Is it wrong that I love Gordon Ramsay so much? It probably is wrong. And I do try to resist. I find myself squirming in protest when I watch any show that he's in---and I watch every show that he's in----because I so dislike being lured in by his mere personal charisma. He says and does many things I don't quite approve of. But I cannot resist a man, and particularly an English man, who shows such a passionate commitment to something beyond himself and even beyond his family.
The F Word with Gordon Ramsay was a fascinating show. For one thing, we got to see the charming Missus and the adorable Ramsay brood, not to mention a boatload of (allegedly) ill-fated turkeys that he has given to his children to raise). It was a terrifically attractive domestic scene, though apparently no one ever told GR that if you give your kids livestock to raise, it's generally a mistake to encourage them to call your future entrees by name.
The show is also educational. If I had any intention of ever cooking anything, or of ever eating foie gras, I could have learned a great deal from watching him prepare foie gras. I could also have learned to make a bread pudding. Actually I could have learned to make two: the one Ramsay made and the one that the food tasters he hand-picked himself actually chose. True story, and another reason this show rocks. (For the record, I'm certain I'd have preferred his).
But I do rather envy the lavishly beautiful Martine McCutcheon her particular Ramsay encounter. That's all I'm saying. I'll leave it there.
My enthusiasm for Steven King is more grudging. I agree with him---because this seems to be an issue with him---that he is a fine and brilliant writer; I'd just qualify it by saying that all of his best writing happened a long time ago. Since then, he's been running in place and the themes and characters have become progressively flatter and more shopworn. Some of the books in the interim have been pretty good, but there is a certain sameness about all of it, and he never seems to be able to resist busting out the big guns and the charnel house effects when he'd do better just to leave a few gaps for the reader to fill in. Just my opinion, Steve! You clearly do something better than anyone else and Nick buys all your books. But there's more magic and more character in the early ones, I think.
And for those, I shall always honor you....
But he sent out a letter to MoveOn.org members and I can't help admiring fabulously wealthy Democrats who put their names behind an effort to get out the progressive vote.
As for Robert, he is much as he was when I saw him 20 years ago---a really good guy who deserves to be happy.
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