Nadine Zamira Sjarief, 26, Beauty Queen and Hilyani Hidranto (Yani), 28, TV Presenter Best Friends, represent Indonesia - AXN photo

Claire Goh, 21, Musician and rebel pal Michelle S. Ng, 22, Actress represent Singapore - AXN photo

Sunaina Gulia, 31, Actress and friend Dimple Inamdar, 32, Actress Travel Buddies, represent India - AXN photo

The Philippines will be represented by tattooist Jacinta James (Jess), 27, and model Lani Pillinger, 27 on the Amazing Race Asia # 4 starting Sept. 23 on the AXN Network - AXN photo

As Charles Barkley would say Bad Dudes Man Bad F'n Dudes - The Philippines will be represented by transplanted Americans pro basketball player Richard Hardin, 34 and actor Richard Herrera, 31 on the Amazing Race Asia # 4 starting Sept. 23 on the AXN Network - AXN photo

Video Beat MAX Part 3 - YO... IT'S ON!!! AMAZING RACE ASIA # 4 CELEBS IT UP

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

A repeat formula largely consisting of glamorous high profile (in their region) types. The majority of the contestants are involved in the entertainment businesses. In one sense it can be a good thing since they are known and can help ratings in their respective countries by enticing them to view ARA # 4. - STEPHEN HAWKING's Into the Universe Part 2 - Recommended TV Listings

Wednesday September 22, 2010

AMAZING RACE ASIA # 4

Is the AXN Network getting it right? After a year of scouting contestants for the new Amazing Race Asia series 4 they have come up with a repeat formula largely consisting of glamorous high profile (in their region) types. The majority of the contestants are involved in the entertainment businesses. In one sense it can be a good thing since they are known and can help ratings in their respective countries by enticing them to view ARA # 4.

The Amazing Race Asia # 4 programs casting director Pricilla Yeo seems to have been looking for some of the entrants to have a naughty but nice aspect to their background. The Philippines will be represented by two teams. Tattooist Jacinta James (Jess), 27, and model Lani Pillinger, 27 who claim to be party girls and plan to spice up the show with attitude and be challenging competitors. James' background includes having been a strip club manager. Both girls were born and raised in Australia and now live in the Philippines.

The other foreigner transplants to the Philippine team is pro basketball player Richard Hardin, 34, and actor Richard Herrera, 31 who come off as bad @$$ home boy types. As former NBA star Charles Barkley would say... Bad dudes man bad F'n dudes. It wasn't revealed what team Hardin plays or has played for. The USA version had two players from the famous Harlem Globetrotters. So what team did Hardin toil the pines for? Stay tuned and tune into AXN tomorrow September 23.

Given the Philippines recent history and problems these bad dudes based on their Amazing Race presentation segment will fill the bill of the fly in the ointment, sand in the Vaseline element as have two other Philippine teams in two previous ARA series.

Those who seek adventure also have an appeal for the casting director Yeo. Such is the case of two Indian actresses Sunaina Gulia, 31 and Dimple Inamdar, 32 who note that they enjoyed having gone sky diving in Greece or surfing in Brazil.

A new twist for ARA but not for the USA version of the show is a father and daughter team from Indonesia. Missing from the USA version are openly gay contestants. ARA does have some contestants who could be in the closet. Closet or not it's up to you to decide since at this point there is no admittance of their sexual preference.

Hopefully there won't be a repeat of the negative attitudes displayed by two season three teams from Thailand. Two female Thai contestants with one being an American transplant created a stir.

The American to Thai transplant was a former International beauty contestant winner who married a well known Thai tennis star. The American beauty thought very highly of herself and was largely inconsiderate of her teammate and fellow contestants. The Thai tennis star hasn't been winning since his marriage to the beauty queen but Amazing Race Asia has survived from the negative behaviors of some contestants selected for the show.

A bad attitude was also displayed by a supposedly well known Thai actress who was surly with her male partner and close friend. Both salty ladies quit on their cohorts early in the race.

When you think about it is the casting of teams that won't get along according to plan in hopes of creating GOOD TELEVISION (shows)?

In the final analysis casting director Yeo seems to have a thing for controversy. As she introduced the contestants on the introduction of the contestants show she mentioned that several could cause conflict on the show. With that being said WHY DID SHE CHOOSE THEM? Apparently she anticipates discord and thinks that will make for a hot TV series. Will it? Stay tuned...

STEPHEN HAWKING - Into the Universe

Another interesting upcoming show is Stephen Hawking's Into the Universe on the Discovery Channel. Recently Hawking drew some attention with his views that God didn't create man, man created God which blows the hell out of the Israeli's and Afrikaner's belief that the land they occupy is theirs because it says so in the bible.

What are his views on the universe... tune in or miss out. Part 2 of the program airs this Sunday September 26 at 8 PM in the Thailand/Cambodia time zone and 9 PM in the Singapore/Honk Kong time zone. Check your local listings for the time in your Pacific Rim area.

Part 4 - Australia Networks Shuffle

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2:00 AM - AMERICAN GREED - CNBC

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