I notice that a lot of the Comments on my colleague Archana Ram’s Top Chef: Las Vegas TV Watch are about Ashley’s irritation at having to compete in a challenge to cater meals for a straight couple about to get married. Most of the comments are anti-Ashley.
I’ll bet you anything that Ashley was following one of the rules of reality TV, if you’re a smart contestant, which is: If you want something to survive the editing process, say it over and over in as many provocative ways as you can. Ashley wanted to make a point about the unequal laws regarding gay marriage, so she articulated it in a variety of ways at various times. (For one example, look about 1:27 into this clip.)
But then there’s another rule of reality TV: If one of your contestants gives you a hot topic, you run with it. You edit as many of his or her comments into your show as you can, hoping… it will provoke the reaction that Ashley seems to have gotten from many EW readers. You know, either, “Yay, Ashley,” or “Why does she have to bring social issues into a cooking show?”
This runs the risk of boring your audience, of course. At a certain point last night, I was saying, “Yeah, I get it, I get it, Ashley!” But on some level, she can’t be blamed for the repetition. She was trying to be honest about her feelings, and Top Chef was trying to spice up an episode. (I mean, thank heaven Eve was sent packing: What a drab player. Half the time, I couldn’t even understand what she was mumbling.)
Did you watch last night? What did you think about Ashley?
Look, I’m all for supporting making gay marriage legal, but she was offended by cooking for bachelor/bachelorette parties? I mean, come on. That’s just stupid. She’s a chef, and I’m sure she’s had to cook for people she doesn’t like before, and will have to do so again in the future. It would be one thing if it were a bunch of Klansmen, but these were people who were getting married and having a party. Get over yourself.
Took the words right out of my mouth. I’m all for gay marriage but it had nothing to do with show. She practically stated that Top Chef should not have a challenge related to marriage because gays can’t get married. That is just ridiculous
Exactly!!! I said the same thing to my gf when we watched this last night. For crying out loud I’m a Vermont liberal but she went way overboard. Your a chef trying to win a competition, just shut up and cook! There’s a time and place for her concerns and this was not it.
I think her point didn’t come across very clearly and it backfired on her. What she said was that she resented Bravo making them do a wedding-themed challenge when several of them were not allowed to legally marry their partners. She knew Bravo caters to a wide gay audience and I guess she found this insensitive on the channel’s part. Even though she more or less made this point the first time she was shown mentioning the issue, by the fourth or fifth she was coming across like being forced to do anything related to a heterosexual wedding was horrible, which of course is a ridiculous position for someone in the restaurant business – and also for someone competing in a show set in Las Vegas, tacky wedding capital of the world (apologies to the many people who I’m sure have also had tasteful weddings there.)
ashley looks like andy samberg…
Except when she’s wearing her glasses, and then she looks like Ben Folds…
she also looks like jesse the old mtv vj
YES! Just what I was thinking!!!
I’ve thought that she looks like a female Beck.
Why do people even care what is said on these “reality” shows. It may have been actually said by that person, but in the hands of the editors, all reality shows are in fact, fiction.
I thought the gay marriage thing was a little redundant. We go the point, move on!!
go-”got” the point
Don’t judge if you are not in the same situation. I live in Iowa and can get married, but I would be offended if I had to pretend to be happy for someone when I do not have the same rights. Emotions are pretty raw after the homophobic Prop 8 passed, and I for one can understand her emotions. She still sucked it up and did 2 dishes, so get off her case.
I totally agree with Robert. I completely believe that gay people should be allowed to get married and it is a bummer for ashley that she isn’t legally able. However, taking issue with cooking for people just because they are about to get married seems ridiculous. Does she not like to cook for hetero married couples either? I really didn’t like the way she seemed to resent the show for asking them to do this challenge. In my opinion she was being ultra sensitive and can’t expect to not have any wedding related challenges just because there are gay contestants. They have wedding challenges all the time!
She’s being a smart contestant. The only ones who get any airtime or are remembered by the public are the in your face/don’t mess with me/i have an axe to grind Alphas.
I found her commments revealed that she doesn’t know the history of her own show very well. Season one saw the chefs catering to a same-sex wedding, indicating the show’s acceptance of the issue. If the show always did the same challenge over and over, ignoring alternative lifestyles, I could see her complaint. But I think taking that stance on the first ‘wedding’ challenge speaks volumes, much more than grumping about the same issue over and over.
I dont know that she was really annoyed at the show itself, but of society and the marriage laws. There have been many gay chefs on the show over the years (at least one every season I think) and the show is on bravo for pete’s sake so clearly there is no bias there. But I can understand how anything involving marriage would be a sore subject since its something she can’t legally partake in. However the wedding ceremony/bachlorette party she clearly could and its not like the couple involved were right wingers or outwardly anti gay
It was repetitive, but it needed saying. (Once would have been fine, and maybe more poignant.) Given the significant contributions of gay chefs to the show, social issues should at least be acknowledged. Entertainers have always carried the flag of social justice. It’s a great tradition.
You’re a moron. It’s not social justice to whine about people who can get married just because you can’t. If you want to be a bastion of social justice, to after the people who put barriers in your place, not innocent heterosexuals who happen to be engaged. You are truly sickening.
I wish all straight and gay people would get an island together and leave us asexuals alone in peace!
I, for one, don’t think Top Chef was in any way trying to be offensive to gay people. However, it is a touchy subject for gay people like myself, especially if you are IN a relationship and want to get married. I understand Ashley’s problem and I hope that people begin to realize why she was upset. Maybe a little more tact in the future regarding marriage or at least until gays have that right too. Then ashley won’t have to complain and problem solved!
You make me reconsider my support of gay marriage when you cowardly attack innocent people instead of those who might actually oppose gay marriage.
why do preeti and ashley look so horrible??? my daughter keeps wondering if they are girls or boys? i don’t understand why the “girl” need to look like boys when they like girls. it’s confusing and annoying. what’s the big deal about marriage…they all end in divorce. ashley needs to look in the mirror and get a grip. maybe if she were purtier…she’d be in a relationship longer. preeti…change that hair…it’s a mess.
Wow, you do realize that your comments reveal more about you than the contestant, right? Maybe you should teach your daughter about the gender that society constructs versus the gender that is biological. Also, my parents were married for thirty-six years. Death brought the marriage to an end, not divorce. Maybe if you thought more positively about life, you’d see how “preeti” people can be, regardless of how they cut their hair or what clothes they wear.
Preeti is a contestant, but I think you were trying to point out the way Natalie spelled “purtier.” A simple referencing mistake…and by the way, I totally agree with you, Ed. Natalie’s mind must be a sad place to be.
Natalie, hopefully your daughter has some adults in her life who understand kindness and don’t make nasty comments about people based on the fact that they look a little different. Grow up.
I understand her comments but I wouldn’t have been offended by the challenge. If it was reversed and it was a gay couple, would the ‘straight’ contestants have a right o complain? I think she mainly had an issue with the marriage part but it was probably edited to look different.
I’m gay, and I found it to be annoying. Do I wish there was the possibility for a bachelor/bachelor or bachelorette/bachelorete challenge? Absolutely! However, at the end of the day, no matter how good you are, you’re the hired help caterer. So, suck it up, do your job!
first let me say I am a lesbian so this slam is not motivated my homophobia etc – I wanted to b*^%h her so bad…. Does she only serve homosexuals in her restaurant? It is a fact of life we cannot marry in most states if that upsets you work to change it. I am afraid of her rant next week when they cook for the military.