Next Food Network Star - Danuska's "Chopped" - Episode 3

Ding, Dong, Danushka's gone ....

The judges of the Next Food Network Star finally came to their senses and sent home the most unappealing candidate of the season - Danushka Lysek.  Of course, it's only the third week, but she could have easily been sent home in the first or second.  Thankfully, she was "chopped" after both Alton Brown and Iron Chef Alex Guarnashelli both recoiled at Danushka's dry, pissy attitude and mediocre cooking skills.  In fact, from her performance in the first three episodes, I am surprised that she ever made the finalists cut.  Is the competition that weak - or was the Food Network just intrigued by the "mock" glamour of someone who claims to have been a model?  Well, no matter.  She's been "Chopped."

The Chopped-format for the third episode is always entertaining, as it is one of the Food Network's most entertaining and most challenging of the reality shows.  The versatility of food knowledge and skills, as well as the ability to engage the judges, is on full display with Chopped, and it's a telling format for judging Food Network Stars.  Chad again performed well, and there is little doubt about his cooking skills or ability to be calm in front of an audience.  However, he appears to be a bit too milquetoast for the star quality required to carry a show.  

On the other side, Chris Hodgson continues to impress, but this time he reigned in the over-the-top performance and revealed a soft, vulnerable side that only endeared him more to the judges and fellow finalists.  Chris' "confession" about his past life as an addict was accented by his story of how food and cooking "saved" him.  There was a great metaphor working there about giving to people through cooking, and Chris exemplified that through his story, as well as the assistance he gave Stacy, who was struggling.  A lot of heart in that kid, and he has risen in my estimation.

Stacy struggled for the first time this week, but her star status is not really in doubt.  I was a little surprised by her choice of the pot pie - an epic fail - and I was also put off by her describing the basket ingredients as "looking like the back seat of her car."  Not an impressive image for a chef.  Russell continues to go up and down - and he is like so many (Vick from years ago) who need to develop a persona in front of the camera to match their culinary genius and off camera charm.  Rodney - the Pie Guy - is doing well, and I loved his enthusiasm as a judge.  Pie style may only take him so far, but I love pie, so I'd like to see more.

Finally, I have to say that Bobby really messed up with the judge's challenge.  The "victory" and exemption that he awarded to Demaris Phillips was a joke - the woman put a condiment on fried cabbage.  And she won?  There was no culinary skill in that act, and it certainly didn't deserve to win.  It may have tasted good, but, really, what's the point here?  This seemed to reveal Bobby's continued and inexplicable affection for the Paula Deens of the world.  Of course, the biggest mistake was that Viet got screwed in this competition.  He took his food - the pickled plums - and actually "made" something out of it - a vinaigrette - and accented his food with it.  A truly delicious looking and sounding creation resulted.  And Bobby dinged him for not making the element the star.  What about what Demaris did?  That was a bogus move Bobby, and it was so flawed, I sensed some jealous payback from the Iron Chef match.

I don't really think Bobby is that petty.  But Demaris is not close to the chef or Food Network Star that Viet can be.

Great week for culinary competition.

Next Food Network Star - Burger Bash

Last week's second episode of the Food Network's Next Food Network Star was a great episode that coincides well with the beginning of summer and the start of true grilling season.  And there was a bit of a surprise for some in the judging and "grilling" of the on-the-edge contestants, most of whom have no chance of winning the actual competition.  The show said goodbye to Andres Guillama, a formerly overweight Cuban restaurant worker who never really won over the judges.  However, Andres not only had a great story - having lost 150 pounds - but he was not terrible in front of the camera.

And, in that vein he seemed to be a virtual repeat of former Food Star Finalist Herb, whom the judges seemed so desperate to make a star for his weight loss, when Herb never was comfortable sharing that story.  The judges - almost pathetically - kept Herb around despite some miserable performances because his potential for a feel-good story and a new demographic was so tempting.  Thus, I really expected Andres to stick around for at least a few weeks while they coaxed a point of view out of him.  Alas, it wasn't meant to be.  Thus, Andres' elimination was a shock to me, but it was primarily because Danushka Lysek continues to perform so atrociously in front of the camera.  This woman is truly nauseating in terms of her air of self importance and illusions of glamour.  And that slow pessimistic drawl gives new meaning to the idea of the "heroin chic" angle that infected the modeling industry years ago.  Apparently, Danushka can cook a bit - but I can't imagine it was in any way superior to the cooking of Andres.

