The Next Food Network.."Star"?

[LBNoble]

Watching this show is a guilty pleasure- I'm also watching Top Chef & Hell's Kitchen for the first time, & I've been hooked by all 3 of them, although TNFNS is clearly the worst. What would be really fun is if these 3 shows (not that they would ever do this) all swapped contestants for an episode or two. Now, that would be entertaining! Can you see these FN wussies in Hell's Kitchen w/ Gordon Ramsay? DONKEYS!

[Reignking]

Tommy is from the area, and local news reported that he was told he'd be able to stay in touch with his family, which includes two toddler children.  The reporter went on to say they weren't allowed to contact their families and that bothered him, obviously.

That's total crap. All of the reality shows do it, to create conflict. On the Apprentice, they had little to no access to media (TV, email, etc), so they had plenty of time to talk, drink, and get in trouble. That said, what does that have to do with this show? They aren't trying to create drama by pitting personalities...

IRL, I don't think the winner will live by him/herself, shut off from the world while he or she tries to film shows.

[JeanneCake]

Tommy is from the area, and local news reported that he was told he'd be able to stay in touch with his family, which includes two toddler children.  The reporter went on to say they weren't allowed to contact their families and that bothered him, obviously.

That's total crap. All of the reality shows do it, to create conflict. On the Apprentice, they had little to no access to media (TV, email, etc), so they had plenty of time to talk, drink, and get in trouble. That said, what does that have to do with this show? They aren't trying to create drama by pitting personalities...

IRL, I don't think the winner will live by him/herself, shut off from the world while he or she tries to film shows.

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The article in the Lawrence Eagle Tribune said that the contestants had been told they could contact their families every other day by phone. This didn't happen. Unfortunately the article is no longer active.

Most people on business trips are allowed to call home more often than these contestants apparently are. But if you're told you can stay in touch up front, and then it turns out you can't.... sounds like a bait and switch tactic to me. There's no reason for it (the shutting them off from the outside world) and you and I aren't in a position to judge whether this is a valid reason or not for why the person was emotional on the show. Sounds to me as if they do this on purpose - it's just another trick to make things harder. It's entertainment and anything goes.

[kalypso]

My guess would be that the contestants are shut off from the world so that they can't receive any help or coaching that could possibly give them an advantage over the others. To me it seems like FNTV is trying to keep the playing field level.

I admit I watch this show with a mix of fascinated horror and guilty pleasure, but there is one thing that I'm discovering I'm tiring of very quickly, and it's not the contestants. The FNTV honchos talk about how the contestants have to be authorities on food (not likely) be spot-on on camera and command the respect and attention of their audience. Frankly, I'm getting tired of seeing the contestants being denigrated, belittled and basically made to feel insignificant during the "evaluation" portion of the show. I derive no pleasure and for me it certainly isn't entertainment to watch people being slammed for not measuring up to artificially contrived standards. The message coming through to me loud and clear from Bob, Susie and the judge du jour is that they have very little respect for the contestants and that the real objective isn't finding the next network star so much as it is being a part of reality TV and a ratings ploy. It doesn't really matter if a contestant can cook or if they have any level of viable food knowledge and/or ability to effectively convey it. The resulting show for the winner doesn't matter. What matters is that there is entertainment value in TNFNS.

Watching people verbally abused and attacked doesn't float my boat and after last week's espisode I don't really care who wins because I won't watch. I dont' find any of the contestants particularly compelling or interesting. I do wonder, however, if FNTV has agreed to pay for their psychotherapy after the show

Edited June 28, 2007 by kalypso (log)

[handmc]

This show has been re-labeled:

Abomination!

This is a show about people who hate to cook.

[Pierogi]

Will someone, PLEASE, give JAG a Prozac ??!?!??!

[kalypso]

Will someone, PLEASE, give JAG a Prozac ??!?!??!

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JAG? They ALL need Prozac. Last night went beyond train wreck. FNTV can't seriously think people will actually watch these folks...can they? Last night was painful.

Edited July 2, 2007 by kalypso (log)

[Reignking]

JAG?  They ALL need Prozac. Last night went beyond train wreck.  FNTV can't seriously think people will actually watch these folks...can they?  Last night was painful.

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And Alton said as much...

[David Ross]

Hmm. Maybe JAG will win and his new show on Food Network will be "Fried Meatloaf with JAG."

