302562 Mon Sep 12 10:15:32 -0700 2005 8 29 Not About Food 0 1694912 Fox is doing a series based on Bourdain's book. The story has changed and the new main character is about 20 years younger than Bourdain and the characters are all artificially "HOT" a la the Fox formula. Some questions: 1) How much involvement did Bourdain have in the development? 2) How much money did Bourdain prostitute himself for? 3) Is this going to be as bad or worse than Emeril? Link: http://www.fox.com/kitchen/ Mon Sep 12 10:15:32 -0700 2005 0 Phaedrus 1 1694914 I have to say it looks pretty bad based on the commercials I have seen. I suppose I will tune in just because I read that they recreated the old Siberia bar, a total dive located in the 50th Street Subway Station. (Didn't know Bourdain hung out there but it was a great place...the new one is good too). Mon Sep 12 12:23:40 -0700 2005 1694912 0 Jersey City Mods 2 1694915 Actually, all the advance buzz about this show has been excellent. Critics have been saying it's one of the funniest new sitcoms and most promising new shows of the season, with plenty of dark humor and an excellent ensemble cast. The only actor I know is Nicholas Brendon, who played Xander on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who has a really good dry wit and excellent comic timing. (He isn't playing the Bourdain character, though.) The show will be one of these new single-camera sitcoms with no laugh track, so expect something more like Arrested Development, Scrubs, or The Office (all excellent and hilarious shows that I always recommend to people who say they hate sitcoms) than your usual generic network glurge. Mon Sep 12 14:35:43 -0700 2005 1694914 0 Big Bad Voodoo Lou 3 1694918 I actually saw the pilot a few weeks ago, as well as some other new shows, and it was my favorite out of the bunch. It's no The Office, but it's consistently funny, and Bradley Cooper is a pretty decent comic lead. Mon Sep 12 16:02:05 -0700 2005 1694915 0 ryan 4 1694920 OK, so my question is whether the series retains the irreverence and sarcasm of the book, and whether they are going for the jugular like the book? Mon Sep 12 17:19:37 -0700 2005 1694918 0 Phaedrus 5 1694981 I haven't read the book, so I have no clue. I viewed it just as I would any other sitcom, and found it enjoyable on that level. It was decently snarky, I thought, but not really mean. Hope that helps. Wed Sep 14 15:53:42 -0700 2005 1694920 0 ryan 1 1694923 Tony gives a short commentary in the new issue of Food Arts: '...watching it for the first time, my reactions were fear followed by disorientation followed by relief...relief because (the show) is, to my mind, distinguished by what it isn't as much as what it is. It isn't soft and huggy-feely. In fact, it's pretty dark. I was encouraged by the fact that in the first episode there are specific references to hard-core drug use, oral sex, and a graphically depicted partial dismemberment - close enough to my experiences in the restaurant biz to make me grateful.' Also says the actors are way to good looking to be him or his friends, he "consults" - 'which so far means I'm getting a lot of very expensive free meals while people pretend to be interested in what I'm saying', some very close to true details, some untrue details, had some complaints with food styling, and that 'the story lines depart significantly from the reality of my own checkered career. But they'd have to, wouldn't they?' I haven't been watching much FOX, when is it going to be on? Mon Sep 12 21:21:49 -0700 2005 1694912 0 babette feasts 1 1694924 When was it on? I consulted my local liine up on Fox and it is not showing up anytime this week. Mon Sep 12 21:31:22 -0700 2005 1694912 0 Candy 1 1695129 Just watched the show...it was really funny! I like that Frank Langella is the restaurant owner; I can't wait to see how his character develops. I also really liked Steven, the British bad boy and Jim, the New Guy ("Please don't make me go back to Utah! Have you ever eaten in Utah?!"). "Fuego! Fuego!" Ha ha ha! Mon Sep 19 21:28:56 -0700 2005 1694912 0 gina