S14.09: The Newest Star

[cooksdelight]

1 minute ago, PamelaMaeSnap said:

Does anyone know who ANY of the former winners of Masterchef were?

Christine Ha, the blind lady. I remember her because she is the one winner whose cookbook I bought. Then.... I realized she must have approved the graphic design, because the type was light gray and I could hardly read any recipes. I guess she wanted us all to be blind along with her.

[cherbitrary]

11 hours ago, ivygirl said:

A tie? How on earth can you have a tie on this show?

 

So...they had a tie on Comeback Kitchen AND a tie on this one? SMH

Only watched a few minutes. To me it seemed like Jess made her pilot more about her than the restaurant she was covering. I didn't love it, but figured they'd love it. Y'all are definitely not making me feel like I missed much!

Edited August 6, 2018 by cherbitrary

[Janimo]

The "winners" make me miss Palak very much. I hope we'll see her again somewhere on the Food Network or the Cooking Channel.

[ivygirl]

3 hours ago, TomCorps said:

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

..... Just had to get that out.  

 

I absolutely enjoyed Manny's pilot most of the three.  He genuinely interacted with the chef throughout, adding in "food authority" comments when appropriate and demonstrating humor and personality as well.  Christian the Slob did all of the talking, and none of it was informative, interesting or remotely charming.  Jess the Phony did the same shit she's been doing since Week 1, highlighting herself via scripted bites ("Well, my mother is from Madagascar and my father is from China.".....REALLY?  HAD NO IDEA!).  Giada's....er, observation...that Jess had "grown so much" over the course of the season was probably my most hate-worthy moment of an altogether loathsome night.  

And! She does yoga, not javelin! WHO CARES. I don’t need to watch her flirt with the chef. Or at all.

I did think that cauliflower looked delicious, though. But that’s not a credit to Jess and her “intimate moment” with it.

[Skyfall]

10 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

Had a good laugh earlier today. I happened to catch the show Girl Meets Farm. After trying her potstickers, all she had to say was, "Dad will like them." I thought of how the FNS contestants had to jump through hoops describing their food and wondered how this host got herself a show lacking such a major skill. 

Cause the GMF host is actually good. Helps she’s a food blogger and probably seen as a replacement to Ree Thompson ?

[seacliffsal]

My heart just sank when they eliminated Manny.  I felt that he was the most genuine and that he really listened to the judges and tried to improve (and did improve).  I considered just deleting the rest of the episode, but watched the rest of it anyway.  I agree with others that Christian and Jess both took the spotlight away from the chefs with whom they were interacting (and Antonia was on Top Chef, so she knows how to interact with the camera/audience).  I also just can't stand the slovenly look of Christian.  There's a reason that there are sanitation codes for kitchens and restaurants; he just looks like he violates many of them.

Jess just always seemed too hungry for fame (yes, I know that they all are or they wouldn't be on this show); she just makes it too obvious to me.  

I would have watched Manny (well, at least give it a try), but won't watch either of the winners.  I think the producers were playing to the demographics.

[Wings]

9 hours ago, spiderpig said:

Boo.  Hiss.  I have no desire to watch Christian or Jess in anything.

And FN wardrobe coordinators - the cold shoulder look has already gone the way of huge padded 80s shoulders.  You're dating yourselves.

Y'all beat me to the evening's sole saving grace - Anne's snark at Giada's teeth.  Brava!

At least I tuned in early enough to see my boyfriend Eddie's show that I didn't even know was on.  Now that's a Food Network Star.

There is no thread for that and no need for one, really.  I never knew the show existed.  I will say a bit about it here since this show is done, and is it ever.  Lee Ann is a little heavier but she goes up and down.  I think she had a baby recently, no?  The comps that take place outside really should have a shade cover or open air structure like Guy has for one of his shows.  It is uncomfortable to watch them squinting and sweating in direct sunlight knowing how uncomfortable they must be.   Hamburgers and hot dogs?  Oh come on.  And I thought FN Star was lame, this was way worse. 

[ruffy666]

Buncha Manny apologists in this thread!  He may be the most "real" but he is almost incomprehensible about half the time, which is not a good quality in a TV chef.  It's not just that he talks too fast, it's that his sentences don't even make sense and frequently incorporate totally incorrect words or misleading information.  REE THOMPSON, that still makes me LOL.  It does suck to make it to the top 3 and lose out to BOTH of your competitors!

I don't mind Christian but I agree that his pilot was rough-- he was really aggressive with Antonia, a genuinely knowledgeable and charismatic chef (give HER a show!)  I thought Jess showed a ton of improvement in her pilot and could see her on a show like The Kitchen or something.   

