- The Next Food Network Star - A show in which contestants compete in a series of challenges to determine who gets a new show on the Food Network. Each week, a contestant or two is dismissed from the show based on her or his performance.
- Hell's Kitchen - A show in which contestants compete in a series of challenges to determine who gets a new high-end restaurant. Each week, a contestant or two is dismissed from the show based on her or his performance.
In the Next Food Network Star, contestants are given significant challenges, and are absolutely critically evaluated. One person goes home each week, usually because they perform badly. But the stresses are always about the challenge, and the emphasis is on creating great food, giving a good presentation, learning and becoming better, and having fun. The atmosphere is one that discourages selfish or overly aggressive play, and instead encourages contestants to be as creative and successful as they can be.
In contrast, Hell's Kitchen is far less about the food. Instead, it seems as though it's primary purpose is to allow Chef Ramsay to yell, scream, and humiliate his contestants into submission.
Half the show is bleeped out due to profanity, but that's not the problem. What is left of the dialog in between the bleeps is a ridiculous tirade of personal and demeaning insults that no one should have to experience--even if they're on a TV show, or trying to get their dream job. Perhaps in response to this, the contestants bumble their way through the competition scheming to get each other eliminated while trying not to screw up too much themselves.
As you can tell, I think Food Network Star is a fine show and I enjoy watching it now and then. But Hell's Kitchen is a prime example of what really bothers me about a lot of reality television these days. One of the most important lessons that I hope to instill in our daughter is the importance of treating people with decency and thinking with compassion about how one's actions affect others. But so many reality tv shows these days are, above all, about either a) treating people terribly, or b) doing whatever you have to do to get ahead.
I think these are terrible lessons to be teaching our young children, which is why I really don't want our kid exposed to them...at least, not for a long while. I'd be far more bothered by letting her watch that show than if she were to see a show involving naked people making love (depending on how it's done), or maybe even a show involving a fair bit of violence (depending on how it's done). I'm a pretty open person, and not terribly conservative (most would call me liberal), but I really do think that shows like Hell's Kitchen are dangerous to our kids. I don't advocate taking them off the air (if adults want to watch that stuff, then fine, who am I to deny them that?), but I do think we as parents should be careful about exposing our children to them.
Here are a few other opinions on Hell's Kitchen:
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