With recent events in the news, many have said they are precursor signs of the impending apocalypse. Normally I would call them doomsday fanatics, seeing as how the end of the world as previously predicted has already come and gone. Then I saw a promo for a new show on the Food Network called Rachel vs. Guy: Kids Cook-Off and I knew instantly that this unholy triumvirate was surely a sign of end times.
Rachel Ray has ingratiated herself into the national consciousness ever since Oprah had her as one of her favorite things, or something like that. I first remember her from and early Food Network show called $40 A Day where she would jet off to a city and try to eat 3 meals with only $40. I hate watched that show. Mostly for the fact the majority of folks really try to eat for $20 or less a day when on vacation and the fact that she was a crap tipper. She never gave more than the bare minimum, and while I know there is a debate raging now about doing away with tipping, when I was a server, if you excel and go that extra for your guest you hope for more than 15%, with her, not happening. Let's face it, the server had to put up with her preternaturally perky persona in addition to having her and a production crew hog up a table for more than hour while she took pretend sips and nibbles over and over again until getting that perfect shot. And no, just saying you waited on Rachel Ray is not compensation enough for the hassle. Not in a tired on their feet server world anyway. And let's not forget her other food show 30 Minute Meals. I mean come on people--it doesn't take 30 minutes, or that much ingenuity to boil pasta, cut up a tomato and grate some cheese. Or to make a sandwich or a salad or anyone of their other not exactly healthy dishes she served up. Then I cringe as I think about the Rachel Ray Show, her daily talk/food/lifestyle show in syndication. "Today on Rachel Ray! Learn how to bake bread in an oven! Makeover your pet in 3 easy steps! And get inspired by a sexual abuse victim who's overcoming her food addition! Now give it up for Rachel Ray!" It's a fine line and I'm pretty she's crossed it, baked it, eaten it and left another crappy tip.
Ugh...Guy Fieri. He burst on the scene as the winner of The Next Food Network Star second season. Then really shot to some cable network fame as host of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Somehow he achieved popularity with his trips to "flavor town" and his sort of bang, pow, in your face enthusiasm for...well...pretty much everything. I sort of blame him for The Next Food Network Star going off the rails to try and find more of a personality who sort of cooks instead of someone with personality and cooking skills. It's like they are trying to find another Guy when one is more than enough. Triple D, as he calls his show, is another one I began to hate watch, which really, is the only way to watch television these days. His interpretation of diners and dives is wide open and a few places are not exactly your everyday affordable eats. Plus, since he lives just North of San Francisco, he's been to two places here, Dottie's True Blue Cafe and Rocco's Cafe, which before were decent neighborhood diners to drop in and try. Now they've become overpriced tourist attractions with ridiculous lines. Locals can no longer get in and don't even think about going anymore. Plus the food at both places is not as good as it once was and they are charging more for it. Sometimes success is a double edged sword. Then of course there was the behind the scenes backbiting of Triple D where the creator of the show said Fieri was a douche and then there was Fieri's public spat with NYT critic Pete Wells over one of his restaurants. All in all it doesn't paint a positive portrait of Fieri and of course bowling shirts with embroidered flames on them are so 20 years ago, not to mention frosted tips and goatees.
As for the kids on this show, I'm not going to deride their precociousness or that possible fact they may have stage moms lurking somewhere. Let's just say that several of them already have YouTube channels, several have been on Rachel Ray's show, some have overcome childhood diseases and they most definitely are doing this because they "really love to cook!" For that I'll just take them at their word (or their parents).
Sadly, I doubt this show will be a hilarious train wreck, as I know it will be given the polished up Food Network treatment where any outtakes or behind the scenes shenanigans will be forever lost on the cutting room floor. It is an instance where I will give Bravo props for letting some of their shows just go off the rails because they know that is what makes compelling viewing while you sit through too many commercials that promote other shows on the very channel you are watching.
