The way Cleveland sees it, Michael Symon can do no wrong. Mr. Iron Chef, after all, is one of the city’s biggest cheerleaders, has helped put Cleveland on the food map, has systematically delivered some of the best food in town, and despite his 1,307 different TV obligations, remains a presence locally.
We love Symon. We really do. And while we appreciate his ambition and heart and full-of-life-and-pork smile, not everyone does. Exhibit A: anyone who reviewed yesterday’s debut of “The Chew,” ABC’s new daytime cooking/talk show with Michael Symon and others. On this end, we’ll say: it was the first episode. Was it an auspicious beginning? Probably not. But there’s plenty of time to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Here are some choice cuts from the reactions:
This article appears in Sep 21-27, 2011.
The show stinks. Period. It should be called “The Ewwwww,” as in Ewwwwwwww, this whole thing tastes like a burger smeared with bloody stool.
The show is awful because no one wanted it to begin with, except maybe ABC and that was only to save a buck. Not to mention the cast of this show seem like they are high on cocaine or speed. Gone are the days of sitting down to watch All My Children at noon. Guess I will have to start tuning in to Bold and the Beautiful and Young and the Restless because there is no way I would ever sit down to watch The Chew… luckily, I am not alone in that regard.
Why does Michael Symon keep giggling like a 12 year old who’s just seen a naked girl for the first time. He can’t utter a sentence without bursting out in hysterical laughter. What a turn off, get this guy off the show or the viewers who are tuning in will quickly fade away.
The Spew…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZzzzzzzzzz.
I will never watch it. It should have been on a cable cooking network.
The Chew Sucks! If I want to watch food shows, I go to the food network. Duh! I’m amazed that 41 years of successful TV (All My Children) has been replaced with something so stupid. I also cannot believe that so many people lost their jobs in front and behind the camera with AMC only to be replaced with people who already had jobs! I don’t know who took your poll and told you that ‘the people’ wanted AMC off the air and that ‘the people’ wanted a food show on the air. Whatever you paid them, it was too much, because you got bad data. Bring back AMC. You’re rating will sky rocket! Spit out whatever you are ‘chewing!’
I watched the premiere and kept waiting for someone to look at the camera and yell, “LIVE! From New York, it’s Saturday niiiiiiiiiiiiight!!!”
I love the show and all the people on it! I am a great cook , but still love the info I could get from this show! Give these guys a break , it is a new show. They will get there! I think stay at home moms, professional cook, wanna be cooks or beginnner cooks can take something away from this show. To the chew crew: Praying for success for you all and your show! Keep rockin’ it !
I LOVE this show. I like to banter between the hosts, the easy recipes and quick tips.
I also LOVE the show. I believe a lot of people who are so negative about it do not
watch the food network channel. I think it is a great format. Daphne Oz adds nothing
to the show and I think she could be replaced with someone with a better personality and cooking experience. I will continue to watch it and I think over the first 3 weeks and has continued to get better. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the show.
Do not like the show at all. Was horrified yesterday when the blonde, do not even know or care to know her name, touched her hair and then went on to handle food and then serve her co-anchors.
I soooo wanted to like this show but have been disappointed so far. I am a viewer of the Food Network channel and am a fan of most of the celebrity crew. It feels like they’re trying too hard or have had too much caffeine. Whatever it is I always come away from the show uptight rather than relaxed. Maybe leave the taste testing to the audience. Not sure why we need to watch the show’s crew eating while they’re talking. I hope the right people will listen to the reviews and tweak the show over time. In the meantime, I’ve resorted to recording the show so I can fast forward for selective viewing.
I like the people on the Chew individually. Together, on one panel, they do not work. I have tried to watch several times, hoping the show would grow on me-but I agree the blonde lady bores me and Carla is loud, and the faces she makes during conversaion…not so appealling to the eye. This is just not a agood mix for my likes.
I like this show. It is quite entertaining.
