If you don’t like a little honest, hysterical, and slightly cruel criticism, you should probably stay away from this post. And my Twitter account. And my Tumblr. And maybe we should start seeing other people.
Yesterday The Pioneer Woman premiered on Food Network. My Twitter feed made me feel like I was supposed to be excited because she’s a food blogger who’s used her talents to become famous and that’s cool, right? Meh, I guess. To be honest, I don’t read her blog or know all that much about her. She seems nice but we’re such different people that if we were stuck in a room for an hour no one would say a word. Still, when I saw other bloggers giving rave reviews and tweeting #TeamRee I felt I should watch it. And then when I read this snarky review on Food Network Humor I knew I had to watch it.
I’m not going to sugarcoat this in rainbows and roses: The show was bad. There wasn’t much originality to it. Everything I’ve heard of Ree’s character was washed away either by Food Network or editing. You could have put Paula Deen or Ina Garten in Montana and they would have came up with the same show. The parts that were technically good, I just didn’t like very much on a personal level. Let me break it down for you:
The Food
On the menu was chicken fried steak with gravy, mashed potatoes, and marinated tomato salad. Oh Lordy, where to start?
(Source)
She made this meal for her husbands and kids because they worked hard on the ranch all day and she wanted a meal that would “stick to their ribs”. Uhh, are you sure you didn’t mean kill them? The steak looked like a greasy hot mess. I’m sure the potatoes are good, but then again what wouldn’t taste good with 2 sticks of butter and a block of cream cheese? And that’s for 12 servings, people. 12. Here’s the nutrition info for the recipe:
Yeah, appetizing. At least she made a marinated tomato salad which will take a little longer to kill you. On the show she didn’t use all of her dressing but on Food Network’s website the recipe has a cup of olive oil for 6 servings. Ugh. Somewhere someone is making that recipe and wondering why they’re more well lubed than a car.
The Dialogue
This was more scripted than an episode of Days Of Our Lives, except no one was bitch slapped, shot, or otherwise screwed over by a Dimera. In other words it was a snooze fest.
Ree acted like the cookie cut-out humble ranch wife, always proving that she was just like you and me. Except we don’t have millions of fans and a television show, Ree, we just don’t. She shied away from words like chiffonade because they’re “fancy”. Come on, give people a little more credit than that. And if they don’t know what a chiffonade is they can Google it. You do have Google on the ranch, Ree, don’t you? And she pointed out her little “quirks” like mixing salad dressing in a mason jar. Eh, that’s almost interesting enough for me to give a damn.
But what really bugged me was the submissive wife act that’s outdated by about 50 years. She made it pretty clear that her role was in the kitchen spending her time to cater to her working husband and children because that’s what a good wife does. Can you hear me cringing through the computer screen? Because I am. I just wanted to call her up and tell her, “you can legally vote and own property now, you know.”
The Cowboy
If you’ve ever had fantasies of a romantic cowboy coming into your life and sweeping you off your feet, this guy will chase those away for you. I’d like to think it’s just how he was edited, but in his short screen time he managed to be pretty rude and obnoxious. There wasn’t enough “please and thank you” and way too much “where’s my dinner?” and “get to work”. Someone like that couldn’t get me to move away from the couch let alone from the city.
In the .0001% chance I become a famous food blogger/chef and meet the Pioneer Woman face to face one day, I’m really going to regret this post, huh? Good thing I’m a risk taker.
Did you watch the show? What did you think? Will you keep tuning in? Not even my love for the word “ya’ll” will have me watching again.
I had high hopes for the show given the empire she’s created out of her blog and her witty personality in her posts. I expected her to be more natural on camera and a whole lot funnier! She seemed to be really nervous though. Perhaps it’s not as easy as it looks. If anything it made me respect the other FN stars more.
THANK YOU! That was the WORST show ever…..SO freaking boring! And does she seriously want to kill her family?! What’s with that food!?!?! Sheeesh! And that FNH commentary was HILARIOUS!!!
Lol…You ppl are just too funny!! I looove The Pioneer Woman!!! I think you ppl have nothing better to do down in that little windblown Okie town than to rag on Ree Drummond…jealous? Perhaps! But I think it goes much deeper than that! I think you hate your lives and are posting c*%p about this woman because she DOES. Anyway…I don’t really wanna join your rag on Ree Drummond..I just wanted to tell you what IDIOTS you ppl are.
Keep up the good work…then EVERYONE will be like me and KNOW what kind of IDIOTS are in OKLAstupidHOMA!!!
Regards,
Marilyn 😉
Marilyn, your aggressive, not-thought-through reply above suggests you may be menopausal. Have you looked into HRT, or holistic alternatives?
Hahaha
I agree… leave Ree along you hateful wenches! Why are we soooo flippin snobbish? As is real people, with a 9-5 job, children, a spouse, and community commitments (church, synagogue, temple, book club, etc.) have time to dice up organic garlic for their super fancy meals! No we don’t! Stop being Mean Girls! I like that she’s smiling (that’s called being nice, fools), and that she takes care of her family her way… btw that’s how most children were raised in the past.. .at Home with family! Ugh.
And one of your so-called OKLAstupidHOMA idiots is Ree. Thank you, Marilyn, for underscoring what many of us think of her reediculous show. (And I do not believe all Okies are of the reediculous variety.)
You realize the Pioneer Woman is based in Oklahoma, right? Typical stupid person getting offended when people make fun of their “best friend” TV celebrity chef.
