Season 10 Final Four - Lenny, Luca, Sarah & Nicole

[Intuition]

As much as Lenny plays the role of gracious *snort* cowboy, with all his "ma'ams" and hat tipping, I can't get over that he appeared to so casually use the "c" word on that video. Its not like he was in some bar, loaded, and sitting with his chuckwagon chums. He did it on a freakin' video where he knew he was being filmed!

 

I know - And especially if Lenny had TV ambitions one would think he'd have the sense not to do it or to take it down soon after.  It's still posted!  I think what it's revealing is that not only does he use some pretty ugly profanity and get creepy with creamed corn, but that there's a huge disconnect between the cursing Lenny with the hipster glasses and the "Cowboy" hat tipping Lenny, and it's obvious which one is the REAL one.  I think a lot of people don't like being faked out, especially when the reality is so far away from the image.

[Intuition]

FYI, the offensive Lenny video was taken down this morning.

 

The more I read from his mouth on the "Ron and Fez" chat board (as "chuckwagon") the more offensive he becomes.

 

He has under his screen name "I'm a fat f*ck".  Ugh, nice language for a guy marketing himself towards kids on the RR show.

 

Other posts include him calling other posters "c*ck sucker" - Oh, probably "all in fun" but still....What a potty mouth!  So crass!

 

Back in 2009 he also accused Fez of the Ron and Fez radio show of making him look like a stalker and obsessive fan (from the evidence I saw and read about, Fez had a pretty strong case of stalking).  Lenny also claims that someone who called into the radio show claiming to be him was not him.  It sure sounded like him to me when I listened to the recording on YouTube, and from what I can see, despite his claims of innocence on the chat board, not everyone believed him.  Lenny said he was just someone who wanted to "make an impact", not "want attention", whatever that means.  Lenny thought Fez should apologize to him, but I don't see any evidence to indicate that Fez ever did and ever came around to believeing that Lenny was telling the truth.  It also seems as though Lenny inspired either devotion or hatred on the chat board with some people putting him down and others believing him.  Reference was also made about several threads popping up on the chat board by him, which he claims he did not start.  I just think it's strange that a guy can claim so many things aren't his doing when it sure looks like they are....He'd have to have a long list of really demented haters to create all this stuff he says did not come from him but from "impostors".

 

I dunno, the more I dig into this thing, the more I can't believe Food Network let this guy get this far.  Just being under such suspicion alone should be a red flag.  They must really be desperate for ratings!

[smiley13]

I am no fan of Lenny these days, but I also can't take anyone who calls himself "Fez" seriously either, lol.

 

For me, Nicole is the best one left of this bunch.  I think back on past seasons, and each year, there were several who were better than any of them.

[Intuition]

I am no fan of Lenny these days, but I also can't take anyone who calls himself "Fez" seriously either, lol.

 

Actually, I read that both of their names are "Ron" and their show used to be called the "Ron and Ron" show, so one of them figured they'd change it to a nickname I guess, LOL.

 

I voted for Lenny because I figured he had more of a chance of winning than Nicole, and I generally like him.

[Intuition]

Here is more proof that the "real" Lenny has not changed since the "brisket" video - Here he is as "chuckwagon" on a Ron and Fez chat board earlier this year telling his online buddies that he will be on Food Network Star - Note in the first post he has blacked out the torrent of foul language, so you'll have to highlight it to see it:

 

WARNING:  Strong language ahead, not for the faint of heart!

 

http://ronfezv4.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2247

 

ETA:  OMG, I just noticed he used an "f" word (not the usual one) that is very insulting to gay people in his first post.....I just can't believe this guy is a serious contender with the Food Network.  They are dumb but are they out of their minds???

Edited August 7, 2014 by Intuition

[xaxat]

I should not have read that.  

[Aquarius]

Wow.  Just . . . wow.  I guess he doesn't think Ree Drummond warrants "the little lady" treatment.  Wonder if he'd tip his hat to her first?  What a scuzz.

[Snarklepuss]

AAAGGGH, there is not enough BRAIN BLEACH in the world to undo what I just saw!  This bozo is as bad as I feared he was!  Maybe Luca is their real choice.  It's unthinkable to me that FN would be serious about Lenny!  What a total dirt bag!

[cooksdelight]

He doesn't have a Facebook page that I could find. Maybe ol' Lenny got a little too salty with his language and photos and they kicked him off? It's really unusual for a finale contestant not to have a page. Luca and Nicole have them.

[JTMacc99]

Wow. That is great stuff right there.

 

I would like to think that there is no such thing as a person who in the same thought process would say that he always knew he was going to be a star at the same time he was leaving a trail of written words like that in a public forum. 

