The Chew Archives – CULTURE MIX

May 23, 2018

by Jennifer Dawson

ABC has announced that it is canceling its food-oriented talk show “The Chew” to make way for a third hour of “Good Morning America” at 1 p.m. ET/PT. “The Chew,” which debuted in 2011, “will cease production at the end of this season but will continue to air as planned until September [2018] with new episodes airing in June,” according to an ABC press release.

“The Chew” began with five hosts: Michael Symon, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, Daphne Oz and Mario Batali. Oz left in August 2017 to pursue other opportunities. Batali was fired in December 2017, after he admitted to and made a public apology for accusations that he sexually harassed female employees and colleagues for several years. Oz and Batali were not replaced on “The Chew.”

In a press release, “The Chew” creator/executive producer Gordon Elliott issued this statement: “Before ‘The Chew,’ no one had attempted a talk/food hybrid. Our hosts Clinton, Carla and Michael and the staff created television history executing the show as well as they did for all these years. I know I speak for all of the people who work on the show when I say it was the best television we have ever had the privilege to produce.”

Apart from Gordon Ramsay’s shows on Fox, “The Chew” was one of the few food-oriented shows on a broadcast (not cable) network.

Symon posted this statement on his Facebook page: “As you may have heard by now we found out today this is our final season of The Chew … I Just want to say thank you to everyone who not only was involved with show but to all those who watched daily and allowed us to entertain you…it has been an amazing run and we are all looking forward to new fun things!…xoxo…MS”

Hall commented on her Twitter account: I am so grateful for all the good times and incredible friends I have made over the past seven years on @thechew. It has truly been an amazing ride. I am looking forward to new adventures! What’s next? Stay tuned! Onward and upward! #adventurefollows.”

Viewers had swift and overwhelming reactions to “The Chew” being cancelled, with most expressing anger or sadness on the Internet about the show’s cancellation. A small minority of people reacting on the Internet expressed happiness that “The Chew” was cancelled, but they are identifying themselves as soap-opera fans who are still bitter that “All My Children” was cancelled and replaced by “The Chew.” Fans of “The Chew” are extremely upset about “The Chew” getting cancelled, and say they won’t be watching the “Good Morning America” segment that will be replacing the show.

Clinton Kelly, Carla Hall and Michael Symon of “The Chew” (Photo by Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ABC)

Here’s a sampling of comments from the Internet:

On “The Chew’s” official Facebook page:

“So disgusted and disappointed The Chew is being cancelled. I have been watching since the very first episode. I tape it everyday and see absolutely no reason why we need 3 hours of GMA. I love GMA but don’t need 3 hours of it. I hope the Food Network picks this show up.”

“Save the Chew… it’s the only daytime show I watch… I cannot believe it’s being cancelled for more news… I think we see enough negative stories in the morning and at night from the news… this was a great positive uplifting fun show and I learned a lot of new recipes too… I love the interviews w/ celebs cooking along side the chefs…”

“Just read the The Chew has been cancelled, yet The View is still on!! Very disappointing. I do not watch the 2 hours of GMA now so I definitely won’t be tuning in during this time slot.”

“I can not believe The Chew is cancelled. ABC execs have made a huge mistake here. This show has a great following and brings something different to daytime TV that no one else has. I DVR this show and look forward to watching every new episode. I will not be watching a THIRD hour of GMA. Absolutely ridiculous.”

“Shame on you ABC! We don’t need more news through the day, loved watching Clinton, Clara, and Michael. Hopefully, another station will pick them up.”

On Twitter:

“The Chew was a great show! The other 3 host had nothing to do with what Mario did. Who in the world needs another cornball hour of Good Morning America?”

“Boycott ABC. Shame on you for canceling The Chew! Nobody needs a 3rd hour of GMA.”

“I’m a ‘Good Morning America’ watcher, but not happy #TheChew has been canceled (despite strong ratings & sometimes outperforming “The View”) for a new afternoon version of @GMA! Unless #TJHolmes is hosting the 1pm version, this is a BAD idea!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPw7i9yUD34

UPDATE: “The Chew” aired its final episode on June 15, 2018. Here are some statistics that ABC provided about “The Chew”:

Seasons: 7

Episodes: 1,500

Audience members: 201,343

Recipes made: 6,630

Celebrity guests: 1,121

Crafts created: 228

Michael’s “5 in 5s”: 164

Carla’s desserts: 437

Emmys: In 2015, the co-hosts of “The Chew” won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host; and in 2016, “The Chew” won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show.

December 11, 2017

by Colleen McGregor

Mario Batali has become yet another famous and powerful person accused of sexual harassment, resulting in serious damage to his career. Unlike most of the accused, celebrity chef/restaurateur Batali has admitted to the allegations made against him by colleagues and co-workers, some of whom detailed their stories to Eater, a website that covers the restaurant industry. In the wake of these revelations that Eater published on December 11, 2017, Batali has stepped down from his businesses and has left his co-hosting position at ABC’s food-oriented talk show “The Chew.”

According to the stories published by Eater, Batali (who is 57) has a history of harassing women for at least 25 years. The harassment includes unwanted groping of breasts, buttocks and other parts of the body, as well as crude sexual comments in the workplace. Batali is married with two adult children.

Along with Joe Bastianich and Lidia Bastianich, Batali is a partner in Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group, which owns the New York City restaurants Del Posto and Babbo, which each has one Michelin star. Batali is also a minority shareholder in Eataly USA, a chain of food halls specializing in Italian cuisine.

Batali had been co-hosting “The Chew” since the show’s premiere in 2011. He also starred in the Food Network show “Molto Mario,” which aired from 1996 to 2004. Batali was previously a sous chef at the Four Seasons Biltmore and a sous chef for the Four Seasons Clift Hotel San Francisco. His education includes studying at Fordham University and Le Cordon Bleu.

Batali released this statement to Eater: “I apologize to the people I have mistreated and hurt. Although the identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted. That behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have caused to my peers, employees, customers, friends and family.

“I have work to do to try to regain the trust of those I have hurt and disappointed. For this reason, I am going to step away from day-to-day operations of my businesses. We built these restaurants so that our guests could have fun and indulge, but I took that too far in my own behavior. I won’t make that mistake again. I want any place I am associated with to feel comfortable and safe for the people who work or dine there.

“I know my actions have disappointed many people. The successes I have enjoyed are owned by everyone on my team. The failures are mine alone. To the people who have been at my side during this time — my family, my partners, my employees, my friends, my fans — I am grateful for your support and hopeful that I can regain your respect and trust. I will spend the next period of time trying to do that.”

Several journalists working on sexual-harassment stories involving the rich and famous have reported that the restaurant industry is one of the worst when it comes to sexual misconduct and degradation, with women usually being the target of the abuse. Batali surely will not be the last celebrity in the industry who will be exposed as a sexual harasser and have a fall from grace because of it.

Tag: The Chew

ABC cancels ‘The Chew’; viewers react with anger and sadness

Mario Batali scandal: Celebrity chef steps down from his business and ‘The Chew’ after admitting to sexual harassment