The Chew Better Be Worth Killing All My Children

My mom is PISTED. Like super crazy mad, sad, frustrated, disappointed, pisted. My mom is a soap opera fan. She’s been watching All My Children for almost 40 years now. Yea, I said 40.

Every day she tapes the soap, which airs at 1pm EST, to watch later that night. Growing up I would watch with her. We would paint sea shells at the kitchen table and engage with our “friends” as they married, divorced, cheated, gave birth, died, mysteriously found the way back to Pine Valley with amnesia, and died again.

But no more. ABC yanked both All My Children and One Life to Live off the air…for a food (and lifestyle) show. My mom is someone fairly unconcerned with food. She eats to survive, not for pleasure, so you can imagine her fury knowing a food show (that has plenty of its own channels) will replace her soap. Luckily, AMC will transition online and continue to dazzle audiences with outrageous plots.

Starting September 26th, the one o’clock hour will feature The Chew staring Mario Batali, Michael Symon, Top Chef Carla Hall, “entertaining expert” Clinton Kelly and “health and wellness enthusiast” Daphne Oz (says press release.) ABC is furthermore calling its new food show “innovative and groundbreaking.”

Yesterday ABC released a “behind the scenes” (aka totally staged with fake moments of enormous laughter) teaser. Everyone’s giggling and super buddy buddy. I’m sure the show will be lighthearted, filled with quick tips for busy parents and party ideas for yuppie couples. But I hope it’s more.

This country needs help. We have a food addiction. Do we need another fluff show about pomegranates or the next new super food? No. We need to educate the public. We need to take serious steps to further our health. We need to combat obesity, food deserts, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), failing school lunch programs and any other problem Mark Bittman identifies.

I hope The Chew—with a large audience, on a major network—will tackle these crucial issues and actually make a difference. At least for my mom’s sake.

The Chew: Behind the Scenes video [ABC]

RIP AMC on TV!

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2 comments

  • tasha July 28, 2011  

    That is so very sad for American families. I can’t believe ABC would do that. What a stupid move. We do not need another food inspired show. Its bad enough there is Dr Oz, The Doctors (even tho Travis is a hot), and a few others that I’d rather not watch.
    Poor mom is right!

  • dan July 28, 2011  

    Blehhhhhh im dreading this show starting. Mario used to be a favorite of mine and year after year he just does worse and worse stuff. When he gets into any position where he is around people who like him and who he likes as well, it becomes this big suckfest of “you’re the best”, “no you’reeeeee the best”. if you need further evidence of this watch that show with him and Gwyneth Paltrow and proceed to throw up.

    I really don’t want to start hating Carla, but I am afraid it is going to happen…

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