Worst Cooks In America - General Discussion

[LexieLily]

I'm okay with talking about it here if the mods are.

[Hellga]

I have created the topic, here. 

Edited July 16, 2019 by Hellga

[EAG46]

The "recruits" for Season 17 have been announced: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/worst-cooks-in-america/photos/worst-cooks-in-america-season-17-meet-the-recruits

I hope the Palestinian lady wasn't made to cook with pork or bacon if she didn't feel comfortable with it.  Or alcohol, for that matter. 

Edited July 21, 2019 by EAG46

[chessiegal]

I keep seeing two different promos for this show. One has Bobby Flay with Anne, the other has Robert Irvine with Anne. Looks like from the link above that it’s Bobby, but what programming idiot is putting on the wrong promo?

[mlp]

Quote

I hope the Palestinian lady wasn't made to cook with pork or bacon if she didn't feel comfortable with it.  Or alcohol, for that matter. 

If she wasn't familiar with the show, it was up to her to find out what would be expected and then decide if she could be comfortable with the requirements.  It's not up to the show to change to accommodate her.

[biakbiak]

36 minutes ago, mlp said:

If she wasn't familiar with the show, it was up to her to find out what would be expected and then decide if she could be comfortable with the requirements.  It's not up to the show to change to accommodate her.

I just think all these food shows should cut out this very dated view of food and should embrace contestants who look at food in different ways. It makes for a more interesting and varied dishes than always adding bacon to something or constantly doing a meat main with a starch and a veg.

[mlp]

7 hours ago, biakbiak said:

I just think all these food shows should cut out this very dated view of food and should embrace contestants who look at food in different ways. It makes for a more interesting and varied dishes than always adding bacon to something or constantly doing a meat main with a starch and a veg.

I don't have any problem with variations.  But I do think it's unreasonable to expect special accommodations to be made.  If a show did that for one contestant, how could they refuse to do it for all?  They'd have to exempt pork and shellfish for Jews and Muslims, beef for Hindus, peanuts and/or tree nuts for the allergic, fish and eggs for the vegans, dairy for the lactose intolerant, breads for the gluten-free and on and on.  Contestants would end up having to prepare three-course meals with nothing but fruits and vegetables.  And there's probably someone somewhere who's allergic to some of those.

[Yeah No]

On 6/27/2019 at 6:46 PM, Superclam said:

Seriously, it's been about 4 weeks. It'll be maybe 2 months off when the next one starts. I don't know if I can this time. 

I say that every season but so far have still watched!  When Bobby Flay said in the season promo "I can barely stand to watch this", I thought, "You and the audience, Bobby!"

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, mlp said:

I don't have any problem with variations.  But I do think it's unreasonable to expect special accommodations to be made.  If a show did that for one contestant, how could they refuse to do it for all?  They'd have to exempt pork and shellfish for Jews and Muslims, beef for Hindus, peanuts and/or tree nuts for the allergic, fish and eggs for the vegans, dairy for the lactose intolerant, breads for the gluten-free and on and on.  Contestants would end up having to prepare three-course meals with nothing but fruits and vegetables.  And there's probably someone somewhere who's allergic to some of those.

No you can allow variations and substitutions with dishes without applying it to everyone. Have every one do a spicy pasta dish and see how they interpret that. Part of the reason this show is stale is its constant repetition and feels really dated by saying everyone needs to cook these things that are very Western focused and limited in terms of what a meal is and even outdated in terms of the America’s changing palate.

[Gramto6]

Oh. My. Gawd!! That was terrible! It is as much a cartoon show as Worst Bakers. This show used to be a real learning experience for the contestants and audience. Now the "teaching"  is almost nonexistent. I feel embarrassed for Bobby Flay to be part of it, Anne, well it is "her" show so not so sorry for her. I just can't/don't think I can watch this train wreck...

[LexieLily]

They changed something about the production of this show. The big splat noise when they go to commercials and come back from commercials is quieter. That was our favorite part. Lol

[rustyspigot]

So they are all the worst and then all of a sudden most of them can cook a steak alright? OK.

Most Annoying so far (besides collectively)?

Anne (heh), Opera guy, Hypnotist, NOT Miss America.

[LexieLily]

2 minutes ago, rustyspigot said:

So they are all the worst and then all of a sudden most of them can cook a steak alright? OK.

That is another thing. If these are the worst cooks, what the fuck are they doing cooking lobster and beef wellington for their baseline dish?

