The Sunday Times

Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA
Channel 4, 9pm
You won’t believe this. In the second episode of his full-on American series, Gordon Ramsay visits Hannah and Mason’s, a French-style bistro in Cranbury, New Jersey. Instead of the program you would expect (the food is disgusting, the kitchen is filthy and the staff are dysfunctional) he sits down and samples their menu. And a look of astonishment comes over his face. It is one of the best meals he has ever tasted.
In front of millions of viewers, he bows his head, and – in a halting, scarcely audible voice – admits he can sometimes be wrong. He apologizes to all the people he has ever offended. He says he will donate 90 per cent of his fortune to charity and will be retiring to a Buddhist monastery in Devon for the next 18 months. If only it were true.
Ambud –
I must admit that I do watch Kitchen Nightmares, I also watch Top Chef (love the show, although the latest seasons talent seems kinda weak to me).
What is it that draws our attention to shows like Hells Kitchen and Kitchen nightmares ? I suppose we could say that Gordon Ramsey adds value to our society by helping dysfunctional restaurants get back on track, but I think he takes much more than he gives.
I wonder if he actually acts the way he does on TV in his own restaurants. I can’t imagine his staff lasting for any period of time under his demeaning and abusive management style. If he acts the way he does on TV simply for entertainment value, we have to wonder why we want this kind of entertainment.
There is another show I recently noticed appearing on Spike TV. The title is ‘1000 Ways to Die’ and the previews look somewhat disturbing. Ok, I admit it; I succumbed to morbid curiosity and watched part of the show. Basically, the show reenacts the weirdest deaths you can imagine and some strange narrator comments on the reenactment with no respect for the dead at all.
It seems reality shows are constantly upping the ante; looking for new and more intense plot lines to peek our interest , almost makes me wonder if there will eventually be a show like ‘The Running man’ airing weekdays at eight.
What is this thirst we have to witness others pain? Does it somehow make us feel better about our own misery?
I sure hope that our society isn’t so miserable that we need this kind of programming to release our pain.

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