The Amazing Race 19 Secret Scenes, Episode 8:Â The Bill & Cathi Show
This leg dropped all pretenses about Bill & Cathi’s capabilities, as these videos clearly demonstrate.  Find out why they chose Laurence & Zac for their U-Turn as well as why Jeremy & Sandy and Andy & Tommy consider them true threats to win it all.  If you want more football talk from Marcus, you won’t be disappointed, while Cindy learns a little about Ernie’s dark, competitive side.  Read on for this and more, including what Laurence & Zac really blame their elimination on and Andy’s nickname for Bill!
Extra Race Footage
Featured Team:Â Bill & Cathi
Zac’s Dancing Nightmare: As Bill & Cathi drive away from the dancing Roadblock, Bill notes that Zac was having a lot of problems with the footwork.  He’s sure that Zac is a whiz at boating intricacies, he had serious issues here.  Bill thinks Zac might be like him as when things start to go wrong, his brain goes into overdrive and he blows it.  He figures if Zac can relax a bit, it’ll finally work out.  Cathi comments from the backseat that the judges were sticklers when it came to successfully passing the challenge.
Concerning the Double U-Turn ahead, Cathi tells us that they are willing to use it especially if it helps to slow another team up or to disrupt the order.  Current candidates for use include Andy & Tommy as they recover better than anyone and she’d like to take away their typical 20-minute advantage at the start of the leg.  Portentously, she also mentions that Laurence & Zac have done very well so they’d be a team to U-Turn too.  Cathi wisely notes that they don’t want to use the U-Turn on a team they’re already far ahead of as there’s no real benefit versus using it on a competitive team.
Featured Team:Â Andy & Tommy
Andy & Tommy’s Backup Plan: As Andy & Tommy drive towards the first race marker, they speculate on who will U-Turn them.  Andy figures Ernie & Cindy will be the ones to do it.  Tommy is sure they can knock out both Detours easily enough.   Both agree that they will U-Turn Marcus & Amani if they are U-Turned, although it will suck to do so.  Andy admits that Marcus & Amani have amazing timing and they might already be there, but Tommy refuses to believe it as their flight still isn’t due to arrive for a little bit longer.
They discuss the fact that they hate to choose their favorite team, Marcus & Amani, to U-Turn but that it’s a strategic and necessary move if they are U-Turned.  Tommy reasons it’s a fair part of the game and you have to do what is necessary to stay in it.  Andy reasons if they are able to pass another team besides Marcus & Amani, they could U-Turn that other team. It’s just that right now they know for certain that Marcus & Amani are behind them.  He’d love to help Marcus & Amani by using the U-Turn on someone else and wouldn’t waste it on anybody else.  You just can’t foolishly use the U-Turn unless you know that team is behind you.  Right, Laurence & Zac?
Featured Team:Â Marcus & Amani
Amani, the Cheerleader: As they’re driving somewhere, Amani tells us that even at home, she’s always the cheerleader of the family.  While others get caught up in negativity, she has recognized that negative energy doesn’t accomplish anything.  Marcus tells us that Amani has been his cheerleader since his football days.  He has always been his own worst critic in his career but she’s always been in his corner to cheer him up.  She’s always a beacon of hope and optimism to him.
While Marcus may be his own worst critic, Amani admits that he is definitely her biggest fan.  He continually supports and encourages her, although she’s never been too hard on herself.  There’s always a reason for what happens and in the end, she knows that they’ll manage to come out on top.  Her motto, whether in the race or at home, is “live to inspire and inspire to live.†Â
Featured Team:Â Bill & Cathi
Bound for Denmark: While still in Malawi, Bill & Cathi ride in their cab to the airport and discuss the fact that they have different sleeping capabilities.  Cathi doesn’t have any problem with getting rest on the race while flying, but Bill gets ADD on flights and can’t stop fidgeting.  He is a light sleeper even at home so he has a lot of difficulty sleeping on flights.   Once when they flew to Australia to visit their daughter, at least half of the 17-hour flight Bill just paced around the plane with some others who couldn’t sleep.
Bill tells us that he & Cathi were just in the Netherlands about a year ago for a bicycling trip.  He is excited to go back as in the Netherlands, bicycles have the right of way and even have their own lane in roundabouts.  They’ve read that is the case in Denmark as well so both he & Cathi are excited to ride bikes there.  They are nervous about the hiking-up-the-stairs aspect as they haven’t hiked in a while, but they’re sure they can manage it. Bill’s just thrilled it’s no the dead of winter in Denmark. Â
Featured Team:Â Laurence & Zac
Laurence Does Not Understand: As they are driving around during their ill-fated trip to the Pit Stop, Laurence & Zac talk about Bill & Cathi U-Turning them.  Zac found it uncalled for as they were so far ahead.  Laurence is surprised that Andy & Tommy weren’t U-Turned, which is something I actually agree with him.  Laurence figures that he & Zac were chosen because Andy & Tommy have a better rapport with everyone.  He also thinks maybe it was because they used the U-Turn on Marcus & Amani in the last leg.
