Video Beat EXTRA - AMAZING RACE ASIA AQUATINTED AND TAINTED - IT'S ON… AMAZING RACE 13 USA

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

The two Amazing Race shows are on and vastly different. The Asian version focuses on so called celebrities who play to the camera and have quitters the USA version has real people who try to win. All of the USA contestants are real people with regular jobs and true emotions. They don't play to the camera as the actors and models do in the Asian version of the show. - COMING - The Apprentice CELEBRITY EDITION - America's Next Top Model with Tyra Banks - The Best of Saturday Night Live... - Recommended TV Listings

Sunday October 5, 2008

AMAZING RACE ASIA IS NEGATIVE & AMAZING RACE 13 USA IS POSITIVE & VASTLY DIFFERENT - Part 1 on this topic

You could see it coming when Amazing Race Asia 3 Casting Director Pricilla Yeo and Producer Michael McKay said they were going to do something different and make this race the toughest of all. In the process they are living up to their promise but in doing so they lost the plot.

This season in episode one the show started off tainted and too acquainted. In the USA people who work for a production or relatives aren't allowed to be involved in the program. When this season began the Thai greet girl at the Chiang Mai pit stop seemed all too familiar. After doing some research we discovered it was Paula one of the Thai girls from Amazing Race 2. She is an actress and model and was teamed up with Natasha another celebrity. They made it to being fifth place last season. The point being why was she given this position on this seasons show. She should be gone and done with unless… The question is could there be some kind of relationship with her and someone involved with the show?

Since they are supposed to be a franchise of the original USA version of the show that the US version is about ENTERTAINMENT and a few laughs along the way and not evoking anger and annoyance as does the Asian version. The USA show is about real people trying their best to win the race and a US $1 million. Fortunately season 13 of the USA Amazing Race is currently being televised also on the AXN Network.

This USA AR 13 has real people and not celebrities. The closet person to being a celebrity is Ken Greene now 52 years-old who played six seasons in the NFL (National Football League) in the USA with his wife Tina. They are separated because he cheated on her and he they are in the race to win it and try to mend their marriage. Brother and sister Nick and Starr won the first leg of the race. The youngsters have formed a partnership with Ken and Tina whom they have adopted as their mom and dad to help each other.

Amazing Race Asia has a cast of distasteful individuals who for the most part do not induce laughter or smiles and if one were to think they are entertaining then their being sadistic would be a point in question. The prize is only US $100 thousand but it is doubtful any of them need the money it would just be mad or play money. They are touted as being successful in their trades.

The race is tough with some legs lasting 24 hours without proper sleep or food. Of the 10 teams only two would qualify (on our list) as being real people and not celebrities and one brothers William and Isaac Hong would be on the bubble (marginal) since they are sports agents from Korea. They were eliminated in the second leg but proved to be nice people.

The remaining teams largely consist of actors, models and beauty queens. Two Thai beauty queens Pailin and Natalie were eliminated last week since Natalie would not do a task as well as help her Pailin on another. She came off as being too good for the race which was beneath her.

Another Thai actress/model Visa Sarasas (Mai) 24 wanted to quit after finishing the first leg first as well as winning US $5,000 each for a bonus prize. She was angry because her male friend Oliver Faivre 26 complained to her that having to carry her bags was too much for him. She went ballistic and yelled at him that she wanted to quit. She didn't and they have survived to be one of the final six teams.

Model Geoff Rodriguez from the Philippines is drawing the anger of the other teams since he is rude to them. When Bernie and Ida pointed out Geoff's rude behavior to his girlfriend Tisha and requested that she speak to him they received a non support answer. Tisha a former beauty queen who is now a Business Development Manager simply said they should take it up with him. She later noted that she knows how he is and said "I'm used to it."

Geoff has also talked down and assaulted a driver in Vietnam. This could be a liability for the show. Putting ones hands on someone and yelling at them to come here could be interpreted as an assault in USA court rooms.

Two Indian teams have been eliminated. They both were guilty of having a sharp tongue and being disrespectful to various drivers in Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan. The first to go in week on were cousins Model, Artist Neena Rai 24 and Real Estate Consultant Amit Rai 27. Amit had the sharp tongue while Neena behaved well. The other two were father Niroo Asrani 53 and his son Kapil Asrani 25 a HR executive. They were always on the edge and eliminated last week. In fairness they did provide some comedic moments when they argued with each other.

Of the final six teams our favorite are Freelance Writer, Director A.D. Chan 34 and teacher Faeza (Fuzzie) Sirajudin 34 friends from Singapore. They work and try hard, complain the least and are physically challenged since Fuzzie is carrying some extra weight and A.D. is small. Their strengths are intelligence and persistence. Their weakness is not being physically powerful.

Our second choice is University Lecturer Sam Wu 32 and Comedian & Host Vince Chung 32 best buddies from Hong Kong. They are also non complainers and work hard. Their strength is perseverance. Their weakness is revealing their game plan. They made a mistake when they found a clue and yelled out in excitement which brought their find to the other team's attention thus they lost a valuable advantage.

Brother and sister Henry and Bernie Chan have finished first twice during the first four legs of the race. Bernie is a Malaysian celebrity and has an attitude but is tough. Bernie Chan is a television host, actress and a beauty pageant trainer from Malaysia. As a host, Chan hosted the Miss Malaysia/World for two years (2002-2003), followed by the Boh Cameronian awards in 2004.