[Whimsy]

13 minutes ago, ruffy666 said:

Buncha Manny apologists in this thread!  He may be the most "real" but he is almost incomprehensible about half the time, which is not a good quality in a TV chef.  It's not just that he talks too fast, it's that his sentences don't even make sense and frequently incorporate totally incorrect words or misleading information.  REE THOMPSON, that still makes me LOL.  It does suck to make it to the top 3 and lose out to BOTH of your competitors!

Thank you.  That's how I felt about Manny too.  I couldn't understand most of what he was saying for multiple reasons.  1. He talked way to fast 2. He tripped over his words and changed what he was saying mid-sentence so it actually made little to no sense and 3. He's a mush mouth.  

[dahling]

13 minutes ago, Whimsy said:

Thank you.  That's how I felt about Manny too.  I couldn't understand most of what he was saying for multiple reasons.  1. He talked way to fast 2. He tripped over his words and changed what he was saying mid-sentence so it actually made little to no sense and 3. He's a mush mouth.  

He had his issues and I don't disagree with any of this. However, I found his enthusiasm and genuine quality both infectious and charming. Infectious and charming are not two words I could apply to the other two. Well, infectious maybe for Christian and his nasty tattoos. Jess's segment was terrible with her sashaying and flirting and sexual innuendos. It made me uncomfortable.  How humiliating for FN to make him the only loser of the night. Besides the viewers, I mean. 

I don't know how this show is so popular yet almost always manages to get it totally wrong. 

[potatoradio]

KeeeerrrrrrrrrrSPLAT goes that ending. Jess the "food novelist" should have walked out in protest. That's as bad an ending as if they'd all woken up from a dream. Hey, FN, how's about you just pass out the participation ribbons and announce that the prize is that all of them get to be studio audience members on an episode of Beat Bobby Flay? Yay! Everyone wins! Except those of us stuck in teevee land wondering where all the chef talent has gone, but whatever, we don't count...

Anyway, cheers to the two fakey McFake "winners" who will now have some camera time stuffing their maw, scanning their food magnetic poetry kit, and announcing, "what a succulent and charred bolus you've given me to roll around on my tongue." Yep. Winner! 

Though I will say I will give Jess a slight nod for keeping a game face when presented with an oily, burned "colly-flower" and trying to sex it up. That takes some kind of desperate camera-fucking gene. I bet the rats in Madagascar would eat that up, though...

[jcbrown]

10 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

So I probably liked Jess the most but I think I thought Manny's pilot was the best mainly because he interacted the best with the chef he worked with.  Either that or I have faulty memories.  I know Christian barely let Antonia speak and Jess made awkward interjections to show off her food knowledge that would have made more sense when she tasted. 

I can't believe they chopped Manny first. I agree that his pilot was clearly the best. I was annoyed that Christian did not let Antonia talk and turned the segment into all. about. him. I don't hate Jess--I actually think she is attractive but the fact that her hair goes rogue all the time has got to be dealt with.

They completely gave up on the pretense of having the contestants pitch their own shows. I miss that aspect, though I guess it makes sense because they are not intending to give them shows, anyway.

[dewelar]

Well, that was eight hours of my life I won't get back. The second Bobby and Giada opened their mouths to announce the winner, I called it. Well, technically I said "oh, we're doing this again, I guess", and Mrs. Dewelar replied "looks like it".

As far as the pilots, I thought Manny's was the best, if only because it was straight, by-the-numbers FN show. The problem is that if I'm going to watch Manny, I'm watching him for his infectious energy and different approach, not for another samey-same show, so it still sucked. Christian's show felt disjointed, and felt like he was making it all about him when Antonia was right there, and I know she's more entertaining than he was being. Plus, I don't really want to hear about Italian food from a lumberjack. Jess, who I still think gets way too much flack around here, was the worst of the three. She felt more like she was hosting a segment on a local news show instead of a food show, and I kept getting distracted watching her fiddle with her hair.

Bleh. If there's another season of this, I may not bother.

Edited August 6, 2018 by dewelar
Add an important word

[mlp]

I was actually shocked at the end.  I was hoping Manny would win, thought Christian would and figured they would be final two.  I haven't liked Jess and her Giada-teeth and bright red lipstick since day one and her pilot was awful so it never even occurred to me that she'd get any farther.  I wonder if FN has had any regrets about their decision since the show aired and comments and polls on FB and other sites have revealed that Jess is easily the least popular of the three with viewers.

[PamelaMaeSnap]

1 hour ago, jcbrown said:

the fact that her hair goes rogue all the time has got to be dealt with.

