Janie, I like you find it so hard to believe anyone could ever cook that bad, and like Dilbert I believe the show is contirved. I tried to watch it a few times but it totally bored me so I turned it off & read a book instead! I enjoy the lady Chef on that show with super blonde hair that is spiked, she is good. Too bad she got stuck doing a show like that!

I guess maybe it is hard for me to believe folks are that darned illiterate in their kitchen skills, I do not find that cute or funny. I actually find it darned disgusting and totally lazy and worthless. My father who was never the one in our home to cook, suddenly found himself single after 25 year and he is a good cook now. Anyone who has to survive and can not afford to eat out 24/7 must learn to cook and eat well enough to be healthy. My Dad is thrifty and will not buy frozen foods! He simply taught himself! And who does not know how to make toast, scramble or fry eggs and fry bacon??? Come on my 10 yr. old can handle all that and by herself!!!

I thought I was the worse cook so you can shut that show down.

I had the same thought about the contestants being actors. I wouldnt doubt the whole thing is fake.

My creative budgeting allows me certain pleasures (1-2 used cookbooks per pay-period and 99-cent thighs/legs every Tuesday at Popeye's!)) but denies me others (I don't have cable) so I don't get to see FN at all. From what I hear from some folks- that ain't all bad. I hear so often the programming just ain't what it used to be.

I do however LOVE PBS and our local channel switches-up all the time the cooking shows we see, and they just recently switched to a bushel of new ones totally unfamiliar to me, but a week or two into the new mix, I'm gettin' into what I'm seeing so far... will let you know more as I spend more time with the shows!

I love when I catch cooking shows on PBS.
Our local cable company is constantly raising their price for basic cable. Several years ago our landlord made a deal with them that if he took out basic cable for all 6 apartments in their name they could never raise what the price was at that time. So our cable is included into the rent. When they started that the cable was $39 which is what we still pay. It has since gone up to $64 for basic cable for others. I know because I pay Jon's Dads cable bill for him when it comes due. I would not pay $64 for it.