Aw, heck. I'll chime in here since I'm the reporter who started this ball rolling. (Thanks for the supportive words, Bux.) Here are some quick answers to questions raised somewhere along this string: 1. Why an entertainment reporter? Well, that's my official title, but I write about a lot of subjects. This week I had in stories on foie gras, the Final Four and Ted Koppel. The foie gras story was by far the most interesting. I also used to be one of the Trib's movie critics. You have to wear a lot of hats and have a lot of curiosity in this biz. For what it's worth, last summer I wrote a long feature story on Grant Achatz's last night at Trio, so this wasn't my first adventure in the foodie world. 2. How did Charlie Trotter let the Trib know about his personal foie gras ban? He mentioned it during a conversation with the Tribune's restaurant critic, Phil Vettel. Phil graciously passed the info along to me because he knew I'd be interested. I called Charlie Trotter, who answered my questions. The chef never sent out a press release or anything. 3. Did Charlie Trotter really say those things about Rick Tramonto or was the whole controversy cobbled together in some unorthodox way? It all happened over the course of basic, straightforward reporting. I set up a time to talk to Charlie Trotter on the phone and called a couple of chefs in the meantime. When I interviewed Trotter the first time (there were follow-up conversations), I told him what Rick Tramonto had said, and Trotter made the comments as reported. He knew I was tape-recording the conversation and was aware that I would quote him. Before the story ran, I called back Tramonto to give him a chance to respond to Trotter's harsh words, which he did by saying, "My only comment is Charlie's in my prayers." 4. Did I have an agenda in writing the piece? Really, I don't think so. I personally found the subject fascinating because I think foie gras is delicious but I also don't eat certain foods where I suspect the animals are being treated inhumanely. I wanted to represent both sides as coherently as possible to clarify the issues for readers--and myself--so we could all draw our own conclusions. I hope that helps. Mark Caro Chicago Tribune entertainment reporter