The people are witty, the food is good, and it’s fun. The personalities are not overwhelming the food, like the Food Channel. I hope it has a long run.
OK, wow, so many comments, some I agree with, some I don’t. I work in the Food Biz. My hubby works in the Food Biz. Agreed: love Batali and Symon, up until now. Now Batali comes across as an arrogant windbag and Symon comes across as a spooky guy who sits leering in the back of a van. What’s with the psycho giggling all the time? Ms. Oz, thank God they made her tie her hair back whilst cooking. I’m a 30 year vegetarian, so her dishes are interesting to me. Why suddenly is she eating meat? Carla Hall: why is she always doing the Chicken Neck whenever she talks or music comes on? And why does Clinton Kelly turn into a brother every time he talks to her? I love him on WNTW. Why is he condescending to Ms. Hall? What gives? I MUST agree with many folks on this: Is the crew on crank??? My GOD, they all talk at mach speed, most often over each other. And, they should feed the audience panel before the crew. It’s tacky. I used to work in TV, on an afternoon talk show with a food segment. This just looks bad. Lots of kinks to work out, or this show won’t make it to dessert. Sorry guys.
I love the show! Most of the negative complaints are from the “All My Children” junkies. I have to agree that the first few shows were rough, but they have come a long way this past week. It’s very informative and entertaining to me. I hope it will not be cancelled…It’s worth taping every day.
I love the show, for the most part. I REALLY love the recipes—they’re ‘delish’! Don’t like the Carla-antics, but that’s just me. I’m mature enough to know you are not going to like every inuendo of everyone. Even though…, Carla’s recipes are fantastic and that is why I watch the show. If I wanted to see ME, I’d look in the mirror…, I want to see these personalities (whether they eat meat or not), cook and prepare fantastic food-and that is what they do. By the way, I have always HATED soap operas! Love you, Symon
I had the surreal opportunity to meet Michael Symon in-person at the Fabulous Food Show in Cleveland,OH this past Saturday, and I can honestly say that unless you are from Ohio and truly understand the down-home, family-oriented, genuine affection and courtesy that we always strive to show to others, you will never understand what a fantastically kind, generous and funny man he truly is at all times.He showed my daughter and me the real kind of person that he is!!!What a great chef and what a wonderful human being. He puts everything he has into every thing he does.P.S. We also met his mother and can see where everything he is has come from!!!
The show is fantastic. It’s the perfect match of great foodie information and humor. Those who hate the show have no sense of humor or are from Connecticut, the state of steady habits and constipated minds.
Daphne Oz IS AWFUL – adds nothing
to the show and I think she could be replaced with someone with a better personality and cooking experience.
I love the show! I watch every day.. It is real and funny. I started watching because I love Mario Batali. I have become a fan of Michael Symon, Clinton Kelly and Daphene Ozz. I could take or leave Carla but she is growing on me. I love to cook and the recipes are not for beginners which I really like.
Totally agree with Southern Girl’s comment from Sept. I would dislike this show even if I hadn’t been a 41 year fan of All My Children. The Chew is a copy-cat attempt at what the Food Network does much better. I won’t waste my time on anymore episodes of this one.
Missing Pine Valley
The Chew is a refreshing addition to daytime tv. Not everyone has cable and can watch the food network. It’s a nice blend of personalities and food backrounds. I defy you to watch an
episode and not learn something!
The Chew is one of the worst shows I have ever seen. I can’t stand to even watch it. All these ABC execs get paid so much money and this is the best they can come up with. This show is awful! Then they are going to cancel the Nate Berkus show. This makes no sense at all. Someone is asleep at the wheel on ABC. I will have to find an alternative from 1-3. This just upsets me so much. What horrible programmimg. Mario battalie is absolutely a pig. Disgusting.
