When Jason Dean, the new owner of The Bay Mirror, mapped out plans for national syndication of the newspaper and plans for a talk show, Elise Rothman scheduled a meeting with Richard and several other experts to discuss Ask Phoebe. Shortly before the meeting, Phoebe was infected with a curse by The Crone, causing her to slowly loose her hearing. During the meeting, her condition worsened and she was barely able to understand Richard and the others. When she completely lost her hearing, she panicked and fled the meeting, telling the others she wasn't feeling well.