I thought it was fitting that the Cho brothers were eventually forced to skip the incredibly fatuous "Make The Music" Detour — due to another string of clueless cabbies — and make for the Ukraine National Music Academy where, after donning formal robes, they grabbed the sheet music for Tchaikovsky's "Concert Fantasy" and had its more thoughtful meter waft merrily from an upper piano room.

By David W. Taylor (Email The Author)
Reality Reel Media
11.24.06

If it had to be the end for them I would think they might have preferred this exit. Humping around like thugs with heavy gold chains and other such ghetto-influenced paraphernalia hopefully wasn't their style. That we would have to delve into the far-off Ukraine to witness yet more of America's influential hip-hop slop is depressing enough without having one of The Amazing Race's more interesting teams be sent-off with this scourge around their necks.

One just had to take a quick glance at Lyn & Karlyn (or even Dustin & Kandance) entering the silly "Dance & Groove studio/bar" — "R'n'B for VIP" — with its goon-like security, naturally — to witness why perhaps we could have skipped this embarrassment of American Culture on The Amazing Race and maybe found something that was more endemic to Ukrainian society rather than an imported eyesore that has wormed its way into this newly crowned country from other shores.

So, there was Lyn striding into the "studio" ready like a whip for a hand-pop with a shade-wearing Ukrainian terminator; who probably had no freakin' idea what she was doing; he stood there transfixed. I suppose this cool mannerism hasn't been filtered down through the internet or American movies and television just yet.

The huffy, boorish gangsta walk and attitude was on unpleasant display — Lyn in full-tilt. Karlyn grabbed the microphone and screamed, "Bring it down, bring it down, bring it down... oooh, that's right, yeah-a!... boooyyy!" And then they both proceeded to perform the most obnoxious rap routine I've ever had the dubious honor to endure: "... Mongolia, Vee-et-nam, and Ku-u-wait." Of course our friend, Kiev's "top rap artist," thought it was "awesome" (and I guess in rap's jejune world it was) and forked over a Clue Envelope. Such a wonderful moment for Kiev's "underground rap movement," as Phil described it. As "underground" as what? A bleeping gas station? And a "movement" this delightful new country sorely needs I'm sure.

And cloaked with this surge of American obscenity, Lyn & Karlyn swept past the more winsome, plaintive Cho brothers who would still wait patiently for their only remaining Six-Pack cousins from Alabama despite falling behind and not getting any such support in return. But this is a fault of their own making. From the beginning of this 'continue Racing' leg at Helsinki's Olympic Stadium tower and the meandering "Angel Dive," Lyn & Karlyn would not wait for their more loyal alliance members, not on your life. When Lyn made a quick question of the Cho's whereabouts, Karlyn said, "No, why are we worried about Chos?"

Alabama actually seemed to get irked at the Chos unending clinginess and appeared increasingly suffocated by it. Yet they never completely, willingly, separated from Erwin & Godwin: despite leaving the Olympic tower before the Chos they arrived at the airport later but walked up to the Chos and immediately asked for booking information. It all seemed a one way street — an alliance that had already began crumbling on one end. The Chos maybe should have crumbled along with them.