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Martha!


Lesley C

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not microwaved nachos made with dehydrated refried beans and cheese grated on a contraband sardine tin that she punched ragged holes in..

Seriously. If I hadn't seen it with my very own eyes, I would have accused you of all kinds of humorous things. Call this episode, "Martha Dug Prison" with David Spade. Besides the nachos (which Spade couldn't eat because of the hot sauce on top), she microwaved "grilled" cheese sandwiches with pre-nuked dandelion greens in a brown paper bag. Because, in prison, she got her mail in brown paper bags everyday - and you couldn't keep them, so she used them. I'm not making this up. There was a running commentary about how all of the recipes were done in prison. How she saved everything little thing to make stuff for herself and her...prison friends. I felt like I was eavesdropping on one of Martha's therapy sessions. Totally fascinating, a little frightening, yet hilarious, in an innocent bystander kind of way.

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not microwaved nachos made with dehydrated refried beans and cheese grated on a contraband sardine tin that she punched ragged holes in..

Seriously. If I hadn't seen it with my very own eyes, I would have accused you of all kinds of humorous things. Call this episode, "Martha Dug Prison" with David Spade. Besides the nachos (which Spade couldn't eat because of the hot sauce on top), she microwaved "grilled" cheese sandwiches with pre-nuked dandelion greens in a brown paper bag. Because, in prison, she got her mail in brown paper bags everyday - and you couldn't keep them, so she used them. I'm not making this up. There was a running commentary about how all of the recipes were done in prison. How she saved everything little thing to make stuff for herself and her...prison friends. I felt like I was eavesdropping on one of Martha's therapy sessions. Totally fascinating, a little frightening, yet hilarious, in an innocent bystander kind of way.

I agree with all the snide remarks about the new Martha show - and then some.

But:

Whether you feel she deserved what she got, none of it, or should have had more, she is certainly dealing with the prison issue up front and without any self-pity. Her attitude towards it might be a model for many of us in the face of life trials. Something bad happened, get over it, keep living life, perhaps in a more conscious way. It's the old lemonade from life's lemons or garlic graters from used tins approach. She's recycling her life much as she formerly recycled garage sale finds. I admire that in her.

One hopes that her experience there will provide more than a few comic bits of ankle bracelets and prison ponchos. There are signs of more social consciousness than her earlier show ever had, at least obliquely as in promoting ponchos to donate profits to women and children who need help. And bad as the segment on prison cooking seemed to me, it does speak to making do with what's available whether used paper bags, windfall apples, or foraged herbs - which alas is how millions of Americans live.

I also hope that show gets better.

Edited by Mottmott (log)

"Half of cooking is thinking about cooking." ---Michael Roberts

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I agree with all the snide remarks about the new Martha show - and then some.

But:

Whether you feel she deserved what she got, none of it, or should have had more, she is certainly dealing with the prison issue up front and without any self-pity. Her attitude towards it might be a model for many of us in the face of life trials. Something bad happened, get over it, keep living life, perhaps in a more conscious way. It's the old lemonade from life's lemons or garlic graters from used tins approach. She's recycling her life much as she formerly recycled garage sale finds. I admire that in her.

One hopes that her experience there will provide more than a few comic bits of ankle bracelets and prison ponchos. There are signs of more social consciousness than her earlier show ever had, at least obliquely as in promoting ponchos to donate profits to women and children who need help. And bad as the segment on prison cooking seemed to me, it does speak to making do with what's available whether used paper bags, windfall apples, or foraged herbs - which alas is how millions of Americans live.

I also hope that show gets better.

If I may play devil's advocate here, what necessitates her being socially-conscious? She was fabulous as she was before. She earned her place, and her fortune.

If this new desire to help others is genuine, wonderful, but if it isn't, that is going to be transparent eventually. Yes, she is an absolute trouper, and I admire her resilience tremendously -- but from what I'm seeing here, it's almost as if she is apologizing to America for being who she is, when there was never a reason to.

Forgive me for spouting off before watching, but I am speaking here of philosophical premises, and I hope the "new Martha" does not leave the other one in the dust.

Jennifer L. Iannolo

Founder, Editor-in-Chief

The Gilded Fork

Food Philosophy. Sensuality. Sass.

