Amazing Race, Family Edition. *Official DiscussionThread*

[Debbie]

I don't visit the Community board (no time), so just found this thread...at 109 pages. I have to agree with wanting a real pairs team race back! I think that the fact that there were so many people, it was hard to get to know the personalities. It took me forever to choose a team to root for!

I also think that editing has not shown us the real reason everyone on the race can't stand the Weavers.

As a non Christian I find thier holier-than-thou attitude annoying. Especially when they are not better than the other teams.

And as a Christian, I feel the same way. Christians who raise themselves above others-verbally-at the expense of putting those other people down, make me embarassed. Living your faith-whatever it is-and accepting that other people have the right to live their faith, is what God wants us to do, imho, not belittling others.

I think that I want the Bransons or the Linz family to win. Used to be the Linz, but I give Dad and the girls a lot of credit!

 

[aprilgail2]

Oh gosh, that's just awful!

Is Pennsylvania a state, Mrs. Weaver???

Glad I don't live in FL and want to send DS to that private school someday...

Isn't she also the one that told her kids the wrong info regarding the great lakes????
My friend had no teaching degree or training and for some reason they let her be a teacher in a private school in Florida...after 2 weeks she realized that it wasa big mistake and quit! I am guessing that they don't have the same regulations as a public school does as far as who gets to teach....

 

[Disneyrsh]

I am guessing that they don't have the same regulations as a public school does as far as who gets to teach....

That's totally correct. Public schools, while they do have their share of rotten teachers, have basic qualifications that have to be met. Private schools don't. And when I inquired about the teaching qualifications of one of my daughter's teachers at a *very* snooty private school we made the mistake of going to here in Atlanta, I ran right up against a brick wall. They wouldn't tell me if she was getting ongoing enrichment classes (she said she was "too busy" to take them), what sort of degree she had, if any, (she said, "I went to college"), etc.

That and the fact that they were holding back about 30% of the class each year up until 4th grade so when they took the standardized tests that show how they do against other private schools they'd do well because the kids taking the test were all one to two years older...Not that we got to see the test scores, they just said "we're proud of how we did". Ugh.

So yeah, Weaver Mom is right on track with what I've seen...

I wonder if they'll change now that they see themselves on tv. I'm very curious if seeing themselves from that perspective changes how they relate to other people.

 

[PixieDust32]

She's a TEACHER??????????

OMG!!! SCARY!! With that face and that attitude, I don't want to send my children to a teacher like her.

Yup! She said that dumb comment about the great lakes over in LA! Dumb! If you don't know, just be quiet.

 

[TiggerPiglet]

I think at this point I'm rooting for the Bransons too. Poor Wally, he really does push himself to keep up with his daughters. I was so happy for him that he was able to be help instead of a hindrance in the railroad track making

 

[robinb]

She's a TEACHER??????????

OMG!!! SCARY!! With that face and that attitude, I don't want to send my children to a teacher like her.

Yup! She said that dumb comment about the great lakes over in LA! Dumb! If you don't know, just be quiet.

She homeskooled her own kids, and it shows. Some folks are just not cut out to teach their own children. [ETA: I add myself to that list, LOL! That's why my DD goes to public school .]

 

[cardaway]

They tried the drop the people off in Mongolia (literally) with just a passport and race to LA that you are suggesting Cardaway. It totally tanked, they even cut it short and had to reedit the remaining episodes to show every one who won.

I always thought the race should be run more like the large bike races, where everyone leaves at the same time, but accumulates time. Then they could make the roadblocks/detours really hard and make yields longer (as in multiple hours). If you want to stay in first place you better get to them all first. You could also add time bonuses for the first team to finish each leg of a detour, to spread the teams between them a little better, instead of everyone always doing the "quick" one.

Better still, you can reduce the number of teams to 8, with a mass elimination of 4 teams at the half (award money for the time differences between the leading teams ~$250K). Reset the clock until the finale, where they eliminate one or two more teams and award more time cash (~$250K) Then you still have the footrace to the big money ($500K).