I didnt watch it (didnt even know she HAD a show coming out). I have tried to read her blog but never get past two posts or so before she turns into “mark as read” in my ‘reader. I like reading her archives for recipes or photography or random things but admit, not a daily reader so dont know the ins and outs of her life.
This part..wow…
“the submissive wife act that’s outdated by about 50 years. She made it pretty clear that her role was in the kitchen spending her time to cater to her working husband and children because that’s what a good wife does.”–
I may have to tune in just for that. Or to see the mason jar salad dressing. lol
You would have hated the show, Averie. At one point they show her wrangling one of the farm animals. How much did they need to stretch for time that they decided to add that in?
I was really crestfallen. She’s such a badass and wit on her blog, and that didn’t translate at all on the show. The editing, and the food, and MM (Marlborough Man, Ree’s nickname for her husband on the blog) is just notoriously shy and doesn’t get his picture taken for the blog nearly EVER, so to go on national television was probably really tough for him.
I was PUMPED she was getting her own show, but I feel like what happens with a lot of writers/bloggers (and I’m totally speaking for myself here) is that when you get them in front of a camera, their inherent awkwardness shines through. I am incredibly awkward in person which is why I tend to like communication through third parties more; it allows me a distance to be more eloquent.
This got long, but I hope it was just pilot episode jitters and it’ll all smooth out soon.
I definitely would be awkward and painful to watch if you put me in front of a camera. But I feel like once you sign the Food Network contract and make a show you either better feel really comfortable on screen already or learn fast because once it’s out there it’s out there for people to judge.
Very true. I’m so bummed though, of all the bloggers she seemed to be the one I’d most like to see get a show. I mean, Hungry Girl has a show, and she disgusts me, but she knows her way in front of a camera.
Wouldn’t they have “tested” her out BEFORE giving her a show?? I don’t understand…did they THINK it was good?
I mean, shouldn’t it be like “The Next Food Network Star” to see if she’s got the charisma and ability to pull it off first?
They did test her out, last year. While I still watched food network for entertainment, instead of now when I just watch it to have something to complain about. She was on a special 1 or 2 hour Throwdown with Bobby Flay…She was awkward there too.
I’m surprised Flay didn’t knock her down – he feels like a bit of a snob to me from the shows and judging I’ve seen him in.
Well – I don’t need more to complain about – so I’ll avoid The Food Network! 🙂
…I wonder how much criticism TPW is hearing though and how she feels she’s coming off on the show…??
I TOTALLY agree with this, Ally; especially the part about MM. I really like PW’s blog, but I was disappointed with the show. It really did seem awkward.
As far as the food goes, who am I to judge? Is it something I’d eat? No. But does everyone have the right to feed his/her family what they choose? Yes.
I dont really know anything about the Pioneer Woman but this post was really funny.
I’ve never commented before, but after reading the “submissive wife” bit, I couldn’t resist sharing this story:
I busted out laughing when I read it, and so my husband asked what was funny. Now, just know that I work in philosophy, and while Feminist thought isn’t my specialty per se, it’s definitely “up there.” You can understand, then, why his eyes got wide when I read this to him, and he said, “Oh…no.”
Then he demanded to know why she was called the “Pioneer Woman.” I explained it’s because of the cowboy theme, to which he replied, “She knows she’s like 150 years late, right? That’s not what that means anymore. Pioneers are in SPACE now.” *thoughtful pause* “Well, that explains the submissive wife thing. She thinks she’s living 150 years ago. At least she’s consistent in her delusions.”
🙂
I never thought about it but your husband is totally right. The idea of a pioneer has shifted.
The thing is I might not have even minded her shtick if she really sold me on it. I hear her blog is so good because she does a good job at being herself. But in the first episode it was as if they got an actress and told her to be Ree.
You’re right, it could have been downright sweet had it been authentic. (Granted, I didn’t watch the show so I’m only going off of your post here.) Shoot, my mom chose the traditional house wife role, and I respect her more than anyone else I know. Plus, there’s a reason I read food blogs – I love to cook, and my husband is well aware that the kitchen is “my” room haha. That said, in both my mom’s case and my own, the “traditional” role was a choice. I take issue only when the “submissive wife” stereotype is first caricatured and then promulgated as some transcendent principle to which all women are subjected (incidentally, the same goes for the “burly bringing home the bacon” male caricature). I don’t read Ree’s blog much, but I have in the past, and I thought she was witty and fun. I don’t have a problem with her. I do have a problem with how it sounds like she was caricatured. That sort of thing only reinforces often harmful stereotypes of what a “good” husband or wife is.
Sorry, I really did intend only to share my hubby’s funny reaction, not go all in-depth/reflective on you 😉
Thank you!!! I cannot stand her. Now I have an even better reason. 🙂 Her marionette face, she is just very unpleasant to look at, as well. She really looks white trash.
thanks for the hilarious commentary! I don’t have a TV so I gotta scope the episode out on the web.
I’ve been reading PWs blog for over 4 years now, and I’m not surprised, but a little disappointed to see how flat she is, especially when she’s on talk shows! Also, if you haven’t checked out thepioneerwomansux.com you should– lots of crazy nutritional information stats!!
I saw her on The Today Show about a year ago and thought she wasn’t that bad. Granted, 5 minutes on the Today Show isn’t exactly the best display of on-screen personality.
And dear God I hope I never get famous enough to have a whole website devoted to hating me.
