RECAP: The Amazing Race “A Little Too Much Beefcake”

Phil Keoghan welcomes us to another season of The Amazing Race. The starting line is Venice, California. The teams come running in. All of them excited.

We are introduced to Justin and Diana. An engaged couple. Justin is 39 from The Bronx, NY. Diana is 30 from Shraron Hill, PA. He’s a morning show DJ, and she’s a 6th grade teacher. They are such big fans of the show, Justin created an online version. He hired a camera guy, created fictional roadblocks, and detours. They traveled through 6 states, 5,000 miles, and 2 countries. They ended up under the Aurora Borealis. He proposed under the Northern Lights and she said yes. After putting the proposal on the internet, it went viral. He was in Buzzfeed, MSN, Yahoo. Justin says it was a dream come true. #TheGreenTeam

Tanner and Josh are best friends from Texas. Tanner (age 26) is from Ft. Worth, and Josh (age 28) is from Dallas. They are sure there are some cute girls they can flirt with. Flirtation is one of their strategies. They talk to the other sex with ease, and they think women will fall for their Texas charm. They apparently dated the same girls while in college. One of them has game. The other not so much. #TeamTexas

Alex is 22 from Champaign, IL, and his cousin Adam is 24 from Des Moines, IA. They have a form of Dwarfism. They don’t look at it as a disadvantage. Alex was a wrestler in high school. Adam was a self described “Theater Kid.” He was in choir, and did some acting. They plan on sneaking past their fellow racers all the way to the end. #TheCousins

Cindy Chac is a General Dentist and her hubby Rick is an OBGYN. They are newlyweds from San Diego, Ca. Cindy says as Doctors being cool, calm, and collected is part of their job. Rick says they’re smart, athletic, and they work well as a team. The other teams need to watch out because #TeamChacAttack is going to win. #ChacAttack 

Denise Williams and James Earl Corley are from Alabama. They have been best friends James entire life. Denise was a single mom. Denise did not act “ideal” when James came out to her. He says moms are suppose to love you unconditionally. It was awful for him. They didn’t talk for awhile after her less than ideal reaction. Denise has grown so much since he came out. Denise says she use to be his hero. She doesn’t feel like his hero anymore. Hopefully doing the race together will make Denise her son’s hero again. #TeamAlabama

Jazmine and Danielle met running track at UC Riverside. They both live in Los Angeles, CA. They both broke track records. They call themselves “The Dream Team.” #TheTrackStars

Logan and Chris work as Paparazzi. They live in Miami, Fl. They are dating. Chris calls it “a pretty crazy job.” She says they aren’t “celebrity obsessed by nature.” Both of them are photographers. They never pictured themselves doing that crazy job. (Video is shown. Chris is hugging Kanye West.) They had a hard time paying the rent until they shot a couple celebs on the beach. Chris says they were chasing Justin Bieber a couple days ago. Now they’re chasing Phil around the world. “We’re going to find them first just like they we do in Miami.” #TeamPaparazzi

Tiffany and Krista are friends from New Jersey, and Staten Island, NY. They are both former NFL Cheerleaders. They claim there’s a big stereotype when you’re from Staten Island and New Jersey. One of them has a Masters Degree, and the other is a Healthcare Consultant. Don’t let the makeup fool you. #TheCheerleaders

Phil welcomes the teams to a very early morning start at the hippest beach in America. There are fans, and the very first winners of the show hanging out at the starting line with the racers. He announces their first destination. Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The former cheerleaders jump up and down overly excited. When Phil says go they have to run and catch a cab to another beach where they will go head to head in a bike race. The winning team will get the 1 ticket on the first flight to Brazil. The second flight leaves 30 minutes later. On their way to the cab they have to pick up their backpacks and fitbit trackers. Their activities will be monitored. The team that wins the first leg of the race will receive an express pass. Phil thinks they’ve waited long enough. The World is waiting, travel save, and GO!

The racers run to waiting cabs all desperate to be the first ones to arrive at their first destination. The California beach they will be bike racing. TeamTexas pats eachother on the back, TeamGreen talks about adrenaline, and Team Alabama gives high fives. TheTrackStars can’t wait to get to Brazil, and see the Brazilian Men.

