Amazing Race: Meet Maria and Tiffany
Here’s their preview video … gotta say, call me a homer, but I’m already a fan. Go purple!
I think you can see from this who is going to be the domineering personality … and I think you can tell they will probably go far. And you haters commenters can say all you want — LOL on their claims of $1 million in tournament winnings — but one of the things I like about reality TV is the risk the participants are willing to take. It’s not a new phenomenon … we know how it works, how the producers need to create storylines, and to do that they need characters. They need nice guys, meatheads, bitches, sluts, all that good stuff. And if you give them repeated indication of any distinct characteristic, they will edit away to make that seem like that’s all you’re about. And for the most part your true colors show.
Take Annie Duke on Celebrity Apprentice, for example. Extremely divisive character. Half the people thought she was a super-smart, savvy woman. The other half saw her as a total control-freakish bitch. Yep, no offense to Annie, but that pretty much lines up with all I have heard about her over the years within the poker world, and at least two of the above descriptors line up with my own personal observations and conclusions.
So while reality stars often claim they are misrepresented, frankly, in the spirit of Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink, some might contend that you actually do get to see the real person even better when all the superfluous “personality” is stripped away and left on the cutting room floor. With that in mind, I’m looking forward to getting to see and know “Maria and Tiffany” — whom I suspect will come off a little different but not too much so from the Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho we already know.
Kevin Mathers says:
September 10th, 2009 at 5:00pm
How long will it take for Tiffany to complain about the editing?
DanM says:
September 10th, 2009 at 5:20pm
dude, mathers, a hater already! maybe i’m wrong, but i think she’s savvier than that and will not complain about the editing. she may complain and bitch-out in the heat of battle … but not with time to reflect.
Kevin Mathers says:
September 10th, 2009 at 5:30pm
I’m more in the “I could care less” camp.
Poker Shrink says:
September 10th, 2009 at 5:32pm
I am more in the “I could care even less than Kevin” camp.
DanM says:
September 10th, 2009 at 5:34pm
i am willing to make a bet that you watch at least a little bit of the show, shrink.
Kevin Mathers says:
September 10th, 2009 at 5:44pm
Watching the interview, $750,000 combined is “close to $1,000,000” that Tiffany mentioned.
DanM says:
September 10th, 2009 at 5:45pm
right … and that doesn’t even take into account Tony G and Jeff Lisandro’s cut! these girls definitely know how to use whatever they have to the best of their abilities. it’s why i think they will do well.
Lisa says:
September 10th, 2009 at 6:17pm
Why did you choose to say “nice guys, strong guys, bitches and sluts”?
Why not dicks, airheads, girls next door and hookers?
DanM says:
September 10th, 2009 at 6:23pm
LOL, you know Lisa, I actually thought about needing a negative for the guys — “meatheads and assholes” come to mind now, but didn’t earlier. will edit appropriately.
but hookers are a whole different ballgame because a) there are no genuine hookers on reality shows, and b) in the immortal words of Salt’n’Pepa, “the only difference between a hooker and a ho is the fee!”
girls-next-door don’t make it on reality shows unless they happen to be either airheads or sluts. or are looking for a husband. but even then they don’t win.
Lisa says:
September 10th, 2009 at 6:29pm
I had issues coming up with another word for slut too. I wanted to say “hookah” but I’m far from current on street lingo, so chose not to use that one.
I need a “street” version of Roget’s.
Kevin Mathers says:
September 10th, 2009 at 6:31pm
I’d suggest urbandictionary.com
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hooker
Lisa says:
September 10th, 2009 at 6:35pm
Look at you. Thanks!
Poker Shrink says:
September 10th, 2009 at 7:26pm
Let me be clear on this one Mr. Pokerati, I shalt not see one nanosecond of The Tedious Race, not this year not any year. There will be sharks leaping out of the water or a tantalizing test pattern on opposite that pile of excrement or perhaps a good book or surfing for alternate forms of slut or bimbette.
DanM says:
September 10th, 2009 at 7:39pm
Fair enough. More Amazing Race for me …
California Jen says:
September 11th, 2009 at 12:58am
I’ll definitely be watching to see what happens, but I’m pretty much on the KevMath “I could care less” team. I have a feeling the “batting the eyelashes – tee hee” won’t carry as much weight as they think it will.
DanM says:
September 11th, 2009 at 1:06am
Well, please, if we’re talking about caring … I don’t give a shit either. Whether they win or collapse — doesn’t really matter to me. I’m just saying I’ll be watching. Not even religiously … but at my own convenience, sure. And they will be a more interesting team to me than the others because we already know them (or their personas) semi-well.
Uncle Ray says:
September 11th, 2009 at 7:11am
You got it right,Dan. It’s not because of the quality. It’s not (to steal another networks tired old phrase) thatit’s “must-see TV”. It’s just more interesting and intriguing to see someone you know or are familiar with on one of these shows.
It was the same with Annie on CelebApprent. In fact it’s the main reason any “reality” show ultimately goes to a celebrity version.
jim donant says:
September 11th, 2009 at 11:04am
exactly how is Tiffany a poker pro????
Pauly says:
September 11th, 2009 at 11:06am
This is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
BJ Nemeth says:
September 11th, 2009 at 3:30pm
I care, and I’ll definitely be watching. I look forward to a post-episode analysis from Maria each week. (I’ve never seen an episode of “Amazing Race” before, but I’m not above it; I’ve never missed a season of “Survivor.”)
DanM says:
September 11th, 2009 at 4:00pm
I’ve watched a couple seasons of the Amazing Race, and it’s legitimately one of the best reality show competitions out there.
BJ Nemeth says:
September 11th, 2009 at 10:31pm
@JimDonant — Tiffany makes her living primarily as a poker player sponsored by UltimateBet. I’d say that’s enough to qualify her for “professional” status.
There are a lot of poker “pros” who play a lot of major events, but lose more than they win, but can afford it because they made their money in other industries. The point is that there isn’t one clear definition of professional poker player.