The Amazing Race 11/18/2007 *Spoilers of Course*

[tjramsey]

Episode title was:
"Please, Lord, Give Me Milk"

I never get to start the TAR thread for the week, can't believe there wasn't one already.

Typical bunching episode, but I enjoyed it.
Doublemint Twins not shown in the best of light with their comments on the train.

Whine level high at the roadblock.

T.J.

[hc130radio]

That Kynt dude is a fa-reak...

[spikedavis]

"maybe There's No More Milkkkkkkkk!!!!"

[MarkofT]

"maybe There's No More Milkkkkkkkk!!!!"Um...that was "Baby, There's no more miiiiillllllkkkk!!!!!"<sob>

[Ntombi]

Well, not the most interesting episode, but I was laughing at the milk breakdown, at the same time that I was halfway understanding how it could get to that point.

At the beginning, with Dad's hernia, I was sure that he was going to have to drop out. I'm still not sure that's not going to happen, but he's managing to hang in there. He wasn't as much of an ass this week. Might have been editing, or he actually could have worked hard at toning himself down. Time will tell.

Was the bro/sis team really the only team that split up the words? :confused: I guess it's hard to think logically, even this early in the race, because that's what I thought of immediately.

I was sorry to see Mariana and Julia go, but I wasn't too attached to them, and Nathan and Jennifer didn't make me want to hurt them, so I wasn't actively rooting against them this week.

Goth couple crack me up. :D There's something likable about them, even with all his foibles.

[scottykempf]

"Be gentle, they are nipples."

[danplaysbass]

Gramps was kicking butt on that milking task!! He even seemed like he enjoyed the taste of it.

I'm sad to see the girls go. I was telling my wife that I thought they would be good competitors. That just goes to show that sometimes it is just the luck of the draw with TAR.

[heySkippy]

The sisters cooked their own goose! As they were finally leading their camels away from the milking challenge, one of them hollered to Lorena who was still trying to get milk that she should try one of the camels with a baby. Lorena moves, gets her milk, and they pass the sisters on the way to the mat.

That was a nice thing to do, but she should have kept her mouth shut.

[5thcrewman]

Oh Blondes, why couldn't you have just kept quiet? Now you will be the 'Catty Blondes.'

[TiVo'Brien]

I think when Lorena's milking method wasn't working, she tried some other method for a few strokes. (Or at least that's the way it looked on camera.) :D

[scottykempf]

"Just swallow it, Vyxen. Swallow." LOL

[JLucPicard]

Not that I was a fan anyway, but Gramps lost me talking about Miariana and Julia - just too much of a creepy old man vibe - too much.

[janry]

Well, not the most interesting episode.....

+1

Probably the least interesting episode of any TAR IMO.

[TiVo'Brien]

+1

Probably the least interesting episode of any TAR IMO.
Yeah, while watching it I couldn't figure out why that was. Was it because I don't care enough about any of the teams, because I'm tiring of the show in general, or because the producers have taken out all of the suspense by removing most of the competitiveness in the show.

[teknikel]

Did anyone think "Rudy" when Grandpa made the sister comment?

[wendiness1]

Camels have breasts?

So far, I think grandpa has done all the challenges. I don't really believe the grandson is "saving himself" for challenges later on. I think he knows they're never going to make it to the end and, if he plays his cards right, he'll never have to do a challenge.

[loubob57]

Did anyone think "Rudy" when Grandpa made the sister comment?

I sure did! He sounded just like him.

As far as the camel milking, does screaming at the camel count as "loud noises" that they were told camels don't like? :rolleyes:

[Bryanmc]

Did anyone think "Rudy" when Grandpa made the sister comment?

I heard the line on a radio promo the other day and that's exactly who I thought of.

[Havana Brown]

The latina chicks were starting to grow on me this episode, too bad they're gone now.

I know the racers were tired and all, but I would have never chosen to teach instead of learn. I would want my fate to be in my own hands, not someone else's.

That was a good idea to go to a camel that had a baby near it. It was funny to see the babies nursing while they racers were trying to milk it.

