Rachel Ray - Maybe Hate is a Strong Word?
Aug 23rd, 2007 by Amy
Anyone else feeling ill?
Rachel Ray REALLY Knows Cooking!
I’d like to open up this updated rant with a quote from the now departed from the Food Network, the great, talented, Mario Batali on his former employer:
“They don’t need me. They have decided they are mass market and they are going after the Wal-Mart crowd. (This was)… a smart business decision. So they don’t need someone who uses polysyllabic words from other languages.”
Rachel Ray is a multimillionare. This is a subject I could rant about for hours. In fact, some of my closest friends have had the unfortunate opportunity to hear my rants and backsided comments about my arch-nemisis - Rachel Ray. God, even uttering her name…. just typing her name… makes my mouth purse, my body shiver and I find myself making a
gaging sound. For this reason, I try my best to stay away. Emeril Lagasse gives me the same reaction every time I see him BAM!ing or GARLIC!ing or ADDING A GLASS OF WINE, WHOA!ing. (Update: He’s now off the Food Network. Maybe the execs read my rant? Nahh, he’s in the works for a new show on another channel - toned down possibly?) God, kill me. I’m now getting a skin rash. But I must get through this post. If I save just one, JUST ONE person through my mission, I will feel satisfied.
I digress. At least Emeril owns his own restaurants, has been a head chef, went to culinary school and has a decent show where he’s not feeding into this whole idea of producing a food TV show that’s “safe, fun and absolutely k-razy’ that seems to be overtaking the stupid Food Network these days. Anyone watch that show called “The Next Food Network Star“? Yes, I gave a few of the reruns a whirl. There was one contestant named “JAG” who was very proud of his Latino background. During one episode he mentioned in a radio interview that there is a lack of minorities on the Food Network and that’s one of the reason’s he thought it was important that he won. This is something I’ve thought about for years. Where are the REAL cooks? Where are the REAL chefs? Where are the cooks that look like the people I meet here in Brooklyn? They sure as fuck don’t look like Rachel Ray or fucking Giada DiLaurentis and her cleavage getting in the way of her Barilla pasta recipes (don’t even get me started). If I even begin to discuss Sandra “Life-size blow-up doll” Lee and her friggin’ “tablescapes”, I may pass out of exhaustion. My newest nemesis - or nemesis’s (if that’s even a word) - Ingrid Hoffman. I’m not saying that the Food Network must get someone who even kind of looks Latino or has a Latino name, and I know she was raised in Columbia and has a restaurant in Miami, blah blah blah. But, it’s just hard to swallow why Food Network continues to make these choices. When I’m watching the good food TV on PBS, like Latino cooking show Daisy Cooks! with Daisy Martinez, it just makes more sense as to why Food Network chooses yet another aesthetically beautiful “cook” who is “entertaining” and “Caucasian-looking” over a host who looks like many of the Latino cooks I know here in Brooklyn (like Daisy). Is it just me? Does it make sense to you?
I feel as though Rachel Ray catapulted the Food Network into changing the momentum of what the network originally stood for. Remember the old days of Molto Mario and a few minorities like that Curtis guy? When Emeril said BAM! only once every other show and it was barely animated? Sara Moulton was the hottest woman on the network - and one of the more exciting in personality? Her voice may sound like nails on a chalkboard, but she’s not even annoying because she was being herself! Not some animated cartoon character brainwashed to grab ratings.
Now, to the positives (still mixed with a few negatives… come on, what do you expect!!). Mario Batali is still a part of the Food Network. (Update: Again, I’m wondering if someone at TFN read this shitty piece of journalism? Mario is gone as well!) He continues to show intelligence, passion and vision (NOT ANYMORE - YOU’VE COMPLETELY LOST IT FN!). Emeril’s “Essence of Emeril” is still on and continues to make me hate Emeril alot less than when I’m forced to pass through the channel at 8pm, catching a glimpse of that other show I love so much. Iron Chef America, love it! Except that boring, we-have-no-other-woman-who-has-a-degree-from-a-culinary-school-to-represent-
women-on-this-show-so-we-were-forced-to-choose-this-biznatch, Cat Cora. CAT CORA!?! WHAT!!??! I can barely watch this show when she is on! If I have to see her create boring dishes and win again (I swear, the shows she’s on are fixed recently - probably b/c her losses were starting to be greater in number than her wins!). Oh, and I can’t even consider drinking Ouzo anymore because of her. Anywho’s, back to the positives. Alton Brown is still a part of the Food Network. He’s smart, witty, nerdy and cool all at the same time. He really does know his shiznit and I enjoy anything he’s a part of (he makes watching a Cat Cora Iron Chef tolarable). Sara Moulton is still kind of on - at a weird time when only stay-at-home-mom’s and the unemployed have time to watch TV. I’m not sure if she makes new episodes? (Again, wtf!? She’s g-g-gooone! Thanks for reading, Bob Tuschman!) One last positive, Bobby Flay. I can’t believe I’m writing this!! I just recently starting kind of liking Bobby Flay. I’ve always thought he had talent, but his ego just rubbed me the wrong way. Ever since he has been willing to deflate his ego (loosing a few times at Iron Chef America and loosing most times on Throwdown), I’ve realized he’s not so bad. I do think he’s a good and creative chef (except that “3 Sauce” trademark needs to go!).
