The Scariest Man on Television

[JoeKv99]

Absolutely. Terrifying:

It’s the last element that’s the most troubling. While there’s clearly an overt aura of enforced theatricality to the proceedings, (he) takes his persona a little too far. There’s the spine-chilling way in which he tastes elements of the contestants’ dishes with an insane amount of fastidiousness, as though he were solving a complex differential equation or dissecting a victim rather than, well, eating candy. Adding to this sense of unease is the way with which (he) speaks, an exaggerated blend of winking coyness and thunderous voice of evil, announcing the inspiration for the dish (Ballerinas! Live baby chicks! A ventriloquist dummy!) and the way in which he slams his hand down on the large, overtly cake-shaped button that controls the show’s conveyer belt.

Oh, yes, did I forget to mention the mechanized conveyer belt? Ben-Israel’s command over the competition enables him to send out additional mandatory mystery ingredients (“You must now include a Peking duck in your desserts!” he cries out, missing only a silent-film-villain mustache to twirl menacingly), forcing the contestants to change directions instantly and further complicate a dish that might already contain chocolate, water chestnuts, and mangoes. One of these times, I expect a severed human head to emerge as one of these new ingredients.

I.......am a SWEET GENIUS?????

[artscallion]

Food Network has become the Food Game Show Network. They've moved most of their cooking shows to the Cooking Channel which they also own. I'm seriously waiting for them to premiere a show where they just put all their chefs in a room filled with ingredients and yell, "FOOD FIGHT!"

That said, as creepy and lame as Sweet Genius is, Ron Ben Israel is one of the most respected cake artists in the world. His cakes are seriously at the top level of skill and artistry. No one is better at sugar flowers than he is. Cake designers, like myself, truly worship at his alter. It's a shame he degrades the dignity of all that with this goofy, ridiculous game show.

[JoeKv99]

I'm pretty sick of Food Network for that very reason. I had never heard of this freak show till I stumbled across it "Mandatory ingredient! Astronaut Ice Cream! Inspiration....A TOY ROBOT!"

I love this show so much I want them to make a lavish Broadway Musical out of it.