Laurence laughs that he won’t take it personally but then humorously punches his fist into his other hand in mock rage.  Zac isn’t quite so light-hearted about it and reasons that it’s possible they’ve been knocked out of the race.  Laurence figures at this point there’s nothing that can be done about the outcome especially now that they’re stuck in horrendous traffic.  One thing he’s learned on the race is that you never know. Â
Featured Team:Â Ernie & Cindy
Shady Characters: In the jetway for their flight from Malawi to Amsterdam, Cindy commiserates with Ernie over how shady Laurence was at the ticket counter.  Ernie admits he’d probably be the same way if he had precious information.  Cindy is surprised as they haven’t lied to anyone on the race yet.  Ernie backtracks and says he’d only treat Laurence & Zac that way since they were just shady to them.  Cindy stares for a beat and says that of course they’d do it now but as the conversation ends, she ponders Ernie and knows that’s not what he meant.
Ernie asks her what, and she stares again for a beat and shakes her head.  He comes clean and tells her that if they had strategic information, would she really go tell everyone?  Cindy sarcastically says she must be playing stupidly as she has been working with everyone, giving advice to the twins on their beach-chair debacle or to Bill & Cathi to not use more than two buckets.  Ernie jokes he’ll have to punch her in the face to stop.  Cindy is now glad that Justin & Jennifer are gone so she won’t have to lie to them as she’d feel bad, but she’ll feel bad about lying to Marcus & Amani still.  Ernie points out she doesn’t have to lie, you just don’t have to spill the beans. Â
Featured Team:Â Marcus & Amani
Marcus Breaks it Down: In football terms, Marcus explains that he & Amani are chasing the leaders, those teams that throughout the season made very few mistakes.  They just had a big turnover as they weren’t efficient about flights to Denmark.  You can’t recover from a turnover in the race as easily as you can in football as you’ve just gift-wrapped a huge advantage to everyone else.  The other five teams now have a first-down.  He knows that they have to do better about managing their team and worrying about the details.  They’ve been in this same point before though in the race and it’s not always about the swiftest or the strongest.  They’re going to keep enduring.  There’s also some more football lingo but it all comes down to working harder, smarter, and catching up.
Featured Team:Â Marcus & Amani
That Special Chemistry: In their cab to the Malawi airport, Amani tells us she believes that her & Marcus’ relationship is an asset that will get them to the final three.  You can see from previous races that those who worked well together are the ones who made it the longest.  Marcus compares it to any sports team in which the members all work well together.  You can’t identify exactly what that chemistry is, but you’ll know when it’s been achieved when everyone is working together for a common goal.  Amani points out that their chemistry didn’t happen by accident.  They had to live through and get tested by some difficult things first and develop that “not-quit†spirit.
At the Pit Stop
Featured Team:Â Ernie & Cindy (first place)
Winners at Last: Phil admits to Ernie & Cindy that after the first leg of the race, Bill & Cathi were done and had given up.  But here they still are and doing great.  Ernie assumed they were going home in the second leg but they’re still in it.  Cindy considers them a strong team and has learned a lot about them over these past eight legs.  They’ve learned that Bill & Cathi know a lot more than they lead others to believe.  Bill & Cathi also have lots of skills, especially agricultural ones as evidenced by their ability to churn butter and schlep tobacco.  Both Ernie & Cindy are impressed with how fit Bill & Cathi are.  Ernie still remembers Cathi zipping along with the bedframe in Africa.
Concerning Andy & Tommy, Phil asks them if they’re concerned if the end will come down to a footrace between the two teams.  They both start laughing and admit that they’d do terribly against them if that was the situation.  There’s no beating Olympians.  Ernie just hopes it comes down to a dance-off as he was a natural at picking up the dance steps.  So if they had their choice to race against two other teams at the end, who would it be?  Ernie definitely doesn’t want to race against Andy & Tommy or Bill & Cathi, as the latter team is sneaky fast.  He would choose Marcus & Amani as one team since they’re friends and not real competition.  Cindy grimaces and Ernie realizes that he says that now but probably the next leg, Marcus & Amani will beat them.  The other team would be Sandy & Jeremy.  Ernie has noticed the obvious relationship drama and the fact that they have pretty poor showings at the challenges.  Phil thinks on Sandy & Jeremy’s plight and tells Ernie & Cindy, “good for you guys!â€
Featured Team:Â Bill & Cathi (second place), Andy & Tommy (third place)
A Blown Cover: Phil explains to Bill & Cathi that Ernie & Cindy wanted the first-place win badly so that was why they were U-Turned.  Do they understand that?  Cathi completely understands it’s a game and it’s competitive and don’t have hard feelings about it.  Bill admits they were surprised it was used but if their only goal was winning a leg, then whatever, it’s fine.  Phil tells them that if they had seen Ernie & Cindy’s face on the last leg when Andy & Tommy beat them, they’d definitely understand where Ernie & Cindy were coming from.  Bill & Cathi laugh and while Cathi looks mostly okay about it, Bill jokes that if kicking mom and dad to the curb is necessary, that’s fine.  Tommy points out they should take the U-Turn as a compliment as Bill & Cathi were an honest threat to them.
