It would have been too good to be true if Reichen & Chip had pulled a Heather & Eve and lost due to their own stupidity. And how appropriate would it have been if my favorite remaining team, The Clowns, had been saved like Arianne and I were way back when in Lisbon? But alas, dear fans, I have said it before and I will say it again, The Amazing Race is not fair.

Aaron And Arianne Exclusive Commentary
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Aaron

Now, whom will I root for amongst this motley crew? I am really torn. Will it be Team Hateful, Team Self-Loathing or Team Snorefest? Team Hateful: First of all, I must apologize. I have been spelling Jon, of Kelly and, with an “h.” Oops. I never really cared enough to notice and I still don’t. But his good name should be properly spelled when I slander it all over the Internet.

Actually, I have to admit that tonight was the first time I actually found myself rooting for these two dysfunction enthusiasts. True that K&J can be mean-spirited and cruel (I’m still hoping I get to see Millie kick Kelly’s ass at the TAR4 finale), but sometimes they get a bad rap for what might be selective editing. I have a sneaking suspicion that in real-life they are probably not so heinous. Also, Kelly deserves some props for keeping up with the fittest of the men. Unlike last season’s winning guy and girl team, she is working hard and isn’t relying on her teammate to carry her through. Inappropriate? Sure. But a good team, yes. Team Self-Loathing, or Chips-on-our-Shoulders: Ok, please allow me a queer theory rant.

Forget the fact that Chip is starting to crack. That one is serving up a whole plate of crazy and I could almost hear the voices inside his head asking for seconds. And forget the fact that Reichen is the Goodwill Ambassador to India, orangutans, Buddhist temples, and now sharks (he mad a gallant attempt to “respect” them). It finally became evident to me (and all of my gay friends) what the problem is with these two. They have some serious unresolved issues. I was skeptical of their soapbox from day one - the manly gays trying to breakdown stereotypes. Please, we’ve all seen the “straight-acting” gay thing before, ladies. You want to breakdown stereotypes? Stop trying to uphold some ludicrous ideal of what masculinity is and just kiss, hold hands, display a shred of intimacy. That is what is missing in queer representation. And it is cool if they don’t want to be or didn’t intend to be representing the gay community, but then shut up about everyone’s issues with gay men. I am beginning to think that the only ones who take issue with their homosexuality are themselves. “Jon tries to make us as stereotypically gay as he wants us to be, but it bothers us that we’re more masculine and manly than he is.” Yeah, Reichen…it bothers me too. I mean, if you are equating being a man with the amount of muscles you have or how good at sports you are, then you are perpetuating stereotypes that keep gay men always struggling to fit in. Being a man comes from a place of security from within. (And if you ask me, I don’t think Jon is a homophobe at all, but instead has figured out C&R’s weakness and is just trying to get them at their Achilles heel).