Romber Eliminated on Amazing Race
Episode 4 is unkind to all-star reality team Rob and Amber
Mar 12, 2007
This weeks episode of the Amazing Race All Stars begins at the Playa Petrohue pit stop in southern Chile. Rob & Amber (aka Romber) depart first at 6:11 a.m. Romber's record of three-for-three first-place finishes seems to solidify them as the team to beat, not only in the eyes of the show's fans, but for the other racers. Indeed, for the umpteenth time, someone makes this astute comment at the start of this episode. The other teams seem unable to focus on each task in the race and instead, spend their time fretting about Rob and Amber. Leave Romber's fate to karma and run your own Amazing Race already!
The teams fly 800 miles to Punta Arenas, Chile, also known as the "End Of The World." Rob & Amber exhibit smart proactive behavior here. While the other teams just wait for their flight, Romber researches their next destination on the internet. Everyone makes the first flight except Joe & Bill (Team Guido), and the ever-annoying Charla & Mirna. Once in Punta Arenas, teams must find their next clue at Lord Lonsdale's Shipwreck.
Detour: "Navigate It" or "Sign It"
In the amazingly easy (and unbelievably boring) "Navigate It" task, teams use a map and compass to locate a building. Honestly, who thinks up such riveting television? Even more astounding, several teams choose the more complicated and time-consuming "Sign It" task, which ultimately leads to one team's downfall.
Eric & Danielle, Oswald & Danny, and Teri & Ian quickly finish navigating to get their next clue, which instructs them to take a chartered flight to Playa Larga. Meanwhile, Uchenna & Joyce, Beauty Queens Dustin & Kandice, Romber, and Charla & Mirna struggle to build and paint a sign of Magellan's journey. Rob's horrendous misspelling of the Philippines (Phillipeans!) means they'll never finish the task. They (and the BQ's) wisely abandon it and get on with the race by choosing the other task.
Mirna has a meltdown at the sign task, resulting in one of the funniest lines ever spoken on a reality television show. Mirna says (in reference to Charla, who has a form of dwarfism), "I do more than my share for this team, to compensate for any shortcomings we have."
Teams take a boat to the post office in Isla Redonda, the southernmost point in South America. There, they search through 1600 letters to find one addressed to them, from a former Amazing Race competitor. While many tasks require speed and/or agility, this one is all about chance. That it comes right before the pit stop and impending elimination, means teams better pray that Lady Luck is on their side.
Oswald & Danny are first on the mat, addressing Phil with this classic line: "We came to the end of the world for you, at least say something nice." Phil does—he tells them they've won a trip to Maui. One by one, the other Amazing Race All Stars check in, leaving only Rob and Charla frantically searching for their letter. Charla finds hers first and as they race to the finish, she exclaims "Let's beat the liars."
So after three first-place finishes in a row, Romber (aka the team everyone loves to hate) is eliminated from the Amazing Race in episode four. This will no doubt create much celebratory dancing from the other teams (and some viewers) who have wanted this ultra-competitive, stop-at-nothing-to-win team out of the race from the get-go.
Seven teams remain in the Amazing Race All Stars. Who will emerge as the "new team to beat" and ultimately win the million dollar prize? Stay tuned.
