BusyOctober

The right look was sent home. That was hideous. Sorry Michael. However, I am O-V-E-R Brandon and his regurgitated "silhouette". If he is trying to create a portfolio to become the lead designer for the Star Wars franchise, then great. Mission accomplished. Rey and her fellow Rebels and Jedis will look fabulous in your beige dolmen sleeved caftans. The strappy appendages will come in handy if the characters need to tether themselves together on the next Death Star or to pull R2 out of a sand pit. Why the judges are enamored with his one way monkey ability, I don't know. But, this is the same panel that awarded Erin the win last year, so... Margarita is really starting to bug me more every week. She isn't as insufferable as some of the past seasons' overly confident, smug designers, but she's pushing the envelope. Her looks have been meh overall. Up until this challenge, her stuff has been wearable, but not so memorable (to me anyway). Her model last night looked as if she made a Super Hero costume after shopping at the Dollar Store. Yes, the materials were unconventional, but everyone (minus Michael) made "clothes" versus costume out of their collected materials. One thing I noticed and liked in this version of UC is they didn't supply muslin as a foundation fabric. Or maybe it was there, but no one took the easy way out? Either way, I applaud the choice. In the past I think too many designers did themselves in by relying on the muslin. I would like to see Kenya, Ayana & Kentaro in the finals. I know it won't happen, but these are the people I like best based on personality first & ability second. Ayana has a unique perspective re. "modest" designs, so I think she will get in. I have a feeling it will be Brandon who joins her since the judges are experiencing some kind of Stockholm Syndrome. 3rd spot is a toss up, but realistically it'll probably be Kentaro, Brandon and Ayana. No spoilers, just guessing. If I were at Fashion Week and knew Brandon were showing, I'd try to get a front row seat and bring my scissors to snip off all the trailing belts and straps as they parade by.

I laughed out loud and choked on my tea when Michael revealed his "solution" for the Trolley Problem...his drawing of a rider wielding a long pole with a sharp blade to decapitate the 1 worker while still allowing the trolley to mow down the 5 workers in order to "kill all 6 of the people" was truly evil genius. All the other trolley scenes were good too, but that drawing & Michael's dead pan delivery explaining it will be making me chuckle for a few days. See the rest of you in the Bad Place, I guess.

Add me to the group of happy campers with this show's format. No crazy contestants, no whack-a-doo 'twists' or add-ons. I hate when shows (mostly FN shows) feel they need to do some kooky antics to challenge the bakers/chefs. Just give them the docket with a particular theme (Pastry, Sweet Dough, Donuts...) and let these people show the audience & judges their skills, knowledge and innovations. I'd be so pissed if I went on one of those shows where they make the bakers/chefs use some odd ingredient. If I'm a professional, classically trained pastry chef (and on TV to promote myself & my bakery), I want to spend most of my allotted time perfecting my pate choux or rolling out phyllo dough for an amazing plated dessert. Then someone tells me with 15 min on the clock that I need to incorporate fermented quail eggs or popcorn flavored jelly beans into my dessert for added "hilarity & hijinks?" Why? Because 3rd level PA thought of it while getting stoned with his/her roommate? I'd make sure that PA would be wearing a face full of meringue while I slowly wave a a blow torch across it. That's why I love Great British Bake Off so very very much. Nothing screams "manufactured drama" under the tent!

As for repeating ad nauseum their own success via sob stories, A-Rod isn't the only guilty party. Robert tells us about his immigrant factory worker father, Mark relives his door-to-door- garbage bag selling days and Barbara reminds us she was a waitress that no one believed in just about every week. I think it is admirable that many people achieved success despite very meager or destitute beginnings. They should be proud, but I don't need to hear it over & over. I don't get the flip-flop attitude given from some of the Sharks toward some of these folks shilling. Mark fawns all over the Gronk-son 5 and wants their name slapped on the cup, despite hearing the kid didn't need the money. Yet Mark called the app lady from SF a 'gold digger" because she was already successful and didn't need the money- she just wanted exposure in his opinion. First of all....Um, yah? ALL of these people in front of you want exposure! If they get a $$ deal from one of you, then BONUS! Many of the non deal getters still have success from just being on TV. Second, re. branding the cup with the Gronk name...there have been other products invented, backed or endorsed by celebrities that were pooh-poohed because the product HAD the famous name attached. I can't recall a specific item, but I know I heard in the past some of the Sharks slam the inventor for just being opportunistic and using the "name" to sucker people into buying. There isn't any real consistency with some of these "experts".

