The Amazing Race 10: The Finish Line, Episode 8

As usual, Peggy Bunker starts the show by introducing herself and her co-host Jon Weiss. She says, “what a week and what a show! We're talking cow lips!” Jon says the Fast Forward looked like a rough one. Considering just how disgusting the cow lips looked and how long it took all of the contestants to eat them, I'd have to agree with Jon. Peggy and Jon shudder in horror and Peggy says she could never do that. Jon notes it must have taken hours to eat the lips, hair, teeth, etc., judging by when they finished the task.

Peggy now intros Jon's Ringmaster Recap for the week. He's definitely getting better at the whole thing, but could still use practice. He gets an “I” for improvement from me. At the end of the recap, Jon introduces David & Mary. Mary looks like her racing self – but I think her teeth have been fixed and she's wearing more makeup. David has had some sort of makeover. He now has blonde, styled hair. They're wearing matching tee shirts that say “LOST” and have a picture of Phil and a reward notice. Cute. Unfortunately, they look pretty glum. I guess they're still sad to be out of the race.

Peggy starts by asking Mary what she thinks of David's new look. Mary says he looks “cuuuuuute!” She adds that David's been stuck back in the '80s with his straight-haired, punk rock look. Peggy says it looks great and very flashy. David looks like he's not so sure about the whole thing. Now, Peggy asks David & Mary what they felt about the race. She says she thinks half of America was rooting for them. They did so well. Mary says that she doesn't regret a thing about going on the race. She hates that they didn't win a million dollars because that's why she left her kids, but she loved the experience.

Jon notes that Mary has never been in a plane or a cab or even a bus until The Amazing Race. Mary says she hadn't been on a boat before either. She'd never done anything until this show. David chimes in and says Mary never did anything before the show except lay on the couch. Ouch! He explains she's a big reality TV fan and that's what she does. Peggy asks David & Mary how it feels to be on the other side of the camera. She says they're celebrities now! She says people come up to them on the streets of New York now to say hello. Mary notes they're coming up to her – the one sitting on the couch all the time.

Now Peggy says that she'd have to say Mary was the more outspoken of the pair. Mary says yes, usually, but that's not the whole story. Mary tells us there was a Yield in Vietnam and Mary really, really wanted to Yield Peter & Sarah. They were the first ones to the mat and David quickly said, “I'm not yielding anyone, 'cause no one's yielded me!” She was like, “You stupid idiot! We're the first ones on the mat!” Peggy asks David if it bothers him that Mary is so nice to everyone else and so harsh on him. David says that it's how Mary is. She's outspoken and more at home with him, so her true feelings come out with him. She's nice to everyone else and poor old David is left out in the rain again. Heh. Mary notes it's because he doesn't listen to her.

Jon says that it's difficult being on the race. You usually don't spend 24 hours a day together. He asks if it was difficult for them. Mary quickly says it had to be harder for her than for him. Honest to goodness. She's never been that mean in her life! Trust her! Watching herself on TV was the best thing The Amazing Race could give her. The world, the countries, were awesome. But being able to watch herself and see how she treated David was eye opening. Mary says that she grew up in an abusive family and as a little girls she decided that no man would boss her around. But she's realizing now that her relationship with David is not the same as her Mommy and Daddy's relationship. It's done something really good for her in the long run. Sometimes she's too hard on David. Other times, though, they needed it in the race. Wow. Mary's being very open with all of this. I think her openness is one of the things that draws people to her as a racer.

Jon says that it's great that David & Mary are so nice. But sometimes they were too nice on the race. Jon thinks David & Mary were the heart and soul of this season of the race. They were great to watch and competitive, but sometimes they were too nice. Like last night when Mary told Lyn where some of the stamps were. I agree, Jon. Peggy now takes us to a clip of the final Roadblock challenge from this week and David & Mary looking heartbroken and coming in last due to the non-elimination penalty.

When we come back from the scene everyone in the studio is crying! Peggy thinks it's the most poignant farewell she's seen on the Pit Stop. Mary says the race throws you into the world. You have to do so much on your own and it's eye-opening. Jon says the race makes you humble. You appreciate life much more. Mary agrees and says it makes you appreciate your freedom. She says that they got in trouble in the airport in Vietnam and she was worried they would go to prison in Vietnam! Peggy says she was watching Mary saying “Merci Beaucoup,” running up and down the steps in Madagascar. Peggy wonders whether Mary could have believed she would do such things. Mary says no! She couldn't believe she was on TV, on The Amazing Race. Just wow! Jon reminds everyone of the powerful bonds you form with the other racers on the race.