<P> In "The Grasshopper Experiment", Penny (who was practicing mixing cocktails in order to obtain a bartending shift) inadvertently discovered that Raj's mutism could be suppressed by consuming alcohol: even a tiny amount (such as a bite of rum cake in "The Apology Insufficiency") enabled him to have prolonged conversations with women; however, this also tends to make him loud and obnoxious . When the main characters take a train to an academic conference in San Francisco, Raj can talk to series guest Summer Glau (playing herself) while drinking beer: when Leonard inadvertently discovers the beer is non-alcoholic and that Raj is under a placebo effect, Howard uses this to his advantage and Raj is returned to his usual mute self . In some episodes, Raj took to carrying a hip flask with him to counter his problem, while in other episodes that required him to speak with Penny or other women present, he was usually shown doing so with a beer or wine glass near him to indicate he had consumed alcohol (such as "The Santa Simulation"). </P> <P> Raj experimented with medications that suppressed social anxiety, but they tended to have side effects . When Sheldon's sister Missy visited, Raj took medicine that enabled him to speak to her, but it resulted in involuntary repetitive hand motions . In the episode "The Wildebeest Implementation", Raj was worried that an experimental drug he was considering might affect his rationality, but Sheldon encouraged him to take it anyway: however, Raj's worries were realized while speaking to a woman in a coffee shop when he completely lost all inhibitions and removed all of his clothing . </P> <P> At the end of the Season 6 finale "The Bon Voyage Reaction", Raj's girlfriend Lucy breaks up with him . The subsequent trauma apparently cures his mutism, and he finds he can talk to Penny, Amy, and Bernadette while completely sober . However, he talks so much that the women become bored and irritated and start drinking in order to put up with him . </P> <P> Raj regularly communicates with his parents, Dr. and Mrs. V.M. Koothrappali back in India via webcam . Raj is the only one of the guys whose father has been revealed on the show until the ninth season, as Sheldon's father is deceased, Howard's father abandoned him when he was eleven, and Leonard's father didn't make an appearance until season 9, where he appeared when Leonard was again getting married to Penny . When they become meddling or judgmental, he "brings his parents" into Leonard and Sheldon's apartment via his laptop . In the season 2 finale, Mrs. Koothrappali and Mrs. Wolowitz have an argument because the latter does not believe that there is not a single Outback Steakhouse restaurant in India . </P>

When did raj start talking in front of penny