Joe Schmo 2, Episode 3: Truth or Dare?

After a quick recap of last week’s show and the obligatory credits, we get right to this week’s action with the cast getting their morning run-down. Rhett thinks Ingrid is confused and is still grabbing at straws. Ambrosia is told to turn up the “bitch.” Eleanor has lost the locket and is to play that up. Tim is still right in there and Rhett wants them to keep it up.

It’s Tim’s birthday (he’s 29) and Ingrid has made him a card and circulated it. Oops, Eleanor discovers that she has lost the necklace. Tim guarantees that they will find it and proceeds to valiantly search the house. There’s lots of drama and Ambrosia starts right in. She tells Eleanor that the whole thing is ridiculous. “Women, man, we’ve got to be strong,” she tells them. Ambrosia then reminds the others that Austin was “guyish” last night and we see some clips of that memorable humpty dance from the wine vat stunt. Cammy is offended and good old Tim tries to keep the peace.

Cammy gets defensive and tells them that all her life people have treated her different because she is so well endowed. But then she slips. She’s talking fast and starts to refer to herself by her real name, Jana. Oops again. Ingrid catches it but carries on. Ambrosia won’t stop. But, just in the nick of time, Derek makes his entrance with Everett the Frog in tow. Apparently Piper is not comfortable with the frog and wants it returned to Bryce. One more little irritation for him to bear.

Derek tells the crew that tonight there will be another pearl necklace eviction ceremony. But this one is by “invitation only,” and the only people present at the ceremony will be the ladies. The girls look shocked but their attention quickly turns back to the frog. Bryce is talking to it, asking it if it wants to go back to Piper. He gets mad because Tim questions his ability to take care of the thing and Bryce stomps away.

Game time! Today’s game is called “Taste My Treats.” Each of them has a faux fur vessel, either a box (ladies) or a sack (guys). Yeah, I'm right on top of this one! Each of them is to pick a recipe that is allegedly one of Piper or Austin’s favorite dishes. They will then go to the kitchen and prepare the dish. Once they have completed this task, Piper and Austin will come out blindfolded and “sample their boxes and sacks.” The two people who prepare the meal that is deemed the best will win a private date at one of California’s most exclusive restaurants. T.J. tells us that the game was rigged so that Tim would win.

They each choose their recipes. T.J. gets mixed nuts and Tim gets fish tacos. “Your kitchen awaits.” Tim’s taco does not fit in his sack and Bryce is worried about his meatballs. Ingrid tries her best but says she would have prepared something different if she’d had her own way.

Once they finish, Austin and Piper are led out to the patio and the tasty treats are presented. Austin dives right into Cammy’s box! Stupid Derek says Cammy’s name as she walks away after having presented her tossed salad. I wonder if this will have any effect. Duh! The ladies try to act outraged but everyone seems to be having a problem taking this game very seriously. Rhett points out that every time they play one of these games, Ingrid can barely contain herself while Tim is “right in the zone,” playing for real. Austin doesn’t like Eleanor’s creation but gets his face right into Ambrosia’s cherry pie!

Now it’s Piper’s turn. Derek directs her to put her face “in the sack” and starts to lose it. T.J. and sack #2 steps forward and he just can’t resist the opportunity to play this up, gently guiding Piper’s head to his sack, which is full of salty nuts. Get it? This is bad! Tim politely stacks the fish tacos so that Piper is able to get a nice, tidy bite. Game’s over and it’s time to choose. Austin picks Cammy (natch) and, as planned Piper selects Tim. Ingrid is happy that Tim won.

Tim and Piper hit the road and Piper is very nervous. One on one, they have to spend four or five hours together, which means talking and getting to know one another. Tricky business, if you think about it. Does she stay in character or allow little snippets of her real “self” to show through? They have a nice, romantic dinner, though, and Tim thinks she’s awesome – “rubberduckulous” actually. What pleases him the most seems to be that she cusses as much as he does. She does note that being a jewelry designer/opera singer is a bit unbelievable but he seems to buy it.

Then he lays out his strategy. He tells her that, after this, he probably will have zero contact with Bryce. He says that he wouldn’t even let Bryce walk his dog, let alone date his little sister. On the ride home, they inhale helium from balloons and Piper continues to worry about how he will feel about her after he finds out. But she has more pressing issues – what about the kiss? You know, the kiss that always follows a date on shows like this. Sometimes these kisses are pretty outstanding moments. But we can’t be allowing any heavy stuff on this show so she has told Tim that her father won’t like it if she gets kissed on camera. But, wouldn’t you know it, the camera loses power and the moment arrives. Does he or doesn’t he? He doesn’t. Tim, ever the gentleman, respects her enough to hold off on the kiss – after she reminds him about her father, of course. What a guy!