Barefoot Contessa

Rick said:

I can not STAND this woman.

Why does she have her own show? Has she ever had an
original thought in her life? I've never learned one thing
or picked up one tip watching her; it's all just
regurgitated Cooking 101. And there's just something so
smug and self-satisfied about her demeanor that I just
want to smack her in the face, real real hard.

Thank you for reminding me why I have not even bothered
to glance at the Food TV Network for at least seven
months now ;-)

--
Best Greg

"Rick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I can not STAND this woman.

Why does she have her own show? Has she ever had an
original thought in her life? I've never learned one thing
or picked up one tip watching her; it's all just
regurgitated Cooking 101. And there's just something so
smug and self-satisfied about her demeanor that I just
want to smack her in the face, real real hard.

--
Rick

Yep, crappy show IMO. My remote is my best friend.

Jacknavox

I don't like this show at all, just the intorduction music alone makes me
gag.
"Rick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I can not STAND this woman.

Why does she have her own show? Has she ever had an
original thought in her life? I've never learned one thing
or picked up one tip watching her; it's all just
regurgitated Cooking 101. And there's just something so
smug and self-satisfied about her demeanor that I just
want to smack her in the face, real real hard.

--
Rick

Rick said:

I can not STAND this woman.

Why does she have her own show? Has she ever had an
original thought in her life? I've never learned one thing
or picked up one tip watching her; it's all just
regurgitated Cooking 101. And there's just something so
smug and self-satisfied about her demeanor that I just
want to smack her in the face, real real hard.

I swear that I have never met "Rick" in my life and am not
affiliated with him in any way at all except for my well newsgroup-
publicized dislike of the monumental fake Ina Garten.

It's good to know that the slings and arrows I've suffered
for my assessment of her abilities were not borne in vain.
Thank you.

<"Geoffrey, Geoffrey, Geoffrey, Geoffrey, Geoffrey... ...
... "

Rick said:

I can not STAND this woman.

Quoted message said:

Why does she have her own show? Has she ever had an
original thought in her life? I've never learned one thing
or picked up one tip watching her; it's all just
regurgitated Cooking 101. And there's just something so
smug and self-satisfied about her demeanor that I just
want to smack her in the face, real real hard.

To each his own. The Barefoot Contessa is one of my favorite
offerings on the Food Network. I also enjoy the theme music
on that show a lot.

Not one of my favorites either. Not a good TV image. In
addition to that hebephrenic grin and the swallowing of most
of her words, it is that constant shaking of her unnetted
hair over the food that she is preparing that makes he happy
I do not have to eat any of it. My impression is that it all
exists for the cocktails. In a recent ad the camera pans
past all of the other chefs busily cooking but when it comes
to her she is downing a cocktail. And, from the looks of
her, not her first. Now in all fairness to those we love to
hate, they were trained as chefs and not as performers.
However, it would seem to me if you chose that route, you
would also take some acting lessons.

"Rick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I can not STAND this woman.

Why does she have her own show? Has she ever had an
original thought in her life? I've never learned one thing
or picked up one tip watching her; it's all just
regurgitated Cooking 101. And there's just something so
smug and self-satisfied about her demeanor that I just
want to smack her in the face, real real hard.

I like the show, but not enough to record it or to arrange
my schedule so I can see it. I think the food is generally
sound and uncomplicated -- falling to the class of comfort
food with a little flair. In some ways Ina reminds me of
Martha Stewart. She has what I would call an east coast
attitude. You can read it as reserved but confident or you
can read it as snobbish. I think she would be an interesting
person to have a cocktail with and I wouldn't mind being
invited to a party at her home.

You might be surprised at how many people would benefit from
Cooking 101. Kids are growing up in homes with parents who
have multiple jobs and in single parent households. Kids
don't take things like Home Economics in school like they
did 50 years ago. If you look at what people have packed
into their carts at the supermarket you will see that for
many, cooking means opening boxes, cans, and jars and
heating prepared foods. Many people eat several meals each
week at places like McDonalds and KFC. Salads come from
bags. Mashed potatoes come from a box. I'm sure that a good
many people wouldn't have a clue how to make meat loaf or
pot roast.

