Snark Talk: Home, Home on the (De) Ranged

[cathy]

The next episode today she will take store bought angel food cake and make baked Alaska.  And store bought cookie dough to make a fruit tart. Just like Sandra Lee, semi-homemade.  So easy you don't need to watch a "cooking" show, and waste your time.  Maybe just go to a store and buy it, and save time? No mess to clean up. More time saved.  That is far more honest than, "I'm a real cook, but most of what I use is prepared food." 

[cathy]

Found something interesting online.  A graduate thesis done on people who don't approve of REE, from James Madison University. It is titled "Trying to restrict her range: The backlash in response to  Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman and and Drummonds Agency in construction and profiting from a 21st century pioneer ing persona.  I just started reading it, so I can't report on it yet, but the "profiting from" in the title tells me the author is being honest!  http://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1082&context=master201019

[CharlizeCat]

Wow, Cathy! What a gem. I have been reading it and will have to read it in bits and pieces because it's so long.  I noticed that in the opening the author listed all of his sources and mentioned "online forums." I wonder if any of us made the cut? LOL!

Ha! Ha! This reminds me when I was attending community college ("junior college" back in my day) and thought I was so cutting edge because I wrote a paper for my sociology class on why people were so addicted to watching Dallas. LOL!

[cathy]

Another blog post about her on Reddit.com. 

Another Reddit.com thread. 

[CharlizeCat]

I wonder if that grad student addressed the government stipend stuff in his thesis?  I skimmed through the TOC and don't recall seeing anything about that. He missed the boat with that fodder.

[cathy]

By government stipend do you mean the wild horses?  If so, yes, that was in there.  Or do you mean the grad student getting money to write the thesis? Then no. I read the thesis, I was disappointed. The student, a woman, seemed to defend her, saying things like having the cookware made in China is just good business, and she has a right to make as much money as she can, because her kids have to go to college.  And people criticize her because all successful woman are dislike for being successful.  I have a retort for that:  Mary Kay Ash of Mary Kay cosmetics was liked by everyone, and no one disliked Estee Lauder, 2 self made rich ladies. She did have a lot of info in there, but then defended her, putting a weird feminist spin on it. The author says she spent 2 years studying Ree, which is weird.  It was also too long, and too academic, and in places too "university-ish." Don't waste your time reading this. She listed things that Ree does wrong, then makes excuses.

[Kohola3]

Thanks, Cathy, for biting the bullet and summarizing things. I won't waste my time.

[CharlizeCat]

Sorry. For some reason, I thought a man wrote that thesis when clearly HER name is Jennifer.  No. I was referring to the Drummonds getting paid by the government to house the wild equine.

I didn't know that Ree used to write poetry on her blog. I read the 'Fat" poem and got to the page that compared her early crappy photos to what we see today with the heavily Photoshopped images. 

[novhappy]

I don’t know what filter they use in the camera on her show but her appearance on FNS was not good!  She looked much worse than in her show!

[peacheslatour]

15 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

Thanks, Cathy, for biting the bullet and summarizing things. I won't waste my time.

Don't. It's bullshit.

[chessiegal]

7 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Don't. It's bullshit.

And someone got credit for a graduate level thesis for it? What school? 

[Lura]

I wish that someone from a highly respected magazine or newspaper would interview people in Pawtuska on how they feel about Ree.  If the people would rather not give their names, that would be fine with me.  In fact, people might be more forthcoming if they didn't fear retribution from the Drummonds.  I would like to know whether it's merely Ree's television audience (or a large portion of them) who have these negative feelings about her and whether the negativity is pervasive within Pawtuska as well.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

[cathy]

On ‎8‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 5:39 PM, chessiegal said:

And someone got credit for a graduate level thesis for it? What school? 

James Madison University.  It was something that counts towards a master's degree, I believe.  

[Lura]

I think the article said that this was the woman's thesis for her Master's degree.  I couldn't believe that any university would accept that topic for a thesis.  It listed her three female advisors.  After writing the thesis, the student usually has to go through an oral exam by members of the faculty about the subject, and I wondered also how much more she could say about Ree!  Also, how did her thesis have anything to do with her future line of work?  The thesis didn't do James Madison U. any favors as far as being a scholarly institution, IMHO.  Poor James Madison was probably twisting in his grave.

