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Archive through December 16, 2004

The TVClubHouse: Amazing Race Archives: Amazing Race VI: AR General Discussions: AR 6 News Articles: Archive through December 16, 2004 users admin

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Yankee_in_ca
Member

08-01-2000

Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 11:34 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I figured I'd start this thread for the season.

There is a really funny quote from Phil in the last paragraph of this Toronto Sun (syndicated) article:

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/WinnipegSun/Spotlight/2004/11/23/726705.html

More than one way to win at Amazing Race
By BILL BRIOUX, Sun Media

Why do people get hooked on shows like The Amazing Race? It's genetic, explains Phil Keoghan, thrill-seeking host of the around-the-world reality series that continues tonight at 8 p.m. on CTV and CBS. Keoghan (rhymes with Hogan) believes that there is a risk-taking gene in all of us.

"The reason that shows like Survivor and The Amazing Race have captured people's imagination is that they speak to that gene," he says. "They allow us to vicariously escape and do the very things we feel we need to do, but we're not getting in our everyday life."

Too many of us back off our destiny due to fear or other excuses, he says.

"The two big excuses I hear from people are 'I don't have time' and 'I don't have money.' "

His own priorities changed at 19 when the New Zealander was trapped diving in a shipwreck.

"It was the first time in my life I really felt like I could die," he says. "Obviously I managed to get out, and as a result I was really motivated to start living the biggest life I could. I wrote this list of things to do before I die and that list became a career for me. I wound up getting paid to do the things on my list."

For a similar approach, just look at the first two people tossed from last week's Amazing Race premiere. High school buddies Avi and Joe came last out of 11 teams, but were blown away by the experience and thrilled to make that first trek from Chicago to Iceland.

"If these guys were only going to go in the race to win and not for any other reason and they were going to measure it that way, then, yes, they failed. But life isn't like that," says Keoghan. "What's so great about people who get on the show is they do truly embrace the experience and they do see it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And it's not just about the money."

That even applies to Jonathan, one of the "married entrepreneurs" who instantly stepped into the villain role last week. Keoghan concedes Jonathan is "without a doubt the loudest person we've ever had compete on the race," but he's also the biggest fan.

"He's analyzed every challenge, he knows what worked and what didn't work. This is a guy who's on a mission to win The Amazing Race."

Keoghan says putting "married pro wrestlers" on your application form, as gung ho grapplers Lori and Bolo did this time, doesn't automatically qualify you for the event.

"Only if they deliver as people," he says. "We get a lot of applicants with pretty good headlines -- wannabe astronauts or whatever."

And don't be fooled by all those contestants who call themselves "dating models" or "actors," either.

"What people call themselves doesn't necessarily mean that's what they are. I live in L.A. where people call themselves actors, models, producers, directors and writers and they work down at the 7 -Eleven."

Lancecrossfire
Moderator

07-13-2000

Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 12:01 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
It makes sense for the show to pick people who see it as more than a race--just like for those who see Survivor as more than a 39 day game. I think those who look to get that once-in-a-life-time experience out of it put themselves into it more than those who are just playing a game.

I like the way Phil approaches doing AR too--he lets the contestants and the places be the stars of the show. He is there to facilitate and explain--and I think he is very good at that.

Interesting point about the "actors/models teams too. I admit I'd rather see 7-11 workers than models though, if that is what they really do. I am much more accepting of a team who is really what they say they are, instead of the "wannabe" types that are so common in society today.

Yankee--athnsk for the article!! I know you are a fan of Phil's--and so am I.

Aussiedeb
Member

07-05-2004

Saturday, November 27, 2004 - 9:18 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
What an excellent article. Thanks. :-)

Deb M

Lancecrossfire
Moderator

07-13-2000

Saturday, November 27, 2004 - 11:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Deb!! Hi!

Ocean_islands
Member

09-07-2000

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 3:47 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Not so amazing

By Maureen Ryan
Tribune staff reporter
Published December 15, 2004, 3:50 PM CST

Fans of CBS' "The Amazing Race" were buzzing Wednesday about the latest incident involving the show's least-liked couple, Jonathan and Victoria.

