Tipping A Hand

I'm a Food Network junkie. Admitting it is the first step, right? Anyway, it's what I watch when I have control of the remote.

Currently, they've got the foodie's equivalent of rabid sports fandom: Next Food Network Star. I've been watching this for the last three seasons, with an eye towards entering the competition myself.

Last year, there was a contestant that, week after week, would screw up or just be a jerk, yet he made it to the finals. No sooner had they hit the commercial break just before then end of the second to last episode did they air a commercial for a NEW show debuting. That commercial tipped their hand that Joshua Adam Garcia (who referred to himself as "the JAG") would not be the Next Food Network Star.

How's that, you wonder? Well, "the Jag's" show concept was Latin inspired foods. This new show? "Simply Delicioso", which featured Latin inspired foods with a different host (the cloying and phony seeming Ingrid Hoffman). I'd turned to Ed and said "JAG isn't going to be in the final two", all the while doing a happy dance that he'd been eliminated.

Then we saw that Amy Finley was eliminated, but the beginning of the finale showed that JAG eliminated himself from the competition when it was revealed he had misrepresented himself, his training and his military background.

This year's bunch has been quite different from the previous two years. I really liked one contestant, Adam's, quirky and fun personality, but felt he didn't have what it took to carry a show. This past week, he wowed them with his food (but his personality was subdued). I'd thought this meant he would finally go home and leave challengers Aaron and Lisa to battle it out. (My vote is for Aaron).

In a first for NFNS, no one was eliminated this week-there are three contestants going into the final episode. Curious, I went to the Food Network website to see the sneak preview. In it, the three finalists are charged with creating a pilot episode with Producer Gordon Elliot (so glad to see him gracing the airwaves here!).

Gordon is shown in consultation with Lisa, Aaron and then Adam over what vision they have for their shows. Adam's is to create a show where he utilizes the Internet to get ideas, inspiration and questions from the viewers. Cool concept, right? I thought it was a good fit for Adam's comedic abilities.

Tonight, Food Network tipped their hand again. Another promo for a new show was aired. In shades of last year, it had a hostess talk about her show, how you can email your questions and ideas to "Ask Aida." Same concept, different host.

So, when you see my show concept on a promo next year before you see the finals with me on it, you know I don't win!

Sorry, Adam. I'm hoping you get a show on Fine Living or one of the other Scripps networks as a consolation-you've got the personality for television.

Comments

TheMousesHouse said…
I'm hoping that Aaron wins. I really don't like Lisa - there's something about her that just comes across as phony.
Joyce-Anne said…
I don't like Lisa either. Go Aaron!
Suzanne said…
I keep looking at Lisa and thinking "Vulcan?" It's just the blunt haircut and the nearly white eyeshadow that does it.

The key to this competition is getting someone who can cook that has personality. Aaron has both-he just needs to get comfortable with the camera.

Adam, while seeming a dream for the camera, doesn't seem to have enough in the food arsenal to sustain a FN show. Love him, though.
Joyce-Anne said…
BTW, Tim and I both noticed the advertisements for Simply Delicioso last year too. Right away, Tim knew JAG was out. And, of the final two, I preferred Amy Finley. I never got to see her show, they made 6 episodes and she bowed out.

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