[JeanneCake]

Aacck. My son loves watching this stuff and I am usually hovering in the background so I have to endure it too. It is just awful. Truly and completely awful. They're saying they're going to give the winner a TV show, but they've done nothing to prepare them or test them for that. It looks more like Dinner Impossible than anything else (I stopped watching that after the first few episodes so maybe that's not a good comparison anymore.)

[Old Timer]

I broke down and watched last night.

I have to believe that the FN upper management are pulling out their collective hair at this abomination in programming.

Could anyone be watching for anything other than comic relief?

What do any of these people offer that would entice vierwership?

With that in mind, let's see if we can pick the Next Foodnetwork Star!

JAG is out do to anger management issues.

He's a loose cannon.

Amy was doing okay until her "Two Faces of Eve" moment. (I wanna go home snif..snif.- No, I'm staying!) I think she's near to a nervous breakdown!

Paul is constantly teetering on the brink of oblivion, one screwup away from collapsing into a corner in a fetal position tearing at his hair as he slowly rocks back and forth.

That leaves Rory.

Friendly, outgoing, sexy, and with her natural endowments, surely to attract as large a male following as Giada (if she can learn to cook, that is.)

Rory, my money is on you and the twins.

[dockhl]

About Jag..

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Interesting. He certainly wants everyone to believe he had tough times overseas, doesn't he?

[kalypso]

Rory, my money is on you and the twins.

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I'm sorry, I just can't get past those blindingly white, not to mention HUGE teeth. I don't care what size her chest is, every time I see her all I hear is the theme song from Jaws and flash on a visual of Bruce the shark from Jaws. Or perhaps she just gives new meaning to the term "land shark". After last night TNFNS definitely jumped the shark.

Unless this show has been edited to make these people look utterly ridiculous, Bob and Susie should be worried right about now, very worried. Not one of the remaining 4 contestants is very likeable and none of them very marketable. I watch this thing every week thinking they'll get better. Each week I watch incredulously as they get worse...much worse.

Alton Brown was right, send them back and start over again.

Edited July 3, 2007 by kalypso (log)

[Pierogi]

Interesting. He certainly wants everyone to believe he had tough times overseas, doesn't he?

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And yet.......and yet.....if you watch those little *inspirational* promo commercials within the show (you know, read/see more about JAG's/Rory's/Amy's/Paul's journey at www.somewebsite......) all you hear JAG talking about is watching the sunsets and sunrises, and tasting the cuisines of these exotic foreign lands and the bluebirds and the water nymphs and the charming little woodland creatures he befriended.

OK, so I embellished a bit. But, seriously, watching that little promo commercial for the website I mercifully blocked from my brain, you'd think that his service time had been in the company of My Little Pony and Hello Kitty.

Something doesn't add up. And I think its the editing of both the promo and of the show.

I'm done. Oh, I'll keep watching it like I look at wrecks on the 405 on the way home. But none, NONE, NOT ONE, of these people deserve my time after this travesty is over. I think I'm watching at this point to see how they justify giving TeeVee time to any of these people.

[WiscoNole]

I don't care who wins as long as it isn't Rory. I don't know how much more of that "look at how big my gums are" smile I can take.

[kalypso]

I don't care who wins as long as it isn't Rory.  I don't know how much more of that "look at how big my gums are" smile I can take.

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Well, if you believe Wikipedia she may be the next one to go. Wiki results

There seems not to be any order or reason to their listing of the last 4 standing, but the elimination of the previous competitors is in order. If this is to be believed Amy and JAG would be the final two contestants.

Edited July 6, 2007 by kalypso (log)

[Terila]

There seems not to be any order or reason to their listing of the last 4 standing, but the elimination of the previous competitors is in order.  If this is to be believed Amy and JAG would be the final two contestants.

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Hmm ... if I had to guess the last two would be Rory and Paul.

We already know Amy has had an emotional breakdown and came within a pinch of asking to be booted off so she could return to her family. Does the FN really need a "star" who is that flighty?

JAG was outed has having lied about his military service. While it doesn't say anything about his cooking ability it does say something about his character. Does the FN need someone who has boasted falsely about their military background? And boasted falsely about graduating from a culinary school?

I'm surprised Paul is still around since he goes through manic episodes. Maybe he's got them under control. Not sure.

Rory's smile is ... Rory's smile. Frankly, some of the others would be hard to look at week after week too.

The FN is a let down given the fact that they broadcast almost 20 hours a day. I'd like more ethnic food shows ... not European ethnic. I understand they will have a Latin food show coming up next week but it looks like another Giada clone!!!

With all the fabulous chefs out there I can't believe they can't come up with something better unless they are trying to pinch pennies by getting an unknown.