[debtoine]

I also loved the comment from "male" goth (I think he said it, not her) about how she's the more manly of the couple and she usually does the more manly things. Then he yelled at her that they needed to help each other off the train, yet, if she goes first, how can he really help her? It looked like a pretty big step, if she'd been hanging on to him for support and mis-stepped, she'd probably have pulled him to the ground with her.

I also thought it was a pretty boring episode overall. I don't know if it was a misread, but I could swear that one of the teams reading the last clue about the pit stop said that the last team to check in "would" be eliminated, where everyone else (including Phil) said "may" be eliminated. I'm gonna see if I can find that again today just to confirm my own doubt.

deb

[SoBelle0]

I think when Lorena's milking method wasn't working, she tried some other method for a few strokes. (Or at least that's the way it looked on camera.) :D
Yes, and wasn't one of the Blondes doing that as well... for quite some time. :eek: I thought, okay, this is not going to work the way you seem to think it's going to work...

[kettledrum]

Did anyone else have the situation where the show seemed to skip ahead a few minutes? The show seems to cut to the bunch of teams racing to the mat and they didn't show them finishing up the language task at all. My recording also started Cold Case at the 0:58 minute mark. Was it only my feed?

[scottykempf]

I liked when Phil said "Its amazing, thousands of miles, and these teams all arrived at the mat at the same time."

Really, Phil? Did you miss the part where all the teams got on the same flight to Burkina Faso, then all the teams got on the same train to Bingo, then all the teams got to the milking challenge at the same time? Of course, getting through the milking and learning seperated some teams, but only by 10-20 minutes.

[vman]

I think part of the problem with this episode was it was yet another "lead an animal" somewhere task. It's getting old. They need new and more interesting challenges, not "grab the local animal and drag it a mile down the road" every week.

[TIVOSciolist]

I think part of the problem with this episode was it was yet another "lead an animal" somewhere task. It's getting old. They need new and more interesting challenges, not "grab the local animal and drag it a mile down the road" every week.

Also, it looked as though the sisters were leading the camels on their own and doing so in a relatively leisurely pace. However, the other team got some special help.

When Lorena's team started to catch up, you can see the local camel herder swinging his branches behind the camels in order to drive her team's camels forward.

[TiVo'Brien]

I liked when Phil said "Its amazing, thousands of miles, and these teams all arrived at the mat at the same time."

Really, Phil? Did you miss the part where all the teams got on the same flight to Burkina Faso, then all the teams got on the same train to Bingo, then all the teams got to the milking challenge at the same time? Of course, getting through the milking and learning seperated some teams, but only by 10-20 minutes.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing -- not amazing at all considering all the bunch-ups.

[Steve_Martin]

It looked to me like annoying Dad needed a painful distraction to keep him from being such a tool.

[JLucPicard]

It looked to me like annoying Dad needed a painful distraction to keep him from being such a tool.
I couldn't quite come up with a focused statement of that feeling I had, but you nailed it! :)

[ElJay]

This show really needs something new to freshen it up. I've loved it since the beginning but I agree that the whole 'lead an animal here, Travelocity, find this thing in many things, Travelocity,' routine is wearing thin. It really feels like the producers are just going through the motions to earn a paycheck. I wonder if it would be easier for them to find unique/interesting challenges if they stuck with a few main urban areas instead of all of these zig zags to random places. I guess the family edition more-or-less tried that and the results were pathetic, but maybe in Europe it would be better.

[Inundated]

It looked to me like annoying Dad needed a painful distraction to keep him from being such a tool.

Or, his hernia matched the pain-in-the-butt his poor daughter had to deal with... her father.

:D

[wendiness1]

So, Inundated . . . who would have sipped the camel milk? You or me?

[Inundated]

So, Inundated . . . who would have sipped the camel milk? You or me?

You KNOW that's what was running through my mind!

I probably could have suppressed my gag reflex for that one.

[ADent]

1) It is the casting. Even though a lot of teams look different, they are all an OK bunch - minus the Dad (who was relatively nice this episode).

The one tool got eliminated in the first leg.

2) It is the same thing over and over with bunching. The Fast Forward was kinda interesting at times, and it is basically gone.

