Censoring Gordon Ramsay

One of my hobbies (other than food and wine) is high end audio and video, so I tend to keep an eye on upcoming Blu Ray releases in the hope that I will occasionally stumble across the odd jewel in the great dung heap that is popular entertainment in our culture.

What do I see in the upcoming releases announcements but "Hell's Kitchen: Season 5 - Raw and Uncensored".

First thought - why do we want a high definition video or audio medium for a cooking show?

Second thought - who would want to rewatch this stuff. I watch it as it is mildly entertaining and you do get the odd food nugget, but my wife can't be cajoled into even one viewing. I'd have to be terminally bored not to mention masochistic to actually pay for and watch this again.

Third thought - who would see the 'unbleeping' of Ramsays boring and repetitive cussing as a positive move? Admission - I occasionally cuss. When I am lying under a car and sit up suddelny and bang my head, or when my sous-chef drops the pot of carefully crafted sauce we've just spent 2 hours creating, it just seems to help. But doing it again, and again, and again, makes it simply a kneejerk automatic expostulation without impact, that is, frankly, boring and does nothing to raise the esteem in which one holds the person uttering such imprecations. While I have a certain respect for Ramsay, none of it comes from that little habit of his. Quite the contrary in fact.

I guess in a media world where 'reality shows' attract an audience (never seen one, myself) you could probably find someone to watch just about anything, but what next, full contact scrabbling for limited amounts of ingredients? Having contestants negotiate a Japanese reality show style obstacle course while carrying their souffles?

well, they guys a jerk or worse. can't stand to watch for even a few seconds. we all love food; but this is pointless cruelty and the victims are humans who are aspiring chefs.

I think if you watch his other shows you'll find out that he isn't the jerk he appears to be on that show. He's actually an interesting guy.

And some of those 'aspiring chefs' are total morons that are clearly only present as sacrificial lambs to be slaughtered in the symbolic gladiatorial games that hit TV shows now must attempt to be. The cruelty isn't pointless at all, it is very carefully pointed at making money.

[Jenise]

I think if you watch his other shows you'll find out that he isn't the jerk he appears to be on that show. He's actually an interesting guy.

And some of those 'aspiring chefs' are total morons that are clearly only present as sacrificial lambs to be slaughtered in the symbolic gladiatorial games that hit TV shows now must attempt to be. The cruelty isn't pointless at all, it is very carefully pointed at making money.

I agree with what you've said. He's interesting and he has a big heart. Doesn't mean it bleeds for all, but he's got a quick, discerning eye for wheat vs. chaff and can be quite tender and nurturing with those he finds worthy of a little extra time. It's THAT part, in fact, that got me hooked on watching Kitchen Nightmares, at least for ten to twelve episodes. But I was watching the older shows, most in Britain, that show on BBC America. The later stuff he's done on Rupert Murdoch's channel is too formulaic. And I can't bear Hell's Kitchen.

I'm currently enjoying Master Chef - the interplay of GR with Bastianich and Elliot mutes the hard edges Gordon shows in Hell's Kitchen and makes for more interesting viewing.

I've watched exactly one episode of GR because he was 'fixing' a restaurant that I happened to know (and which desperately needed fixing). That was passably amusing but I can see the formula for what it is.

I agree with what you've said. He's interesting and he has a big heart. Doesn't mean it bleeds for all, but he's got a quick, discerning eye for wheat vs. chaff and can be quite tender and nurturing with those he finds worthy of a little extra time. It's THAT part, in fact, that got me hooked on watching Kitchen Nightmares, at least for ten to twelve episodes. But I was watching the older shows, most in Britain, that show on BBC America. The later stuff he's done on Rupert Murdoch's channel is too formulaic. And I can't bear Hell's Kitchen.

I think you've hit it on the head with Ramsay, Jenise. We were in France a couple of years ago and stayed at a place run by a woman who had employed him back when he was just getting his career going. She spoke quite fondly of him, which surprised me at the time. That got me watching Kitchen Nightmares and I was surprised to find that the guy really does have quite a heart in him. You can see how deeply he wants some of those folks to succeed and how happy he is when it all works out. Of course, if he decides someone's dishonest or uninterested in making the situation work, he's quite ruthless.

That's the only show of his I have any interest in, though.