aperaexe01: Why I hate The Amazing Race

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Why I hate The Amazing Race

I love TV travel porn. Turn on a little Rick Steves traipsing around Europe's back doors, Ian Wright of Globetrekker getting hamstrung in a Turkish hamam, or Anthony Bourdain slurping up Pho in Vietnam on No Reservations, and I am fixated. Hell, I'll even watch the awkwardly matched foursome of Gwyneth Paltrow, Chef Mario Batali, food writer Mark Bittman, and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols just to see them thump melons and gobble down salty pig parts as they ramble through the markets and kitchens of Spain on PBS's Spain...on the Road Again.

As much as I adore armchair exploration, however, there is one program that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth - the wildly popular CBS reality travel show The Amazing Race. If you've never seen it, the show consists of 11 two-person teams that fly around the world to compete in challenges, typically based on the local culture, such as roping a llama in Peru or driving a snowplow in Siberia. Since it began in 2001, "Race" has won eight Primetime Emmy Awards and has been franchised to include versions in Asia, Australia, and Latin America. In Israel, The Amazing Race is called HaMerotz LaMillion, which translates roughly as "Race to the Million," because teams compete to win $1 million (or, in the case of Israel, one million new Israeli shekels).

In sum, the Amazing Race is an adrenaline-fueled travel adventure show beloved by millions of TV viewers worldwide. So why do I hate it? Here are three reasons:

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Why I hate The Amazing Race originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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