I came across her on the Food Network magazine and had no idea who the heck she was. Pioneer women do not have overly styled hair and pearly white teeth. I judge, seriously, I judge.
Great review and I didn’t even see the show. I did cringe the entire way through the 7 minute teaser FN put out, and then made my husband watch it and I think he had a heart attack just looking at the mashed potatoes.
And I never knew Food Network Humor existed. Great site.
No, I didn’t watch the show. I thought about it for a second, but ended up going to the local coffee shop instead. I appreciate your review. I am so tired of the heavily scripted, over the top greasy food and unrealistic shows that food network puts out these days. I thought her book was put together really well, but unless you are a cowboy working on a hard core ranch, how in the world can you justify eating that way? You can’t. I have been living and watching some of the most unhealthy lifestyles lately and I’m so over it. I’m so ready to get back to my comfort zone and feed my family the way we like to eat.
Sorry for the tangent, but the unhealthy aspect of this post really hit close to home. I loved the honest review Evan!
I used to read her blog and liked it but then I realized her food was delicious only because it was so darn unhealthy. She is like Paula Deen in that she’s obsessed with butter, heavy cream and tons of oil. I do think she and her family come across far better on the blog and it’s a shame they don’t discuss her bad-ass career from the past on the show. I can’t remember exactly what she did but it was a high profile PR job in LA or something. She was clearly not submissive and old-fashioned then. I think your review was spot on. I watch Food Network Star religiously and see how tough it is for the contestants to learn on-camera skills so hopefly she improves with time’
Hahaha your post (and the foodnetworkhumor one) totally made me laugh. SO true.
I watched the show yesterday…y-i-k-e-s! She tried to say witty things she would normally say in the blog, like that “I like to shake the mason jar to get my aggressions out” and “kings and presidents” thing, but it TOTALLY didn’t work for her on-screen! Man, was she awkward/fake.
If Ree was on Food Network Star, she would NOT have lasted 5 seconds on the camera challenges. So unfair that she gets her own show just because she’s popular online.
I was hoping it would be good, I REALLY was…but it was just the fakest show ever.
I think I’m going to go shake a mason jar now.
I think you do have millions of fans, Evan. Maybe not a ranch, but millions of fans for sure.
I was semi-interested in watching it, because it’s a new show, but not overly excited just because of who it is. I don’t find her life all that interesting and can’t really relate. Yeah, sure, I can relate to the cooking, but NOT in the submissive way. Ew. I loved this post and you’ve actually inspired me to watch the show so I can go giggle too. Ha. Shaking salad dressing in a majon jar? SO ORIGINAL. Not.
They should have put her through the Food Network Star challenges first. It might have helped with all this.
I’ve noticed from blogging that some people who are awesome in writing are awkward in public *points at self*. Hopefully that will help…if not the food will kill you first.
Yeah, I didn’t watch it pretty much for these reasons. I’m now tempted to, especially because I’m hearing the production quality is poor from numerous sources. My film-school-snobbery would get a kick out of that.
I’m now curious what kind of contract she signed too. Knowing food network–who has a tendency to screw over their talent–, she may have signed away the rights to identity/brand for this air time “fame”.
I sincerely hope not. Even though I’m not one of her blog readers, I know she has literally millions of loyal fans who love her for her genuine self. It would really be a shame if she became a watered down, edited version of who she really is because of Food Network’s intervention.
The calorie count and the saturated fat in her recipes would stop all of the farm animals in their tracks, let alone her family. The reason for the olive oil in the salad dressing is to lube the exit chute.
Haven’t watched the show but I have to say how much I appreciate your honest review. I feel like the shows on Food Network have gone hill tremendously. It’s a shame what people say comes out in her writing (I don’t really read her blog) didn’t translate to the screen.
I am cracking up. While I love her blog, I felt like her comedic timing was lost in the show. And not even remotely funny.
Wrangling farm animals? I wonder if she just did that for the show.
after reading you tweet, i almost wanted to come here just to call you a turd.
but i also dont read her blog, or have much (slash nothing) in common with her cowgirl lifestyle. whatever.
i didnt watch because like i said, i have nothing to gain from watching someone prepare steak, but i dont really fault her for morphing into whatever the food network wanted her to be. i think its the unfortunate side effect of hitting it big. sad. you can tell a lot about a person by their willingness to sell out. ditching out on what made you a celeb in the first place is lame, but i expect that nowadays. cynical? maybe.
Um, wow. Now I really want to see this show just to see how bad it is. I’m not a big Pioneer Woman fan (I find her website/blog totally overwhelming, though her cookbook was beautiful – even though the recipes are not really anything I’d ever make), but I can’t turn away from a good disaster 😉 From your description, it sounds like I’d hate it, too. Especially the whole “our life is so hard and I do everything I can for my man because I’m a submissive woman.” Um, hello. It’s 2011. (Plus, don’t they have a ton of staff at the house since she’s so rich?)
Oh no! Haven’t watched it yet but now I’m scared to fire up my DVR! Hahaha. Thanks for the honest review. I’m gonna go start wannabechefisawannabeblogger.com 😉
Looking at the nutrition stats: 90% of your daily intake of saturated fat. 90 PERCENT! And thats just in the side… not in the actual chicken fried steak. Not to mention the 300+ calories (per serving) in the olive oil for the “salad.” Also, that “salad” has sugar in it. Oh my word, I feel gross just thinking about it.
I was going to watch but totally forgot about it. I’m surprised her wit didn’t come across in person as when I read her blog I find her funny and genuine.
