Worst Cooks In America: Celebrity Edition

[Snarklepuss]

Thanks, Maverick and Wings707, I was wondering why Rachael didn't do the kid's cook-off with Guy this time.  I don't know why it was bothering me so much because I don't watch the show, but I figured something must have happened.  Now it makes sense.  I think they probably would have wanted to continue another season with Tyler Florence on Worst Cooks, but either he didn't want to do it or was otherwise occupied and couldn't do it, hence why they asked Rachael.  It just feels like she is filling in for someone.  Speaking of last season with Tyler, I didn't think he looked too thrilled to be there either.

[Maverick]

I think the "regular" show will be back in its normal slot next year.  This still feels like something thrown together to since they couldn't do RvG.  Maybe she was contracted to do another season of that and rather than force her to work with Guy they accommodated her with this.   

 

 As for Tyler, I still contend that fight between him and Anne in the kitchen during the finale wasn't the normal put on smack talk.  I think they really got into it and her won't be back.  

[Snarklepuss]

Thanks, Maverick, I remember that particular smack talk and that's another reason I didn't think she and Tyler had the best relationship.  Anne can certainly be abrasive - I've also suspected that she and Robert Irvine didn't have the best relationship either and just found this interesting letter to the editor on Syracuse.com.  OK, it should be taken with a grain of salt but it sounds like something I can very much imagine that she would have said/done:

 

http://www.syracuse.com/opinion/index.ssf/2013/10/anne_burrell_left_a_bad_taste_in_her_mouth_your_letters.html

 

ETA:  Read the comments under the post on the above page - Another person writes some particularly negative info. about Anne.  Interesting.

Edited October 12, 2015 by Snarklepuss

[BW Manilowe]

It looks like my TiFaux recorded this show so I had to watch. I must have had it left over from earlier seasons, which I sort of enjoyed. I am probably about as bad a chef as these guys are, though I can follow a recipe.

I think it's because they don't have recipes other than their notes and Anne screaming at them that causes so much "hijinx" and bad cooking.

I have never heard of Kendra Wilkinson, but I do happen to know who all the other people are. I don't think I've seen them on anything since "Did I do that" guy - Urkel.

People are commenting on Greg Brady's cluelessness, but I almost felt like he was having some senior moments. I don't know if that's true but it wouldn't surprise me if his memory is fading. PS I'm about the same age.

Kendra Wilkinson became famous through being 1 of 2 or 3 simultaneous girlfriends of Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner (the other definite girlfriend was Holly Madison). Anyway, at this time, they starred (along with another girl, may have also been a Hefner girlfriend) in a reality show titled The Girls Next Door, which was on E! Entertainment Television.

After leaving this reality show, she starred in another reality show for E!, simply titled Kendra. She currently stars in a 3rd reality show, Kendra on Top, which airs on WEtv & is about her life today, with her husband, former NFL player Hank Baskett, & their kids, son Hank IV & daughter Alijah.

Wings707: Rachael's talk show is actually Syndicated, not just on NBC (in my market, it's on CBS). And I just read it's actually been on for 10 seasons.

Edited October 12, 2015 by BW Manilowe

[Snarklepuss]

The Rachael Ray show premiered in September of 2006, so it's in its tenth season right now - I remember watching the first episode with Oprah on it.  Yeah, I know, I need to get a life....

[Thalia]

Arrrrrrgh, Ellen Cleghorn!  Tie your hair back while you're cooking!  

 

ETA and thankfully I can now delete this show from my DVR.  I care nothing about the remaining three "celebrities." 

Edited October 15, 2015 by Thalia

[GaT]

Arrrrrrgh, Ellen Cleghorn!  Tie your hair back while you're cooking!  

I know! It's a really bad wig too, & it's always hanging.

 

I guess it's Jwow & Kendra as the final 2, no idea who they've decided should win.

[Ms Lark]

I hate to say it, but will anyway. Anyone else think a double digit IQ is a prerequisite for the contestants? I would hope they have intelligence in other areas, because bunch this is pretty bad!

[mlp]

Having had no pre-conceived opinions about Barry when this show started, I just took him as I saw him and ended up rather liking him, at least liking him better than the three remaining women anyway.  Ellen OTOH is so phony and so obnoxious that I was relieved when I saw how poorly she was doing because I figured she'd be the next one out.  Gah. 