 

Seriously, unbelievably, inexcusably stupid.

 

And that is just my assessment of the fact he wrote those words. I don't even know where to start with what he actually said and what it says about him.

[Aethera]

I just...wow.

[SusannahTaylor3]

Great lesson for people who are looking for a job. Don't type, videotape, or say anything that is controversial because its hard to un-see something that you've seen. We have heard stories about people losing their jobs because of Facebook posts that are deemed inappropriate. A teacher in my school district lost her job a few years ago because of something she posted there about her students. This has come back to bite Lenny in the butt. If he doesn't win, which is a possibility given the heat being turned up on this situation, I hope he learns from it.

[howmanywords]

OMG as if I already couldn't stand him after the brisket video. Wow what a sleaze.  Really disgusting comment there too about FN's cashcow Ree.  I wonder if they saw that?

[Totale]

Watching this offscreen trainwreck is far more delicious than anything I've seen on the show.

[jackjill89]

Lenny is a disgusting pig. How in the world he made it on this show. I would actually love for him to win and for this to explode and humiliate him. Why hasn't any media picked up on this? The JAG thing was. I would think with all the missteps FN has had with their stars they would be much, much more careful and deliberate in their screening. 

[SusannahTaylor3]

Jag's situation was a lot like Robert Irvine where he lied about things he did on his resume. Jag lied about being in the military and serving in the Iraq war. Robert Irvine was fired because of that. It was apparently a serious thing to FN and so when they found out that Jag had lied about his experience in the military they couldn't have him working for FN either. I know Robert was rehired, but I think what saved him was his level of expertise.

Lenny's videos were very raunchy and inappropriate. It will be interesting to see where FN will draw the line.

[Janimo]

Oopsie!! I notice the bottom of Lenny's original website has been changed. Thank goodness for the Wayback Machine.
There is this. Go to the bottom of the page of the archived link:

https://web.archive.org/web/20140517051403/http://cheflenny.com/

 

At the bottom of the "scrubbed" page below, the" Voted "Best Lover" by all women" isn't listed anymore. That "Best Lover" crap was listed in Lenny's link until just a couple of days ago......
 

http://www.cheflenny.com/index.html

 

The guy just totally icks me out.....

[Janimo]

I guess I just have too much time on my hands...also google is my friend.

The ranch where Lenny has been working is for sale.

http://curbed.com/archives/2014/06/09/35m-kessler-canyon-ranch-wants-1m-per-square-mile.php

[GaT]

I guess I just have too much time on my hands...also google is my friend.

The ranch where Lenny has been working is for sale.

http://curbed.com/archives/2014/06/09/35m-kessler-canyon-ranch-wants-1m-per-square-mile.php

Do you think they're trying to run away so that Lenny can't find them when he gets back? :-)

[buttersister]

I would actually love for him to win and for this to explode and humiliate him.

Heh, I'd count on it. (I may pass on those links, I already can't stand the guy.)

 

I'm sticking with my belief that FN knows they can't go with him. As to the media picking up on it, it strikes me, hilariously, that this show ain't what it used to be in terms of having real attention paid to it. Unless Bob/Suze decide to pick Lenny because they miss not being in the news. Hey, they re-hired Irvine, the steroidal lying liar, they don't give a crap.

[cooksdelight]

Does poor Lenny realize that voting ended Wednesday at 11? So scrubbing his image at this point is about a day late and a dollar short.

[mlp]

I hope someone has sent a link to this blog to FN.  Better yet, someone should send a link to Ree Drummond's husband.  Maybe he'd go ballistic and insist that FN do something about it.

[Intuition]

mlp - I sent a link to FN of that board page as soon as I found it.

[Intuition]

I'm sticking with my belief that FN knows they can't go with him. As to the media picking up on it, it strikes me, hilariously, that this show ain't what it used to be in terms of having real attention paid to it. Unless Bob/Suze decide to pick Lenny because they miss not being in the news. Hey, they re-hired Irvine, the steroidal lying liar, they don't give a crap.

 

I've had all those thoughts myself.  My fall back belief is that they know they can't go with Lenny but put him in the voting just to make trouble and get attention directed at the show and the other finalists.  A good scandal probably improves their ratings so they may actually know about but not give a crap about Lenny's antics.  If I really want to create conspiracy theories I might even think they had something to do with the video, etc. leaking out right there on the FNS blogs.  In the end, though, I would think Lenny's controversial language on the boards would bring them too much trouble if they actually picked him for the winner, and they know that by now, so my theory is still that they won't actually let him win.  Again, just shoot me if they do!

