# Food Network Star Finale

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-network-star-finale/592757>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 15, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-network-star-finale/592757 "2011-08-15T05:04:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-network-star-finale/592757/21 "2011-08-17T19:40:19Z")

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> [@Quimby](#):
>
> I think MB may have ruined a shot at some sort of job at the Food Network with that weirdness.
> 
> I was glad Jeff won. His show was the only one I would want to watch and he seemed funny and charming.

Update: on Mary Beth Albright’s [blog](http://www.marybethalbright.com/food-network-star/food-network-star-finale/), she appears to agree with you (about Jeff, not her shot at a FN job). She asserts there’s no “there” there:

> [@Mary Beth](#):
>
> Some people have expressed surprise that there was tension between Jeff and me shown on the reunion show, and that I didn’t handle it well. Genuine apologies to anyone who was disappointed by my stammering and not hugging… I ask that disappointed people consider that the situation is more nuanced than an hour affords.
> 
> My stammering at being asked about Jeff’s show reflected my surprise at the question – it was literally the first thing I was asked when I walked in the room and I just didn’t expect it. …I was trying to figure out how to answer it, given that Susie and I were very good friends. That’s why I said, “It’s tough to separate the personal from the professional.”

To me, this is plausible, and we’ve all noted the heavy editing to push various narratives throughout the season. The phrasing of the response was pretty bad, leaving it open to be interpreted as critical of Jeff. Maybe a former attorney should’ve done better, but I can understand being caught flat footed when the need to “perform” isn’t a big expectation (although it probably should’ve been).

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**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-network-star-finale/592757/22 "2011-08-21T16:04:39Z")

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Jeff’s new show was just on. He did ok! I liked how in the beginning he went to a real Sandwich shop and talked to the owner about how he was gonna make an Italian beef sandwich.

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