Thursday on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated), Alton Brown taught Kelly Ripa how to judge food. Friday on the show, Regis Philbin learned how to bake from Budday Valastro, the 'Cake Boss' himself, who taught him the finer points of confection. As an added level of difficulty, the cake was for a bride-to-be, named Kimberly.

Philbin knew there would be trouble when he sat down with Kimberly and asked what she wanted. "Three or four tiers," she said. "You're not makin' it, are you?" Valastro laughed. "Kimberly, you're a sweet girl," said Philbin, "but I didn't like that tone that much." That was only the beginning. Philbin nearly freaked out when he had to handle a slimy raw egg yolk.

Apparently there's more to being an 'Iron Chef' judge than looking thoughtful while chewing and saying that you like, or dislike, someone's food. That's what Kelly Ripa learned Thursday on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated), when 'Iron Chef America' host Alton Brown coached her on the lingo and a few rules of food judging.

Rule number one? "Do not taste hungry," said Brown. "Because if you're hungry when you sit down at this table, whatever they give you first will taste the best. Make sure you snack before you come to the table." Rule number two? "Taste after everybody else tastes," said Brown. "While you're eating, the judges will be making comments that you can disagree with, and that always makes you look smarter."

Dozens of Americans undoubtedly woke up Wednesday morning with one very important, oddly specific question on their minds: Who would win a ping-pong match between Justin Timberlake and Regis Philbin? As if by prophecy, that question was answered on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated), as Justin Timberlake dueled Regis in a game of table tennis.

Philbin initiated the challenge. "Everything you touch is a homerun," he said to Timberlake. The singing, the acting, everything." Timberlake feigned offense. "I won't stand to be insulted on national television," he said. Philbin then said someone told him Timberlake was a good ping pong player. "It happens to be one of the best sports I can do," Philbin said.

When Regis Philbin leaves 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated) at the end of this year, he may need a new job to keep him busy. The Reeg may just have found his new calling Monday, when he showed an apartment with Michele Kleier and Samantha Kleier-Forbes of HGTV's 'Selling New York,' who gave him high marks on his salesmanship.

It helped that Philbin started with a spacious apartment with a beautiful view. Still, the asking price for the place was $27.5 million, which Kleier said shouldn't be an impediment for someone who wants "the best apartment in New York." Philbin's potential buyer was Valerie Feigen, and Regis turned on the charm. "And in the winter when the snow falls, honest to god, you'll think whos-ever with you is Cary Grant," he told her, looking out over Central Park.

Lisa Kudrow isn't an idiot, but she used to play one on TV. She spoke Friday on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated) about returning to her alma matter Vassar College to give the school's commencement address last year, despite the fact that her most well-known character, Phoebe from 'Friends,' may not be the best embodiment of a Vassar education.

"I apologized to all the parents in the audience that you have this person who played who played an idiot on a sitcom sending your children into their future," said Kudrow. Kelly Ripa pointed out that it takes a smart person to play an idiot convincingly, and Kudrow agreed.

It's that time of year again: "Fix My Man Week" has arrived on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated). On Thursday's edition, Vincent Froehlich learned to put a little more romance into his 18-year-old marriage with his wife Barbara.

To Vincent, it's seemed like longer. Or at least he was caught on camera erroneously saying he and Barbara were approaching their 19th anniversary. That's a big no-no, but Barbara told Dr. Robi Ludwig that Vincent was actually a pretty good husband, he just needed a little help. "He's a great cook," said Barbara. "He cleans the house. He mows the lawn. But there's absolutely no romance."

Ludwig helped Vincent out, and Barbara got that candlelight dinner she was looking for. The happy couple showed off the photos of their romantic New York vacation to prove it. Regis Philbin asked directly, "Have we solved a problem, here?" and Vincent said yes, "They have gone above and beyond." Now if they can only get Barbara to mow the lawn sometimes ... but hey, that's a different show.

There's an old adage in show business that advises actors to never to work with animals or kids. Well, on 'Damages,' Glenn Close plays lawyer Patty Hewes, who is kind of an animal. And on season four, which kicks off Wednesday on DirectTV, Close works with a kid when Hewes is left to take care of her granddaughter. Close previewed the new season Wednesday on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated).

Regis and Kelly wanted to know if having a little child around would soften Hewes. "I think in some ways, yes," said Close. "Because if anybody knows her back story, she did, she had a little girl that she lost. So I think that has to bring up, you know, some thoughts."

The last installment of the 'Harry Potter' series, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2,' opens Friday, which means Emma Watson is officially finished with her duties as Hermione. Watson said Tuesday on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated) that she once thought she might not end up in the entertainment industry after 'Potter,' but now feels like she just graduated from "the most incredible film school," and is excited about continuing her career as an actress.

