Thoughts on the Indian Contestant on The Next Food Network Star

As a minority in America, I don’t feel particularly judged for my ethnicity or discriminated against much.

But like every minority in America I know that my group isn’t going to be represented much on TV (unless you’re black/ Latino; then you get two recurring guest roles on a network show/ a minor recurring part).

The last time I saw an Indian on US TV was the Fandango puppet. Which I hate, as does every Indian I know. Even the non-traditional ones

So when I saw that the Indian contestant, Nipa something or the other, on The Next Food Network Star, with her penchant for tantrums, unwillingness to touch raw meat (!) etc., I felt like OMG THIS WOMAN IS MAKING ALL OF US INDIANS LOOK BAD! I touch raw meat! I make fish curry! I can cut a chicken!

As cousin #2 and I watched her on TV today, he turned to me and said “suddenly that Fandango puppet is looking GREAT.”

Indeed it is.

1 comment so far ↓

#1 Annie's New York Eats on 06.23.08 at 3:19 pm

Don’t worry, everyone has to know that this young woman just had problems.

Since you do know something about the cuisine of the sub-continent, can you tell me anything about seafood or fish-based Indian dishes? I’d love to know and I would put it in my blog.

Thank you!

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