U-Turned

Perception is a funny thing. Assumptions and bias are not feelings only held by others, we all have them. When this season of The Amazing Race started I groaned at the images and announcement that a team of Chippendales was joining the race this season. almost angry that men might actually be interested in the bow tie wearing strippers.

Don't ask me why, but I have just never really been drawn to the Chippendales. Maybe it is because when I was a kid, whenever I saw a Chippendales image or calendar, I always thought they seemed a bit cheesy, all hair and tan, a group of Fabio wannabees dancing around the stage. Might have also been the fact that Chippendales seemed almost aggressive about marketing to women only and seemed almost angry that other men might give the bow tie wearing strippers any attention.

Over the course of this season, watching James Davis and especially Jaymes Vaughan have had my assumptions taking a pretty dramatic U-Turn. In all the seasons I have watched TAR I have never seen a more likable team. In the first week or two, even though obviously good looking, I barely noticed, but now, every time Jaymes comes on screen I am at full attention.

James and Jaymes are just decent. Fun, smart, talented and great looking. They have such a natural, respectful way of interacting with others, and that is not an easy task when a million dollars is on the line. Although I wish they had not u-turned Ryan and Abbie, not the actual act, that is part of the game, but the group gang up mentality that they seemed pressured by. In a few hours we will see who crosses the finish line first. All four teams left in the race are deserving, but to me, none more so than Jaymes and James.