This eliminates the silly equalizers and deepens the team dynamics/competition, all the while keeping with the same close race throughout.

What show did the Mongolia thing?

Great ideas Erik.

My biggest peeve is the equalizers even though I know realize they are necessary given the current format. It just stinks that a situation like in the last leg with the balloons will let a team like the Weavers catch up after having totally screwed up with their "shortcut". Most of the times it does nothing but reward the weaker teams and penalize the rest. In some extreme cases teams have been eliminated after an "equalizer" event, and that team had a huge lead before the equalizer. Just doesn't seem right.

The solution could be something like Erik suggested, but maybe the solution is just to get rid of the challenges that require waiting for them to become available, like the balloon trip.

 

[cardaway]

She homeskooled her own kids, and it shows. Some folks are just not cut out to teach their own children. [ETA: I add myself to that list, LOL! That's why my DD goes to public school .]

It's entirely possible that Momma Weaver is totally proud of her kids' education and that they have their priorities straight.

I've heard people say the same things the Weavers have and they claim people only need to study ONE book. Everything else is secondary.

 

[corie161]

It just makes me sad that there is very little empathy in this world. Why can't we watch and disagree without attacking people's lifestyle, career, etc...?

Flamesuit on!

I honestly don't think we are attacking her career. She obviously knows little about geography, and her daughter admitted to flunking math. I think this shows that she is in the wrong profession. I can see if she was teaching, Kind, maybe 1st or 2nd grade where they don't get into geography much, but you can't tell me that 5th graders aren't learning where the Great Lakes are or the capitals of the US States, much less the actual States themselves.

On the other hand, they found it OK to attack the Paolo's profession without any reason.

 

[robinb]

can see if she was teaching, Kind, maybe 1st or 2nd grade where they don't get into geography much, but you can't tell me that 5th graders aren't learning where the Great Lakes are or the capitals of the US States, much less the actual States themselves.

Exactly. My DD is in 1st grade and the best teachers engage the younger children by being a little bit goofy. Things like funny walks make learning fun. Fifth grade, however, if completely different.

 

[cardaway]

Why can't we watch and disagree without attacking people's lifestyle, career, etc...?

Why can't people honestly react to what has been done and said by the Weavers without people telling them they are wrong for doing so. It's pretty clear this isn't a knock about the lifestyle given the wide variety of people commenting, it's about the Weavers and only the Weavers.

I think the Weavers would be fan favorites had they not claimed to be better than others and would have channeled their faith into trying benefit the whole race. Group prayers, being the helpful team, saying the nice things about the others... you know... being everything they say they are. The winners of last season sure seemed to pull that off.

The Weavers are actually kind of good looking, the seem to be outgoing, and have a sense of humor that till now has only been used to slam others. Yes, they could have easily been the fan favorites.

 

[chasbos]

I have a quick opinion on the equalizers on the race.

Remember back in the first season when the 2 gay men were so far behind in the final leg of the race? The final show was very boring and you knew who was going to win.

I think they learned from the first season that if you keep the teams too spread out on the race it is not very exciting TV to watch.

This way they always have the teams at the road blocks and detours at the same time. This adds to the race IMO because the teams can see what each other is doing and it feels like they are competing against one another.

It makes for better TV if the teams are always together - that is how they get to like and dislike each other so much!

 

[cardaway]

I have a quick opinion on the equalizers on the race.

Remember back in the first season when the 2 gay men were so far behind in the final leg of the race? The final show was very boring and you knew who was going to win.

I think they learned from the first season that if you keep the teams too spread out on the race it is not very exciting TV to watch.

This way they always have the teams at the road blocks and detours at the same time. This adds to the race IMO because the teams can see what each other is doing and it feels like they are competing against one another.

It makes for better TV if the teams are always together - that is how they get to like and dislike each other so much!

But that first season had equalizers as well. Either waiting for specific plane flights or waiting for things to open. I do agree that the producers saw the benefits you mention, but IMO it has got out of hand.