And yeah, the food she cooks is disgusting. Her attitude about it is dangerous, IMO. She has so many loyal fans who are given the impression that eating like she does on a daily basis is okay. Ugh.
The show made me feel a little sad. She has this HUGE HUGE HUGE opportunity that so many of us would kill for and I feel like it definitely fell short. I seriously had chest pains looking at those potatoes, and while I feel that way when I watch Paula Deeb too, I still get her warmth and charm through the screen. That being said, it was just the first episode, so maybe she’ll come into her own eventually?
I feel like a New York Times best selling book is a good stepping stone to a Food Network show for yourself 🙂
Did you realize I called her Paula “Deeb?” Bahahahaha!
Yes. I was going to assume it was because you were speaking with a dough ball in your mouth.
I like the Pioneer Woman’s blog and cookbook, but I did not know about her new show. It seems unfair though to make fun of Ree for the way the Food Network presented her…I bet the producers of the show were the ones trying to make her into a caricature of herself. That’s normally how TV works.
As a fellow health food snob, I am totally guilty of being judgmental of other people’s food choices, but I have to say, while chicken fried steak isn’t the healthiest of meals, I don’t really think those nutrition facts are laughably terrible. 428 calories for dinner? Sounds pretty reasonable. It might annoy me if she was trying to pass it off at health food, but I don’t think that is the case.
What does totally annoy me though is the whole submissive wife thing. That makes me want to hurl way more than unhealthy cooking! But again, that is probably a persona that the Food Network is pushing rather than Ree herself.
P.S. You spelled “y’all” incorrectly. The apostrophe goes after the “y”, not the “a” as it is a contraction for “you all. ” Sorry, but that is one of my biggest pet peeves as a Georgia girl!
The nutrition facts are just for 1 serving of the mashed potatoes. I didn’t calculate any for the steak or tomato salad.
I have read PW’s blog for over 5 years. I bought her cookbook, her latest book… (Read through that in 1/2 a day) and just love her. I invited a friend over to watch the show who is also a big fan… Could not wait to soak it all in! 2 minutes into the show and it was apparent that the title should have included the phrase “train wreck.” We kept watching and cringed with every new scene and flat joke. I wanted so badly to like the show, but it was more forced than any show I’ve watched on Food Network. There is no way she could have felt comfortable watching herself. I’m hoping the rest of the shows in the series follow a different format, but guessing they were all filmed over a very short period of time. Anyway… thought your review was spot on. Now I must head to the kitchen to make my husband a pie. 🙂
I think you’re right that it will take another season for her to show comfort in front of the camera, but whether or not she’ll get that second season is questionable which is sad because I’m sure she has the potential and just needs to be put through more training to show it.
I really love how Bree lays out her recipes and she has great photography tips for beginners – but I don’t really get why has her own show on Food Network? Am I missing something?
I wish she would just stick to writing. Or maybe weekly appearances on the Today show or something. Too much PW is a bad thing.
I know nothing about this show–one of the things I appreciate about your blog and twitter is some insights into tv culture–but I have to comment and thank you for addressing what sounds like a very sexist portrayal of country living. Yes, there’s heavy work that’s easier for men to do and yes, many women enjoy anchoring the home and kitchen. But that doesn’t call for the paternalistic or dominant dynamics that have (unfortunately) been too steady an accompaniment to this historically.
Way to go: you are a credit to your gender!
I love you. Thanks for being honest, because I read way too many PC blogs and it irritates me that having an opinion on something that is different than the majority isn’t polite. Then again, your opinion here is probably the majority 😉
I’m also pretty sure if you met her you’d be more than polite in telling her that her show was just not up your alley.
I’ve heard enough about Pioneer Woman to know I won’t like her blog so I’ve never visited it. I had no idea she had a show. It looks and sounds terrible, but no different from anything else on The Food Network. I love your honest and funny review 🙂
I watched the show and it definitely wasn’t television or culinary genius, but I think it caters to a certain niche and does a decent job of that. It makes me sad that Ree’s personality doesn’t shine through at all, because her blog is pretty witty and entertaining, but hey- if I were offered the huge chunk of change I’m sure they’re paying her, I’m not so sure I’d have an issue doing what they wanted. As for the sexism thing, I’ve always kind of thought that reading her blog, but I guess it doesn’t really bother me. She’s doing her thing pretty independently of her husband, so that tells me that she’s probably not as “yes dear” in real life and it’s just an act for the show…
Bottom line, I think she’s an awesome blogger that’s not cut out for TV, but I can’t judge her for doing it.
Ugh, I’m so upset I missed the show. It sounds like it was pretty awful… I just read the Food Network Humor site too and it sounds like you guys were on the same page so I will have to check it out.
Here is my opinion- when I first found Pioneer Woman and started reading her “Love Story,” I was fascinated and enamored. Then I read her book and I was pissed off. The whole thing just seemed way too fairytale and fake to me and it lacked a lot of the “relatable” parts that make me love books to begin with. I will tell you I have made some of Ree’s recipes and her photos can be gorgeous so I do like her site… but I’m really intrigued by the show and can’t wait to make my own judgements : ) Thanks for writing this!
