"The Restaurant" Reality Show Season 1

[shamrock]

Hey, Bothame, refresh my memory -- are you still at Rocco's? And did you guys have to work during the blackout?

Who's still there in BOH after all this nonsense? Don't tell me Chodorow is strapped for cash...

[rich]

There were a few posts regarding Rocco's age earlier. I think the numbers were in the 33-36 range. On his radio Amex commercials he states "...I've been in the restaurant business for twenty-five years..."

I guess he really was a child prodigy.

[Truman Nabors]

As anyone who lives in New York can tell you, smart mouth 10 year olds are a dime a dozen.

As someone who does live in NYC, and has taught in the public schools, I will tell you that this is inaccurate.

NYC kids are no different than DC kids or Arlington kids or Chevy Chase kids.

Frankie may have been hamming it up for the cameras but his aggression towards the women was a super loud cry for help - as I said before, it was sad.

[shamrock]

Wasn't that kid a child actor? From some NBC show?

[rich]

Bob Lape, who is very reliable, just reviewed Rocco's in Crain's New York Business. He gave it one star - saying the best dish was Uncle Joe's Sausage & Peppers. Mama's Meatballs were just ordinary. He really liked the desserts. He said the place lived up to its theme - simple Italian/American fare.

His last line is interesting "...Rocco's is digging out after 'The Restaurant' made it seem hapless, helpless and often hopeless."

Edited August 25, 2003 by rich (log)

[bourdain]

Bob "The Publicist's Friend" Lape is "reliable" , alright. Reliably worthless. Makes Sheldon "Eat For Free" Landwehr in the Post look like Pulitzer-bait.

[rich]

Bob "The Publicist's Friend" Lape is "reliable" , alright. Reliably worthless.  Makes Sheldon "Eat For Free" Landwehr in the Post look like Pulitzer-bait.

Certainly his writing style and radio scripts leave a lot to be desired, but his reviews have been decidedly on the mark over the years.

It seems one star for Rocco's is about right from reading the reviews here.

[tkserino]

All the other affore mentioned shows had much much better time slots. The Restaurant is on at 10:00 on SUNDAY. As far as the ratings went it was the best in it's slot. With an average of 8 million per show very good on a sunday night. Also if there was no public intrest which there was NBC would not want to do a second season which they do.

So why was it buried in this time slot? Perhaps because the network programmers thought it had limited appeal?

It was fine for what it was, but that's not saying much except that it did well in the young adult demographic. A second season is hardly a mark of quality anyway. This was just another silly little show that I doubt will have much, if any lasting impact. Think there will be a "Restaurant 5?" I don't, even if it does slay the Sunday 10 pm crowd.

As someone whose life was once consumed with television research, I'd like to offer my opinion. Sunday evenings are the best time slots on television. Sunday prime-time has more viewers than any other of the week. People are much more likely to be home and (because they work the next day) unlikely to do anything strenuous (anything but television). Additionally, summer is filled with reruns of scripted tv shows (actors and writers take a break, work on other projects, recoup, rehab, etc). Reality TV has rounded out summer schedules by providing huge rating potential (i.e. Joe Millionaire) while costing far less than scripted television. Remember, The Restaurant has cost NBC nothing; Amex, Coors, and Mitsubishi are paying all the production bills in exchange for product placements and 60 seconds of advertisement time a week.

[scoodyboo]

Agree with other post-ers that this episode was horrible. I think we all expected the "look how far we've come" type of ending episode but this one was strange, with its focus on the rivaling blondes and smart alec kid. It seemed as if the idea was to show how there is so much happening here now, and nobody is complaining about the food, we are all beautiful, even the Yankees eat here.

Jaw-dropping moment for me: Hearing Rocco, after being told that 'once he goes black he'll never go back', say, "I've done black women but never a married black woman." (paraphrasing) I was waiting for him to get it on with her right then and there. Also thought it was - not so cool - for him to say, "You're wasting your time with Lonn." Lonn could have said that and apparently hadn't, he was flirting and hugging them. Or maybe Lonn asked Rocco to rescue him. Who knows? I liked those women, they seemed fun, but glad i wasn't eating next to them.

i think that's it, rocco's is a playground, a circus. don't pay attention to the food, just make out in the bathroom, make fun of your waitstaff, make fun of other patrons and fondle Rocco.

[shamrock]

I believe the exact quote was "That's one thing I've never done -- a black married woman."

Thing?

[tommy]

I believe the exact quote was "That's one thing I've never done -- a black married woman."

