Flipping Out: End of Season 4 with House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year, No Slapping & New Job Titles

It seems like Flipping Out just started up. But, apparently it has been on for a couple months, with last night's last episode of Season 4, that being Episode 10: Rock, Paper and the Kitchen Sink, being the final episode of the season.

Apparently there is no Flipping Out Reunion Show this time. I suppose that makes sense. What are they going to re-hash? The Chuck slapping of Trace? Jeff's various Flip Outs? Crazy Barbara and her phone calls to Monkey?

Last week's Trace Slap was heard around the Internet World. By those who watch Flipping Out. Jeff does not fare well out there in TV opinion land. Most seem to think he was a giant wuss for not putting Chuck in his proper place after assaulting Trace. Strangely, no one seems to make a federal case out of the mauling of Jenni, which took place prior to the Trace Slap. Maybe this is because Jenni is seen as a tough gal who can take care of herself, particularly in Deb mode, while Trace is just a delicate, fragile little thing.

Although, surprisingly, Trace really turned into a killing machine when no one else seemed willing to deal with the nasty infestation of white flys invading Jeff's home base. One would have thought this task would have been taken up by Jett, what with him being the Senior Manager of In House Operations.

The wrapping up of the various projects is always interesting. You can say Jeff Lewis is a big wuss, bravely yelling at his underlings, while watching helpless while his employees are assaulted, but no one can say Jeff Lewis does not design cool looking spaces.

Did anyone really think Jenni was not going to New York City for the Rockefeller Center House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year deal? I suspect Jeff had 1st class tickets all along, with Jenni sitting next to him. Jeff and Jenni are masters at producing some manufactured drama. Lost day planner. Bickering in front of Christy at Casa Vega.

Speaking of Casa Vega. That was the least impressive of the projects. Its completion will have to wait for Season 5.

Towards the end of the episode Jeff told us he can't afford to give his help raises, so he's giving them titles. That was sort of amusing. Zoila is Director of In House Operations. Or something like that. Zoila seemed pleased. I already mentioned Jett's title. I forget Jenni's title, but the initials are C.O.O. Sarah's title was something ironic, like Chief Communications Officer. Trace was not in the room when the new job titles were given.

We got a peak at Season 5, sort of, with the final episode of Season 4 having Jenni and Jeff check out a new big project, down in Newport Beach, remarking that the House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year success was bringing them a flood of new business.

I hope Jeff rids himself of Sarah by the time Season 5 starts filming. Out there in TV Forum Land there is heavy duty dislike for Sarah. Pretty much all the things I find annoying. The slathering on bad makeup job, with weird eyebrows. The constant gum smacking. The stupid things she says. The stupid things she does. And the worst of it all, adding "sie" to just about any word. "Sweetsie," "Funsie," "Drinksie," "Oopsie." It just ain't cute, charming or remotely clever or amusing.

Whilst watching Flipping Out there was a preview of the soon to start Real Housewives of Beverley Hills. I did not like the look of this one. Not at all. I'll likely watch.

Flipping Out: Trace Gets Slapped

The looks on Jeff and Jenni's faces on last night's next to the last episode of the current season of Flipping Out are their reactions to seeing the client Chuck suddenly slap Trace.

Jeff had given Trace his first assignment with a client, now that Trace has graduated from Design School and is a full time Jeff Lewis employee.

Jeff told Trace to meet with the Chuck client to go over tile choices some more. And then to take Chuck to lunch, where Jeff told Trace a cocktail or two was permitted.

Trace took Chuck to Hamburger Mary's where Chuck got drunk and became too much for Trace to handle. So, Trace made a 911 call to Jeff and Jenni, at the office. They then came to the rescue at Hamburger Mary's, where Chuck kept getting weirder and weirder.

Including fondling Jenni where she did not want to be fondled.

After the Trace slap, Jeff and Jenni were stunned. Jeff did not know what to do. Eventually Jenni got Chuck away from the table and into the restroom. Jeff then told Trace to escape.

All in all the Trace slap was one of the stranger things I've seen on a Reality TV Show.

The Trace slap was not the only thing that happened on last night's episode, but it was the most memorable.

Everyone in the office, including Zoila, went to Trace's graduation, where Jeff's ADD kicked in. So, he, Sarah and Jett snuck out to drink beer til it was Trace's turn to graduate.

There was more trouble with no-show contractors at Jeff's various projects. Don't these contractors realize their bad behavior is being recorded on a Reality TV Show?

For next week's finale Jeff goes back to New York City for that Kitchen  project we saw him get picked for several episodes ago. The previews seemed to indicate something goes seriously awry with the kitchen. But,  previews are always so misleading.

Flipping Out: Lunch at Casa Vega with No Hugging, Flying or Human Coyote Repellant

There was no trace of Trace in the latest episode of Flipping Out. On the episode previous to the latest there was a lot of Trace. Trace is funny. He has this deer in the headlights, what the hell am I dealing with, competently calm way of dealing with the sometimes totally kooky antics of Jeff Lewis.

Like insisting Trace help contribute to the covering the property perimeter in coyote repelling urine project. Trace was appalled. So he did research and presented Jeff with the fact that human urine does not repel coyotes.

Last week I learned I share a couple traits with Jeff Lewis. And one with Trace. Both Trace and Jeff have an aversion to hugging strangers, well, more precisely, strangers doing the unwanted hugging. I find the hugging thing to be annoying and agree with Trace that I don't like my personal space violated.

Jeff Lewis and I also share a fear of flying, for the same reason. We both don't mind flying. It's the people flying with you that can be the problem. Until it does not happen, I sit in dread fear that the person next to me is going to be hugely fat, or be repugnant due to some other reason.

The change in the Jeff Lewis design business is being interesting to watch. Way more clients, doing remodels, rather than flips. Watching Jeff deal with the clients is amusing. He really has learned to be a lot nicer.

I like the trips to Casa Vega, always timed for lunch. That remodel must have gone remarkably well. Jeff is constantly plugging the food. It's like an advertisement. It makes me want to eat there. Casa Vega has a good website with a good video giving you a good idea what the restaurant looks like. I assume this must be after Jeff has finished with the remodel.

Jeff helping take care of Jett's baby, Mason, was very funny. Jeff is thinking about reproducing. That also is very funny. Zoila seems to know a lot about raising a baby. Maybe Zoila could be the surrogate.