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Amazing Congratulations
Congratulations to Reichen and Chip, winners of the latest circuit of The Amazing Race on CBS. The couple claimed victory for gay people everywhere, and they earned it—especially against the subtle homophobia of second-place-finishers, John and Kelly. Of course, some people won't be too happy for Chip and Reichen, but the rest of us can be thrilled about the serendipitous synchronicity that put a married gay couple on national TV for 8-10 weeks just as the Supreme Court was striking down U.S. anti-sodomy laws. Not only that, but as Heather Havrilesky noted last week on Salon, they seemed to be the most compatible, well-adjusted, and likable couple on the show.
Rereading that article also reminds me of the irony in the fact that the team that made each other the most miserable on this season of the Amazing Race may have been the self-proclaimed virgins who have dated for 12 years, Millie and Chuck. They crashed and burned a few weeks ago and seem destined for eternal unhappiness if they insist on staying together. Meanwhile, Chip and Reichen will have $1 million with which to show each other the depth of their love. Perhaps there is justice in this world, after all.
Posted August 22, 2003 07:14 AM | general politics life generally
:-)
Posted by: Katherine at August 22, 2003 04:34 PM
AAAAAGH! Spoiler alert. That's what I get for taping it and not watching it yet. :( But that's okay, I won't tell my spouse. :)
Posted by: Beanie at August 22, 2003 07:46 PM
Katherine: Good luck in law school!
Beanie: Oops! Very sorry! I didn't even think about the spoiler thing...
Posted by: ambimb at August 23, 2003 08:01 AM
Hey AI, C&R raced well but I was rooting against them because of Chip's bout of ugly Americanism in South Korea, when he vented fury at the cab driver's inability to speak English. Some people have defended Chip on the ground that he was "tricked" by the cab driver, who pretended (allegedly) to speak English. Only, Chip didn't say something like, "Damn you, why did you lie to me about speaking English?" It's certainly ambiguous, but it did not come out well.
Posted by: Tung Yin at August 24, 2003 04:53 PM
Ooh, I'd forgotten about that. Chip certainly *was* an ugly American that episode. Very. He also showed his ugly side when he just *had* to beat John and Kelly and ended up spinning his vehicle off the road (in the last or second-to-last episode). C&R were far from perfect, and I actually favored the clowns for most of the show.
Posted by: ambimb at August 24, 2003 06:33 PM
