Snarklepuss

I got the feeling that partly due to the mother's having told them that the man who raised them wasn't their biological dad (and making them keep that a secret), they didn't feel allowed to have that dad/child bond and emotional closeness that they should have been allowed to feel. That's one big reason why telling them at such a young age and the forced secrecy was so damaging, and made them feel compelled to seek out their "real" dad so as to right that wrong and feel the connection that they were never allowed to feel. So I empathize with it. There also may have been other reasons they didn't feel a close bond with the man that raised them but we didn't hear about that if it was the case. He may not have been especially close to them because of his own emotional failings.

I think sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and there are no meanings or cause and effect relationships between events even when it may seem that way. I think the diversity mentioned by the show was in reference to the cuisine represented more than anything else. If anything, Top Chef has promoted diversity of sex and background in its contestants more than just about any other reality competition I've ever seen on TV so I personally don't see any issue there. I think one of the problems leading to a different perception is that being a chef in the US has traditionally been a very white male scene and unfortunately in their effort to diversify their contestants the show ends up having to look harder and wider to accomplish that. One of the reasons that women tend to go home first one after the other on pretty much every cooking competition show is that in order to attempt to even out the sexes the shows are forced to select from a smaller pool of women so there are unfortunately fewer "shining stars" among them. There are just far fewer female chefs available out there and this show doesn't want to put only one or two on the cast. There is far more competition among the white males for spots on the show so the ones that make it will tend to have a higher level of accomplishment in general. I used to get angry seeing all the women going home one after the other on every show from this to "Chopped" to "Guy's Grocery Games" until I realized this. It still bugs me but at least on an intellectual level I understand why it happens. I think in some ways their efforts to diversify the cast actually has the effect of making it look like the white males are favored, which is probably not what they were going for. That said, I am rooting for Chef Tyler this season, but it has nothing to do with his sex or his ethnic background. I would root for him if he were a green transexual because I happen to know him and think he's a great chef.

As much as remarks in poor taste are becoming "the new normal" I prefer to give the guy the benefit of the doubt as that comment said in that spirit would have been in extreme poor taste under the circumstances. The guy was a little creepy but he would have had to be a LOT creepy to mean that at the time he said it!

I mentioned that remark upthread, but I somehow doubt he realized it at the time. I think we can deduce from this where the abusiveness came from in that family - Their mother.

One thing this show has taught me is that there is not always an emotional connection between the bio parents and the child, but what difference does that make when the parent can just as easily after the fact come around to regretting that or wishing it could have been otherwise? We have seen other cases where mothers were not found but fathers were, and the father may not have even known his former girlfriend or wife was pregnant and never knew they had a child, but they were not put down for just being a "sperm donor". I don't think donating sperm as a "business transaction" necessarily means that the person doing it doesn't have a heart and wouldn't later in life understand the implications of his youthful actions, just as those men who got a girlfriend knocked up at the prom and didn't even know about it for 40 years are guilty of just having a good time and not being worthy of later appreciating their own flesh and blood. To me that is painting with too broad a brush, too simplistic and too black and white, and respectfully, I don't agree.

I'll have to go back and watch that scene to see that top. I also have no idea why I find this hilarious but I do too! I think the Jacket she was wearing over my Kohls top was also from Kohls and it made me think "hmmm, I never thought of pairing that color jacket with that top". I'm always noticing clothes and stuff on TV shows that I happen to own. OT, but Howard and Bernadette on "Big Bang Theory" have a napkin holder in their kitchen that I bought at Walmart. It has made a very cheap purchase seem quite special somehow. I know, I need to get out more!

ITA, especially based on Bourdain's reaction which seemed like he was trying too hard to avoid being accused of being somehow complicit in having the knowledge of Batali's behavior beforehand. Not buying it.

He was pretty creepy but then again so was his daughter! They could do a whole show based on him and his donor progeny. Ewww. I know, I thought the same thing but it's making me think there are some serious issues going on with them, like maybe some kind of child abuse to explain the OTT behavior. They didn't say much about their relationship with their parents but it may have been pretty bad. I'm just trying to make sense out of the histrionics. I think there has to be something we don't know about to explain it. I don't see the difference between looking for a sperm donor parent and looking for a parent that left a child up for adoption. To the child the motive is the same, to find a birth parent and hope that they would find it in their heart to care about them. There's no guarantee that a parent that left a child up for adoption is going to care about the child or want to be found either, so I think it really depends on the particular people involved. Just because a person donated sperm doesn't mean they wouldn't later in life be thrilled to meet a child that was a result of their donation. I don't find it any different in principle. Of course it can shake out very differently depending on the people involved. Some may want to remain anonymous but that could be the case in adoption situations as well.

