Jazzhands

He looked to me like he was made out of steroids and barely suppressed rage.

I’m with you. He reminds me of Beavis or Butthead (the dark-haired one; I can’t remember which is which). It’s the pompadour hairstyle with the slight widow’s peak and his pinchy mouth. I’ve seen certain pictures from flattering angles where he looks very handsome, but usually he just looks a little off to me.

Florinaldo, I’m really on board with your analysis regarding the ratings. I’m enjoying it and think it’s very well done, but if people are tuning in expecting Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous: Murder Edition, I can see why they’d tune out. They’re not getting what they expected. It’s not glamorous and campy with some murder thrown in (see, e.g., Lady Gaga in AHS: Hotel), it’s really bleak and dark, where nothing but bad things happen to the good people.

Stereotypes are not statistics.

Then she should’ve just asked Arie that question directly about his intentions rather than making it about Bekah and pretending like she was doing it to “protect” Arie. I’m not a fan of Bekah — I thought she came off as artificial, and her cutesy Betty Boop act worked my last nerve. But I thought Tia came off far worse in this exchange. If she’s mature enough to be married, then she should be mature enough to have a direct, adult conversation.

Yes, and I am right there with you!

I’m sure the show didn’t get into why the Browns lost the appeal because it would expose what a farce this whole episode was. They lost their appeal on the technical legal ground of “standing,” which in a nutshell means that in order to proceed with a lawsuit, a plaintiff must demonstrate that he or she has a sufficient connection to and will suffer harm from the law or action they are challenging. In this case, the federal court of appeals found that the Browns did not have legal standing to challenge Utah’s anti-polygamy law because they were not in any credible fear of being prosecuted under it. So, as to the episode title and all of the nonsense that followed about “Risking Arrest”? Not so much.

Can’t wait!!!

Marikh irritated me so much in that original episode and again last night about that absurd “glam shaming.” Chelsea wasn’t complaining that Marikh was adjusting her hair in a window reflection during a cocktail party, for example, but that during that Amazing Race-style challenge, Marikh was using the team’s compass to fix her hair rather than focusing on the task at hand, helping her teammates, and letting them use the compass for its intended purpose. Marikh was acting like a selfish, self-absorbed jerk, and if she can’t see that distinction, then she’s either disingenuous or delusional. But instead she plays the victim of “glam shaming.” No one hates you because you’re beautiful, Marikh (and you’re no Kelly LeBrock, either, lady), they hate you because you’re a jerk and a whiner. Ugh.

I watch this show every week but I’m skipping this one. The only way these idiots are “Risking Arrest” (episode title) is if they trespass, damage property, refuse to follow a lawful order, engage in disorderly conduct, etc., while they are in Utah for or during the protest march. The Browns live in Nevada, and therefore the state of Utah currently has no jurisdiction whatsoever over these people or their lifestyle. Janelle’s post says they can be found guilty of a felony in the state of Utah for living their religion, but that is not accurate. If they move back to Utah, the law as written would authorize prosecution, although it would be unlikely to actually happen given the published statements by the Utah Attorney General’s Office that polygamists will only be prosecuted when fraud or child/domestic abuse are also present. I can certainly see from their point of view that they want to protest those laws and argue for legislative change so that they’re not depending on the discretion of elected officials in whether to enforce laws on the books if they move back to Utah, but to pretend like they’re risking anything now is absolutely absurd and dishonest. I’m not about to get into an argument with anyone about whether polygamy should be legalized in Utah or anywhere else, and I certainly understand that TLC wants to amp up drama, but the episode title, TLC promos, and Janelle’s post are absolutely inaccurate unless there is already an outstanding warrant for their arrest in Utah that would be executed when they step foot back in the state’s jurisdiction, and we’ve seen zero evidence of that.

Same. However, I did get the recipe for and make the pepperoni sauce that was such a hit, and it was awfully good.