I really enjoyed this one. I like Larry David and Bernie Sanders, so that probably biased me in a way. Even though I was 'spoiled' about the DNA distant cousin thing, I was grinning like an idiot when the pages were flipped. Prof Gates was right - the German/Alabama slave owning ancestors could be a 'Curb' story line because it's just so out there. I couldn't help compare LD's reaction to Ben Affleck's upon discovering slave owners in the family tree. LD handled it the way I think most 21st century people would. We'd be embarrassed, or feel guilty. No one wants to hear that news. But LD allowed the audience to hear and see it while Ben Affleck tried to bury it. I don't think anyone in the audience would decide to cut a present day person from their life because of actions some distant 4xGG did, so I'm not sure why BA felt that historical fact needed to be expunged from his record. It happened, it was a horrible period of our collective history, and you weren't there to participate in those abhorrent but socially accepted behaviors Learn from it, educate future generations about what you learned.

Speaking for myself, yes I do understand this show is supposed to be goofy and gory. I don't object to stuffed cookies or goop dripping out of the desserts if they are executed well. As Passing Strange noted, the disconnect for me is asking these qualified bakers to do their best recipes and show off their mastery with ingredients and flavors, but then put the onus on them to incorporate crappy dollar store candies like "Runts" or "Lemon Heads". As for the stuffed cookie, my definition of what they wanted was way off base. I thought they were looking for a cookie dough batter baked into a normal sized/shaped cookie with some element like handmade truffle or caramel or fruit/nut filling inside. I didn't imagine they'd want hollowed out bricks with hidden, store bought (inedible IMO) trinkets in them. But then, my interpretation was too close to the oozing slime challenge, and the gimmick would have been repetitive in one episode.

Barely recognized most of these “Stars”, and I think I have watched HK since Season 2. I saw Robyn’s face and I knew I could clear this off the DVR. Instead, I will check in here to see everyone’s insightful snark.

Those stuffed cookies were stupid. Aside from m&m’s, all the candies they used were those gross, tasteless, hard sugar coated gravel. Not good candy! Cute for decorating, not for eating. And the way they stacked 3-4 cookies into a brick...not tasty. I’d prefer well baked, one layer cookies, thanks. And if someone goes through the trouble of baking cookies with great combinations like mocha spice or salted caramel, how will artificially sweetened shards add anything to the flavor profile? Is biting into a cookie or cake and having hard pellets spill out and bounce all over my plate, my table and my floor supposed to “delight” me in some way? Because I can tell you without even trying one, I won’t be delighted. Stupid to make, stupid to eat. Too bad the goo fillings didn’t work out for most of them. When the older baker got grape for his goo, I was thinking PB &J combo. Wine was a good idea to go with chocolate I guess. But that cartoon-y purple didn’t look like a match for a grownup flavor. Glad he got to stay. Balloon Boy had better learn to think on his feet a little better! Wasting all that time on a failing idea was foolish.

