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Monday, July 27, 2009

Keller mom Melissa d’Arabian of Next Food Network Star is no longer a Keller mom

by Teresa Gubbins

Melissa d'Arabian hasn't been a Keller-ite since who knows when.

Keller mom Melissa d'Arabian, whose weekly exploits on Season 5 of The Next Food Network Star we've been following diligently, no longer lives in Keller.

d'Arabian moved to Kirkland, Wash. in June. Which, if you calculate, is right about when Season 5 of The Next Food Network Star began.

Sunday night after Sunday night, we've had our TVs faithfully turned to Food Network where we awaited the next chapter of "local gal" d'Arabian's ascent. How naive we were.

Admittedly, she's only lived here since 2006, and didn't have much of a local profile before the show. Regardless, we got behind her with all the gusto a local citizen on reality TV deserves. We postponed watching the premiere of Entourage on HBO so that we could witness her mini-revolt on episode six. We went to bed later than we should have so that we wouldn't miss her getting feisty on episode seven. Now we find out we've been investing our TV Time on someone who's been a resident of the Pacific Northwest?!

It's like the summer before your freshman year, when you met the cute guy at a softball game and discovered he'd be attending the same high school you were. So you decided you'd be "boyfriend and girlfriend." But then when you showed up on your first day of school you found out that, in the month since you made that pact, he'd hooked up with another girl. BUT YOU PROMISED.

Melissa, Jeffrey, and Debbie get their orders from Emeril Lagasse.

Grinding the stake even further is the fact that d'Arabian has not only been living in Kirkland for more than a month, she's hosting a Next Food Network Star watching party at one Hector's Restaurant there. We have a Hector's on Henderson, and yet we never got a Next Food Network Star watching party here.

As an aside, d'Arabian made the cut this week, becoming one of the final two contestants, along with good-natured Jeffrey. "I'm Korean" Debbie was eliminated. They had to cook a three-course meal and do a demo for a panel of Food Network stars and chef regulars such as Tyler Florence. For the 30th time, Judge Bob said that he likes surprises and Melissa keeps surprising him. Her "surprise" this time was when she revealed during her little speech before the judges that her mother committed suicide. Surprise!

It paid off. The judges had to decide between Debbie and Jeffrey who would stay and who would go, while Melissa was a sure thing to move on to the finals next Sunday.

Not that we care.

Staff
Verified User
Anonymous

For once in the entire history of TNFNS I was entertained throughout the entire episode. The task was tough. Melissa was impressive and won it hands down (editing maybe...whatever).

What is it with Risotto? Jeffrey and health nut chick ruined it this show and we all know that the Hell's Kitchen chefs screw it up every season. I've never ruined a risotto! It's freaking easy. If that were the only task on these shows I would enter and have a cooking empire by now. Alas, it is not.

I thought Melissa had won this two episodes ago. Now I like her so much I'll actually tune in to her show, and that is a first.

TLS Anonymous

3 months, 4 weeks ago
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TLS, that's quite an endorsement. even though she's NOT from keller?? wow

Teresa Gubbins Staff

3 months, 4 weeks ago
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I'm from New Jersey, what do I care?

TLS Anonymous

3 months, 4 weeks ago
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TG, awesomeness. No wonder they never "allowed" SideDish to interview her before the show started.

Nancy Nichols Verified

3 months, 4 weeks ago
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Since this Smeller,TX thing is one of the lamest of the lame-o tangentially related to Dallas deals on here I thought I would spice it up with an actual Dallas cool news go check it out sort of thing:

http://www.kidrobot.com/content.cfm?s...

Back to sucking, I once watched part of Iron Chef America but my girl changed the channel because I kept putting Tabasco sauce in my eyes to try and make it go away. Even then with the stoopid swoosh swoosh sound effects, I tried to acquire an LRAD (LRADLRADLRAD) from teh internez to disable my hearing and equilibrium, but the terribleness seeped in so yes, channel changed.

I would appreciate it if Loonz could now take this thread down the "eight things her husband told her to try and she still doesn't like" sort of road...

