The Next Food Network Star

There's a subgenre of reality shows built on the premise that there are talented people in America who could become stars if only given the chance: American Idol, Project Runway, and Star Search, for example. The Next Food Network Star is proof that the subgenre's premise is wrong.

Landing your own TV show, record deal, etc. typically involves years spent perfecting your craft, jumping through hoops set up by the companies in power, and making sure you meet the right people at the right time.

This reality subgenre bypasses the traditional method. Presumably, everyone cast on these shows has some credentials, but they haven't done the jumping-through-hoops, meeting-the-right-people parts of the process.

But those parts are an integral part of making someone a success. Undertaking the bureaucratic tasks allows time for candidates to find out how to fit into the system. If they fit the system, they are more marketable, and what is more important to large corporations than marketing?

If candidates are not willing to do the work to get a contract the traditional way, they probably don't have the drive to really succeed, even if given the opportunity. And, truthfully, if they were talented enough, someone would've noticed along the way.

This is why few winners of any of these shows have gone on to serious stardom. In five seasons, the only American Idol winner with sustained chart impact is Kelly Clarkson. Bill Rancic, the original Apprentice, is best known for his appearances on subsequent seasons of The Apprentice. And the winners of the first season of The Next Food Network Star, Dan and Steve, have been judged almost universally as failures.

Reggie and Guy, this season's finalists, are no different. Both of them seem like perfectly nice, competent individuals, but they lack that intangible star power. That they were judged the best amongst their competitors is not necessarily an achievement to be proud of.

Guy is an accomplished chef, whose delicious looking cuisine would surely please most restaurant patrons. But his show idea, "Off the Hook," lacks focus and originality.

His spiky hair, loud shirts, and fast paced delivery are meant to convey his exciting personality. But, as he's shown over the course of the show, there's just not that much to Guy. His bold style masks a lack of substance.

This deficiency was most apparent when he pitched his show to Food Network execs. He promised to take a core demographic of 18-35 year olds to the "wild side" of cooking, including how to recreate the fun food they love to eat at concerts and ballparks in their own home.

But he missed an obvious problem with his idea: that demographic eats out so that they don't have to cook for themselves. It's not terribly hard to recreate popcorn and hotdogs, anyway. And he never did define what "wild" means in terms of cooking.

Guy came close to showing us "wild" on last night's two-hour road to the final two. He made sushi rolls without either seaweed or raw fish, he fried up a tequila-marinated turkey breast, and he stirred up an ice cream pie topped with Junior Mints. Until last night, none of his dishes had been close to "wild," so it's hard to believe he really has enough ideas to build a show around.

Reggie's proposed show suffers from a similar lack of focus. "Simply Spectacular," the working title, doesn't describe what the show is about, unlike network stalwarts 30 Minute Meals or Semi-Homemade Cooking. And are those shows any less simple or spectacular than Reggie's?

For a while, Reggie billed his cuisine as Southern comfort food with city style, but his herb-roasted chicken and pot pie didn't waver much from traditional recipes. And focusing on Southern foods would put him in direct competition with reigning queen of the Food Network, Paula Dean. I know who I'm putting my money on in that fight.

Another sensitive problem hurts Reggie's chances for success: his weight. Few of the chefs on Food Network are slim, but Reggie is obese. It's something viewers notice immediately about him, and it may make them wonder, "Is that what his food will do to me?"

It's a tricky problem for the network, and for Reggie, because it's not something that can be solved easily or in a short period of time, and it's not something that can be ignored. On two separate occasions during this season, writers for TV Guide praised ousted contestants Nathan and Carissa for looking fit, saying (without saying) that they looked the part of a TV host. That praise helped Nathan and Carissa coast to spots in the final four with Reggie and Guy.

The same writers emphasized Reggie's great personality, which is code for, "First, we noticed his looks, but he won us over anyway." It's a compliment to Reggie as a person, but it's a signal that he may have to work extra hard to earn an audience.

That said, there's still a good chance that Reggie's engaging personality will triumph over Guy's caffeinated mannerisms and wild food. After filming demo segments of his show, the crew and judges in attendance cheered loudly for Reggie. Guy only received a modest round of applause.

The winner will be determined by audience voting, and will be announced on Sunday night's finale. Cast your vote through Thursday at FoodNetwork.com.