Phil asks Andy & Tommy if Bill & Cathi’s cover is blown as it’s clear they’re not just two grandparents out for a stroll.  Andy thinks Popeye Pa (ha!) could take out most of his friends and Tommy mentions he could probably take Andy out too.  Tommy admits that Bill & Cathi have always surprised them but he’s coming to the realization that their performance shouldn’t be a surprise anymore.  They may not be a bigger threat than they were in the beginning, they’re just a strong team. Â
Phil asks if Bill & Cathi U-Turned anybody.  Cathi tells him that they U-Turned Laurence & Zac instead of Andy & Tommy because she figured even if the snowboarders had to do both Detours, they’d still probably beat them.  So they reasoned the U-Turn would successfully slow down Laurence & Zac enough to give her & Bill enough time to play with the rabbits.  Phil wants to know why Laurence & Zac, and while Bill fumbles for an answer, he eventually admits he just didn’t want Marcus & Amani out of the game yet.  Bill & Cathi like Marcus & Amani and felt bad about stacking a U-Turn penalty on top of their already unfortunate late arrival in Denmark an hour after everyone else.
Featured Team:Â Marcus & Amani (fourth place)
The Comeback Kids Again: Phil points out that it’s said you can’t get separated from the pack yet Marcus & Amani were barely with anyone else this whole leg.  Amani admits to being terrified in Amsterdam when they realized every other team had flown out the night before.  They knew when they got to Denmark they had to race their hardest.  Phil tells Marcus that it seems he’ll go into a dark place when things don’t go his way while Amani maintains a positive outlook.  Marcus admits that does happen and admits he was always his own worst critic.  If something went wrong, he’ll hold himself accountable.  When he gets to that dark place, he has to find a quiet spot and collect himself.  It’s how it was when he played football and how it still is.  When Amani was dancing in the Roadblock, he found that quiet spot and got back in the game.
Phil tells them that after eight legs, they’re still in this and have just as good a shot as anyone to win the race.  He notes to Marcus that he has a fantastic teammate in Amani.  Marcus knows he’s lucky to have her.  Concerning what winning the race would mean, Marcus reflects on his football days.  He can never say that in his efforts versus his results that he was ever the best.  But if they win here, it will be his Super Bowl and he can finally say he’s the best.  He jokes that he might even buy a ring.  Phil points out that Marcus has been saying that “he†is the best and asks if he should be saying “we.† Marcus of course corrects himself, which gets a laugh out of Phil.  Phil & Marcus agree that Amani would never have let him forget that they’re a “we,†and Phil thinks there may need to be two rings purchased. Â
Featured Team:Â Jeremy & Sandy (fifth place)
Hindsight for Jeremy & Sandy: Phil tells Jeremy & Sandy that if they have any hopes of winning the race, they need to be “on†as apparently they just admitted to him that they’re “off.† Sandy is in tears and tells Phil that she wishes that she had an answer and also wants to know what the other teams did to be successful.  They’ve been chickens with their heads cut off three times today, wandering around lost.  Phil asks them what they’d do differently in hindsight knowing what they do now.
Sandy reports that they were first to the church and rushed up to the top of the stairs first and immediately rushed out too. Â Yet they had no clue where they were supposed to go and ended up driving around for two and a half hours. Â Jeremy thinks they also could have worked with another team this leg, but Sandy thinks they should have just spent 10 minutes at the top of the tower to really work out what needed to be done. Â They both admit the other teams are amazing and spend less effort doing things the right way versus what they are doing. Â
Phil realizes this is the time for a pep talk, so he asks them to remember what he told them at the beginning of the race.  It was going to be an experience unlike anything they’d ever had before.  He asks them if that’s been the case and Sandy completely agrees she’s never been through like this before, ever.  It’s much more difficult than she ever expected.  In the beginning, Jeremy thought there was no doubt they’d make it to the end but after their performance thus far, he can’t see how they’ve managed to last as long as they have. Â
Phil asks what is the hardest thing about the race.  Sandy tells him that going the wrong direction is hard and they’re too locked into the mindset of doing things without help.  If they’d just ask for directions or help and also learn to work together, they’d do better.  Having that patience to do this is difficult though.