The married couple is constantly bickering, screaming and, a couple weeks ago, Jonathan physically shoved Victoria. On Tuesday's episode, under even worse conditions -- Victoria was sobbing uncontrollably as they approached the finish-line mat, due to yet another spat -- Jonathan pushed Victoria again, hard enough to cause her to stumble.

Even host Phil Keoghan was taken aback by Jonathan's behavior. "I think you probably should go and talk to Victoria," Keoghan said, as Victoria walked off camera, sobbing.

Jonathan promptly went up to his wife and started screaming at her again: "This is a race! This isn't about compassion!"

According to one domestic violence expert, Jonathan's behavior amounts to abuse.

Vickii Coffey, executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network did not see the episode in question, but she said that any time physical shoving occurs, especially in conjunction with a verbal altercation, there is a serious cause for concern.

"There's a pattern that is happening, and that's being documented by the producers of this show and it's necessary for [producers] to be aware that over time, these kinds of incidents tend to escalate and become more frequent and get more intense," Coffey says. "There's a good probability that there could be more violence than what we're seeing."

Coffey says she is disappointed that the violence was shown and that there did not appear to be any consequences for or discussions with Jonathan or Victoria. The episode ended soon after the shoving incident, and both were allowed to continue with the race.

Coffey was not just concerned for Victoria, she was also concerned about what viewers might take away from the depiction of Victoria's relationship with the explosive Jonathan.

"By televising this, what we do is say? This is OK?," Coffey says. "Because nobody is doing anything about it. Nobody is addressing it on the show. Abuse is a learned behavior. We learn to be violent because we're taught in different ways in our culture to normalize certain things."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-tribtv,1,7980418.story?coll=chi-news-hed

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 6:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Great article, I am glad this is getting a lot of publicity.

Seamonkey
Member

09-07-2000

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 6:47 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I think I'll go back to their website and send him another snarky message

Dogdoc
Member

09-29-2001

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 9:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
The article stating "because nobody is doing anything about it" says it all. I don't think Phil telling Jonathan to talk to Victoria was enough. I'm sure there are legal reasons the people in charge cannot do more but I don't like the continuing abuse.

Gina8642
Member

06-01-2001

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 2:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    

quote:

Vickii Coffey, executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network did not see the episode in question, but she said that any time physical shoving occurs, especially in conjunction with a verbal altercation, there is a serious cause for concern.


For all I know, Jonathan is the worst wife abuser in the world, but hitting someone's backpack is in no way evidence of this. Conclusions are being massively jumped to!!! I think if Jonathan actually does hit Victoria - which he has not, they should kick them off the show.


Lilfair
Member

07-09-2003

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 2:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I think an angry shove/push is self explanatory especially in conjunction with his constant verbal abuse. One does not have to witness a shove to know what it is. Remember this was NOT a playful shove this shove was out of anger.

There is no rocket science involved.


Jimmer
Member

08-30-2000

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 2:37 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Gina, I agree and I posted a similar comment in the Jon & Victoria thread. A lot of analysis and extrapolation based on limited evidence.

Auntiemike
Member

09-17-2001

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 2:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I don't want to jump on any bandwagons with regard to Jonathan's behavior. I think it will play itself out and the proper consequences will prevail.

However, I am deeply concerned at how "physical" abuse is somehow separated from "emotional or verbal" abuse and not (seemingly, to me that is) seen as the same, equally inexcusable behavior. They ALL violate another person and the damage is sometimes deeper within and not visible. Physical wounds can heal (short of murder) yet the other abuse can last a lifetime.

Now, do I enjoy watching this dysfunction every week? Absolutely not. TAR was one of my favorite reality shows but it is losing its' appeal.

I also don't care for the "Ugly American" comments from Kendra. How sad that she appears to be so unaccepting of other cultures. Especially in light of the fact that she signed on to participate on a show that takes her all over the world! Her comments in Senegal were embarrassing and I only hope she sees this later and uses it as an opportunity to grow and expand her thinking.

Karuuna
Member

08-31-2000

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 3:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I have a story....