I think her house and kitchen are wonderful. Someone
complained that the kitchen never looked messy. I can't
think of any cooking show where the set looks messy. I do
find the staged events with "guest" to be stilted and
contrived. I think that is the worst part of the show. The
guests seem very uncomfortable and I sort of feel sorry for
Ina. It makes her look like she has to bribe people to get
them to visit her. One the other hand, it appears that she
is using her friends and family as props for her show. I
think the show would be better without guests. She should
just set-up the party as if people would be arriving
momentarily like Julia Child did in her early days.

I have seen a number of posts here that citizen her because
she is obese. There is no denying that she is large, but I
think she has a lot of good qualities. She is pretty,
intelligent, and a successful business person. I don't think
it is any more valid to dislike a person because of their
weight than it is to dislike them because of their skin
color or nationality.

In the end, if you can't stand her, then don't watch. I
don't care for Bobby Flay and I turn to another station
rather than watch him. I find myself watching fewer Food TV
shows for one reason or another. I don't like some hosts
like Flay. I'm burnt-out on Emeril and Sarah. I don't think
that "semi-homemade" cooking is worth the time. The Naked
Chef is too dirty looking for my taste. I've seen all the
Martha Stewart segments when they aired on her MS Living
program. I already know "How to boil water." The food on the
Iron Chef turns my stomach. As they say around here "that
don't leave much."

"Jack Schidt®" <[email hidden]> got [censored] and typed
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"Rick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I can not STAND this woman.

Why does she have her own show? Has she ever had an
original thought in her life? I've never learned one
thing or picked up one tip watching her; it's all just
regurgitated Cooking 101. And there's just something so
smug and self-satisfied about her demeanor that I just
want to smack her in the face, real real hard.

--
Rick

Yep, crappy show IMO. My remote is my best friend.

Jacknavox

I seldom watch the show any longer. I got disgusted with it
quickly. She always has a 'friend' or 'friends' helping her
out with party. Seems the friends do most of the work and
she marinates the meat. One of the most irritating things
is; Her kitchen is *never* messy. Ever.

Michael <- makes huge messes in the kitchen

--
Deathbed statement...

"Codeine . . . bourbon." ~~Tallulah Bankhead, actress, d.
December 12, 1968

In article <[email hidden]>, Pennyaline

Quoted message said:

Rick said:

I can not STAND this woman.

Why does she have her own show? Has she ever had an
original thought in her life? I've never learned one
thing or picked up one tip watching her; it's all just
regurgitated Cooking 101. And there's just something so
smug and self-satisfied about her demeanor that I just
want to smack her in the face, real real hard.

I swear that I have never met "Rick" in my life and am
not affiliated with him in any way at all except for my
well newsgroup-publicized dislike of the monumental fake
Ina Garten.

It's good to know that the slings and arrows I've suffered
for my assessment of her abilities were not borne in vain.
Thank you.

<"Geoffrey, Geoffrey, Geoffrey, Geoffrey, Geoffrey...
... ... ">

It's the TROOTH!! We've never met or spoken or passed each
other in the hallway even, and yet now we are BEST BUDDIES!!
Hatred can do that for you!

--
Rick

"Pennyaline" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I can not STAND this woman.

I have no great love of the woman, but her recipes are nice.

I wouldn't have cared much for Van Goh either, nutzoid that
he was. But I do like his art.

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on
nothing but food and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

In article <[email hidden]>, Arch <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

hebephrenic

adj : suffering from a form of schizophrenia characterized
by foolish mannerisms and senseless laughter... WordNet ®
1.6, © 1997 Princeton University

So true.

--
Rick

Dog3 said:

I seldom watch the show any longer. I got disgusted with
it quickly. She always has a 'friend' or 'friends' helping
her out with party. Seems the friends do most of the work
and she marinates the meat. One of the most irritating
things is; Her kitchen is *never* messy. Ever.

Michael <- makes huge messes in the kitchen

She's okay with me, except for one thing ... WHAT is she
laughing at? Cracks herself up, I made sandwiches! hilarity
ensues. What's so funny?