[mlp]

I actually thought that this crew (not all of them) seemed a bit toned down overall from previous seasons and I thought some of the graphic overlays or whatever you call them were amusing.  Making their first elimination challenge a full steak dinner was ridiculous, of course, but at least it wasn't lobsters.  I guess Idris' dinner was a fail but I liked him better than the goofy woman who stayed.  Both people on the bottom on the other team could have gone AFAIC.  I didn't care for either of them and there's something off-putting about the hypnotist guy.  So far, I like the opera singer and the priest.  That could easily change.

[El maestro]

I just watch it as a comedy, not to take it seriously.

i miss the educational parts and sometimes I feel that chef Burrell has to win, no matter what, but is still watchable.

[Totale]

Opera Singer and Man of 1000 Voices are going to wear out my mute button.

[Maya]

I hate that they let these idiots screw around with live lobsters. 

I like Bobby Flay on this show. 

[JunebugTx]

17 hours ago, LexieLily said:

That is another thing. If these are the worst cooks, what the fuck are they doing cooking lobster and beef wellington for their baseline dish?

Exactly what I was thinking.  If these guys are terrible cooks, how do they even have any idea how to cook lobster or beef wellington?

[OoogleEyes]

Can you believe that this is the seventeenth season of this shit-show??

[Mr. Sparkle]

I'm actually surprised there haven't been more BECAUSE THERE'S A NEW SEASON EVERY 3 MONTHS!!!! 

ETA: AND I WATCH EVERY FREAKIN' ONE!!! 

Edited August 5, 2019 by Superclam

[luvapickle]

On 8/4/2019 at 10:17 PM, LexieLily said:

That is another thing. If these are the worst cooks, what the fuck are they doing cooking lobster and beef wellington for their baseline dish?

Well they are not all worst cooks. Do you remember: Steven Crowley, Kevin Pettice and Sharon Shvarzman met while competing on Worst Cooks in America. Aug 23 2018. The two were too good to have been on Worst Cooks.  The guy who cooked the lobster in this past episode: how did he know to put it in boiling water, & it turns bright red when cooked?   Most of these people are ofr tv purposes only. I'm sure some have no clue. But too many seem to know certain things about cooking, not to have a basic understanding.  Plus it's not like they show them the basics anymore, at least not on tv.

[mlp]

2 hours ago, luvapickle said:

The guy who cooked the lobster in this past episode: how did he know to put it in boiling water, & it turns bright red when cooked?

I think most of these people exaggerate and put on acts for effect but, in fairness, you can know about things you've never done.  I've never cooked a duck breast or made gnocchi or cream puffs in my life but, just from watching food TV, I have a very good idea how to make all of them.  Calmly and without shrieking.

[BigBingerBro]

The first guy sent home didn't surprise me - he was the most boring one.

[Mr. Sparkle]

I thought it was going to be the older guy. There's always a guy over 60, and he almost always goes home early. 

[jcbrown]

3 hours ago, Superclam said:

I thought it was going to be the older guy. There's always a guy over 60, and he almost always goes home early. 

Yeah, plus I thought the hypnotist dude was annoying and liked the African-American guy who went home. Oh well. Next week.

[luvapickle]

23 hours ago, mlp said:

I think most of these people exaggerate and put on acts for effect but, in fairness, you can know about things you've never done.  I've never cooked a duck breast or made gnocchi or cream puffs in my life but, just from watching food TV, I have a very good idea how to make all of them.  Calmly and without shrieking.

I think most of them know how to cook, or they are taught certain things beforehand. Neither chef would have allowed someone to torture a lobster if they didn't know how to kill it the right way.  Plus being in the biz myself, you can become seriously ill from eating poorly cooked seafood(out of all the items that were cooked). I cannot see either chef willing to take a fork full if the cooks were that bad. 

[Yeah No]

On 8/6/2019 at 7:17 PM, Superclam said:

I thought it was going to be the older guy. There's always a guy over 60, and he almost always goes home early. 

Yeah, and that's in every cooking competition, not just this one!  Older guy or woman - out first.

So I thought the older guy would go too, also because Anne usually favors the ladies.  Like I already see her eyes dilating over the failed Miss America.  I guess Miss "hijabi problems" didn't float her boat.

On 8/5/2019 at 6:22 PM, OoogleEyes said:

Can you believe that this is the seventeenth season of this shit-show??

OMG, I can just imagine how many brain cells I've lost by now watching this drivel.....

