Fans of “The Next Food Network Star” were treated to one of the all-time unexpected reality-shows “twists” last night, when finalist Joshua Adam Garcia - better known by the nom de cuisine JAG - was forced to withdraw from the competition just before the final vote.
JAG was undone by a June report in the Marine Corps Times that showed that Garcia’s service record was not what he claimed. We were told on “TNFNS” last night that he did not serve in Afghanistan as he told the Food Network. Marine Corps Times further reported - and JAG himself confirmed to the paper - that he left the Marine Corps eight months ahead of schedule and at some point had been demoted from corporal to private.
JAG also claimed to have graduated from the New York Restaurant School. He attended the school but did not graduate. To its credit, the Food Network didn’t try to sweep the incident under the rug, but dealt with it frankly on the show.
In a weird way, JAG’s elimination erases the judges’ inexplicable choice to make Amy Finley the show’s last candidate to be eliminated. Why Amy would leave instead of Rory Schepisi and her boring food or JAG and his Emeril-with-anger-management-problems personality was a mystery.
The viewers get to decide whether Amy or Rory gets the show with the crummy time slot, a la last season’s winner Guy Fieri and his Sunday morning spectacular “Guy’s Big Bite.”
To vote, go to www.foodtv.com
He just gave Latinos a bad name (yet again, one of their people screw themselves over). He should never have brought the Latino issue up. The little lying chorizo and sofrito cooking crybaby…
I wanted for him to win so bad and then he cooks up this whole mess himself. Little crybaby, I hope he gets fired from his real job and ends up on gov’t assistance.
I’ll tell you why Amy was asked to leave instead of Rory or Jag. Amy is BORING! She has no star quality whatsoever. Even if she is a little more comfortable in front of the camera, and even if she can cook a little better, in the end, Food Network is about star power. Rory will attract viewers with her looks and rack (word) and Jag had energy and an “it” factor that Amy completely lacked.
I knew from the first episode that Rory would win the entire thing. Amy will get toasted with Sunday’s vote and thank goodness because she may be a good person but I would never, ever watch her on tv. And I think Food Networks’ producers realize that as well.
Chris: I’m not sure what JAG being Latino has to do with it. Boneheadedness is not limited to any ethnic group.
NotJag: I agree that Amy is not the biggest personality. I don’t agree that she’s boring, but that’s a matter of personal taste. I thought JAG was probably the best cook, but his on-air personality bugged me. Rory does have the looks department locked down. It will be interesting to see how the vote goes.
Several episodes ago, Alton Brown said “Can we start over again?” I totally agree. I wouldn’t watch any of these people on a cooking show.
Jag did have good personality when he was “on” but when he wasn’t, he seems pretty emotional and needy. To find out he lied about serving in Afghanistan, which he obviously did to gain favor with voters, is beyond low. How could he think he would get away with that? Rory is too much of a spaz for me and she messed up so many times! How many chances did she get? I’ll take Amy over her any day.
The only reason JAG was allowed to stay was because he was latino or hispanic or whatever they are calling themselves today. Then he turned out to be the lying liar cheat. Typical. He wasn’t the best cook there, and his personality sucked. I’m glad Amy is back. She didn’t deserve to go home and Rory will win hands down. LOVE THE SHOW!
I think JAG could have had a great show, as long as we weren’t subjected to his temper and attitude (who knows what Emeril’s like behind the scenes?), but both Amy and Rory would also have very good, if pretty standard, Food Network shows.
I prefer Amy, but I just think she’s more natural in front of the camera. And jeers to Food Network - they were showing promos for voting DURING the second and third reruns of the final elimination episode of TNFNS, taking away all the surprise.
…so everyone thinks the girl with the huge rack of dentures or veneers is going to win?
i can’t get passed her appearance, reminds of the movie The Mask with Jim Carey.
or the episode of Friends when Ross gets his teeth whitened.
Judy: I think you nailed the essential problem with this show and HGTV’s ‘Design Star”: the competitions are fun to watch, but the winner is going to be disappointing by definition. If they were really good enough to merit a show, they wouldn’t need to go through a reality show to get it.
Guy Fieri’s “Guy’s Big Bite” and “Design Star” winner David Bromstad’s “Color Splash” are both just dreary. “Design Star” kicks off season two this Sunday, btw.
so not a cook: I agree with you 100%
Michael Doss: Nice observation on the spoilers run during the reruns. I was watching a couple of episodes I had missed during the season, and when I saw those promos I thought, ‘Glad I already know how it turns out.’
I really hope we don’t have to look at Rory’s gums any longer than the last episode of the season.
Rory teeth make me sick! I can’t tell if she has dentures or if those things are real! If she wins, I don’t think I could watch her show and listen to her slur through her teeth any more then we have!!