Most of the younger crowd (Meadow and Patrick, the two Jasons, Bobby's kids, AJ, some other randoms) sits around a table and talks about American Idol. Because we, as a culture, are getting dumber due to reality television. Am I right? Or am I AJ? Paulie stands nearby, looking a bit lost, and Meadow invites him to join them. Paulie sits down and checks out the young lady (probably nineteen or twenty?) seated next to him, who introduces herself as "Tara Ziccone, Bobby's niece." Paulie pats her on the hand and practically pulls her into his lap. Instead, he unzips his pants and lets his belly hang out. Sexy. Paulie philosophizes about life and death and says that he's "lost two dear friends." One of the Jasons says that Sil's hanging on, and Paulie says sharply, "I lost Ma last month! You can take 2007 and give it back to the Indians." Patsy and his wife wave their son Jason over -- hey, his wife is Donna "Angie" Pescow! I mentioned that to my husband (who is one year younger than me) and he had no clue what I was talking about. Saturday Night Fever? Nothing. He is so culturally deprived. Anyway, AJ goes off on a rant about how everyone is living in a dream and goes on to quote "Yeets." Heh. I love when the writers undermine AJ's stupid rants. AJ starts explaining to everyone how Bush let Al-Qaeda escape. Jason Gervasi suggests that they enlist and kill some terrorists. Instead of looking annoyed, everyone at the table just looks kind of worried about AJ, especially Meadow. AJ continues, "It's like, America. It's still where people come to make it. It's a beautiful idea. And then what do they get? Bling? Come-ons for shit they don't need and can't afford?" I missed the part where someone is holding a gun to these poor people's heads and forcing them to buy things they can't afford. Tara Ziccone doesn't get it, and Paulie explains, "The framus intersects with the ramistan approximately at the paternoster." In other words, nonsense. Paulie represents the viewer who has no patience for all my symbolism mumbo-jumbo. Sometimes I am that viewer.

The guys hang out at the safe house and watch The Twilight Zone. Who let Carlo pick the channel again? The characters in the episode are talking about the television business, and one character says, "The television industry today is looking for talent. They're preoccupied with talent and quality, and the writer is a major commodity." Was that a swipe at the industry? Or a plea for the show's writers to get work now that the show is over? Or just a tip of the cap to the staff? One of the crew walks in and hands Tony an envelope, warning him that it's light. Tony and Benny continue playing cards, as Benny bitches about how bored he is hanging out in the safe house. Tony puts his leftovers on the floor and calls over an orange cat, a stray they've taken in. Patsy walks in and hands over another light envelope, explaining that a lot of his customers are taking their action to New York. Carlo theorizes that New York is taking advantage of a "power vacuum." Walden noisily walks in the front door, causing Dante to pull a gun on him. Carlo invites Tony to join them in visiting Sil at the hospital, and Tony declines with a lame excuse. He grabs his giant gun and trudges up the stairs. Benny complains that Tony used his gout as an excuse last time, so Tony hasn't been to visit Silvio yet.