No spoiler info, but some interesting stuff about the Guidos and an edited-out "ostrich-egg eating contest" which had the "buff" Festers worshipping at the porcelain altar in Zambia:

from www.metrog.com

"THE AMAZING RACE" HAS STARTED!
By Bill LaPointe

And started with an thrilling first episode. For locals following this show, Laguna Niguel residents Bill Bartek and Joe Badasfar, presented as life partners on the show. From the looks of their performance in the premiere showing of this ten part series, they have a good chance at collecting one million dollars at the show's conclusion.

Contestants are all couples in one context or another, for example: a mother and daughter, two buff New Yorkers who are friends, a husband and wife, a boyfriend and girlfriend, and life partners Bill and Joe. Ten couples compete to get around the world first to win the booty. No consolation prizes for the runner-ups, but a lifetime of experiences that will profoundly change some of their lives.

This real life series will definitely be a hit. From the beginning the producers were interested when Bill and Joe sent them a video of them and their precious dog Guido, who they had dressed up in a number of cute and funny costumes. At the end of the video, with the camera focused on Guido, the dog asks the producers to "Please pick my masters, I need a vacation."

Due to a signed and sealed in blood contract and big, big bucks (10 million), Bill and Joe couldn't talk about the show. So I went to Michael Isom, also from Laguna Niguel, who has known Bill and Joe from the early '70s separately. He introduced them while on a ski holiday at Alta in Utah in 1986. Their love for each other shows in the program they are very good with each other, have a sense of humor, are intelligent and (I'm sure I'm biased), handled themselves better than any of the others. You'll be proud of our boys from our neck of the woods.

I asked Michael how they found out about the show and as it turns out, Bill had applied for Survivor when he came across this new reality show in development for couples. They made the video, went to Los Angeles for two interviews, and were picked. The producers were concerned with only one thing: if they were comfortable being out on national television. The answer is obvious: they are out and they are proud. During the interview periods, Michael says they scoped out their potential competition.

A lot gets edited from these reality shows, and one such scene we found out about was the test they needed to complete just before entering the village which was the final destination for this first episode. What they left out was that everyone had to eat an ostrich egg. No big deal you say? An ostrich egg is the equivalent of two dozen chicken eggs, 24 chicken eggs, any way you want them. The buff guys from New York who came who came in first chose to eat the egg raw, results: a fit of puking. Joe and Bill came in second.

The Blade has been assured of an interview at the completion of the show, which airs on CBS at 9 p.m. Wednesdays.

Woody's at the Beach, in Laguna Beach, will be hosting a Wednesday night airing of the show. Bill and Joe will be there from time to time and the tall, amiable Joel of Woody's says they are working on some entertaining events to go along with this Wednesday night event. (949) 376-8809 www.woodysatthebeach.com

• RE: Ostrich Eggs Anyone?,Stairway2Dayton, 08:44 PM, 11-19-01
  • RE: Ostrich Eggs Anyone?,stepol, 04:05 PM, 11-20-01

LAST EDITED ON 11-19-01 AT 08:48 PM (EST)

Yep, I'm sure all the citizens of Laguna Niguel are "proud of our boys from our neck of the woods".

Actually, in that episode it was Rob/Brennan who came in first, due to finding the FF. It must have been them doing the porcelain dance. This guy was half right, they are buff. I hope the rest of the article is more accurate than his geography!

S2D

**edited to add: okay, I couldn't resist. I checked out Woody's website. Many pictures of fun and frolic are posted in their gallery. I couldn't tell if the Guidos were in any of them, tho... all those Californians look alike to me

Hmmm ....

If you get the FF you get to skip all the following challenges and go directly to the next pit stop. Rob and Brennan wouldn't have had to eat an ostrich egg (raw or otherwise).

stepol