Food Network, Why Do I Try?

SmokeInDaEye said:
Thats great advice moving forward, Brian, though I've tried the no hat hat and glasses approach. My biggest problem is that I need to maximize each video shoot so not having my logo in there is tough. And I know food network is going to screw me constantly so I shoot video so its applicable to hundreds of foreign websites.

That said, I need to change something when this vegan woman who met absolutely none of the five criteria is a finalist. Seems like I wasted my time for something pre-determined.
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Try again, how much can it hurt?
SIDE, I have worked in and around television for many moons.
How they think and how you think are 180 degrees out of phase.
It ain't about food. Even though they told you its about food, its not.

FWIW, I like your videos so much I am buying a lobster on the way home tonight, and that little bug is going on the Performer right next to a ribeye!
 
I would have to agree to lose the logo. And don't mention the SIDE name. They are probably throwing it out right off the bat because it looks like you're promoting. The only other constructive criticism I would have is the words scrolling ran right right across you face. Regardless I think your was much better than the vegan chick. She never showed any food. She should have been thrown out.
 
Well, back towards the end of last year, I emailed Bobby Flay and ask him to consider coming to our BBQ cook off and make an appearance. I told him our little town hasn't had big name personality around here since Woodrow Wilson went through on a train when he was the President. Guess what, I never heard a word from Bobby!
 
Food Network and real cooking...

It's like teaching a pig how to sing - It's a waste of your time and it annoys the pig.
 
I think it's one of those things where they don't want the visitor to know more than the Host, because they're quote-unquote "Professionals". However I've seen several things on Food Network that I don't agree with, such as boiling or baking ribs before going on the grill.

Just my $.02

Good luck with your adventure with them.
 
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Clint, first off you are a better cook than every "host" on the food network, ive seen you in action. Bobby Flay doesnt even know how to cook, hes got a team of people behind the scenes that makes everything up for him, and the best he can do is add some chipotle into every single dish he has.
Why bother with a network that suggests you cook your ribs in the oven, or better yet make your pulled pork in one as paula deen, and the guy from the neelys did.
 
Let me clear up something. You are a great guy and knowledgeable cook. Food TV is a network. Thus everything they do is done, MUCH LIKE OUR DAMN NEWS THESE DAYS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM, is determined by what they call "focus groups."

Focus groups often do not like to see unknowns, so they use actors.
They use actors for a reason. Most viewers are not like us... they don't want to be informed they rather be entertained. In other words, most do not go on there with the GOAL of learning but merely watch as a diversion.

You are a brilliant cook. You are NOT an actor. We see brethren see this with irritation. We get pissy when we see and actor that doesn't know his chit about the food. But the public wants to see Padma, Paula, and before the "FOCUS GROUPS" which were mostly white people in the case of the Neeleys trained all the spontaneity out of the them, the Neelys as well. A college of mine works for FOOD TV as a Marketing analyst and thats the way it worked when that went down. The Neeleys were "trained" to provide their viewers with the vision of them the Focus Group wanted to see... this is why there are so many sterotypical problems with their show that irritate some of us (who do not belong in the focus group becuase we know too much). The Neeleys are NOT actually the way they portray themselves on screen.... only partly. The producers start saying to these people... "do that little dance" "tell your husband to shut his mouth more" "be submissive to Gina."
What you had was a disaster because essentially that were teaching cooks and restrantuers to "act." Which is why its just easier to put an actor up there.

If they saw my chit and liked it they would want to find a person "LIKE" me but was more pleasing to the "eye." Yet the vision was all mine and they as a network don't want to package me but imitate me.

For instance, you do know that 90 percent of the people on any reality show are actually actors... with a SAC union card and everything.

I once recorded all of Paula deens shows once when I first got DVR. Well I noticed she started out good (you can see the original air dats) then about the second season she gets more timid and her hair changes as they try to make her something she is NOT based on what their focus group says. He laugh was off, she tasted less at the table.... this happened to Gia de laurentis. One good thing that can happen at the hands of Focus Groups and producers is when someone decides to place Gia in a kitchen where the oven is placed in front of her knees behind the actual counter she works at.... thus showing her incredibly cute Ta Tas when she bends down to place something in the oven.

I used to "know" an actress by the name of Lynn Koplitz. She was on a show called "How to Boil Water" for a time and did well but was let go because her Focus group said that the MEN LOOOOVED her but the WIVES felt threatened. This is what through Padma off the air (too damn sexy) but made Gia a success. Gia was sexy enough to come under the radar to capture male viewers but be seen as a "friend" to many women.

