Because the world needs more freelance mouthwash chemists

I already wrote Tara and told her I loved her recap of the classic "Intervention" episode with creepy Gabe the child genius and gambler. From the moment I saw that show I was walking around describing it to people and really, who would believe me?

Best quote: "Gabe uses a common household spoon to stir something in a beaker...in his apartment. Well, what's so wrong with that? Where's your lab, if not your dining room? He voice-overs that he's "working" "in product development, as a chemist, formulating mouthwash." The camera pulls back to reveal that he's sciencing while kneeling in front of a little coffee table pushed up against the wall. At this point when we watched it live, my sister said, "God, he's so pathetic. He's the Corey Haim of chemistry." As he futzes, Gabe explains to the producers, who are probably swallowing their tongues trying not to laugh, "Cinnamon can overpower, so we want to put a little bit less than mint." He asserts, "I'm being paid well for this project" (tacky, and I don't believe it anyway -- although I admit I have no sense of what the going salary is these days for freelance hobby chemists in the health and beauty sector)."