[Kohola3]

13 minutes ago, Lura said:

Also, how did her thesis have anything to do with her future line of work? 

She was working toward a Masters in Arts so I guess this "scholarly thesis" would fit with that.  I can't imagine it's anything like a Masters in any scientific field.

[chessiegal]

On ‎8‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 9:54 PM, cathy said:

James Madison University.  It was something that counts towards a master's degree, I believe.  

Good grief. I'd expect better from JMU. I worked my butt off writing theses for my Masters and PhD in Chemistry.

Edited August 9, 2018 by chessiegal

[cathy]

Today the cedar choppin crew is drinking water out of a stream. Although dad says says to drink upstream, not down.  Would that make a difference? If an average person encouraged their kids to put their faces in a stream and drink child protective services would be all over them.  This episode must have been filmed in the very early spring, or late fall. The grass looks dead/brown, not green. I wonder what they would do if there ever is a major drought in their area, with no grass for the cattle.  Live off Ree's website, I guess?

[cathy]

They are showing the opening of the Merc.  At least half of the hard core fans who went on opening day are obese. Most of the customers are old, white, fat. One couple ordered everything on the menu.  OMG. They showed people saying they wouldn't miss it for the world. Such a highlight.  Losers.

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, cathy said:

Today the cedar choppin crew is drinking water out of a stream. Although dad says says to drink upstream, not down.  Would that make a difference? If an average person encouraged their kids to put their faces in a stream and drink child protective services would be all over them.  This episode must have been filmed in the very early spring, or late fall. The grass looks dead/brown, not green. I wonder what they would do if there ever is a major drought in their area, with no grass for the cattle.  Live off Ree's website, I guess?

Cholera is a beautiful thing.

[Kohola3]

Quote

Cholera is a beautiful thing.

As is giardiasis.  Moron.

[Lura]

How many times did Ree assure us and ree-assure us that chicken fried steak was practically the filet mignon and lobster tail of the prairie?  The family loved it, the kids loved it, it was Ladd's favorite meal -- and then she got started on the gravy.  The gravy "makes it."  It was only cube steak, for heaven's sake!  You can tell that Ree majored in marketing in college.  She describes her food as if it rivaled Julia Child's.  I get really tired of her hard sell.  I also don't trust her judgment since she proclaims about everything being so fantastic.

The other day, she opened the oven door to take out the rolls she was warming, and she let out with a loud "OH!!!"  I thought someone had put a snake in the oven to scare her, but she was only exclaiming about how beautiful the rolls looked!  Will someone please give that woman a tranquillizer before I need one?!

[CharlizeCat]

How about a tranquilizer gun? (For REE!)  

Yeah. I had FN on in the background and happened to look up and saw Todd drinking face first out of a stream and Ladd instructing him to "drink from upstream." Then, Bryce dipped his water bottle in and filled it up.  Then I remembered the home schooling day and the "pond water" experiment and how gross that water was. WTH were those kids supposed to learn anyway? 

[Mandolia]

I watch The Pioneer Woman in the UK (confusingly, there's no rhyme or reason to the order of episodes so you might get 2 fairly recent episodes and then a massive backtrack to something that's ages old!).  I decided to do a bit of internet scouting to see what the "back story" was to the success of someone who has a tv show but who doesn't really cook awfully well - seemingly variations of the same thing but in slightly different (contrived) set piece situations in which the participants (cast, even) look less than relaxed or sometimes downright miserable.  I also watch The Barefoot Contessa where at least the set pieces are a bit - only a bit, but you take it with a good pinch of (kosher) salt - more believable or so outrageously OTT that one can only giggle...tho Ina Garten seems to present her programmes in a way that makes one laugh with her, rather than laughing at her.  Also, IG is a pro cook, so what she creates is based on culinary knowledge and experience.  Of course, all these programmes aren't remotely "real" but there's something about The Pioneer Woman which just doesn't ring true, hence my sleuthing.

