Somebody Explain it to Me
Somebody Explain it to Me by Roxanne McDonald
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What is the mid-season interruption all about, really? |
It is called the “Top Chef Spectacular” and it has come in the middle of the season’s competition.
Now, I think of these shows as reunion shows, and I think of reunions as after-the-fact.
So what’s the deal with that? Are they all in need of a break? Is it mandatory that the production staff get a week off after so many weeks? Is it some sweeps week teaser or bid?
Maybe it’s an exercise in narcissism, or to hype how popular the show is, what with those submitting questions including renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and revered, illustrious “Project Runway” mentor Tim Gunn.
Chef Jean-Georges didn’t really ask a question so much as send in a video clip of him saying how much he likes Lia and hopes she does well. Umm, either this is the first evidence of how ridiculously old the reunion material is because it was done in advance, or, as someone—I think the host—said, Chef Jean-Georges doesn’t watch “Top Chef” or didn’t watch last week. Whatever, it only serves to piss me off more that we can’t get back to the competition.
Though…, Tim Gunn’s question was funny and fun, what with his staunch appearance combined with that snide expression as he asks whether Stephen from season one “was…real?”
Other questions include, of course, viewer questions :
To the judges, what were your favorite dishes?
Tom Colicchio: Tiffani’s artichoke risotto
Padma: Ilan’s fideos
Gail: Harold’s kobe
Ted: Sam’s ceviche/Howie’s pork
Also to judges, what were your least favorites?
And to the tune of let’s watch the messes and flops one more time, the following responses came up:
Clay’s amuse bouche in an apple the size of an infant’s head
Marcel’s bacon and avocado ice cream
Betty’s chunky curdled cocktail float
Sam’s gorgonzola and watermelon dessert
Mike’s vending machine amuse bouche Cheetos ala sugar
Another questioner wants to know how the judges can taste so much food without putting on 100 pounds a season. Ted says small bites and Padma says exercise, adding a whole dissertation on her body morphing before and after exercising and guffaws from the others.
Then there’s some question of Micah’s ethnic identity, or, as she answers it, her ethnic identification, when the question is really whether she truly does hate American food: she grew up Hungarian (?) eating no American foods, while her mother is American, but, in conclusion, “I am African-American,” she smirks. What?
The whole thing really opens up how Micah sniped some sort of “you people” all put ketchup on your food [meatloaf]. So I am really not only confused but losing interest.
Before switching over to one of my shows I get to watch without having to write about it (NBC’s “Dateline”), I made it through Clay’s continued humility and sense of humor; the mutual digs the judges make about each other; a question
about whether it really takes such a short time to decide the outcome of the challenges (oh, for God sake, viewer: read up on how reality TV works, wouldja?); Sandee asking judges why they have to treat each episode in isolation (again, you more so than the viewer who has never been in a competition on TV should get that an individual challenge is an individual challenge); Colicchio praising Harold for being a chef-chef or a chef’s chef; some REALLY outdated question about Lee Ann and Harold romance; and clips of the cheftestants’ audition tapes—some of which were really funny and others which were funny even though they weren’t trying to be.
Now I am just turned on my head, slightly bored, and still wondering why the reunion comes now, why everyone is not present, and why I can’t get interested.
Lot of words for nothing, then, I suppose.
Maybe I should take my own mean advice and research a little.
I’ll get back to you on this.
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