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New York, 7:52 AM
Wed Nov 25
49 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/05/09
11/05/09
The writing was good, and the stuff about his family was poignant, but in terms of the book's focus — his weight struggles — it was kind of a bore. Frank never really suffered any consequences from his bulimia, or using amphetamines, or fad dieting.
It's not like he was hospitalized or diagnosed with some life-threatening disease, or as if there was any climactic turning point in his weight struggles at all. He basically just hired a personal trainer because some guy he flirted with at a party never called him back.
I have no idea how this can sustain a TV series. But yeah, sure, whatever. Maybe it'll be a sitcom about a food critic's wacky secret ops hijinks! Alias meets Kitchen Confidential! (Which, as far as the book goes, was, uh, a single chapter?)
And I really hate to say all of this, because I generally like Bruni. Despite some of the unflattering personal traits I've heard about from some of his colleagues. Meh.
11/05/09
Ha. That doesn't sound like Emmy material. Might have been a S&TC episode, though. #frankbruni
11/05/09
So while on the one hand, it's great for him that he was able to recognize his bad habits and curb them (helped, in part, by taking a job that forced him intro controlling food portions because it required him to eat so much), it's not a very relatable story, let alone a TV premise.
I mean, it barely even made a great book! I walked away thinking, "Well, great, so if I had lifelong weight issues, I'd just need to convince a major metropolitan newspaper to hire me as its chief dining critic so I can manage what I eat and afford a trainer!"
11/05/09
So did that guy at the party ever call him back? I'm trying to decide if I should buy the book. #frankbruni
11/05/09
Eventually he goes to report for the Times in Rome, where he learns more about portion control and shacks up with some dude while visiting Athens (which I think is the last serious relationship he talks about in the book, besides a passing mention of his current boyfriend towards the end).
It's an engaging read, and, like I said, the stuff about his family and his personal struggles are poignant, but only if you're really interested in Frank Bruni.
I'm sure people with weight or eating issues will relate to his the struggles he describes, but I don't think there's a lot in terms of pay-off or resolution (which, granted, I don't think is what Bruni was setting out to do when he wrote this).
And if you're interested in learning about his career as a food critic, the book — sadly — doesn't really reveal anything you can't find through some creative Google-fu.
10/15/09
Or maybe I'm just bitter that we never got a Veronica Mars movie. #thecw
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09/28/09
09/28/09
I keep telling everyone to watch from the beginning. I think it could be a hard show to pick up midseason. I'm glad that Fox picked up the first season, but I can't help worrying this show could go the way of Arrested Development.
09/28/09
If I were you, Conan, I'd be wary of runaway trams on the Universal lot (they almost got you with that head injury, didn't they?).
09/28/09
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09/28/09
Best you can do is make fun of him in posts, brutally and often.
09/28/09
And while not great, it is a little unfair to compare the first week to the second. After all on the second outing, the two considerably higher-rated, Thursday night shows were season premiering on the other channels.