All in all, I’ve ranted enough. Just realized I missed the chance to discuss Michael “Seriously, I’m a real Italian-American! Did you hear me pronounce mozzarell? gobba-goo? Proccuit? Did you see how many hand gestures I make?!” Chiarello or Ina “Do I make anything other than roasted chicken?” Garten. That can be for a later post. Thanks for reading my rant. It’s something Jonny and I rant about often. I know I”m not alone with all this… please, tell me I’m not alone!
PS: If you’re really interested in venting your RR frustrations, head to http://community.livejournal.com/rachael_ray_sux/
Here’s another WANF reader chiming in on Ray-Ray too! http://normalmagazine.blogspot.com/2007/12/rachel-ray-devils-best-friend.html
Also, feel free to check out some of our other Food Network commentary:
- Diversity Finally Comes to TFN
- Good Eats - Man TV?
- Sara Moulton’s Going to PBS!
- Mario’s Gone from TFN!!?
- HIT Me Rachel One More Time
Related posts:
I think this might just be the most well-written rant about the most annoying people on the food network EVER…although, I must say that I appriciate the original Iron Chef more than Iron Chef America…good day!
God, kill me now!! You are my long lost Rachel Ray hating soul mate if I ever met one. Read my blog long enough and you will find yet another person on the face of this planet who would like to whack her upside the head with a cleaver and leave the evidence behind.
Great f-ing post man!! You tell it like it is and I loved it.
btw…..thanks for visitng my blog. I love yours! You are now on my blogroll
Hate is never too strong a word with Ray-Ray — I can’t take seriously a grown woman who says “sammies” — although I think there’s a special circle in hell for the likes of SLop (Sandra Lee). Yes, bring on the short cut processed foods loaded with chemicals and sodium. Blech.
[…] 6th, 2007 by Jonathan So, recenty I’ve been noticing that my blog-rant about the annoying Rachel Ray (and many other Food Network ‘personalities’) has been producing big hits on this blog […]
I applaud this rant and give it an A+.
And don’t get me started on Emeril. He’s just on a whole level with me. Everytime I hear him yell BAM I think I grow a year older and become even more withered.
I cannot get over how people will just hate other people because they are ‘too happy’. Some of these people are doing what they love and are actually happy about it and then some close minded baffoon comes along and has to hate them for it. I read a comment about Rachel Ray from some yahoo saying that they used to really like her until she became popular. Grow up people, find something more constructive to spend your energy on.
JOHN!!! FINALLY!!! Someone who disagrees posts a comment. I LOVE you for it. It’s amazing to me how many have read this rant and feel differently… thank you so much for having the balls to let me know what you think. I do think you’re right though… some people do ‘hate’ on others who are ‘too happy’. I am one of them often - but only w/ people I know well. If anyone is their true self, NO ONE is always happy 100% of the time… come on! As for RR, I think she’s fooling anyone who believes she’s “too happy”. That’s the ruse and that’s one of the reasons she annoys me… it’s her fakeness and over-the-topness. I wish she would just tone it down, be herself, and stop trying to overly please network execs all the time. Just my 2 cents, but SERIOUSLY, John… thank you so much for the comment. -amy
Yeah to all Rachael Ray haters. She cooks the crappiest foods. I can’t stand when she has to collect everything she needs in one swoop. I think I saw her add the kitchen sink to one of her dishes. LOL Who comes up with her recipes?? They ought to be shot!
She thinks she’s so cute and cool. Barf.
