The Amazing Race 9, Episode 6: First Class and Cargo Class Awards

Ah, Sicily! Segesta, Catania, Siracusa. Counting heads on fence posts, big fish or little fish, and kayak polo. You’ve already read all the details in Jenn’s always-informative recap, and you also know how sad she is that Team Frink’s time on the race has come to an end. But which team performed the best? Which team needed an attitude adjustment? And what one item do all of the teams seem to need?

First Class this week goes to Eric & Jeremy. The Frat Boys were much easier to watch on this leg now that the Double Ds are no longer around. I was actually able to enjoy their racing skills (mixed with a good bit of luck, of course) since they weren’t spending half the race trying to get into someone’s pants. In a leg where all the tasks were straightforward and no one team seemed to have serious troubles, the Frat Boys rose above the pack to finish in first place. Incidentally, did anyone else wonder what the two will do with the cruise they won? I suspect the two will vacation together, but what would happen if they hooked up on the cruise?

Jeremy & Eric also showed that they are good sports when they realized that the Hippies had created the fake sign-in sheet at the amphitheater. Some teams—or, more specifically, team MEMBERS—*coughJonathanorLakecough* would have made a big deal out of the joke, and proceeded to berate the Hippies. The Frat Boys just laughed it off and waited for the amphitheater to open. They completed all the tasks quickly and basically raced a flawless leg. So, Eric & Jeremy, go ahead and board that plane first. Settle in, get comfy in the big leather chairs, and try to behave yourselves.

Now for Cargo Class. I couldn’t cause Jenn any more heartache by awarding it to her favorites, even though they were Philiminated. And I’m tired of giving it to Lake & Michelle. Fortunately we witnessed a colossal meltdown during this week’s detour. So, this week’s Cargo Class award goes to Monica & Joseph, Team Mojo. They picked the detour task that was the easier of the two, and 32 lbs. really isn’t that much weight to carry for a relatively short distance. Yes, I know the fish was slippery and smelly and of course it’s not something I would want to do every day. But this race is for A MILLION DOLLARS people! I think you can carry a slimy fish for a third of a mile!

Monica, however, did her best Flo imitation and seemed to be within inches of quitting. She lost sight of the goal of the race and allowed her emotions to take over. Did it end up hurting Mojo in the end? No, they were in no danger of Philimination, but if it is any indication of how Monica handles stress it could become a problem as they get closer to the end of the race. A task as simple as carrying a fish should not have produced the complete hissy fit we witnessed. If carrying a fish is the worst thing Monica has ever done then she should count her blessings, remember that she is racing for a LOT of money, suck it up, and carry the fish wherever necessary.

Perhaps even worse than Monica’s meltdown was Joseph’s reaction to it. Yes, they needed to find Jagino and get their next clue, but when Monica was falling apart Joseph should have taken a few seconds to try to get her calmed down. Instead, when she called for him he yelled at her. He remained angry even after they received their clue. Being in control of emotions is very important, as there are many ups and downs during the race. Joseph & Monica both failed at that this week. So they will be riding with the chickens under the plane.

So there you have it folks. Next week, ancient Greek games, bungee jumping, and panic. I can’t wait! Join me for next week’s awards, and in the meantime stay with Reality News Online for all things Amazing Race. Ciao!

Sandy Lamparello is an Assistant Editor for Reality News Online and a Legal Editor for a publishing company in Washington, DC. You may reach her at realitytvjunkie@gmail.com. She doesn’t care whether you agree or disagree, she just wants to hear from you!

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