As far as the rest of the contestants go, there are clear frontrunners in contestants like Chad and Stacy.   They can both very clearly cook, and they have a nice stage persona that simply relaxes and appeals to the viewer.  I was a little surprised to learn that Stacy was once featured on Robert Irvine's Restaurant Impossible - for that is never a flattering experience.  It seems like most people on Irvine's show are disasters who never really knew what they were doing running a kitchen.  However, Stacy seems to know her way around a cutting board, and she talks food well.  Damaris, by the way, is only slightly less unpleasant than Danushka, and I really don't think we need anyone who aspires to be "the next Paula Dean."  I hope she doesn't mean she's aiming for diabetic gluttony and excess.  Chris Hodgson - whom I really liked when he was on Tyler Florence's Great Food Truck Race - is another strong personality, but he needs to get it under control.

And, of course, the Pie Guy, Rodney, is entertaining, but I am expecting to outlive the novelty pretty soon.  Looking forward to tomorrow night's elimination of Danushka.

The Next Food Network Star - Season 9 - 2013

With many of us still smiling over Justin Warner - "The Rebel with a Culinary Cause" - winning last season's Next Food Network Star, it's hard to believe it's that time again.  Season nine of the Food Network's Next Food Network Star premieres tonight, June 2, and the finalists are already established on the website.  I haven't checked out the profiles yet, preferring instead to meet the contestants during the opening of the show.

It looks like Bobby, Giada, and Alton will again host the hopefuls, but I don't think I am alone in hoping the network has done away with the team competition from last year.  That approach led to Giada really embarrassing herself with many insecurities that were at times hard to watch.  And, I just don't think the overall approach was very effective or interesting.  Too many times, less skilled chefs stuck around based more on the team work issue than their own skills.

Let's hope for some new challenges that will entertain, as we still focus on the culinary arts presented by engaging personalities.  The past three seasons have given us Arti Party, Jeff the Sandwich King, and Justin the Rebel. All three of these people were talented chefs with the confidence and point of view necessary to anchor a Food Network show.  While I haven't watched their shows enough to be a regular, I have been impressed with their work.  I only wish the Food Network would actually market their shows and develop the ideas - as opposed to simply continuing to be the Guy Fierie network with endless re-runs of Diners Drive-ins and Dives.

So, here's looking forward to a great season, and a new Food Network Star.

High School Diploma & an Associate Degree

The push for college degrees in the United States is not all bad if adapted for students of all interests and abilities and correlated with career and technical education (CTE).  Several schools in Colorado are on the cutting edge of a streamlined process for associate degrees in skilled labor through the incorporation of concurrent enrollment (CE) classes at the high school level.  The latest developments are happening in conjunction with the Ascent program in Jefferson County Public Schools.  This effective high school innovation was recently profiled by The Denver Post.

JeffCo schools have teamed with Red Rocks Community College and/or Warren Technical School to enable highly motivated students to graduate with an associate's degree at the same time they are handed their high school diploma.  And this is at no additional cost to the student.  This way students like Eduardo Duran can become the first of their family to earn a college degree - and they are doing it tuition free.  The only question is why all high schools in the Denver area are not developing similar programs.

Born to Run - and Still Running Strong Forty Years Later

With the arrival of Memorial Day weekend, we can successfully kick off summer, and with that comes an official start to the running season.  Here in Colorado, we high country runners will celebrate the return of warm weather with the 34th running of the BolderBoulder.  The running lifestyle in America is really "in stride" in its fourth decade, having taken off earnestly in the early 1970s with the early fitness craze and the launching of distance races like the New York marathon.  John Meyer of the Denver Post documents the rise of America's running culture - including criticism that warned against the runner's lifestyle - in a great piece designed to promote the BolderBoulder, the art of running, and the summer season.

