Ben calls Katz at work with the shocking news that Berman's is closing, the latest casualty in a renovation of Pullman Square -- Ben's old hangout. He wants to do something about it, natch, though he does it in a misguided way. He starts a "Free Pullman Square" petition and asks Laura if she's for him or against him ("Against you," she replies, predictably). She encourages him to take on more worthwhile causes, like landmines. ("We don't have landmines here in America, do we?" he asks. "Then I guess your work is done," she says.) Ben tries to post a flyer at the video store, but Todd won't let him (that space is reserved only for bands). Besides, Todd likes the changes, because Pullman Square is becoming more like a mall. He and Ben exchange French phrases like "laissez-faire" and "joie de vivre." Meanwhile, Katz wonders if he truly does anything to help people; Laura says, "I think I do, I don't know about you." He recalls his old glory days of protest and activism, telling Stan and Julie he worked with animal rights people in the area of sexual harassment: "When a horse says 'neigh,' she really means 'neigh.'"

• Ed Crasnick: There was a lot of death in his house; he knew someone had died because there was a 30-cup percolator on the stove ("Wake up and smell the pain, trouble's a-brewin'," it seemed to say); family had a summer cottage on the beach, but it took the whole day to get to the beach because they brought everything with them ("like Jews going to Ellis Island"); carnival ride The Rotor, complete with throw-up gallery of photos; tries word assocation with Katz, and "hello" keeps coming up; declares that silence is blue, which Katz tells him is incorrect; his dad cried when Carl Yastremski hit a home run in the World Series because "I'm trapped in a marriage I don't understand"; Ed is angry that the Red Sox haven't won the World Series.
• Teri Garr: Says nothing, as usual with the celebrity guests. Thinks heaven is like high school; she was very innocent in school -- "almost Mormon"; her stomach growls and tries to send her messages ("We need cleanser"); New York City gets less romantic and attractive as you get older.

Review:

Again, a non-funny celebrity patient hurts things. Teri Garr's bit about her stomach growling is the sort of thing that a comedian could have turned into something funny ("We need cleanser" is a good start), but in the hands of an actress becomes just something odd to say. Katz and Ben have some good interchange at the very beginning, with Ben calling him "Daddy," and Laura has a couple great lines ("You're not responsible for [their mental health], you just tamper with it"). Not a classic episode, but a good one. GRADE: B+

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