Admittedly, I have disliked the twins since the first time they showed up. After their collaborative crap-fest they sent down the runway tonight, I tried to be somewhat objective as I tried to remember their contributions for previous runways. Most of them are unremarkable. I get that many PR designers have a "look" they tend to lean on every challenge, but usually by this point, any of them with self awareness have stretched a bit beyond that comfort zone. These two are just so...lacking. In everything. No sense of style. No creativity. No independent spirit. They are lacking in taste, in skills & certainly in the aforementioned self awareness. Anything I can remember they have shown has looked like they are designing for the goth clique at Julliard...sweatshirt-y warm up or post workout dance wear. And from Shawnie (UGH), we get a touch of "edginess" represented by some weird leather applique or hanging appendages. Can either of them do anything beyond this "style"? When they had the Good/Evil challenge, one of them made a sad, already been done princess dress that was so underwhelming. And I may be clouded by my dislike of them, but don't one or both of them copy or co-opt pieces every week? This week they copied the knee boot thing, last week it was cut/copy/paste almost exact replicas of what they or the model wore. Other outfits I can remember were also very similar to what has already been shown (Shorts! Under a skirt!!) or has existed in the market for several years (sweatshirt dress, off the shoulder "Flashdance" sweatshirt). I don't even think I can use the word "derivative" to describe them, because straight out COPYING is not what derivative means. On a twin positive note, Claire definitely should ditch her 'Katy Perry copies Madonna' high pony tail and the crazy bold lipstick. She looked so natural and pretty with her hair down and without the sex doll lipstick. If she would get rid of the nose ring, she'd look even better. I know, I'm old and very unhip, but I can't stand facial piercings (or tats above the neck on men or women). And another positive...one of these poseurs is going home next week! And for my sanity and many others, Tim had better not use that stupid 'save' contrivance on either of these undeserving twits.

I get that W & Z were tired, or jet lagged (who plans a long trip for such a short turn-around with 2 small children in the first place??) But even with that, I thought Jen & Bill let Zoey's rude behavior pass twice when they could have gently reminded her how to ask for something or express herself with respect. When she shouted at them to stop singing, as Libby noted was one opportunity. The other was at the Fish n' Chips place when Zoey was standing her chair yelling in her mom's face "And Ketchup!! Ketchup!!". I am a parent and I've had that exact thing happen to me in public when my daughter was 3 or 4. I remember apologizing to the waitress and asking her to please give me a second. Then I turned to my little girl and said firmly, "That is not how you ask for something. I heard you, and we will ask for the pickles, but ask nicely. Let's try that again please." She looked at our server and said, "Excuse me, can I please have pickles in a dish? Not on my burger?" Then I told my daughter that shouting is not only rude to me and the lady taking our order, but it is rude to the other people around us. My husband and I had no problem removing her from a restaurant or store if things escalated, which was rare but did happen a few times. And we only have the one child, so we didn't have to split our attention. Whether it's because of the cameras, or their own embarrassment or insecurity in the situation, I think Bill & Jen let a lot of things slide when it comes to W & Z's behavior. In the moment, it may be easy to say "Oh she's tired/hungry!" and let it go. After a while without being reminded of courtesy and respect, bad behavior becomes habit. Burping at the table or screaming in a parent's face may be excused in their family's home, but it may not be in their friend's homes...or school...or dance class. Never been to London, and if I ever go, I would definitely go to Abbey Road and try to reenact the photo too. But I couldn't help feel bad for all the locals who have to put up with tourists clogging the traffic, pretending they are the Beatles!

This business of blaming others for one's personal issues, failings & wrong doings is just out of control. And we can see by the parade of litigants on JJ, this isn't just a millennial affliction. Ms. Ineeda Jelly Donut was not born in the 90's or 00's. There are plenty of losers of all ages passing through this show who have figured out how to blame the rest of society for THEIR failure to get an education, or learn a trade, or hold down a job, or correctly use birth control, or save money to feed/clothe themselves over spending limited funds on titty tats, hair extensions, bags of weed or chrome rims. It's always someone else's fault. Therefore it has become the expectation that the rest of us who worked to earn what we have, and struggle to maintain budgets, and can successfully juggle complex lives filled with friends, family and household chores, must pick up the slack and GIVE these morons what they can't get for themselves. I'm 50 years old. I have an 11 year old daughter. Anytime she pulls out the "It's not my fault!", I tell her the facts: You choose the action, you choose the consequence. You are responsible for your decisions, so think about what you say or do BEFORE you say or do it. Unlike Lil Miss Mace Face's mom, I do not allow my kid to get away with outrageous behavior ( "outrageous" in our house is slamming doors during a tantrum rather than physical assault of an immobile stranger, FYI). I consider myself a fiscal conservative, but a social liberal. I don't subscribe to 'all or nothing' political parties. I did not vote for either candidate in the last Presidential election. So please don't attribute my comments to either side of the political fence. I'm just very angry about the state of things when it comes to our growing "Nanny State" attitude. Our various social systems are very broken and no one is monitoring cases for fraud or questionable activities. I believe as a society, we should be responsible for helping our more fragile neighbors; the mentally challenged, veterans, the elderly, kids born to drug abusers, etc. Some of the excuses these lazy, manipulative, system abusing users proudly and publicly tell the JJ audience just enrages me. How did "I gamble." become the equivalent to "I lost 2 legs and an arm in Afghanistan" as far as receiving tax payer assistance? How is it now MY responsibility to care for your 8 kids by 6 different baby daddies because you didn't use birth control after baby #2 or 3? It's no wonder we have become such an angry divided country.