Of course, I rail on this show after really only having seen clips and website info about the whole project. Will I actually sit down this coming Sunday night and watch it? I'm not sure yet as I'll have to check my "hate watching" schedule to see if there is a current opening. Either way, you've been forewarned that the end of times and good taste are nigh at hand.
Rachel Ray has ingratiated herself into the national consciousness ever since Oprah had her as one of her favorite things, or something like that. I first remember her from and early Food Network show called $40 A Day where she would jet off to a city and try to eat 3 meals with only $40. I hate watched that show. Mostly for the fact the majority of folks really try to eat for $20 or less a day when on vacation and the fact that she was a crap tipper. She never gave more than the bare minimum, and while I know there is a debate raging now about doing away with tipping, when I was a server, if you excel and go that extra for your guest you hope for more than 15%, with her, not happening. Let's face it, the server had to put up with her preternaturally perky persona in addition to having her and a production crew hog up a table for more than hour while she took pretend sips and nibbles over and over again until getting that perfect shot. And no, just saying you waited on Rachel Ray is not compensation enough for the hassle. Not in a tired on their feet server world anyway. And let's not forget her other food show 30 Minute Meals. I mean come on people--it doesn't take 30 minutes, or that much ingenuity to boil pasta, cut up a tomato and grate some cheese. Or to make a sandwich or a salad or anyone of their other not exactly healthy dishes she served up. Then I cringe as I think about the Rachel Ray Show, her daily talk/food/lifestyle show in syndication. "Today on Rachel Ray! Learn how to bake bread in an oven! Makeover your pet in 3 easy steps! And get inspired by a sexual abuse victim who's overcoming her food addition! Now give it up for Rachel Ray!" It's a fine line and I'm pretty she's crossed it, baked it, eaten it and left another crappy tip.
Ugh...Guy Fieri. He burst on the scene as the winner of The Next Food Network Star second season. Then really shot to some cable network fame as host of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Somehow he achieved popularity with his trips to "flavor town" and his sort of bang, pow, in your face enthusiasm for...well...pretty much everything. I sort of blame him for The Next Food Network Star going off the rails to try and find more of a personality who sort of cooks instead of someone with personality and cooking skills. It's like they are trying to find another Guy when one is more than enough. Triple D, as he calls his show, is another one I began to hate watch, which really, is the only way to watch television these days. His interpretation of diners and dives is wide open and a few places are not exactly your everyday affordable eats. Plus, since he lives just North of San Francisco, he's been to two places here, Dottie's True Blue Cafe and Rocco's Cafe, which before were decent neighborhood diners to drop in and try. Now they've become overpriced tourist attractions with ridiculous lines. Locals can no longer get in and don't even think about going anymore. Plus the food at both places is not as good as it once was and they are charging more for it. Sometimes success is a double edged sword. Then of course there was the behind the scenes backbiting of Triple D where the creator of the show said Fieri was a douche and then there was Fieri's public spat with NYT critic Pete Wells over one of his restaurants. All in all it doesn't paint a positive portrait of Fieri and of course bowling shirts with embroidered flames on them are so 20 years ago, not to mention frosted tips and goatees.
As for the kids on this show, I'm not going to deride their precociousness or that possible fact they may have stage moms lurking somewhere. Let's just say that several of them already have YouTube channels, several have been on Rachel Ray's show, some have overcome childhood diseases and they most definitely are doing this because they "really love to cook!" For that I'll just take them at their word (or their parents).
Sadly, I doubt this show will be a hilarious train wreck, as I know it will be given the polished up Food Network treatment where any outtakes or behind the scenes shenanigans will be forever lost on the cutting room floor. It is an instance where I will give Bravo props for letting some of their shows just go off the rails because they know that is what makes compelling viewing while you sit through too many commercials that promote other shows on the very channel you are watching.
Of course, I rail on this show after really only having seen clips and website info about the whole project. Will I actually sit down this coming Sunday night and watch it? I'm not sure yet as I'll have to check my "hate watching" schedule to see if there is a current opening. Either way, you've been forewarned that the end of times and good taste are nigh at hand.
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