I thought I was the only one who had noticed this and that I was going crazy ... one shot her bangs are all perfect, next shot a big gap, next shot perfect again ... continuity fell asleep at the wheel. And orange lipstick has not been a good look for ANYONE since, say, 1957.

[spiderpig]

3 hours ago, dahling said:

He had his issues and I don't disagree with any of this. However, I found his enthusiasm and genuine quality both infectious and charming. Infectious and charming are not two words I could apply to the other two. Well, infectious maybe for Christian and his nasty tattoos. Jess's segment was terrible with her sashaying and flirting and sexual innuendos. It made me uncomfortable.  How humiliating for FN to make him the only loser of the night. Besides the viewers, I mean. 

I don't know how this show is so popular yet almost always manages to get it totally wrong. 

This is the overall impression I came away with.  They humiliated Manny, and I found it unnecessary and cruel.

It's not like either of the two (cough) "winners" was Julia Child.

[springbarb]

I just wish the finalists did actual pilots. The narrator (I think--someone) said what their culinary viewpoints were, and it was, I think, the first time we heard them since the season premiere. Even if Food Network wasn't going to actually pick up any of the shows, just to see something that isn't them going to a restaurant and talking to a chef. First of all, they already did that this season. This time, they got a couple extra minutes, but that's about all. Give them 30 minutes and see what they can do.

Though obviously that would mean investing too much time/effort/money into these people.

[Koalagirl]

38 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

This is the overall impression I came away with.  They humiliated Manny, and I found it unnecessary and cruel.

It's not like either of the two (cough) "winners" was Julia Child.

And then Manny got the booby prize of Bobby Flay offering to have him on an episode of Beat Bobby Flay.

[parrotfeathers]

8 hours ago, RedRobin said:

needless to say I deleted my DVR without seeing the "co-winner" announcement.

You didn't miss a thing.

[mlp]

Quote

This is the overall impression I came away with.  They humiliated Manny, and I found it unnecessary and cruel.

Totally agree.  I have never understood why FN can't pick a winner from three finalists and avoid making it very clear who was the worst in their eyes.  They did the same thing on Cake Wars.  "One of you will not be going to the massive (fake) party" so walk off in disgrace.  I always felt sorry for that person even if they deserved to be sent packing.

Edited August 6, 2018 by mlp
correct something

[theatremouse]

2 hours ago, springbarb said:

I just wish the finalists did actual pilots. The narrator (I think--someone) said what their culinary viewpoints were, and it was, I think, the first time we heard them since the season premiere. Even if Food Network wasn't going to actually pick up any of the shows, just to see something that isn't them going to a restaurant and talking to a chef. First of all, they already did that this season. This time, they got a couple extra minutes, but that's about all. Give them 30 minutes and see what they can do.

Actual pilots don't even need to be 30 minutes (or 22 which is what a half hour show would boil down to). They spent more than half this episode on clips and outtakes and remember when montages. These "pilots" were single segments, which yes is totally what half the challenges were the whole season. If they're going to call it a pilot, give them 12 minutes and make it seem like a mini episode of SOME SHOW. Of course, the incentive to do so is gone because none of them are getting a show...so there don't need to be pilots at all.

Manny's pilot was straight up a segment of DDD with Manny in the role of Guy. Every moment of that felt like a segment from the existing show, and frankly, even the existing host. Manny sounded like he was given a script from  a leftover from that show. He delivered it well I thought. Amazing what more than one take and some editing will do for him, compared to how he was all season. (Not really amazing. I'm being sarcastic) His did seem more polished than the other two, so for that reason alone it was weird to me he was ousted first. But it also wasn't shocking because what he showed was an ability to do...something they already have. Now maybe that's the point of this show now: stockpile people who can do exactly that sort of thing. But, meh. Meh all around.

[CharlizeCat]

"Exotic" food/travel shows have never done well on FN.  (Even hosted by Anthony Bourdain.) That said, I am beginning to wonder if Jess' co-win was a move on the part of FN to be PC.  I really don't understand what role she could possibly play. She isn't going to get her own show and she's too unapproachable and in her head to be a decent host of a competition show. (Could you see her judging kids? Egads!) Other than she ticks all of the boxes of being female, Asian and a millennial, I got nothin'. At least Christian has some experience judging on Chopped.

I knew that once it was revealed that Palak beat Bobby Flay, that she was history. The same thing happened to that one chef last year. I forgot his name but he was an accomplished chef from somewhere in the South and went pretty far in the competition. 

I also raised my eyebrows when Giada said she "hadn't gotten anything" from BF in 10 (14?) years. 

