The only one I'm rooting for at all now is Julia, and while I think she could turn into a dynamite high-end line cook (or even a sous-chef) I don't see her having the palate or vision, at least not currently, for running a place in Vegas.

I'm with you on this. I want Julia to win but I wonder if she's up for the task. I was surprised last week by the creme brulee incident because, while I don't fault her for her time at the Waffle House, I would expect that someone who wants to be a chef would educate herself outside of work. And, frankly, it's not like creme brulee is that hoity toity.

I didn't watch S1 of HK but I remember people at TWOP talking (last season) about how the S1 winner was given a choice. He could take the prize or work under Gordon for a year in London. I could see this happening again if Julia came out as the winner.

Thanks, Kathy -- that was a wonderful set of interviews!

(Yak-castration? I hope that makes it on camera....)

Every time I think "Mike Rowe, you couldn't get more adorable" he manages to surpass my imagination. I can hardly wait for tonight!

I'm with you on this. I want Julia to win but I wonder if she's up for the task. I was surprised last week by the creme brulee incident because, while I don't fault her for her time at the Waffle House, I would expect that someone who wants to be a chef would educate herself outside of work. And, frankly, it's not like creme brulee is that hoity toity.

That was exactly the incident that pinged me. Granted, I was also shocked a few years back to find that my oldest brother - who's been working in media of various kinds (professional DJ, jingle & promo work, etc.) had managed to go 50+ years without knowing what pesto is, so it might just be a random wacky food blind spot.

Is anyone else watching Simon Schama's The Power of Art on PBS?

I've been taping the show, but haven't gotten around to watching the tape yet (that reminds me--I have to set up my VCR for the 3:30 a.m. rerunning of this week's ep). I loved his "History of England" series, so I thought this series would be worth a viewing (and, hey, it had Andy Serkis as Vincent Van Gogh in the first ep!).

Is anyone else thinking that Simon Schama desperately needs to get laid?

If he's anything like my college medieval history prof, his interest in the sexual lives of historical figures is an occupational hazard.

A review of that restaurant "Opaque."

Is anyone else thinking that Simon Schama desperately needs to get laid?

Bwahahahaha!

Which is to say, yes, yes I think he does.

A review of that restaurant "Opaque."

Oh, I was SOO hoping that the red team would get fed the same stuff as the guys, but loved it because they didn't know what it was.

Which is to say, yes, yes I think he does.

I'm not sure I can stand to watch his episode on Bernini. Yes, that statue can certainly be interpreted erotically, but Schama doesn't have to be quite so 12-year-old boy about it. It's like he's acting dumb about how religious ecstasy was a sublimation for ecstasy of the body back in the day. I can't decide if this show is aimed at people with a familiarity with art or people who they think need lured into art with scandal.

About that food - seriously, I was expecting much worse. Tripe - not my favorite thing, but not Fear Factor material either. None of that stuff was that out there.

You know, I'd have felt a lot more for Bonnie with her "I'm just the nanny with the good palate" crisis of confidence if she hadn't been among the ringleaders saying Julia could just never belong.

About that food - seriously, I was expecting much worse. Tripe - not my favorite thing, but not Fear Factor material either. None of that stuff was that out there.

I was amazed Rock was having THAT hard a time with it. Christ, I've seen Tony Bourdain eat WAY grosser stuff that he loved (and some WAYYY grosser stuff that even he didn't).