new Rachel.
She did things wrong for a while until John of team John and Jessica straightened
her out. At that revelation, the old Rachel would have sat down in the middle of the road and wailed. She then would have blamed her partner (now husband) Brendon for something he didn't say.
But the new Rachel is focused, fit, on a mission to win the race so she can have a baby and live in a new house. She shook herself off. Got on track. Finished the challenge. That's the new Rachel.
 |
| Jessica and Clueless John |
Rewind the
tape. John actually knew more than another racer? Clueless John? Yes, it
happened. Go figure.
In addition to
epic confusion at the gas pump, where Big Easy of the Globetrotters at one point took matters in his own hands and picked up a Tuk Tuk,
the episode featured elephants toting logs and people toting elephant dung.
Who knew? Paper
is made from elephant dung. No wonder readers are abandoning print media.
 |
| Pink Elephant |
And there was a
guest appearance by a flute-playing refugee from the Summer of Love who treated
each of the teams to a mini-concert before giving them their clues.
The Afghanimals,
Jamal and Leo, got their first win of the season, just beating the Cowboys,
Cord and Jet.
The Animals gloated
a little, but not too much, as they, too, have reformed. They’re
All Stars now and have to act their age.
Overheard:
Caroline: We’re still laughing our way through
the race, but we’re definitely fighting. We’re competitors.
Off-camera quote: Dave may have an AARP card, but he’s
like in his 20s.
Rachel: I just wanted to do whatever it took to
fill up all the green cars I could find.
Brendon: We need to be the racers we used to be,
good, sharp, fast.
Big Easy: Flight Time just jumped right in. If
he’s going to put his hands in some do-do, I’m going to put my hands in do-do.
John: Jess is the only girl on the elephant side of the Detour.
Clue: Let your ears guide you to the wise man.
Jamal: It’s the Cowboys vs. the Indians and the Indians are winning.
Order of finish:
1) Jamal and Leo
2) Cord and Jet
3) Jessica and John
4) Dave and Connor
5) Brendon and Rachel
6) Flight Time and Big Easy
7) Caroline and Jennifer
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