Love Michael, Mario, and Clinton. Don’t care much for Daphne and can’t stand Carla. Have never watched a full show. I watch until Carles facial expressions turn my stomach. If the show would replace her with someone with nice eyes instead of buggy eyes I would find a way to tolerate Daphne. Love the recipes and kitchen tips……but Carla has to go if they want to keep me…..and some of my friends feel the same way. Too bad they won’t write in so the network would see how bad she is for the show!
Gee people get a life. If you don’t like the program don’t watch it. I find the crew on the chew quite entertaining.
The chew is awful, Dafane is such a plastic cook and she shouldn’t be on the show take her off and the show worth be worth watching. She is only on the show because of her dad. She is terrible
I don’t care for the layout of the show, or the panel. I don ‘t appreciate the recipes or the lack of interaction with the aucience, and the presentation is too fast and furious. They remiond me of a liberal college group that has aged and forgotten they are adults now. Trying too hard to be hip, perhaps? Don’t like the title either, sounds like regurgitation, sort of.
I love the show and the people on it. I have always been a big fan of Michael Symon, but he was very rude when he commented that Daphne was a blue collar worker because she went to Hooters to eat. What is wrong with blue collar workers???? Not everyone has the money that Michael Symon has or the money to eat in fancy restaurants. I think that his comment was very condescending and rude. I think he owes the American people an apology!!!! I lost so much respect for him.
I love the show and the host, it is a great afternoon show without drama. News and dramatic talk shows are depressing!!!! I watch it for what it is meant to be – laid back, good tips and laughs!
When I first watched the ‘Chew’, I thought the chemistry between the hosts was off. I will watch if they are having a really cool celebrity on. I loved the one with ‘Lana Parilla’, the evil queen from ‘Once Upon A Time’. It really depends on who their guests are. I don’t like soap operas, so when they took off AMC, it wasn’t a loss to me. I haven’t watched the ‘Chew’ in a while though.
some of the recipes are good, but overall the cast is annoying. i’m not sure why, but they each have idiosyncratic things that are very annoying. maybe they’re trying too hard? surprised to see that they’re back for a second season.
I can’t stand Daphne Oz. For the most part I like the Chew and hope they don’t turn it into the Daphne Oz diet show. I don’t believe she knows very much from some of the stupid answers she’s given. She just got the job because of her dad.
Agree with person who said “get a life”. It’s still on for a reason. I appreciate all their personalities. People should just relax.
Pure and simple this show sucks!!!
I WANT TO PUKE WHEN I HEAR SIMON CACKLING LIKE A HYENA!!! OMG I ACTUALLY HAVE GROWN TO HATE HIM. WHAT A PANTY WASTE.
AND ALL OF THEM, WITH NOTHING IMPORTANT TO DO, AND TAKING MONEY TO ACT LIKE SECOND RATE WANNA BE COOKS AND CHEFS. PLEASE GET SIMON AS FAR FROM THIS COUNTRY AS YOU CAN GET HIM. HE IS LIKE A PERSON WITH BRAIN DAMAGE OR YEAR OLD. CACKLING IN EXCHANGE FOR WORDS AND INTELLIGENT COMMUNICATION. WHAT THE HELL……. DO PEOPLE REALLY LIKE HIM? AND HIS INSANE MANIC CACKLING ? DEAR GOD. PLEASE. AND BATALLI SEEMS LIKE A BAR FLY, DAPHNE, WELL WHAT IS THERE TO SAY ABOUT A BLANK SLATE, THE PREGNANT ONE, SHOULD STAY IN HER HOME KITCHEN, AND THE WHAT NOT TO WEAR ONE?? IS HE REALLY COOKING? WHAT IS HE COOKING? PLEASE GET THIS ASANINE SHOW OFF THE NETWORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 IT IS NOT JUST ANNOYING IT IS SICKENING AND A DISGRACE FOR THE TRUE CHEFS AND EVEN RACHEL WHO BORDERS ON A SIMON AFFLICTION WITH HER CACKLE. AT LEAST SHE IS NOT TOTALLY OBNOXIOUS. JUST A LITTLE . PLEASE GET A LIFE GET A GOOD SHOW ON AND RID US OF THIS ATROCITY. AND WASTE OF MONEY.