The funny thing is... when you look at Bobby's first shows... ity sort of reminds you of Clint. Theres a knowledge there but with untapped Panache. he went through his unconfident stage as well. Now everything is well produced. Glossy.

The only real guy I ever saw that was a glossy as he was credible was maybe GUY. But case in point...... he wanted sexy ladies on his cooking show... Like me. I like the mixure of sex and food.... Hooters, ya know. but when your putting millions on the line, it gets under the control of the specualtors and what they wanted was a show single men liked, single women liked (cuz of his persona) and was a man's man... aAND that couples could tune into without either feeling threatened. Had guy gotten the sexy girls on his show... leaning against the bar.... the wife would tune out.... the hubbys could not watch because the wives would be mad, the single girls prob would tune out too. Maybe.



SmokeInDaEye said:
As some of you know, I have had an ongoing battle with the Food Network. I have created some videos for them that have been the most viewed and most rated on their site, yet ultimately they pick some actor to be on Grill It with Bobby Flay or other show.

Most recently they had a Washington State wine contest from which 20 of the 100 videos would be opened for public voting.

I created an original recipe from scratch, figured out how to cook it on the grill and filmed it all by hand. Am I just being pissy or am I being singled out?

http://www.ireport.com/docs... versus http://tinyurl.com/kpww9k ?
Seriously? I keep thinking that I can go on with a brethren t-shirt, talk about what bbq really is, and make the network a little more interesting but its getting a little tiring. Why try?
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barbefunkoramaque said:
Let me clear up something. Food TV is a network. Thus everything they do is done, MUCH LIKE OUR DAMN NEWS THESE DAYS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM, is determined by what they call "focus groups."

Focus groups often do not like to see unknowns, so they use actors.
They use actors for a reason. Most viewers are not like us... they don't want to be informed they rather be entertained. In other words, most do not go on there with the GOAL of learning but merely watch as a diversion.

You are a brilliant cook. You are NOT an actor. We see brethren see this with irritation. We get pissy when we see and actor that doesn't know his chit about the food. But the public wants to see Padma, Paula, and before the "FOCUS GROUPS" which were mostly white people in the case of the Neeleys trained all the spontaneity out of the them, the Neelys as well. A college of mine works for FOOD TV as a Marketing analyst and thats the way it worked when that went down. The Neeleys were "trained" to provide their viewers with the vision of them the Focus Group wanted to see... this is why there are so many sterotypical problems with their show that irritate some of us (who do not belong in the focus group becuase we know too much). The Neeleys are NOT actually the way they portray themselves on screen.... only partly. The producers start saying to these people... "do that little dance" "tell your husband to shut his mouth more" "be submissive to Gina."
What you had was a disaster because essentially that were teaching cooks and restrantuers to "act." Which is why its just easier to put an actor up there.

If they saw my chit and liked it they would want to find a person "LIKE" me but was more pleasing to the "eye." Yet the vision was all mine and they as a network don't want to package me but imitate me.

For instance, you do know that 90 percent of the people on any reality show are actually actors... with a SAC union card and everything.

I once recorded all of Paula deens shows once when I first got DVR. Well I noticed she started out good (you can see the original air dats) then about the second season she gets more timid and her hair changes as they try to make her something she is NOT based on what their focus group says. He laugh was off, she tasted less at the table.... this happened to Gia de laurentis. One good thing that can happen at the hands of Focus Groups and producers is when someone decides to place Gia in a kitchen where the oven is placed in front of her knees behind the actual counter she works at.... thus showing her incredibly cute Ta Tas when she bends down to place something in the oven.

I used to "know" an actress by the name of Lynn Koplitz. She was on a show called "How to Boil Water" for a time and did well but was let go because her Focus group said that the MEN LOOOOVED her but the WIVES felt threatened. This is what through Padma off the air (too damn sexy) but made Gia a success. Gia was sexy enough to come under the radar to capture male viewers but be seen as a "friend" to many women.

The funny thing is... when you look at Bobby's first shows... ity sort of reminds you of Clint. Theres a knowledge there but with untapped Panache. he went through his unconfident stage as well. Now everything is well produced. Glossy.