DC Anonymous

3 months, 4 weeks ago
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Hilarious, TG.

Don't worry, she won't last in in the PNW very long. In Kirkland, at least.

Kirby Anonymous

3 months, 4 weeks ago
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Just curious, as I've never seen the show and probably won't, but - did they and/or she try and play up the fact that she was from Keller, TX, or was it just a stated fact in the press release or at the beginning of the show?

James Scott Verified

3 months, 4 weeks ago
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james, it was, as you say, stated in the press release up front. then over the course of the series, she's mentioned it maybe once or twice. it's been repeated in other places such as <a href="http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/show/segments/view/next-food-network-star-mike-melissa/">Rachael Ray's website</a> and in <a href="http://www.usaweekend.com/09_issues/090705/090705food-network-steak-tostada-recipe.html">USA Today</a>.

d'Arabian has lived in quite a few cities which she's talked about on the show more often -- particularly arizona where she says she grew up, and france, where her husband is from

Teresa Gubbins Staff

3 months, 4 weeks ago
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OMG, Melissa d'Arabian not in Keller, TX anymore....UGH!

okme2 Anonymous

3 months, 4 weeks ago
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DC, you need to join the cult of Alton Brown. Come, join hands with us as we chant

ohmmmmmkoshersaltkoshersaltkoshersaltkoshersaltkoshersaltkoshersaltkoshersaltkoshersaltkoshersaltkoshersaltkoshersalt

luniz Anonymous

3 months, 4 weeks ago
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Well I for one loved Melissa and was pulling for her to win until this travesty was revealed. Now I'm screwed since Jeffrey doesn't really do it for me... whatever will I do.

P.S. Be more petty and snarky please, it's so attractive

Mika Anonymous

3 months, 3 weeks ago
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OK. Since Loonez won't pick up where he left off: maybe she needs to see that Dr. 90210 guy to give that Judge Bob guy TWO surprises to ensure her win.

DC Anonymous

3 months, 3 weeks ago
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Bitter much?

I saw in this interview that Melissa was talking about how she's now in an area she doesn't know.

http://stayathomemoms.about.com/od/mo...

At first, I thought she had let it slip that she won and moved to New York. The show finished taping in April. She didn't move to Washington until June, right as the show began airing.

You're in the news business. The show was in the can ready to air. Were they supposed to back through all of the footage and re-font her? Do you go back over your news stories and change a person's location when they move or pass away? In the can.

Maybe Food Network could have switched their PR and said she's a Washington resident. Then people could blast her for not actually living there when the show was taping. Doesn't look like she could have won with you either way.

BTW, I'm pulling for Jeffrey but this article is so mean-spirited for no good reason that I had to respond.

carter Anonymous

3 months, 3 weeks ago
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"...when she revealed during her little speech before the judges that her mother committed suicide. Surprise!"

priceless. tg, you deserve a raise for that entry alone. mike, you listenin'?

adkim Anonymous

3 months, 3 weeks ago
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Awesome stuff, TG with your usual snuffs of indignancy... ;-)

I'm shocked, just shocked, that a reality show has been shocked by... REALITY! The indignancy and pain of it all. Pretty soon, will we see food blogs actually talking about food instead of thanking places for free burgers, foi gras, pizza and ice cream?

Will she dump her husband now that she's up there because she's in love with Jason Mesnick and wants to get after that bi$%ch Molly for taking her reality love away?

Will we see new blogs called TheBitter renamed after TheBragger stops getting into the kitchens of famous chefs, due to too chapped, a$$-kissing lips failing him?

Will this cause DC to stop informing us of free stuff and openings? One hopes not. And, hey, Looziana hot sauce works quicker, buddy.

And finally, this has nothing to do with SideDish not getting a pre-show start interview. Read Eats... "In a written statement, the Food Network's publicist says that Melissa's husband had a job offer in Seattle, and they made a quick decision to move. The date was June 28th. She moved to Keller in 2006, and was living there when the show was filmed, up through the airing of the first 4 episodes."

So, it was obviously something much more important than that. Like "why bother."