One pet peeve is the Ace of Cakes. Not only is that guy annoying but all the cakes with that awful fondant means I've never seen one thing on that show that I would like to eat.

Grumble ...

[MarkIsCooking]

I admit I watch all the cooking competition shows. I rationalize it by having TiVo, which lets me fast forward through the most inane parts (and sometimes that's a lot).

I think Hell's Kitchen and Top Chef are far more 'chef' oriented, in that the end game for these people seems to be they want their own restaurant. I see NFNS differently. They're looking for a TV Show host. I think they're much more concerned with marketability of the 'personality'/'brand' than they are what the credentials are of that person in the kitchen. Certainly the person could be great chef, but not required. Analogy: News Anchors. Some of these people are really great reporters and some are just teleprompter readers. Ultimately, what matters is whether people feel comfortable with them and watch them.

Does anybody agree??

I've actually been toying with the idea of throwing my hat into the ring for next season. I think I'm solid on the food side (perhaps not the greatest, but could probably hold my own), but I've done a lot of public speaking, some video work and spent a lot of time in HR/management and I think I might be able to connect as a guy-next-door personality. Any words of encouragement??

-Mark-

[racheld]

You go for it, Mark!!!

I'm still watching the train-wreck of this season, and there is no front-runner to be seen. Rory is sorta growing on me, with her not-quite-aw-shucks acquired Texas informal ways. I think she'd make a great neighbor, for calling across the fence to share a few home-grown tomatoes, or to come over for cookouts on the patio.

And maybe a neighbor is who we'd like to see on the next show, not the down-home hokeyness of Paula, nor the frenetic wit of Emeril, but just a nice woman next door who is happy in jeans, grubbing in her garden or cranking up the grill.

She's more ME than any of the others, and I can relate to all her simplicity and lack of guile---no Paris schools or military chops. I LIKE her, and wish her well.

I was rooting for Adrien, but now that he's gone. . .

This show has one thing to recommend it: Gail Simmons and Mrs. Joel are otherwise occupied elsewhere.

[kalypso]

I've actually been toying with the idea of throwing my hat into the ring for next season.  I think I'm solid on the food side (perhaps not the greatest, but could probably hold my own), but I've done a lot of public speaking, some video work and spent a lot of time in HR/management and I think I might be able to connect as a guy-next-door personality.  Any words of encouragement??

-Mark-

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One of my employees submitted a tape for this season, clearly - and luckily for him - he was not selected. I would not want to see him subjected to what this current crop of contestants has been put through. I thought my employee would have made a great contestant, his cooking is solid, he's engaging, he's fairly telegenic and he's got a good head on his shoulders. I would not have wanted to have seen him ripped to shreds on television in the so called evaluation segment. No on deserves that.

I think many of us watching probably do think about what we would do, or would have done, for each of the tasks. And, no doubt, most of us think we could have done better even though what we see is the final edited version and not what really happened.

So Mark, I'd say go for it. Your management experience would probably be very helpful, particularly with regard to decision making and direction on the team challenges.

Edited July 7, 2007 by kalypso (log)

[dockhl]

They're looking for a TV Show host. I think they're much more concerned with marketability of the 'personality'/'brand' than they are what the credentials are of that person in the kitchen. Certainly the person could be great chef, but not required.

Mark~ I agree with this 100 %. It would be nice for the "stars" to LOOK credible, but they don't need to be great cooks. There are plenty of Food TV "stars" who don't convince me that I'd like to eat their (original) meals. Someone else devises the recipe, does the prep.....

and teaches the "star" how to present it on camera.

So, the ability to take instruction would be important, while letting your personality come through. I don't think most of these TV personalities are home dreaming up new recipes anymore than news anchors are doing the research. (Good analogy)

So, Mark, if you could stand that, go for it! It would be nice to see them go back to the days when the stars could cook. You'd get our support!

[Pierogi]

Does anybody agree??

Any words of encouragement??

-Mark-

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YES !

YES YES YES !!!

[RMeierdirks]

In the first two seasons, from the first episode on, the contestants were doing demos in front of a camera, so by the time the weaker contestants got weeded out, the rest had gotten a little experience under their belt and had more of an idea of where they wanted to go and how they needed to improve to get there. This season, however, started off more like Top Chef - the wedding dinner, cooking for an army, etc. These episodes emphasized cooking chops over being smooth on camera. Then when they started doing cooking demos, a level of perfection was expected that was not reasonably attainable, given how much less experience they had compared to contestants from the first 2 seasons at this point in the show.