My favorite part of this season was Daddy Gaghan saying that because of the equalizers you only have to worry about beating one team. Of course that's also my biggest problem with this season, they were taken out by a team who was only still in it because of the equalizers.

 

[illini]

dumb question but I am curious,

Does Wally's orange Nike hat say Illini???

 

[live4christp1]

Why can't people honestly react to what has been done and said by the Weavers without people telling them they are wrong for doing so. It's pretty clear this isn't a knock about the lifestyle given the wide variety of people commenting, it's about the Weavers and only the Weavers.

I think the Weavers would be fan favorites had they not claimed to be better than others and would have channeled their faith into trying benefit the whole race. Group prayers, being the helpful team, saying the nice things about the others... you know... being everything they say they are. The winners of last season sure seemed to pull that off.

The Weavers are actually kind of good looking, the seem to be outgoing, and have a sense of humor that till now has only been used to slam others. Yes, they could have easily been the fan favorites.

I agree. The first of the race I was kind of rooting for them. But as the show progresses, I just shake my head. They get upset when others are rude to them, but then they turn around and do exactly the same thing when they should be practicing "do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

 

[robinb]

dumb question but I am curious,

Does Wally's orange Nike hat say Illini???

My guess it's his alma mater. He and his daughters are from Illinois. So are the Godlewski sisters.

 

[glass-slipper]

Why can't people honestly react to what has been done and said by the Weavers without people telling them they are wrong for doing so. It's pretty clear this isn't a knock about the lifestyle given the wide variety of people commenting, it's about the Weavers and only the Weavers.

I agree!

 

[SRUAlmn]

I knew my point would be completely missed. I am NOT supporting their actions. I also agree, as a Christian, that their Wholier than Thou attitiude is very non-Christian like and neither are many of their other actions. However, I was just trying to send out a SLIGHT bit of empathy towards a difficult situation in life. You don't know until you've been there and it's not fair for us to completely judge anyone for their actions and the choices they make. I'm not attacking anyone on here for their views, I was just asking for some understanding and empathy for what they are going through.

Why can't people honestly react to what has been done and said by the Weavers without people telling them they are wrong for doing so. It's pretty clear this isn't a knock about the lifestyle given the wide variety of people commenting, it's about the Weavers and only the Weavers.

It is a knock on their lifestyle when people are saying that the daughters are sleezy and that the mother is acting like a child and that they are white trash. Those are attacks on their assumed lifestyle.

It just bothers me that these threads always turn into personal attacks on people that none of us know. Why can't we just comment on the show itself? If you don't like something they said on the show, fine, say so! If you think the girls shorts are too short, fine, say so! But why do we have to take it to the next level? Why can't we just say 'the girls shorts are too short and it bothers me.' Why does it have to turn into 'those girls are so trashy.'

 

[damo]

I think that the whole intent of having a variety of people on the show is to create viewer involvement exactly like this thread.

 

[glass-slipper]

It is a knock on their lifestyle when people are saying that the daughters are sleezy and that the mother is acting like a child and that they are white trash. Those are attacks on their assumed lifestyle.

It just bothers me that these threads always turn into personal attacks on people that none of us know. Why can't we just comment on the show itself? If you don't like something they said on the show, fine, say so! If you think the girls shorts are too short, fine, say so! But why do we have to take it to the next level? Why can't we just say 'the girls shorts are too short and it bothers me.' Why does it have to turn into 'those girls are so trashy.'

But, the way the people act, dress, and what they say IS part of the show. it's a reality show about people and how they handle situations. It is human nature for viewers to voice their opinion about the teams, that is what makes the show interesting. I think the fact that the teams are people whom we don't know, and that it is a just a TV show ,is why some feel they can say it they way they see it without worrying about being PC. Does that make sense?

Added: I really don't think saying the Mom acts immature is an attack. I think people have said the girls dress sleazy, not that they are sleazy.