 

I can't believe that FN couldn't find enough "real" people who are legitimately poor cooks to bring this show back to what it was at the beginning.  Joshie was believable and infinitely more entertaining to boot.

[Violet Penner]

Maybe it was the lighting, but did Barry's hair look really different in the talking heads? Looked way darker to me.

I laughed out loud at Ann's comment that Barry is "so weird."

I never watched anything Jersey Shore related, but I confess I kinda like Jwow a little.

Rachael and Ann whispering to each other was nice. Seems like they like/tolerate each other fairly well.

Ellen is annoying and I'm tired of her. Wish she had gone.

[Amarsir]

Looks like the early prediction of Jenny and Kendra for the finals is bearing out. Which is fine; they both seem like they want to be able to cook but never got there.  Barry on the other hand will probably never cook again. This was just a gig.

 

I also have to say those 2 did give some quality talking head shots. Although now that I think about it, no surprise that reality show stars would know how to give clips to the camera.

[NikSac]

I'm embarrassed to admit I like Jwow (or is it Jwoww?)... even from her Jersey Shore days (not that I <ahem> watched the original show or anything) too. I had a feeling she'd be a decent cook. I still think this show is completely off with saying "worst cooks," given that I've met people who don't know how to boil water, and these guys/gals are way better than that, but it's been interesting to watch.

[paramitch]

I admit it: I put this on as filler while I was working and got sucked in anyway. And somehow I had watched all four episodes. /facepalm

 

I don't really dislike anyone, although I'm annoyed by Kendra rather overacting her cluelessness -- in that final round egg contest, in her wide-eyed TH she acted like she didn't even know what an "over-easy" egg was, despite just having been shown how to do it by both Anne and Rachael. And then of course went on to do both egg styles with little problem.

 

The one who bothers me is Ellen, mainly because I simply don't understand why she is wearing a medium-length wig in her first ep (and in all ensuing Talking Heads interviews), and then a long stringy rather Vampira-esque wig in the rest of the competition episodes thus far. I mean... just... why? The length differences are so distracting, and the wigs are just so awful. I don't fault her for enjoying wigs or changing her looks; I just wish she'd choose better ones -- honestly, she'd be so much prettier with either her real hair, or with a combination of real/extensions so you could actually see her hairline or ears without all that swinging horsehair over the food.

 

I didn't mind Chris so much. I've never watched "The Bachelor," but he seemed kind of self-effacing and well-meaning, and it was funny and weirdly touching to watch him take so long to cut up those veggies so carefully. I also thought all the Anne flirtage was just silliness -- the fact that she's an out lesbian made me think the whole thing is just for laughs.

Edited October 16, 2015 by paramitch

[Wordsworth]

I watch it for entertainment value. Most reality shows are just as scripted as regular programs. I don't even pretend that these guys are that bad at cooking or as clueless as they seem.  It's just for fun.

 

• Dean Cain: Sorry to see him go.  I've met him and he's really nice in person.
• Barry Williams:  I guess I just don't focus on people's appearances. He looks fine to me.  I've also met him and he's also pretty nice.
• Chris Soules:  Never watched his show.   If Anne would have stopped drooling over him, I might have been able to get into him as a contestant more.
• Ellen Cleghorne:  She started off strong, but she seemed really off in the clouds on this week's episode.
• J-WOWW/Jenny?:  Never watched her show either.  She seems harmless and not nearly as bad a cook as she pretends.
• Kendra Wilkinson: Also not as clueless as she seems.  

 

 

[ProfCrash]

So Ellen left? My DVR cut off who lost and I didn't bother to go and check.

 

Barry is fine. He is a ham playing on his one claim to fame. I can't blame him for doing that. He probably did not get the best education while he was working on the Brady Bunch and I don't think he worked much after the show ended. Most kids who are one a show like that end up being pigeon holed and it is hard for them to find work. He is harmless enough.

 

I am fine with JWooow and Kendra. They seem like fine women. I never watched their shows, it exactly the type of reality TV I have no interest in. Glad Ellen was tossed. My husband and I decided we were fine not watching SNL if she is representative of the talent on the show now.