Would have been more interesting (but a stunt) to say fly to Africa, but you can not pass thru Schipol (the airport in Amsterdam) - this would have required teams to take a train to the next largest city or try to get to a nearby city with commuter planes.

----

To bad the sisters eliminated themselves by being nice. Meltdown girl deserved to go.

----

The last two teams basically split up the words. They didn't point it out, but during the study part and the test they basically split up the 10.

[trainman]

Phil was surprised that five teams all showed up on the mat at the same time? Perhaps the producers need to explain their "bunching" technique to him. :D

[scsiguy72]

I was truly waiting for
"My Camel is Broken"

[markz]

I think when Lorena's milking method wasn't working, she tried some other method for a few strokes. (Or at least that's the way it looked on camera.) :D

I caught that too! Reminds me of the old saying "If you milk a bull...you've got a friend for life!"


I also noticed some editing of the time-line.

When the first team was doing the learning part, the roof was leaking behind them, but when they showed them outside, it was still sunny. Then when the showed the rest of the teams, the weather was changing fast and they all got rained on.

[Jebberwocky!]

Watched this last night - the couple who came in second to last - I felt for the woman who had issues milking her camel but esp. when the camel kept knocking her bowel and spilling some milk.

Then at the end, after being given a nice hint by the eventual loser they show her milking a camel and the camel's legs are tied together so that it can't kick her and spill some more milk.

[Steve_Martin]

I was truly waiting for
"My Camel is Broken"

I said it out loud. :)

[JLucPicard]

Watched this last night - the couple who came in second to last - I felt for the woman who had issues milking her camel but esp. when the camel kept knocking her bowel and spilling some milk.

Then at the end, after being given a nice hint by the eventual loser they show her milking a camel and the camel's legs are tied together so that it can't kick her and spill some more milk.
I believe all the camels being milked were similarly tied, but they still had enough mobility to move their legs. The kicking they did do was relatively tame and very little range of motion, but when you've got a bowl of milk sitting right next to the leg, it will get knocked around.

[Amnesia]

(...) but esp. when the camel kept knocking her bowel (...)That's gotta hurt...

[The Spud]

And in the end, there was no need to cry over spilt milk. :)

[KyleLC]

And in the end, there was no need to cry over spilt milk. :)LOL!

[PJO1966]

Kudos to the guy who's girlfriend was having the meltdown. Some former male racers would have been screaming at her, which would only have made matters worse.

I think the Dad has multiple personalities. In the first episode he was funny, in the second he was an ass. In this week's episode he was fairly normal.

[jradosh]

And in the end, there was no need to cry over spilt milk. :)

But they are drama-dairies (dromedary... get it? ;) :p :D )

[DevdogAZ]

I also loved the comment from "male" goth (I think he said it, not her) about how she's the more manly of the couple and she usually does the more manly things. Then he yelled at her that they needed to help each other off the train, yet, if she goes first, how can he really help her? It looked like a pretty big step, if she'd been hanging on to him for support and mis-stepped, she'd probably have pulled him to the ground with her.

deb
Actually, she was ahead of him and had gotten off the train just fine on her own. Then he got to the edge of the step and called after her, "Vyxen, we have to help each other." What a loser. If she got down without your help, why do you need hers? Pathetic excuse for a guy.

Kudos to the guy who's girlfriend was having the meltdown. Some former male racers would have been screaming at her, which would only have made matters worse.
We said the same thing. Jason is a saint the way he was being so patient.

[scsiguy72]

Watched this last night - the couple who came in second to last - I felt for the woman who had issues milking her camel but esp. when the camel kept knocking her bowel and spilling some milk.



When I was watching this I thought they kept showing the same "kicking the bowl scene" It looked like they showed the same thing and tried to make it look like differant incidents.

[kettledrum]

When I was watching this I thought they kept showing the same "kicking the bowl scene" It looked like they showed the same thing and tried to make it look like different incidents.

Yup, I thought the same thing.

