His death was acknowledged on the show he was booted off.

Actually, it was acknowledged at the very end with just a message saying "in Memory of Wesly.." or something similiar. After I saw that I googled it, and found several articles, a few of which did mention that he was a contestant on the show.

Personally, I don't care for Buddy and may not watch simply for that reason. I think he is very arrogant, and way too over the top harsh. The few episodes I have seen, he has just gotten under my skin, I also don't watch his other show for the same reasons as many of you don't..too contrived, not much about the cake decorating.
My thoughts on them choosing the contestants with less talent is because the show is titled "The Next Great Baker". The decorators that post on CC are already GREAT BAKERS!!

umm...two more points:
1) as a spouse of a soldier fixin to leave again for deployment #6, and a mother of a soldier fixin to deploy for the first time along side of his father...I can say that PTSD is VERY REAL!
Our installation has lead the military in the number of suicides for the past few years, and they have only recently began extensive suicide awareness training. Many of the soldiers here have been deployed 4, 5 and 6+ times, so the thought of having to go back again when those orders are cut is just too much to bear.

Many soldiers come home to changes that are too much to handle..cheating spouses that run off with other men after draining the bank accounts is just one example.
I pray his family finds peace..
My other observation is that I think it is totally demeaning that the box truck they send them packing in says "NOT the Next Great Baker" on the side..SMH

I personally will not watch this show any more. The moment Frankie came out with that costume and took the chain saw to the cakes we all groaned. What they do to make drama is just too much and too stupid. And obviously they gave no thought to how it would affect others. I own a cake shop. I remember thinking one day that they really must work hard to create excitement enough for a TV show cause it can be pretty repetitive and mundane sometimes in this business. I, for one, would not want to be the tool they use to create that drama at my expense, or the expense of others either.

My condolences to the family at their loss.

So... last week's baker's challenge prize was a sheeter and a year of fondant. Good prize. This week's prize was having to single out the people you don't like and then having to work with them... on what planet is that a "prize"!?!

I agree with those who've said the show is contrived to create drama. I'm finding it harder and harder to watch.

That's next week. From the previews, it looked like they all had a 3 tier cake to decorate which makes it an individual challenge. This week it was in pairs unloading the oven and the prize was to lead their own teams- of people they'd singled out as not wanting to work with.

Dear docofthedead: You have a very special family and I thank your spouse and son for their brave service - and you too!! Theresa

Dear docofthedead: You have a very special family and I thank your spouse and son for their brave service - and you too!! Theresa

Ditto.

My two cents on this past weeks episode is that I can not believe that the bakers don't see that coming, every week more or less Buddy does the same thing, pick your dream team - ok, now you swap teams. I saw it a mile of, I don't know how they didn't.
Plus, I think the wrong person went home. Buddy has done this before, mistaking emotion for passion with Manerva and this was a repeat of that.

Now I want to know who left! Lol! Though I don't want to watch but I'll need a short description, dice I am forgetfull

Do you want me to tell you?????

(Happy belated birthday btw, mine was on the 23rd!)

***SPOILER ALERT***

So Chad and Heather M were left in elimination room and Chad started bawling about how he was picked on as a kid for being fat and gay and how his grandmother taught him to bake and how people don't realize that baking is such a passion and that's why he's so emotional etc , etc.
Heather looked sort of defeated at that point (imo), and spoke nicely and said something like I've also had a lot of trauma in my life just bc I don't cry about it or make such a big deal about it doesn't mean I don't have the passion too. She was close to tears but pulled herself together and remained dignified.
Buddy then told Chad he was safe (surprise surprise) and sent home Heather.
While it's true that the bear Heather made fell apart in the heat, Chad was the team leader and he was terrible. He gave no direction at all and all the team members were fending for themselves. The wrong person went home.

Thanks for your birthday wishes and no, I didn't have a cake bc I was too exhausted to make it myself and I have no family here (I live in France & my family is in the States). My husband went to the bakery though and brought 5 small cakes for us to celebrate (him, me and the kids) but honestly they were so sweet we couldn't finish them & I wished I had made something! Your cake sounds delicious, it's so sweet when the kids get involved, I'll bet they were so excited!

Oh Jeezse, yeah, I am missing nothing! Chad is not a leader! He made horrible ash trays instead of tea cups and they carried him through that cake. He needs thrown off just as badly as minerva!!! He made buddy's sister look like an ugly drag queen, down on his luck... Heather is good! So glad she kept her dignity, I hope good things come from this experience for her.

Sorry your cakes were too sweet! I have never made my own cake since I realized birthdays are yucky! Lol I may have 2 more budding cake artists,my 11 year old twin boys. Grandma said they fought to smooth the icing, and cared very much to get it right. My 7 year old loves working with and eating fondant. She is going to be a baker too, she says.

Last year a fellow cc'er and I traded cakes, and met for coffee and chatted. This year I was killer busy and then went to grandma's 3 states away.

Last season they brought back one person who had been eliminated and he got the chance to get back into the competition. This season, I hope more people have a chance. I think there have been too many people sent home who should not have been and deserve another chance at the money.

On a side note, I'm no expert, but I'm fairly certain inviting animals into your bakery is a big time no-no. I'm surprised he doesn't have health inspectors constantly making unannounced visits.

AnnaBakes that is so cute! It's such fun to get the kids involved although I'm terrible at doing it, I get too nervous with anyone in the kitchen and have only recently allowed my 15 yr old daughter cut out some flowers for me!

CakeMamma, you make an interesting point, I never thought about the health implications of the animals, I was raised in an animal free home and have no animals in my home either (which my son feels is a shame as when he was 7 and we moved to a bigger house with a garden he told me "what a shame I'm allergic to animals otherwise we could buy a cow)! Anyway, that's probably why I didn't pay it mind.

Well speaking of violations, the girl that was sent home this week kept talking about making and selling cakes out of her home kitchen. As someone who used to live in Las Vegas (where she said she lives currently) I am very aware that selling cakes out of your home there is not legal; you need a commercial kitchen in order to sell, so it was kind of funny to me that they kept putting up film of her saying that she makes and sells cakes out of her home (even though it's only part time).

And also there were many episodes of Ace of Cakes where they had dogs in the bakery- I wondered about that as well as far as sanitation went. Where I live you are allowed pets in your home but there has to be a closed door separating them from your kitchen area at all times. If they were to ever be in my kitchen or prep area I would be in big trouble.

I see so much nasty on Ace of Cakes, it's ridiculous. The uncovered hair and facial hair, not too mention all the nice dangly scarves. Grosses me out!

Thanks for letting me know who got kicked off. I think Buddy made a raitings move. If that was guy was that emotional and dramatic, it's got to be good for television, right.

I don't know about good for ratings, but it makes me feel nauseated to see all that mess of an overly emotional man.

I get nauseated watching all those people get so messy. I think at one point it looked like Megan had airbrush color or something all over her face. Their chef coats are disgusting at the end of the day, their hands are stained from the food coloring. It is repulsive.

What? You mean the completely outrageous and clearly hired bride was an actress and not for real? NO WAY! Please, you could tell right from the previews that she wasn't for real.

At least the producers had enough sense to not drive around with a pregnant lady in the back of a truck sitting on a milk carton.

Oh, and why does danny always smack the back of the truck when he's the one driving it? Typically you smack the truck so the driver knows he can go. No point if you're the one driving.

Okay, I'm done.

I think Buddy sent Megan home because she is with child. After all next week they have to carry huge
flour sacks in a race.