Many years ago I was in training to be a counselor at a shelter for battered women. Part of the training was to go on a police ridealong on a Friday night (they receive more domestic violence calls on the weekend).

Sure enough, about an hour into the evening, my two police fellas received a domestic violence call and off we went. The officers hauled the guy off to "talk to him" and I visited with the woman. Since there was only arguing, no law was broken, but the officers told the man to stay somewhere else that night, and I also told the woman the same (since the man was not arrested).

Back in the patrol car, we were discussing the incident, and the one of the officers noted how the woman was ugly and mean and had "provoked" the man into threatening her. In my usually diplomatic way (meant sarcastically) I started berating the officer who said this, calling him a stupid <expletive deleted> idiot, an <expletive deleted>. He was quite shocked, and asked me to stop. I continued, getting meaner and uglier by the minute. The officer grew angrier, told me several times to knock it off, and finally said he was taking me back to my car at the police station.

When we arrived at the police station and he asked me to get out, I quietly asked him if I could ask him something. He agreed, and I asked him why he didn't threaten me, after all I had been *purposefully and willfully* provoking him for over 20 minutes. He replied that he wasn't that kind of guy, he would never threaten or hit a woman.

I simply responded "exactly my point."

The point of this is that some people simply do not have internal prohibitions against threatening behavior. This is a character issue, not a stress issue. Someone with good character and maturity simply will not do what Jonathon did under those circumstances.

The reason Jon treats Victoria abysmally is because at some level he thinks it's okay to do so. You will note that ALL of the other couples in the race are under the same stress, and those at the end of the pack even more so.

But Jon was running second when he got all stressed out and ugly. They were doing VERY well in the race, by any standard but his own.

Yet you don't see all of the other couples shoving their partners and berating them as Jon does. Yes, there is some arguing at times, but most others have not risen to the level of verbal abusiveness that Jon has.

Ultimately, Jon chooses to treat Victoria the way he does because he thinks its okay and/or he lacks maturity and self control. And his treatment of her IS a very serious issue and ought to be dealt with as such.

Stress is no excuse. There simply is no excuse for his behavior, and I'm appalled that others aren't willing to call him on it.

Auntiemike
Member

09-17-2001

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 3:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Great post Karuuna! Thanks.

Landi
Member

07-29-2002

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 3:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
wow karuuna. your post said volumes!

Lilfair
Member

07-09-2003

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 3:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Karuuna, I'll concure...great post. Thanks for taking time to put that in writing.

Dogdoc
Member

09-29-2001

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 3:47 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I think that physical abuse is worse than verbal abuse. Verbal threats are scary but an actual physical attack is going one step more. In my line of work, a growl or snarl from a dog causes fear, but it is not until an actual bite occurs that pain is involved. A threat is a threat but an actual attack is worse.

Ar_jammer
Member

11-17-2004

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 3:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I really agree with everything you said Karuuna... no buts, no ifs, total agreement.

Its unfortunate that Victoria chooses to remain in this situation also. You have to wonder what Victoria's core values are that allow her to remain in this relationship.

Watching2
Member

07-07-2001

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 4:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Great post Karuuna! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us.

Gidget
Member

07-28-2002

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 4:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
as always karuuna a lot of stuff in your post. what struck me most was your last comment: "I'm appalled that others aren't willing to call him on it."

i have seen this all too often in real life on so many levels. there is some kind of mentality of not wanting to get involved. people feel safe if they can stay neutral. it's none of my business. i dont know the whole story. etc.

i am as guilty of this as others. i would like to think i would speak up in such an extreme situation as jon and victoria. but i am not absolutely certain that i would. there was a time when i would have without question. why have i changed. experience.

you get involved with other people's problems. bad relationships are the worst. when a relationship goes bad and with good reason and someone turns to you for support you are putting yourself at risk.

all too often, especially in abusive relationships, the victim returns to the situation. and then suddenly you are the enemy. the abuser is suspicious of how much has been revealed to you. the victim is embarrassed because he/she knows she is making a bad choice but cannot help it.

an uncomfortable place to be to say the least.



Vsmart
Member

02-10-2003

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 4:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Right on, Karuuna!

