Hell's Kitchen, and it's viewers.

The BBQ Pit
1

Almost posted this in the ongoing thread, but after composing decided it would be threadshitting, and it doesn’t really belong in Cafe Society, so here it is.

I had my first experience with this show a week or so ago. I was in the local Burger King, and they have a TV there, usually turned to CNN. They had just teased a story coming up on Anderson Cooper that I was interested in seeing, when suddenly the TV station changed to this idiot show. WTF?

Enter Obese Trailer Trash Woman and Embarrassed Henpecked Husband. Apparently they are living in their car or something, and this is OTTW’s favorite program, and she has figured out a way to watch it even though homeless.

I had my backpack and some video equipment lying on the long bench seating opposite where I was sitting, and my tripod came within 5" of the area opposite where OTTW wanted to sit.

“Is this your crap, because if so, you need to move it.”

No problem. And thanks for asking so nicely! And of course it is my “crap”, as you call it because people don’t leave prosumer HD camcorders and expensive Manfrotto tripods lying around in Burger King without staying close by.

OTTW to EHH: “Here, now you can sit down.” EHH: “No, thanks, I’ll sit over here.”

So, I figured, how bad could this show be? I soon found out the answer. Are these really the kind of people who work in high end kitchens? I find that really hard to believe. Most of them wouldn’t even get a job in Burger King with that kind of low class attitude, frequent profanity, and obvious psychosis.

OTTW made a point of REALLY enjoying the show, laughing and chortling at the lamest things, and trying in vain to engage EHH in the show, which he clearly despised as much as I did.

Oh well, they are customers too. They have a right. Except they weren’t. They never bought any food. OTTW sat there drinking soda out of a complimentary water cup. They paid for not a single french fry.

The show is almost as obnoxious as at least some of their fans. It isn’t really a cooking show, it is more like Professional Wrestling in a kitchen. It appeals to the lowest common denominator, and is evidence that we are hurtling ever faster toward “Idiocracy”. I have some guilty pleasures, I have been known to watch “The Nanny” and even “Wife Swap”, although not on a regular basis, but I can’t see one redeeming aspect of this show. God save us.

And God save EHH. WTF are you doing with this fat ugly harridan? You may not be Cary Grant, but you can do better, pal.

2

I see this line of thinking on SDMB quite a bit and I am constantly amazed at people that think they are smart but make this basic error of mapping other people’s tastes to their intellect in some linear fashion.

How hard is it to figure out that the mapping between tastes and intellect is all over the board, non-linear and absolutely nothing like what you are implying? Seriously - how hard is that to figure out? Answer: it’s easy. So why do I keep reading that incorrect idea on this board?

Smartest person I have ever been around absolutely loved beavis and butthead. And the dumbest fucker I know loves classical music.
Note: As you may or may not have noticed, this is a pet peeve of mine - that seemingly smart people continue to make such a basic unintelligent error.

3

I fucking hate this show.

… but I love Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares!

:smiley:

4

Funny, the latter two actually describe most cooks I know rather well. And I say this without being glib.

5

Obviously all the contestants are chosen because they’ll make good TV, and that generally means confrontation.

The Apprentice, Big Brother, Hell’s Kitchen etc.

All the same profile - “will this person react on camera and give us an exciting show?”

There’s no point putting “normal” people in, 'cos normal people are boooooring.

6

Oh my god, you’re telling me Hell’s Kitchen cooks aren’t the best possible he could find, and aren’t solely chosen for their cooking skills?! Next you’ll tell me it’s not just a coincidence that every single challenge that’s voted on comes down to the very last vote, which is postponed until after the next commercial.

And no shit, they’re vulgar. That’s kind of Ramsey’s thing - his best show is “The F Word” (and it’s pretty awesome, I really have to recommend it), with the wink-and-nudge being that of course it’s referring to “food.”

I’m also agreeing that profanity seems frequent in kitchens - maybe not in tight corporate ships like the major fast food joints, but it sure seems like it elsewhere from what I’ve seen and heard.

7

This story is bullshit.

You are saying some obese trailer trash sat in Burger king, and didnt get a double extra large greasy whopper with a side of more whoppers and a bucket of fries?

Liar.

8

I like what you’ve said.
My pet peeve is people who think they are brilliant and better than others but use “it’s” instead of “its”. :wink:

9

Cool. I can always get behind a good “decline of Western civilization” rant. The ascendancy of the Least Common Denominator! The death of culture and the rise of the Idiocrat! Let 'er rip!

Eh, shit. There goes your high ground.

10

I’m intrigued. I fully admit to making generalization about people based on their taste in entertainment choices (people who watch Jerry Springer or go to the opera; people who love Larry the Cable Guy or who love Neil Gaiman; people who listen to country and western or people who listen to Bach). Usually, I’m pretty spot on. Of course I’m wrong a bit too (my somewhat intelligent, well rounded, emotionally healthy sister loves reality TV).

But now I’m wondering if there are any studies along these lines, and if you could provide them to me.

11

Ewww- you eat at Burger King?

12

How dare those damn poor people intrude on MY SACRED BURGER KING EXPERIENCE!

13

Data point: Sometimes really smart, thinky types actually like to unwind, rest, decompress, and turn their brain off at the end of the day. I have a very thinky job. The last thing I want to do is go home and read high-end literature or watch Helvetica (a documentary about the development of a font. Now there’s some must-see TV!).

Just because someone likes schlock with their evening cocktails doesn’t necessarily make them a moron.

That said, I watch Hell’s Kitchen religiously and now that I’ve read the OP… I can’t think of a single redeeming quality about it either. Ramsay isn’t particularly entertaining, or clever, or funny. He just bullies and denigrates his contestants and then gives a job to the last poor masochist who hangs in there to the bitter end. At least with Kitchen Nightmares, Ramsey is a little kinder and sometimes really *helps *people turn their businesses around. So I think I’m watching Hell’s Kitchen because I think I’m a better cook than the contestants, so when one of them gets berated, I can feel all superior about myself because Gordon Ramsay would never scream at me and call me a stupid cow. :rolleyes:

And then my buzz wears off and I remember that I wouldn’t last five minutes in a real kitchen, and that I hate working on my feet for 10-12 hours a day. :wink:

14

I enjoy watching HK because it’s all a show, and a restaurant kitchen is something I’ve never had experience with.
I eat at Burger King because they are the only fast food place that serves veggie burgers.

I am not ashamed.

15

Seriously? You’re criticizing people for watching “Hell’s Kitchen” and admitting that you watch “Wife Swap”.

16

He did say it was not on a regular basis.

17

Yeah, the OP has never worked in a kitchen I suspect.

18

You have a TV in your Burger King? Wow!

19

No studies I am aware of, just observation.

What are the generalizations you make that you think you are “spot on” about? What difference do you think you see in people that listen to country/western vs bach?

20

Teeth.