Thing?

yeah, "thing." that's the way people talk.

[Jason Perlow]

if i know one it's that i really don't want to see, or think about, gideon having sex.

Ditto.

[Mr. Blister]

The last show sucked so bad that it was an embarrassment to anything that has sucked in the past and an affront to anything that dreams of sucking in the fututre.

Also, that smart ass kid was a quasi regular on Rosie's old show when she needed smart assed kids.

Rocco really came off like a horse's ass.

Edited August 26, 2003 by Mr. Blister (log)

[tommy]

this bandwagon is overflowing.

[MatthewB]

The last show sucked so bad that it was an embarrassment to anything that has sucked in the past and an offront to anything that dreams of sucking in the fututre.

I would appreciate it if you didn't speak of my former, present, and/or future girlfriends that way.

(BTW, it's "affront.")

[Toliver]

But, according to Variety, NBC has been fielding offers from several celebrity chefs who would like to throw their aprons in the ring.

Bourdain ... ?

Now that I would watch. Even if it was on pay-per-view. Doesn't that just conjure a picture?

[shamrock]

QUOTE (shamrock @ Aug 25 2003, 03:18 PM)

I believe the exact quote was "That's one thing I've never done -- a black married woman."

Thing?

yeah, "thing." that's the way people talk.

--

Yeah, I know, but I still thought it was a clunky, Dubya-esque turn of phrase, i.e. a black married woman is not a *thing*.

[MatthewB]

Yeah, I know, but I still thought it was a clunky, Dubya-esque turn of phrase, i.e. a black married woman is not a *thing*.

Don't you mean Perot-like?

[shamrock]

Was "thing" one of Perot's things? I can barely remember that guy. Sure, yeah, Perot-like as well. Man, you are ON me today!

[tommy]

Yeah, I know, but I still thought it was a clunky, Dubya-esque turn of phrase, i.e. a black married woman is not a *thing*.

married black women across the country are up in arms.

[shamrock]

Up in arms or down Rocco's pants...

[FoodZealot]

I’ll admit it – I watched every second of every episode of the Restaurant. If they air another season of it, I'll probably watch all of that, too. I think it’s valuable as a cautionary tale. FWIW, I learned a few things, mostly via negativa. For the sake of discussion:

• It’s possible to open a restaurant in 7 weeks in NYC if you have $4 million, a show on a major TV network, a hot producer, several corporate sponsors, an open casting call, a golden boy chef and a good story.
  It’s possible to make six hours of TV out of 2 weeks of shooting.
  It’s possible to convince people that a business plan where you get lots of TV exposure for having cold food and slow service is a good idea. What’s more, apparently it is.
  Having a management plan is as important as having a business plan.
  Owners, management, staff and patrons will say and do things they would not ordinarily do just to be on TV.
  Some people use being pretty as a life strategy.
  In setting up a business, plan to pay your employees.
  But if you chose not to, employees are willing to put up with a lot of bullshit if they are made to feel that they are a part of something.
  The pursuit of Celebrity is more compelling than the pursuit of Excellence (for some).
  

~Tad

[MatthewB]

Was "thing" one of Perot's things?  I can barely remember that guy.  Sure, yeah, Perot-like as well.  Man, you are ON me today!

Actually, Perot's infamous moment was much worse than what Rocco said. ("Those people . . . ")

[shamrock]

Pithy, Tad.

[MatthewB]

I’ll admit it – I watched every second of every episode of the Restaurant.  If they air another season of it, I'll probably watch all of that, too. I think it’s valuable as a cautionary tale.  FWIW, I learned a few things, mostly via negativa.  For the sake of discussion:

• It’s possible to open a restaurant in 7 weeks in NYC if you have $4 million, a show on a major TV network, a hot producer, several corporate sponsors, an open casting call, a golden boy chef and a good story.
  It’s possible to make six hours of TV out of 2 weeks of shooting.
  It’s possible to convince people that a business plan where you get lots of TV exposure for having cold food and slow service is a good idea.  What’s more, apparently it is.
  Having a management plan is as important as having a business plan.
  Owners, management, staff and patrons will say and do things they would not ordinarily do just to be on TV. 
  Some people use being pretty as a life strategy.
  In setting up a business, plan to pay your employees.
  But if you chose not to, employees are willing to put up with a lot of bullshit if they are made to feel that they are a part of something.
  The pursuit of Celebrity is more compelling than the pursuit of Excellence (for some).
  

~Tad

Sounds like you've an article for HBR. Get to work. Executives are waiting.