#His ex-wife is Patti Poirier

[presidentstalkeyes]

Compton Boole Beeswax:

Earlier today I was thinking about Compton's Cookoff, and I have a Crackpot Theory-slash-Headcanon: the four animals that help Raz prepare the meals are all based on other people from Compton's life.

Pork Chopper is based on his father, a police officer (i.e. a pig) who Compton remembers as being very 'tough' with him, encouraging him to fight back against bullies ("they'll be much nicer once you've put 'em through the slicer!"). Their relationship deteriorated once Compton got involved with the Animal Liberation movement, eventually deciding he was 'sick in the head' after blowing up those animals with his mind - something Compton apparently agrees with, as Pork Chopper calling the hosts 'sick' is portrayed as an attack of conscience. Compton still has positive memories of him and may have wished to reconcile, going from Chopper's sudden turn for the upbeat (in contrast with Butch Oleander who was portrayed as a monster).

Frog Flipper is his son - and the father of Dogen and Sam - a high-strung, nervous, overworked individual ("I gotta pull a double shift?!") who tries to stay positive but always seem on the verge of flipping out. Compton had to raise him fresh off the heels of losing everything in the fight against Maligula, an experience comparable to trying to fry an egg over a constantly-moving fire. Later, his son came to him for guidance on how to manage Sam and especially Dogen, only to be pushed away - by then Compton had isolated himself and believed his advice would only make things worse. He'd ultimately turned his son into the same parent he had been.

Patty Puree is his ex-wife and the mother of his son. Compared to Cassie, who he saw as a friend and someone he could approach, his relationship with his wife was far more uneven - she'd always seemed like a high-and-mighty figure, well beyond his reach (hence why she's the hardest to get to), who carried herself with a regal air. He convinced himself trying to reach out to her would just end with his hand getting blended into paste. In the end, he thinks, she only married him out of pity and to help raise their child. The fact she divorced him once their son became an adult only confirms that for him.

Hippo Pot I'm not so sure about, since he only has one line and it isn't anything especially noteworthy. My best guess is that he's an old partner-in-crime from Compton's Animal Liberation days, someone reliable who kept him focused and relaxed, hence why the ingredients relax while boiling... but they are still boiling, and Compton believes he can never relax, otherwise he'll boil over.

The fact that all four of them are involved in Ram It Down but never actively judge him like the Ford, Hollis and Otto stand-ins do suggest that, to some extent, he's 'moved on' from them and doesn't care so much about their judgment specifically. However, he still can't forget them, so they're relegated to side-roles in his mental game show. This also shows that, despite everything, a part of him wanted to move on even before Raz arrived, he just gave him a push in the right direction. Tellingly, they're still on the set if Raz comes back to the level later, unlike all the Judges.