There are 2 million passengers a day in the USA. 1% of 2000000 = 20000. You estimated there are potentially twenty thousand permitted items being confiscated by idiot TSOs a day.
That is probably about right.
This assumes that all 2 million are traveling with items that could be regarded as questionable. That isn't the case. Most people are packing the rather standard "tourist" or "businessperson" gear. You know -- "cellphone, money clip, coins, keys, wallet, purse ..." (Sing it with me now!)
I'd say I see one or two passengers a week who, while they do not appear to pose a threat, are traveling with an unusual item that could be construed as a potential weapon by a paranoid screener.
I'm not a paranoid screener, although usually I'll warn them that if they're flying with said item in the future, they may wish to consider putting it in their checked bags, as its permissibility may be somewhat open to interpretation.
Personally, I think the frying pan is OK. I wouldn't have a problem with it. But, especially now that screeners are being given more leeway to "go with their instincts," I'm not going to say that ANYTHING is absolutely guaranteed to pass muster!