554 replies to this topic

[TWoP Gadget]

Anybody catch this show on FN? I'm OK with the theme, and I'm loving host Justin (because he's hot), but... everything else is falling flat for me. The contestants vary between normal and psychotic -- and I swear, the middle judge really needs subtitles.

[TudorQueen]

IMHO, Middle Judge doesn't need subtitles, because everything he says is 'Elementary Asshole'. I hated him.

Also hated Daddy Cupcake Guy. What a condescending jerk. Babydoll Cupcake Cupcake surprised me - she was focused and well equipped for what turned out to be her win.

Shumar the Whale texts "I'm hungry". TudorQueen throws up a little in her mouth. That's all.

[Wabi sabi]

Just saw my first show. As someone who LOOOOOVES cooking shows I have to say that these people take cupcakes way too seriously! "Ah came herrrre today to see cupcakes that ah cude not see anywhere elze in ze whirled". Somebody clearly has too much time on his hands. Little sissy cupcake and her long blond hair got on my nerves. You are in a KITCHEN-pull your hair back! This is not about you being cute.

[i heart food]

Yeah, I was not digging Barbie's hair hanging over the mixing bowls at all. Pull it back, heifer! I just watched it because I was watching my DVR and if you don't do anything when the show is over it cuts to the last channel you had on. Hence, Cupcake Wars. It looks like a cross between FN Challenge and Chopped (which I'm watching now). Eh, it's ok.

Are they going to have different competitors on each show? Because I wasn't really liking the competitors this week. In Allyson's defense from the pompous ass judges, though, they are FREAKING CUPCAKES PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unless you are going to be doing savory crap, what do you expect? I will say she didn't do well in presentation, but holy cow.

[BW Manilowe]

Tonight's/last night's ep was at least the 2nd 1. I saw a different ep on Sunday night, either before or after (maybe before, then repeated again after) The Next Food Network Star (the competitors' displays/cupcakes in that 1 eventually ended up at a Celebrity Charity Golf Tournament &, instead of SeaWorld themed cupcakes they had to do golfing ones in whichever round[s]). I HATED the blonde twit who won this ep & was so hoping she'd lose--though I figured she had it locked when she put the whale on her display. Besides the not tying back her hair thing, there was something either bitchy or smarmy, or maybe both, about her to me. In general I like the show though.

Edited by BW Manilowe, Jun 16, 2010 @ 2:48 AM.

[Skittl1321]

This was a one time special before it was a series- right? Or did I imagine that.

Having watched the golf one, I have never wanted everyone to lose so badly. None of the contestants had any likeable characteristics.

Also- brown swirl icing on top of a cupcake looks like a pile of poo. Why do so many of them do that?

[MoeBee]

I saw the golf themed episode with George Lopez's wife on Sunday. The first guy who got cut was quite the arrogant prick.

At the end it seemed like the winner was determined by who had the better idea for designing the cupcake display. Isn't this supposed to be a cooking show?

[dreamy]

Couldn't sleep last night, so I ended up watching the Sea World episode. The blond contestant bugged for most of the show, and the guy's cupcakes looked amazing and creative, but he totally lost me when he acted like such an incredible jerk to his assistants. I usually root for whomever is the better contestant, but at that moment, I just wanted him to lose.

[Puds38]

I watched the Shumar episode simply because my summer tv viewing schedule isn't full and I'm bored. Anyway I had no idea cupcakes were such serious business now. Hot host Justin bugs because he's way too snarky, French judge is too serious and mean. I was routing for the guy until he became douche-y and when he went all dark with the fishing net I knew he would loose.

[LuLuVuitton]

I watched the golf episode. I believe that this is a series, and not a one-time show.

Anyway, I watch FN for two basic reasons -

1. To learn how to do something that I don't know how to do, or want to know how to do better.
2. For recipes.

The lonely exceptions are Iron Chef and...........Iron Chef America. They just throw things together on the spot.

The idea of having random bakers cook cupcakes? I would only be interested if the contestants gave at least one recipe each. Which they don't.