Thanks Wannabe Chef for putting this out there – I cringed when I watched the show as so many others did. To Ree’s credit, I’m certain she didn’t have a lot of content control. The personality from her blog did NOT convey onto the TV screen – why – writers/producers/directors. Not sure if she tried to stand up for herself and say “I don’t like my lines or this joke” or if she had no control at all. Perhaps the FN really wanted to dumb this up, but let me tell you, country is neither dumb nor all butter and oil or fried food. Shame she couldn’t showcase her herb garden more and go with a recipe that really stood out. Not sure I want to watch it again… sad.
I meant to watch the show so I could snark on it and I forgot! I think Ree’s a sham, a millionaire posing as a charming, kitschy ranch wife. What you don’t see are the private tutors, housekeepers and wads and wads of cash. And if that weren’t enough, her cooking sucks. It’s about time people stopped falling for her act. (Are you reading this, Food Network??)
I heard that her show was coming on. Sorry it was about the same time that Irene came to visit, so I was a bit busy. I am sorry to hear that it was that bad. Her website is awesome!
I didn’t watch the show and I don’t read her blog but I thought this post was hilarious! I can always count on you for something sarcastic and witty to laugh about and I love it! 🙂
While I didn’t watch the show (though, like everyone, I kinda want to now, after reading this post) there is one thing about your review I do disagree with: that her food is unhealthy. I know that to most people who think of health/diet in the traditional way we’ve been taught to think of it for the past 50 years or so, butter and steak and cream seem INSANELY unhealthy. But if you go beyond that and look at the ACTUAL research, eating animal fat is actually not the one way ticket to cardiac arrest that everyone thinks it is.
(Here is a great article in the NY Times that scratches the surface of this research — Taubes’ book is where the real in depth stuff is, but this article gives you a sort of intro: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/28/health/28zuger.html)
While I find her blog pretty damn irritating, I make a good amount of PW recipes because I believe that real food with healthy animal fats (yes, saturated fats are healthy!) is the key to healthy eating/weight loss, and her recipes keep me way fuller than most “healthy” recipes because of all the fat and meat they include. Not stuffed, just full. So while I’m sure the show was absolutely ridiculous, and props to you for calling BS, I just wanted to say that from a nutritional standpoint, I actually do support her style of eating, and I wanted to share that article with you!
Even though I’m a vegetarian for ethical reasons, I do agree with you that meat and butter can make for a perfectly healthy diet. If anything I think sugar and grains are probably the worst things for us and play way too big a part in the American diet, but that’s just my thinking. I can only judge the food she presented in this episode since I haven’t read her cookbook, but it wasn’t a good showing. I have a bigger problem with the breading, white potatoes, and oil than the meat or butter itself. If she grilled the meat and cooked lighter vegetables like asparagus in butter, it’d be a better dish rather than having all those starchy carbs that make you feel run down and turn straight to fat.
I’m actually enjoying reading the comments on this post almost as much as the post itself — really interesting discussion.
Didn’t see the show, do subscribe to her blog but have never made anything. Most of it is way too unhealthy and/or something I wouldn’t want to eat. Her desserts always look incredible and her photos are gorgeous but, yea, she’s really walking in the footsteps of Paula Deen, I’d say.
did not see her show, do not read her blog, do not have her cookbook, haha
but do like her photography post, i do learn things there
that sucks that her show was too fake, although I kind of saw that coming, some people just try to hard
I happen to love PW’s blog — she really does write well, and while some of her life may be “fake” or overhyped, I think she is a genuine person, and her blog generally reflects this. From what I’ve read about the show, she just didn’t translate well to TV. I guess maybe she should appreciate the incredible blog talent that she has rather than spreading into new mediums? People are very rarely incredible at more than one thing (exhibit A: singers who try to become actors). I’ll still read her blog, but probably won’t watch the show.
I agree! I love her blog and her writing voice!
I had the same reaction to the show–BLAH. The food was really unappetizing to me, and they seemed to play the dude ranch angle pretty hard–too hard.
Wow – this was a ballsy post Evan!! The Pioneer Woman is super popular among other “foodie” blogs. And she has cookbooks out, etc. I never seen the show…but I do appreciate your honest opinion and not suger-coating it or hiding your true thoughts out of fear of negative feedback.
Is it bad that I didn’t even know she had a show coming out on FN? Hahaha…I think I might have read her blog a million years ago before she got all crazy famous, and I still wasn’t a fan. Thank goodness I don’t watch much of FN anymore because really, ALL the shows have gone to crap in the past 5 years since I started watching it.
Pioneer Woman’s “cookbook” is just a mass printed version of every church cookbook ever printed in Oklahoma. Trust me, I’m from her neck of the woods.
Evan, I think you just got her show about 50 new viewers for the next episode! She’ll probably be happy.
I haven’t seen the show yet, but I did watch her on Throwdown last Thanksgiving with Bobby Flay. Maybe that was a really popular episode and that’s what FN was going off of? I’m one of the people who reads her blog and likes it but doesn’t think she translates well on camera. Which is a little disheartening, but like people are saying, many times bloggers can be different in real life. I can’t believe how much hate there is out there for her!
I like the Pioneer Woman’s blog. I taped the new show, but have not watched it yet. Sounds like I better check it out.
I haven’t watched the show (didn’t even know she had one) but I know her blog. I’ve snooped around there one or two times and she seems to be nice enough. I didn’t know the show was that bad, but if it was easy all of us could do it right? Give her some time. It might get better (if the show continues). Just don’t make the stuff she makes, but get inspired to make your own healthy version.