Finding this forum, among others, has been a real eye-opener as well as a most enjoyable read!  My gut instinct was correct.  Clearly, Mrs Drummond has many devoted fans - you might even call them devout followers, who in some deluded way think she's a friend if your look at comments on her Facebook page.  She's not a friend: she's a savvy businesswoman who has created a brand.  She's not an ordinary rancher's wife cooking up a storm to feed "hungry cowboys" while homeschooling/blogging/photographing and creating the Merc shop/the hotel/the (pizza?) restaurant and all the other bits and bobs she crams into her day (where does she get the time to do all these things?!).  It's smoke and mirrors, really: while not exactly deceit, it's certainly an illusion. 

Incidentally, I am still recovering from the idea of the creamiest-mashed-potatoes-ever which seemed to involve pounds of butter, cream cheese and cream.  With a bit more butter on top before the dish goes into the oven. 

This is my first post and it's a bit long, for which apologies. 

[Lura]

Mandolia, welcome to the Pioneer Woman Forum of Misery!  It's great having your perspective from England, which seems to match the general feelings on this board.  Make yourself at home.  Incidentally, no apologies necessary for your post.  We've seen much longer ones.  :)

I must have been desperate to re-watch "The Merc" episode.  There again, Ree finds a way to advertise by working the Merc in with her chili.  The woman is shameless.  Speaking of shameless, if I had been half of that couple who ordered one of everything in the deli, I sure wouldn't have wanted my face appearing on television!

[Mandolia]

3 hours ago, Lura said:

Mandolia, welcome to the Pioneer Woman Forum of Misery!  It's great having your perspective from England, which seems to match the general feelings on this board.  Make yourself at home.  Incidentally, no apologies necessary for your post.  We've seen much longer ones.  :)

I must have been desperate to re-watch "The Merc" episode.  There again, Ree finds a way to advertise by working the Merc in with her chili.  The woman is shameless.  Speaking of shameless, if I had been half of that couple who ordered one of everything in the deli, I sure wouldn't have wanted my face appearing on television!

Thank you so much for the welcome. 

A friend of mine in the UK also watches PW and is staggered at the ineptitude of the cooking.  I told my friend, who is a very accomplished cook, that the food is incidental, or secondary, to the actual programme, and that it's all a vehicle for promoting "other things" within the Drummond brand (which, as they've that tiny landholding - 400,000 acres? - is a pretty appropriate word!).  I'm a fairly good cook, too, which is why I get slightly irritated by Mrs Drummond's repetitive creations, all of which seem to involve pounds of butter, a ton of cheese, gallons of cream and jalapeno peppers by the bucket load.   (I have no problem with jalapeno peppers: I grew up in the Tropics but there is a moment of hot pepper overkill)

Some would say "why watch?":  I suppose there's a weird fascination about the fabricated/choreographed oddity of the programmes.

(Did someone really order one of everything at the deli: good heavens!!)

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, Mandolia said:

I'm a fairly good cook, too, which is why I get slightly irritated by Mrs Drummond's repetitive creations, all of which seem to involve pounds of butter, a ton of cheese, gallons of cream and jalapeno peppers by the bucket load.

Don't forget the whole buncha sugar, sugar, more sugar and and sugary toppings on every single dessert.  Because she can.  What a hack. 

[cathy]

https://www.sashastone.com/blog/2012/09/12/the-pioneer-woman-and-dooce-as-different-as-the-gop-and-the-dems/ 

An older but good article on Ree compared to DOOCE (blogger Heather Armstrong).

Hi Mandolia. Glad to see others see what we see. 

[cathy]

I hope Ree and her family use sunscreen. As much as they annoy me, I would hate to see them get skin cancer. I have known a number of people who have gotten it, some have died.

[CharlizeCat]

Hi Mandolia! Welcome! We don't see any rhyme or reason to Ree's shows over here either. It really doesn't matter if a newer episode is followed by an old one because as you so astutely pointed out, they are all the same. During the past two years, all of the PW have been "themed" compilations of semi-related clips from old shows. That said, a lot of viewers (myself included) stopped watching. It's bad enough to watch a bad cook, but a bad cook who is too lazy to even produce new shows doesn't deserve my viewership (even if it is just for hate-watching purposes!)

