"Amazing Race" finale

I've been watching "The Amazing Race" this season. Tonight was the finale. I just finished watching it on tape. The last leg of the race took place in Vegas. It was cool seeing so many places I know. E.g., at one point they're trying to get to Mandalay Bay, and I recognized that one team's taxi was using the sneaky back way of Koval to Reno to get there, and the contestants in that taxi commented that none of the other cabs was going that way.

Their first task was to rappel down the side of Mandalay Bay--face down! Then they had to dash off to the Mirage and have the performers in "Love" hook them into harnesses with bungie cords and bounce around until they could reach a bunch of flowers high overhead.

Next they were told to go to the casino with the same name as the most famous casino in Monaco. Well, DUH! One of the teams knew instantly that it was the Monte Carlo, but two teams had no idea. One of them even asked, "What country is Monaco in?" They asked a couple of people, including their taxi driver, and got a consensus that it was the Venetian. FAIL!

Once they got to the Monte Carlo, they were ushered into the poker room--a place I've spent many hours. They had to count poker chips (tournament chips) until they had exactly one million dollars' worth. Boy, these people could have used some more experience making and cutting chip stacks! I know stacks of five and ten chips both by sight and by feel now, but I never knew such a talent might help me win a race on a reality TV show. These people didn't even know how to confirm that stacks were the same height; they would bend down to look at them at eye level, instead of the simple expedient of running a finger lightly across the top. Two of the three teams got their count wrong the first time, and one got it wrong a second time, too. I think I could nail that task.

Next it was off to the MGM Grand to meet Wayne Newton (who is now, of course, my close personal friend). He informed them that the finish line of the race was at his house, but not where that was. Once again, I would have an edge here--I've known where his house was, like, forever! As per "Amazing Race" tradition, all the other previously eliminated teams were there to welcome them, including Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho.

Clearly the best team won. Meghan and Cheyne weren't my favorite people--just too Barbie and Ken for my taste--but they were a very strong team, played honorably all the way, treated each other well, were mutually supportive, and were in the lead for a huge portion of the whole season. They deserved it. (You can watch the whole episode here.)

But if Cardgrrl and I had been racing them for this last leg, they wouldn't have had a chance!