Lawn Hors D’Oeuvres, or 2 Thoughts on 4 Shows

Thought One: Not Exactly Kitchen Stadium

I watch both Top Chef and Hell’s Kitchen. I’m new to Hell’s Kitchen this year, although I have watched Top Chef for several seasons now (and hello? was there some concerted effort to not have anybody from Las Vegas this season?). In case you are unfamiliar with the concept, these are cooking game shows. The prize in one is a position as Executive Chef at a Gordon Ramsay owned restaurant. The prize in the other is everything you need in an industrial kitchen, and a bunch of good press to get your new restaurant off the ground.

Now then, when you start with 14 contestants and end up with one winner, it is obvious that everyone else will not win. This part, everyone gets. The part that seems to elude some is that the losers will be looking for a job at the end of the season. Most of the Top Chef crew gets this. Only a couple contenders over at Hell’s Kitchen — including the one I expect to win handily — have the faintest clue.

This is not rocket science. Someday, a prospective employer will have watched this show, and in all likelihood will have already decided whether or not to hire these chefs. That decision will have a little to do with their kitchen performance, and a lot to do with the way they handled themselves on-camera but out of the kitchen. These shows are a multi-week job interview, but some people aren’t treating it that way.

Thought Two: Got Dead Body?

If I am ever so unfortunate as to be closely enough associated with a high-profile criminal case such that the Hollywood types think it’s a good idea to make an episode of a TV show about it, I sincerely hope that it’s CSI instead of Law and Order. Law and Order tends way too much towards “Internet Bad! Doctors Greedy! Non-Missionary Position Sex Bad!”

I also hope they can get Amy Poehler to play me.

She’s 5’2″, so she would have to wear flats.

In closing: here’s what John Edwards has been doing; Fafblog! is back, and with great stuff like this “interview” with Senator Clinton; What’s good for the gosling is good for the goose, so why aren’t faculty members lining up to pee in the cup?; Expert Ezra on Tom Daschle; Maybe Jim Crow oughta watch his back; look over there! it’s a gay, married red herring!; and sorry I’m not touching the “appeasers!” scandal, because Jill said what needed saying (and don’t forget Chris Mathews asking if his guest even knows what “appeasement” is).

Have a great weekend!

2 thoughts on “Lawn Hors D’Oeuvres, or 2 Thoughts on 4 Shows”

  1. I don’t know why, but I can’t stop watching Top Chef. I don’t watch any other reality shows, American Idol makes me want to upchuck, but I’ve watched every show now, though mostly in reruns.

    I like Law and Order, actually, but I love Law and Order CI, particularly when Vincent D’Onofrio started it doing that modern-day Sherlock Holmes thing.

  2. Chotto matte kudasai: What is this about you having a dead body? Other than mentioning your unfortunate association to a “criminal case” you don’t mention your role in said criminal activity. Tantalizing tidbit that… how deep is the water the short person treads?

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