I watched the show (I don’t know why), and I agree. But, to be completely honest here, any one I’ve seen make mashed potatoes on the food network makes me cringe. If I did that, I wouldn’t have to worry about me killing my family, because THEY WOULD KILL ME for ruining their potatoes.
I honestly don’t fault her for being the cowboy mom and such, but I thought it was pretty corny and way too contrived. Of course, if she wanted to be uber career woman that put stuff together for dinner in 20minutes, that’s fine with me to. To each his own in the choice department.
The thing that bugged me the most about the show is the way food network sells everyone’s families. Sooner or later, you see their entire family out there for “authenticity”. I don’t care about authenticity as long as you bring something interesting to the table. And, while PW does have some nice, original recipes, a lot of the recipes of hers I’ve seen over and over in community fundraising cookbooks we used to sell in grade school. Maybe that’s a country thing that she just commercialized, and if she did, bravo to her, but authentic and original? I don’t think either apply.
Aaah hahah! I really have no opinion of the Pioneer Woman. I don’t follow her blog or her! It’s cool she got her own show, but I didn’t watch it. I did, however, find this review particularly amusing!
(and yay for the DOOL shout out!!)
I have never read her blog. I did not see her show. I’m not all that interested in her. And I’m dying laughing. I love your posts!
I really wanted to see the show but it doesn’t air in Canada. Glad to hear that I didn’t miss much.
I did read Pioneer Woman’s book (her love story) and it thought it was pretty awesome. The cowboy sounds pretty fantastic in the book … but of course it is her interpretation. Now I kind of want to see the episode so I can see how he really is!
Wow, now I’m intrigued!!! I must be living under a rock but I had no idea that she had a show (I don’t read her blog) and now I want to watch out of curiosity!
Although I didn’t see PW’s show, your review makes you seem humorless and arrogant. I do find that vegans and sometimes vegetarians are like people who discover Alcoholics Anonymous. You apparently can’t stand it if others choose to live their lives differently. I’ve deleted your blog from my list. And by the way, what exactly might you eat after spending 8-? hours in hard labor on a ranch?
I probably would recommend keeping dried fruits and nuts on hand while working for a quick power snack. As for afterwards, I have no problem with people who choose to eat meat. I just wouldn’t ever recommend breaded and fried steak(or tofu for that matter) and potatoes loaded with fat, whether that come from an animal source like butter or a plant source like margarine. Like I mentioned in a previous comment, it could be a perfectly healthy dinner with the same food prepared differently so there isn’t so many added oils and starches.
Wow. I totally respect your opinion on the show, but I’m surprised so many people are agreeing. Maybe because she’s in a totally different blog niche than your blog? Or maybe everyone just really feels that way?
I do want to point out that (as a reader of the blog) she isn’t a rancher. She doesn’t claim to be. She does go out and do some work, but she doesn’t do a lot of the ranch work because she wasn’t brought up there. She was a PR agent or something in L.A. and visited home, met her husband, they got married, etc. Also, I agree that a woman shouldn’t have to stay in the kitchen and play wife. BUT I think it’s really presumptuous to say that a woman who CHOOSES to stay at home, do housework, care for the family, AND homeschool her children (which she does) is somehow taking feminism back 150 years. You can say what you want about the show and hating it, but I was kind of offended about the “feminism” part.
Hi Molly 🙂 I just wanted to qualify your complaint. I don’t believe (and Evan can correct me if I’m wrong) that he was suggesting all women who choose to take on the stay-at-home mom/wife role are destroying the gains of feminism. I think he was criticizing the way that the role was obviously caricatured (because, as you noted, it doesn’t really fit her strong personality). And caricatures are harmful means of perpetuating equally harmful stereotypes. That’s the issue. Refer to my comments above (especially the second one) for a fuller explanation of where I’m coming from.
Maybe that’s what he meant to say, but in that part he didn’t criticize the show for making it seem like a woman’s place was in the kitchen; he said, “She made it pretty clear that her role was in the kitchen spending her time to cater to her working husband and children because that’s what a good wife does.” Look, I really like her, but I’m totally fine with people making fun of the show. I’m not okay with people who criticize my mom for not being a stay-at-home mom, and I’m not okay with someone criticizing a woman who chooses to cook, homeschool her kids, do housework, write an incredibly successful blog, write cookbooks, write a novel, and have a show on the Food Network. Critique the quality of her work all you want, but I don’t see any reason to suggest she’s taking feminism back 50 years.
Well, I’m not Evan’s defender (I can only imagine how amusing all this is to him, actually haha). I’ll just say that, if you read my comment as I suggested, you would know that my mom was a stay-at-home Mom and remains a stay-at-home wife now that I’m gone, and I respect her more than any other individual I can imagine – even though I, personally, do work in Feminist philosophy. Given all that, I took no offense to his comment. If you place the quote you pulled out of context back into its place in the post as a whole, then I don’t think you would have a problem with it either. That’s all 🙂
I’m totally for a person’s right to choose their life. If this person, who happens to be a women, has chosen to live the way she does, what is it to anyone here? I don’t see her submissive in any way. Why is a women living in rural America taking care of her or anyone’s family so weird or “backward”? Of course, the show is mostly staged, and I am sure one of the draws of the show the developers saw was it’s relaxed, simpler time, homeyness. So what. It’s kind of boring. Again, I suspect it’s meant to be that way, just like those Martha Stewart little segments of her earlier TV shows were. Home speaks of warmth, food, work and order. Sometime lulling our selves with that is OK. Anyway, it looks like to me that City girl got her hardworking, bowlegged farmer (good looking too!). I’m sure she’s no wilting flower. She’s got that Man by the stomach and his ‘stuff’ I am sure. If anything, I hope her developers and writers warned her there would be Haters and A..Holes.