Wish Food Network would pick up Daisy. I miss her from PBS.
I love the “life size blow up doll” comment. LOL She’s better than RR though.
hahaha. You REALLY hate her! I mean she is annoying as hell but god damn lol. What do you think about paula dean and her butter?
Ahhh, thatpessimist - you had one of the funniest posts re: the foodnetwork chicks I’ve read. I must give it some props: http://thatpessimist.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/the-girls-of-food-network/
Anyways, since you asked, Paula Dean is one of the ladies of TFN that didn’t completely make me want to rip the TV out of the wall. It took a bit of time to find her cackle kind of grating. The whole ‘bringin’ on the boys thing is stupid and cheesy. me and my husband think they are high everytime they are on - and have you ever seen their show? they are TOTALLY fucked up on drugs on that thing! hilarious. My fave thing about Paula is her boss-hog-looking husband. he’s friggin’ hilarious. Sometimes I wonder if he’s mute, then I realize he must be deaf too in order to live with Paula. As for her ‘recipes’… well, I’d like to live to 40, so I’ll never try one. I also am convinced that she probably is hiding a slave or 5 in her basement - they just seem like they’re totally old-school southern. Thanks, pessimist! we all need a bit of pessimism in our life sometimes!
I do agree about Rachel Ray. I was shopping in my supermarket in Connecticut last night and her sing-song voice started telling me which crackers to buy. There is no escape. BUT ages ago I saw her on Iron Chef (she’d been assisting Mario) and before the judging they had a word with her. She was sweaty, real, and exhausted and she said “this was the toughest thing I’ve ever done, I’m not a chef, just a cook.”
My heart went out to her; was that the real Rachel and she just thinks we want the wind-up doll?
Who knows.
A year ago I could have written this same post! Ok, I couldn’t have written it so well, but the sentiment would have been the same. Then, something happened. I’m not sure what it was, but suddenly I found myself not disliking the Rach. Suddenly I found myself….liking her. And now? Now she’s one of my faves on the Food Network. What the hell??!! How did that happen?
I feel so dirty.
I haven’t seen Rachael Ray before but I just youtubed her and could only find take-offs, versions of her talkshow, pictures of her in a mens magazine put to music, and video plugging her cookware.
There wasn’t a lot linking her to food!! The only thing I can find so far is this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WxP6MGvO_s
So yeah, I can’t really comment on her cooking ability so far. I have read other articles though that criticize her, particularly this one which is worth a read: http://www.hellchef.com/foodblog/2007/5/10/why-i-dont-like-rachel-ray.html
wow, you folks seriously need a hobby
we do - making fun of rachel ray and other food network folks! we also like macrame, photography, long walks on the beach and, if you couldn’t tell from the contents of this blog, cooking. Thanks for the comment, Maverick. Or is this Iceman?
Um. This IS our hobby, topgun, where’s yours? Time for you to head back into the danger zone.
Anywho, Amy, I do share your feelings on Sandra and Ingrid. I love how Ingrid pronounces everything in perfect English until it comes to “myee keetchen.” WTF. Oh, and Robin what’s-her-face, the one who makes 42 meals from one slab of pork? She drives me bananas. Don’t try any of her recipes, they are awful.
But..::blush:: I do tend to like me a bit of RR here and there. Love her recipes, but hate that she sold out to Dunkin’ Donuts. Mario Batali is sadly gone as is Sara Moulton. I guess all the actual chefs are discovering what most of us already knew!
i see your point. but she’s still wellfit and would defo fancy a shag!
Ray-Ray is widely regarded as The Devil.
I have to repost this comment from Melissa in the right place… it’s hilarious. If you’re under 16, I’d recommend talking to your parents before listening to this.
FROM: melissa
ok well leave it to maliss to dirty the place up, but you are going to love this rachel ray video. You are not the only one who has intense dislike for this woman!! enjoy
http://www.celebrityposer.com/news/rachel-ray-giving-a-handjob-audio-recording/
We totally hate all the same people! We should be BFFs.
