on May 30th, 2008Next Food Network Star 2008
After last season’s debacle, they ought to rename this show The Next Food Network Employee. And when it returns Sunday night, you and I will no longer have a say in the hiring. For Season 4, the FN judges, not the viewers, will choose the winner; viewers will only be able to vote for a weekly favorite. I assume this is to ensure the network gets the winner it wants. This time.
Well, count me out.
If you missed last season — and you didn’t miss much, except drama — here’s what happened in a nutshell. Near the end, there were three contestants left: Rory, who’d been on another reality show, could barely cook and admitted she was happy to show some cleavage if that would help her win. The judges loved her. There was Jag, a US Marine Corps veteran who could cook, and was personable enough that I was already thinking he’d win and get a show called Jagged Edge. And there was Amy Finley, classically trained and favoring French cuisine.
So natch, TPTB got rid of Amy. Then they discovered, at that very late date, and only because the military press looked into it, that Jag hadn’t been entirely truthful, so they “let” him quit the competition — on camera, replete with drama — and brought Amy back so there could be a semblance of viewer voting before crowning Rory.
But! The viewers chose Amy! When it was announced, one of the network judges made a beeline to hug the sobbing Rory, not to congratulate Amy. It was one of the shoddiest moments I’ve ever seen.
So Amy got a brief run on FN, her show buried in the off hours. She claims on her “Where are they now” page that they offered her more episodes but that fame, however fleeting, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.Â
Interestingly, the Season 3 “Where are they now” list makes no mention of Rory and Jag.
This season’s competitors look more camera-ready; it’s obvious FN gave them the benefit of stylists. There are probably more irrelevant challenges ahead, the sort borrowed from Top Chef when the skills to be a chef/restaurauteur are far different from those that make an on-camera personality light up the screen and the ratings.
(And I am so disgusted with Top Chef but that can wait.)
We can also assume FN bothered to check out their backgrounds and claims this time; Jag wasn’t the only poseur on that network. A few months ago, after many episodes of Dinner Impossible, we learned “Chef” Robert Irvine’s claims of having cooked for royalty and presidents meant that he was in the Royal Navy and worked in the kitchen. Oops. He was fired in March.
So if you follow The Next Food Network Employee Star, enjoy it and remember - the judges know what you want and who you want. You don’t really matter at all, except as someone to help jack up the ratings so they can charge more for ads.
That’s showbiz.
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Sounds about right. What always ticks me off the most is seeing something that has so much potential to be excellent go tragically bad at the hands of the ‘experts’ in charge.
Happy Weekend!
♥
Isn’t that the truth? Of course, we could say the same about that whole network. (Oh, wait…we have!
)
Happy weekend to you too, my friend.
Actually, I find it refreshing that we don’t choose. They know who they are looking for. People as a group often tend to be in the now type thinking. They may like someone now, but in the time between when this person is chosen and when they start they have the ability of being forgotten. This has obviously been the case with American Idol (with the exception of Carrie Underwood and one or two others) but who really remembers the others or buys their records? I’m sorry you are all so upset about this, but in the end, it is just a show.
I’m happy for you.
I think you’ve confused being upset with having a low tolerance for hypocrisy and playing viewers for fools.
I agree, this show sucks. It sucked from the first, because Food Network thinks it is American Idol. I’ve cared less with each passing season, and I really don’t care now. Two minutes into 2008, and it was just plain TIRESOME. They need to get off this concept. They add people/programs without it, so why bother to bore us to tears with their make-believe competition? No wonder it’s on late at night. Even with Alton participating, it’s a snore…ZZZZZZZ
You saw 2 minutes more than I did.
I don’t know what the point of this show is anymore either. It’s just a long, televised audition with drama. I wouldn’t object if it had always been that way, but their transparent hypocrisy after last season really ruffles my feathers.
Thanks for stopping by!
Where in the world did they find these so called “chefs” or “cooks” or “chef wanabees” for the Next Food Network Star 2008? They are the worst bunch of so called cooks I have ever seen. I would not be surprised if this program was cancelled.
Ha ha! I’ll take your word for it. I still haven’t watched it and don’t plan to.