 

I also wonder if Lenny himself had crafted his own image so well that FN bought it hook line and sinker and were fooled by his earnest act and only just found out about the video and the board posts just like we have.  You never know, there may be a lot of scrambling going on over at the network about him right now!

[Intuition]

 

At the bottom of the "scrubbed" page below, the" Voted "Best Lover" by all women" isn't listed anymore. That "Best Lover" crap was listed in Lenny's link until just a couple of days ago......

 

Too little too late!  And how is he going to clean up those board posts which are part of a public chat board?  Is he going to go in and delete every post he's made since 2009?  It's obvious it's him in the posts.  He posts photos of himself and refers to his Food Network appearances!  What a total a-hole.  He may think he can cover up his foul-ness but there will always be more he can't hide, and if he does become a star with the network those things can come back to haunt him.  I firmly believe that what I have found so far is only the tip of the iceberg with him.

[SusannahTaylor3]

It's really too late to delete the videos and board posts because everything is out in the open now. It's been linked and saved by people so it's too late to do anything about it. That's why I am careful not to post things that could be interpreted the wrong way. He was stupid to do it and to not expect people to see it.

[howmanywords]

Does poor Lenny realize that voting ended Wednesday at 11? So scrubbing his image at this point is about a day late and a dollar short.

Not just that, but the way he was talking on that board with that language, did this dolt not realize that just that alone could come back to haunt him? I can understand if he forgot about some of the old videos, but he was already cast as a contestant on FNS when he was posting. When carefully crafting his image he must have missed that little nugget that making a derogatory comment about one of FN's most beloved stars doesn't really work with his "aw shucks, yes m'am" persona.

[Intuition]

FN may have one over on all of us if they just hired Lenny to play a role for FNS but never to be the winner, and he may may be in on it too.  I just can't believe that he and the network would be that stupid as to think those online comments would not be found out and a deal breaker for winning the show.  If he was never hired to be the winner but just a "sideshow Bob", it at least would make some sense.  Otherwise, it's just ridiculous.  Then again Lenny himself might just be that crazy and FN that dumb!

 

BTW, I never believed FN could possibly be serious about Rodney Pie Style either.  He was delusional and not for real either in many ways.  Then again, as I've lost all faith that FN has any sense, I could be wrong about that!

[JTMacc99]

Couple of thoughts:

 

• I met Bob and spent some time at an event with him over a few days. He is a really smart and nice man. I honestly believe that he would be very offended by the things chat board Lenny said. I don't know whether or not the general doctrine at Food Network will be "any publicity is good publicity", but I do believe that the Bob I met would be repulsed by the same things we are.
   
• It is interesting to see how Lenny takes on various personalities. In the Youtube video, he was a pro wrestler. On the Ron and Fez chat board, he's a shock jock. On FNS he's a cowboy.  He's a pretty interesting guy who very well might have some sort of future in entertainment, but I sure as heck don't think it should be on the Food Network. His tendency to go very crude in his other roles makes him unsuitable for this network.
   
• I am horribly, terribly ashamed by the fact that when I watched part of the replay last night, I found myself ending some of Lenny's sentences with [insert crude Lenny statement here.]  It is the classic example of something I can't unsee. Now that I read the things he has said, I immediately associate the foul Lenny with the Gourmet Cowboy Lenny.
  
  I like the suggestion of making sure that Ree Drummond's husband gets to see it. Heh.

Edited August 8, 2014 by JTMacc99

[Totale]

FN may have one over on all of us if they just hired Lenny to play a role for FNS but never to be the winner, and he may may be in on it too.  I just can't believe that he and the network would be that stupid as to think those online comments would not be found out and a deal breaker for winning the show.  If he was never hired to be the winner but just a "sideshow Bob", it at least would make some sense.  Otherwise, it's just ridiculous.  Then again Lenny himself might just be that crazy and FN that dumb!

 

 

That's the $64,000 question.  On the one hand they've been so sloppy about vetting in the past that it would be hard to believe they could be so naive as to let it happen again, and especially to let it get all the way to the final.  They've got the Internet, and I'll bet even for them it's at 20th century levels, how could they miss it? On the other hand they've been so sloppy about vetting in the past that it's completely believable they could be so naive as to let it happen again, and be stone blind to it and let it get all the way to the final, so...

 

 

BTW, I never believed FN could possibly be serious about Rodney Pie Style either.  He was delusional and not for real either in many ways.  Then again, as I've lost all faith that FN has any sense, I could be wrong about that!

 

Somebody there liked him and thought his act was cute, they had him on Throwdown and Chopped before FNS.  I think they intended to make him happen Fierri-style and unfortunately for them the public reacted differently then his champions there did.