Did anyone else have the situation where the show seemed to skip ahead a few minutes? The show seems to cut to the bunch of teams racing to the mat and they didn't show them finishing up the language task at all. My recording also started Cold Case at the 0:58 minute mark. Was it only my feed?

I guess this didn't happen to anyone else since no one else mentioned it.....hmm.

[Uther]

(...) but esp. when the camel kept knocking her bowel (...)
That's gotta hurt...

Yeah, I'd cry too if a camel kept knocking my bowel.

[markz]

Yeah, I'd cry too if a camel kept knocking my bowel.

I am glad I wasn't drinking when I read that!

[PKurmas]

I was truly waiting for
"My Camel is Broken"

I went in a slightly different direction:
"if your camel should break through no fault of your own, a substitute camel will be provided, but there will be no time credit."

Still, my sister is right... there should be animals in every single episode.

And I think I'm glad that the blondes are this year's first Ugly Americans... more reasons to snarl at them.

[Bill Reeves]

I think part of the problem with this episode was it was yet another "lead an animal" somewhere task. It's getting old. They need new and more interesting challenges, not "grab the local animal and drag it a mile down the road" every week.

I would love it if they had to interact with local animals every week. It provides for some of the best TAR moments. "My ox is broken!" Those teams in Ireland who were screaming at their donkeys while other teams peacefully pass them by. The camels in this episode.

"The Amazing Farm Animal Race" -- I'd watch it!

[DevdogAZ]

What was it that the Blonds said that everyone thinks is so bad. Maybe I was just paying attention to the cleavage and not to what they were saying, but all I remember is that they were saying how dirty the place was. It's simply a statement of fact. The place was filthy. Why would that be considered snarky or bitchy? Did I miss something?

[latrobe7]

What was it that the Blonds said that everyone thinks is so bad. Maybe I was just paying attention to the cleavage and not to what they were saying, but all I remember is that they were saying how dirty the place was. It's simply a statement of fact. The place was filthy. Why would that be considered snarky or bitchy? Did I miss something?

Because they were behaving as spoiled Americans. You would not need to speak English to tell from their tone and body language that they felt the surroundings were beneath them. Not saying anyone felt different, but everybody else managed to not express their discomfort outwardly.

[stalemate]

I agree with DevdogAZ. I don't get why everyone is hating on what they said.

[JLucPicard]

If I remember right, they were making comments about peoples clothes and odors and using terms like "Chez Africa" or something like that. I thought they were pretty much talking to each other - hard to tell because they're mic'd and we hear what they are saying pretty clearly.

Heck, I've heard and participated in similar conversations where comments are made about what someone is wearing and "hey, 1980 called and they want their hairdo back" and things like that. And people sit around the TV on Oscar night and rag on what people are wearing etc. The Blondes certainly weren't saying things like "Hey lady, felt a bar of soap lately?" or anything like that.

I agree that what they said is not something you would want people around you hearing, but who among us have not made similar comments when talking to our friends?

[Steve_Martin]

Something along the lines of: "these people attract flies"

[tjramsey]

Something along the lines of: "these people attract flies"

Yup, that was the worst of it. I'll give them a break for the most part. I've never been to Africa, but I've been to India, and all the new sights, sounds and smells in a developing country can be quite a shock to the system. And of course, we don't really know what kind of comments the others might have had that were not edited in.

And the comments didn't quite reach Kendra levels (am I remembering her name right, from a few seasons back?)

But still, the fly comment was a bit much for me.... I don't hate the blondes, but the comments did nothing to particularly endear them to me either.

[Inundated]

And the comments didn't quite reach Kendra levels (am I remembering her name right, from a few seasons back?)

That would indeed be the racer some called "KKKendra", aka Ms. "They Keep Breeding".

I'd agree. Not really the kindest comment, but not quite to KendraLand.

[Anubys]

Kudos to the guy who's girlfriend was having the meltdown. Some former male racers would have been screaming at her, which would only have made matters worse.

well, he did make a comment later about how well she "pleases" him (or something like that)...men will put up with a lot if they're getting it good ;)

the Blondes are number 1 on my hate list...those comments about the smell and the flies were too much for me...they had no sympathy...just horrible...