Really? I care about the French Laundry and other West Coast restaurants despite being on the East Coast. I am sick over this although not surprised.

And to think I had a little hand in making you possible......LOL! OK, I know I'm going straight to hell, I'll see myself out....

I just caught this on "on demand". Wow, some of that was awkward and hard to watch but I enjoyed it immensely despite that as I grew up watching the CB show. I don't think Carol got the joke with Jay's gag gift so it went over like a lead balloon. I think they were going for a "women of comedy past and present" thing with all those women there but that didn't really come across. Kaley was obviously uncomfortable being there and clung to Beth while Kristin clung to Bernadette, who if you squint just a little looks exactly the same as she did decades ago. I'll bet that Kaley accepted due to the honor of being invited by a living legend (and how it would look if she said "no") but then realized "oh crap" at the mortification factor of not knowing how to contribute. I don't blame her for going, though. It was probably go or look bad and I'll bet it was the producer's idea to have those women there to "represent" women in comedy, not necessarily Carol's. Speaking of feral children, Martin Short fits that category too. I actually thought Carol looked annoyed with him for making like he was grabbing her ring. It was actually refreshing to see some of these people again because we don't get to as often as we used to, which is regrettable. Back in Carol's show's day stars both young and old often made appearances on other stars' variety shows. Other than a scant few talk shows and "Dancing with the Stars" (and Jay's Garage show) where do we see any of these people anymore? Lyle Waggoner? Steve Lawrence? I didn't even know these people were still alive although it was amazing seeing them again. My high point was the Jimmy Stewart surprise. He was always my absolute favorite male movie star ever too (sorry Bogie). I actually saw that show as it was the series' last and I remember watching it. I also watched this show in reruns for several years after school. In all, an uplifting trip down memory lane even if bumpy in spots.

I googled on the phrase "sogged out" in quotation marks and found only about 1,520 results, mostly on foodie blogs and The America's Test Kitchen site. But I also found it as a footnote in "The English Dialect Dictionary" under the word "sog" a couple of times. And that was written in 1904! See below: https://www.google.com/search?q="sogged+out"&ei=pEktWqajBYSVjwSl64vQBw&start=0&sa=N&biw=1252&bih=575

BTW, not that anyone cares, but I have the teal colored top Paula was wearing in that scene. It's from Kohls, LOL.

It's probably me but I don't remember Howard being quite as bad to Raj before this episode as they were making it out to be. Yeah, he engaged in a little ragging on him every now and then but they all did that to each other and it was nothing on the order of the way Sheldon treats everyone, including Howard. I'm remembering how long Sheldon went on and on about Howard not being a PhD and not engaging in "real science". So maybe it just didn't seem so bad to me compared to all the insults they all suffered from Sheldon. And yes to it not being Howard's fault that Raj lacks confidence. If I can't even feel like his put downs were that much of a "thing" then how bad could the effect be? Plus we know that Raj was like this all along anyway. Not to justify Howard's behavior, but most guys with any confidence would take that stuff much differently. I do think the show is attempting to make Raj evolve this season - belatedly, as pretty much all of them have made some personal progress. It's at least a step in the right direction for him. And yay to Amy's wedding dress. I thought they would get married at city hall and have a later reception sort of like Leonard and Penny got married first in Vegas, then again in a regular ceremony. But whatever, it was very romantic of Sheldon to insist on a full wedding. I expected that they would have a lot of thematic fantasy/sci fi elements in their wedding as it fits them. I don't think they need to go so crazy with all of that, though, because it would cost a fortune and take forever to accomplish (not to mention be a hot mess of overkill). They need someone to reel them back into reality with that stuff. I agree with the poster above that Raj would have made a good choice to plan their wedding, but it looks like the show might want to go in another direction with him.

I'm just so sick of Ramsay keeping Elise around even after she has proven herself to be the most toxic contestant ever on this show that I can't even see straight. It seems like she can do whatever she wants and he'll just let her abuse and torture the other contestants without any consequences until the bitter end. Her bullying is so beyond entertainment by now that it's probably putting off more viewers than it's attracting, especially for people that remember her from her original season. Seeing him make her "get back in line" in this episode made me question why I even bother with this show anymore. I think he's way off the mark here. He knows he'd never let her win so why go through with this stupidity? It's just beyond the pale at this point and truthfully, insults the audience. Right now in this country we are sick and tired of bullies and attempting to make ratings off of one at the real expense of others is not at all what we want to watch. I don't think I have to check with anyone before I speak for the group on this.

