Game Show NewsNet - Fear Factor: Season 4

Episode 4.23 (Pairs) - February 21

One night in Vegas makes a hard man humble....ok, so it's One Night in Bangkok. Same difference. In this episode, you can win $500,000 - if you think you are lucky. Let's see the 4 teams who believe that they may be.

Amy Glover (Riverview, FL) and Amanda Dominick (Tampa, Florida) are both students - and they are both BLONDE. They will either be there at the end - or they will be the first losers of the night.

Shelby Chadwick and Shawn Chadwick (Queens, NY - Bus Operators) are bald African American twins, and as they say, there's nothing stronger than a fraternal bond. Will that help them in this competition?

Sarah Larson (Las Vegas) is a go-go dancer (and probably an aspiring actress). Dan Randolph (Also Las Vegas) is a waiter (and probably an aspiring actor). Will they get the money and spend it on acting lessons?

Melanie Sands (Brookyln) is a Blonde Trainer. Tiffani Webb (also Brookyln) is an African American teacher. Think of them as a hybrid of both the first and second teams. Tiffani says that she excels in mind games while Melanie says that they are the team to beat. Well, let's just give them the money now.

Speaking of money, there's lots of it to be made. Joe tells them all that whoever wins will have to take $25,000 and risk it on a game of Black Jack - but they can take their winnings and continue to bet - up to $500,000!!! Joe - 'Let it Ride, Baby!'

Before we Let It Ride (which is a different game than Black Jack), the teams have to do the first stunt. One of the teammates will be handcuffed and held upside-down. The other person will be in a car. When the first person frees himself, he will hit a ripcord, which will light up a wall ignited with flame and the other person must drive a ramp through the wall of fire. The team that does this the slowest will be betting on any game they want in much lesser increments...of their own money.

Shelby and Shawn go first - and they are convinced that they will set the bar high. They do set a very good time - 38.4 seconds. They do a 'we ain't never scared' screaming match at the remaining teams, which prompts Joe to ask 'WHo Woke them up?'

Sarah and Dan, who apparently are awake, go up next, and they set a time of...21 seconds??!!? I guess that 38 seconds wasn't as good as I thought. It gets even worse when blonde bombshells Amanda and Amy (who was ejected from a vehicle in an accident, hence she is not going anywhere near driving that car) set a time of 34.9 seconds, which isn't first, but it's more than good enough to be safe.

This means that the self=proclaimed threat of Melanie and Tiffani can get rid of the only men's only team. They want to beat 21 seconds - which Melanie doesn't do. They want to beat 38 seconds and stay in the game - which Melanie doesn't do, because she doesn't even get the handcuff off, which gets the guys doing another 'I ain't going' chant. Tiffani is staring daggers at Melanie (the blonde one - figures) and as they argue, the rest of the 3 surviving teams go to their next stunt...

...which is a non-elimination stunt. They will be playing Poker for $25,000 and a trip to see the sneak preview of the remake of The Amityville Horror. While they are celebrating, Joe orders some cocktails, which, of course, are made Fear Factor Style. The ingredients are...

Egyptian Spiders and Worms
Cow's Blood
Scorpions
Red Snapper Fish Eyes and Fish Eggs
Habanera Chiles and Rattle Snake liver
Banana Slugs for the banana slug daiquiri

In this Texas Poker game, every team gets 5 community cards. If you drink the required drink, you get your hold cards. The team with the best hand wins.

Since the blondes won the event, they will decide who drinks what. They give the Scorpion Martini to Sarah and the Cow's Bloody Mary Dan, who drinks his with no problem. Sarah can't handle it, and she has to use the Fear Factor Chuck Bucket, so they only get the 4 of spades. They share a yummy kiss later. AwwwwBarf (and I do mean it)

Shawn gets the fish egg maitai and Shelby gets the Rattlesnake and Habanera shooter. They get it done with no problem, as they get a 4/7 heart suited combo. That leaves the banana slug daiquiri and the Egyptian Spider and Worm masterpiece for the blondes. They struggle, but only the spider and worm drink is done in time and the banana slugs don't go down. They get a King of Hearts to play with, which actually puts them in the lead.

And now, for the cards...3 of spades (no help to anyone) King of Spades (A pair for the blondes), 10 of clubs (no help) King of Diamonds (3 Kings for the blondes) and it doesn't matter what the last card is (though it's a queen of Clubs). The blonde bombshells win at least $25,000 - and may be able to make more money later...

...but to make it later, they have to get past this stunt. Both teammates have to grab flags from one teammate to their partner. No problem, right? Well the catch is that both people will be hovering on wires 40 feet outside and above the Mandalay Bay. Whoever gets all of the flags the quickest - or the most flags before falling - gets the $50,000 and will head over to the Black Jack tables.

Sarah and Dan go first, and they set a very good benchmark for the group. Sarah the softball player gives Dan the basketball player 8 flags out of a possible 9 in 5:48. Wow. That means that the other teams have to be quick and nearly perfect. The blondes don't do it, as they get 8 flags...but they aren't fast enough and go way past 5:48. They still hug, as they still win $25,000 and get a trip to LA. They say how proud of each other they are and they give each other a nice long hug. AwwwBarf.

It's down to the Twins. They are on a great pace....until Shelby drops a flag. They now have to get the rest of them in under 5:48, and as they only have the 4th flag in 4:11, it doesn't seem likely. It really isn't likely, as they miss the second flag and end the competition. Sarah and Dan win the $50,000, while all I can hope for is that when the twins sing the 'I Ain't Scared' chant, they were also meaning I ain't scared of winning any money.

We're not done yet, though, as the $50,000 is now converted to chips. We have the $25,000 bet on the table as the dealer has a 4. The couple have a 7...and a 5. The book says stay, and that's what they do. The dealer has...6 for ten and a 9 for 19. They lose $25,000, as Joe adds that of they took the hit, they would have had 21. Sure, add insult to injury, Joe.

Dan and Sarah do win $25,000 and Joe asks them if they want to gamble that as well, they both quickly say no, and that ends the competition for the night. In 7 days, we'll see more people, more stunts, and....Omarosa? Tune in 7 days from now to find out....