On CBS’s The Amazing Race last night, the global-travel reality show where pairs of competitors struggle to compete on often tedious tasks like who can get the most effective airline tickets, the gay male couple, Reichen and Chip, announced to the group of remaining competitors that they are gay and were “married in California,” and it was their anniversary. This being network TV, the others clapped appreciatively. Every time they’re identified on the show, the screen says “Reichen and Chip: Married.”

(Memo to Stan Kurtz: the Web site bio of these two also says “Reichen’s views on relationship are much more liberal than Chip’s — He enjoys flirting with other guys, but that makes Chip upset.”)

The real outcasts on the show are Millie and Chuck, whose on-screen tagline is always “Dating 12 Years / Virgins.” The official bio says nothing about why these late-twentysomethings have chosen virginity. They only note “Millie was once on the Tonight Show after Leno bumped into her and her roommate and asked them to ’say stupid Baywatch lines in our shower–in bikinis–which we did,’ so she has a wild side somewhere deep down.”