[fairffaxx]

18 hours ago, Mandolia said:

... Of course, all these programmes aren't remotely "real" but there's something about The Pioneer Woman which just doesn't ring true ....

That "something" is the Pioneer Woman herself.

[Lura]

What did Ladd see in Ree to make him want to marry her?  The guy is rich, good looking, university educated, loving, and seems like a good person.  Was it her cooking?  She cooked for him at the ranch every weekend the entire time they dated and took along movies for them to watch.  Essentially, she dated him, not the other way around.  He even broke up with a girlfriend in order to date Ree.  She claims she got pregnant on their honeymoon, so if you believe her, there was no Alex Marie in the oven.  What was it about her that made him fall in love with her?  I've wondered ever since the show began.

Edited August 11, 2018 by Lura

[cathy]

The Marlboro woman said that the Drummonds needed an infusion of cash, so it was an arranged marriage.  I guess Ree had a trust fund? But her surgeon dad did well, but they don't make such a huge amount to keep a ranch going for years and years. I don't know. I also read somewhere else that Ladd had a girlfriend with whom he had a love child. I don't know if that is true. Maybe he had to give her up to marry the rich girl to save his ranch?  I believe Ree went to LA  hoping to become some kind of celebrity, and when it did not happen, thought of single Ladd and threw herself at him.  Ree is not pretty enough to be an actress or a news anchor, but she sure has self confidence. Did anyone see today's new episode? The people staying at the hotel were her typical fans-white, old, fat, boring looking.

[CharlizeCat]

The story I heard was that Ree went out to a local bar with her girlfriends for Ree's pity party as she contemplated her upcoming move to Chicago to go to law school. She met Ladd in the bar and he asked for her phone number. After that, Ree ditched her plans to go to law school and spent months moping around in her bedroom waiting for the call. When Ladd explained why it took so long for him to call Ree, he said that at the time he and Ree met, he was in a relationship with another woman that he was trying to end.

Their "dates" did consist of Ree driving to the ranch and cooking, but her book also said that Ladd cooked as well and he successfully swayed Ree from being a vegetarian to a meat-eater. She said they also sat around and watched movies from Ladd's collection of VHS tapes. Then she had to drive herself home alone after dark on those desolate roads with few streetlights. This is what I recall from reading her book called something like "Black Pumps and Tractor Tires," or something like that. Remember, it was going to be made in to a huge major movie starring Ree(se) Witherspoon as Ree.

The only reason why a woman is treated that way by as man is because she allows it. I am sure if Ree had put her foot down, Ladd would have driven into town to take her out on a date and take her home afterwards. He didn't have to do anything other than pull an occasional couple of steaks from the freezer and fire up the VHS player. 

Edited August 12, 2018 by CharlizeCat

[Lura]

I've always thought that men liked the chase, the thrill of the hunt, and anyone who made herself available all the time wasn't interesting.  I have to wonder whether Ladd had lots of advice from Chuck and Nan.  Ree has talked about "winning him over" when she's talked about Chuck.  I've wondered whether Ladd was putting Ree to a test, seeing how content Ree would be with nothing to do but hang around the ranch.  If she could take that "boredom," plus doing much of the cooking, maybe she was marriage material.  Just one of many theories.

[Automne]

On 7/25/2018 at 10:42 AM, peacheslatour said:

Good to see you again, Automne!

Aw, thank you! Sorry to be so sporadic here. Started a new job back in February and had computer issues for a couple of months. Plus, I more or less stopped watching PW. She's gone from being amusing to just pissing me off.

 

And because I think everything Ree does is calculated, in regards to the messy-ass truck compared to Hyacinth's pristine Lexus, I'm sure that was another strategy to continue trying to sell the down-home rural rancher's wife story by showing that yes, this truck is used for farm and ranch work.