A good example of my bias, though, is Barefoot Contessa. Love her!! and have bought ALL of Ina's cookbooks and use them often. What I hate about her show is when they show her driving in her car to the cheese-mart, or fish-mart, chicken farm or candle maker. Or Jeffrey sent to the store to buy wine. I watch the episode, but fast forward through Ina's drive time and Jeffrey's shopping, etc., etc., etc. Back on topic, and to explain my personal bias, Cupcake Wars is like watching Ina drive her car, walk through someone's garden, or Jeffrey buy a bottle of wine - and Jeffrey always worries that he has bought the wrong kind and that Ina will shame him. Sigh....

Bakers-of-the-week are worrying that their cupcakes are over- or under-cooked, or that the judges just won't "get it", meaning their 'point of view on their customers' bestselling cupcake'.

No recipes, nothing to be learned, insecure contestants. Thanks, but no.

This show has gotten the X of shame for summer Tivo activity. I'd rather watch Top Chef Masters, or Top Chef, YAY! By far!!

Edited by LuLuVuitton, Jun 16, 2010 @ 6:21 PM.

[TWoP Gadget]

The idea of having random bakers cook cupcakes? I would only be interested if the contestants gave at least one recipe each. Which they don't.

Actually, some of the winning recipes are on FN's site.

Back on-topic (and away from "why FN sucks these days"), I watched Sea World and... I swear, all of these people take this WAY too seriously. It's a TV show. Even if you lose, your business still gets hella good screen time in front of a nationwide audience.

And -- Justin (the host) tweeted a couple of days ago that his outfits get more pastel as the series goes on. At this point, by the end of the series, he'll be radiating white.

[Wabi sabi]

Actually, some of the winning recipes are on FN's site.

Well, fire up the oven, let me get my squid ink and seaweed and let's do this thing! Cupcakes for everyone!

[DesiLu]

I can't believe that the actress who played Evie Garland on Out Of This World is now on TV making cupcakes. It took the entire show for me to figure out who the hell she was! My daughter used to LOVE her show.

[dreamy]

Well, fire up the oven, let me get my squid ink and seaweed and let's do this thing!

Hey, I bet that would be a hit at the next school bake sale!

By the way, listings say that the next one is set at a "Matchmaking Party." One can only imagine.

[Trini Girl]

This show just seems especially unnecessary. And even the name of the show is almost a oxymoron. Plus this:

I swear, all of these people take this WAY too seriously.

And it would be much more watchable if it wasn't for..

the pompous ass judges

Yeah, especially French(?) Accent Judge, who is also taking this way too seriously.

[Wabi sabi]

By the way, listings say that the next one is set at a "Matchmaking Party." One can only imagine.

They will have to use strawberry flavored lube and oysters in the special "theme" recipe.

[AllisonJenny]

The hair over the food drives me nuts. Pull your hair baby, ladies : P

The ship's wheel in the Sea World episode cracked me up. It made me think "nom nom, let's go to a seafood restaurant" instead of "let's go save some ocean animals!"

I rolled my eyes at the yellow shirted girl in the golf episode for being all "what, we both made maple-bacon cupcakes ? was he in my head ?" Many cupcake shops sell bacon cupcakes, so it's not like her competiton went "Oooh, let's take their idea!"

In the golf episode, I was suprised to see the actor who plays Jacob the pervy blogger on Glee.

*ETA: Anyone else watch the pilot when it aired last year? It hasn't improved much since then

Edited by AllisonJenny, Jun 17, 2010 @ 11:42 PM.

[Puds38]

*ETA: Anyone else watch the pilot when it aired last year? It hasn't improved much since then

I saw it, and yeah no one iota of improvement.

[Skittl1321]

so it's not like her competiton went "Oooh, let's take their idea!"

Not to mention he did it first, she originally went with potato or something.

What was really weird is in the next round someone made a maple bacon cupcake as one of their 'standard' cupcakes.

[Major Misfit]

I swear, all of these people take this WAY too seriously.

Just watched the Sea World episode and couldn't stop laughing when one of the female judges said that that male baker didn't incorporate enough "education" into his cupcake! Really? Those cupcakes looked good and I doubt some tourist is going to be all, "Eww...needs more education!" as they chow down on it.

And the Cupcake Barbie seemed like she did nothing but put cupcakes in the oven and look lost. Was she the counter help at the cupcake shop she represented?

God. This show is terrible.

[Wabi sabi]

God. This show is terrible.

