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posts about #topchef more →
The NBC-Bashing Jokes of 30 Rock
And Now We Know How Padma Likes Her Eggs in the Morning
Live Blogging Top Chef, Week 11
Glee: Take It From The Top Chef
Live Blogging the Top Chef All Stars Dinner
The Little Prick on Padma's Tongue
Live Blogging Top Chef, Week 10
Top Chef: Restaurant Wars (And Other People) Are Hell
Live Blogging Top Chef, Week 9
Top Chef: A Tale of Two Cancers, One Pig and a Mustache

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BBooms
11/13/09

In reply to The NBC-Bashing Jokes of 30 Rock
That's a stretch. The Glad joke was certainly poking fun at "Top Chef" for its overt shilling, but in the process 30 Rock dedicated an entire scene to sandwich bags. I doubt Glad is too unhappy about that. #30rock
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hotpinklovesofa
11/13/09

In reply to The NBC-Bashing Jokes of 30 Rock
30 Rock is the only thing on NBC right now worth watching every week. I watched it on my DVR this morning and was laughing my butt off. It's probably the only thing that NBC doesn't completely sanitize before reaching the airwaves. I love that they take digs at the network and whether it's b/c the Lornes/Fey team is powerful enough to get away with it or the people at the network are too stupid to get it (it's definitely possible,) I'm all for it. I highly doubt it'll be the digs that get them canceled but the ratings should they fall low enough, not that NBC can afford to lose any more programming at this point.

I love Jack's reaction when Padma showed him that she was pregnant. It's a reminder of what all women experience when they announce their pregnancy to superiors, no matter their job or industry. Meanwhile, you could come to work and announce to everyone that you had herpes and the reaction wouldn't be any worse.

Side note: Padma needs to stick to presenting on Top Chef. Her monotone robotic delivery doesn't really work for anything else. Some girls (and also boys) need to accept that a pretty face can only take you so far. #30rock
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b4nt4
11/13/09

In reply to The NBC-Bashing Jokes of 30 Rock
Padma Lakshmi can't act her way out of a Glad bag. I cringed during that whole scene. Josh Fadem as Liz Lemon's agent on the other hand...brilliant. #30rock
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Aatom
11/13/09

@b4nt4: I cringed through most of Padma's horrid performance, until she started stealing food (in a Glad bag!) at the end. That deserved a chuckle, but only because she wasn't actually saying anything. #30rock
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Aatom
11/13/09

In reply to The NBC-Bashing Jokes of 30 Rock
I think this analysis is completely backwards. 30 Rock has made dissing the actual product and product placement itself a form of product placement. Like Jack says in the Jack-Tor episode in season 1, it's like "Letterman dissing the suits. Hippy humor." Look, NBC is in on the joke, they're cool! Seems odd that Gawker wouldn't be able to grasp this type of thing, since it built an online empire doing pretty much the same thing re: media.

The sandwich bag jokes are pretty clearly subtle product placement, not a "real kick in the shins". We all know she shills for Glad, and here she is taking credit for inventing the sandwich bag! Buy Glad!

That's the way I saw it last night, at least.
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Edited by Aatom at 11/13/09 3:50 PM Aatom was starred Aatom was unstarred

RachelSklar
11/13/09

In reply to The NBC-Bashing Jokes of 30 Rock
Fave part of episode: Canada jokes. LOVE. #30rock
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Excusado
11/13/09

In reply to The NBC-Bashing Jokes of 30 Rock
The best joke was the scarf-continuity joke. #30rock
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A Message To Rudy
11/13/09

@Excusado: Or the constant switching of the t-shirts. Three little words split over two shirts but very funny. #30rock
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Excusado
11/13/09

@A Message To Rudy: Last night's ep was pretty funny all-around - I was beginning to really lose my love for this show. #30rock
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A Message To Rudy
11/13/09

In reply to The NBC-Bashing Jokes of 30 Rock
It's a LEETLE of a stretch to say these were both swipes at NBC. The Glad Bag connection took a bit of work, no? I just thought it was funny that she was claiming she invented something that's been around for years.

And I don't think Kenneth was saying that JUST NBC won't be a network, more like he was commenting on the great push to online content for all of media.

But the show was still funny... #30rock
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Z und Vielpunkt's chick
11/13/09

@A Message To Rudy: No, there's no way the Glad joke wasn't intentional. Every time they show saran wrap, tupperware, or plastic baggies, my partner and I take a big ol' drink. #30rock
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A Message To Rudy
11/13/09

@Z und Vielpunkt's chick: Really? Hmmm... I'm not a TCHead by any stretch but I know people who are. Hadn't heard that but ... point taken. #30rock
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TriedandTrue
11/13/09

@Z und Vielpunkt's chick: disagree only because Glad is certainly not the only maker of plastic baggies. #30rock
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tewkesbury
11/13/09

@A Message To Rudy: I don't know if they do that this season, but they used to show this huge table of Glad products while Padma's voiceover was explaining what the winner would receive. The Glad tie-in on that show is obtrusive in the same way that the Turtle Wax tie-in was obtrusive on Merv Griffin shows. #30rock
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candy
11/13/09

@A Message To Rudy: Totally agree on your interpretation of what Kenneth said. I thought it was a general reference to television networks. #30rock
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abettertomorrow
11/12/09

In reply to And Now We Know How Padma Likes Her Eggs in the Morning
I'm in the minority here, but this show is so bad! These 'chefs', while they can certainly cook better than me, are just short order cooks with their own restaurants. I mean, chicken wings? Steak and cheese? A rueben eggs benedict? A piece of meat with a stick in it?