[Snarklepuss]

Actually, don't judge SNL based on Ellen, she's definitely not representative of the talent on the show now, IMHO.

 

I can't believe I'm still watching this although I kept falling asleep so I have no clue who went home, although I figured it would be Ellen anyway just by the edit.

Edited October 16, 2015 by Snarklepuss

[grisgris]

I'm not familiar with Ellen and her work. Is her spaced-out slow-moving demeanor her comedic hook?

 

I'm happy with either JWow or Kendra FTW. Although I'd kinda like to see Rach hand another loss to Anne. However, Anne's been pretty low-key on the taunts, trash talk, etc., this year.

[Lizzing]

Yeah, don't judge SNL now by Ellen's performance on this show.  Hell, don't judge Ellen's performance on SNL by this show either!  All I can conclude is she must have smoked a lot of weed in the 20 years she's been off SNL, because that kinda loopy, slurry delivery thing wasn't her deal on SNL.  But she's still on Worst Cooks.  Barry had to turn in his apron.

[Snarklepuss]

I only know Kendra before this from "Dancing with the Stars" so I didn't know how she acts in real life - I just caught her on her reality show "Kendra on Top" and she definitely acts brighter and more on the ball there than on this show, that's for sure.  In the scene I saw her in she was pulling something out of a pot that had been on the stove and it looked horrible, LOL.  So maybe she really is a lousy cook in "real life", who knows?

[DuckyinKy]

Is Ellen high, or does her dentures fit as badly as her wigs?

[seacliffsal]

I thought that they featured Ellen so much as she was going to leave at the end of the episode. Wow, was I wrong! I will skip next week hoping that she is eliminated-I just can't take her. She is so not as funny as she thinks and the way she drags everything out frustrates me. I am surprised at the show as those I considered to be bigger stars have left before those that seem lesser stars.

I thought that they featured Ellen so much as she was going to leave at the end of the episode. Wow, was I wrong! I will skip next week hoping that she is eliminated-I just can't take her. She is so not as funny as she thinks and the way she drags everything out frustrates me. I am surprised at the show as those I considered to be bigger stars have left before those that seem lesser stars.

[potatoradio]

I do wish they'd change this to a real cooking show with truly beginner cooks, but I admit that I laugh a few times when watching this.

 

Rachael, "I have to stop talking to it like a dog."  Yes, Rachael, and it puts the lotion in the basket...

 

Jwowwwwwwww slugging wine from the bottle.

 

Ellen needs to be cut off from the cooking sherry. Now.

 

"It's like chewing a ball of my own snot...oh, wait, that means I know what snot tastes like...well, obviously I do..." 

 

For Sunday night drivel, I agree with the other poster that even Z-list "celebs" are more entertaining than the stock pulled from Central Casting. 

 

 

[MajorWoody]

I have to admit, I never thought that this season would make a playboy bunny and a jersey shore bimbo come across as the two most intelligent and mature of the group. That doesn't say much for the other contestants, or the people who cast this show.

[rustyspigot]

So Ross Matthews is a culinary expert?

 

Anyway, a pretty predictable outcome for the episode. Bye, Ellen. The "secretly watching" concept is so old even Kendra basically rolled her eyes at it.

 

And who doesn't love Rachael yelling at a mariachi band? Everybody.

[GaT]

Well, the 2 people I thought would end up in the finale have ended up in the finale. I think it's going to be Jwow for the win.

[backformore]

I could actually use some of the tips Anne and Rachael give in the demos, if they didn't do them simultaneously, cutting back and forth between the two. It's very distracting.

[biakbiak]

Has Kendras charity been mentioned? I only ask because even Racheal was crying about Jwows charity.

[sofaslug]

So Ross Matthews is a culinary expert?

I thought the same thing when I saw the previews for next week.

[cattykit]

Really don't like that the last hurdle to the finale was a skills test instead of a cooking test.  Skills tests should only be in preliminary rounds.  And if Ellen hadn't butterflied her shrimp, what would they have done since they were apparently tied?

 

Whether it was fudged or not, I vastly prefer the final blind challenges to determine who gets voted off, to the double eliminations in the original recipe of this show.  I hope they take it over to the mothership.

