Dining Dementia

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, May 3rd, 2010

Turns out, not all cooking parody shows are created equal.

Those who’ve trolled the Interweb in search of organic, epicurean-ribbing entertainment are probably very familiar with the current Net-to-mainstream media success story, Food Party.

Now in it’s second season on IFC (new episodes air every Tuesday @ 10 p.m.), Food Party is surrealistic art stirred up in a cardboard kitchen–a psychotropic alternaverse that closely tracks what might have happened if Hunter S. Thompson moved to Sesame Street mid-bender and invited Andy Warhol over to shoot home movies.

Creator/host Thu Tran attempts to weave cooking (or, at least, foodstuffs) into just about every episode, but more often than not focuses on her favorite topic, herself:

(Video: IFC)

I’m a much bigger fan of Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show, a short-lived spoof of the insanely disjointed Asian variety shows American TV networks now routinely cannibalize for content, complete with terribly aloof host (Kiko), baffled guests–watch sous chef Rick Bowles suffer through what has to be the most traumatic tartare experience on tape–non sequitur segments and overly aggressive wildlife:

(Video: Hulu)

Almost makes getting your ass handed to you by Gordan Ramsay mid-service seem perfectly reasonable.

–Warren

Tags: cooking, Crackle, Food Party, Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show, Gut Check, Hulu, IFC, Northern Virginia Magazine, parody, tv, Warren Rojas