[Brookside]

If you want to see a truly funny example of a "Worst Cook in America", watch this video. Believe me, it's worth it.  (And don't be put off by Gordon Ramsay - he's not doing his obnoxious MasterChef schtick.)

[CoderLady]

6 hours ago, Brookside said:

If you want to see a truly funny example of a "Worst Cook in America", watch this video. Believe me, it's worth it.  (And don't be put off by Gordon Ramsay - he's not doing his obnoxious MasterChef schtick.)

That was fun watching the amateur try but continually fail to follow Gordon's instructions. Gordon has to yell at him at the end, but it's totally good-natured yelling. Positive criticism in the face of outrageous failure, which is what makes "Worst Cooks in America" watchable.

Edited August 11, 2019 by CoderLady

[Gramto6]

That was funny! Poor guy did't have a chance of duplicating Gordon's dish. But it was all in fun.

[LexieLily]

I refuse to believe there is anyone out there in the world over the age of five to not know that the b in the word lamb is silent.

[Aerobicidal]

Not sure if this has been mentioned in this thread before, but Jonathan Beyer (opera singer) is the cohost of a youtube channel that covers figure skating. It's called--brace yourself for creativity--The Skating Lesson (TSL).

I'm a skating fan, but I don't watch TSL because I think both of the hosts are insufferable and fame-hungry. (I have lots of other friends who like figure skating who do follow it, though, so I'm not passing judgment here.)

My reaction to tonight's episode can best be expressed in two jokes, and it's possible no one here will get them, so I apologize in advance.

1. I imagine Johnathan is now crying in a bathroom.

2. It is a travesty that Tonya Harding won a previous episode of this show when she should have been in the slammer instead.

[HappyDancex2]

This seems like a better cast...still casting characters but at least the food and techniques are being considered.  The production quality is much better.

The hypnotist was boring but his voice was straight up Jonathan Waxman.

The brunette pageant queen and college student both look in their late 40s or early 50s.  I was shocked.

Im surprised the opera singer got the boot.  He wasn’t the worst IMO.  Bobby is right though....he doesn’t really have anyone on his team that can cook.  He’s going to have to hope for a team switcharoo.

[Brookside]

11 minutes ago, HappyDancex2 said:

 Bobby is right though....he doesn’t really have anyone on his team that can cook.  

There were several times when Bobby looked seriously pissed off and unhappy to be there.

[LexieLily]

45 minutes ago, HappyDancex2 said:

This seems like a better cast...still casting characters but at least the food and techniques are being considered.  The production quality is much better.

The hypnotist was boring but his voice was straight up Jonathan Waxman.

The brunette pageant queen and college student both look in their late 40s or early 50s.  I was shocked.

Im surprised the opera singer got the boot.  He wasn’t the worst IMO.  Bobby is right though....he doesn’t really have anyone on his team that can cook.  He’s going to have to hope for a team switcharoo.

That reminds me, they haven't done the team-member-switch in a couple of years, have they?

[Dbolt]

I am new to this show. I have only seen the second half of last week and this weeks show. Do they always only cast people who are unlikable?  I mean it is brilliant if that is what they are doing because I am happy whoever gets the boot. 

[Maya]

I’m actually really surprised that Bobby let the opera guy go over the woman who couldn’t pronounce lamb.

Also is it necessary that every season someone is grossed out by touching raw meat? Never mind I already know the answer to that. 

Edited August 12, 2019 by Maya

[mlp]

So far, this is the best season in awhile IMO.  There's less "made for TV" running around and shrieking and fewer ridiculous behaviors.  The opera singer (Jonathan?) was fast becoming my favorite so I was sorry to see him go.  I thought the short, plump woman with dark hair whose station was a mess and who seemed flummoxed by everything was a lot worse overall.  I knew the older man on Anne's side was toast no matter what as soon as she decided he was not properly subordinate.  

I find Bobby's facial expressions and reactions quite entertaining.

[Maya]

42 minutes ago, mlp said:

I find Bobby's facial expressions and reactions quite entertaining.

Me too! I think Bobby is just what this show needed. 

ETA: I feel like there are fewer people pretending to be terrible cooks this season, and that most of them genuinely suck. 

Edited August 12, 2019 by Maya

[ninjakid]

When Ann was doing her stupid shit with the grapes, I though Bobby Flay looked so embarrassed. You could almost see the thought bubble above his head, "I'm Bobby F'in Flay. What in the hell is this shit?"