Featured Team:Â Laurence & Zac (last place)
An Ironic End: Phil finds it ironic that Laurence & Zac’s final Pit Stop is next to a sailing ship.  They try to find the humor in it but you can tell they’re still not ready for the chuckles just yet.  Phil tries to cheer them up by reminding them they made it for eight legs.  They’re proud of that but can’t deny they’d like to have made it further.  Laurence regrets the terrible directions they got trying to get to the Pit Stop which makes Phil remark that while they sailed around the world, they somehow still can get lost.  Laurence tells him it’s a totally different ballgame but Phil still thinks it’s funny.
About what they wanted to get out of the race, Zac just wanted adventure.  Laurence thinks a million dollars would have been nice but admits money isn’t the end-all be-all.  He has a beautiful wife, eight children and a relationship with Jesus and really can’t see needing more than that.  He tells Phil that he’s proud of Zac for circumnavigating the globe and handling extreme amounts of stress and pressure.  Laurence knows that Zac’s future is whatever he wants to make of it. Â
After the Race
Featured Team:Â Laurence & Zac
Laurence & Zac’s Farewell: Laurence claims that he tried his hardest to keep up with the young folks and he laughs because in his mind he’s still young but his body begs to differ.  Zac reassures him he did fine.  He doesn’t think it was a physical shortcoming as they were the second team to arrive at the dancing Roadblock.  In fact if there had been more physical challenges, Zac thinks they probably wouldn’t have been eliminated.  He also regrets not getting to bungie jump or sky-dive.
Laurence blames their elimination on bad directions, which both Laurence & Zac think is out of their control.  There’s no use getting disappointed over things you have no control over.  Laurence is proud of their performance, especially against the odds.  What odds is he talking about?  If I recall correctly, the odds were frequently stacked up for them, as there were two boating challenges! Â
Featured Team:Â Ernie & Cindy
The Ernie Chirp: Cindy explains that the boys (Andy & Tommy) have named something The Ernie Chirp.  It’s the noise that happens when Ernie is driving and changes from first to second gear.  There is serious whiplashing happening when he makes that transition and it has that corresponding errrrrkkk noise.  Cindy admits that Ernie is still better at manual driving than she is so he gets to keep driving.
They actually trained themselves on an older jeep before the race but in this leg, they were driving a really nice vehicle and couldn’t find how to even go in reverse.  They were lost.  Ernie knows what he was doing wrong but in the stress of the situation, he just couldn’t make it right.  He won’t say that Cindy was a complete back-seat driver, but she did keep telling him to “give it gas.† It did get under his skin but he understands that it was the heat of the moment.  Winning first place immediately wiped away any of the frustration though!
Featured Team:Â Jeremy & Sandy
Taking it Slower: Sandy can’t believe that once again they’re here talking about taking it slow as they never actually do that in the following leg.   Inevitably they rush even more.  With fewer teams out there now, the stress is even greater as now it’s a “beat one of five teams†to stay alive versus “beat one of eleven.† Their natural reaction is to keep running harder and that’s exactly what they have to stop doing as they need to slow down and think.
Jeremy also realizes that they need to drink water and eat something.  Each leg they’ve been seriously weak and it’s clear to him they need to take better care of themselves.  It’s hard to think clearly when you’re starving and he noticed Sandy struggled today as she was very hungry.  Sandy recognizes that everyone else is hungry too but that there just isn’t any time to stop and have a burger.  Jeremy admits he doesn’t know how to fix that problem.  Sandy points out that no one is sleeping either, and it’s like finals time in school when you just have to deal with it and pull out a win. Â
Jeremy finally states that it is essential that they take care of themselves and not focus on everyone else.  He wisely notes they could learn a lot from Bill & Cathi.  Sandy recognizes that Bill & Cathi are very patient and don’t sweat the small stuff.  They’re not overly competitive and rarely argue with one another.  She knows that Bill & Cathi were the last out of the church with the stairs but it didn’t matter as Bill & Cathi killed them in the leg.  It’s clear to Sandy that patience is a virtue.
Hobie Barnes lives in Santa Monica, California after enjoying the hectic Manhattan life for 3 or so years. He just got back from traveling in Turkey, Italy & Greece and can’t wait to see if the places he visited end up on this season of the race.  When not busy fighting the 405 and 101 freeways on the commute to Burbank, he is patiently waiting for an Amazing Race or Survivor scout to cast him! He can be reached at <a href=”mailto:hobiewan76@gmail.com”>hobiewan76@gmail.com</a>.