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Weight and See: Pride goeth

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‘The Biggest Loser: Couples’ recap, episode 9

biggestloser.wadeonbirmingham.com
By Ginny

The blue team hits Vegas. Will Enterprise’s Roger Shultz come up aces or snake eyes? Jackpot or bust? Royal flush or craps? “The Biggest Loser,” where it’s always a gamble.

Tattoos for everyone, after the jump …

Hey darlins: The black team realizes that it’s going to have to drop big-time weight to keep up with the heavy hitters on Bob’s blue team. Fortunately, the producers are there to even the playing field, rewarding player-of-the-week Jay with his choice of three unmarked envelopes.

I’m guessing each one contains a back-handed prize, fun with the potential to detract from the team’s fitness efforts. The one he opens is definitely more a temptation than a reward: The blue team is heading to Las Vegas!

The Biggest Loser

Vegas: where losers are always welcome.

Despite Roger’s spin that the trip is like football training camp, Bob spots the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Which he decides to turn into wool suits, apparently, because they all find a gift from him upon arrival in the suite.

The Biggest Loser

Reservoir Hogs, a k a
Mr. Blue, Mr. Blue, Mr. Blue and Mr. Blue.

But before we hit the casino, we’re all forced to ante up and listen to Dan’s original composition accompanied by some sweet, sweet foreshadowing. Listen up if you don’t want to miss the comedy to come:

Meanwhile, back at the ranch (ha!), the black team is cooking up (food pun) an insidious plan to fill the blue team’s suite with all of their favorite foods. Unfortunately, their plan fizzles when the blues beat (back) the spread.

The Biggest Loser

Because listening to Dan sing isn’t torturous enough?

And what’s the first thing you do in Vegas when you’re looking and feeling hot? Ride the Slingshot at the Stratosphere, of course. This silly segment turns poignant when Roger confides he couldn’t enjoy the ride on his last trip, because the safety bar wouldn’t close over him.

The Biggest Loser

Worse, he wasn’t allowed to eat at restaurants in Mississippi.

After the kiddie adventures, the blue boys finally get to some of the adult entertainment, which for all-nighters Roger and Dan appears to include at least drinking, gambling and harmless flirting.

Ink different: The next morning, goody two-shoes Mark and Jay make it to the gym without the party boys, spurring a minor yelling match. They all make up over tattoos. Yes, giant, permanent, matching tattoos.

The Biggest Loser

Pride: 2008. Shame: all eternity.

I like tattoos, I have tattoos, and I will probably get more tattoos. Nonetheless, no matter how vaguely gay the “PRIDE” tattoos that Roger, Mark and Jay get are, none of them make me cringe like young Dan’s request for “some type of like guardian angel-type tattoo, and instead of holding a sword, he’s going to be holding a guitar.” Sigh.

The challenge is a lock for the blue team, an upper-body strength test that leaves the black team (three-quarters women) in the dust. The blues each win a trip to Puerto Rico.

The Biggest Loser

The weigh-in: Despite Roger’s impressive loss of 8 pounds, the blue team loses to black 2.47 percent to 3.69 percent. Mark loses an under pah 1-pound loss, which does in team. He’s so close to his goal weight, but his commitment to his workouts and diet just isn’t enough.

Because Dan wins immunity, and brothers Mark and Jay still have each other, I expect to see Roger bounce this week. And frankly, I’m still not sure how he convinces whiny Mark to concede to be voted off.

Lots of crying ensues, and I suspect that getting them all to tattoo his slogan on their bodies may have helped him cement his leadership role. Either way, Roger just eliminated his single biggest competitor and managed to look like a gentleman while doing it. Bravo.

This week, let’s all get tattoos of something we’re not that great at. Mine will be related to high school chemistry. What about yours?

“The Biggest Loser: Couples” airs at 7 p.m. Tuesdays on NBC 13.

Previous: Losers go home!
Next: Black and blue are no more. Except when Jillian’s beating Brittany, of course.

Also:

  • Roger talks with the Huntsville Times: “We’re going to lose as much weight as we can till the day we go home. It’s a blessing to be out there.”
  • Recaps at TV Guide

Ginny, pop culture and fashion maven, dares you to read her blog, whiskey. tango. foxtrot., at blog.myspace.com/whiskeytangofoxtrotblog.

• • •

Shape up: more “Biggest Loser” at biggestloser.wadeonbirmingham.com.

3 Yips for “Weight and See: Pride goeth”

  1. Ginny
    Sunday, March 2, 2008, 12:33 pm
    1

    To clarify — I’m not saying Mark should be *more* committed (I also don’t tell anorexic girls that they’re too fat), but that he just is so close to his goal weight that he can’t help the team much, despite being a favorite to win the whole thing.

  2. Jane Petronous
    Friday, March 7, 2008, 12:10 pm
    2

    Roger, a gentleman? More like manipulator. Since he’s up for elimination he had to bring up old shit and make Mark feel guilty.

    I hope Roger gets what’s coming to him but I doubt it now….you’ll see.

  3. Wade on Birmingham » Blog Archive » Weight and See: Gift of the Bernie
    Wednesday, March 12, 2008, 8:19 pm
    3

    […] Weight and See: Pride goeth Jane Petronous | Roger, a gentleman? More like… Ginny | To clarify — I’m not saying… […]

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