It really is, isn't it? Just heard a hilarious promo where someone was saying "the cupcake world is very competitive!". I guess I had no idea there was a cupcake world, let alone that it was so cut-throat. Shouldn't a cupcake world be filled with gumdrops and goodness? Fun and creamy frosty filling? No! For these people cupcake world is filled with blood, guts and tears with a nice, meringue-like frosting of humorlessness. These people are hilarious. There are hugely famous, amazing chefs on many cooking shows who do not take themselves nearly as seriously as these cupcake bakers and their judges do. Good grief!

Just talking about it does make me want cupcakes, though-and my husband was requesting them the other day so maybe I will get up from my computer and make him some. But I won't smile or enjoy it and I'll make sure he doesn't either. When he asks me why I am so crabby I will just say "welcome to cupcake world, asshole! I made you the browned butter icing you like-now eat it!"

Edited to add Mr. Wabi sabi's two cents about the cut throat world of cupcakes: "Sure, you're laughing now. But wait 'til you see Dolly Madison and Little Debbie throw down!" (update: I did make him those cupcakes. tasty.)

Edited by Wabi sabi, Jun 20, 2010 @ 10:44 PM.

[Faxinator]

I happened on an episode of this debacle. Boy, what an awful, awful show!

[LemonSour]

I love cupcakes and enjoy seeing the flavors the contestants try to make but this show is terrible. Who is this host? He makes the worst jokes I have ever heard. The judges never finish a sentence and the guest judge adds nothing. Ugh! It is baking cupcakes not war as the title suggests.

Edited by LemonSour, Jun 22, 2010 @ 11:01 PM.

[AllisonJenny]

Do these contestants just open stores & not do any research ? Because Chloe said "zomg, vegan cupcakes are weird to people. I wanna put vegan cupcakes on the map" (paraphrasing). Apparently she's never heard of the famous Bleeding Heart Bakery in Chicago. And the Miami girls said you wouldn't see dulce de leche cupcakes outside south Florida. Dulce de leche cupcakes have been popular in various parts of the country for the last 3 or 4 years.

I just figured who the French judge reminds me of: Mr Rumbold from Are You Being Served, sans big ears.

Who is this host? He makes the worst jokes I have ever heard.

I agree. I was half expecting to hear "The judges want to take your cupcake behind the middle school and get it pregnant."

Edited by AllisonJenny, Jun 23, 2010 @ 12:00 PM.

[Ginandtonic]

Well. I just watched the 3rd episode, & as soon as they showed the contestants, I knew who would win. 3 shows in a row, the prettiest or sexiest woman won. I guess ugly people can't cook cupcakes.

[Trader Joe]

Barbie, Oh wait, I mean Chloe! was nauseating. I bet dollars to donuts they had other people helping her with those 1,000 martini glasses.

[MsLawDawg]

I guess ugly people can't cook cupcakes.

Just not on Food Network.

Seriously, I feel much better to know that my feelings about this joke of a show are justified! The male judge makes me want to beat him about the head and shoulders.

[Major Misfit]

I bet dollars to donuts they had other people helping her with those 1,000 martini glasses.

Of course they did. There's also no way this show isn't planned out in advance. The carpenter "just so happened" to locate 1,000 plastic martini glasses in addition to building that cupcake holder monstrosity? And having all the materials he needed on hand? Yeah...no. Add that to Cupcake Barbie #3 being a terrible actress...when she approached her "assistant" during the first challenge gushing over what she was going to bake, the fakery was over the top.

Well. I just watched the 3rd episode, & as soon as they showed the contestants, I knew who would win. 3 shows in a row, the prettiest or sexiest woman won. I guess ugly people can't cook cupcakes.

Exactly. Chloe looked (and sounded) exactly like Cupcake Barbie from the last episode. The moment I saw the woman with the curly hair, I knew she'd have no chance.

So, in addition to this being a horrible show, it's also an incredibly rigged horrible show.

And yes, I hate myself and watched it again last night.

[Catgirl14]

This show is beyond boring and take itself way to seriously. There were moments where I just fell asleep while watching the cut throat world of cupcake making. I dislike that French (?) judge so much, besides the fact that I can't tell at times what the hell he is saying.

[Darian]

I so agree on how horrible the show is. I thought, given the name, it might be campy fun. And it's rare that I don't love a cooking/baking competition. But this is bad-bad, not good-bad.

The moment I saw the woman with the curly hair, I knew she'd have no chance.

Yep. But, wow, did she flash some crazy eyes.