[IJustLikeTivo]

I agree with DevdogAZ. I don't get why everyone is hating on what they said.

Maybe because it was ethnocentric and somewhat racist. I've been lots of places in my life that were radically different from my life here. Some of it repulses me on a visceral level but I try to understand that economic reality leads to some amazing things.

Also, you can learn a lot from people like that if you choose to. How often do you see people in desperate poverty with a smile on their faces while the rich b$%^h at the mall has a scowl while wearing a mink coat and drinking a cup of starbucks that costs a week wages for others.

[stalemate]

Maybe because it was ethnocentric and somewhat racist.You guys are going to have to beat me over the head with this one. I have heard plenty of racist comments and I can't even imagine how what they said was racist. Maybe I missed part of it.

[goblue97]

You guys are going to have to beat me over the head with this one. I have heard plenty of racist comments and I can't even imagine how what they said was racist. Maybe I missed part of it.
+1
As long as you heard the comment about the flies, you didn't miss anything. Not sure how that is racist either.:confused:

[pdhenry]

Not when the camera cuts to an example with a bunch of flies buzzing around the kid's head...

[Jebberwocky!]

political correctness gone crazy

[gschrock]

You know, when I was watching this episode I knew there'd be people that are ready to jump on their backs about some of those comments. It's pretty easy for people on here to make comments about the way people react, but I suspect a lot of those commenting would probably find themselves to be pretty uncomfortable in a place like that.

Now, I won't entirely defend some of the comments Kendra made (although to be honest, while the way it came out was pretty bad, IMHO there's some nuggets of validity in some of the comments, although you have to be an idiot to say it the way she did).

Top off with the fact that they're already in a fairly stressful situation and probably haven't been getting enough sleep, and things just aren't going to come out as well. (There's also always the editing question, you never quite know that others aren't saying the same thing, just not shown.)

[Ntombi]

I absolutely would feel uncomfortable, and would probably not be happy with some of the sights and smells I would encounter. That doesn't mean I would be so rude as to comment on it out loud. I didn't find the comments racist, just incredibly rude and ignorant.

I've been in plenty of situations where I was uncomfortable, felt judgmental, or just plain didn't "get" something about people I was with. I kept it to myself until I was away from the situation.

They didn't complain as much in the last episode when one of them was covered in muck from the stream crossing. :confused:

And, um, have they ever seen the show before? That's what went through my mind. They had to know they'd be going to some out of the way places. You're tired and cranky. Okay. Just suck it up.

All that said, I noticed and was :rolleyes: by their comments, but it didn't make me all of a sudden root for their departure or anything.

[latrobe7]

For all those who don't get what was wrong with their behavior; I wonder how far afield you've traveled. And if you have been in a third world country, did you make your discomfort with the surroundings obvious? There is no doubt in my mind that most of the teams were uncomfortable, but had the tact not to express it. Whether or not their comments were factually accurate doesn't matter, just as when a small child points to someone else in public and says "Mommy, that lady's fat" - it may be factually true, but it's still impolite to say.

It's possible other teams made comments that were not shown; but that wouldn't excuse anyone's behavior. The blonds' discomfort was apparent enough to be noticed by Azaria & Hendekea who commented that they did not look comfortable.

I don't think the comments were racist, but 'classist' and classless.

[JLucPicard]

Some people seem to be making it seem as if those comments were said loud enough for people to hear them. All I know for sure is they were loud enough for the mic to pick them up. Rude or classless or whatever, if they were just said between the Blondes I have a hard time feeling they were egregious behavior. If they were said loud enough for people around them to hear them, then they're idiots - but I don't know if that was the case or not.

[latrobe7]

Here's a youtube clip of the scene, about 2:30 in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4Wg5c9gyKg

[stalemate]

A few years ago I saw several Chinese toddlers in Beijing wearing kai dang ku (http://cellar.org/iotd.php?threadid=4006). When we saw one of them drop a deuce in the middle of the street and then his mom lay a piece of toilet paper over the top of it like it was no big deal, I looked at my wife and we both commented how disgusting it was. Does that make us racist against Chinese people? :p

Seriously though, it should make you uncomfortable to see people having to live in the conditions shown on the last episode of TAR.

