Now, I have never cooked anything more advanced than Beefaroni, but I have watched Giada De Laurentiis on her various television shows. Do I plan on making any of the food created on the programs? No. Yet, I keep coming back. Giada begins many episodes of her flagship program in a relaxed location. She may be sitting in her living room, sending me a personal invitation to join her in the kitchen or she could be strolling along the beach in her bikini, telling me of a new exotic food hideaway. These introductions seem to be meant "to appeal to a sense of yearning", like many early works about sex (Bourdain). How could one resist? There are no ugly female chefs on The Food Network. They are stunning or old, and that doesn't count. Giada certainly is attractive ands her outfits always seem to reveal just enough without revealing too much. Just read the titles and comments on her Youtube videos to see how people feel about her show. Factor in the quick, sexy cut-away shots of fresh food and sensual reactions to taste tests and you can see why Giada's shows, and many on the channel, may fall short making master chefs of the public, "but as entertainment, it may just tide you over" (Patterson).
If there was an election held for "food porn" president, Denny's would have to get more than a few votes. Take this commercial for their Baconalia event as an example.
Listen to the announcer. His moans and groans sound more as if they belong in the bedroom than in the kitchen. The bacon here "isn't erotic, just unreal" (Patterson). In the same way traditional pornography creates a false picture of sexual encounters, Denny's creates an unrealistic depiction of food. Bacon sundaes are not typical foods and four-ways are not typical sexual acts. The creators of such television commercials and network programming are quite clever in there approach. Why not appeal to one of the things that drives us as human beings: sexual desires. Suddenly, we aren't thinking clearly. We need this bacon stuffed sandwich, stuffed with bacon. We may not know why, but or interest is peaked by a Giada De Laurentiis show and we watch through all of the commercials for Ford trucks and Pepsi Cola. Show us the sizzling bacon. Show us the fresh, bite size baby bell peppers stuffed with lord knows what. Show me those "beautiful objects arranged in ways one might never have previously considered" (Bourdain). Who's hungry?
Works Cited:
Bourdain, Anthony. "Food Porn: Lust for the gastronomic -From Zola to cookbooks- is nothing new, but maybe it's time to shelve it". 04 Nov 2001. n. pg. SF Gate. Web. 24 Sept 2011.
Patterson, Troy. "Oral Pleasures: The Food Network gets dirty with Nigella Feasts and Paula's Party". Slate. 5 Oct 2006: n. page. Web. 24 Sept 2011. <http://www.slate.com/id/2151036/>.
Do you think the producers of Giada's show know that they're portraying a sexual side of her? Do you think Giada is aware of it?
ReplyDeleteSo do you think that some people like yourself who haven't seen porn get uncomfortable when you hear men groaning over a Denny's commerical?
ReplyDeleteI think Giada and the producers of her show are aware of what they're doing. Having an attractive person as the host of the show pulls in viewers. However, the two sides may feel differently about the sexual nature of the show. The producers may see it as a way to boost ratings, while Giada may just feel as though she is expressing her sexuality in a natural way. There is a very fine line here. Sex is part of who we are and a part of our culture. The distinction must be made between true expressions of human sexuality and those manufactured to sell a product.
ReplyDeleteI don't think people really think anything when they hear these types of sounds in a commercial. Perhaps people's interest is peaked by the ad and they don't quite know why. The use of sex in advertising or mass media can be very subtle. The creators seek to tap into that area of our brains without us realizing it.
I read some of the comments left on her you tube video and it does not suprise me how men can take something as simple as cooking and change it into something sexually pleasing.But this is not their fault that they are being aroused at someone showing off their self like that.When seeing videos like this how do you react or how come you do not react?Does women showing off them self like this pleases or displeases you,(not sexually )but what do you think?
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