Phobias Cost Amazing Race Participants One Million Dollars

After my blog last week on the possible dangers of airing one's phobias on reality TV, I found it both fascinating and ironic that the dual phobias of heights and water cost a pair of reality show participants the chance at a million dollars.

On CBS' The Amazing Race, teams of two race around the world. Those who arrive last at the Pit Stop for each leg (except for non-elimination legs and certain extenuating circumstances) are eliminated. The first team to the Finish Line wins one million dollars.

Last night, dating couple Mika and Canaan were significantly ahead of last-place Harlem Globetrotters Flight Time and Big Easy at the last task. All the dating couple needed to do was complete a water slide, grab a clue from a clue box and make their way to the Pit Stop. Having run an unusually poor leg, the Globetrotters were still en route to the water slide when Mika and Canaan arrived.

Unfortunately, Mika suffers from self-proclaimed phobias of both heights and water. She simply could not force herself to go down the slide. Partner Canaan tried methods ranging from gentle encouragement to brute strength, yet Mika did not budge. She became more and more hysterical, proclaiming that "I hate my life!" Canaan was no better, telling her that "You're breaking my heart."

The show did not inform viewers exactly how long Mika and Canaan were at the slide before Flight Time and Big Easy arrived. However, a long-standing Amazing Race rule states that for tasks that can only be performed by one team at a time, once another team arrives, the leading team has two minutes to complete the task. If they fail, they must step aside and give the trailing team the opportunity to try.

The Globetrotters, seeing the opportunity to overtake another team and save themselves from elimination, reminded Mika that she did not, in fact, have to go down the slide. They encouraged her to do what she felt comfortable with. Meanwhile, the two minute clock expired, and Mika and Canaan had to step aside. Canaan referred to Globetrotter Big Easy as "a piece of crap" for psyching Mika out, despite the fact that he had been trying desperately to manipulate her into completing the task.

The Globetrotters completed the water slide without a second thought, grabbed their clue and ran to the Pit Stop. Canaan slid down behind them and Mika opted out, taking the stairs down and joining Canaan for elimination.

The fact that with a million dollars on the line, Mika simply could not complete the water slide challenge demonstrates just how pervasive and paralyzing phobias can be. Nonetheless, it begs the question: Why would she have signed up for The Amazing Race in the first place? Now in its 15th season, the show has consistently featured tasks involving great heights, water/swimming, or both. Did she sign up for a game show without ever watching an episode?

One of the essential elements for a phobia diagnosis is that the fear must significantly impact the sufferer's life. Knowing only the televised, heavily edited version of Mika, I can't begin to predict whether her fears affect her normal daily life. But as soon as she signed up for this show, it was inevitable that she would be affected.

What do you think? Did you see the episode? If you have phobias, would you sign up for a game show that was virtually guaranteed to trigger them? Is a televised competition a good place to confront your phobias? Who was in the wrong last night? Canaan, for his well-meaning but utterly useless attempts at motivation? The Globetrotters for reminding Mika that she had an out? Or since it was a race, not real life, was everybody in the right? Your thoughts are welcome!