Check out Next Iron Chef for some people that can really cook with imagination, knowledge, and skill.

And I guess Padma L was pretty hot in those Carl Jr. commercials, but neither she nor any of the judges seem that engaged by the food. #topchef
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lionel-mandrake
11/12/09

@abettertomorrow: Have you watched the show more than once? #topchef
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BaconForTheSoul
11/12/09

@abettertomorrow: In full disclosure, I am an unabashed fan of this show. And though I risk the banhammer falling upon me for this statement, you are horribly, horribly misinformed about the quality of the chefs chosen for these two programs, my starred friend.

Top Chef literally cherry picks the best chefs from around the country (i.e. my future girlfriend, Ms. Carroll, sous chef at Le Benardin, aka, Mr. Eric Ripert's restaurant, also known far and wide as one of the best seafood restaurants in the world.) It's okay to dislike the show, but do it for the format not the quality.

The Next Iron Chef is interesting, but mostly as hey, the remote is too far away, I can settle, kind of way. #topchef
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abettertomorrow
11/14/09

@lionel-mandrake: I've watched the last 4-5 episodes of both shows. Top Chef is a better classic reality show in terms of personalities, conflicts, and so on. It seems to me that the chefs on Next Iron Chef have a much broader skill set. Top Chef - 30 minutes to cook an american-style breakfast. vs. Next Iron Chef - go to some random hole-in-the wall asian restuarant, eat their signature dish, then go into the kitchen and recreate it with no recipe or guidance.

And their ability to come up with inventive dishes is great.

And you've got to love a contestant that confidently admits to lying to the judges faces. #topchef
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lionel-mandrake
11/14/09

@abettertomorrow: I guess my problem with Next Iron Chef is that, they might as well call it Next Bobby Flay or Next Guy Fiore, as the Food Network's primary goal these days is to seek out and market middle-of-the-road populist food "personalities". I suspect the winner of that show was picked before they even started the cameras rolling.

Top Chef, as much as it's scripted out, like most reality programming, does seem to be more of a genuine competition. Once the winner is selected, they are not a property to be further marketed by Bravo. They're just someone who won a game show. #topchef
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MisterHippity
11/12/09

In reply to And Now We Know How Padma Likes Her Eggs in the Morning
So. In last night's live blog post, I wished for the completion of the awesome food porn hinted at by the "breakfast in bed" scene. And Josh, I thought you had seen my plea and were about to answer it here.

But you glossed over the actual "sex" part. It's like watching the movie "Personal Best," but then finding out you're watching it on USA Network and all sex scenes have been edited out.
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Edited by MisterHippity at 11/12/09 3:40 PM MisterHippity was starred MisterHippity was unstarred

Helio
11/12/09

@MisterHippity: in sadness and workiness, i had to miss the liveblog last night. In any case, I thought that recap was pretty hot. #topchef
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Lymed
11/12/09

In reply to And Now We Know How Padma Likes Her Eggs in the Morning
Are there really people in this country who think "chicken wings" when they hear New York? #topchef
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Helio
11/12/09

@Lymed: not at all, i thought he was going to make chili or spaghetti and meatballs. Those are what I think of when I hear "nyfd." But chicken wings? #topchef
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smartastic
11/13/09

@Lymed: they are called Buffalo wings for a reason. #topchef
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Lymed
11/13/09

@smartastic: The New York, New York casino is about New York City, not Buffalo. #topchef
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smartastic
11/14/09

@Lymed: true. that's what i get for commenting without reading the article. #topchef
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son of spam
11/12/09

In reply to And Now We Know How Padma Likes Her Eggs in the Morning
Still need to know what caused Nigella's horrocious hangover and when she snuck in that medicinal half-bot of champers. No way was she keeping down Eli's popcorn souvlaki soup without that. #topchef
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Richard Petty Bourgeoisie
11/12/09

In reply to And Now We Know How Padma Likes Her Eggs in the Morning
Ah, Bruce and Padma. If I could dry hump myself, I would right now.
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Edited by Richard Petty Bourgeoisie at 11/12/09 1:30 PM

Sir Winston Thriller
11/12/09

In reply to And Now We Know How Padma Likes Her Eggs in the Morning
I thought from the comments at Judges Table that Nose-Picker Eli was going to get the boot. At least Robin's dish was edible. When they tasted Eli's shit soup surprise, the judges looks like they wanted the cameras off so they could hurl. #topchef
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pumpkinsoup
11/12/09

@Sir Winston Thriller: Who wouldn't? Peanut butter and candied apple soup topped with crushed popcorn and raspberry froth. Yech. #topchef
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Helio
11/12/09

@pumpkinsoup: that desert was the yickiest thing I've ever heard described was food, and I've been tempted to buy that mcdonald's home maker kit. He must have taken a hit off Tommy C's bong too to come up with such a monstrosity and think it was a good idea. #topchef
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pumpkinsoup
11/12/09

@Helio: He could have made corn dogs! Seriously, Mike V. won for making buffalo wings.

Or if he wanted to go the dessert route: gourmet candied apples or a fancy-dancy funnel cake. Mmmm... funnel cake. #topchef
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Helio
11/12/09

@pumpkinsoup: not only is your name delicious but yes, funnel cake. Where is mine?! #topchef
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MisterHippity
11/12/09

In reply to Live Blogging Top Chef, Week 11
#adventuresinliveblogging
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MisterHippity
11/12/09

In reply to Live Blogging Top Chef, Week 11
#adventuresinliveblogging
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