ProTourist

Copied over from the 'June, Chad, and Pauline' WATN thread: Yes, I'm still bummed that the season is over. We had twenty new episodes, which was a lot, but only seven WATN. I had been sure there would be at minimum eight episodes because Milla was #6 and June, Chad, and Pauline was #8, so it seems like we missed out on episode #7. Plus, some poundticipants from last season said on FB they were supposed to have an update aired this year, so I think the WATN season was originally going to be longer, but that TLC decided to shorten it for some reason, and to reschedule for next year some episodes that could probably have aired this year. Ah, well. 😢 I liked this season a lot, overall -- including the heart-breakers (Kelly, Sean, who died two days apart), the inspirations (Justin M., Aaron, Milla), and the weirdos and screw-ups (Angie J, Maja, Jeanne). What I didn't like were the ones who took almost the whole year to finally get with the program (Tiffany, Annjeannette, Lacey) and finally had WLS at the end of the year. That last bunch was less interesting, mostly lies and excuses until they finally got their acts together and then the episode ends. Regarding filming of the WATN episodes, I'm not sure how it's done. But I imagine that if someone has done well enough during the initial year and that both sides want to continue for a second year, that they just keep on doing what they were doing for that first year. It may get more complicated for a third year and beyond, especially if the poundticipants move away from Houston, such as to go back home, get married, have a child, etc.

On the viewing and discussion FB page, Alicia K and Tamy Lynn have been posting that they have updates that are supposed to air this year, but since TLC ended the season last week, their WATN episodes will probably be pushed to next year.

Yes, that crossed my mind too! 😊

I've glanced through the sample and have found some issues as well, such as those you mention. Regarding the amount of time he says humanity has existed, I've read that Dr. Now is an Assyrian christian, so he may hold some points of view that are not strictly scientific. [But of course we should not discuss religion nor politics here.]

More info on the new book from Dr. Now's instagram: I don't know if Kindle or other e-book formats can be borrowed from libraries, but once the print edition is available it should be possible to ask one's library to order a copy.

Found this posting made earlier this week by a neighbor of Barbara and Jeanne:

Dr. Now's second book has been released. It's available in Kindle format from Amazon; not sure if there is a print edition as yet. A free sample is available. The Scale Does Not Lie, People Do.: Reversing obesity now.

According to her personal FB page, Milla turned 51 last week.

When I was a kid my mother would make bacon and eggs for weekend breakfasts. She would fry the bacon first, then cook the scrambled eggs in the bacon fat. Blech. Although I liked bacon, I never liked the way those eggs tasted; I preferred them cooked in butter or margarine. But as I recall, that was the only time she fried anything in animal fat; usually she used liquid vegetable oils such as Wesson. My grandmother used lard once in a great while; I could probably count the times on one hand, and then it was probably for economy (meaning that she had already had it on hand from something she had cooked). She usually used vegetable shortening, such as Crisco, such as when making french fries or pie crust. The last time I visited Spain was in the late nineties, on the southern Atlantic coast. I was on a day trip with a small group from school (a language immersion program). We had to start very early so we stopped for breakfast on the road. We were all americans except for the group's leader from the school who was a spaniard from Sevilla. The waiter brought to our table a bowl of some solid orange substance, which our guide spread on his bread. We tried to find out from him what it was, but at first he would just say that we would not like it. Finally he admitted it was pig fat. Blech. He was right.

I'm still bummed that the season has ended with this lame update episode, which I've watched now on Amazon. Other than June's wedding it was dull, dull, dull. And since the WATN season ended with only seven episodes, I've saved a whopping one dollar by purchasing the whole season rather than the individual episodes. 😡 I'm not surprised that Pauline decide to quit and return to California. I could tell she felt unable to do all the additional work for the amount of time that Dr. Now would have required in order for her to receive additional skin surgeries. I am surprised that so little of Chad was shown, but that might be because he wrote and published a book, which could have violated his NDA with the production company, so they may have stopped filming him. Bottom line, I wish them all well, wherever they end up. So sorry that the whole season is over now, but it's been a lot of fun. I'll still be around, though, if anyone wants to discuss this or previous seasons' poundticipants. Cheers y'all. ✌️

Good evening, pounders. I'm bummed that the season is ending tonight! 😢 My eating habit today has been a chicken salad sandwich, cole slaw, and ice cream.

