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COUPLES FEAR FACTOR (2) (1/10/04)

by Fearless Frankie

Week two of Couples Fear Factor was a walk in the park. Well, at least until the seven remaining couples emerged from a park trail to see their first stunt. Joe announced that the couples would be competing for a trip to Los Angeles, complete with $20,000 spending cash and passes to the world premiere of "Elektra" starring Jennifer Garner. (Wait, weren't they already in Los Angeles competing on Fear Factor?) Anyway, Randy & Tina would be ineligible for the prize because they came in second to last on the previous stunt (see last week's recap). The group reacted with appropriate grossed-out expressions when Joe revealed a tub filled with cow stomachs. In head-to-head competitions, the couples would have to transfer the stomachs across a pond. The women would be perched on platforms in the middle of the pond. The men, standing on shore, would have to throw 15 stomachs at the women. Once the gals had gathered their stomachs into a large tub they'd swim to shore to stop the clock. In addition to claiming the prize, the winning couple would also get to impose a penalty on any other couple in the next elimination stunt.

Bobby & Amy were up against Craig & Maria first. Now, I'm not sure how much cow stomachs weigh exactly but they are mighty big. Plus, they were wet. It sort of looked like the guys were throwing soaking-wet sheepskin seat covers. Neither of the guys was totally accurate and both Amy and Maria had to dip down into the water on several occasions to retrieve stomachs. When Maria hesitated on getting into the water for one particular retrieval it gave Amy & Bobby just enough edge to get ahead. Amy was soon in the pond swimming towards shore. She stopped the clock at 1:57.1, with Maria trailing in for a final time of 2:05.8. Leah & Roberto faced off against Ashley & Dean next. Ashley hoped Dean's football experience would aid in their passing and receiving. Both guys used an underhand toss and on the third one Dean came up short forcing Ashley to get in the water.

Meanwhile, Roberto & Leah maintained a steady (and accurate) pace. Then it was Roberto's turn to pull up short - which brought the couples back to a neck-and-neck race. Both teams finished almost simultaneously which left Ashley and Leah racing back to shore - with plenty of time to beat Bobby & Amy's time! Dean pulled Ashley out of the murky water and literally threw her into the trough to stop the clock. She narrowly edged out Leah for a final time of 1:46. However, Joe soon told the group that Ashley didn't get the 15th stomach all the way in the bucket -which forfeited their time. Who knew tripe could be so exciting?! Leah & Roberto were now in the lead with their time of 1:47.

The final pairing matched Andre & Amirah versus Scott & Lisa Marie - two couples that were top performers in last week's final challenge. As they got to tossing, Andre was often way off target but not once did you hear Amirah yell at him, grumble or complain. She simply got where she need to go, grabbed her cow stomach and kept a move on. They finished way ahead of Scott & Lisa Marie, but before Amirah stopped the clock Andre noticed one of the cow stomachs wasn't in the bucket! Amirah had to swim back out to the platform and place it properly. In the meantime, Scott & Lisa Marie played catch up. Amirah was able to get to the platform and back before the other couple finished. However, Andre had to literally drag her onshore and touch her hand to the trough because she was so exhausted. With valuable time lost, would they be able to claim victory? They missed beating Leah & Roberto's time by ONE SECOND. Ouch, that's gotta sting.

The next day, the teams (including Randy & Tina) met on a downtown rooftop for a Fear Factor dining experience. Joe revealed a bowl of balut eggs. Remember balut? Balut, a Philippine delicacy, is an egg containing a fully developed duck embryo - "the treat with feet" as Joe once called it. Luckily (?), Joe would blend it up, but that wouldn't do much to disguise the rancid smell. Plus, there was an added element to the stunt. Each player would be harnessed to a large bungee while drinking their big glass of blecch. Upon finishing their drink, they would each hit a button which would launch them backwards off the side of the roof over a hundred feet in the air. The couple with the fastest time would win $10,000. The slowest couple would be eliminated. Plus, Leah & Roberto's penalty would require the chosen couple to also each drink a shot of blended duck feet! Leah & Roberto deliberated for a moment before choosing Scott & Lisa Marie - the couple who blazed through eating eyeballs the previous week. Once again, Bobby & Amy were up first.

Before they got started, Amy said she was more nervous about being propelled off the building than eating crunched up duck embryo. Both Amy & Bobby didn't hesitate once while slurping their duck shakes; although Bobby did comment on the nasty smell. He finished first, hit the giant red button and sent himself off the roof in a little over 25 seconds. Amy kept at her shake a moment longer, but managed to launch for a final time of 34.8 seconds. As they couple swung back and forth high above ground, Amy screamed "get me down!" Once back on solid ground, they both threw up. Scott later said that now the notoriously smelly couple had breath to match their armpits! Andre & Amirah stepped up next. Amirah plugged her nose, while Andre just kept sucking on the straw. They were flying high with a final time of 32.3 seconds.

Leah & Roberto, who both claimed they had terrible senses of smell, were strapped up to suck it up. Roberto was done in less than 20 seconds, while Leah struggled with the crazy concoction. Still, they finished in an amazing 30.7 seconds! Guess that lack of smell proved useful. Scott & Lisa Marie were next and had the added joy of drinking their shots of blended duck feet. Scott finished the shot and the balut malt in about 26 seconds, leaving Lisa Marie struggling with her shake. She was a bit slow and their final time was a disappointing 49 seconds. Lisa Marie later said that the duck delicacy tasted like "somebody threw it up, pooped in it" and then served it to her. Yummy! Lisa then threw it up herself. Dean & Ashley were up next and determined to beat Leah & Roberto. Ashley plugged her nose and took big gulps throw her straw, while Dean was done in about 26 seconds. Ashley hit the button for a final time of 32.9 seconds. They hadn't beat the winning time, but they had stayed in the game. Craig & Maria just wanted to win something! Could they do it? Maria was a slippery sucker and stayed ahead of Craig for the slurping portion of the stunt. They both finished within moments of each other and launched with a WINNING final time of 29.3 seconds! Randy & Tina were anxious to participate - and were sure they'd send Scott & Lisa Marie home. In a stunning display of Fear Factor chutzpah, not only did Randy & Tina send Scott & Lisa Marie home, but they BEAT Craig & Maria's time - finishing in 22.4 seconds! The $10,000 victory was theirs and round two of Couples Fear Factor was over.