Hell's Kitchen, U.S. Season 1

[BCinBC]

He gets paid to be an abusive, bullying twat.

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"elsie you've touch my heart"-from tonight's episode. was what he said just for show?..if not..he's an abusive, sappy, bullying twat.

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With the bulk of the episodes being done and only 3 contestants left, I wonder... why are the people who hate Ramsay still watching the show? Because you love to hate him! Yes he is still getting paid to be an "abusive, bullying twat" - by you, the faithful viewer.

[CaliPoutine]

He gets paid to be an abusive, bullying twat.

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"elsie you've touch my heart"-from tonight's episode. was what he said just for show?..if not..he's an abusive, sappy, bullying twat.

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It would be nice if we could come up with an alternative word to "twat". I find it misogynistic and offensive.

[Pam R]

"elsie you've touch my heart"-from tonight's episode.  was what he said just for show?..if not..he's an abusive, sappy, bullying twat.

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awww... I think he had a little crush on her

[*Deborah*]

I've only seen the last two episodes, but I hope Jessica gets the boot PDQ, snotty little cow.

"Elsie, did you get support from the team tonight?"

*pause*

"Yes, Chef."

MY ASS!

[SKinCA]

Yes. Jessica, Michael and Ralph conspired to bury Elsie alive, which was shitty. I liked her the best out of all of them, but my pick for winner continues to be Ralph.

I'd like to see Jessica go next - I can't stand her pouty puss.

[WHT]

I've only seen the last two episodes, but I hope Jessica gets the boot PDQ, snotty little cow.

"Elsie, did you get support from the team tonight?"

*pause*

"Yes, Chef."

MY ASS!

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I think that may be the main reason he sent her home. She was not going to stand up for herself.

[*Deborah*]

I've only seen the last two episodes, but I hope Jessica gets the boot PDQ, snotty little cow.

"Elsie, did you get support from the team tonight?"

*pause*

"Yes, Chef."

MY ASS!

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I think that may be the main reason he sent her home. She was not going to stand up for herself.

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I was trying to figure that: was it better to be more team-oriented and lie for them and not whine about someone else being mean, or better to stick up for yourself, as you say.

I'm hopeless at strategies, and would probably be the first one "off the island."

[mrs.inkling]

I was trying to figure that: was it better to be more team-oriented and lie for them and not whine about someone else being mean, or better to stick up for yourself, as you say.

I'm hopeless at strategies, and would probably be the first one "off the island."

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I was also curious if her classy remarks were her downfall last night. But I think the bottom line is she doesn't have what it takes ... she worked her butt off and turned out some good stuff, but she simpy doesn't have the experience necessary when compared with the others.

That said, after the way the final three behaved last night, I wish none of them still had a shot at this thing. They're all jerks, IMHO. Although I loathe Jessica the most. She's either crying about something or acting snotty. Girlfriend needs to grow up and put on her big-girl panties.

[coquus]

Although I loathe Jessica the most. She's either crying about something or acting snotty. Girlfriend needs to grow up and put on her big-girl panties.

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That's only because they want you to. Supposedly a big surprise next week, so it's not Jessica who gets voted off, you're going to have to put up with her for one more episode after that one. Here is hoping that Ralph loses it again after losing yet another challenge with his crappy food and offs himself, in a non lethal kind of a way of course. Funny how these three misfits were the most experienced to begin with accounting for three quarters or was it three fifths of the restaurant experience of the whole group. Arrgh, now we'll see who goes down with the ship.

[duckduck]

I don't care what anyone says. I was rooting for Elsie. Sorry to see her go. She grew a lot in her time there.

[BCinBC]

I find HK and Cooking Under Fire a little different from other "standard" reality* shows (well The Amazing Race is the only one I can stand watching anymore) in that I don't necessarily want the nicest person to win, but rather the person best suited for the "prize".

Yes Elsie seemed nice, and she showed the pros a thing or two by winning challenges, but it seemed Ramsay recognized that he had gotten all he could out of her. She grew a ton, but she wasn't going to be a "chef" at the end of it.

I think Michael is best suited and that's why I'm rooting for him. Also he's (being portrayed as) a bit of a weasel, which I find funny.

*And let's not dredge up again the fact that HK is totally staged and not reality.

[Mikeb19]

I watched HK for the first time a couple nights ago, I thought it was pretty entertaining. I thought Gordon Ramsay was a little soft though, from the hype I expected more out of him. I've personally worked for a French chef who yelled at and insulted cooks alot more than Ramsay does on his show...