We meet Kelsey and Joey. They are reporters who have been dating for a year in a half. They are from Santa Barbara, Ca. Joey is the morning news anchor, and Kelsey is the main reporter out of Ventura County. Did I mention their really lame intro? Kelsey sees The Amazing Race as a test. She wants to test their relationship, and figure out if they should be together forever. #TheReporters

The most known team is #TeamTMZ. Kelly and Shevonne grace our screen every night with their witty remarks about the stars. Shevonne describes TMZ as a gossip show and website. She says “They’re truthtellers.” Kelly says sometimes it’s a little mean spirited. Kelly says she’s use to sitting and talking smack about people. Shevonne says now they’re running and talking smack about people.

Back to the race. Logan and Chris talk about only 1 ticket being earlier than all the others. Logan says it’s really important for them to get the express pass.

Ernest and Jin are dancers. They think their life is on the line. A lot of people get to go back home. If they get eliminated, there’s no home to go back to. One of them is sleeping in his car. They started making money by street dancing. That’s how they feed themselves, and put clothes on their backs. They agree. They came on the show to win. It’s either go hard or go home. They don’t have a home.  #TheDancers

Alright so this isn’t a simple bike race. It’s a bike race across a body of water. Waterbikes. One team member hangs on while the other rides what looks like an exercise bike across the water to Phil’s location. The cheerleaders say who says cheerleaders aren’t athletes? They all struggle their way across the water. TeamTexas is in first place until their break their bike somehow and get stuck. TeamGreen is right behind them. They would stop to tow TeamTexas but they’re beefcakes. TeamGreen passes them up taking first place. TeamAlabama is right behind them. TeamTexas is still trying to figure out how they’re going to get across the water with a broken bike. TheCousins pass them up asking if their ok. TeamGreen wins the first flight to Rio. TeamAlabama was close behind. 1 half of TheTrackstars and ChacAttack fall in the water.The rest of the teams arrive. They give Phil high fives, and receive their tickets to Rio. TeamGreen is already in the Taxi happy they are now getting a 30 minute jump on the other racers. TeamTexas is last to reach Phil.

TeamGreen is at the airport catching their flight. They’re going for that express pass. The rest of them at the airport waiting to catch their flights. TeamAlabama asks if they can join TeamTMZ. Shevonne sheds a little light on their personalities. She says they’re very judgemental. Shevonne says TeamAlabama is a little Norman Bates, and his mother. TeamTexas has to do a lot of fist bumping.  Shevonne says TheCheerleaders are really prissy. She says she has a lot of questions about their primping process. Kelly says sometimes people are here to look good instead of do good at the competition. The rest of the teams catch their flights and everyone is off to Brazil. TeamTexas feels like they’re a little behind. It’s time to put their game faces on.

Phil says the teams are flying 6,000 miles from North America  to South America. They land in the city of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. When they land they have to make their way over to the Lagoa Helipad for a helicopter ride over Rio. TheGreenTeam was delayed, and the second flight was a little early. So much for that big lead! TheGreenTeam hurries into a cab to the helipad in order to maintain some kind of lead. It was nerve wracking to see the other teams. The other teams hurry into cabs to the helipad. TeamAlabama calls their Brazilian cab driver Fred a rockstar. Then Denise does a little WhopWhop. They do a little more joking with “Fred” who probably has no idea what the crazy Americans are talking about. TheDancers are amazed with Rio. Not because it’s a beautiful city. It’s one big ghetto to them. They call it “The hood of Brazil.” The cab driver joins in by naming one of the “ghettos.”

TeamGreen arrives at the helipad. They open a Fast Forward. The Fast Forward requires them to hang glide over Rio. They read a warning. The Fast Forward is weather dependent. Justin wants to take the chance. They go for the Fast Forward. Justin thinks about the team right behind them. To maintain their lead they wanted to take the leap and just do it. ChacAttack also arrives at the helipad right when TeamGreen is taking off to hang glide. ChacAttack thinks it’s too risky. The decide to go with The Route Info. Phil says the teams will take a helicopter ride over Rio featuring famous landmarks. (HINT HINT: Christ The Redeemer is the secret word.) When the teams land, they must correctly answer the heliport manager’s question about what they’ve seen to receive their next clue. ChacAttack is the first team to hop on the helicopter. They know they have to pay attention to what they see in order to answer the heliport manager’s question. None of the other teams decide to take The Fast Forward. Everyone is really excited to take the helicopter ride. Meanwhile TeamGreen is arriving at the Fast Forward destination. They receive some bad news. They can’t hang glide due to the weather. The person who’s suppose to teach them about hang gliding says the wind makes it too dangerous. They are so frustrated. They think they are going to land in last place now. Justin throws himself a little pity party in the cab. He starts crying. TeamTexas says seeing Christ The Redeemer is the most amazing thing ever. ChacAttack lands first. The question: “What’s the name of the monument you passed during the flight?” ChacAttack answers correctly and receives their next clue.

