The difference between Jedward and James & JJ is that Jedward would never have won the X-Factor. They were kept in by the public enjoying the fuss made about it all. There is NO way they would have won.
James & JJ, if the show had been down to the public voting, would have probably lasted only a few weeks.
Delurking to point out that the Jedward comparison, which I've now seen several times, is totally unfair. John and Edward worked incredibly hard at their performances on XF, gained a cult following and have a lot of fans who absolutely adore them. They are also charming in interviews.
JJ and James, on the other hand, seem to be universally disliked. I personally didn't find them remotely entertaining: in fact, they've put me off The Restaurant for good, though it used to be one of my favourite programmes. What's more, it seems that the result has to have been a foregone conclusion, or there's no way the JJJs would have got through every week. I just feel desperately sorry for the poor mugs who worked their socks off believing it was actually a cooking competition.
I'm not a lurker I must have made at least 20 posts on this thread
Is there any coverage in any of the red tops about the backlash? Would have thought they would have made a meal of the whole thing!
I think the reason there is nothing in the red tops is that its not that populist a show. Its more high brow than the likes of X-Factor or Big Brother and only a moderate hit on BBC2. Its simple not poular enough to be on their radar. If you notice the reviews of the finale, they all come from the broadsheets (or what use to be) like The Times, Independent and The Guardian. The red top are still too busy debating X-Factor vs RATM.
I do find it strange (or a deliberate stance) that there has been nothing on the BBC website under Entertainment. Strictly final, Wogan finishing, even Paul O'Grady finishing his show which is on Channel 4, not even the BBC! But The Restaurant final - nothing, nada, zilch. I guess they want to pretend it never happened!
This makes twice in one week I have actually turned off in disgust, having previously thought that was just a phrase rather than an action.
The first being the finale of School of Saatchi, in which, for those who did not watch, the winner was the one they all thought was a chancer and blagger with limited talent who at the end presented two pieces of art, one she personally constructed which they all hated, and the other simply being a section of metal fencing with an impaled section of tree trunk which she spotted on a council estate and had removed wholesale to the gallery, which they all loved and which won her the contest.
The BBC drew up a secret league table of their 'talent' and Crazy Ray was placed in the 'Average' division. Needless to say he didn't like it.
Another presenter who did not like being called 'average' was chef Raymond Blanc, host of BBC2 reality show The Restaurant.
He said he 'hated the idea of being midrange because I always strive for excellence'.
I fear poor Ray will soon be relegated to the 'No Credibility' league.
I am never watching this show again. Just saw the final episode on Iplayer last night and what a biggest load of rubbish ever!
Blanc said within the programme that "I am never without a cookery book, I always cook to recipes" which goes to show the standard of his cook by numbers approach and explains the reason he chose those blaggers over the other guy who could actually cook! He knows that JJ can't cook and will actually follow a recipe by numbers! Real chefs can just 'know' what to do with things!
Blanc shows his idiocy further after being impressed by the Beef that JJ cooked, however the only reason it was so rare was because they ran out of time !!! !!!!!
Its absolutley crazy. This show, which I caught for the first time this year which wants to be the apprentice just has no credibility whatsoever.
Blanc has either A > been conned or B> Wants to open a cocktail bar and I'm unsure which.
Taking of which, he said the reason the winners won is that they stayed faithful to their concept which go them out of trouble at the end.....
But they didn't! Their concept was outdoor eating, inside.
aka their rubbish with their gourmet scotch eggs...
Not cocktails! nowhere did they say the cocktails was their actual concept! The cocktails was their other business!
Who on earth here would actually go pay money to eat at their restaurant? What on earth would be on the menu?
Some crisps, cocktail sausages and their scotch eggs ? ?!!
I'd rather eat in Whetherspoons and thats saying something.
The other team should have won it, or if not them the rolly-polly couple who looked like they could be twins but were actually husband and wife!
I am never watching this show again. Just saw the final episode on Iplayer last night and what a biggest load of rubbish ever!
Blanc said within the programme that "I am never without a cookery book, I always cook to recipes" which goes to show the standard of his cook by numbers approach and explains the reason he chose those blaggers over the other guy who could actually cook! He knows that JJ can't cook and will actually follow a recipe by numbers! Real chefs can just 'know' what to do with things!
Blanc shows his idiocy further after being impressed by the Beef that JJ cooked, however the only reason it was so rare was because they ran out of time !!! !!!!!
Its absolutley crazy. This show, which I caught for the first time this year which wants to be the apprentice just has no credibility whatsoever.