[ronnie_suburban]

I know it's been alluded to upthread, but I find the difference in Ramsay's behavior on this show and his behavior on Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares to be striking. So much so, that it almost feels like he's acting a bit on HK.

On RKN, he's still a straight shooter but the apparently stagey and over-the-top verbally abusively behavior -- the playing to the camera -- is not to be found. Instead, he's personable, professional and wise. Perhaps this variation is due to the format differences between the 2 shows.

The warm comments he made on HK about Jimmy and Elsie as they departed mirror more closely the general tone of RKN. To me HK is one reality show at least where it feels like the contestants are being true to themselves and the host isn't necessarily doing the same thing. In the spirit of tv game shows, I feel like asking if the "real Gordon Ramsay will please stand up."

=R=

[WHT]

I think Michael is best suited and that's why I'm rooting for him. Also he's (being portrayed as) a bit of a weasel, which I find funny.

Better to run with the weasels than fly with the eagles.

WAIT FOR IT

Weasels don't get sucked into jets!

Edited July 23, 2005 by WHT (log)

[Shalmanese]

I personally don't think GR is faking any of it. Mainly because the approach he's using works and works well. If you start of with deliberately impossibly high standards and then relentlessly break each and every one of them down for not meeting those standards, then they will work harder than you thought possible just to reach those standards.

Look how happy any one of them is with an "acceptable" from GR and look at how over the moon they get when he pronounces something "nice". They're ardently devoted to him and will follow him to the end of the earth if neccesary.

Also notice how he gradually becomes nicer and more sociable as the series goes on and does less screaming and more encouraging. It's all part of the process.

Every army drill seargent since the greeks has independantly discovered this technique because it's so effective.

[suzilightning]

well....

he will be on regis and kelly on monday(hmmm... 5 second delay)

and he and his family were just featured in the newest US magazine

what can i say - in my job i have to skim all the popular media as well as all my reviewing media for work

[bobby29]

Poor Ramsay. Looks like Kelly is off this week. And her replacement is the stunning Whoopie Goldberg. Seems like he likes to flirt with the ladies. Um, maybe not today.

[BuzzDraft]

That's only because they want you to.  Supposedly a big surprise next week, so it's not Jessica who gets voted off, you're going to have to put up with her for one more episode after that one.  Here is hoping that Ralph loses it again after losing yet another challenge with his crappy food and offs himself, in a non lethal kind of a way of course.    Funny how these three misfits were the most experienced to begin with accounting for three quarters or was it three fifths of the restaurant experience of the whole group.  Arrgh, now we'll see who goes down with the ship.

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Funny thing is, the last couple winners of "The Challenge" got eliminated the same show.

What a fun couple Monday nights tonight and next... Hell's Kitchen and I have the DVR all spooled up waiting for the debut of No Reservations.

This will almost carry me to Monday Night Football season!

[BuzzDraft]

Was the surprise that there wasn't a surprise?

Man, making the families vote blindly on their favorite dishes sure will make this Thanksgiving a little more interesting!

Great show... final two aren't that big a surprise, though.

[Daniel]

I dont know.. I thought that said a lot .. I mean, if your family doesnt know your dish. do they know you.. Or what does that say about your cooking.. Shouldnt it be a reflection of you.. I thought that part was meaningful.. If you couldnt guess that your Frank(or whatever the older guys name is) made the freaking filet, then I dont know what..

Edited July 26, 2005 by Daniel (log)

[mrs.inkling]

Was the surprise that there wasn't a surprise?

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LOL. My question exactly. I'm so glad she's gone. No more watching her crying or being snippy to everyone.

I think the way GR is going to reveal the winner next week is pretty cool. More exciting than just saying "And the winner is ... "

[Siren]

The only thing appealing about Jessica was her redheaded gf... other than that, I'm very glad she's gone as she definately came off as more someone trying to stay out of the fire, rather than jumping into it.

[mrs.inkling]

The only thing appealing about Jessica was her redheaded gf... other than that, I'm very glad she's gone as she definately came off as more someone trying to stay out of the fire, rather than jumping into it.

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I started watching the show a few episodes into its run, and was curious ... was her homosexuality discussed earlier in the series? Or was it mentioned for the first time last night?

[FabulousFoodBabe]

LOL. My question exactly. I'm so glad she's gone. No more watching her crying or being snippy to everyone.

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or picking at her nose, or blowing on the food.

[bilrus]

I  started watching the show a few episodes into its run, and was curious ... was her homosexuality discussed earlier in the series? Or was it mentioned for the first time last night?

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Last night was the first I'd seen of it. I thought it was pretty cool that they didn't make a big deal of it, rather than resort to the more typical reality TV trick of making that the person's identity or "character".