The Amazing Race 9, Episode 9 Insider: The Week of TMI

So, we had some excellent sound bites this week, all in the show itself. Let me recap those briefly:

• BJ/Tyler: I’m from New Jersey.
• Yolanda: I am a bad ass bitch!
• Eric: I’m the bottom!
• Barry: The race has ruined our sex life.

Thank you all for providing me with hours of snickering! I fell a bit in love with Fran & Barry with the sex comment. I fell a lot in love with the hostel owners who placed them in a room called “The Pleasure Dome.” Hah! Anyway, after all the insider clips and so on, my assessment of Fran & Barry is that I would love them in real life, but on my TV screen, not so much. This is mostly due to the whine factor and the constant “we’re out of it.” Ya know, if you say it enough, it comes true! However, mad props to them for their navigation skills, not just on the Race, but on the map known as life. 40 years is a damned miracle in this day and age, so you have my undying respect for that.

All that said, let’s jump right into the clips, shall we? I’m still recovering from the work week and need a nap!

Oh first, another side note! Vanilla Vodka Sunrises rock my world. Well, okay, my other half rocks my world, but from a drinking perspective, this is not bad. Toss a few ice cubes in a glass, add two jiggers of vanilla vodka (I used Skyy, because it comes in pretty blue bottles, and I’m a magpie. I like blue things. It’s an illness.), a dash and then some of grenadine, and top the glass off with orange juice. Mix it all up and drink. It’s luscious. Like a drinkable creamsicle with a hint of exoticness to it. Thanks to everyone who sent me links for using my vanilla vodka and limoncello. They’re paying off!

Oh, and I have three words for all of you: Huckleberry. Crème. Brulee. OH MY GOD. We went out to eat at the country club Friday, for Secretary’s Week, and I had that. I seriously about died right then and there. It only would have been better if I could have had a Vanilla Vodka Sunrise with it, and not had to go back to work!

NOW, all that said, let’s jump right into the clips!

Getting to Know You: In one of the most entertaining moments ever on TAR, BJ & Tyler picked up a Bedouin hitchhiker because they’ve always wanted to. Anyone else get a feeling their “to do” lists are WAY different than the rest of us? It’s part of why I adore them. Anyway, they are in the car with the Bedouin and trying to get to know him. He speaks pretty good English, but I think he’s a bit overwhelmed by the hyper goodness that is Tyler. We find out he has 10 camels and is 25, no 26. Heh. They’re all excited because he’s essentially the same age as they are.

Moneymakers: On the plane, BJ & Tyler have a large group of people captivated, and are explaining that they will be selling off one of the airline blankets. Heh. BJ says they’ll discreetly take donations. And they totally don’t put pressure on people. I’ve read some boards and other sites where people are just annoyed with these two, and think they are insulting as they go to different countries with their “fake” accents, etc. You know what? I totally disagree. Yes, they were TOO over-the-top the first episode or two, but now they are just themselves, and all the “Mamma Mia!” comments never seem to piss off the locals. In fact, it seems to endear the locals to them. They made TONS of money on that flight! That is not the sign of guys that annoy. Anyway, they discreetly gather the money, making no one feel bad for not giving, and they’re also passing out hugs left and right (especially Odie. I mean Tyler). “Thank you for your support and the blanket goes to... everybody!”

No Roof Over Their Heads: Ray & Yolanda slept outside at the ferries so they could spend money on food, not a hostel, they tell us. Ray says it wasn’t as cold as Athens, but it still gets cold at night. Yolanda appears less than thrilled. The birds sound almost human, she explains, and she’s never heard anything like that before. They agree it was too beautiful to sleep inside the hostel though, and the money was better spent on food.

The Hump: Ray & Yolanda make little sense in a cab. They blather about how some teams just want to win no matter what, but they want to win by beating people fair and square. I’m not quite sure I follow or agree with what he believes is fair and square. Then Yolanda jumps in with the weirdest non sequitur. She states she’s discovered that the hump on Monica’s hair is actually her hair. She teases it and wraps it around itself. Apparently, this was a hot topic of speculation. Ray seems less than interested, and I can’t even remember a hump.

Generous Gents: Eric & Jeremy drive to the Oman airport and are excited. They just want to find the airport, everything else is gravy. Heh. They talk about how the hippies do have $10, and they would have stolen it, but weren’t sure of the rules on that. Double heh. They joke about their $100 IOU that was left. They mock themselves as they go on about what giving guys they are, and how that IOU can be used after the race or invested. Snicker.

The Replacements: It’s not just a great band, it’s an AR clip title! And it’s oddly appropriate. One of my favorite songs by them states “You be me for awhile, and I’ll be you.” Well, in this clip, Eric & Jeremy drive towards the airport in Oman and discuss the lengthy flight to Australia ahead of them. They decide they’ll have a lot of downtime. Eric wishes the Double D’s were back, instead of the hippies. Jeremy quips that he loves the hippies (Hah, I knew it!). He also says they could dress them up in the Double D’s clothes. Ya know, it wouldn’t be that bad, after the orange pants. Eric figures the Hippies are not as soft as the Double D’s. Heh.