spiderpig

I don't understand the 2 judge concept with this and Masterchef. Budget cuts?

I know what you mean about cartwheeling Jonathon. But as someone originally from Cleveland, a rust-belt town if there ever was one, I liked how he kept mentioning ol' Cleveburgh (I still wear a Browns cap). My sis says his original restaurant, Greenhouse Tavern is fantastic. I'm very fond of Michael Symon too, who constantly supports the community. His new BBQ joint, Mabel's, is a knockout. Michael Chiarello may strike some people as arrogant, but I find him extremely attractive (yeah - down, girl) and thought he was a good judge. More Napa! (Just realized they mentioned on the show the $50,000 grand prize was courtesy of Beringer Vineyards, so I guess we'll have to suffer looking at their incredibly beautiful estate for the duration. No snark intended.)

As noted upthread, Food Network seems to try to be reinventing itself like CW, CNN Headline News, MSNBC, SyFy (hate that name), History Channel, the late lamented Court TV, all the damn Discovery Channels. Aren't they all owned by one or two corporate entities? Each used to have unique and informative programming. Now it's all the same grade F crap. (A news channel running prison shows all weekend, and the science fiction channel showing Braveheart?) Mr. pig spends most of his viewing hours watching Netflix or Amazon Prime. I'm still a sucker for food shows - but I do have my limits. Trying to keep it on-topic, this series seems to have completely lost direction since Kermit, Medusa and Brooke bailed or were kidnapped by aliens. I don't like the contestants, Bobby & LBH look like they'd rather be elsewhere, and after the last couple of debacles this show is a farce. Still watching to see people making fools of themselves, though.

Mean Girl here, mlp - I live half an hour from Napa Valley. (-yes, I'm gloating- ) It is jaw-droppingly beautiful any time of the year. Beringer's a pretty big property, so they probably did the whole grill thing at that venue, but I hope they find excuses to drop in some side visits. It was an "Oh, shut UP!" burst from me every time Ms. I-Am-An-Empowered-Woman-Who-Is-Brilliantly-Talented-At-Age-23 opened her piehole. If she'd made it further I'd have to buy a new flatscreen.

Shoot - what's on in the interim? I guess we can get our Gordon fix for a while with Hotel Hell and Masterchef.

When's the Fox Season 16 premiere?

Funny you said that, Snark, because that was the first phrase that came to mind! I was just too chicken to use it.

I agree with you about Ana, RCharter. I shouldn't be so preoccupied with looks - but these people all want to be TV stars, so they're fair game. I'm trying to think of a term to describe the non-appeal of Ana (other than her personality). She just looks - busted. Too much peroxide, too many hours on the tanning bed, combined with that pale lipstick which looks good on nobody over the age of 12.. Tregaye just bugs the hell out of me, but if she takes this thing FN is going to have to hire a stylist stat. Erin - we don't care that you're not a runway model, but that cutesie hairbow has got to go. I hate it, just like I hate that Rosie the Riviter retro bandanna look that pops up all the time on food shows. Sigh. We know the producers encourage this sort of crap just to call attention to their increasingly silly shows. And it works.

I would like to thank all of you for providing the only quality exercise I get these days - running back to my computer to discover the latest can of whoopass you're opening on this season. It's been the culinary equivalent of The Gong Show.

When I see Damiano I think of only one thing: "Aim for the flattop!" (Ghostbusters, 1984) https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT1TMvP9cIVLbGWqlWrvqrRDcWFop2Iq_N8eqeQNWdVXxdCcmPQjA https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ0AKrthSKW4OY7Y0s-bQtZaNSaECra_aizq3S6NmNzL8fuR28vMw

I swear she grew an entire additional set since last week. And why did she think it was a good idea to wear a swimsuit to The Vajayjay Table of Doom?

Here's another thumbs up to Cookie the pony. If they wouldn't allow me to take her up to the room with me, I'd camp out in the lobby and give her big ear noogies all day. ETA - Cookie reminds me of the mini horse in the Amazon commercial, where the human orders a pet door so the horsie can go in and out and sit at her side.

Thank you After7Only and MerBearHou for stating it better than I ever could. I just can't say how much I hate perpetuating negative stereotypes, and why food-oriented shows find it necessary is beyond me.

^^You said it, Lura. Sad, isn't it?

Con Artiste Extraordinare. Have you ever seen more beaten-down employees on a reality show?

Thank you! I'm open to all ideas.

If you're bored and want to Google, try Verindar Kaur Newtown,Pennsylvania. Maybe it's a common name in that area, but you come up with social worker, dental employee, real estate agent and entrepreneur. Also BBB complaints against Brick Hotel. Rated F.

Call me naive (pause while you all call me naive), but doesn't a cauliflower steak seem like a plateful of bland? Colorless, tasteless, texturally nothingness.

I was Googling Susie Fogelson (Medusa) to see what she's up to. I liked her and I liked Kermit, but dayum, it's like they've both been erased from the FN universe. Susie's still on the Food Network site, although nothing's been updated since her last appearance on FNS. She's strangely silent. Bob Tuschman (Kermit) has pretty much disappeared from the FN site. It all seems to date back to August when Brooke Johnson stepped down. Then Didi O'Hearn came on as Sr VP Programming and Development. I'm very disappointed with the direction FN is taking. This Mythical Morning Unicorn Where's Waldo? crap is stupid. I really hated this ep.

Is that the equivalent of an 11 on the Spinal Tap dial?

I worked in the travel industry for 40 years, and running successful hotels and restaurants is extremely demanding. I have nothing but respect for professionals who manage and work at quality properties. (you know where I'm going) Mama had no business running a hotel. From what we saw, she had no business being a child therapist either. Her son seemed sympathetic and capable, and the show had to tie everything up in a neat bow, but I'm just not buying Mom's miraculous transformation. Loved the look of the hotel though. I like how Gordon chooses old, historic properties...whereas Anthony Melchiori keeps going to cheesy dumps.

Looking forward to Gordon. Who woulda thunk he'd be less of a drama queen than Anthony Melchoiri? (Not liking the direction HI is taking.)

Like they used to say on MasterChef back when it was watchable. They'd see potential in a cook and think they were were worth mentoring. Now the contestants are just entertainment fodder (and not successful at that).

Mr. pig and I were in Seoul when panel trucks were all over the place offloading cabbage for the locals to make kim chi. We both said the same thing: "Body Snatchers!" It was like delivering pods to the populace in the movies. Love the movies (56 and 78 versions).

I'd rather both of them than the bunch of whacks on the main show.