Traffic for 2005 February 10 (entry 0)

(18) Thu Feb 10 2005 13:49 PST A Call to Arms: Disclaimer: This entry has nothing to do with Rachel's masterpiece-in-progress, nor the illustrations associated with such masterpiece.

With that said, I love the show "The Amazing Race." Though I was sad to see a train edge Kris and Jon out of the lead, I find the show fascinating. They are currently taking applications for The Amazing Race 8, which will be filmed during June 2005. The application notes that teams will now be composed of four, instead of two, and should be grouped into family units, more or less.

So, now the call to arms: Who wants to join my family of two? It promises to be nothing but good times, a free trip all over the world is involved, and, like Jonathan (Victoria's scary, abusive husband), it's a chance to learn about yourself, or something.

If we win, we get $1 Million to boot! They are coming to SLC for second round interviews. We just have to make a tape about ourselves. I am really interested in applying, just to say that I applied, since the timing is perfect (post-graduation, pre-job).

My sister-in-law was going to apply for Survivor, which I found odd, however. She won't now because you have to have a passport, and she isn't going to spend $80 just to apply. I reminded my brother that Survivor is pretty rigorous, and she would probably not be able to wear her "covenants" for a month, but it didn't phase him. In The Amazing Race, being scantily-clad is discouraged. But the passport thing was her hang up again.

I am glad to see that crummy has been resurrected from its slumber. We missed him.

Comments:

Posted by Rachel at Fri Feb 11 2005 12:47

what is amazing race? It sounds like fun! I would do it. Bring a video camera and we can make a video this weekend! And I have a passport, too!

Posted by Rachel at Fri Feb 11 2005 12:52

Ok, I looked at the website. I am an EXPERT traveller. You must pick me! Ohh la la, lets do it.

Posted by Rachel at Fri Feb 11 2005 12:53

You know what we should do for a video? A fake episode, where we race around bakersfield. Or do you think a lot of people do stuff like that?

Posted by Susie at Fri Feb 11 2005 19:36

Wow, you're really excited. If only we had a video camera. You know, you'd have to come to Salt Lake to audition with us. That's in Utah.

Posted by Sumana at Fri Feb 11 2005 20:45

I missed Crummy too!

I'm a ham. The main reason I don't apply to reality TV shows is that the makers of the show have a vested interest in making the story and "characters" interesting, which means misleading editing, etc. Millions of people would probably get the wrong impression of me and I'd have practically no power to counter that. It sounds like it's even worse than running for office in that respect.

Posted by Rachel at Fri Feb 11 2005 22:52

Who will be the fourth? (Sumana: who cares what people think? Its not like its high-profile like survivor or anything... it will be FUN!)

I thought of a whole bunch of winning strategies at work. We all have to get into really good running shape, and learn the basics to a bunch of different languages to ask people for help in the countries we go to. The only problem is July is also when HP comes out. I hope we are in an English speaking country on the 16th!!!

Posted by Kristen at Sat Feb 12 2005 08:49

John, you are ambitious. I would never be gutsy enough to try out. I think it would be a blast, and I would seriously consider if Aaron wasn't going to be in school, and we didn't have a baby. But more power to ya. I really hope you guys make it. It sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime, even if now prize money, a trip around the world courtesy the network.

Posted by Susie at Sat Feb 12 2005 10:15

Sumana: the actual normal people on the show are hardly featured at all. Jon and Chris never argued at all, and they made it almost all the way, but they weren't covered that much. They were just normal.

Posted by Alyson at Sat Feb 12 2005 13:05

Wah!! I want to do it, too! It would be so fun, and atypical of the prime time "reality opera."

Posted by Sumana at Sun Feb 13 2005 08:45

Go ahead, have a good time, and if you want a bit of Russian and Kannada I'll tutor you. But reality TV editors will have no scruples about talking nicely to you and then making you look bad if it makes for a good storyline! And you won't even know it till you finish filming and watch the show. So, it might be fun to do the race, but the consequences would be pretty long-lasting. If I ever want a career in the public eye it would be a big handicap.

Shoestring travel can be an exciting adventure on its own, but The Amazing Race might also give you minor celebrity, for better or for worse.

Posted by Sumana at Sun Feb 13 2005 08:47

Susie: You all are way more "normal" than I am. So you probably wouldn't get picked on as much, and you'd have a better chance of making it on the show.

Posted by John at Sun Feb 13 2005 11:28

Sumana, have you ever watched the show? It is different from, say, Survivor, or Big Brother, which have no real plots and are forced to focus on humiliating people. This show has a plot: a race with lots of obstacles and stuff. That said, of course there is a human element and, you are correct, the editors can't help but poke fun at people. With 11 teams, there is always at least one team that does it well on their own.

So I am intrigued: What career in the public eye are you currently eyeing? More importantly, will your relationship to me jeopardize this goal in any way? Though you noted Susie is normal, I am not.

Posted by Rachel at Sun Feb 13 2005 21:53

On the plus side, appearing on a reality tv show might make it easier to find a publisher for my novel!

Posted by Kristen at Mon Feb 14 2005 16:45

I just remember one episode they were forced to eat a huge bowl of fish eggs or something nasty like that. I would have died.

Posted by Susie at Mon Feb 14 2005 20:17

That's what I am bringing John for.

Posted by Kristen at Wed Feb 16 2005 15:34

If you need another person, my brother David said he would try out with you all.

Posted by Sumana at Sat Feb 19 2005 21:53

John, thanks for the advice on the phone the other night! It was really helpful.

I might be a teacher, a newspaper editor, a TV/radio/internet personality, a comedian, or a fire-in-the-belly CEO or something someday. Having a white Christian accountant sort-of-brother-in-law will probably not impede any of these.

Posted by John at Tue Feb 22 2005 09:50

Mormons are Christians?