Re: Top Chef \"Chef Overboard\" Sept 5, 2007
 

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I'm surprised to see myself say this, but it just seems really low rent when somebody is like "wtf is this". It feels like each guest judge is trying to be more frank and dickish than the next, and that's not fun to watch.

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I agree with you on the first point. I'm no prude, and I swear a lot, but it comes across as crass in this setting, especially when it seems to be the sum total of your comments. Michael Schwartz seemed like a foul-mouthed douchebag.

However, I don't think this is a real trend on the show. The guest judges really have their own personality.

Govind Armstrong was certainly more restrained and respectful, and Daniel Boulud was his usual self.

Re: Top Chef \"Chef Overboard\" Sept 5, 2007
 

Stevie,

It's the judges that aren't "somebody" that always come off like that. I think people like Armstrong and Boulud who already have some media exp are a little too polished to do that.

Re: Top Chef \"Chef Overboard\" Sept 5, 2007
 

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It's the judges that aren't "somebody" that always come off like that. I think people like Armstrong and Boulud who already have some media exp are a little too polished to do that.

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Good point.

Probably works both ways, right?

If you're a TV producer in Miami looking to put together some restaurant segment, you're probably not going to be calling Michael anytime soon after seeing him drop one F bomb after another on Top Chef. Whereas even if you did not know Govind before, he came across just fine.

Re: Top Chef \"Chef Overboard\" Sept 5, 2007
 

That designer annoyed me more than the judge this week.

Re: Top Chef \"Chef Overboard\" Sept 5, 2007
 

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That designer annoyed me more than the judge this week.

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I just wanted to grab him and slap him around for totally conforming to the stereotype. "YOU ARE NOT A PERSON YOU ARE A WALKING CLICHE KNOCK IT THE [censored] OFF".

Bourdain's blog is awesome this week.

Re: Top Chef \"Chef Overboard\" Sept 5, 2007
 

All,

It would have been sweet if as soon as Howie addressed the panel they would have said "OK Howie, you were probably going anyway, seeya later, now the rest of you leave and we'll pick another one of you to leave since Howie already quit."

Re: Top Chef \"Chef Overboard\" Sept 5, 2007
 

All,

Just read Bourdain's blog. I had thought Hung's performance was pretty lame, but he gave me a new perspective on it:

"I suspect Hung heard the words "stylish" and "fashionistas" and assumed, not unreasonably: "models" and "dumb as a board" -- and chose his dish accordingly"

Re: Top Chef \"Chef Overboard\" Sept 5, 2007
 

This just in...Casey...wow...HOT.

Re: Top Chef \"Chef Overboard\" Sept 5, 2007
 

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All,

It would have been sweet if as soon as Howie addressed the panel they would have said "OK Howie, you were probably going anyway, seeya later, now the rest of you leave and we'll pick another one of you to leave since Howie already quit."

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I was rooting for this, and was disappointed that they didn't take this tack - send a message that to advance, it's not enough to simply not be the worst. Oh well.

Re: Top Chef \"Chef Overboard\" Sept 5, 2007
 

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I also thought that Hung's point, while not well delivered, was valid. Not a lot of this as new. Hung is still haunted with a tragic lack of imagination in a lot of these challenges. When he did get creative, in the quickfire, it was just weird.


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Agree in general. When Hung is traditional, he is very traditional(an endless tuna tartare kind of guy). And when he tries something new, he often seems to frame it as though it is more deserving than it is, like his cauliflower ice cream. When he tries to be imaginative, sometimes he comes across as a less refined Marcel.