def __init__(self, cells):
        self.cells, self.comments = self._parse(cells)

    def _parse(self, row):
        data = []
        comments = []
        for cell in row:
            cell = self._collapse_whitespace(cell)
            if cell.startswith('#') and not comments:
                comments.append(cell[1:])
            elif comments:
                comments.append(cell)
            else:
                data.append(cell)
        return self._purge_empty_cells(data), self._purge_empty_cells(comments)