Lots of shows they could get rid of before hers, in my
opinion. Like ... the current Top 5 crappola marathon they
have going on.

nancy

Nancy Young <[email hidden]> got [censored] and typed
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

She's okay with me, except for one thing ... WHAT is she
laughing at? Cracks herself up, I made sandwiches!
hilarity ensues. What's so funny?

Lots of shows they could get rid of before hers, in my
opinion. Like ... the current Top 5 crappola marathon they
have going on.

nancy

I like her better than I do Rachel Ray. Now there is someone
I would hate to live with. I'll bet she can't keep her yap
shut for 60 seconds.

Michael
--
Deathbed statement...

"Codeine . . . bourbon." ~~Tallulah Bankhead, actress, d.
December 12, 1968

Everything she makes is loaded with butter and cream. Tasty,
maybe, but not for me.

--
------------------------------------------------------------
----------------
----
Louis Cohen Living la vida loca at N37° 43' 7.9" W122° 8'
42.8"

"Rick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I can not STAND this woman.

Why does she have her own show? Has she ever had an
original thought in her life? I've never learned one thing
or picked up one tip watching her; it's all just
regurgitated Cooking 101. And there's just something so
smug and self-satisfied about her demeanor that I just
want to smack her in the face, real real hard.

--
Rick

"Rick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I can not STAND this woman.

Why does she have her own show? Has she ever had an
original thought in her life? I've never learned one thing
or picked up one tip watching her; it's all just
regurgitated Cooking 101. And there's just something so
smug and self-satisfied about her demeanor that I just
want to smack her in the face, real real hard.

--
Rick

All this time, I felt I should have been watching Food TV.
With all the critiques, I'm somewhat relieved I haven't. I
must see what I've been missing, though.

Dora

"Arch"

Quoted message said:

Not one of my favorites either. Not a good TV image. In
addition to that hebephrenic grin...

ROTFL!!

Vox Humana said:

I like the show, but not enough to record it or to arrange
my schedule so

I

Quoted message said:

can see it. I think the food is generally sound and
uncomplicated -- falling to the class of comfort food with
a little flair.

I know, Vox, but I expect to see more from someone who
joneses on saying she'll *show us how* to prepare different
and spectacular fare. She can't live up to her own
publicity.

Quoted message said:

In some ways Ina reminds me of Martha Stewart. She has
what I would call an east coast attitude. You can read it
as reserved but confident or you can read it as snobbish.

No. I grew up on "East Coast attitude" and that ain't it.
What she and Martha both have is LIA, Long Island
attitude... yes Martha is in Connecticut, but which part of
Connecticut? That's right. The tony Great Gatsby part across
the Sound. LIA says "snob" in capital letters.

Worse, Ina doesn't project confidence at all, especially
when Geoffrey is around. She seems to become fawning and
servile, mixed with ego spurts when she tells him about how
special the food is and recipes she's diddled around with.
Top that off with giggling cutesy-poo, and the whole picture
is pathetic indeed. I've been tempted to shout at the
television "All right already, you sad example of womanhood,
he loves you! NOBODY needs a man this much, okay??"

Quoted message said:

You might be surprised at how many people would benefit
from Cooking 101. Kids are growing up in homes with
parents who have multiple jobs and in single parent
households. Kids don't take things like Home Economics in
school like they did 50 years ago. If you look at what
people have packed into their carts at the supermarket you
will see that for many, cooking means opening boxes, cans,
and jars and heating prepared foods. Many

people

Quoted message said:

eat several meals each week at places like McDonalds and
KFC. Salads come from bags. Mashed potatoes come from a
box. I'm sure that a good many people wouldn't have a clue
how to make meat loaf or pot roast.

Okay, but she's not even doing Cooking 101. She's off in
the Culinary Twilight Zone, where Key Lime Pie is made in
the freezer with some lime zest and all there is to
roasting meat is pounding some seasoning on a cut of beef
and preheating the oven... everything in between prep and
putting it on the table just happens while she's off
buying flowers.

Quoted message said:

I think her house and kitchen are wonderful. Someone
complained that the kitchen never looked messy. I can't
think of any cooking show where the

set

Quoted message said:

looks messy.

Even Giada's kitchen looks like someone actually uses it. In
contrast, Ina's looks like the house is up for sale.