Home of the Culinary Podcast Network

Never trust a woman who doesn't like to eat. She is probably lousy in bed. (attributed to Federico Fellini)

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If I may play devil's advocate here, what necessitates her being socially-conscious?  She was fabulous as she was before.  She earned her place, and her fortune.

If this new desire to help others is genuine, wonderful, but if it isn't, that is going to be transparent eventually.  Yes, she is an absolute trouper, and I admire her resilience tremendously -- but from what I'm seeing here, it's almost as if she is apologizing to America for being who she is, when there was never a reason to.

Forgive me for spouting off before watching, but I am speaking here of philosophical premises, and I hope the "new Martha" does not leave the other one in the dust.

I should note that I've never really liked Martha's personna...

until today!!

I was expecting to hate her new show, but as I said above, I was very much amused.

She did not seem at all apologetic or fake. Really, I felt like she had learned to be less stiff and formal. I thought she was funny. She was able to make fun of herself (never easy) and also joke around with David Spade (also not easy, I'm sure).

Will you watch the show? I'm eager to hear what you think after you've seen it for yourself.

:smile:

(I can't believe I've written two posts today championing Martha Stewart! Too funny...)

Danielle Altshuler Wiley

a.k.a. Foodmomiac

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I agree with all the snide remarks about the new Martha show - and then some.

But:

Whether you feel she deserved what she got, none of it, or should have had more, she is certainly dealing with the prison issue up front and without any self-pity. Her attitude towards it might be a model for many of us in the face of life trials. Something bad happened, get over it, keep living life, perhaps in a more conscious way. It's the old lemonade from life's lemons or garlic graters from used tins approach. She's recycling her life much as she formerly recycled garage sale finds. I admire that in her.

One hopes that her experience there will provide more than a few comic bits of ankle bracelets and prison ponchos. There are signs of more social consciousness than her earlier show ever had, at least obliquely as in promoting ponchos to donate profits to women and children who need help. And bad as the segment on prison cooking seemed to me, it does speak to making do with what's available whether used paper bags, windfall apples, or foraged herbs - which alas is how millions of Americans live.

I also hope that show gets better.

If I may play devil's advocate here, what necessitates her being socially-conscious? She was fabulous as she was before. She earned her place, and her fortune.

If this new desire to help others is genuine, wonderful, but if it isn't, that is going to be transparent eventually. Yes, she is an absolute trouper, and I admire her resilience tremendously -- but from what I'm seeing here, it's almost as if she is apologizing to America for being who she is, when there was never a reason to.

Forgive me for spouting off before watching, but I am speaking here of philosophical premises, and I hope the "new Martha" does not leave the other one in the dust.

It remains to be seen what the show will become. I hope I didn't give the impression that because Martha shows greater social awareness that it dominates the program. It doesn't. That she talks about spending some of her prison time teaching yoga and exploring microwave cooking fallen apples and foraged herbs seems quite in keeping with what we've seen of her in the past. It is similar to making picture frames with found sea shells or pine cones and holiday wreaths of cranberries. Only in prison. It's also true that she used elements of her life in the old show, too. So it's not surprising that her imprisonment becomes fodder for the TV show.

It's hard to believe her experience these last few years has not changed her in some ways. I'm sure many of us are watching to see if and how. Her personal drama has become part of the present show in a way I don't recall seeing in the old show.

What seems to worry most of us who liked the old show is that her new program is going to be just another idle afternoon talk show around the kitchen island.

"Half of cooking is thinking about cooking." ---Michael Roberts

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It remains to be seen what the show will become. I hope I didn't give the impression that because Martha shows greater social awareness that it dominates the program. It doesn't. That she talks about spending some of her prison time teaching yoga and exploring microwave cooking  fallen apples and foraged herbs seems quite in keeping with what we've seen of her in the past. It is similar to making picture frames with found sea shells or pine cones and holiday wreaths of cranberries. Only in prison. It's also true that she used elements of her life in the old show, too. So it's not surprising that her imprisonment becomes fodder for the TV show.