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, mlp said:

The opera singer (Jonathan?) was fast becoming my favorite so I was sorry to see him go.  I t

This is the first episode I caught this season and I liked him so! It’s like if Hugh Laurie and Billy Eichner had a baby!

Edited August 12, 2019 by biakbiak

[BigBingerBro]

I'm not surprised the hypnotist got the boot.  He was seriously boring.  I was shocked that Jonathan was let go, I expected him to go much further!

[Jeddah]

22 hours ago, Aerobicidal said:

Not sure if this has been mentioned in this thread before, but Jonathan Beyer (opera singer) is the cohost of a youtube channel that covers figure skating. It's called--brace yourself for creativity--The Skating Lesson (TSL).

I'm a skating fan, but I don't watch TSL because I think both of the hosts are insufferable and fame-hungry. (I have lots of other friends who like figure skating who do follow it, though, so I'm not passing judgment here.)

My reaction to tonight's episode can best be expressed in two jokes, and it's possible no one here will get them, so I apologize in advance.

1. I imagine Johnathan is now crying in a bathroom.

2. It is a travesty that Tonya Harding won a previous episode of this show when she should have been in the slammer instead.

I’d never heard of this show, and I only watched because of Jonathan. It’s been fun listening to him talk about the show on The Skating Lesson. I’m looking forward to this week’s Skating Lesson where I’m sure they’ll discuss Jonathan leaving.

And, yes, he is probably crying in a bathroom in Grenoble.

[Ilovepie]

On 8/4/2019 at 7:05 PM, Gramto6 said:

Oh. My. Gawd!! That was terrible! It is as much a cartoon show as Worst Bakers. This show used to be a real learning experience for the contestants and audience. Now the "teaching"  is almost nonexistent. I feel embarrassed for Bobby Flay to be part of it, Anne, well it is "her" show so not so sorry for her. I just can't/don't think I can watch this train wreck...

It really does suck compared to the early seasons of this show. I used to love it for the real cooking techniques demonstrated (I learned how to cut an onion from this show!). Now it's just a bunch of clowns (Anne included). I think it's turned into a comedy instead of a real cooking show. I guess they could only talk about mise en place so many times without it seeming redundant.......

[Eliza422]

On ‎8‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 4:08 PM, Ilovepie said:

It really does suck compared to the early seasons of this show. I used to love it for the real cooking techniques demonstrated (I learned how to cut an onion from this show!). Now it's just a bunch of clowns (Anne included). I think it's turned into a comedy instead of a real cooking show. I guess they could only talk about mise en place so many times without it seeming redundant.......

Oh god, I can't take another montage of these fools mispronouncing mise en place! It's always one of the real low points of each season.

[Ilovepie]

2 hours ago, Eliza422 said:

Oh god, I can't take another montage of these fools mispronouncing mise en place! It's always one of the real low points of each season.

Apparently they have moved on to murdering other words - you know, difficult words like Spanakopita and lamb..........

[preeya]

On 8/6/2019 at 9:43 AM, luvapickle said:

The guy who cooked the lobster in this past episode: how did he know to put it in boiling water, & it turns bright red when cooked?   Most of these people are ofr tv purposes only. I'm sure some have no clue. But too many seem to know certain things about cooking, not to have a basic understanding.  Plus it's not like they show them the basics anymore, at least not on tv. 

Just because they are "worst cooks"  doesn't mean they are "dumb cooks." I've never cooked a lobster or a wellington but I know the basic concept of how it looks and what goes into preparing it.  I could also be called a "worst baker." My wife bakes and from that, I basically know about dough, mixers, egg whites, flour, sugar, etc. But I wouldn't be able to bake something presentable.

Edited August 15, 2019 by preeya

[Ilovepie]

23 minutes ago, preeya said:

Just because they are "worst cooks"  doesn't mean they are "dumb cooks." I've never cooked a lobster or a wellington but I know the basic concept of how it looks and what goes into preparing it.  I could also be called a "worst baker." My wife bakes and from that, I basically know about dough, mixers, egg whites, flour, sugar, etc. But I wouldn't be able to bake something presentable.

Exactly. And also, I always think with these idiots, you might not know how to cook, but have you ever eaten anything?!??

[linthia]

Is Gina on this show the same woman who was on the reality show Stranded with a Million Dollars a few years ago?

[Koalagirl]

49 minutes ago, linthia said:

Is Gina on this show the same woman who was on the reality show Stranded with a Million Dollars a few years ago?

Good catch!  I just found her on Instagram and she was on that show too.