Re: that JMU thesis. I really hate how some feminist circles seem to think that women shouldn't criticize other women. Especially when that "sisterhood" bull only comes up when a woman is being rightfully criticized for doing some morally dubious things. No, women love seeing successful women, but we don't like seeing women become successful by stepping all over other women and then using the power that came with their success to suppress. Like raking in millions per year in government handouts for letting wild mustangs roam your thousands of acres of land, but then vote for the people that will take away needed government services from those in poverty.

 

It's been my theory that Ladd and Ree were an arranged marriage. I don't know about the part where they needed Ree's family's money to save the ranch, especially when the Drummonds essentially own Pawhuska (a Drummond is a judge and have dismissed family members' traffic violations and such).

With Ree and Hyacinth's friendship, the Drummonds and Hyacinth's family were friends for generations, so it's more a tradition than anything genuine. Plus, Hyacinth reads as a bit of a starfucker; I'm betting she spends so much time around Ree because of the fame the blog and later the show brought. I don't know if both Ree and Hyacinth married into the families that were friends for so long or if Hyacinth was born into the family. 

 

I really wish they didn't cancel Farmhouse Rules. Give me somebody who actually lived that rural farm life since birth. My ideal FN/CC show would be a show consisting of several farmhouse home/professional cooks (like Amy Thielen and Nancy Fuller and obviously find nonwhite farmers, too) from different regions of the USA and each episode has them comparing and contrasting dishes and showing true homestead cooking. FN dropped the ball on that when homesteading has become increasingly popular ever since the 2008 recession.

Edited August 13, 2018 by Automne

[ShoePrincess]

My digestive system has suffered yet another upset thanks to Ree. Today's culprit was "spreads" with s'mores toppings. First, she sprinkled chocolate chips over the spreads and put the pan back in the oven to melt the chocolate. So far, my stomach hasn't started churning violently. Then she crumbles graham crackers over the chocolate. I wouldn't, but it fit the theme. Then some mini-marshmallows. Okay. It's s'mores. But did Ree stop there? Of course not. My stomach started churning as she unloade a whole buncha M&Ms tyoe candies on top of the s'mores toppings. And then she delivered the coup de gras -- pouring store bought caranel sauce over the whole unappetizing mess. The lovely ham and Gruyere omelette I'd just consumed had an overwhelming urge to bolt! Fortunately, I was able to keep it confined to my stomach, but I learned a very important lesson: Never watch the PW shortly after consuming food.

[Mandolia]

On 8/10/2018 at 11:49 PM, CharlizeCat said:

Hi Mandolia! Welcome! We don't see any rhyme or reason to Ree's shows over here either. It really doesn't matter if a newer episode is followed by an old one because as you so astutely pointed out, they are all the same. During the past two years, all of the PW have been "themed" compilations of semi-related clips from old shows. That said, a lot of viewers (myself included) stopped watching. It's bad enough to watch a bad cook, but a bad cook who is too lazy to even produce new shows doesn't deserve my viewership (even if it is just for hate-watching purposes!)

Hello and thank you to you and others who've welcomed me.  I am pleased I took the plunge by posting!!

The PW "themed" compilations/rehashed segments of other episodes pop up - randomly - over here.  The "themed" element always seems a rather tenuous connection between theme and content.  More or less an excuse for filling the time span on a episode.

What I find quite (only quite - I'm not obsessed or anything else borderline-deranged about this programme!) interesting is the PW pantry at the Lodge.  It's stocked like a shop.  Actually, it's stocked as if the nearest shop/supermarket is a 3 hour drive away...or as if ready for a siege...or as if ready to be snowed in for 6 weeks.  Of course, this is all part of The Show and the make-believe/myth its success (or otherwise) is built upon: shopping is difficult when you "live in the middle of nowhere" so you need to stock up.  Except it's not in the middle of nowhere.  The reliance upon tinned (sorry: canned!) goods and jars rather skews the pioneering element.  Why doesn't Ree do things like make her own marinara sauce?  Why not roast sweet (bell!) peppers and jar them up in olive oil.  Etc, etc.  And do some episodes on this subject. 

