Comments on: Top Chef Fillets the Skeletons in Clay’s Closet

By: Jule Gardner

Jule Gardner — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:16:03 +0000

I'm with DeBonis. It seems like the bald guy stroked Bourdain's considerable ego with a well-timed reference to his book, and all of a sudden his egregious error wasn't all that bad after all. I think that if they're smart, the contestants will start memorizing passages from "The Food You Want to Eat"...

By: Tim Carman

Tim Carman — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:40:49 +0000

I think some of y'all might be confusing culinary decisions for ethical ones. One chat with Clay and it's clear that he's a nervous guy with a tragic background. I think the producers should have been sensitive to that fact and never put him on the show, which has only led to public humiliation. But, in fact, I think Bravo, in its secret little heart, loved playing up Clay's background. It made me feel really lousy to watch it.

By: Mike DeBonis

Mike DeBonis — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:33:01 +0000

I felt the bald guy shoulda been auto-DQ'd for only plating one of his two ingredients. So I do think Clay did get screwed on that count.

By: Sue

Sue — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:21:38 +0000

I actually thought Clay's fruit-inside-a-mangled-granny-smith-apple amuse-bouche deserved extra points for sheer hilarity. The whole thing's a set-up anyway. If you watch the credits you'll see something saying that Bravo reserves the right to have input on who wins the show ... hence last season's finale between the two guys who most hated each other's guts.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:48:35 +0000

If Clay didn't want to be picked on, or his personal story know, he should not have applied for the show.

He wasn't "picked on" - his food sucked. Twice.

Should Clay have been appointed the winner just so he will feel better?

By: Dave in VA

Dave in VA — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:46:44 +0000

Too right--in fact, Bravo ought only eject those contestants who don't have a compelling tragedy in their past. Doing so will ensure that the show isn't about who plates the best food, but instead about whose life story is most worthy of pity.

Having said that, potential contestants should ensure that if they don't have a suitably tragic past, that they either reconsider applying for the show or gin up a disaster to submit for consideration.