I think we are BFFS! I love hating people! Who else do you hate!?! you also curse like a mutha fuckin’ sailor on your blog!! Fuck yeah! fuck fuck fuck fuck fuckity fuck fuck…
fuck that felt good.
fuck you rachel ray (sorry, readers, having a case of Tourettes)
[…] Rachel Ray - Maybe Hate is a Strong Word? […]
I don’t “hate” Rachel Ray, but I do hate what she stands for. Mass Marketing of bad food. Inspiring cooks to purchase pre-grated cheese, pre-chopped vegetables..The whole “I’m not a chef, I’m a cook” thing works on my nerves. At her position in life, she could spend a few months at a culinary school. I would go in a heartbeat if I could afford it. I RESENT the mass market, dumbing down of everything, especially good, clean, healthy food. Recently on her show, she made a cheesesteak pizza, loaded to the gills with too much of everything, appealing to the binge eater who’s idea of good food has more to do with high calorie count than cuisine. It’s not that I’m a food snob..it’s just that I think her idea of food is the last thing fat America needs right now. I am Italian and I come from a legacy of wonderful “cooks” and I just don’t relate to her food. It’s all about marketing and her making a lot of money and selling out even further “americanizing” Italian food. I walk around Italy and I see a LOT of thin people, hardly any fat Italians. But, America has an obesity epidemic from this kind of cooking…
I can barely stand the food network anymore.
Excellent post. I’m one of those people from RRSUX community. I hate her mainly because she can’t cook for crap. Other FN personalities are somewhat annoying but they have the talent and skills to make up for the annoyance. Rayray on the other hand has no redeeming quality whatsoever. She looks pretty on her magazine covers because they are photoshopped beyond recognition. She sounds like screeching tires because she is a heavy smoker and she won’t admit it.
Her recipes are shit. Come on, hot dog mac and cheese? Cheeseburger salad? Why would anyone want to make those?
She pledged to help combat obesity but she douses everything she makes with EVOO and cheese and don’t even get me started on her Dunkin Donuts affiliation. She is the most hypocritical piece of shit ever.
oh, awielek… when can we hang out? this is the best comment out of the 24 previous. you’re my (our) hero. - amy and jonny
Amy and Jonny, thanks for the kind words. Wow, not only can you guys cook, you hate Rachael Ray too?
I’ve browsed your blogs and found some amazing looking food. You seem dedicated to cooking food as authentically as possible - something I really enjoy doing. That’s why I hate Rachael Ray so much. I don’t think she is passionate about cooking at all; she instead chooses to bastardize things that could be made by investing a little more time and care. I guess Food Network in general has lost their way but Rayray epitomizes this dumbing down of cooking.
Btw - Awesome blog and I am subscribing to your RSS feed.
If you guys are ever in the Denver area give me a holler. We could sit down over sushi and sake
Oh I’ve got friends in Denver - a few! I used to live in Breckenridge about 10 years ago. I love Colorado. Thanks for noticing our mission - to discuss food culture and be as authentic as possible. You are right on -she does neither. this is why she makes me crazy. food tells a story and if she refuses to discuss these stories well, to me, she blows. but to be honest, there are too many of those types these days on TFN. I’d say 75% are shit in that way. I know not many care for the way Molto Mario was, but to me, that was the best show on there. He discussed the ingredients, talked about authentic recipes and also the culture where the food/recipe comes from.
it’s too early…don’t get me started. congrats on your new blog!! and thanks for adding us to your feed. we appreciate the support!
You are hilarious! Where on earth did you get those pics of RR? Are they for real?
I am proud to admit I don’t have cable, so I rarely get to watch TFN. I have only caught glimpses while staying in hotels, but the few times I stumbled across RR’s show, I couldn’t figure out why the hell she is so popular. I have probably watched a grand total of 45 minutes of her, but even that was enough to make me vomit.
All the good chefs are on PBS, anyway, so I guess I am not missing much by not having access to TFN. DEATH TO TFN!
PS - Jonathan - the “slaves in the basement” comment nearly made me pass out, I was laughing so hard!!
Hey, Jen! Unfortunately, those nasty-ass pics of Ray-Ray are “real” - or if you count photoshopped and airbrushed real. i’m sure she dressed up in those little outfits, but the one of her putting the turkey in the oven just looks completely fake!!