Blanc has either A > been conned or B> Wants to open a cocktail bar and I'm unsure which.
Taking of which, he said the reason the winners won is that they stayed faithful to their concept which go them out of trouble at the end.....
But they didn't! Their concept was outdoor eating, inside.
aka their rubbish with their gourmet scotch eggs...
Not cocktails! nowhere did they say the cocktails was their actual concept! The cocktails was their other business!
Who on earth here would actually go pay money to eat at their restaurant? What on earth would be on the menu?
Some crisps, cocktail sausages and their scotch eggs ? ?!!
I'd rather eat in Whetherspoons and thats saying something.
The other team should have won it, or if not them the rolly-polly couple who looked like they could be twins but were actually husband and wife!
Or not, as he definitely failed to do that with the souffle lol...
I am never watching this show again. Just saw the final episode on Iplayer last night and what a biggest load of rubbish ever!
Blanc said within the programme that "I am never without a cookery book, I always cook to recipes" which goes to show the standard of his cook by numbers approach and explains the reason he chose those blaggers over the other guy who could actually cook! He knows that JJ can't cook and will actually follow a recipe by numbers! Real chefs can just 'know' what to do with things!
Blanc shows his idiocy further after being impressed by the Beef that JJ cooked, however the only reason it was so rare was because they ran out of time !!! !!!!!
Its absolutley crazy. This show, which I caught for the first time this year which wants to be the apprentice just has no credibility whatsoever.
Blanc has either A > been conned or B> Wants to open a cocktail bar and I'm unsure which.
Taking of which, he said the reason the winners won is that they stayed faithful to their concept which go them out of trouble at the end.....
But they didn't! Their concept was outdoor eating, inside.
aka their rubbish with their gourmet scotch eggs...
Not cocktails! nowhere did they say the cocktails was their actual concept! The cocktails was their other business!
Who on earth here would actually go pay money to eat at their restaurant? What on earth would be on the menu?
Some crisps, cocktail sausages and their scotch eggs ? ?!!
I'd rather eat in Whetherspoons and thats saying something.
The other team should have won it, or if not them the rolly-polly couple who looked like they could be twins but were actually husband and wife!
I suggest you pour yourself a drink and spend a happy half hour or so reading the last 10/12 pages on this forum! The Winkers Cocktail Club menu with its cold platters to share, and 'heat and serve' options is quite eye-opening too!:D
edit P.S. JJ also demonstrated his inability to follow a recipe from a cookery book!
Come on guys, you have to admit that apart from the shocking ending it was comedy gold.:D
The worst couple in the whole show winning. :eek:
Well I dont know what Raymond Blanc was trying to achieve, but certainly not to be a laughing stock (as apposed to a clear, fresh chicken stock, which JJ couldnt cook either).
This has certainly done his reputation no good at all. As someone else has said, the only explanation for such an extraordinary ending, is that from the moment JJ winked at Raymond, the spell was cast. It was a kind of Paul McKenna hypnotism trick.
Anyway, I've been onto Ray's website and emailed him my thoughts on his unfathomable decision to let cant cook wont cook win the show. I urge you all to do the same, cos if like me you feel absolutely conned (which is how most of the contestants must feel too), then vent your spleen.
Come on guys, you have to admit that apart from the shocking ending it was comedy gold.:D
The worst couple in the whole show winning. :eek:
Well I dont know what Raymond Blanc was trying to achieve, but certainly not to be a laughing stock (as apposed to a clear, fresh chicken stock, which JJ couldnt cook either).
This has certainly done his reputation no good at all. As someone else has said, the only explanation for such an extraordinary ending, is that from the moment JJ winked at Raymond, the spell was cast. It was a kind of Paul McKenna hypnotism trick.
Anyway, I've been onto Ray's website and emailed him my thoughts on his unfathomable decision to let cant cook wont cook win the show. I urge you all to do the same, cos if like me you feel absolutely conned (which is how most of the contestants must feel too), then vent your spleen.
Absolutely agree that it was comedy gold. Think it should be required viewing for all potential comedy scriptwriters!
....
Taking of which, he said the reason the winners won is that they stayed faithful to their concept which go them out of trouble at the end.....
But they didn't! Their concept was outdoor eating, inside.
aka their rubbish with their gourmet scotch eggs...
Not cocktails! nowhere did they say the cocktails was their actual concept! The cocktails was their other business!
Who on earth here would actually go pay money to eat at their restaurant? What on earth would be on the menu?
Some crisps, cocktail sausages and their scotch eggs ? ?!!
I'd rather eat in Whetherspoons and thats saying something. !