I didn’t watch the show because I’ve never been able to get into her blog. There’s way too much going on and I find her style annoying – though that could partially be due to the fact that so many bloggers copy it (which isn’t really her fault).
Anyway, now that I’ve read this horrible review, I really want to watch it! I know that’s a little messed up, but I need to see this awkwardness for myself. It’s too bad because I know she has a huge following – so like others have suggested, maybe she just doesn’t translate well to TV?? Just seems like FN should have done their homework before taping/airing it. I can’t imagine a show this awful will last….
Thanks for the honest review and the hilarious post! I find you anything BUT humorless and arrogant! 🙂
I am not a fan. I thought the first episode was super lame, but to be fair, watched the second one yesterday. She is not genuine. And I think she’s trying to out-country and out-butter Paula Deen. NOBODY, but nobody, out-butters Paula Deen.
This is what I think Paula Deen would have to say to Ree http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/164370071_nlLIjVRg_c.jpg
My feeling about the Pioneer Woman are the same as my feelings toward Sandra Lee….not good. Not. Good. At. All.
Gotta check out the show for sure now, hahahaha.
Shelly, Nibbles of Tidbits
Everythning about the Pioneer Woman grates on my nerves. She is so extraordinarily boring, I am gobsmacked that she has gotten as far as she has. Nothing about her blog is interesting ~~ her cooking, her photography, her animals, her family. They are just middle-of-the-road, boring, regular, everyday stuff and she has absolutely no accomplishments. She is June Cleaver for the 21st Century. Just take away the flowy tops and replace them with pearls and high heels. Oh, wait, she doe wear high heels ~~ to *cough* wrangle cows.
I, for one, will be happy when the whole Pioneer Woman thing goes away, and women get out of their kitchens and become intresting again.
I mean “does” not “doe”… But you knew that. 🙂
What an AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL FAKE SHOW … I watched the first show and like so many others, I cringed through it. I could only watch a couple minutes of the second show, and thought it no better.
OMG HOW did this woman get a TV show?? and HOW does she have the following she does?? All she has done is resurrect a lot of 50’s church and ladies circle cookbook recipes, claims them as her own, publishes a fancy cookbook and voila ! she’s now an Empire!!?? Why?? She is no more a REAL working Rancher’s wife than I am, and her husband’s butt is no cuter than my husband’s!! What’s the deal?? SOMEONE please explain to me HOW this FAKE LITTLE OLE RANCH WIFE (in reality a MILLIONAIRE RANCHER’S wife) has duped SO many with her blog and her TALL TALES of life as that little ole ranch wife???
I love the show. Watch it every Saturday. Some of you are in need of adjusting the way you speak about people. Make a review but be aware that your words sound harsh. Move on to another channel.
Saw the show this morning for the first time…. Oh please I couldn’t get over the million dollar home and commercial grade appliances. Pioneer homeschooling women my ass.
Seriously, get a life. There are a billion zillion worse things on TV than this. What do you care what she cooks?
I agree. I like her show. If someone doesn’t like it, change the channel.
The Reeples have come out of the woodwork.
It’s boring, not relatable, and I am disappointed that the Food Network has now committed Saturday mornings to this! I have been a Food Network watcher for years and they have always had great, entertaining shows and food, but this one threw me for a loop because unlike the others it is NOT ENTERTAINING! No offense to the family, but this should be a local Oklahoma show, not national. Food Network if you are reading: Please bring back those entertaining, fun, delicious food, Saturday mornings. PLEASE!
scary-too much like mormons and fundamentalists,conseratives who prefer to keep women feeding the men and takin care of the youngins’.Yes there WERE pioneers who endured struggles but glorifiying it does not help modern women,espec with color of our nation CHANGING to those of brown skin–Id rather more women of color in ALL tv shows,commercials.Please let this not be the USA of today,we’ve evolved.Well its a work in progress.Show creeps me outand Im a mature woman older than her!Too icky sweet and recipes full of fat.
She is dull & honestly the food looks terrible. It lacks originality & authenticity. The only people who would reproduce her recipes are grade school cafeterias.
Oh please! I honestly don’t know how she had so many people fooled for so long. I spotted her for a huge fake right away! The bragging about what a stud her goofy looking (to me anyway) husband is, her hugely unhealthy recipes and the gall to pretend to be a Pioneer Woman! She wouldn’t know what being a pioneer is really about if it bit her on her large butt! I’ve never been able to watch but 5 or 10 minutes of her fake shows at a time and maybe 2 or 3 at that-total! I can’t begin to tell you how much contempt I have for this faker!
The Pioneer Woman is the worst show ever!
I can cook better than her, and would be more entertaining.
“16 min meals” come on lady!
Who do you think you are Jamie Oliver?
It’s pretty bad when you’d rather watch Paula Dean.
Who did this ginge blow to get her own show?
BOO!
Get this junk off the air!
You left out the fact that you’re condescending as well……..