I think you can be the person who can vouch for the fact that rache is really annoying considering the fact that you formed that opinion based on a total of 45 minutes worth of TV watching. You go girl! I may have to quote you on that one!
and thanks for reminding me to look back at past comments! I still believe that paula is hiding slaves somewhere! i feel like it’s hard for her to not use the n-word in sentences… i could be wrong here, but segregation never really ended down in her neck ‘o da woods!
please stop by again!
amy and jonny
Are you guys serious? You spend your days and nights to hate on Rayray? I understand people who dislike certain tv personalities but c’mon you are getting a little extreme. If you don’t like her THAT much then just don’t watch her. So far these were all the complaints you had for her
-Raspy voice
-She does not cook good/authentic food
-she is too happy (if thats even possible)
-she is fake and putting on a show
-her meals don’t make sense
-she cooks too fatty food
That is just the short list. You did write a good article because you explained your point but I think she is a great person. Whether is being fake on tv or not, well it sells doesnt it? Have you never seen a singer, actor, or anyone else that is required to be in front of cameras? Usually they are totally different than their real selves. They have to do what will sell them and their product. If Ray went on the camera boring, quiet, and doing the same thing as everyone else, do you think anyone would watch her? No. If she did not coin the term EVOO, or any of her other little fun sayings, do you think people would stay interested? She is not over the top with anything, she cooks, she is fun to watch, she may dumb things down but guess what, not everyone is a damn chef that watches. Some people have 4 kids and don’t have time to grate their own cheese and chop their own veggies. Her 30-minute meal concept is perfect for the average parent.
So please, get over yourselves, respect her audience and find something else to watch. If all you can do is hate on Racheal for such simple things, I am afraid to see what you guys are like for stars like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. They give you something to hate on and gossip about. Rachel on the other hand, does her job and does it well.
To Chase:
If you don’t like this post why did you comment on it?
So let me get this straight, her fans have time to watch her hour-long daytime show but they only have 30 minutes to cook? Oh, I know, they must live 25-hour long days.
Why are you making assumptions that we spend days and nights doing this? I’m more interested in good cooking than RR. But even if Even if I do, so what? I still think Hot dog mac and cheese, cheeseburger salad, hot dog salad and osso bucco made with ground veal are disgusting and that makes her a bad cook. I still think Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and RR are proof positive that one’s popularity isn’t directly proportional to their talent.
As for her perkiness, she is just not my cup of tea. I thought everyone was entitled to their own opinion. Oh, but only if they don’t differ from yours. Right.
I must go, I don’t want to turn this beautiful blog into a snark site.
Wow. I started today with some PBS cooking fabulousness and googled “what ever happened to Sarah Moulton” and landed here. How serendipitous to also have my “What ever happened to Mario Batali” question answered at the same time. A few thoughts:
I wholeheartedly agree with 90% of what’s stated above — that said, I also agree with the comment that RR is trying to do something worthwhile: get the average family to be a little less daunted by cooking, and actually make a whole meal (most often 2 or 3 courses) on a weeknight. Cooking for friends. Trying new ingredients. Not being intimidated by the kitchen. It’s a worthwhile mission. It’s just too bad that she completely bastardizes it by dousing everything in olive oil. I’m sorry, but there’s no way a meal with 1/2 cup of olive oil (988 calories, 108 grams of fat) is “figure friendly.”
My main problem with TFN is how obviously overproduced everything has become. It used to be fun and scrappy - cooking is messy and involves making mistakes and they used to show that. Now when they show cooks making mistakes, everything is corrected after the break and the kitchen is spotless again. You can also see how the shows evolve, as if the producer’s notes are written across the screen (be perkier! say BAM more! come up with a catch phrase!! MORE CLEAVAGE!) It’s just so…desperate.
The one person missing from your rant is Tyler Florence. I can’t even watch that guy. Define “the ultimate” for me please, if you would, you arrogant hack. To him it seems that everything ultimate just includes 2 cups of cream and a few sticks of butter. By that definition, he should just reproduce Paula Dean’s recipes and call it a day.
Phew! I think that’s all.
I too despise the RR monster but like a previous poster I’d shag her, but only with earplugs in.
But she’s damn sexy in these pictures. I’d stuff her turkey!
I think I’ve died and gone to heaven after reading this post- which states VERY comprehensively ALL and EVERY one of my sentiments regarding RR and FN in general. My sense is that RR hypes it up for the camera so much so that I can’t bear to watch– you know, the way a bad high school actor over exaggerates every influection and recites their lines at warp speed. Too bad she’s caught up on being this persona on camera, because in person, I suspect she might be less irritating–she seems much more toned down in interviews. It is to my profound disappointment though that has the world has now sunk to NEW depths with the Rachel Ray TALK show. Who the hell thought that one up, and WHY?
Why is she successful? Because she’s Disney in the Kitchen folks. HEY- that’s what American culture is all about after all, –isn’t it?
And don’t get me started on Giada.