Or stops reading random Bible quotes her dim bulb parents use out of context. Or says she wants to spend the weekend with Chris and Grandma Amy in their ‘big house’. Or brings home a girlfriend.

thank you! I thought it was me, and maybe I fell asleep (as I often do when it’s Andrea’s gig). I even rewound several times to see what I missed. Turns out after looking here, I didn’t miss a thing, but Dateline sure did. Thanks to Cupcake 04 for filling in the chasm Andrea and her crackerjack team left for us. Maybe there should be a separate forum for “Dateline Deletions- Here’s What REALLY Happened”. I could tell right away from the editing that Colin had to be involved since they kept talking about him in such glowing terms, yet he wasn’t part of the interview. I also knew the wife was going to end up being the murderer, because Dead Spouse + Dateline = Guilty Surviving Spouse. I am pretty sure the ex-friend, current lovah Tucci was at least aware of what went down.

Thanks, Brattinella. Wow...so she was 11 and had a restraining order against her?!? Or she was 13 then and now 15? Either way, quite the resume this future inmate has going for her. I wonder if she'll be back in front of JJ in 3-4 years with titty-tats and piercings & suing her over indulgent mother for not letting her abandon her kid at her momma's Section 8 housing every weekend so she can relax and "conversate" with her frendz 'bout her man conversatin' wit other females.

I love these too! I just can't believe in 2017 people still get sucked in by these scammers. Good looking lonely heart, "stuck" in a foreign country without a way to get home, and asking for money, despite only knowing I existed for a few weeks? Sure! Let me sell my house & wire you the proceeds! I know it is smug, self-righteous and may incite wrath, but I can honestly say I could never be a victim of one of these cat fishing lies, even if I am old and lonely. How can I be so sure? I am a card carrying member of the Grammar Police. One line with incorrect spelling or awkward phrasing would cause me to shut down any further communication, block the sender and log off my computer (and I would never use on online dating service either, so there's that).

I missed the beginning of L'il Miss Mace-in-the-Face case. What was her "reason" for spraying the woman in the pedicure chair? Did the pedi-lady take the last bottle of OPI's newest nail color? How did a grown woman, sitting down with bare feet in mid polish pose an imminent threat to a 13 yo?

I guess I meant by "going their separate ways" I was thinking Frank could move on with his career (prof @ Harvard) and Claire could have raised the child on her own in the England or France or wherever. She could have moped along the moors, pining for Jamie in Scotland. If divorce was too shameful/scandalous, she could have easily said she was a war widow, and her husband died...just update the story she created for herself as Claire Beecham in the 1740's. In any case, I am still vested enough in the scenery and the other characters to keep watching. I just am not a Claire fan so far this season.

I'm starting to really dislike Claire. Maybe it's because I'm not a hopeless romantic? I just don't get the "one true love" and all other loves will never compare. As someone stated, when we first meet Frank & Claire, they seemed very much in love & attracted to each other. OK, she goes back in time, meets Jamie & falls in love. But she seems to hate Frank for not being Jamie. Not his fault! And if the theory is that Claire can't look at Frank without thinking of his cruel ancestor, Black Jack, then that is too small minded (IMO). When she got back to Frank she should have told him she couldn't be with him anymore and gone their separate ways.