Runners have been told by various people at various times that running is not great exercise and is actually detrimental to their health.  We've heard about the stress on the knees and other joints as well as the unnecessary strain on the heart that comes with distance running.  And certainly running can lead to a variety of injuries.  Yet, overall there is little to criticize the running lifestyle, and there is almost no doubt that man was "Born to Run."  Running is an uplifting and healthy choice that can add years to your life and numerous other health benefits, from lower blood pressure and cholesterol to greater peace of mind.

So, maybe this summer is the year you get your run on.

The NRA, Tyranny, Armed Rebellion, and Lunacy

At some point rational discussion about the Second Amendment and gun ownership crosses the line into crazy conspiracy politics - and that point has apparently become the foundation of the new National Rifle Association (NRA).  Keep in mind that up until the late 1970s, the NRA was an association of gun owners focused on sportsmanship, hunting, and gun safety.  But that has all changed, and the change is nowhere more clear than with the election of new NRA president Jim Porter, a man "still fighting the Civil War."  And, that's not so extreme when you learn that Jim Porter, living in the twenty-first century, actually referred to the Civil War as "the War of the Northern Aggression." Perhaps nothing is more disturbing than Porter's assertion that it is the responsibility of the NRA to train citizens in the use of military style weapons in preparation for the fight against tyranny.  Clearly, in opposition to the feelings of most Americans, the NRA has finally detached itself from reality.

Granted, in response to mass shootings in Arizona and Colorado and Connecticut, there has been a concerted effort by gun safety advocates to limit the possession and ownership of firearms.  Yet, pro-gun forces seem unaware that gun ownership has never been unregulated in the United States.  And that attitude - that "liberty" is found at the end of the barrel of a gun - becomes all the more disturbing when people like Jim Porter are pushing an anti-government, borderline treasonous, agenda.  Of course, it's not just isolated fanatics and the gun manufacturer's lobby that promote a fight against tyranny, as some recent polls have indicated as many as one-third (30%) of Americans believe armed rebellion "may be necessary" against the United States government "in the next few years" as a hedge against eroding liberties.

And that's the point where we depart from rational discussion.  Many pro-gun advocates have seemed to imply the second amendment is grounded in a belief by the Founding Fathers of the people's right to overthrow the government.  It's not.  For, if it were, the definition of treason and the penalties against it would not also be engrained in the Constitution.  And, the early leaders including Washington would not have used the power of the federal government to suppress such armed rebellion, as he did during the Whiskey Rebellion or Shay's Rebellion.  In fact, the Civil War was fought against the very idea when the federal government responded to insurgents firing on Ft. Sumter.  That was armed rebellion against what "the South" felt was the encroachment of tyranny on the liberty of the southern people.  Clearly, history indicates that gun ownership and the second amendment do not provide "license for treason, or armed revolution."  And, it's not simply left wing liberals that believe this.  In fact, as Jay Bookman points out, the very idea was written into strict Constitutional interpretation by one of the strictest of all strict constructionists, Antoin Scalia.

America's Best High Schools List

It's that time of year again - the release of Daily Beast's/Newsweek's list of America's Best High Schools - a popular and often controversial ranking system that seeks to define success and student achievement against a backdrop of standardized test scores, graduation rates, and other data. Notably, departing from Jay Matthew's limited scale from the past, which he called The Challenge Index and which was myopically focused on AP participation, the Daily Beast/Newsweek scale ranks schools based on six areas:  graduation rate, college acceptance, AP/IB tests taken, average of AP/IB scores, average of SAT/ACT scores, and AP/IB enrollment. For a full explanation of the ranking methodology, check this page.  Of course, beneath the data, there are always interesting stories behind the schools that top the list, and the Daily Beast profiles one such school - Bartow High School, a middle-to-low income school in Florida.

P-Tech High School/Early College Offers CTE with Business Connections

Education Week profiles the continued advancement with career training in high schools by focusing on the Pathways in Technology Early College High School in Brooklyn.  The technology-based curriculum was developed in conjunction with local universities and the corporation IBM to foster a better path for students.  Students at P-Tech can earn an associate degree while in high school, and they can potentially parlay that into a job with IBM or other technology companies.  We desperately need this sort of business-education partnership committed to innovation and design oriented thinking.  And, it is happening across the country in places like the High Tech High schools in California.  If you know of more schools and school models that incorporate this idea, make sure to post links or write about them.  Spread the word about effective instruction.