 

They let the real Rachael Ray out of the box after having her under wraps--this time she brought the cray-cray.  And if Anne Burrell thinks she heard trash talk, she needs to review the definition.  Trash talk doesn't involve not expecting the other person to hear you.  Jenni (who knew she could make such sense) was absolutely correct in her assessment of Anne.  Anne needs to hear it from someone what an obnoxious, arrogant loudmouth she's become (or maybe always was).

[Wings]

 

I do wish they'd change this to a real cooking show with truly beginner cooks, but I admit that I laugh a few times when watching this.

 

This is the first celebrity comp they have had.  It has been regular people for the past 2 seasons or however long it has been on. 

 

It seemed obvious from the start these 2 would be the finalists.  They did do a better job so I won't cry planned.  The tie at the end was legit.  Ellen did butterfly those shrimp, an easy call for Kendra to take it.  

 

One more show!  And remember Top Chef is in January!  I know, over 2 months away but something to look forward to!  

 

Ross Mathews illustrates just how hard it must be to get serious chef judges.  Their budget is not big enough.  I missed the preview, who else are judges?

Edited October 29, 2015 by wings707

[ProfCrash]

I lost interest in Top Chef ages ago. The formula is old, the Texas version had so many bogus challenges, tired of the Judges. Just bored with it.

 

I was happy to see Ellen go. She could have left first and I would have been ok. Kendra and Jwow were the obvious final two in the first episode so I am not exactly surprised. I loved how they tried to make it seem like JWow could be cut. Yeah right. And I thought that they would show them how to make corn tortillas by hand and then fry them, frying store bought tortillas seems like an easy way out. It's not like making salsa or guac is actually hard. Because it is not.

[mlp]

"I missed the preview who else are judges?"

 

From the quick glimpse of them walking toward the camera, I think one is Jamie Bissonnette although I have to wonder why he'd lower himself to be on this show.

[eurekagirl mOo]

I have no idea who this Ellen C. person is or why she's even on TV. She seems like someone who couldn't make it out of 3rd grade! Her sloooow talk and bad wigs and just general stupidity leave me cold. Thank heavens for fast forward....

[MajorWoody]

Now that the last of the really annoying contestants is gone, maybe we can work on getting rid of the remaining annoying judge/ host, Anne Burrell?

When they showed the quick preview of the three judges walking on the set, I thought the one guy was Otho from Beetlejuice.

Actually, that would probably be a better choice, since the outcome is probably pre-determined anyway.

[Shibori]

Ellen was in the cast on the Michael Jordan episode of SNL classic that ran last night. It reminded me I never thought she was very good then, either. Now she seems either drunk/drugged or mentally challenged. I'm glad she's finally out.

[Wings]

It was clear that Jenny would win because of her more complex meal.  Madison pointed that out.  But don't they realize that the dishes are chosen by the chef leaders? 

 

Really Rachael, pasta with puttanesca sauce?  It is a common entree in Italian restaurants.   The veal Milanese looked delicious but again, common. 

 

I loved Ross' comment that the baked fig was like eating regurgitated food like how a bird feeds its young. 

 

Kendra was not reminded to taste her food as she went along.  She just kept putting in that lemon juice, I guess! 

 

Previous final meals have been much better.  

[backformore]

It was clear that Jenny would win because of her more complex meal.  Madison pointed that out.  But don't they realize that the dishes are chosen by the chef leaders

 

Yes -  the way they chose the meals was funny.  What do you want to make?  Um - now that I learned to devein shrimp, I want to do shrimp.   OK, how about oysters?

 The contestants had NO input.  

 I hope they don't do this show again, it just wasn't good.  

I never believed that these celebs were as bad as they pretended to be, and I never believed in the competition, the judging, anything that was on the show.  

It seemed completely scripted, and poorly done.

 

(and yet I watched!)

[Lnmop]

When Kendra said she was a competitor, it reminded me of when she totally wimped out on the diving show. Competitor my ass.

[GaT]

No surprise there, I was expecting Jenny to win, it was obvious that she could cook from the beginning. Oh & Anne, it's not a stretch to realize that someone who picks a dog shelter for their charity might not want to kill something to eat.

 

I loved how Rachel kept saying that puttanesca sauce seemed like Kendra's personality & just would not stop.