Same here. I don’t know anyone who wears or sells it, but if those pictures above of the scary faces are representative, I have no words. I should clarify that right now I’m wearing a 25-year-old Pearl Jam T-shirt with a hole in the armpit and a pair of my husband’s sweatpants, so I am in no position to judge.

I know what you mean. It’s historical fact, and I’m genuinely surprised sometimes that people aren’t familiar at least with the broad strokes. Same with other fictionalized historical shows like The Crown. But on the other hand, when they go changing up the details, I’m often left wondering if I’ve got it wrong or am maybe going senile. So there’s that.

I wonder what would’ve happened if the ATF had just picked up Koresh when he was out shopping or going for a run. Would the others have stayed faithful to him and taken his directions from jail, selected a new leader to follow, or disbanded? I’ve been thinking about ordering the book, so I think I’m just going to have to do that. I remember watching this on TV as it unfolded, but in the intervening years I’ve forgotten a lot of the details.

I always wondered if there was explicit pre-surgery counseling to make clear to prospective patients what the surgery actually does and how your life has to change in order for it to be successful. I used to work with someone who had the surgery and lost a ton of weight, but within about a year he was back to drinking sodas and eating fast food, and when I last saw him a couple of years ago, it looked like he had put the weight back on. On the show, it seems pretty cursory (here’s your new 1200-calorie diet and you need to lose X pounds over the next month), but I wondered if there is actually more education/counseling or even therapy required, and we just don’t see it on TV. It seems like the people on this show frequently are surprised that the surgery just prevents them from eating much at any one time but doesn’t stop their cravings. Congratulations on going through that. It doesn’t look like easy at all.

Bibiana left in Week 3. Since this show started recycling contestants, the leads have almost always been chosen from people who made it to hometown dates. Juan Pablo was an exception as an early boot who was chosen as a lead, and his season was pretty much considered to be a disaster.

I know! I was jamming out on the couch and thinking what a horrible person I am because I am totally enjoying this moment but I also know that pretty soon most of the people in that compound are going to be burned alive. But I guess with a show like this, you take the bright points where you find them.

I don’t think Bibiana was ever in the running for being cast as the lead. She was probably lucky to have been cast on this train wreck of a show.

I don’t know if this is what really happened, but that was completely my feeling while watching the show. The murder happened in David’s apartment with David’s hammer. I would imagine that the police would’ve been looking for David not as a hostage/kidnapping victim, but as the prime murder suspect. David knew that, and Andrew took advantage of it to get David to run away with him. That, and putting the fear into David of being the next victim if he didn’t do what Andrew wanted.

Same. I’m of stiff-upper-lip British descent and my family has always taken the “hatch, match, and despatch” view toward publicity. My parents would’ve died of embarrassment if I’d gotten involved with anything like this, and they certainly would never have agreed to participate in any way. I think there may have been a contestant many years ago whose family refused to take part in the hometown date with that season’s bachelor, but it seems as though recently there are so many hopefuls in the contestant pool that they only select candidates with families who will play into the script (i.e., “I’ll kill you if you hurt her feelings but you have my blessing to enter into a phony engagement if you choose her over the other three girls you’re about to have sex with”).

I sure did! I listened to that soundtrack on my Walkman until the tape disintegrated. I DVR’ed last night’s show and watched it after dinner this evening. I can’t wait for my husband to watch it this weekend. I’d love to see Taylor Kitsch (as his glorious self, sans David Koresh mullet) and Rory Culkin playing that whole soundtrack. “Good Times,” yes? None is this, of course, is to take away from the horrific events depicted in the show, but I’m a late-80s girl at heart, and I love me some Lost Boys.

I’m guessing that switch would be a six-figure salary. I don’t think she has any desire to be the main breadwinner and therefore doesn’t plan to stay married to him, so she’s not going to open up and get close to him.

All of the ladies are accessorizing with maggots and crotch carpets this season. That’s why Queen Elizabeth II was at London Fashion Week.

I think they get $10,000 from one of the show’s sponsors.