It's hard to believe her experience these last few years has not changed her in some ways. I'm sure many of us are watching to see if and how. Her personal drama has become part of the present show in a way I don't recall seeing in the old show.

What seems to worry most of us who liked the old show is that her new program is going to be just another idle afternoon talk show around the kitchen island.

I dunno. If the prison experience has humbled Martha in some way then that is definitely "a good thing". However, from what I've seen of this new program, even though she personally seems a lot less uptight than the old Martha, the show format is poorly thought out and the two guests thusfar have seemed very uncomfortable, as has Martha. I have no doubt that both Marcia Cross and David Spade have told their agents, "Don't EVER book me on Martha again! That was excruciating."

Martha always reminds me of the great quote by Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind

You're like the thief who isn't the least bit sorry he stole, but is terribly, terribly sorry he's going to jail.

:rolleyes:

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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It remains to be seen what the show will become. I hope I didn't give the impression that because Martha shows greater social awareness that it dominates the program. It doesn't. That she talks about spending some of her prison time teaching yoga and exploring microwave cooking  fallen apples and foraged herbs seems quite in keeping with what we've seen of her in the past. It is similar to making picture frames with found sea shells or pine cones and holiday wreaths of cranberries. Only in prison. It's also true that she used elements of her life in the old show, too. So it's not surprising that her imprisonment becomes fodder for the TV show.

It's hard to believe her experience these last few years has not changed her in some ways. I'm sure many of us are watching to see if and how. Her personal drama has become part of the present show in a way I don't recall seeing in the old show.

What seems to worry most of us who liked the old show is that her new program is going to be just another idle afternoon talk show around the kitchen island.

Yes, I think that's one of my concerns, as she is smarter and better than using her jail-time as show fodder. In a way, however, it is ingenious, as that will get people watching -- but the idea of it just makes me...sad. I mean, microwaved nachos? Can anyone see Sandra Lee lurking backstage? :::shudder:::

Danielle, I will absolutely watch now to see this for myself. My greatest hope is that this incredibly talented woman doesn't sell out because she feels it's necessary to "redeem" herself.

Gimme hard-core Martha. :wink:

Jennifer L. Iannolo

Founder, Editor-in-Chief

The Gilded Fork

Food Philosophy. Sensuality. Sass.

Home of the Culinary Podcast Network

Never trust a woman who doesn't like to eat. She is probably lousy in bed. (attributed to Federico Fellini)

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Whether you feel she deserved what she got, none of it, or should have had more, she is certainly dealing with the prison issue up front and without any self-pity. Her attitude towards it might be a model for many of us in the face of life trials. Something bad happened, get over it, keep living life, perhaps in a more conscious way. It's the old lemonade from life's lemons or garlic graters from used tins approach. She's recycling her life much as she formerly recycled garage sale finds. I admire that in her.

Like Jennifer I'm going to play devil's advocate, although from a different direction.

It's been my perception that Martha's post-prison attitude is something of a P.R. construct. What she does or says behind closed doors may not even remotely be the same.

It's kind of like when you see some public figure go onto Saturday Night Live after they've been in some kind of scandal, in a P.R arranged stunt to make it look like they can take being made fun of. What's actually happening is that they are taking control of the situation and making sure that they set the parameters for that mockery. It's spin control, pure and simple. I'm not saying it's wrong, but it IS a manipulation.

Martha is doing much the same only on a larger scale. It's true she's making lemons from lemonade, in public, and yes... in a sense that pretty admirable, but that doesn't really speak to what she thinks (or acts like) off camera. Personally I don't think what she does off camera is our business, but that doubt about her sincerity is just enough for me to hold back a piece of my potential admiration. Can we admire her for simply putting up a front if she doesn't actually believe it?

Jon Lurie, aka "jhlurie"

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Ugh, I just caught a segment on today's show with Susan Lucci. How demeaning for poor Martha to suck up to minor celebrities. She was so much better flirting with the Balthazar chefs while making steak/frites.

The celebrity element of this show hurts it the most. I would think the audience for her past show would be turned off by all this fluff as she used to supply some useful information. I don't want Martha giving advice on how to take care of an orchid then turn around and say, "So tell me Susan, are you the highest paid soap star?"

Click, I turned it off right there.