Yep. The award definitely should have gone to Anne Burrell for the snarky remark about Giada's teeth! 

[toodywoody]

Watched Manny's pilot and fast forwarded the rest until they chopped Manny and then called both winners. Cannot stand Jess and her clinched teeth. Cannot stand Christian and his just all around grossness.

Edited August 6, 2018 by toodywoody

[Commando Cody]

W.T.F. 

Nobody is going to want to listen to Jess talk. She has an annoying voice. Her pilot was the worst of the three. 

I felt really bad for Manny. He looked so sad at the end. He lost to Jess. I thought this would be a toss-up between Christian and Manny. I was surprised Manny came in third. I wonder what the deal was with picking two "winners".

[susied2009]

 I couldn't even watch Jess' pilot. I switch over to $100,000 Pyramid, then returned for the "winner". Ya, right.  What a disappointment.

I felt so sorry for Manny. I wanted him to win.

[Tippi]

Let's see, Amy and Adam both won the Hunger Games intro show (I can't even remember the name of it) and now Christian and Jess both win FNS?  They could have just skipped this awful show and made Amy and Adam the next Food Network Stars.  They would likely do as well as C&J are going to do.  And poor Manny.  Who thought it was a good idea to eliminate him before the end, and leave him sitting up there with the other two?  I didn't like that at all.

Please, Food Network, make Christian wear a shirt that covers his chest hair!

[Showthyme]

10 minutes ago, Tippi said:

 

Please, Food Network, make Christian wear a shirt that covers his chest hair!

And make Giada wear a top that covers her middle-age boobs.

[Jesse]

In addition to Anne Burrell on Giada's teeth, did anyone else think it was throwing shade that they highlighted the fries benedict at Nighthawk? (Also, why does every show film there??)

[cooksdelight]

8 hours ago, potatoradio said:

That's as bad an ending as if they'd all woken up from a dream.

Yeah. Flashbacks of Bobby Ewing in the shower when Pam woke up and he wasn’t dead after all.

[shksabelle]

I hope the network can afford the dental insurance premiums for Giada AND Jess.  That’s a LOT of enamel right there. 

And I am surprised LBH allowed Jess to be a winner. Wouldn’t think she’d want a pretty, younger woman roaming around the studios. 

[catrice2]

9 hours ago, PamelaMaeSnap said:

I thought I was the only one who had noticed this and that I was going crazy ... one shot her bangs are all perfect, next shot a big gap, next shot perfect again ... continuity fell asleep at the wheel. And orange lipstick has not been a good look for ANYONE since, say, 1957.

I guess I should be ashamed to admit that I just bought some 2 days ago.  not quite as bright but still Orange

[WallStreetDuchess]

Snooze of a season, so it is a fitting end. I don't think I will even watch next season. Like others have said, it's not like the the winners get shows anyway. It just feels like Food Network feels obligated to have this show on every summer and they really can't find the talent to sustain that.

[Totale]

god knew what she was doing when she invented DVRs.  Any of you who could get through that hour without FFing through the clips to cut to the chase is stronger than I am.

[whinewithwine]

2 hours ago, Totale said:

Any of you who could get through that hour without FFing through the clips to cut to the chase is stronger than I am.

Not stronger, drunker.

[Hawkes]

On 8/6/2018 at 12:37 PM, Whimsy said:

Thank you.  That's how I felt about Manny too.  I couldn't understand most of what he was saying for multiple reasons.  1. He talked way to fast 2. He tripped over his words and changed what he was saying mid-sentence so it actually made little to no sense and 3. He's a mush mouth.  

I felt the same as well.  I didn't care for Manny from the very start of the show.  Out of the three I was rooting for Christian.  I wasn't much of a Jess fan either.  
Now if Palak was in the top three she would have been my choice to win.

[ruffy666]

The problem with this show (and, I guess, most reality shows) is it makes me feel incredibly old because my mind immediately turns to "MAN THIS SHOW WAS SO MUCH BETTER WHEN...!!!"  It seems like the first season, maybe first two seasons, have actual talent and a relatively pure concept.  And then it's all rapidly downhill from there.  But I digress...

Now if you kids would kindly get off my lawn...

[After7Only]

On 8/6/2018 at 5:13 AM, Foodfreak said:

Omg, I cringed the entire show and watched it the way I’d watch a burning building.  They were all awful.  The comments about the food they tasted are so forced and insincere and they’re all so awkward and not at all photogenic...no one brings anything even remotely interesting to the table.  It is now officially the Food Gameshow Network with horrible reality hosts instead of chefs with creds.  