Valley Girl Celebrates Thirty Years

"Freeeed. Stacy.  Freeeeeeed.  Staaaaacyyyyy." "If they attack the car, save the radio."

It's hard to believe, but it was thirty years ago when a little known cast and a potentially cliched script made its mark on the teen film genre with the release of Valley Girl starring Nicholas Cage and Deborah Foreman.  The movie which was riffing on the teen speak of southern California popularized in Frank Zappa's song, and which put a surprisingly fresh spin on Shakespeare's star-crossed-lovers motif, was well received at the box office.  And, on its way to becoming one of the most well-known and cited teen films of the eighties, the film also launched a hallowed soundtrack of eighties post-punk and a theme song which would be come synonymous with the decade itself - Melt With You by Modern English:

This week MovieFone takes a look at where the stars are now. Some faired very well while others drifted into respectable careers and some literally dropped off the map map.  However, the most disturbing news is that studios are planning a remake of the film. That said, we'll always have the original, and it's still great every time I see it.  And, even in an era of Facebook and text messaging, the story of a young punk falling in love with a girl from the Valley seems honest and fresh in its treatment of adolescence, love, angst, and music.  The soundtrack was one of the first time I remember a movie's music making all the difference in the story, and teen movies of the 80s did that in an impressive way.  These days, the killer soundtrack is a standard component of teen movies and television shows, and it became an art form with shows like The O.C. and One Tree Hill.  But it was the young kids rocking out to The Plimsouls at a club in the Los Angeles that really put movie music on the map for me.

For a look back at the highlights of the original, check out this montage:

Career Paths for High School Students

Great things are on the horizon - and already happening - for career and technical education, as many states are starting to break from the bachelor-degrees-for-all focus and instead offering students the option of career training at the high school level.  From the old days of shop class, schools have come a long way in offering skilled training.  In Denver, the rise of the culinary arts is transforming high schools like Standley Lake High School which was recently profiled by Kevin Simpson of the Denver Post.  No doubt, the Food Network has renewed interest in the culinary arts, and that publicity has turned the job of chef into a bit of a glamorous career option.  In a rising culinary mecca like Denver, that is good news for students who are looking to develop solid career options.  One of the new angles in what used to simply be called "home ec" is the establishment of the ProStart program "which is a national program that offers curriculum, competitions and industry mentors through the Colorado Restaurant Association Education Foundation."  The ProStart program has taken the culinary arts into the classroom with great results for aspiring chefs.  Of course, the culinary arts is simply one field where students can make great use of time in high school to get started on careers.  More states are committing to developing career pathways for students in fields such as nursing, technology, and business.  Writing for EdWeek, Stephen Sawchuck profiles the growth of career classes in states such as Illinois that heeded the warning in 2011 from a Harvard study expressing concern about students not served by the strict college focus so prominent in high schools these days.  By focusing on developing education-business partnerships, schools like Wheeling High School in the Chicago suburbs are offering teenagers the sort of training and career paths that were once reserved for college internships and two-year associate degree programs.

The Reagan Myth

Fifty years ago, Ronald Reagan famously quipped, "I didn't leave the Democratic Party; it left me."

In 2013, while the Grand Old Party high fives efforts to stifle background checks legislation in Congress as solace for the empty feeling of losing the last two presidential elections, many people are beginning to argue that Reagan's quote could now be applied to the Republican Party.  The latest salvo comes from Washington Post writer Jennifer Rubin who says "Tear Down this Icon: Why the GOP Has to Get Over Ronald Reagan."  It's a rather moderate position and analysis, at least in the eyes of moderates in and out of the party who lament the government's seeming inability to get anything done these days.

The legacy of Ronald Reagan should be open to debate - as should any president's.  Yet, with the near messianic devotion some Republicans place upon the Reagan years, it's actually quite apt to review the facts on the 1980s.  The primary issue is one of nostalgia and looking at the past without the benefit of context.  One of the first people to adequately address the disconnect is political journalist Will Bunch who warned the Republicans in 2010 to Tear Down this Myth: The Right Wing Myth of Ronald Reagan.  Bunch's analysis is certainly written with bias, but his arguments are not entirely invalid.  The Reagan years were not the Golden Age, and the Reagan tax cuts are not the only thing anyone needs to know about fiscal policy and strong economic times.