[IJustLikeTivo]

You guys are going to have to beat me over the head with this one. I have heard plenty of racist comments and I can't even imagine how what they said was racist. Maybe I missed part of it.

I think we just don't agree. I don't think it was flagrant but I think all comments of that type are somewhat racist in that the make fun of or belittle someone of a different ethnic background. Sure, you can argue that she was discussing the living conditions but these people are living that way and know nothing else. That IS their reality. And, as I pointed out they are often quite happy with it.

I think my point is that when traveling some tolerance is needed. You WILL see things that will assault your senses and shock your sensibilities. But, how you feel and how you act are different. It's one thing to have a private aside to someone you know, it's another entirely to say something you know is being filmed. Maybe they forget the camera but I certainly have never said anything like that in public regardless of what I was thinking.

I've been to places just like that in Africa, India and parts of Asia and you have to consider it part of the experience and learn from it. YMMV.

[Amnesia]

I think we just don't agree. I don't think it was flagrant but I think all comments of that type are somewhat racist in that the make fun of or belittle someone of a different ethnic background. But by saying that you're implying that they wouldn't be making the same comments if the people were white. What makes you think that?

They were commenting based on the living conditions, not the skin color.

[madscientist]

I agree with Amnesia. They're talking about living conditions, not ethnicity. They didn't say "these people smell, just like everyone of their race". Calling what they said racist is belittling the term; people sling "racist" around so much these days it's starting to lose any meaning.

Now, they might be racist, and they might have said those things meaning to be racist, but the things they actually said, even in the context they said them, are definitely not racist. Insensitive, perhaps. Showing a lack of experience and understanding, sure. Racist? No.

[pdhenry]

At least they didn't comment on their "continuing to breed" or whatever it was Kendra said.

[Topher5000]

When one of the blondes asked "Where are they taking us?" & the other jokingly replied "Maybe they're taking us to be sold for money!", I figured I'd be reading about that on TCF, not the flies comment.

[IJustLikeTivo]

Now, they might be racist, and they might have said those things meaning to be racist, but the things they actually said, even in the context they said them, are definitely not racist. Insensitive, perhaps. Showing a lack of experience and understanding, sure. Racist? No.

I guess in the strictest sense, that's true, but I've traveled a lot and my personal experience is that ethnocentricity and racism are two sides of the same coin. I've rarely come across people who were culturally prejudiced but good with all races simultaneously. Either you accept other cultures and races or you don't. Some of it can be attributed to just plain ignorance based on cultural indifference but not all of it.

I suppose it is possible that the blondes were just uniformed and inconsiderate but I tend to think there is more there than we see. TV paints in stereotypes mostly cause it is just so easy to do.

YMMV.

[Andrew_S]

my personal experience is that ethnocentricity and racism are two sides of the same coin.

That's why the term African-American is so appalling and racist, and yet it's tossed around in the american media as if it's somehow politically correct.

I suppose it is possible that the blondes were just uniformed and inconsiderate

Or maybe they were simply making a comment comparing their life experiences to those in their current situation. Not a big deal.

[teknikel]

I suppose it is possible that the blondes were just uniformed and inconsiderate but I tend to think there is more there than we see. TV paints in stereotypes mostly cause it is just so easy to do.

YMMV.

I think they were just wearing t-shirts. :D

[IJustLikeTivo]

That's why the term African-American is so appalling and racist, and yet it's tossed around in the american media as if it's somehow politically correct

Isn't that the term of choice that group prefers? I agree that it incorrect. To my way of thinking you are only African American if you were born in Africa and now were a naturalized citizen. Everyone else is an American of african extraction at best. Just as I am an American of scottish, irish, german, french extraction.

But, what would the correct term be?

[IJustLikeTivo]

I think they were just wearing t-shirts. :D

Ah but for the lack of an "N"....