And Martha is just putting it on – thick. It must be killing her. She's fumbling her lines, she's rushing through segments. Perfectionists can take that kind of abuse. I’ll bet she’s really on a rampage after these shows. I give it six months before she goes back to her pre-taped, heavily edited format. And she should. It was miles better than this crap.

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I dunno.  If the prison experience has humbled Martha in some way then that is definitely "a good thing".  However, from what I've seen of this new program, even though she personally seems a lot less uptight than the old Martha, the show format is poorly thought out and the two guests thusfar have seemed very uncomfortable, as has Martha.  I have no doubt that both Marcia Cross and David Spade have told their agents, "Don't EVER book me on Martha again!  That was excruciating."

How much do you suppose Martha, or her sponsors, care what people who don't like her think of the show?

We're all entitled to express opinions, but it's unlikely many minds will ever be changed by discussion board threads, and cyber envy is no more becoming than the real thing.

SB (who's Marcia Cross anyway?) :wacko:

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I dunno.  If the prison experience has humbled Martha in some way then that is definitely "a good thing".  However, from what I've seen of this new program, even though she personally seems a lot less uptight than the old Martha, the show format is poorly thought out and the two guests thusfar have seemed very uncomfortable, as has Martha.  I have no doubt that both Marcia Cross and David Spade have told their agents, "Don't EVER book me on Martha again!  That was excruciating."

How much do you suppose Martha, or her sponsors, care what people who don't like her think of the show?

We're all entitled to express opinions, but it's unlikely many minds will ever be changed by discussion board threads, and cyber envy is no more becoming than the real thing.

SB (who's Marcia Cross anyway?) :wacko:

I'm completely confident they don't give a rat's ass. But when the ratings suffer because the show format is forced and Martha doesn't play well when she isn't being purely instructive and pedantic or without heavy editing they'll care very much. Their Nielsen numbers will fall and their ad rates will go down and that will most certainly be worthy of their consideration. Regardless of how I feel about Martha, it seems that the "Martha Redemption Tour" isn't playing well thus far. At least to a live audience. She can spin and joke all she wants. It seems and sounds forced and it doesn't come across well. As jhlurie pointed out, she doesn't seem to be buying her own schtick. Does it still count as living a lie if no one believes you? :hmmm:

Marcia Cross is a former star of Melrose Place and is currently one of the Desparate Housewives. Her current character, Bree Van de Kamp has been described as a cross between Martha Stewart and a Stepford wife. Where've you been for the last decade of prime time television soap operas??

And for the record, I'm respectful of Martha as a business woman. She's brilliant. Envious, not really. And I certainly don't think this new program is going to succeed without some major retooling. But that's my opinion. Only time will tell if I'm correct.

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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I never used to like Martha at all. One year around Thanksgiving I happened to be watching her show on Food Network, (which might seem contradictory, except that FTV is the default on my tv, which is probably why I've missed out on all the prime time soap fare?), and Martha's guest was her investment banker.

This woman cooks one day a year, on Thanksgiving. She had a unique and interesting method of roasting a turkey, but the most best part of the show was seeing how she and Martha interacted. TheyShe were obviously close friends as well as business associates. The woman was hardly cowed by Ms Stewart, and, in fact, chided and kidded her openly. Next to her, Martha Stewart seemed like the most down-to-earth sympathetic character you can imagine.

I remembered that show when Martha was in the news after being indicted by the Feds. Having some experience with Feds and indictments, I was inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt, and found myself in the unlikely postition of defending her in many venues, including this forum.

I was impressed by the was she handled her imprisonment, and continue to be astonished that her succcess arouses so much negative sentiment in people. On the basis of that contrary indication I bought stock in MSO last year and have tripled my money!

I guess what I'm saying is; there are some people I don't suggest you bet against, love them or hate them. In sports it woiuld have been Joe Namath anb Muhammad Ali, in politics, Presidents Clinton and Bush, and in business, Trump and Martha.

SB (the world will always be rife with injustice, you may as well profit from it) :wink:

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I remembered that show when Martha was in the news after being indicted by the Feds.  Having some experience with Feds and indictments, I was inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt, and found myself in the unlikely postition of defending her in many venues, including this forum.

