Well maybe this picture of Giada will help you out.
I dunno. She’s got that mix of faux-cheerleader-like-overenthusiasm and overly precious/cutesy manner of speech that really gets on my tits. She’s the kind of person I expect to write in pink pens and dot her eyes with little hearts. I like happy optimistic people, but her behavior is beyond that. She reminds me of a yappy Yorkshire terrier that just never shuts up and I fucking HATE those dogs.
I’m not sure what the hell kind of “real girl” vibe you get from her, because I don’t, unless you mean “real highschool girl” vibe which, at her age, is not what I consider an attractive quality.
‘Real girl vibe’ - Approachable, accessible, non-aloof, down-to-earth, attractive, but not narcissistic about it…and the cutesy bit doesn’t hurt either.
Okay, continuing the hijack hijinks here…
On Giada’s Weekend Getaway to (IIRC) Philadelphia, she was buying a baseball cap before seeing a game, tried it on, and exclaimed in shock:
“Ohmigod, it fits! What is this, a large?”
Totally snicker-worthy, but she does seem to be aware of her little big head. Also, those claymations of the Food Network stars just exaggerate Giada’s little-big-headness, and Rachel’s hollow eyed look. heh.
Anyway, I’ve found Rachel’s recipies to be hit-and-miss – and half of 'em are pasta dishes or crap-stuffed-into-burgers. I’ve never had a bad recipie from Giada – although most of hers are pasta, too (arancini di riso, yum). Ina’s stuff looks great, and her advice is good (make three things, buy the rest), but I’ve only tried her simplier stuff – like her panzanella (ridiculously easy, very good).
Really, my hatred is reserved for the likes of Sandra Lee (plastic? yes. as is her food.) and Robin Miller (or, as TWoP calls her, “Skeletor”). They both make cooking seem so hard, and then offer alternatives that are worse than pre-prepared food. At least Rachel’s food is edible, and she makes cooking look easy – let’s face it, if she can manage it, any other idiot can.
I like Rachael but her Rachael-isms get annoying.
I have tried a couple of her smashed hammy’s recipes and they were good. Of course I only made ones that looked good to me in the first place.
Giada’s fake smile annoys me. You do not need to have a big ass smile on your face every single second of an episode and you especially do not need to keep smiling while you are trying to talk.
TYPICAL SANDRA LEE “RECIPE”: Here, I bought these Twinkies from the grocery store. I’m going to smear blue icing all over the tops, then roll them in this flake coconut, and…voila! Snow logs! Your friends will think you’re so gourmet and your table will look so elegant.
Gack. :mad:
I dunno. I get more the on-the-edge-of-crazy and/or won’t-ever-shut-up vibe about her. Totally overwhelms any sort of “real girlness” she might have going on. Personally, I thinks she comes across as a cross between a tomboy, a cheerleader, and a healthy dose of amphetamines. Dangerous combo, in my opinion. I know many men will disagree, but there’s something about all that I also find decidedly unsexy.
But it’s all an act, from what I’ve read. There are tons of stories floating around the net (yes, yes- grain of salt, I know) about what an absolute horrible bitch Rachael Ray is. I guess she treats her staff like shit, is rude to the guests on her show and even the audience when the cameras aren’t rolling. There are oodles of stories of her getting hammered in restaurants in her off time and making a complete ass out of herself, while talking shit about everyone from Oprah to the waitstaff.
So yeah, I’m inclined to believe she’s not nearly as nice of a person as she’d like everyone to believe.
A few links from various blogs and such about the above (none of which I’m touting as reliable resources or anything):
All I know about her is from the Dunkin Donut commercials, but even in those few seconds she manages to give off a less-than-sincere vibe. I don’t know what it is, but she comes across as condescending and over-the-top, like she’s thinking, “They want cheerful holiday spirit? I’LL GIVE THEM CHEERFUL HOLIDAY SPIRIT! SUCKERS! BWAAHAHAHAHAHA!”
Or maybe it’s just me.
A well put and hilarious statement that explains why Sandra Lee is the only person on Food Network that I cannot tolerate on any level.
Rachael’s “30 Minute Meals” is actually an enjoyable show with doable and often tasty recipes. I have not and will not watch her talk show but I can tolerate her cheer camp voice enough to get through her cooking programs. EVOO used to annoy me but it just blends in with everything else now.
I just want to gag her with a cantaloupe when she recommends Worcestershire sauce “for your vegetarian friends”. :rolleyes: Truly priceless—the bitch is absolutely clueless.
I like her. She is cute. I do not watch her show.When she is on ,I look and say she is still cute ,then turn it off.
Or, PPRR 
While we’re on the subject of Food Network hosts we like/dislike, I want to throw my proverbial hat in the ring for my girl, Nigella Lawson. I love her so much. The accent, the coy, come-hither stare, that amazing body! mmmmmmmmmmm
Well, yeah, but that’s like…like…too easy. Even on the Dope, where we can’t all quite agree the sky is blue, I’ve never seen anyone defend Sandra Lee!
Indeed…Nigella’s show isn’t so much a cooking show as soft core food porn.
She’s the one that has an orgasm every time she licks the spoon, right?
She is what I imagine a real-life Stepford Wife would be like.
No, she’s the one that has an orgasm every time she licks the spoon in slow motion during a close-up as the music swells to a climax.
Hmmm… well, ok, I liked her because she reminded me of my ex-fiance’s Mother who is generous and kind and one hell-ofa-cook! Everything about her - her voice, the way she looks and her demeanor - just comforts me. And yes, she might appear to be a smug bitch, but she really has a heart of gold… or at least that is mho.
Alton is the bomb!
Giada… sorry, she lost respect when I saw her roll her eyes after losing on Iron Chef - so immature!
And I was even cheering for her!
Ever seen Nigella Lawson?
Very pleasing personality, cute accent (for those of us who aren’t British), and she cooks some darn good looking chow.
In my world, it is never “just cooking”. RR is fine for people that want to not eat take out, but for those of us that take food seriously she is a hack of the highest order.
Giada gets a bit of a pass from me, as she’s a Bruin. But still - half the time she uses boughten sauce and pre-shredded cheese product. Grossville, Mikey. Great Italian food depends on high quality ingredients, otherwise it’s just a step above fast food.