Also, Hell's Kitchen continues and we'll see how the ever-cussing Chef Ramsey is doing with this competition.
Finally, Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance" continues on and we have pics and video you'll find nowhere else on the Internet.
Pic of the Day
Quote of the DayClassic Quotes by Ruth Benedict (1887-1948) U.S. anthropologist |
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Big Surprise on The Next Food Network Star 2007
The above pics are from the challenge engaged in by the top three contenders for The Next Food Network Star 2007, a challenge aired on Food Network's Rachel Ray's show. The mood was happy and light at that time. Each contender was charged with preparing a meal and an accompanying presentation and to do so within a five minute period. All finalists, which at that time included Rory, Amy and JAG, did a great job.
Before this Rachel Ray challenge, the final three contenders also met with Food Network's PR people and participated in an XM Satellite radio program called the Ron and Fez show.
The selection committee did have their usual critiques but the complaints and brickbats were minimal. One contender would be sent home, the final three contenders were told, and this tidbit shocked me.
For I thought, erroneously I must suppose, that the evening of 7/15/07 when all of this was taking place, that the winner of The Next Food Network Star would be announced. Rachel Ray did announce during her show that the winner would be announced on the night of 7/22/07, which would be this coming Sunday as of this writing. But I still thought I was hearing things.
So the drama ensued as the selection committee told the three finalists how difficult their decision was and, of course, there had to be a commercial inserted before one was sent home. Upon return to the show, it was announced that Amy would be going home.
I was very surprised as I didn't think JAG would even make it as far as he did and surely I didn't expect that the fellow would be in the top two, maybe even win.
Then the big surprise. For JAG, as it turned out, was a bit of a liar.
Indeed he lied about having attended culinary school and he lied about having served in Afghanistan. My question now is....DIDM'T ANYONE AT FOOD NETWORK CHECK JAG'S CULINARY SCHOOL CLAIMS? I can understand not checking the Afghanistan story but claims of culinary school graduation are directly germane to this contest. Just damn, I could say I graduated from cooking school if no one's going to check it out!
Below is a video of Jag's confession:
So okay, Amy was brought back in and now the top two remaining candidates for The Next Food Network Star 2007 are Amy and Rory. I should think that both Amy and former contender Paul would be angry and Amy is at a great disadvantage. For the winner of this contest will be determined by the viewing audience. I must wonder how the audience's vote will be affected by the events caused by JAG's lies. First, Amy was ELIMINATED. Sure she was called back. But the burden of being eliminated hangs over Amy's head. The viewing audience knows that Amy was deemed not on the level of not only her main opponent now-Rory, but Amy wasn't even considered as good as the lying JAG.
And how about the cutely photogenic Paul? Who knows how he would have fared had JAG not been in the final four contenders?
I've enjoyed this series as I always do, but this thing with JAG certainly casts a pall over whatever the results may be.
Remaining Contenders in Food Network's Next Star 2007 as of this date:
Amy
Rory
My money's on Rory to win.
Links to prior reviews of the Next Food Network Star 2007:
-Food Network Star's web site
-6/3/07-The 2007 Search for the Next Food Network Star Begins
-The Cover of Bon Appetit
-Feeding the NJ Nets Fans
-The Fried Meatloaf Caper
-If You Hate It, Cook It
-Down to the Top Three
JAG's Lies
Hell's Kitchen 2007 Continues to Get More Absurd
I think it was the paintball segment that caused my eyes to glaze. Yes I've enjoyed this series somewhat although by me they could eliminate all the cussing, which adds nothing to the show, and try to tone down the dizzying camera work.
But the paintball episode was just so dumb I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming that producers of a hit cooking reality series would think a paintball segment would add anything to the show.
First, my guess is that mostly women watch this show and women don't normally like such as paintball. But beyond that, paintball?
I continued to watch this episode which aired on 7/16/07 and there were given two fairly reasonable challenges to the remaining six contenders for Hell's Kitchen 2007 to determine who would win a restaurant and become head chef. One challenge was to create a meal from leftovers. The other challenge was to serve a complete menu to the customers of Hell's Kitchen, a menu compiled by the male and the female team.
Now comes one of the many mixed messages of this night. For Julia was mocked for her creation of what Chef Ramsey called "Fish and Chips". Later, Julia came up with a menu item of NY Strip steak and Chef Ramsey praised this rather simple entree all over creation. As a viewer I wanted to smack Chef Ramsey and tell him to make up my mind.
More confusion and stupidity ensued. One of the girls ordered fish of some sort and all they got was a big box of fish skeletons. Bonnie was chastised for not checking the order but damn, I'd sure think a restaurant supplier should know a fish skeleton from a fish filet. I suppose this bit was supposed to be funny but it wasn't.
Later, during the cooking for Hell's Kitchen segment, Chef Ramsey got all upset because the girls weren't talking to each other.
First, no man would ever notice such a thing I'm just sorry. Second, for sure when Ramsey mentioned their lack of communication those girls would have immediately started talking with no stop. They do everything else Chef Ramsey says so why would those girls continue their silent treatment even with the angry chef from Hell yelling at them?
Finally, below a video segment of Chef Ramsey's outrageous chastisement of contender Josh.
I mean I'll give a thousand bucks for every normal person who would claim that this behavior by Chef Ramsey will somehow bring out the best in a person.
This show is just a bit too scripted and dramatized to make it even classifiable as a reality show. Sure, Food Network likely adds some dramatic flair to its reality series, I'm sure they all do. But Hell's Kitchen is almost a caricature of a cooking reality show.
Not that there's anything wrong with this.
But be a bit honest with the viewers, huh. We're not as stupid as you think.
Remaining Contenders for Hell's Kitchen 2007 as of this writing:
Bonnie
Rock
Josh
Jen
Julia
I see Julia as winning this thing.
Links to prior reviews of Hell's Kitchen 2007:
Web site for Hell's Kitchen
Amidst Much Cussing, on 6/4/07 the 2007 Hell's Kitchen Competition Begins
-The Girls Win Everything Including Fileting the Fish
-The Spaghetti Caper
-The Taste Test
-The Saga of the Wedding and the Duck
-Lobsters
Paintball Anyone?
"So You Think You Can Dance" Plows Down to 12 Finalists
Fox claims this reality series is the most watched show of the summer.
Which is likely true as they do keep coming back and the eliminations are slow and steady . If a reality show is a dud the producers tend to speed things up via elimination rounds to get the failure over with.
I enjoy this series as I do like watching these fine young dancers. Sure I'm a limited audience for my husband's idea of torture would be forcing him to watch any dancing show.
Soon the dancers will be down to the top ten and I expect the viewership will heat up.
Below a montage of pics of the dancers.
Eliminated on the night of 7/12/07 were Shauna and Cedric. I have no predictions yet for potential winners of this thing.
A few video segments of the show below.
So the top 12 of the 2007 series of "So You Think You Can Dance" are, as of this writing:
Lauren
Neil
Pasha
Sara
Jaimie
Hok
Anya
Danny
Kameron
Lacey
Sabra
Dominic
Links to prior reviews of So You Think Can Dance 2007:
-The Top 20 for 2007
-Down to Eight
-Jessi Gets Sick and Is Sent Home
Six Couples Left
More TV Reviews HERE
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