[NikSac]

No surprise there, I was expecting Jenny to win, it was obvious that she could cook from the beginning. Oh & Anne, it's not a stretch to realize that someone who picks a dog shelter for their charity might not want to kill something to eat.

 

I say this as a total hypocrite myself because I don't know that I could kill something to eat it, yet I eat stuff that's been killed before I got to it (beef, fish, pork chicken, etc.) - but it bothered me to have them go from "oh you can't kill a lobster?" to "okay well here are some already dead animals you can use" on the show. I felt like if it freaked her out that much she should've gone vegetarian for the finale.

 

That said I was expecting Jenni (Jenny?) or Kendra to win from the beginning too. They both seem like decent cooks.

[Wings]

Yes -  the way they chose the meals was funny.  What do you want to make?  Um - now that I learned to devein shrimp, I want to do shrimp.   OK, how about oysters?

 The contestants had NO input.  

 I hope they don't do this show again, it just wasn't good.  

 

 

 

Yes!   But Jenny did the oysters.  Rachael took a leap from shrimp to bruschetta and pasta!  Italian is Rachael;s comfort zone.  

[Skyfall]

At least we get Tyler in Jan! He's the only one of the revolving door I've liked.

[rab01]

I caught a bit of this the other night and are the coaches always in the kitchen for the entire finale? Because I think that even I could prepare a decent meal with a trained cook giving me minute-by-minute instructions.

 

Also, it was nice to have Madison back on my TV screen but frustrating to have the eejit in the middle act like he was the star of the show and the head judge.

[backformore]

I loved how Rachel kept saying that puttanesca sauce seemed like Kendra's personality & just would not stop.

yes, especially when she said in Italian it mean's "whore's sauce".   Hilarious!

[Wings]

I like Ross; he is a foodie and he knows enough to judge the food on this show, certainly.  I could do it; cooking is my creative hobby and I know more than enough.   

 

It is time to go back to regular people.  This season was terrible, not that the other version is stellar but it is better, at least.  

[ProfCrash]

I will say this for Anne, she always has her cooks do the preparation on the practice day and that helps them a lot. Rachel was doing all of the work on the practice day and Kendra took notes. It meant that Kendra did not have the opportunity to learn how to prep the food with Rachel being able to correct the problems.

 

I am fine with a Jenny win. I would have been fine with a Kendra win. Everything looked ok but nothing overly special.

[placate]

Hi, I haven't read anything here because I need some help with xfinity on demand, I apologize for that.  I'm watching this show on it and they didn't bother to freaking label episode numbers.  I got enough information to be able to look up the next episode based on the trailer shown at the end of the episode, but they don't list the episodes correctly, just alphabetically.  I just saw that Bachelor guy get eliminated and I can't figure out which episodes comes next, can someone please help me out with an episode title?

[Amarsir]

I got enough information to be able to look up the next episode based on the trailer shown at the end of the episode, but they don't list the episodes correctly, just alphabetically.  I just saw that Bachelor guy get eliminated and I can't figure out which episodes comes next, can someone please help me out with an episode title?

Yeah that bugs me about Comcast's listing too. Here they are in reverse order:

6. Final Food Fight Oct 28, 2015

5. Tapas Can't Stop Us Oct 21, 2015

4. Riddle Me This Oct 14, 2015

3. Celebrity Showdown Oct 7, 2015

2. Takeout or Get Out Sep 30, 2015

1. Pot-Un-Lucky Sep 23, 2015

[Snarklepuss]

I was glad to find out that the regular version is coming back with Tyler Florence.  Hopefully it will be better than this season.  I was OK with Jenny winning but disappointed in the season overall.

[Crucial]

I complain Anne wins a lot but I was happy her team won.  Jenny, I thought, put out a more complex better dish.  I was never a fan of Jenny before but I liked her on this competition.  I loved hearing from the two chefs on the finale but please dont have Ross next time.  He takes over everything and it's annoying. I could listen to Madison talk all day long. Rachel didn't do Kendra any favors in the finale.  She should have had Kendra more hands on while teaching her.  I did like that Anne changed the dish when Jenny couldn't put the lobster in the boiling water. The finale was the best part of the season - most likely because all the other contestants weren't there.

 

Yay Tyler..Here's to hoping he dethrones Anne.