[madscientist]

I suppose it is possible that the blondes were just uniformed and inconsiderate but I tend to think there is more there than we see.I personally think that racism is such a serious charge that it shouldn't be alleged unless there is clear evidence, and this, to me, doesn't rise to that level. I have no trouble seeing these two saying virtually the same things in any extremely poor area of the world, regardless of the ethnicity of the people who live there.

As you say, though, YMMV.

[Amnesia]

Isn't that the term of choice that group prefers? I agree that it incorrect. To my way of thinking you are only African American if you were born in Africa and now were a naturalized citizen.I don't care what the group prefers. People want to use the term as an ethnic term to describe a person's race (like "Caucasian"); in particular, it's used to replace the term "black".

I have a couple of issues with that idea. First of all, people want to use it only to describe people of African descent who have dark skin. (In other words, they don't want to use it to describe white South Africans or Arabic Egyptians.) Secondly (and by far more importantly), in order to use the term properly, you need to know both the person's heritage and their nationality.

If I'm asked to describe a person who I don't know very well, I can tell his ethnicity, but I might not know if he's American, Canadian, British, etc. What am I supposed to say?

[teknikel]

I personally think that racism is such a serious charge that it shouldn't be alleged unless there is clear evidence, and this, to me, doesn't rise to that level. I have no trouble seeing these two saying virtually the same things in any extremely poor area of the world, regardless of the ethnicity of the people who live there.

As you say, though, YMMV.

My reaction is the same as Ntombi's. With my only third world encounters being Mexico and slums of Rio de Janeiro.

I have been trying to imagine them going through select towns in West Virginia or in select areas of the Balkins and the former Yugoslavia(frankly, I am not sure of the conditions in this area right now, but 15 years ago...) and I keep coming up with similar reactions from them.

But I still do not think there can be an equal comparison of that scene they had and areas where Caucasians have the same type of poverty (please inform me otherwise). So, I can see where the thought process may go in this direction, right or wrong.

We as humans seem to find ways to collect data to compare. Usually it comes down to the characteristics of those we encounter. I mean, the first thought of many when first seeing these ladies was probably close to some type of dumb blond joke. They may or may not be typical dumb blonds, but that is the first reaction. Same goes for skin color.

[Ntombi]

I don't care what the group prefers. People want to use the term as an ethnic term to describe a person's race (like "Caucasian"); in particular, it's used to replace the term "black".

I have a couple of issues with that idea. First of all, people want to use it only to describe people of African descent who have dark skin. (In other words, they don't want to use it to describe white South Africans or Arabic Egyptians.) Secondly (and by far more importantly), in order to use the term properly, you need to know both the person's heritage and their nationality.

If I'm asked to describe a person who I don't know very well, I can tell his ethnicity, but I might not know if he's American, Canadian, British, etc. What am I supposed to say?
Assuming you're talking about a person of African descent, call him black. It's not an insult, it's a description.

I'm black. I am also now considered African American. I'm also of English, French, and Dutch heritage. Like most people of African descent who aren't African, I have a mixed ethnicity. But by looks, I'm black. No biggie.

[Anubys]

for the record, I'm one of the people who was down on the Blondes...I did NOT think they were racist...I thought their disgust of the poor people was quite evident (their smell and the flies)...they had no sympathy for the poor and treated them as if those people CHOSE to be poor...they are rich b*tches, not racist...

and Amnesia is correct, it's a running joke at my work by the black people I work with to call me a "true" African American since I am born Egyptian and became an American citizen :p

[Amnesia]

Assuming you're talking about a person of African descent, call him black. It's not an insult, it's a description.Yes, that's exactly my point.

[MisterBubble]

When one of the blondes asked "Where are they taking us?" & the other jokingly replied "Maybe they're taking us to be sold for money!", I figured I'd be reading about that on TCF, not the flies comment.

Exactly!!! I was sure when I saw that comment that people would be all over it. I guess it got trumped by the flies a few minutes later. And she didn't seem like she was totally joking either, perhaps a bit fearful??? :rolleyes:

[JLucPicard]

I just figured they were joking about being sold, though the one did look a little scared, but I think that was more of a reaction to being lost in a foreign place. Main reason I figured they were joking? I had no idea how much a sound and/or camera man goes for on the black market! :)