[Gardencrown]

Wow. That is great stuff right there.

 

I would like to think that there is no such thing as a person who in the same thought process would say that he always knew he was going to be a star at the same time he was leaving a trail of written words like that in a public forum.

 

Seriously, unbelievably, inexcusably stupid.

 

And that is just my assessment of the fact he wrote those words. I don't even know where to start with what he actually said and what it says about him.

 

What it says, what it speaks to, is an almost unbelievable level of narcissism, stupidity, misogyny, and just plain poor taste. IF he wins and IF this isn't addressed, it behooves us as decent human beings to storm FN with emails and links and the like. The brisket/creamed corn (I threw up in my mouth just thinking about the creamed corn again) video was terrible, but this message board stuff?

 

Look, everyone on a message board creates, to some degree, a bit of a persona. For instance, I am probably braver on these types of boards to say I really don't like a particular contestant than I would be in real life with that person face to face. BUT. And here, friends, is the distinction: the vast,vast majority of people are still basically themselves. (And in fact if someone takes on a persona so unlike himself/herself -- i.e. a creepy, stalkery, misogynistic asshole -- well that's a whole other set of issues that need to be addressed!). So I think it's safe to assume that this is who Lenny is -- crass, arrogant, self-deceived, sexually gross (which is the kindest way I could phrase it. I could use LOTS of other phrases)...and he has no place on network TV. Period.

[Intuition]

That's the $64,000 question.  On the one hand they've been so sloppy about vetting in the past that it would be hard to believe they could be so naive as to let it happen again, and especially to let it get all the way to the final.  They've got the Internet, and I'll bet even for them it's at 20th century levels, how could they miss it? On the other hand they've been so sloppy about vetting in the past that it's completely believable they could be so naive as to let it happen again, and be stone blind to it and let it get all the way to the final, so...

 

As I am the only person I know of who found that particular vile example (I didn't find it posted on the FNS blog or Facebook) It could be that I'm better at it than their so-called expert background checkers.  Seriously.  I have been known to find out some pretty obscure info. on people in the past, some of which has not been too flattering.  An old HS friend I got back in touch with on Facebook sent me a link to a song he wrote on a music sharing site.  I noticed his account had a very uncommon screen name - a combination of letters and numbers.  Seeing how rare it was (and being suspicious about this guy because he was giving me the creeps), I googled the screen name and found it on a few innocuous music chat boards, but also on a short story site, which turned out to be pornographic.  Of course, curiosity got the better of me so I joined the site and started reading his stories.  Afterward, I wished I had not.  They were about as disgusting and immoral as I've ever seen, and I'm no rube.  Stuff involving underage kids and their humiliation.  After throwing up, let's just say I "fell out of touch" with this guy after that!

 

I found those particular Lenny posts through googling on several combinations of his name, "chuckwagon", Ron and Fez, amongst other things.

 

Lesson learned:  If you're going to be an a-hole, don't use the same obscure screen name on every site!

 

ETA:  BTW, I knew those stories were in fact written by the HS friend because he set them in places and with people's names that were straight out of his own life!  So there was no coincidence about the screen name - It's similar with Lenny - He gives his identity away on the board.

Edited August 8, 2014 by Intuition

[Janimo]

I have no idea why I'm still looking at Lenny's old "stuff' that people are finding on the the "internets."  I've got to stop doing this, 'cause I'm making myself feel really ill. The guy has some serious issues, imo. The following link was posted on the Food Network facebook page and hasn't been deleted as of yet.

Lenny is so full of himself. Why in the world does he videotape himself sitting down on the toilet??? I didn't go past the first page..The guy is in a world of his own.........

http://s365.photobucket.com/user/chuckwagoncook_2008/library/?sort=3&page=1

[Galloway Cave]

@Intuition, I would have hired you as an investigator in an instant back when I was still in law enforcement....

[RealityGal]

What it says, what it speaks to, is an almost unbelievable level of narcissism, stupidity, misogyny, and just plain poor taste. IF he wins and IF this isn't addressed, it behooves us as decent human beings to storm FN with emails and links and the like. The brisket/creamed corn (I threw up in my mouth just thinking about the creamed corn again) video was terrible, but this message board stuff?

 

 

Nothing is worse than his seduction of the creamed corn.  He may single handedly take down the cream corn empire with that video.  

 

I may understand a network forgiving a message board entry, maybe.  

 

But a dude with crazy eyes attempting to molest some cream corn on video is not a good look for any network I don't care how much they want the publicity.

[Gardencrown]

 

He may single handedly take down the cream corn empire with that video.

Okay, this totally made me laugh -- the Empire of Cream Corn. Where Lenny is, of course, the corn jester!