On a side note, there is a small language problem in watching cooking progs from the US: one needs to know American cooking speak!  I've become quite good at it - some of the ingredients I could do, like zucchini and eggplant as one can see what they are.  But arugula, initially, had me flummoxed.  I had to google it, to discover it's what we call rocket.  And cilantro (coriander).  Sticks of butter were a mystery.  I suppose it works both ways: watch a programme from the UK and there might be completely mystifying ingredients!  (oh: weights and measurements are different, and oven temperatures are F in the US and C in the UK, which can trip you up.)

Edited August 13, 2018 by Mandolia
Got my temperature charts muddled up/C versus F

[Lura]

The Ree-runs are beginning to tell the real story -- or at least the side story -- of why Ree has a show: to advertise her other ventures free of charge and actually get paid for the shows!  We've had to sit through yet another opening of the Merc, plus another show featuring the Merc, plus one or two shows featuring the Boarding House and all of its pleased clientele.  There is no doubt whatsoever that when Ree majored in marketing, she learned her lessons well.  She deftly uses one success to feature other endeavors, all the while filming absolutely nauseating, fawning fans screaming and lining up for autographs.  The scene showing Ree beaming through a local television interview was particularly irksome to me.  Yes, it IS enough to make one sick. 

Ree is about as dumb as a fox.  She may act sly, but she knows exactly what she's doing: appealing to the lowest rung on the IQ ladder, all of whom swallow her baloney like it was prime tenderloin.  One woman drove all the way from California to meet Ree at the Merc.  Good Lord, woman!  What on earth is between your ears?  Nothing but air.  The problem is that Ree is essentially reaping millions from some people who have next to nothing, but they'll somehow find the money to travel to Pawtuska or buy her latest book.  Does Ree care?  Heavens, no.  Keep 'em coming!  Meanwhile, don't miss her next shows.  They're sure to feature Ree's new pizza place.

[peacheslatour]

Quote

My ideal FN/CC show would be a show consisting of several farmhouse home/professional cooks (like Amy Thielen and Nancy Fuller and obviously find nonwhite farmers, too) from different regions of the USA and each episode has them comparing and contrasting dishes and showing true homestead cooking. FN dropped the ball on that when homesteading has become increasingly popular ever since the 2008 recession.

This is such a great idea! I loved Farmhouse Rules. Nancy could be a bit much sometimes but her cooking credentials are impeccable. I learned a lot watching her and every time I tried one of her recipes it turned out fantastic.

[Lura]

I did everything I could think of to keep "Farmhouse Rules" on the air.  I wrote to the FN and to Nancy.  I tried to get others to write, without success.  I've been cooking since the Dark Ages, and I still learned more from Nancy.  She knew her stuff and did her best to make it interesting.  There were no cattle or wild horses on her farm, but occasionally she'd talk about growing up on a farm when it pertained to the recipe she was making.  I felt that we lost a genuine cook and baker with years of experience when Nancy's show left the airwaves.  I'd love to see "Farmhouse Rules" return to the lineup, but I fear that the time to lobby for it has passed.  In its place, we're given "Girl Meets Farm," (or whatever it's called), a cheap substitute at best.  It's sad.

[BTBAM310]

That dance that Ree did with her son after making one of the desserts in the rerun this past weekend? I had the same reaction Chandler did to Joey dancing:

 

Edited August 14, 2018 by BTBAM310

[Automne]

8 hours ago, Lura said:

I did everything I could think of to keep "Farmhouse Rules" on the air.  I wrote to the FN and to Nancy.  I tried to get others to write, without success.  I've been cooking since the Dark Ages, and I still learned more from Nancy.  She knew her stuff and did her best to make it interesting.  There were no cattle or wild horses on her farm, but occasionally she'd talk about growing up on a farm when it pertained to the recipe she was making.  I felt that we lost a genuine cook and baker with years of experience when Nancy's show left the airwaves.  I'd love to see "Farmhouse Rules" return to the lineup, but I fear that the time to lobby for it has passed.  In its place, we're given "Girl Meets Farm," (or whatever it's called), a cheap substitute at best.  It's sad.

