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TAR 8 - On-line Articles
puddin:
Hope student joins 'Amazing Race'
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
By Colleen Pierson
The Grand Rapids Press
HOLLAND -- Lindsay Bransen, a junior at Hope College, finds herself racing from class to class, working on her major in social work.
But that's not the only race she has been involved in lately.
Bransen competed on the Emmy-award-winning CBS reality show, "The Amazing Race." The show, which began a new season last week, puts contestants on a fast-paced adventure to $1 million.
Two-person teams of couples or friends typically are featured on the reality show, but this season the teams are families. It is the first time in eight seasons the usual 11 teams of two have become 10 families of four.
Standing near New York Harbor, host Phil Keoghan greeted the families on the opening episode. After his traditional eyebrow raise and arm signal, the teams frantically dashed to their first clue waiting alongside their bags.
Last Tuesday's premiere showed the families starting in New York City, crossing the Delaware River and ending up in Lancaster, Pa.
West Michigan connection
The Bransen family team, from Park Ridge, Ill., features proud pop Walter, 51, and his three beautiful blonde daughters who were in a Pert shampoo commercial a couple of years ago. His 22-year-old daughter Lauren recently graduated from Hope College while Lindsay, 20, is a student there. The eldest daughter Elizabeth, 25, completes the team.
When contacted by The Press, Lindsay said she wasn't allowed to say anything about her experiences on the show. Mom Judy could, though.
"I don't watch much TV and don't care much for most reality TV programs, but no way will I miss a minute of this show," she said.
The proud mom watched the opening episode with family and friends (including 11 Hope College friends of Lindsay's) at a Chicago restaurant.
She said the audition process of competing against 20,000 other applicants was grueling, but the family made it through cut after cut.
"They had to complete numerous aptitude, personality and I.Q. tests before the final meeting with the head of CBS-TV, where they were told they had finally made the show," she said
Family traits
According to the show's Web site, Walter admits to being the self-proclaimed leader of the group.
Married for 31 years, he works as a CFO and is a native of Chicago. He describes himself as reserved and analytical. He is also a history buff who is especially knowledgeable about Abraham Lincoln.
Elizabeth recently received a master's in social work from the University of Illinois. She and Walter have similar personalities, and sometimes their stubbornness causes friction..
Lauren earned a bachelor's degree in communications and business management from Hope College. Punctual and adaptable, Lauren admits she can be impatient.
Lindsay, the youngest of the sisters, teases that her older sisters are always telling her what to do.
Mom Judy says she thinks the team will do well together because they are very close, and there is great chemistry between the girls and Dad.
"This is a really good show, the premise is nice, and it isn't off color. Contestants need to rely on instinct -- one wrong turn and they can move from second place to last.
"I was nervous that they might get eliminated, but they came in seventh place on the first episode," Judy Bransen said.
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grpress/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-0/112843724514900.xml&coll=6&thispage=1
puddin:
Last update: October 10, 2005 at 5:31 PM
Kids are leading the way -- 'Amazing'
Neal Justin, Star Tribune
October 11, 2005 AMAZING1011
Reality TV makes for a poor children's playground, unless you believe the future of America will depend on diving into vats of spiders, living off cold rice on a desert island or making out with complete strangers.
But "The Amazing Race," which last month won its third Emmy in a row for best reality program, is one of the few G-rated shows left on broadcast television, which makes this season's family edition an appropriate, and delightful, twist.
It features 10 teams of four related members, racing across the world for a $1 million prize. Among the competitors: 9-year-old blond Carissa Gaghan and 8-year-old Austin Black. In the early days of the contest, families crossed the Delaware River by boat, built a water wheel in Amish country and participated in a Civil War reenactment.
season premiere of "The Amazing Race: Family Edition."Robert VoetsCbsTo date, no one has eaten sushi off a naked woman or had to deal with Corey Feldman. And it's unlikely anyone will.
