Kevin wrote:

How did I miss out of the goodness that is Andy Cohen and the "Watch What Happens" show before today? At least I have now discovered it and can see the back episodes. Andy's cute, witty, and all-around a great host (and apparently smart enough to be a senior VP).

Oh yeah, the v-neck sweaters by all 3 guys last night was classic.

posted on February 8, 2007 at 12:21 PM

Anonymous wrote:

I really liked how top design comes together. however the talent pool is not as deep as design star but a lot of the elements worked very well together and the whole show looked fun, excited and effortless
the color pop on tv screen ...having a wide screen lcd hdtv works well, I guess.
even the outfits worned by the judges and the designers worked.
however, the designs created by the contestants were only mediocre, so there is room for improvement in that area.

posted on February 8, 2007 at 1:05 PM

Eddy wrote:

Thank God Almighty! It will be nice when you start focusing on the cooking skills of "Top Chef" and not the bedroom, backroom, and kitchen shenanigans! The season finale was so underwhelming. It would have been so much nicer to hear more from the judges as they tasted the food but all you focused on was the drama that existed between the chefs. Remember, we respond to what you create.I realize you don't control what happens but the editor is God! I'm glad someone brought you to task on your glibness with viewers comments. Being a Gay man, I completely understand it (although I thinks it's tired) but it can be infuriating and your viewers, say in St. Louis, probably don't get it! ;-)

posted on February 8, 2007 at 1:11 PM

Zuela wrote:

Andy, thank you for acknowledging the questions regarding Top Chef that many of your fans (former and/or remaining) have been asking for a while.

You didnt' really answer the first one (why was the head shaving incident edited out of the actual sequence of events), but oh well.

As for your answer to why Marcel wasn't kicked off for tackling Elia at the beach, well, when Tom was kicking Cliff off for touching Marcel, he did say that the rule stated NO competitor may touch another. And I think he even said something to the effect of "I'm sure you meant no harm, but rules are rules". Well, I'm sure Marcel meant no harm to Elia but, oh, what happened to "rules are rules"? I'm sure if Elia had broken an arm when Marcel tackled her (which would have prevented her from cooking), it would have been a different story. I think everyone that remained in the competition past the beach challenge was cheated of a fair chance by you guys. Whatever, it's your show, bend the rules as you see fit.

I'm done.

posted on February 8, 2007 at 6:08 PM

Mariah wrote:

Some thoughts for season 3...

1 Sometimes the wrong people seem to go home VERY early. Inaugurate a points system for first two shows. Eliminate 3 to 5 cheftestants on the third show. Then revert back to your epi by epi eliminations.

2. Alleviate some of the living space stress. Air conditioning when requested, reasonable personal, tv & reading time should be allowed.
These are creative types, not survivor jocks. And I don't want to read about limiting bathroom access for adults. Treat your professional contestants with a modicum of respect.

3. If you're going to continue to cast adolescent brats, you need a strong mother presence.Give LeeAnn the mentor in the kitchen roll and get Tom out of there. He shouldn't be downgrading otherwise winning dishes because the chef changed the dish in the kitchen - that's what chefs do — adapt and roll with the dropped souffle. And LeeAnn comes off as a very friendly, personable, as well as very qualified chef. Tom can always have an on-camera meeting with LeeAnn to check on kitchen progress and stay in the loop.

4. If you're going to bring back disqualified contestants as assistants in the final challenge, offset back history by giving those aides an interest in the outcome. Drop the $10,000 popularity prize and award each of the successful assistants with a $10,000 prize. Two years in a row your contest has not been fair but has been skewed in favor of one of the final two cheftestants. That final challenge, therefore, makes a mockery of your whole elimination competition. This is a change that demands to be made.

posted on February 8, 2007 at 6:49 PM

vicki wrote:

Andy, please let us know if you are bringing Marcel back for top chef 3 as a guest judge.

I also saw Marcel on the view and never watched season one of top chef. I heard about the incident with Marcel on top chef two from a friend of mine and became a huge fan of Marcel’s. Will we be seeing more of him on Bravo? Will he be a guest judge on an episode of top chef 3? I also started reading the blogs and many find him very interesting and he’s someone to watch. Please let me know as many of us are intrigued by Marcel.