After that, she hosted Pillow Talk on ntv7 before moving to Audition in 2004. At the same year, she also acted in Otak Tak Centre on stage and Table For Two. In 2005, Chan joined the stage act again for the drama The Odd Couple. Chan became the producer for beauty in Federal Academy of Creative Technology. In 2006, she was a guest judge in What Women Want. In 2007, Chan returned as the announcer for Project Runway Malaysia. After a grueling third leg of the race she said, "I'm quite butch but I'm still a girl."

With Niroo Asrani 53 having been eliminated Malaysian Ida Nerina 44 an actress, director and producer is the oldest person remaining in the race. Her partner Tania Khan 36 is a Property Developer. They finished first in the most recent leg of the race.

The USA version had two of the oldest looking people I've ever seen on the race but their ages were not revealed. They are self proclaimed hippies from the state of Oregon and are beekeepers. They were eliminated in last weeks firs leg but gave it their best. They climbed down a cargo net that hung from a grain elevator 240 feet in the air. They appear older than grandpa Donald who raced last season was 67 at that time.

All of the USA contestants are real people with regular jobs and true emotions. They don't play to the camera as the actors and models do in the Asian version of the show. Being real people they all could use the US $1 million prize. U.S. $1 million is not mad or play money it is real money for real people…particularly in times like these after the USA's US $700 billion bailout for their economy.

The Asian cast has shortcomings. As American Idol Judge Simon Cowell often says which would be applicable in this instance for many of the teams they, "Lack the likeability factor."

Thus far Malaysian teams have won three of the four legs of the race and Thailand one.

APPRENTICE DOUBLE BUBBLE

A real treat is in store for The Apprentice fans as this week Donald Trump will select his Apprentice in this season's finale. We revealed who the winner was when the show began but will not now. Tune in Wednesday night on the Star World channel and find out. The show will repeat Thursday around noon time. Please note the schedule below and check the time in your area.

But here's the real deal. The appropriately named Celebrity Apprentice will premiere Wednesday October 15 on the Star World channel. There is someone for everyone albeit a sports fan, TV/film or showbiz in general. The show will have 14 candidates and 13 episodes. They will play for charity. The contestants include:

* Trace Adkins - recording artist

* Carol Alt - model

* Stephen Baldwin - actor

* Nadia Comaneci - Olympic Gold medal winner

* Tiffany Fallon - Playboy Playmate/Miss Georgia USA 2001

* Jennie Finch - Olympic Gold medal winner

* Nely Galán - Entertainment business executive

* Marilu Henner - actress

* Lennox Lewis - former heavyweight boxing champion

* Omarosa - controversial former Apprentice contestant

* Tito Ortiz - former UFC champion (Ultimate Fighting Championships)

* Vincent Pastore - actor 'The Sporanos'

* Gene Simmons - formerly of the rock group KISS and currently of his own reality TV show Gene Simmons & His Family Jewels.

At least Trump got it right by naming it the Celebrity Apprentice. The Amazing Race Asia 3 should learn something from this program.

NOTE:

America's Next Top Model with Tyra Banks will premiere a new season on Channel V Sunday October 12.

Another excellent program The Best of Saturday Night Live will premiere Saturday October 11 on the Star World channel. This is the show where Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Billy Crystal, Dan Aykroyd, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey (now portrays Sarah Palin) and many other great comedians made their claim to fame. It's a must watch.

EXTRA NOTE

Saturday Night Live: The Complete First Season was released on DVD, in the UK, by Universal Studios on December 5, 2006. Upon the set’s release, some criticism of its authenticity as complete and uncut arose from reviewers and fans. This was due to the existence of original live copies, which in comparison to the "complete" episodes reveal edits and omissions which are common among the rerun versions of the shows in the set. The complete second season was released in the US on DVD on December 4, 2007 and the third season on May 13, 2008.

In addition to the full season releases, there have been multiple releases both on VHS and DVD featuring the "Best Of" former cast members and guest hosts in addition to documentaries, musical performances and themed compilations of sketches as well as a release of the show's 25 year anniversary.

TV SCHEDULE

Note: The shows listed are for the Cambodia - Thailand time zone. Check your local listings for time in your area.

MONDAY

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

8:00 PM - AMAZING RACE USA - AXN - NEW EPISODE

10:00 PM - SOPRANOS - HBO

10:30 PM - CLICK (Internet Technology program) - BBC

11:00 PM - AMAZING RACE USA - AXN - repeat

4:00 PM - AMAZING RACE USA - AXN - repeat

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

7:00 PM - AMAZING RACE ASIA 3 AXN - repeat

11:00 PM - AMAZING RACE ASIA 3 AXN - repeat

3:00 PM - AMAZING RACE ASIA 3 AXN - repeat

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

10:00 PM - THE APPRENTICE FINAL - Star World

12 NOON - THE APPRENTICE FINAL - Star World

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

8:00 PM - AMAZING RACE ASIA 3 AXN - New Episode

11:00 PM - AMAZING RACE ASIA 3 AXN - repeat

11:00 AM - AMAZING RACE ASIA 3 AXN - repeat

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

4:30 PM - CLICK (Internet Technology program) - BBC

SATURDAY

10:00 PM - AMAZING RACE USA - AXN - repeat

1:30 PM - CLICK (Internet Technology program) - BBC

3:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

7:00 PM - AMAZING RACE USA - AXN - repeat

7:30 PM - HI NET WORTH - (financial magazine show) - CNBC

9:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

10:00 PM - AMAZING RACE ASIA 3 AXN - repeat

10:00 AM - AMAZING RACE ASIA 3 AXN - repeat

3:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

7:00 PM - AMAZING RACE ASIA 3 AXN - repeat

8:30 PM - HI NET WORTH - (financial magazine show) - CNBC

9:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

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