Watson was reassured acting was the path she wants to continue on after shooting the just-completed film 'The Perks of Being A Wallflower.' "I just had the best time," she said. "And, you know, having an experience outside of 'Potter' that was just as great kind of solidified for me that acting is really what I wanted to do and really focus on."

Kyra Sedgwick plays the often frazzled Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, the title role on 'The Closer.' Monday night marks the premiere of show's final season, and Sedgwick said on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated), that things will get worse for her character before they get better.

Regis Philbin set up a clip by saying Johnson was "really getting frustrated about the way things are going at the department, but that's always been, more or less, her little angst, right?"

"She really gets hammered this season," said Sedgwick. "It'll be good."

Kelly Ripa said Friday on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated) that she had done a thoughtful thing for co-host Regis Philbin. She said she had caught a firefly for him in her backyard, and even had the studio lights dimmed so she could show him the critter trapped in a jar. But it turned out to be all lies.

Philbin was suspicious when the firefly shone its green light. He said he'd never seen one like that and asked if anyone in the audience had. "He's turned on by you, what can I say," said Ripa. But even when he called for a close-up with the lights on, Philbin didn't realize he was holding a jar with a fake firefly. "Look at this guy," he said. "He's really interesting. Can you see him here close up? He knows what's going on. 'Hi, Regis, how ya doing?' he's saying."

That's when Ripa let him off the hook and revealed it was a battery-operated firefly with an LED light you can buy for $14.95, if you're intent on fooling your friends into thinking you have a firefly and have fifteen bucks to spend on the mission.

Wednesday, Regis Philbin fulfilled a long-held dream when Larry David appeared on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated). Regis was still gushing about the experience Thursday, so much so that Kelly Ripa called him out on his man-crush.

"I admire his writing ability and his comedic ability," said Philbin. "No," Ripa admonished. "You're in love with him." Philbin said David was great and that maybe he had a little crush, but Ripa wouldn't budge, saying, "No, you're crushing on him. You have a crush." Philbin explained that these things sometimes happen to men.

Regis Philbin has been trying, unsuccessfully, to get Larry David to appear on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated) for years. He finally got his wish today, but Regis, always one to take things personally, insisted on airing his grievances with David anyway. Regis played a montage of himself pleading with David to appear on the show, and also recounted a joke Larry played on him, when he showed up at Regis's building and asked the doorman to tell him that he'd been there, but that he didn't ask for Regis.

"Now that's cruel torture," Regis said to David. He grabbed David's arm dramatically. "'Tell him I didn't ask for him,' that's the line that killed me," he said.

"Can't you take a joke?" said David. "It was a joke." It was a playful, awkward exchange, and all was forgiven when Philbin pulled David close and planted a big kiss on his bald noggin, the type of happy ending you're not likely to see on the new season of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' which premieres Sunday night on HBO.

The so-called "Hand Test" was a popular topic for discussion Tuesday morning. Kathie Lee and Hoda administered the test to the 'Today' crew, and then Kelly Ripa gave the test to Regis Philbin on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated). The test supposedly indicates that men with ring fingers longer than their index fingers are more well-endowed, and the Reeg scored favorably.

After learning the good news, Philbin couldn't help but show off a little for guest Rose Byrne ('Bridesmaids,' 'X-Men: First Class'). After noting that she was single, Regis asked her about the men in her native Australia, but then quickly offered his own opinion. "Well, I think they're pretty vigorous, although, have you seen this," said Philbin, smiling and holding up his hand.

A couple in their 60s came onto 'The Marriage Ref' (Sun., 10PM ET on NBC) with a dispute about her sexiness. Particularly, the husband wanted his wife to dress sexier and "basically do what I do, and that is to try to look your best all the time."

The video package showed the man working out faithfully -- with a Thighmaster to Tom Papa's delight -- and trying to put his wife in a skimpy red dress. After 40+ years of marriage, the panel just couldn't see why he wasn't satisfied with his wife as she was.

Susie Essman said, "She looks great to me. He's trying to make her feel bad about herself."

Tracy Morgan disagreed with that, applauding the man for still seeing his wife as this vivacious woman who can pull off a sultry little number like that, but agreed that she was beautiful just the way she is.

Regis Philbin has been letting himself get a little creepy as he heads toward retirement, ogling photos of Rosie Huntington-Whitely and pausing a bit too long thinking about Jennifer Lawrence's nude make-up preparation for 'X-Men: First Class.' You'd think his co-host, Kelly Ripa, would be used to it by now. But Thursday on 'Live With Regis and Kelly' (weekdays, syndicated), Philbin made a comment that legitimately creeped Ripa out.

The conversation was about a three-hour standoff at a liquor store in Brooklyn Wednesday, in which an armed man took hostages before being surrounded by police and eventually surrendering. "If you're going to be held hostage," joked Ripa, "a liquor store isn't a bad option."