Archive > The Amazing Race
The Amazingly Rigged Amazing Race
puddin:
'Amazing Race' Conspiracy Theories Heat Up
Friday, May 13, 2005
Add Rob and Amber to the growing list of people who wonder if the finale to the "Amazing Race 7" was fixed.
CBS' popular around-the-world race's runners-up, Rob Mariano (search) and Amber Brkich (search), suggested Thursday that the down-to-the wire finish of the show was a setup.
"I'm not saying anything," Mariano grinned on yesterday's edition of "Live with Regis & Kelly" when Regis Philbin asked him if he thought there had been a "plot" to help the eventual $1 million winners, Uchenna and Joyce Agu (search), take the top prize.
"America can judge," Mariano laughed.
The move that has everybody wondering came about 20 minutes before the end of the finale, when Rob and Amber squeezed onto an American Airlines flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Miami.
Moments after the door to the aircraft had been sealed and the Jetway pulled away, Uchenna and Joyce begged to be let on the flight. The airline official at the gate called the pilot, who agreed to open the door and allow them onto the plane.
"When was the last time you ever have seen them close the door of a plane and then turn around and open it after they pulled the Jetway away?" Mariano asked.
"That pilot owes us a lot of money," Amber said.
"You've seen them on 'Survivor' and 'The Race,' " a CBS spokesman says. "Rob says everything with a grin. But such characterizations, even in jest, are completely without foundation."
Further fueling the conspiracy theory is the fact the American Airlines was a major sponsor of "Race." Internet buzz speculated yesterday that producers asked the airline to open the door so that the dash to the finish line of the 40,000-mile race would be more dramatic.
"Reality series are always breeding grounds for conspiracy theories," says the CBS spokesman. "Only an understanding gate agent and the goodwill of the pilot returned the Jetway back to the plane. Uchenna and Joyce treated everyone with kindness and respect thoughout race, and that karma was returned at a crucial moment."
Insiders say that the pilot "felt bad" for Uchenna and Joyce when he was told they were at the gate with a TV camera crew and begging to be let on the flight.
A Federal Aviation Administration official told The Post yesterday it is the pilot's decision to open the door after it's been sealed.
"It's the pilot's call," the FAA spokesman said. Under these circumstances "it's perfectly fine for the captain to [have] returned to the gate to pick up the couple."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,156435,00.html
Just to add , on Ambers website , which is not working at the moment here is the link , Ambers posted that the plane had already pushed off and taxied down the runway ..then the plane turned around to let U&J on ..heh now thats amazing !
rmax:
I know there are Romber fans here, and I do apologize if I offend anyone, but I think Romber's post-game attitude has definitely been that of sore loser/sour grapes. Also, if the post by Amber about the plane already leaving the gate is true, then there's some revisionism going on too, since from what we saw on the show, the plane clearly had not left (unless it was the magic of editing). But all other reports claim only that the gate was returned, not the plane.
The Amazing Race is all about luck, and the kindness (or not) of strangers. I doubt very much that this manufactured controversy will hurt the show. Let me guess, some bigshot from American Airlines called the pilot and told him to re-open the gate, because American Airlines is a sponsor? Or better still, some bigshot from CBS called some bigshot from AA who called air traffic control who told the pilot to re-open the gate? All of this within the required time to get the plane into the air according to the flight schedule? I do so love a good conspiracy theory.
On a side note, David W. Taylor of Reality Reel Media sure does love the sound of his own "voice." "...whizzing askance"? I guess that's the downside of online thesauri.
Oh, one more thing...I think God is a little too busy with other things to interfere with the outcome of television reality shows. So, if the Hand of God had anything to do with U/J getting onto the flight to Miami, I think that's the biggest conspiracy theory of all.
Thanks, puddin, for posting these articles. I find them fascinating.
floridagirl:
Hey Puddin I love the articles. I find the insight into the behind the scenes info to be fascinating. I am a huge Romber fan and was dissapinted when they came in second. however, I am so over it ()
I do feel like the editing was poor. I feel like the producers used editing to cast the final three in stereotypical fashion. Uchene and Joyce- the good guys. Rob and Amber- the Villans. Ron and Kelly-the comedic relief....you never new what Kelly woud say next.
Keep up the great work Puddin |#' |#' |#'
puddin:
:)
Rombers TV Guide interview
rmax posted ~
--- Quote ---Oh, one more thing...I think God is a little too busy with other things to interfere with the outcome of television reality shows. So, if the Hand of God had anything to do with U/J getting onto the flight to Miami, I think that's the biggest conspiracy theory of all.
--- End quote ---
</] I wonder if God had a hand in U&J contributing to the busdriver bribe to keep the back doors locked so that the other teams in the back could not exit first ]][ ?
rmax:
--- Quote from: puddin on May 18, 2005, 02:12:29 PM ---rmax posted ~
--- Quote ---Oh, one more thing...I think God is a little too busy with other things to interfere with the outcome of television reality shows. So, if the Hand of God had anything to do with U/J getting onto the flight to Miami, I think that's the biggest conspiracy theory of all.
--- End quote ---
</] I wonder if God had a hand in U&J contributing to the busdriver bribe to keep the back doors locked so that the other teams in the back could not exit first ]][ ?
--- End quote ---
No, that had to be the devil () :)*
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version