I agree with other posters that it's absurd when they criticized Colombe for "not cooking anything" when they've got Sandra Lee working for them. (I once saw her make a bread ring from frozen roll dough with ranch dressing powder baked on top. It looked as nasty as it sounds.)

I also think Tushy and Suzie have a condescending view of their audience. Most people watch a cooking show to learn something - new recipes, professional tips, etc. My favorite cooking shows - Julia Child being the best example, challenge their viewers to try to do something they might think is too hard, but really isn't. I doubt most FN viewers need Rachael Ray to teach them how to boil store-bought tortellini and a recipe is not too complicated for the home cook just because it has more than 5 or 6 ingredients. This is my biggest problem with Food Network Star. I think JAG's dish last week would have seemed less complicated if he had as much time as on a regular show to present it. Haven't we all seen Emeril fly through a dozen or more of those little portion cups ("and about 40 cloves of gahhhlic!"). Again, this goes back to the contestants needing more time to polish their on camera persona in the early stages of the show. That being said, I don't care much for either the Hearty Boys or Guy Fieri so maybe this isn't the best way for them to find new hosts. At least Bob Blumer, the Surreal Gourmet, is coming back to FN this week.

[MarkIsCooking]

Thanks to those who sent on encouraging words. I worked on a tape last night! When I submit it, I'll put a link in here so I can get some more friendly encouragement (though at that point I suppose the die is cast - or at least the first die).

Someone said something about how all the recipes are devised by others and then the 'stars' are just walked through how to present it - like many news anchors. Do you know this to be true? What else do you know and where did you find the stuff out?

I thought it was interesting last night when Jag was breaking down about how much pressure it all is, he said something like, "I'm not used to make up and reading from a teleprompter and all this". When do you think they're reading from teleprompters?? I thought their demo challenges were off the cuff, so to speak. Maybe not???

Did anybody see the article that has FN hot around the collar? (i.e. that Jag may have lied about his background on his application). The article said that FN is 'looking into the allegations" and that it's particularly sticky since Jag was still in the competition, which prepped me for seeing him hang around in last night's episode.

I'd love to hear some ideas about my 'food point of view", which they seem to be harping on a lot. I think they're basically trying to work through what the winner's show would be - whoever that winner might be.

Given that I'm a middle aged married father living in the burbs who's been in one business or another, I figured I could be credible as a 'guy next door' cook who could educate people about finding and selecting high quality ingredients and taking them through basic techniques and relatively easy-to-execute preparations. How does that hit you??

[JeanneCake]

Thanks to those who sent on encouraging words.  I worked on a tape last night!  When I submit it, I'll put a link in here so I can get some more friendly encouragement (though at that point I suppose the die is cast - or at least the first die).

I was going to say you seem like too nice a guy and I would hate to see you in front of the evaluation gang! They don't say anything positive to these contestants and I think that with the living conditions, close quarters and lack of family/friends contact, they're looking to cause these people to break down.

I thought it was interesting last night when Jag was breaking down about how much pressure it all is, he said something like, "I'm not used to make up and reading from a teleprompter and all this".  When do you think they're reading from teleprompters??  I thought their demo challenges were off the cuff, so to speak.  Maybe not???

My son loves this show, although he's not enjoying this year's as much as last year's. Last year, they did show how they would read from the teleprompter when presenting the recipe - every week was an "on camera" presentation, not this food fire drill at the wedding, military base, NBA game, etc. - it was much more about how to be in front of a camera. By the time they got to the final four, then they started asking about their food point of view. You probably want to think about what's your "hook" before you submit your tape. And have a back up idea in case someone else has that same idea once you get to that spot.

I'd love to hear some ideas about my 'food point of view", which they seem to be harping on a lot.  I think they're basically trying to work through what the winner's show would be - whoever that winner might be.

Given that I'm a middle aged married father living in the burbs who's been in one business or another, I figured I could be credible as a 'guy next door' cook who could educate people about finding and selecting high quality ingredients and taking them through basic techniques and relatively easy-to-execute preparations.  How does that hit you??

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what about how to cook with your kids, or for your kids? Basic technique is what PBS is already doing; this year's contestant Amy is the "gourmet next door" which sounds similar to what you're thinking of. What can you do/offer that isn't already on?

Someone fill me in - I couldn't watch the show last night. It sounds like JAG is still standing, who got beamed back home (the evaluation room line up reminds me of the transporter room on Star Trek. They come in, line up in their spots, don't move a muscle .... )