The Amazing Race 10, Episode 3 Insider: N-N-N-Nineteen

Between chewing kids’ buttocks for not following safety rules and trying to corral my boss’s unruly dogs that I’m babysitting, forgive me if I am a bit banterless and jump right into the recap.

Duke & Lauren’s Parting Words: Duke rambles sweetly about how getting ready for the race together and all the planning was great. It’s a great race, and maybe 200 people all told have been in it, so it’s amazing to have been able to. He is proud of the two of them, but he does wish they could have gone farther. Me too! I liked this team. Lauren explains they are still working on their personal journey, and this race has helped them take the next steps forward. She wants to be his little girl again. Oh that is just so sweet, and Duke is looking at her with an adoring smile and eyes. He tries hard, and it is so obvious he loves her. That’s awesome. She enjoys working with him as a team, she continues, and to spend this much time with him is just incredible. She raves about the memories they’ll have forever, and that the race has an appropriate name. Yep, that’s right, she said it! “It’s just amazing.”

Sarah on Vietnam: Duke & Lauren continually looked at each other and evinced body language of teammates that had some sort of feelings for each other (in this case, familial love). Sarah, bright and sweet-seeming, chats nicely in this clip. Peter, in stark contrast, shows all the personality and engagement of Wonder Bread. Mr. Center of Attention wasn’t getting any, so he didn’t care what his partner was saying. I hope Sarah ran screaming the other direction after the taping ended. Anyway, she remarks on how beautiful Vietnam is and what a connection she feels to it. She says it is a poor country, but the people are beautiful. There is so much life, so vibrant with the motorbikes and city and everything moving in flux. Ah, but does it move in Aeon Flux? She’s glad they moved to the village, and away from the city. The village is what she expected from Vietnam with the rice paddies and simple beauty. She proclaims the people friendly and warm, but she is surprised they don’t speak more English. She thought our presence in their country might have influenced it. She says the locals are patient and want to help regardless of the language barrier. She explains how impressed she is that they are so nice to Americans despite us coming and battling with them on their land.

Boss-boy is a cardboard cutout.

Tom & Terry Talk: In the back of a cab, Team TNT talk about Vietnam. One of them, I think Terry, is glad they are out of Mongolia. Tom claims to have liked it, but hated driving there. Terry is glad the roads are better in Vietnam. Tom oohs and aahs over being in Vietnam, then explains his father was here, but he cannot remember where he was stationed. A bit of hemming and hawing as he tries to remember the name, but he doesn’t come up with it. Terry doesn’t know if any of his family was in Vietnam, but his father was in Korea. Tom’s brother was born while his dad was in Vietnam. Hmmm, let’s hope that’s within nine months from the time his dad left for Vietnam, eh?

Beauty Speak Knows No Barriers: Dustin sits on the curb with three Vietnamese women trying to chat them up, but they, of course, speak no English. What’s great is Dustin doesn’t talk louder like so many people do. Yeah, they’re just deaf and if you YELL, they’ll understand English. Riiiight. Anyway, Dustin exclaims over one woman’s necklace and gives a thumbs up and babbles about thumbs up being a good thing. The gist sort of gets through, as these things do, and the woman tries to give her the necklace. Dustin won’t accept it. She admires some more jewelry on the others. She then stands up and mimes and babbles about seeing someone walking with a pole across their shoulders carrying stuff that way. It’s really quite endearing to watch this, and she asks if it hurts. The three women sort of laugh and talk amongst themselves and smile and nod at her. Not in a bad way, but in a “silly strange blonde like person” sort of way.

One touches Dustin’s arm, then brushes her hands down her own face, pointing at Dustin and giving her a thumbs up. No English needed here. She’s telling Dustin she’s pretty, and Dustin gets the message. Kandice comes over, and they all scoot over to make room. Kandice sits down, but they soon get up because they need to go look around. Dustin explains they are going to go walk around, and jogs in place to emphasize what she meant. She waves goodbye.

I typically dislike the beauty queen sorts because they sadly fall into certain stereotypical lines. Dustin & Kandice haven’t really, and I quite like them, especially after this clip! I think that’s what’s so great about this season. The bulk of the teams have more depth and appear to be REAL versus the carefully selected stereotypes to draw in reality TV audience. It makes a HUGE difference.

Rob & Kimberly on Peter: About the only person I really don’t like right now is Peter. He’s a complete putz thus far. Rob & Kimberly apparently think so too. Now, while I’m not fond of Kimberly (Rob seems okay), it’s not nearly on the same level as Peter the Putz.

Anyway, Kimberly explains that Peter jumped in front of her at the airport and put his arms out to stop her, explaining that they’re all getting on the same thing anyway. Dude, if you’re all getting on the same thing, then you don’t need to stop her to tell her she doesn’t have to try to push past you, when she actually wasn’t doing that to begin with, ya know? CHILL.

Rob appears less than thrilled with the memory of that instance as well, and breaks in to add that Peter makes comments like “watch out for Sarah, she’ll hurt you with that leg.” Anyone else get the opinion that Sarah is willing to just be a *person* in the race and not a “person with a disability who is showing you what she can do”, but that Peter wants her to be the latter and shoves it around whenever he can? He pushes people to get out of their way like he’s protecting her, but it’s so he can get ahead. Kimberly agrees it’s ridiculous because Sarah is obviously a strong woman who flew and stuff before Peter, so she doesn’t need his help. They are so over Peter’s sob story of protecting Sarah. SO over it. Heh.