 

And man, you are right about his crazy eyes! And it's not like it required any investigative skill to find this stuff. Wouldn't there be some kind of contract clause about decorum, etc.? No way Lenny passes something like that!

[Intuition]

Lenny is so full of himself. Why in the world does he videotape himself sitting down on the toilet??? I didn't go past the first page..The guy is in a world of his own........

 

You found that on the FN Facebook page?  Wow, now everyone's getting into the act!  Him on the toilet was bad enough, but even more disturbing for me was the vid. of him waving around a T shirt he had made of the photo of him and Fez of the Ron and Fez show that was taken when they met.  That is obviously an example of some of the "stalker-ish" behavior that creeped out Fez.  I think Lenny thinks he's funny, but he's just too far gone for most sane people to find funny.  To this day Fez will not speak to him nor does he believe any of Lenny's ridiculous excuses for his behavior (like that there were "impostors" doing it, or that he was just a "devoted fan", or that it was all part of a "routine")....Yah, right, sher........

 

@Intuition, I would have hired you as an investigator in an instant back when I was still in law enforcement....

 

 Thanks, I actually almost went into law enforcement a long time ago....Long story!

 

ETA:  On some of those videos I got an earful of Lenny's 'real' accent - Very Northeastern New Englandy.  Pretty much the same accent as where I live now and nothing like his phony "cowboy" accent.

Edited August 8, 2014 by Intuition

[xaxat]

Lenny is so full of himself. Why in the world does he videotape himself sitting down on the toilet??? I didn't go past the first page..The guy is in a world of his own.........

 

I am soooo glad I stopped clicking Lenny links.

[cooksdelight]

Lenny links are bad, mmmmkay? :)

[LazyToaster]

I agree that Mr Drummond won't take kindly to that level of disrespect to his wife. I just don't think FN would dare take this guy on. Nobody will want to be around him. You would imagine he's thinking nasty things even when he's tipping his hat and smiling. Ugh!

[cooksdelight]

Lenny may be a weirdo, but I tried his coffee rub recipe on burgers tonight and O.M.G. It was awesome.

[Intuition]

LOL, @cooksdelight, I tried it on a ribeye 2 nights ago and it was fantastic!

[backformore]

It's coffee, sesoned salt and sugar, right?  Regular ground coffee, or instant?  and equal proportions of each?

[cooksdelight]

I used ground coffee, and yes, it's equal portions of each. I mixed some up in a jar so I'd have more for later on. I used Lawry's seasoned salt since that's what it looked like he had. I'm not sure instant coffee would have the same effect as it would melt the minute it got warm.

[jackjill89]

Seems like the only redeeming feature of Lenny is his coffee rub...and it's not like he invented the concept, so I can go back to hating him completely. 

 

Today I was having a tech class and someone talked about digital footprints, and said that actually they are digital tattoos. Things last online. Hope this comes back to bite our chuckwagon friend. 

[Day2Day]

  With no disrespect directed towards the pigs on this planet.... IMHO, Lenny should not even be considered/eligible for the win.

[howmanywords]

Seems like the only redeeming feature of Lenny is his coffee rub...and it's not like he invented the concept, so I can go back to hating him completely. 

Trader Joe's actually sells a dry rub thats almost identical to Lenny's so yeah he's not some great innovator there heh.

[Totale]

Put "coffee steak rub" into Google and see numerous examples, with at least three from other FN personalities on the first page.  And some look considerably more interesting. 

Edited August 9, 2014 by Totale

[buttersister]

Watching the cooking channel (Vietnamese guy in France and Korean food--interesting shows and they cook) I saw a new, to me, promo for tomorrow night's show. It ended with a "hero shot" of each of the final 3. Lenny's shot was an extreme close up and skeevy, you can't see Nicole's face because her head is in her hands (celebrating or not-worth-showing?) and a medium shot of Luca looking as good as I've ever seen him. Perfect angle and some dolce eye candy. Hmm?

[RealityGal]

Watching the cooking channel (Vietnamese guy in France and Korean food--interesting shows and they cook) I saw a new, to me, promo for tomorrow night's show. It ended with a "hero shot" of each of the final 3. Lenny's shot was an extreme close up and skeevy, you can't see Nicole's face because her head is in her hands (celebrating or not-worth-showing?) and a medium shot of Luca looking as good as I've ever seen him. Perfect angle and some dolce eye candy. Hmm?

Nothing like pimping the "underdog fights his way back to win it all" story that Top Chef has already done....well Top Chef and Rocky.

 

But I like Luca so I'm okay with that :)

Edited August 9, 2014 by RealityGal