Quoted message said:

I do find the staged events with "guest" to be stilted and
contrived. I think that is the worst part of the show. The
guests seem very uncomfortable and I sort of feel sorry
for Ina. It makes her look

like

Quoted message said:

she has to bribe people to get them to visit her. One the
other hand, it appears that she is using her friends and
family as props for her show.

I have difficulty believing that she knows any of the people
she uses on her shows, except for Geoffrey.

A couple of weeks ago, I watched still another episode in
the Must Please Geoffrey saga. She had arranged some kind of
"romantic" chow down that would be consumed in the living
room seated on the floor in front of a blazing fireplace.
Chocolate-dipped strawberries were featured, hardly a
groundbreaking notion and not at all difficult to do. The
show was badly lit, so dark that we couldn't clearly see
what was going on and, most sadly, when Ina was in the
foreground we couldn't see the fire in the fireplace*

(* Reference comments to her weight below)

Quoted message said:

I think the show would be better without guests. She
should just set-up the party as if people would be
arriving momentarily like Julia Child did in

her

Quoted message said:

early days.

Agreed. Or maybe she should just turn it into a Happy
Homemaker scenario: Waiting for Geoffrey.

Quoted message said:

I have seen a number of posts here that citizen her
because she is obese. There is no denying that she is
large, but I think she has a lot of good qualities. She is
pretty, intelligent, and a successful business person.

I

Quoted message said:

don't think it is any more valid to dislike a person
because of their

weight

Quoted message said:

than it is to dislike them because of their skin color or
nationality.

I don't think anyone dislikes her because of her
weight. I've commented on it, because of the times
we've been treated to watching her eat on the show
(shudder) and because she seems to know more about
eating food than preparing it. But I don't *dislike*
her because of her weight.

Quoted message said:

In the end, if you can't stand her, then don't watch.

I watch her for the same reason people are drawn to accident
scenes. The need to see how bad things can be overwhelms
revulsion and better judgement. It's how the Lifetime
channel survives.

Quoted message said:

I don't care for Bobby Flay and I turn to another station
rather than watch him. I find myself watching fewer Food
TV shows for one reason or another. I don't

like

Quoted message said:

some hosts like Flay. I'm burnt-out on Emeril and
Sarah. I don't think that "semi-homemade" cooking is
worth the time.

What? You don't prize canned frosting and pudding from a
box?!

Quoted message said:

The Naked Chef is too dirty looking for my taste. I've
seen all the Martha Stewart segments when they aired on
her MS Living program. I already know "How to boil water."
The food on the Iron Chef turns my stomach. As they say
around here "that

don't

Quoted message said:

leave much."

Wolfgang Puck?

"Vox Humana" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Rick" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

In the end, if you can't stand her, then don't watch. I
don't care for

Quoted message said:

Bobby Flay and I turn to another station rather than watch
him. I find myself watching fewer Food TV shows for one
reason or another. I don't

like

Quoted message said:

some hosts like Flay. I'm burnt-out on Emeril and Sarah. I
don't think that "semi-homemade" cooking is worth the
time. The Naked Chef is too

dirty

Quoted message said:

looking for my taste. I've seen all the Martha Stewart
segments when they aired on her MS Living program. I
already know "How to boil water." The food on the Iron
Chef turns my stomach. As they say around here "that

don't

Quoted message said:

leave much."

I agree, with all of the above, except I'll add that I like
Tony Bourdain and Alton Brown too.

On 05/29/2004 2:39 PM, in article [email hidden],
"[email hidden]" <[email hidden]> opined:

Quoted message said:

Rick said:

I can not STAND this woman.

Quoted message said:

Why does she have her own show? Has she ever had an
original thought in her life? I've never learned one
thing or picked up one tip watching her; it's all just
regurgitated Cooking 101. And there's just something so
smug and self-satisfied about her demeanor that I just
want to smack her in the face, real real hard.

To each his own. The Barefoot Contessa is one of my
favorite offerings on the Food Network. I also enjoy the
theme music on that show a lot.

She is a fat pig! At the beginning when she walks up the
beach from the ocean it looks like SHAMU!

--
=======================================================================

The principal difference between genius and stupidity is
that there are limits to genius!
=======================================================================