I abosolutely love this show.
My wife watches this monstrosity and I hate it when she flips over to this garbage.I keep my laptop and a pair of earphones next to me so I dont have to look at or hear it. Nothing about this show is entertaining, there’s a mish-mosh of wannabe/has beens wired to the gills on the best coke/meth they can score and turned loose in front of a camera. Clinton prances around like a drag queen, Carla screams and cackles at everything,Daphne-well she just wastes space just like her dad,Mario used to be cool but here he just seems to try to out do Symon on ignorance, and Simon-I wouldnt let him be alone in a room with my children for any reason.
My wife is normally an intelligent person but there must be some crossed wiring somewhere inher brain to make her want to watch this mess. And for some reason I camt figure out she becomes deaf and has to turn this turd up as loud as she can/ hence the need for the earphones, like it isnt already obnoxiously loud to begon with.
Please whatever powers that be..shitcan this show and soon please.
Will the producers of his show please get Michael Symon to talk his constant awful laugh. Why can’t he control himself. He ruins the show. Maybe he should tape the show and listen to his terrible loud laugh.
Omsgh, Haters….. I love this show. Everyone in the show is great. I (We) in my home we love Michael’s laugh. Guys good job and God bless. Michael love your dog would love to know where you got him.
CRUZER
Four years later and still going strong proves the haters wrong!
What is wrong with these troglodytes? How can any human being not be aware of the horrendous atrocities in factory farming, not to mention the animals being pumped full of antibiotics and hormones. These people have no souls whatsoever. What a bunch of a-holes!
Gasp! Somewhere, somehow, someone told them that animals were food and they believed it. They are not food. Interesting that most carnivores would rather give up their first-born than change their diets. The palate takes over for the brain. Once one becomes educated about leaving a smaller footprint they usually wake up, but not these guys.
Luv their holiday (themed) shows. And whose Grandma doesn’t like Olivia Munn!
I like this show. I watch when I can. Unfortunately im at work when its on, not much time to dvr. Still going strong five yrs later. Must have more fans than critics.
It seems that any show gets a thumbs up if the guy is LOUD, lascivious , rude or almost rude and presents himself as the best of everything…Look at the guys from England and Australia…Yelling their lungs out, cursing, throwing the f bomb, insulting people and by the end, not only are they solving the problems of the victim of their shows, they have become doctor Phil and brought a dysfunctional family together in a kum- by- ah moment.. All in the name of FOOD…. How flippin stupid has America become ? We give money and time to these frauds who in another life would be mopping a floor or picking up TRASH . That is about all that a ten year old mentality can do without too much supervision… These creeps are just lucky.
i love the show. i think mentioning “the view” as being an example of an entertaining show is false. all they do on that show is talk over each other and criticize some of their guests. “the view” is not a show to copy.
i think the people on “the chew” are much more friendly (all of them), particularly michael symon. i’m a Cleveland girl and we just can’t do without michael or “the chew” show. the recipes are great. i’m getting ready to try the phyllo spinach pie. my grandchildren love this recipe.
This show ‘could’ be a good watch, HOWEVER, WITHOUT CARLA HALL. Why does she act so ‘stupid’ all the time .. constantly looking for attention with the crazy motions, awkward faces and ‘looks’ she gives, and acting like the innocent, naive, un-knowing youngster .. instead of the mature almost 60 year-old that she is .. Keep Michael, Mario, and get somebody interesting ..
Im tired of seeing Carla hall stuff her face with every drop of food she comes across. She should be embarrassed.
Im tired of watching Carla hall constantly stuff her face with every drop of food she can get her hands on. She actually stretches completely across the counter stabbing at food. Its disgusting to watch. And what does she do, barf it all up after the show?? Shes grotesquely skinny. Dont quite understand how this happens. Poor thing is most likely a binge eater the way she shoves food down her throat.