Karuuna
Member

08-31-2000

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 7:47 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Wow, thanks all of you.

Dogdoc, I disagree. Years of emotional abuse can take a very heavy toll on someone. Almost everyone I know remembers all the hurtful things said to them, and the most hurtful things STILL hurt decades later. Just think about it. Most folks can look back at their childhood and still remember at least one incredibly mean thing that was said to them, and it usually still invokes that pained feeling.

Gidget, you are right. We are a culture trained not to get involved. There are times when I do, and times when I don't. When my very best friend married a man whom I considered to be a cad, I told her so. I also told her I would stand by her, no matter what decision she made. Because I both acknowledged my distrust of him, AND because I still steadfastly remained her friend, without lecturing (except to say I was afraid for her safety), when he did start hitting her, she knew she could come to me without being judged. And even tho she went back once before leaving him for good; she still felt she could talk to me about what was happening.

Last summer my son and I were at DisneyWorld, and I saw a woman YANK her little girl out of the stroller and knock her to the ground for crying. SIX other adults were with her, and not one said a thing. My son (then 9) was staring at them and started tearing up. I knew I couldn't just walk away, but I was so furious at that woman, I also knew I ought not talk to her.

So I walked over and said loudly to the other adults "What she did was bad enough, but that not ONE of you is willing to stand up for that little girl is TEN times worse!" Immediately the father picked up the little girl and started to comfort her, and two of the other adults took mom aside. Sometimes people just need permission to do what they know needs to be done. And if one person can start things in motion, the others find the way too.

But no, I don't always speak up either. I wish I were that brave, but I know I'm not. I'm working on it!

Seamonkey
Member

09-07-2000

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 8:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Great posts, Kar!!

Dogdoc, I add my disagreement to Kar's.. mental abuse/mind games can actually be worse than physical in many cases.. the abused person is gradually broken down.

And AR Jammer, that is what makes working with domestic violence so frustrating.. it is very difficult to "get" where the beaten down abused partner is coming from, so we get frustrated with them. Why do they go back? Why do they stay? And I can't tell you completely why, but often they are just so broken and the typical abuser cycles, so that after an explosion then there is a "honeymoon" period where they apologize, are very positive, promise to never do it again, etc. Standing on the outside of that, we can see how bogus that is, but the truth is that in abuser-abused dyads. So not only is it our culture to not get involved, but often we tend to hold the abused in low esteem, especially if we rescue them and then they go back.

I went through tons of training for rape crisis work and the domestic violence piece was one I still wrestled with, even after a year or so.. so I went and trained at the battered women's shelter and that, coupled with lots of discussion and reading finally sunk in with me and then I was able to withhold judgement and listen. The frustration and very real fear that the violence would escalate into fatal action remained.



Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 9:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
i will tell you from personal experience that you are almost more afraid to leave than to stay. you aren't 'dead' when you stay, just knocked around some, and you know where your enemy is...when you leave, you have to look over your shoulder all the time and not know just who all the person has 'recruited' to help 'get you'. i actually wrote a manuscript about my nightmare. i was one of the fortunate ones who said, "i am leaving and i will get through." i had to hide out at a buddhist center for two months.
once i had to leave all my groceries on the counter when the best man from my wedding appeared in the grocery store and screamed at me in front of everyone in the store. i had to change jobs. i had to move. i got into taxis in san francisco where the drivers told me i was 'being watched'...
my husband had recruited many people to help find me. my husband was wanted for murder and had a dead man's name and social security number. he was a Weatherman (a radical splinter group of the students for a democratic society--SDC--which some of you 'older' folks might remember from the chicago democratic convention...abby hoffman's group) involved in making bombs. he told me he would kill me because (at the time) "there is no death penalty in california" and "i will be out in 8 to 10 years."
am i afraid today? no. i would kick his ass and he would never get up. but at age 24, i was terrified.

Taximomg
Member

07-17-2004

Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 10:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
In one of the earlier episodes, Jonathan raised his arm up as if he was going to strike her, then lowered it as if he remembered where he was. It made me wonder what he does, and has done in the past, when cameras aren't around.