It so annoys when they take a bite of the food and try to describe the bite.  It rarely is nothing but a list of the ingredients they've already talked about with their obvious attributes.  The cheese, is so cheesy, the butter.... so buttery.... the saltiness of the bacon... the acidity of the lemon.....the heat from the jalapeno.....   Just tell me it's delicious and make mmmm sounds.   Just as effective.  

I thought Jess's was the weakest pilot.  She is especially guilty of the non informative food descriptions, and found her pilot to be the most awkward, so was surprised she tied for the win.      Manny was the most likable, but made too many mistakes to win.  Christian seems most FN ready to me.  

[LazyToaster]

I was so disappointed for Manny.  His pilot was the only one I liked.  Jess is boring and Christian is too much like Guy.  

[MajorWoody]

I fell way behind due to our travels, and had to fast watch a backlog of multiple shows. Also, thanks to the local newspaper editor being a dolt, I knew Manny came in 3rd before watching the final. 

 

Everyone has pretty much addressed the valid points, especially Christians stumblebum style, and Jess being Giada Lite. 

 

But what really bugged us watching the final was when they cut Manny, which was cruel enough considering the circumstances, but made even worse as they never even explained why. After multiple episodes where everyone cut was given an explanation, Manny, who by all accounts had a very nice pilot, and actually took advice and progressed from it, was sent packing with no explanation. That was terrible to treat him like that, and he looked devastated the rest of the show. 

 

Christian seems like a decent enough guy, but how in the world can anyone think his slovenly appearance is beneficial to a channel devoted to cooking and restaurants? 

 

Either way, this latest season of GGG’s next set of judges was an overall bore. 

[TDT]

On 8/6/2018 at 1:38 PM, Koalagirl said:

And then Manny got the booby prize of Bobby Flay offering to have him on an episode of Beat Bobby Flay.

Missed that part..hopefully as a judge and not as a competitor

[cooksdelight]

The more I have thought about it, the more I see this as a really shitty thing to do to Manny. If they can’t pick one winner, then have all three of them get a prize.

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, cooksdelight said:

The more I have thought about it, the more I see this as a really shitty thing to do to Manny. If they can’t pick one winner, then have all three of them get a prize.

I know, the more I think about it the more I feel sorry for Manny.  What was even worse was Bobby's overly apologetic attitude toward him, telling him he had a "bright future" and that he could appear on "Beat Bobby Flay". How humiliating!  I'm still holding out some hope that they'll make it up to him somehow.

[cooksdelight]

I’m hoping Manny gets a show on Cooking Network or something, and outdoes them all. If he can slow down his excited talking, he’s got a good shot. Especially if he does a show visiting various firehouses, showcasing the cooking of first responders. I cannot believe FN blew that idea for a show.

[Koalagirl]

13 hours ago, TDT said:

Missed that part..hopefully as a judge and not as a competitor

It was easy to miss.  At the very end while everyone was gathered around congratulating and talking.

[LazyToaster]

Ok - I'm going out on a limb.  I think both Jess and Christian will fade into the woodwork and we will continue to see Manny.   May just be wishful thinking - I also think he wasn't treated fair.  A tie was stupid, but also insulting in this situation with only 3 people left standing.  

[mlp]

I read a story about Manny from a Florida newspaper this morning but I saw it on my phone and now I can't find it to post a link.  It said he's been promoted to lieutenant in his fire department.  Yay!  The writer said that Manny expected to be final two with Christian and also expected Christian to win so he was very surprised and shocked when Jess was chosen instead.  He and Christian became good friends during the taping and have remained so.

The paper did an informal survey of its readership and Christian got something like 50% of the votes and Manny came in second.  The only number I remember exactly was that Jess got 7%.  :)

[chessiegal]

If Bobby liked Manny, he'll find something for him. He really liked Kelly Nixon in her season when she lost to mush mouth, and he got her a show on CC that he exec produced using his production company.

[Alapaki]

I long ago accepted that the point of this show is not to find the next Food Network Star but to just be . . . this show.

But this season and this finale failed to deliver even on those terms.

A tie?  In a competition with subjective, and fixed, criteria?

And how was Manny’s “pilot” any worse than the two “Winners’”?

[chessiegal]

And as long as the Nielson ratings show it to be FN's highest rating show, they are going to keep doing it.

[suebee12]

8 hours ago, mlp said:

I read a story about Manny from a Florida newspaper this morning but I saw it on my phone and now I can't find it to post a link. 

I found it! Here it is:

https://www.lohud.com/story/life/food/restaurants/2018/08/08/firefighter-chef-lost-food-network-star-finale-but-wins-publics-heart/935040002/