The Detour is Sand or Sidewalk. Sand is about soccer, Brazil’s number 1 sport. They play it on Volleyball courts. They have to play “Footbalie” against local pros. The pros are allowing the racers to use their hands. If the racers can score 6 points before the pros score 18, they will receive their next clue. Sidewalk requires them to put together a geometric slide puzzle that matches a Portuguese sidewalk along the beach. ChacAttack and TeamAlabama pick sidewalk. They have to wear white bathing suits while doing the Detour. 1/2 of ChacAttack hates the bathing suits. ChacAttack gets started on their puzzle.

TeamAlabama arrives a little bit later. TeamTexas picks Sand. They have to go with their strengths. They feel confident they can beat those pros. TheTrackstars also pick sand. They also felt confident until the pros got started. Then they backtracked and said the pros are amazing. TeamAlabama is confident because when James was a kid he did a lot of puzzles. ChacAttack is having a disagreement. Cindy doesn’t like the way her hubby is talking to her. Rick’s tone is disrespectful because he’s use to being demanding in the OR. Back on the Volleyball Court, TheTrackstars say playing against the pros brought out their competitive side. TeamTexas is in gamemode. TheTrackstars and TeamTexas are close. Both on their last point.

TeamTexas finishes first. After they finish their Detour, they have to make their way to the Arpoador Lookout. That’s their first pit stop. Last team to check in, may be eliminated. TeamTexas takes off for the Pit Stop. TheTrackstars finish next. Instead of walking like TeamTexas, they catch a cab. puzzle central has 2 hard at work. TeamAlabama finishes their puzzle first, and off they go to the Pit Stop. TeamGreen finally arrives to the helipad. Justin says they’re in last place, and they’re broke. Justin’s still throwing himself a pity party. TeamTexas arrives first. They have earned The Express Pass. With the Express Pass they can skip any task they don’t want to do before the end of the 5th leg. Once they use The Express Pass, they have to hand it over to another team. That team has to use it in the next leg. They feel amazing going from last place to first place. TeamTrackstars make it in second place. TeamTMZ chooses Sand, but they just plain suck. They ditch the Volleyball and head to the Sidewalk Detour. ChacAttack completes their puzzle. They head to the Pit Stop. (in 4th place) TeamTMZ is struggling with their puzzle. TheCousins arrive at the Detour and decide to go with Sand. TheDancers struggle with the name of the monument. Luckily they wrote stuff down while they were waiting for their helicopter ride. (They are in 9th place) ChacAttack hits the Pit Stop in 3rd place. TeamAlabama lands in 4th place.

The Reporters get to the Detour. TheDancers also choose Sand. They don’t like the shorts required. “It’s Brazil. Who doesn’t like being naked?” ThePaparazzi chooses Sand. They complete their Detour and head to the Pit Stop. They’re currently in 5th place. TeamGreen begs a cab driver to take them to the Detour. He says yes. TheCheerleaders arrive at the beach, but their cab driver kicks them out. They have to go find the Detour flag. They quickly find out it’s too far to walk, and scramble to find a solution. ThePaparazzi reaches Phil in 5th place. TeamGreen arrives at the Detour and quickly get started on their puzzle. TheCheerleaders also arrive. TheReporters choose to hit the sand.

TheCousins finally get 6 points and finish their Detour. TheCheerleaders start their Detour, but they suck at Volleyball. Instead of continuing to try, one of them starts crying. They quit and head over to the puzzle. TheCousins arrive at the Pit Stop in 6th place. TheReporters get their 6th point, and head to the Pit Stop. TeamGreen gives up on the puzzle and choose to play Volleyball. TheDancers finish their Detour while TeamTMZ continues to go in circles. TheReporters and TheDancers arrive 6th and 7th. TeamGreen is back in the race in 9th place. TeamTMZ says if they get cut first, it’ll be open season at work. TheCheerleaders are just crying. TeamGreen arrives at the Pit Stop. Finally TheCheerleaders finish and arrive at the Pit Stop in 10th place. Phil meets TeamTMZ at their detour. All the other teams have checked in. They are the first eliminated. They decide to hit the bar.

Amazing Race airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

 

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