IMHO "The Amazing Race" (14.09): Low road to China

This week's The Amazing Race had people buzzing over the SMACKDOWN! slight scuffle between Luke and Jen, with most people coming down hard on the out deaf contestant.

But frankly, I didn't think any of the teams came off well in this episode, with the exception of the team that was eliminated.

Team Deaf start off in first place after winning last week's Bangkok leg, in a show with everything but Yul Brynner. (I'm so sorry, but I had to do that).

Unfortunately their lead quickly evaporates thanks to airline delays, and they end up trailing both Team Grace Adler and Team Smug.

They find themselves neck and neck with Jen & Kisha, and as they approach the cluebox Luke and Jen lunge for it at the same time ... and that's when it happens. Luke sort-of tries to elbow Jen out of the way, and Jen kind-of tries to push in front of him. To me it was all much ado about nothing, and hardly worthy of the tempest it's become (and it pales in comparison to what happened to me at the AfterElton.com commissary yesterday when Blog Editor Brian saw me reaching for the last pudding cup and tried to gouge me with a spork).

Well, Jen calls Luke a bitch and she & Kisha spend the rest of the episode ranting about Luke's "bitch move" and how it was "poor sportsmanship" and how it's "now on". Margie says "calling a deaf boy a bitch is not nice" (which I found fairly hilarious), but things get even worse at the next cluebox when Jen and Luke again clash, this time with Luke trying a reach around and Jen throwing an elbow. Enough already.

Team Smug and Team Grace Adler don't do themselves any favors this week, either. Team Smug is well, smug because they speak the language and think it'll give them an edge, but are in for a rude awakening when their smiles of superiority don't get them far.

Team Grace Adler choose a choreographed dance as one of their "detours", but their cheerleading experience doesn't help with a traditional Chinese dance, and they take out their frustrations on the dance judge. Nice.

The winner is decided by mere inches as Team Deaf, Team Smug, and Jen & Kisha all arrive at the Pit Stop at the same time, with Jen & Kisha nabbing the first spot. Team Deaf end up in third, to the great delight of the winning team.

That's when all hell breaks loose, as the accusations start flying between the two teams, with Team Smug literally stuck in the middle (which I found funny as hell). Luke starts signing furiously, and when Jen & Kisha laugh at him, his mother explodes and goes all Large Margie on them.

Frankly, the whole thing was difficult to watch, and had me wincing at the awkwardness.

Meanwhile, the only tolerable team this week was Team Nugget, who started and ended in last place, but managed to keep their dignity.

So we're down to four teams, and even with all that happened this week, I'm still rooting for Team Deaf (with Jen & Kisha a close second). Yes, Luke came off spoiled and bratty, but I can't help being enamored of him. What can I say ... I want to cuddle with him next to a roaring fire as he teaches me to sign dirty words.

What did you think of this week's controversial episode? Was Luke at fault? Do you blame the sisters? With only three episodes left, who are you rooting for?