Without even knowing who the hell Spice & Curry (hee!) are, I am guardedly pleased Nia & her husband are gone. He wasn't too bad, but Nia's forced interactions w/ contestants and attempts to "Act" were so annoying.

I just looked up my local PBS affiliate...WGBH in BOSTON. Their headquarters are a train ride away from Milk St, and they do not have this show in their schedule. Hmmm? Did Christopher burn too many local bridges? I will watch via the links above and see if I can get a smart "food/cooking" show back in my viewing rotation. Lord knows Food Network only shows fat white guys shoving behemoth sized burgers in their faces...or the other fat white Guy's eleventy billion iterations of DD&D. Or all the doofy competitions with worse cooks, food trucks, pumpkin carving, infusing squid ink into cupcakes. GAH! I'm over the "travel" food shows too. I believe you when you tell me it tastes good as the food spills out of you mouth b/c you're talking with a face full of chili fries. Now could you go back to your kitchen and show me how to make it?

So in addition to the "Kiss of death" phone call from home that (usually) spoils who's going home, maybe the Twins' critiques are our new spoiler barometer for who is safe each episode? If Claire or Shawn hate an outfit, we know that designer is sticking around. I think every week one of them has dissed a top or safe design. Too bad the judges can't see those TH's and add them into the judging criteria. Those two have horrible taste and neither is as talented as they think.

Denim...Ember...Honor...every generation has their fads with names. I was born in the late 60's, and started 1st grade near San Francisco. I had a few hippie named kids in my classes in the 70's; like Moon, Star, Sunny, Freedom. In college I met a guy named Moss and his twin sister was named Birch. Odd and Jerk are just another generation looking to be "unique" IRT kids names. So instead of 'Mother Earth' being their inspiration, I guess some millenials are inspired by scrolling through Etsy descriptions of wares made by hipster "farmer-trepreneurs". 'This one of a kind artisanal soap is made from the milk and lanolin of a rare goat only found in the Ural Mountains. Once harvested, the raw milk is transported down the mountains by women wearing traditional home spun denim tunics. It is then lovingly stirred over glowing embers for 27 hours, until cakes are formed. We honor these traditions by wrapping each soap in repurposed denim. $24.99/bar (+ S/H). Allow 16 to 24 weeks for delivery...each goat only yields 2 bars of soap."

Amy's middle name is Jo. Amy Jo Roloff. Jerk & Odd would never use any part of Amy's name...they don't respect her life choices. She got divorced! She has a boyfriend...& she goes on overnight trips with him! She doesn't understand boundaries! And anyway, Amy, (and Matt, Zach, Molly, Jeremy) is merely part of Jerk's former family. No, naming their perfect child of Christ, who was born as a result of faithfully following the Jesus-approved chapters of the Kama Sutra, shall not be named after such an un-Godly woman as Amy.

I don't know if much could be done to save Deyonte's dress, but for starters if he had left the front of the mullet skirt 4"-6" longer, the proportion may not have been so glaringly awful. It still would have been hideous...color, design, material. All bad. And for Christ sake, a neck ruff? Very rarely does that ever work out. Overall, I do like most of the designers, even the ones we don't get to see/hear much of so far. If the shrieking shrike twins could be somehow locked in an abandoned warehouse, or take an "accidental" tumble down an elevator shaft, I could thoroughly enjoy the rest of this season. Brandon (Zen mode and regular mode) seems very sweet and has talent, but I am baffled by the orgasmic enthusiasm for his garment. It looked kinda comfy I guess? Kinda edgy? But in no way did I get "dance" from that. Then again, I am an old farty New Englander, so I don't know nutthin 'bout fashion.

While I'm glad Tawny got the breasts she wanted, I was getting really annoyed every time she said "Boob Train". That's not a thing.