Clearly, the world and the economy did not simply change with the election of Reagan in 1980 and the passage of the 1981 and 1983 tax cuts.  The national and international economy is so much more complicated than that.  For one, there is a monumental and not replicable difference between dropping marginal taxes rate from a stratospheric high of 80% to 30%.  The effect is bound to be dramatic - though other factors also played equally significant roles in reviving the stagnant 1970s economy.  The lesson for Republicans comes from the law of diminishing returns.  Just as effective tax rates have a ceiling, they also have a floor.  And dropping rates by 6 or 8 percentage points will not have the same effect as dropping them nearly 50%.  They may even do more damage, as seen by the exploding deficit and debt under Reagan, Bush II, and Obama.

A more palatable source for Republicans should be (but probably isn't for the true believers) former Reagan domestic advisor Bruce Bartlett.  Bartlett is considered by many to be a primary architect of "Reaganomics," but he has valid criticism of the current GOP and the revisionism regarding the Reagan agenda and legacy.  Bartlett outlined the reality in The New American Economy: The Failure of Reaganomics and a New Way Forward.  Obviously, it was never simply about supply side tax cuts.  The economy turned around in the 1980s, though not really until Reagan's second term.  And the economic rebound had as much to do with the basic end of inflation and the dropping of interest rates engineered by Paul Volcker as it did with taxes.  Other factors in the 1980's economic boom had to do with new oil discoveries in Mexico and the North Sea that effectively busted OPEC and basically "fueled" the boom.

Ronald Reagan was a great president, no doubt.  But much of the current Republican message is based on myth and misinformation.  And the GOP would do as well to understand Reagan the moderate deal-maker who raised taxes eleven times during his presidency.


**NOTE - For a bit of commentary regarding charges of "revisionism" and myth about the presidency of George W. Bush - in the midst of his presidential library dedication - consider checking out and cross referencing Alex Seitz-Wald's criticism "How to Debunk George W. Bush's Attempts at Revisionism" published in Salon.

Swearing News Anchor Fired - Gains a Fan Base

Getting fired may be the best thing that ever happened to A.J. Clemente.

Clemente was fired for swearing on the air last week, and has since become a bit of a celebrity as many people have come to his defense for what is generally being seen as a mistake.  Granted, using the "f-word" to express frustration while cameras are rolling is not simply excusable.  Apparently, Clemente was literally on his rookie broadcast, anchoring the first show of his very short career, and while he waited to be introduced by his co-anchor, he was stumbling over lines and cursed, unaware that his microphone was on and live.

Now, that is a certainly embarrassing and not remotely professional mistake.  And, this is a young man who wants to be a broadcaster - a news anchor.  So he clearly should be held to a high standard, and this sort of slip is quite egregious.  However, the fall-out from his slip of the tongue was rather harsh.  Clemente was suspended initially and then outright fired after the clip of his error went viral on the Internet.  That seems to be a bit of an over-reaction from the network, and probably represents some pretty prudish and small-minded studio execs.

Swearing is obviously much more prominent than it was even twenty years ago.  And there's really no excuse or justification for it in the public square.  And, this kid is a bit ... uncouth ... to be sure.  As a teacher I occasionally encounter situations where students let the "f-bomb" slip in class and they're not even aware of it.  This usually becomes quite the teachable moment, as I warn them about such language becoming so natural that they lose awareness of situation.  And, they may some day swear in a job interview without knowing it, and never understand why they didn't get the job or a call back.  This is, of course, quite different from a student who knowingly and willingly cusses in class or the hallway.  That can, justifiably, be a disciplinary situation.

Alas, the firing has seemed to work in A.J.'s favor, as he has parlayed his ignominy into guests spots on the Today Show and the Late Show with David Letterman.  Clemente is apparently hoping the waves of support for him will generate interest from the Holy Grail of male broadcasters, ESPN.  While I doubt that will come to pass, I hope somebody picks up the kid.  While he certainly didn't seem smooth in his first delivery on the air, I'd rather see him fail on genuine lack of skill, rather than a silly mistake.