Well, I’m glad that’s over.

And really, doesn’t it pretty much sum up this entire dismal season of The Amazing Race when, during last night’s finale, we were a) hard-pressed to identify more than half the teams gathered on Wayne Newton’s front lawn and b) even those folks couldn’t muster up the enthusiasm to applaud like they meant it? You know how parents clap at school concerts after the 19th song? That’s how those guys were clapping as You Know Who and You Know Who were racing toward victory.

 So of course Meghan and Cheyne won the race and the million dollars, even though he was a complete weenie walking down the side of the hotel (I refuse to engage in the really grotesque Vegas product placement that occurred here) and even though they had never heard of Monaco (it’s in Spain? Really?). All the haters of GaySquared 2.0 can take solace in the fact that they didn’t win, but will be forever annoyed that they came in second. And also that they blamed the Czech cabbie ("He made us steal your cab! We’re so sorry!").

I was sorry that Brian and Ericka ended up so far behind (hell hath no fury like a Miss America who loses her lead, eh?) that we did not get a chance to see them meet Wayne Newton. And IMHO, Sam and Dan should not have gotten a pass from Mr. Las Vegas ("I’m Wayne Newton") when they had no idea who he was. On the other hand, holy cow! An animatronic Wayne Newton! Not exactly life-like, but still ...

And so this 15th go-round ends, disappointingly, and we can only hope that when the 16th season launches in early 2010 (rumor is that Miss Teen USA contestant from South Carolina who thought all children should have access to maps so they can find The Iraq is on, as well as a pair from Big Brother), that it is better. It certainly can’t be worse. Can it?