 

“Girl Meets Farm” is yet another tryout of giving a blogger a TV show, like they did with “The Homestead Table” (which I liked, until I saw the hostess is heavily into DoTerra, a MLM. Hard pass). I think FN knows that Ree has nothing left in her and while they’ll still air her show because they’re not spending the money producing it, they may be aware enough that eventually her ratings are going to go down from a bored audience. They’re trying to hit paydirt again, so we’re seeing 6-episode order shows  to dig out another gold nugget.

[chessiegal]

Based on Ree's Nielsen ratings, I don't think she's going away anytime soon.

Quote

FOOD NETWORK RATINGS FOR ORIGINAL PROGRAMS – August 6-12, 2018

Source: Showbuzzdaily

(Rank/Show/Timeslot/# of Viewers/Demo 18-49 rating in parenthesis)

1--WORST COOKS IN AMERICA (Season Premiere)---Sunday 9:00PM---1,287,000 (0.35)

2--THE KITCHEN---Saturday 11:00AM---1,143,000 (0.20)

3--PIONEER WOMAN---Saturday 10:00AM---1,132,000 (0.19)

[CharlizeCat]

Automne, is it Amy Thielen or Molly Yeh who is into doTERRA?

I am sorry, but I beg to differ that Molly Yeh is a "cheap substitute" for Nancy Fuller.  Granted, Molly doesn't have the years of experience cooking and baking that Nancy has, but she's a vast improvement over the other sub-par programming that's on FN (Ree, Trisha and The Kitchen.) Both women have their strengths and weaknesses and I believe were positioned to appeal to very different demographics. 

Does anybody know if Nancy decided to not continue with her show or did FN axe it? That makes a huge difference. If Nancy didn't want to continue, then all of the letter writing campaigns in the world wouldn't bring her back. If it was FN's decision because Nancy wasn't bringing in the viewers and ad dollars, it would fall on deaf ears as well. Sad. 

[Automne]

1 hour ago, CharlizeCat said:

Automne, is it Amy Thielen or Molly Yeh who is into doTERRA?

 Neither. It’s Shaye Elliott. She had a 6-episode run of a show called The Homestead Table a couple of months ago. I’m guessing it was a test season (but when they barely advertise it...). I liked it, but checking out her website, I noticed the DoTerra bull (http://theelliotthomestead.com/).

[CharlizeCat]

I remember her. Wasn't she a young blonde with a couple of toddlers who lived on a farm? I only saw one show and kinda of like I thought about Molly's early shows was that it was OK, and was probably dull and a bit rough due to nervousness, etc. I didn't realize there was more than one episode.

[Lura]

Sorry to show my ignorance, but what is doTERRA?  I'm almost as confused as I was about "Edie Sedgwick Beale".  *snort*

According to Nancy in comments she made, the FN did away with her show.  I've wondered whether she asked for too much money, but that's merely a question in my mind with no basis in fact.

BTW, calling Girl Meets Farm a "cheap substitute" was not meant as any personal reflection on Molly.  I like her enthusiasm and personality but haven't been motivated to try her recipes.  I was reflecting on what I imagined Nancy might have been paid and what I imagine Molly is paid, although I have no idea.  I also guessed that it cost more to produce Nancy's show than it does Molly's, which takes place largely in her kitchen.  We all know how the FN likes to save money.

[CharlizeCat]

That is sad about Nancy's show.  I honestly never knew why FR got pulled. I think some other poster a long time ago speculated that it was Nancy's doing or that her husband objected or something along those lines. Nancy seemed like she was enjoying herself.

The most I know about doTERRA is that they make a line of essential oils and some are for cooking and others are for fragrance. I have no idea if they sell other projects. (Probably do.)

[Kohola3]

43 minutes ago, CharlizeCat said:

The most I know about doTERRA is that they make a line of essential oils and some are for cooking and others are for fragrance. I have no idea if they sell other projects.

Like all of the pyramid schemes, they sell all types of crap including promises of all kinds.  For example, for the low, low price of $11 you can get 32 pieces of gum that help you lose weight.  Their snake oil also helps your digestion, clears your skin, and cleans your laundry.  And all of their products are "certified" - buy no idea by whom.

[Lura]

Thanks, Charlize and Kahola.  doTERRA doesn't sound like my cup of tea.