Thank You
Vicki

posted on February 8, 2007 at 6:50 PM

Barbie wrote:

Andy --

You are still dancing around the questions on the re-ordering of events in the head-shaving incident (page 2 of your blog). I'm not hung up about it because anyone who's followed the shows, video extras, and blogs here and elsewhere knows what really happened. In my opinion, it doesn't have a significant impact on the outcome, which is about cooking, but does leave viewers with a bad taste (pun intended) and lingering suspicions about editing manipulations that we are not even aware of.

Please do bring Marcel back on TC3 and give him some love. And I'm with you on being fascinated with his hair -- in a good way for me!

posted on February 8, 2007 at 10:54 PM

Dave G. wrote:

All due respect, Andy, but making it seem like people care about condensing events when it's the juxtaposition of events that the controversy is about, is just more Bravo-baloney. We don't care that the timeline was altered to not show everything, what we don't like was that the editing made it look like the goal was: "we shaved our heads, now we'll shave Marcel's" when in REALITY it was "we tried to shave Marcel's head--now we'll shave ours to make it look better." So, your "reality" show tried to distort what happened. Don't you think it's significant that after someone was assaulted, these people continued to have fun? I do. Your editing didn't show me the reality. I won't be back for Top Chef 3. Bravo's integrity is shot.

posted on February 9, 2007 at 6:37 AM

Suzanne wrote:

OK Andy. Confession time. After last weeks drama on Top Design between Michael and John- I turned to my 2 Wednesday Nights at My House to Watch Bravo friends and said "those two just solidified their places in at least the top 4." I admit I was one of the people who swore the more drama the contestants caused, the longer they stayed on the show.

Then, alas, John gets eliminated this week, even after confessing his HIV status....which in and of itself could have been a whole sub story this season.

Props to you guys for not eliminating someone else just to keep things interesting. You have definitely proved me wrong!

posted on February 9, 2007 at 7:22 AM

FanFare wrote:

Andy,

Thanks for clarifying the "head-shave" editing order. That should put to rest some of the viewers' problem with that sequence of events. It is interesting that you carefully call the incident, "Marcel was bullied..." It appeared to everyone: Marcel was ATTACKED!

I also think it is the wisest decision to forgo a reunion show. Months had supposedly passed between TC-1's last episode and that reunion show. Yet, the way Dave Martin & co. verbally attacked Tiffani was atrocious and childlish. Dave even made rabbit gestures over her head from behind her back so that she would look ridiculous. He was the one who looked like a child! (Pity the fool!)

In youth sports, coaches encourage the kids to play hard to win. However, when the game is over, it is time to move on and treat the opponent like a friend. Unfortunately, the "Children" of TC may not be that mature.

Whatever your "surprise for the chefs" (in place of a reunion show) may be, please don't set up another target board with Marcel's picture on it for them to shoot at.

I think I speak for the majority when I say that we have all had our fill of near beer. It is time for you to give us champagne!

posted on February 9, 2007 at 8:26 AM

Irma wrote:

Hello Andy,

Interesting blog...

When you are reconsidering who shall carry a blog, please keep Harold and Lee Anne & the judges. It is fair to say that ILAN could be kept in the can with the lid securely tightened. (Therefore, no blog for him!)

posted on February 9, 2007 at 9:19 AM

GracielaMeltzer wrote:

Andrew, With all the real drama that took place on TC2 this season, I think Bravo did a great job editing and maintaining the show's integrity. I feel that regardless of the order of the behind the scenes scuffle between Cliff and Marcel, Cliff DID hold Marcel down aggressively. I feel like the other chefs should have been reprimanded for not stopping it. As for Marcel hitting the camera, big deal, I bet anyone of us would have "shoo-ed" the camera away somehow.

posted on February 9, 2007 at 9:46 AM

georiapat wrote:

Aha, you're going to fix Top Chef next season!
Does that mean you're going to replace Padma with Lee Anne, stop with the every 2 second ad for the Kenmore blah, blah, blah, stop the product placement food challenges(or get better sponsors), screen the applicants a little more thoroughly, give Tom Collichio a happy pill so he'll smile once in awhile? Ok, then I'll watch!

posted on February 9, 2007 at 10:57 AM