I was impressed by the was she handled her imprisonment, and continue to be astonished that her succcess arouses so much negative sentiment in people.  On the basis of that contrary indication I bought stock in MSO last year and have tripled my money!

I guess what I'm saying is; there are some people I don't suggest you bet against, love them or hate them.  In sports it woiuld have been Joe Namath anb Muhammad Ali, in politics, Presidents Clinton and Bush, and in business, Trump and Martha.

SB (the world will always be rife with injustice, you may as well profit from it) :wink:

SB, I have to share a commiserative laugh, as I, too, staunchly defended Martha during that circus. Like her or not, I can't help but admire her tenacity and achievement.

Jennifer L. Iannolo

Founder, Editor-in-Chief

The Gilded Fork

Food Philosophy. Sensuality. Sass.

Home of the Culinary Podcast Network

Never trust a woman who doesn't like to eat. She is probably lousy in bed. (attributed to Federico Fellini)

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Aaaahhhh....as promised above, an update from Gawker on Martha's visit with Diddy. Check out the link for a pic of the chalkboard mentioned in the quote below.

Today’s lesson in Rap 101? Vocabulary!

On the blackboard:

- Cheddar

- Shorty

- Flossin'

- Benjamins

- Ballin'

Martha: “Is ‘cheddar’ cheese?”

Diddy: “No. No no no no no no. No.”

Us: Insert gun in mouth.

I will be watching the tape at home tonight, trying not to choke on my dinner as I laugh...do you suppose they made gougeres in celebration of "cheddar"? :wink:

"We had dry martinis; great wing-shaped glasses of perfumed fire, tangy as the early morning air." - Elaine Dundy, The Dud Avocado

Queenie Takes Manhattan

eG Foodblogs: 2006 - 2007

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And bad as the segment on prison cooking seemed to me, it does speak to making do with what's available whether used paper bags, windfall apples, or foraged herbs - which alas is how millions of Americans live.

Too true. But I'm having a challenge imagining any of them as regular Martha viewers.

an update from Gawker

Holy Mother of Mercy. WTF? I'm one of those who thought Martha was tagged as a scapegoat, and while I'm not sure I'd want to be her girlfriend, I have admired her business sense and her ways with kitchen utensils. I imagine the ratings will start out ok this week, what with everyone excited about her being back. But after that? They'll either have to retool this thing fast or grab some paddles.

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And bad as the segment on prison cooking seemed to me, it does speak to making do with what's available whether used paper bags, windfall apples, or foraged herbs - which alas is how millions of Americans live.

Too true. But I'm having a challenge imagining any of them as regular Martha viewers.

an update from Gawker

Holy Mother of Mercy. WTF? I'm one of those who thought Martha was tagged as a scapegoat, and while I'm not sure I'd want to be her girlfriend, I have admired her business sense and her ways with kitchen utensils. I imagine the ratings will start out ok this week, what with everyone excited about her being back. But after that? They'll either have to retool this thing fast or grab some paddles.

Let me first say that I am shocked and amazed by my point of view here. It is so not like me to be on this side of a "controversy." :blink:

But, really, it's fun to watch! And, I'll say again, I'm usually the first one to be offended by shows that are fake or overly scripted. (I wrote my college thesis on talk shows.)

Also, I don't think they'll need paddles. Look at the Bobby Brown show. It's doing fabulously well, and watching Bobby and Whitney (ESPECIALLY Whitney) is like watching a train wreck. But, I'm not as mortified watching this show, and I really don't think the producers are twisting Martha's personality all that much. I think she's still a little uncomfortable with the audience, but that's to be expected. It's a new thing for her.

Danielle Altshuler Wiley

a.k.a. Foodmomiac

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Also, consider that from a strictly business point of view they may have decided getting Martha back in front of her fans as soon as possible overroad the usual considerations utilizing marketing studies and production concernsiderations that would have taken an inordinate amount of time.

In other words, this show could be a throw-away. Even if it loses money, (not unusual for MSO), it will prove to have been a good business move in the long run.

SB (in business sometimes you gotta "take one for the team") :wink:

Edited by srhcb (log)
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