maharmon

I understand that someone had to go home and that you based it on personalities, BUT...it was like the audience watched another show than the judges. Did the judges practice their lines? Were they given their questions? It felt fake. You were cold and I just think people wanted to hear more from the judges. You had so few comments to make -- it seems you would have chosen your words and comments more carefully. I tape this for my kids - but they won't see this episode! I was really disappointed with the whole show. And the comment about the secret weapon was so lame. I guess what you are proving in this episode is that looks count more than compasion and manners and honesty!

xavdar

I usually don't comment on the blogs or discussions, however I am so upset that Rachal did not get voted off ... the judges made a BIG mistake on this one and I can't believe how the judges have tried to justify this! I don't feel the judges watched the same episode that and my family and I just viewed, I have my children watching this as I felt it's a very important show, although they are nine and six, this is one night they get to stay up late on a school night. My nine year old said right from the beginning "mommy that Rachal lady is very mean, she is a bully and is not being a team, I don't like her very much, those are the type of people in school who nobody wants to be friends with but ones that everyone is afraid of so they always get their way". I told my nine year not kind to say he did not like her but I found myself not liking Rachal either, I told my son don't worry everyone will see how she is and she will get voted off. Carlana should not have been the one to be voted off! Rachel is star struck, has no interest in working as a team and displayed this right from the beginning when she stated during the team selection process "I am not going over to anyone". This show is about coming together an giving together and this was missed on Rachal's behalf but the judges rewarded her and sent home the wrong person! I then thought for sure Oprah would have made it right on her show today but in my opinion and many others that have blogged and discussed this on Oprah's site you all made a bad choice and don't see it, even after a day has passed. I don't think I will be watching the Big Give anymore especially when my nine year now believes that bullies always get away with everything and that's why the world isn't getting better! When your see it through the eyes of a child it's even more disrupting of how you all made a terrible mistake, too bad you still can;t see that. I'll I can say is WOW what were the judges and producers thinking, this mean, ungrateful, arrogant lady Rachal should never have been chosen to represent this show ... she is a fake!

dailygrace

I normally don't comment on these...but I was shocked about last nights show AND that Rachel of all people was still there. It is just so darn sad that she was able to bully and get her way with this....not lessons any of us need to take to heart.

how465

Mr. Oliver, You need to sit down and watch the episode as it was aired on TV and ask yourself if your decision still makes sense.... "Carlana was not letting her issues with Rachael lie during this challenge. I think there are points in life where - for the sake of the team - you've just got to move on and not shout and scream about things." This is exactly what we saw Carlana do, and exactly what Rachael could not, or would not do.

janeen624

EXCUSE ME?!?!? "Don't open themselves up to other people's ideas." Hmmm...I saw that as Rachael being the 'closed' one. "...-move on and not shout and scream..." Was it not Carlana who chose to sit back for the sake of the kids? "...had she grasped the lesson a bit earlier..." Seems to me Carlana DID grasp the lessan as she admitted she is controlling and was willing to step back and let Rachael 'lead' while Rachael thought of no one but HERSELF - not even the kids, just about winning. Someone who is TRULY about giving puts OTHERS first, which Carlana eventually did and Rachael NEVER did. Look again at what you're saying and what the decison was...can we say hypocrite?

cynthiap12

I so agree with everyone here. To be on this show, you must be "selfless" To be able to give you have to empty yourself of "YOU" and put your thoughts on others. Rachael was nothing but "EGO", "EGO", "EGO"!! What a shame that the audience can see this so clearly, yet you as judges could not!! what a shame!

mgenna

Jamie, I think there was a great deal more conflict involved in this challenge than what was shown. There is no way we could understand why these two women were at odds without a better editing narrative. We just saw them in the car formulating how they would avoid interacting with each other. Those clips were not the best place to form a good opinion of the entire team. I don't think either woman, Rachal or Carlana, looked so hot. I felt sorry 4 the other 2 teammates that were not in conflict caught in the middle. Whether Rachal was the team lead by default, fiat, or choice, she was the leader. I was irritated with Carlana wanting to talk about her feelings when they already had work to do. As soon as they became a team, Carlana should have spoken to the group about division of labor and style of leadership. She made assumptions that everyone agreed about how the work should be done and then found out her assumptions were wrong. It didn't look like she actually contributed anything to the overall effort. I didn't like her trying to take over the conversation when they spoke with the tennis star. Her rubbing shoulders did not have anything to do with the well-being of those children. I already had a bias against her team work from episode 1. 2 episodes later, I realize she has learned how to boss and guilt her way into being a leader. She doesn't know how to separate her own concerns with the concerns of other. She should have been eliminated then. As far as Rachal, I was aggravated because she disrespected her team mates when she said she was doing it all by herself. If she was, she needed to find out how to improve. I am sure the team challenges continue to get more complicated and the perception held by others will mark her downfall. The tennis star looked like it was through his work and resourcefulness that they were able to get so much done. What was her actual contribution that allowed for her to say she was in it by herself? If you became the default leader, you should have set the right tone for the team. Whether Rachal liked Carlana or not, she still had a job to do that could have used the contributions from each participant. Rachal might have been able to get more money for that school had she handled her team differently. My question for the posters here is: what do you do at work when someone steps over your feelings and demands a certain level of production? You can feel bullied, but you have to do what you need to do or leave that job. Insubordination at work is something that is not tolerated by strong leader. Bully? Ego? What characteristics do you expect to find in a person who is asking you for money for a charity? People listen to commanding, straightforward language. Asking a person to have a heart for a needy inter city school is like asking tax revenues to be split equally between all districts in a state: it won't happen on good will alone. I definitely did not like the beauty prize winner being the 'secret weapon'. I don't know that she should want to use her looks as her strong suit in this game. It takes more than going to the library or looking pretty to get people to donate something to needy people.

gatewaydre

mgennna, Well said...jamie. 'But both she and Rachael are strong, intelligent women who can, at times, be so focused on their personal goals that they don't open themselves up to other people's ideas.' I get the impression that the decision for who goes and who stays may be a cumulative impression and not just based on a single performance. We have seen Carlana have trouble working with others in a previous episode. It will be interesting to see what happens this week. Emily