Rob couldn't spell Philippines, and other reality checks

It's been such a long time since I last wrote about The Amazing Race, despite it still being my all-time favorite reality contest since they put the Philippines on their route map on Season 5. I'm invested in this current season, The Amazing Race All-Stars, because it brings back familiar faces, both welcome and unwelcome. Last week, Uchenna and Joyce, the team I rooted for in Season 7, were the last to arrive at the pit stop. Fortunately, it was a predetermined non-elimination round. Unfortunately, the race has evolved since Season 10, and they were tagged for elimination. That means they had to arrive first yesterday, Monday, or else they'd be given a 30-minute penalty that could spell their early elimination after their million-dollar-winning first run. I'm feeling ambivalent about this, because I don't sense the same energy I felt back then. On their first TAR run, they were in love and after the money to have a baby. On this one, their marriage is on the rocks, and still no baby.

Ironically, their top competition also in Season 7, Rob and Amber, were the last to arrive the week before them, resulting in a surprise elimination for a team that had been nothing but first on the mat since the race started. Rob and Amber, if you don't already know, is the ultimate reality couple. They met and fell in love on Survivor: All-Stars (he actually proposed before Amber won the $1M prize), got married in a reality special called, well, Rob and Amber Get Married, and are now stars of their own reality show, Rob and Amber: Against the Odds. Rob also hosts a show called Rob to the Rescue.

I didn't want Rob and Amber to win in Season 7, because their Survivor fame gave them unfair advantage (most of the locals recognized them), so I was thrilled to the bones when they placed second. I still didn't want them to win The Amazing Race All-Stars because, well, I'd still want the prize to go to somebody more deserving. Or, at least, somebody new. So I was even more thrilled to the bones when, on their elimination episode, it was Rob's spelling of "Philippines" that did them in.

For the Detour in the Argentina leg, Rob and Amber chose to Sign It. They had to build a pole, go up a flight of stairs to Magellan's Map, figure out his journey around the world to and from Seville, Spain, and make signs bearing the names of his fourteen ports of call. All the names had to be spelled correctly. And Rob had difficulty spelling Philippines (I think he spelled it "Phillipeans" at one point), and needed to correct it many times, before calling it quits and changing tasks. This gave other teams plenty of time to catch up, including another team I both respect and find annoying, Charla and Mirna, who was Team No. 1 for the first time ever last week.

As for American Idol, is it losing steam? If voting is to be the gauge, it's not. If the success of previous contestants is to be the gauge, it's not. But if you take a good look at the current season, you just might agree. There are still great singers left on the Top Ten, but nobody really has star quality, not even the best singers Lakisha Jones and Melinda Doolittle. I think only Sanjaya Malakar, who's considered the worst of the lot, has enough charisma to move anyone to tears (and in fact, he did, just last week). But maybe it's just me, outgrowing the contest. In any case, I'm now rooting for either Blake "Beatbox" Lewis, for his fresh vibe, or Melinda, for her humble charm.

Still on American Idol, guess whose one of the also-rans who has a new album? Elliot Yamin of Season 5, the Jewish diabetic who's 90% deaf in one ear, and has an amazing relationship with his mother. I'm thinking Season 5 was a good harvest for AI, with albums for Bucky Covington, Kellie Pickler, Chris Daughtry, Katherine McPhee, winner Taylor Hicks-and now third-placer Elliot Yamin. And from being the dorky charmer, he's looking quite hot these days.

Now I wonder what Season 4's Constantine Maroulis is up to? Email your comments to [email protected]. You may also post them at http://channelsurfing-freeman. blogspot.com or text them to +63920.273.7087.