I actually felt that this was a very good episode, but then again I'm used to feeling out of step on this show's board. Maybe it's because I'm old. I don't know. What I liked about it was that for once it literally felt like we were out of "La la land" in more ways than one. Rebecca's therapist put it into perspective that C+ is actually good, and this episode was like one big C+, the way real life is, not the exaggerated way Rebecca's life was before hitting rock bottom. Hitting it off with Paula's father was not exactly the healthiest of escapes, but in the scheme of Rebecca's craziness, it was a hell of an improvement. Plus we got an insight into why Paula is so drawn to Rebecca - She is a lot like her own father except with validation! Maybe he's a "borderline" too! I also liked Paula's resolution of her own past so that she can reframe her marriage. I once had a similar experience and came away feeling quite resolved. I met "the one that got away" at a reunion and by the time the night was through I was the one turning HIM down. It was a bit of unfinished business and "what ifs" that I carried around for close to 30 years! I think this is significant for Paula's growth as a person plus it will help her finally appreciate her husband in a way that she admitted she hadn't because of this old BF. In a way, Paula has done in one episode what it has taken almost 2 seasons for Rebecca to accomplish - getting over her own Josh Chan. In light of the women's growth, Josh is looking even more pathetic with his hyperfocusing on the bartending. We all know that he's headed for his very own breakdown one day. Only one minor real world nitpick - In the food market Paula is buying Vodka. In New York State it is illegal to sell hard liquor in food markets. It can only be sold in proper separate liquor stores. But I can forgive them that. I thought this episode did very well at combining the comedy with some real serious growth.

It's definitely "destination eating". If you can go when he does his annual Julia Child tribute dinner in mid August around her birthday it's even better because you'll get to meet him. He didn't do it for a couple of years and when I told him I was sorry he stopped doing it he told me he regretted not having the time and made a point to do it again this year. Of course, it just happened to conflict with a long-planned vacation and I couldn't make it! We were very disappointed and hope he does it again next year because we will definitely be there.

Yes, and he won. He also appeared on "Beat Bobby Flay" in 2014, which he lost. His Simsbury restaurant is "Millwright's" and his West Hartford BBQ restaurant is called "The Cook and the Bear", which is very close to Bartaco in Blueback Square.

There are a number of relatively easy things she could have had done to improve the appearance of the tooth that wouldn't cost a fortune and would be minimally invasive, like bonding and veneers. It's only one tooth so it wouldn't cost that much and it's less traumatic than a basic cleaning so I don't buy that she could be that terrified. I know a guy with a dead tooth and he has had bonding done to whiten it. That procedure is done specifically to improve the appearance of dark or discolored teeth. I find it weird with Meri because I would think that a woman that invests that much time on her appearance with makeup, etc. would want to do something about the tooth.

I live in an adjoining town and have dined there many times. I love Tyler's food and he is a really decent guy. My close friend's daughter's boyfriend is his bar manager and I also know the former head waiter (now events manager) and his girlfriend, who waits tables there. I keep meaning to get over to his new barbecue restaurant in W. Hartford, but haven't yet. This is the first time I've known anyone on Top Chef and I've watched since season 1. I am impressed with the lineup of chefs this season and like the direction in which the show is headed despite the needless innuendo and Graham's ridiculous eyeglasses, which seem even more ridiculous than his previous eyeglasses. It was very refreshing to see chefs supporting and helping each other. Go Tyler!

I can see that. I always used to say that her silence and positive "intelligent" expression shouldn't be interpreted as intelligence or common sense. I also think she always projected an image of responsibility and maturity that the others didn't. The fact that she was the only one with a real job at one point also gave that impression. I guess I always looked beyond that.

I actually think she has pretty normal sized feet. It's the rest of her that's huge which makes them look small. Kind of like her head looking small in proportion to her huge body. She would need much bigger feet to be more stable on them at her weight.

Alton kept referring to the challenger's green sauce as being made with lobster roe but the roe is not green, it's red and the tomalley is green so Mr. Snarkle and I were surprised as we expect Alton to know that!

Just saw the finale, congrats to Trevor, he certainly deserved it!

Yeah, I think it's for real after seeing the article. I think the reason it looks fake is because they engineered those conversations as a way of communicating the news to the audience. They figured that was more interesting than just telling the audience outright.