Cocktails were always part of it ever since the first episode when they served up their signature dish .... with a cocktail glass of cider accompaniment.
I don't think the ranters on here go out much, so I don't expect M Blanc, JJ or James will lose any sleep over you going to Whetherspoons (sic), whether you watch the show again, whatever the weather.
Anyone had a response (apart from the usual acknowledgement) to their E Mails to RB yet? No - I thought not! I haven't either.
Well I certainly havent. But what can he say? How can such a decision be justified? Because if the show is not about the best chef winning, then why bother giving them a restaurant, and cookery tasks? In fact why call the programme "The Restaurant" in the first place?
What the hell do two blaggers whose only knowledge of food is picking up a phone and ordering it, have to do with a cookery show? It seems to have been one big practical joke.
Cocktails were always part of it ever since the first episode when they served up their signature dish .... with a cocktail glass of cider accompaniment.
I don't think the ranters on here go out much, so I don't expect M Blanc, JJ or James will lose any sleep over you going to Whetherspoons (sic), whether you watch the show again, whatever the weather.
Well even if cocktails were the concept, they shouldnt have even been allowed to enter in the first place. This show is called "The Restaurant" and the idea of the weekly tasks is to find the best Chef (& possibly good business head) for Raymond et al to open a Restaurant with. A bit like the X factor, looking for a good singer, not a dancer. Whilst the other contestants were taking the whole thing seriously and cooking up a storm, JJ had someone to do the cooking for him, and when he attempted to do it himself the results were disasterous. I think a lot of people feel conned, and not least poor Chris who did everything right for Raymond to have the nerve to tell him he failed at the final hurdle, unlike JJ of course who failed every hurdley.
Cocktails were always part of it ever since the first episode when they served up their signature dish .... with a cocktail glass of cider accompaniment.
I don't think the ranters on here go out much, so I don't expect M Blanc, JJ or James will lose any sleep over you going to Whetherspoons (sic), whether you watch the show again, whatever the weather.
Well, that's just where you are very, very wrong. if you read the posts on this forum, Points of View, etc you will see that there are a number of people who will now boycott RB's places.
I certainly go out a lot! And not just to pubs. I have been fortunate enough to eat in some of the best restaurants in the UK. We have been to Le Manoir in the past, and had intended to spend a week there next year for a special birthday. Three sets of friends were coming for 2 nights as well. We are now going to Gidleigh Park instead. We are certainly not alone in being disgusted that we are paying a portion of our licence fee to RB, only for him to condone arrogant blaggers. RB will now be aware that there are a lot of people who think exactly the same.
I've been deliberately avoiding this thread until I got around to watching the final.
:eek:
Horrified!
So the take home message is blag your way through life, screw up the tasks asked of you and you'll be rewarded over those who have the skills and put the effort in when required...!?
Comments
James & JJ, if the show had been down to the public voting, would have probably lasted only a few weeks.
I'm not a lurker
The first being the finale of School of Saatchi, in which, for those who did not watch, the winner was the one they all thought was a chancer and blagger with limited talent who at the end presented two pieces of art, one she personally constructed which they all hated, and the other simply being a section of metal fencing with an impaled section of tree trunk which she spotted on a council estate and had removed wholesale to the gallery, which they all loved and which won her the contest.
I see the beginnings of a theme....
http://raymondblanc.com/bbc-series-the-restaurant/the-contestants-jj-james.aspx
No, I'm a lurker! On this thread, at least. I was quoting your post and then adding a reply.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1235525/BBC-stars-hit-secret-rankings-talent-league-table.html
The BBC drew up a secret league table of their 'talent' and Crazy Ray was placed in the 'Average' division. Needless to say he didn't like it.
Another presenter who did not like being called 'average' was chef Raymond Blanc, host of BBC2 reality show The Restaurant.
He said he 'hated the idea of being midrange because I always strive for excellence'.
I fear poor Ray will soon be relegated to the 'No Credibility' league.
Opps
http://www.daemonstv.com/2009/12/10/last-restaurant-standing-returns-to-bbc-america-for-third-season/
Blanc said within the programme that "I am never without a cookery book, I always cook to recipes" which goes to show the standard of his cook by numbers approach and explains the reason he chose those blaggers over the other guy who could actually cook! He knows that JJ can't cook and will actually follow a recipe by numbers! Real chefs can just 'know' what to do with things!
Blanc shows his idiocy further after being impressed by the Beef that JJ cooked, however the only reason it was so rare was because they ran out of time !!! !!!!!
