T. Florence Chefography: FN Changes History

[EvanWilliams]

I realize this show aired a while back but I finally managed to get it on my DVR.

Here is my problem....the network made no mention of his hosting Great American Food Festivals which was a really lame show with Tyler F. on a cheesy, Coney Island-esqe set, doing intros to super boring food festivals across America. In an effort of full disclosure, I loved this show. It was a little lame, but it was real and I dug it. I liked to watch it hungover when I was in college. If I remember right, my wife always gave me a hard time about this but I still stand by the greatness of this show.

When the Food Festival show aired, FN seemed to be push Florence as the "next big thing". It was at that time that he stopped cooking for housewifes and "normal" people, and switched to only helping hot girls with cooking problems (NY art gallery owners, college women's basketball teams, etc). That always bothered me about the show but I guess that is how Hollywood works.

[Mild Bill]

A lot of people don't know that Paula Deen played Trixie on The Honeymooners!

Jus' kiddin' ya'll...

[NoeMan]

The Food festival Guy I remember was Jim O'Connor, but you're right, wikipedia (if right) says he replaced Tyler on the show. The funny part to me was he was never actually at the festivals just some producer hack with a camera actually goes.

[ccbweb]

What made the producer a hack?

[NoeMan]

Does all the work gets NO recognition, the on air does all the talking and a few spots, would be demorlizing to me.

[ccbweb]

Aha. I think that'd make the on air person the hack and the producer the one who worked hard and has some ability.

[Suzieg]

Now that I think about it, you are right, Tyler did do that festival show! And I do like to go to festivals, kinda feel left out by watching. I'm looking forward to Chodwa-fest in Boston this summer, again.

[Suzieg]

I'm not positive that Tyler did host the Great American Food Festivals. The host did look like him - a lot tho. The show I thought he really stooped below his level was How to Boil Water. Now granted, the so-called "french chef" that proceeded him was no better; but that was a pitiful show. I loved the "911" show.

[Avalondaughter]

I don't think it was such a bad show. I like the fact that it showed techniques for making basic recipes. It's a far better concept - and one that is far more useful - than the "instruction" one gets from Rachael Ray or Sandra Lee.

I preferred the original cast though with the clueless, bespectacled hipster and the snooty French guy. They seemed like a more fun clash of personalities than Handsome-Tyler-meets-cute-blonde-Jack.

[singleguychef]

I thought that snooty French chef was soooo funny. What happened to him? Was he just an actor?

[stellamystar]

I enjoyed the Food Festival show - what a better way to plan a vacation to see the regional specialties...I still want to go to the Lobster Festvial in Rockport, ME and the Garlic Fest in Gilroy, CA.

[wintersummer]

I noted an omission from the Bobby Flay Chefography program. He used to host a series on Lifetime Network called the "The Main Ingredient". When he's interviewed, it always seems like Food TV was the first place he did TV - not so! That first program was painful to watch because he was just so young and inexperienced. It's obviously just a part of his past he wants to forget.

[LabRat]

Lifetime is still running those old episodes. I don't know the time off-hand, but I'll come across the show every now and then while flipping through the channels.