melissa darabian-related stories
Posted Aug 18th 2009 1:01PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Food/Home/DIY, OpEd, Celebrities, Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free
Remember how in Miss America, the emcee would always say that in the event that Miss America cannot fulfill her duties, the first runner up would step in? Apparently that's how it works with
The Next Food Network Star, too. Just three weeks after
Melissa D'Arabian was declared the winner, her number one challenger -- the guy who placed second --
Jeffrey Saad has been given his own show. It's not on the network, but it's a show nonetheless.
According to Food Network honcho Bob Tuschman's blog,
Jeffrey Saad will be doing a mini-series on the web site -- exclusively for now -- called
The Spice Smuggler. The premise is based on the Alton Brown directed pilot that Jeffrey presented in the finale of
The Next Food Network Star.
Continue reading Food Network Star runner-up gets a show, too!
Posted Aug 9th 2009 6:02PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Food/Home/DIY, OpEd, Pickups and Renewals, Casting, Reality-Free
A week ago -- in TV time --
Melissa D'Arabian was crowned the winner of The Next Food Network Star. Presto-chango and one week later, her new show debuted on The Food Network, called
Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa D'Arabian. That wasn't the concept she was talking about during the competition, but within hours of last Sunday's finale, FN had decided that this would be the format for Melissa.
It was with a lot of curiosity that I checked out the debut of
Ten Dollar Dinners. Would Melissa be able to adapt her "kitchen survival guide" and perky homemaker style to a skin flint, sawbuck a dinner concept? Would the personality -- that the judges harped on wanting to see -- come out in a slickly-made premiere episode?
Continue reading The Next Food Network Star's Ten Dollar Dinners debuts
Posted Aug 4th 2009 10:02AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Food/Home/DIY, Programming, OpEd, Casting
If you watched
the finale of The Next Food Network Star, you know that homemaker, non-pro cook Melissa D'Arabian was the big winner. Hopefully, you really, really like Melissa and not just the pilot she created for the competition,
Kitchen Survival Guide, because
Food Network has shucked the concept.
That's right, less than 24 hours after cleaning up the confetti, Ms. D'Arabian was handed a new show with a new angle. The title will be
Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa D'Arabian.
Continue reading Food Network cooks up new concept for its new star
Posted Aug 3rd 2009 8:30AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Food/Home/DIY, Watercooler Talk
So, did the person you thought was going to win
The Next Food Network Star actually win, or are you steaming mad right now? After the jump, a quick analysis of last night's season finale.
Continue reading The Next Food Network Star: Finale (season finale) - open thread
Posted Jul 29th 2009 10:02AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Food/Home/DIY, OpEd, Watercooler Talk, TV Squad Lists
Jacob at FoodNetworkAddict.com has come up with five good reasons why he thinks
Melissa Darabian will win The Next Food Network Star when the competition wraps next Sunday. His points are well thought out, especially the one that suggests that Melissa's journey on the show has been dramatically edited to make her seem like an underdog who has now emerged as a dynamic player. However, I'm banking on Jeffrey Saad to win. Here's my five reasons:
1. The likability factorSince the opening episode, there hasn't been a more attractive and likable competitor on
The Next Food Network Star. Jeffrey makes viewers feel comfortable, like a Tom Selleck or James Garner, and when you're talking about TV personalities, that's the most important asset. Jeffrey would be welcomed on TVs in living rooms -- and kitchens -- around the country.
Continue reading Five reasons why Jeffrey will win The Next Food Network Star
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