Its absolutley crazy. This show, which I caught for the first time this year which wants to be the apprentice just has no credibility whatsoever.
Blanc has either A > been conned or B> Wants to open a cocktail bar and I'm unsure which.
Taking of which, he said the reason the winners won is that they stayed faithful to their concept which go them out of trouble at the end.....
But they didn't! Their concept was outdoor eating, inside.
aka their rubbish with their gourmet scotch eggs...
Not cocktails! nowhere did they say the cocktails was their actual concept! The cocktails was their other business!
Who on earth here would actually go pay money to eat at their restaurant? What on earth would be on the menu?
Some crisps, cocktail sausages and their scotch eggs ? ?!!
I'd rather eat in Whetherspoons and thats saying something.
The other team should have won it, or if not them the rolly-polly couple who looked like they could be twins but were actually husband and wife!
Thanks for the link! I added a comment of my own to the article; others might like to add their own comments as well!
Or not, as he definitely failed to do that with the souffle lol...
I suggest you pour yourself a drink and spend a happy half hour or so reading the last 10/12 pages on this forum! The Winkers Cocktail Club menu with its cold platters to share, and 'heat and serve' options is quite eye-opening too!:D
edit P.S. JJ also demonstrated his inability to follow a recipe from a cookery book!
Me too!
The worst couple in the whole show winning. :eek:
Well I dont know what Raymond Blanc was trying to achieve, but certainly not to be a laughing stock (as apposed to a clear, fresh chicken stock, which JJ couldnt cook either).
This has certainly done his reputation no good at all. As someone else has said, the only explanation for such an extraordinary ending, is that from the moment JJ winked at Raymond, the spell was cast. It was a kind of Paul McKenna hypnotism trick.
Anyway, I've been onto Ray's website and emailed him my thoughts on his unfathomable decision to let cant cook wont cook win the show. I urge you all to do the same, cos if like me you feel absolutely conned (which is how most of the contestants must feel too), then vent your spleen.
Absolutely agree that it was comedy gold. Think it should be required viewing for all potential comedy scriptwriters!
Shame that it left so many feeling conned!
See further up the page or
http://raymondblanc.com/bbc-series-the-restaurant/the-contestants-jj-james.aspx
Cocktails were always part of it ever since the first episode when they served up their signature dish .... with a cocktail glass of cider accompaniment.
I don't think the ranters on here go out much, so I don't expect M Blanc, JJ or James will lose any sleep over you going to Whetherspoons (sic), whether you watch the show again, whatever the weather.
Well I certainly havent. But what can he say? How can such a decision be justified? Because if the show is not about the best chef winning, then why bother giving them a restaurant, and cookery tasks? In fact why call the programme "The Restaurant" in the first place?
What the hell do two blaggers whose only knowledge of food is picking up a phone and ordering it, have to do with a cookery show? It seems to have been one big practical joke.
Well even if cocktails were the concept, they shouldnt have even been allowed to enter in the first place. This show is called "The Restaurant" and the idea of the weekly tasks is to find the best Chef (& possibly good business head) for Raymond et al to open a Restaurant with. A bit like the X factor, looking for a good singer, not a dancer. Whilst the other contestants were taking the whole thing seriously and cooking up a storm, JJ had someone to do the cooking for him, and when he attempted to do it himself the results were disasterous. I think a lot of people feel conned, and not least poor Chris who did everything right for Raymond to have the nerve to tell him he failed at the final hurdle, unlike JJ of course who failed every hurdley.
Crazy Ray ... the moniker may not stick globally, but that's how he will referred to in my peer group from now on.
(I recommended The Restaurant to all my friends and now feel such a fool!)
Well, that's just where you are very, very wrong. if you read the posts on this forum, Points of View, etc you will see that there are a number of people who will now boycott RB's places.
I certainly go out a lot! And not just to pubs. I have been fortunate enough to eat in some of the best restaurants in the UK. We have been to Le Manoir in the past, and had intended to spend a week there next year for a special birthday. Three sets of friends were coming for 2 nights as well. We are now going to Gidleigh Park instead. We are certainly not alone in being disgusted that we are paying a portion of our licence fee to RB, only for him to condone arrogant blaggers. RB will now be aware that there are a lot of people who think exactly the same.
So kindly don't stereotype DS forum members.
Am not expecting a reply.
If anything M Blanc will update his blog (which he promised to do yesterday) when a suitable general response has been composed.;)
:eek:
Horrified!
So the take home message is blag your way through life, screw up the tasks asked of you and you'll be rewarded over those who have the skills and put the effort in when required...!?