The only real guy I ever saw that was a glossy as he was credible was maybe GUY. But case in point...... he wanted sexy ladies on his cooking show... Like me. I like the mixure of sex and food.... Hooters, ya know. but when your putting millions on the line, it gets under the control of the specualtors and what they wanted was a show single men liked, single women liked (cuz of his persona) and was a man's man... aAND that couples could tune into without either feeling threatened. Had guy gotten the sexy girls on his show... leaning against the bar.... the wife would tune out.... the hubbys could not watch because the wives would be mad, the single girls prob would tune out too. Maybe.
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I love this post. Very good and hit the nail right on the head.

I actually must be the minority here because I like Bobby. I love to watch him cook...and yes, the man can cook. He has the chops but all chefs on TV do very little cooking for their shows. Most is prep work dopne behind the scenes. Such is the nature of the beast. Bobby would not have what he has today without the ability to cook.

I started watching him when his show was Grillin and Chillin back in the early days of Food TV. Back then he struck me as my kind of guy because he liked beer, bourbon, grilling, Q and spicy food.

He brought me back into the kitchen and got me to try new dishes and experiment.

Sure he has gone "glossy" but that is the nature of the TV business.

As for the original post, I agree with most of what is said here...lose the logo, hat and glasses and keep trying. Who knows why they chose the chick...none of us truly do...but like pops said..you sling enough shat against the wall something is bound to stick.





Good luck!
 
If that creepy vegan chick was the best it would be pretty scary (or amusing) to see what was the worst. Keep tryin' dude. The suits at network TV got their heads up their buts.
 
I just thought of something to add... someone here said work with your local area... I agree. Esp the local cable stuff.

Food TV (yes I know this was a sanctioned contest) doesn't get involved unless there is a producer already. S T U P I D L Y I think... they have only so much time available and after filling the airwaves with 2 -4 blocks of Paula Shows, The No Neck Girl shows, Neelys, Guy and Giada [this means each personality usually has 2 - 3 shows on the network] the producers are given assigments like "find me the next Bobby Flay" an thus refuse to look for anything original UNTIL they already have their personality.

You should hone those skills and get some good snappy videos going here's why.

According to an recent survey by Oracle, people under 35 get 80% of their information from videos on the puter.

This means I bet it will not be long until TV shows will begin to adopt the LOOK of flicker video.

Great thing is for these people... you have nothing to produce... its done.\\

Here was my video sent into Food TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBwr3jlfCGg&feature=PlayList&p=70A4BAEF4CB51071&index=11
 
Food Network? .... hmmmmmm
Oh yeah, I remember now ... that is the network that used to air cooking programs.

Remember when MTV actually played music videos? Anybody?
 
Thanks for all the great advice, especially Funk. Wish my local market wasn't New York City, but luckily I have a pretty good PR guy. The sh*tty thing is that the seafood pot pie was awesome! I made the recipe up the day before and had one shot to do it, not sure if I could do a puffed pastry top on the grill. At least now with my high def camera, the stuff will look even better.

Maybe Funk and I should hire some hot girls and get a show on SpikeTV.
 
SmokeInDaEye said:
Thanks for all the great advice, especially Funk. Wish my local market wasn't New York City, but luckily I have a pretty good PR guy. The sh*tty thing is that the seafood pot pie was awesome! I made the recipe up the day before and had one shot to do it, not sure if I could do a puffed pastry top on the grill. At least now with my high def camera, the stuff will look even better.

Maybe Funk and I should hire some hot girls and get a show on SpikeTV.
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Hold it.... thats actually a great idea...
 
SmokeInDaEye said:
Thanks for all the great advice, especially Funk. Wish my local market wasn't New York City, but luckily I have a pretty good PR guy. The sh*tty thing is that the seafood pot pie was awesome! I made the recipe up the day before and had one shot to do it, not sure if I could do a puffed pastry top on the grill. At least now with my high def camera, the stuff will look even better.

Maybe Funk and I should hire some hot girls and get a show on SpikeTV.
Click to expand...


i second that idea!

spike tv with a REAL bbq/smoker/beer/bourbon cooking show with hot chicks wandering around doing nothing except being hot chicks. i'm in!

you could take the show on the road and visit brethren throughout the country and see what we are cooking/drinking in our area. could highlight local foods/techniques along with local brews. let me know when i need to clean up the house a bit!
 
Hey Dude .... Lets face it, Bobby Flay is a yuppy political correct New York smart Azz. Unfortunately, the FOOD Network went Yuppy and into "Interesting Beautiful People" and left the Food behind. Stop trying to please them and enter some Q Contest where the real people hang out. Would have to loose the LP tanks though ... a good move.
 
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