"We've never relied on exploiting people," said host Phil Keoghan, who was in Minneapolis last week promoting the show and his book "No Opportunity Wasted," a self-help manual. "It's a feel-good show."
That description contributed to the show's slow start out of the gate. Since its premiere in 2001, the show has struggled to attract the kind of ratings and media attention that goes to more sinister fare.
The series didn't attain gold-medal ratings until last season (the show's seventh) when conniving "Survivor" veterans Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich were added to the mix.
Rob and Amber aren't exactly role models for kids. In the current edition, one family features two sons who constantly belittle their mother.
But Keoghan said he's not worried about exposing young competitors -- and young viewers -- to all kinds of personalities.
"We choose people who are representative of people in everyday life and not everyone is politically correct," he said. "It's a cruel fact of life. You can't protect them from everything. There are lessons that have to be learned."
Some of those lessons are being taught by the junior participants. In a future episode, a feud develops between two teams and it's the kids who attempt to bridge the gap.
"There's a different kind of energy in this race," Koeghan said. "At the first pit stop, families were going out of their way to help other families. Kids were opening their parents' eyes to the idea of sharing."
Koeghan says one sixth-grade class in Cincinnati has been using the program in its lessons about behavior and morals.
Some core fans have expressed concern that the show may be tamed down this season. Koeghan admits that some past challenges probably wouldn't be allowed this time around (the parachute jumping comes to mind), but he said "Race" is safer than it looks.
"We know the rope they're swinging on is safe because we've tested it 3,000 times," he said. "The most dangerous thing we do is when we allow teams behind the wheel or in a taxi. That's when we lose control."
Koeghan is a little off. The most dangerous stunt in the show's history is inviting kids to participate. If it succeeds, expect a lot more family fun in the future. If it flops, stay tuned for increased bickering.
.
http://www.startribune.com/stories/459/5653358.html
puddin:
--- Quote from: gingerman28 on August 17, 2005, 09:11:39 AM ---From some pretty reliable spoiler information posted on various boards since July 7 it now looks like all TEN teams make it to Huntsville, Alambama (NASA space camp?) at the end of which will be the FIRSTelimination. So that is going to be a douzzy of an opening show on September 27: New York, New Jersey, Washington, DC, South Carolina to Huntsville, Alabama!
From the descriptions and other pretty reliable sightings in Toronto and Montreal it looks like the four Godlewski Sisters make it that far (a team of four girls was spotted in downtown Toronoto) and either the Weavers or Bransens also make it to Montreal (team with adult and three children spotted but not further identified.) Also it looks like the Black Family does not make it to the final five (all white familes supposedly spotted.)
--- End quote ---
Gman ..do you know where the "Montreal (team with adult and three children spotted but not further identified." came from ?
Slowhatch:
Score another success for gringo reality. You can translate the article with google, but there's not much useful info, except for the local company they used--Verite Productions.
puddin:
Slowhatch ..thanks you |#' , if I'm reading this right filming was over 3 days ??
Panama reality
Writing | Live, Critic in line
International production.
Panama becomes scene of an international___ production again, as soon as they were filmed, some chapters of reality show__ Amazing Race, three winning series of Emmys.
Amazing Race __Panama___ was recorded ____in attractive leases around the capital and will show to the tourist___ enchantments and the ___economic dynamism in the creeks of the Panama Canal.
The program was co-produced by the equipment of Verite Productions, Panamanian__ tens___ of producers and professionals who collaborated, during three days with recognized the producing North Americans Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri de World Race Productions.
This program is one of most popular of the television in the United States, with a hearing considered in 70 million people.
Amazing Race consists of teams of participants who discover tracks that take them sites to different from interest. Throughout their passage by the world disqualifications take place while the winners approach the longed for prize of a million dollars.
This Tuesday 25, chain CBS releases the chapter filmed in our country and it will be possible to be seen in Panama by Channel 78 of the Cable.
translated with altavista ..
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