Well, the missing schedule info is now posted. Tonight is the last new episode. There will be only seven WATN episodes, not eight. And according to the posted schedules, there will be no supersized episodes for Milla or for tonight's new episode. Next Wednesday evening July 10 at 8pm, TLC has scheduled their '90 day fiancé' series. So tonight will be our last live chat until next year.

June has had two episodes so far, her original and one update. This will be her second update. Here's a clip from her original episode: And this clip is from her first update: The balloons at the end of the episode sounds like Maja, from earlier this season.

The robot and the surgeon; latest post on Dr. Now's Instagram page:

This is odd. TLC has posted their full schedule for every day next week except for all of Wednesday July 10 and for 00:00 through 04:00 of Thursday July 11. For Wednesday July 10 it keeps saying "Schedule data is not yet available" and entries for those early hours on Thursday July 11 are just missing. It's as though they can't decide whether or not they're going to air a new WATN episode next week, or if this week is going to be the last of the season. Well, I thought there were going to be at least eight WATN episodes, so there should be one more, but then this week's episode with Chad, June, and Pauline was supposed to be #8, so maybe there will only be seven after all. Sigh. I hope this is not the last week. . . .

Thank you so much for all these details on the additional info in the supersized episode, Twopper -- it is very much appreciated. One point I find odd is Jennifer's claim that she used to like making biscuits and gravy before joining Dr. Now's program, because she was shown as someone completely helpless who did not know how to cook at all, not even scrambled eggs; where her daughter had to do everything for her. Hmmm.

Does anyone here believe the road to hell is paved with frozen grapes? If so, poor Zach:

Thanks for this info. I'm glad to know that Liz' mother was included in a bonus scene -- she wasn't shown at all in the regular episode.

Yes indeed. JG wouldn't come out of her dressing room, and was eventually replaced by Susan Hayward. JG's costume tests and pre-recording of "I'll plant my own tree" still exist, if you have come across them. She was near the end by then.

I agree with this so far as Milla and many of the poundicipants, but at the same time I do not believe that Dr. Now's program can work for all obese people. The ones with serious food addiction and/or with major psychological impairments don't do so well, because they need a different approach. Also, I found that Dr. Now gave more services to Milla than he has to some others. For example, long stays in rehab after her surgeries, rather than being sent home (or to a hotel) after several days. I'm sure those additional services contributed to Milla's success.

I've started the first of my summer reading with Treasure Island, an old master by Robert Louis Stevenson. I've always understood it to be a great novel, but never undertook it because I thought I'd keep tripping over the antique language -- which is an issue I have in reading the original novel of 'Captains Courageous', so that I keep putting it down. No such problem! I make out with its language quite well most of the time, and when I reach a word I don't know, I just press on it and the Kindle app brings up the definition. Treasure Island is in the public domain, and is available for free in various formats. Here it is on Google Play. All that's needed is a web browser, and word definitions will come up by double-clicking on them. 😎

That early online preview of the WATN episode for June, Chad, and Pauline has been posted for several weeks now, but it wasn't supposed to be broadcast until July. I had thought it would be a bit later in the month, but it's now scheduled for next Wednesday July 3. The schedule for the following Wednesday July 10 is not yet posted, so don't know as yet if there will be additional new WATN episodes this season. Personally, I hope for a couple more follow-ups before the season ends. Would be interested in a second WATN on Nikki Webster, to include her wedding, and first follow-ups on the One Ton Family, Benji & David, Tamy Lynn, and Tracey. We'll know soon.

Have watched the episode online now -- what a success indeed! I'd put Milla up at the level of Paula Jones and Brittani Fulfer. She seems like she's really got her life back 100%. Besides her personal recovery, it's good to know that the efforts of everyone who helped her over the years were not wasted. All of what her family, community, and medical teams have spent in terms of time, money, and efforts were a good investment. How many poundticipants can we say this about? Well done Milla! ❤️

Yes, I remember the print ads for "Ayds" -- even as a kid, the product never made much sense to me. Speaking of nostalgia, a few days ago (June 22) was the fiftieth anniversary of Judy Garland's death in London. Although I was all of eight years old, I can still remember reading about it in the New York Post. Must admit that all I felt was relief that her tabloid exploits had come to an end. Not very charitable in such a little kid. . . .

I don't remember if they made it clear why Milla didn't attend her husband's funeral, but she didn't go to see him in the hospital either, not even once they learned he was not going to make it. She just let him go.