I think the show is entertaining because I wonder what it would be like to live on a cattle ranch. I’m a legitimate, professional city girl, and Ree’s lifestyle is so different from my own that I’m fascinated. My kids like the show too because they are interested in the animals, the ranching, the scenery…My daughter has never seen little kids ride horses like that. At least it’s something we can all watch together.
i gunna make this short and not so sweet, i find ree to be very very very BORING!!with a capital B, i have seen the show a few times, because some of her recipies sounded interesting..but the show is definitely a snooze fest..dont know why they keep her on the air..as far as her husband is concerned, didnt pay too much attention to him to know if he was ungrateful etc..i think he’s kinda cute, in a cowboy sort of way..i think ina or paula could be in the same enviroment and show would be hit, ina is not the most outgoing person in the world, but i love her and her shows are never boring & she seems so sincere and loves what shes doing..ree enjoy it while you can
DON’T WATCH HER SHOW THEN. NOBODY’S TWISTING YOUR ARM.
hey there renae, why are you getting all bent out of shape over this show??!! your all capital indicate you are shouting..it is not that serious…anyway how is a person to know whether or not you like/dislike a show unless you watch it? sometimes you watch to see if it gets any better/interesting but this one did not, so i dont watch it..but chill out….its just a show and a person’s opinion, dont take it so serious and personal..peace
The show I watched made me long for Paula or Ina, and I’m not a huge fan of either. If the onset of diabetes doesn’t The Pioneer Woman (her chocolate cake for 17 guests included 6-7 cups of sugar including the cake, the berries, the whipped cream, and the 3 cups of Nutella!), the impending soaring cholesterol will (her tenderloin included 2 CUPS of melted butter, and her mashed potatoes a whopping 4 sticks of the stuff.) In all, she used 10 STICKS OF BUTTER to create a meal for 17 people!! That’s more than 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 stick of butter PER PERSON, not to mention the fat in the tenderloin itself, and then there were the sticks of butter melted onto the “French” bread, which didn’t look terribly French to me. It was pillowy and fluffy and loaded with fat; a “recipe” which she said she and her mother-in-law worked on together. Although she seems nice enough, she’s not a very interesting cook. This isn’t “heartland” food, it’s a heart attack waiting to happen.
There’s not much fat in the tenderloin.it’s one of the leanest cuts. But yeah, I only put a couple of “knobs”of butter into my mash and a little 2% milk..couple of tablespoons, not cream cheese, when my husband does them he uses sour cream…I know it’s not necessary, and you can use chicken broth instead, but hey, we don’t eat mashed potatoes every night. It sounds like she over did it with the butter (didn’t see that one). Only the French do french bread right…sorry, been to France. It’s true. I’m starting to feel sorry for this woman now though. While I initially agreed with the original post, it’s created such a stir. Oh well, we were warned at the very top of the page not to read it if we weren’t ready…More fool me then lol. Oh…about the french bread, I’m sure there are some people who can get pretty close, but it sure is hard to find. There is a bakery in our local farmer’s market who does a pretty good job, but they are downtown and I am sadly *sniff*in the burbs…maybe I should try making my own? Based on what you’ve said I won’t use her recipe .
I got sucked into her blog a few years ago. Several co-workers were following her and we all kind of got hooked, initially. I’ve always questioned how she has time to do all the things she claims to do and yet raise a family?? Can this really be the “perfect” family as implied?? I think not but shy on earth would you blog about an argument you had with your husband or how mis-behaved your children are? What I really feel bad about now is that there are “real” women who are wives of farmers that work 1000 times harder alongside their husbands and do not get credit for what they do!!! She does not represent honest to goodness “pioneer” women. I think she saw dollar signs big time when she met Ladd. Two co-workers went to one of her first book signings and said she came off somewhat snootish and her kids were running around being loud and boisterous (spoiled)?? Her unhealthy recipes are beyond stupid. I don’t think she’ll “last” forever as far as ratings go – she, too, will fall!
she reminds me of that Aussie cook Bill Granger. they smile all the time and it creeps me out. something about Ree’s face annoys the bejesus outta’ me!
Haha! I’m an aussie and Bill G is a local icon from Sydney. BUT OMG he gives me what we call the greasy irits too. His comb over hair, his always nice and schmoozy way, and his just left of could-be-gay drives me bonkers. At least he can cook. His restaurant at last look had what we call a Hat or two, which is really something, and his breakfasts are meant to be awesome. That’s something the Prairie Queen will never have!
What bothers me about this woman is how she lifted most of her recipes from church and community cookbooks and never credited them. Sure, she doesn’t have to, but most food bloggers with any shred of integrity attribute their sources. Not Ree Drummond, her attitude comes off as if it’s beneath her.
My husband and I watch the foodnetwork every Saturday morning, and when the Pioneer Woman comes on we fight each other to see who can get to the remote fastest to turn the channel so that we don’t have to listen to her, not only what she has to say but the very sound of her voice, like nails on a chalkboard to us. And we LOVE all of the other cooks. : (
She’s not that bad. I’m more tired of Guy Fieri and I used to like him. It just seems he’s on ALL the time now. In Canada we now have a triple d copycat. “You Gotta Eat Here”. At least she does cook something..I don’t find her voice shrill at all. I just find the food a bit boring and there is nothing wrong with catering to your family, and nothing wrong with the odd heavy meal, provided it’s not all the time. I just find her a little over the top in the catering to department, and none of the family ever seems to return the affection…except her brother Mike. I used to watch the chefs on pbs like Jacques Pepin, Julia Child, Pierre Franee (sp), Nick Stellino etc. We actually get a new channel caled Gusto which is cooking but also travel & decor etc…but mostly cooking and it’s more international. The chefs are from Australia, NZ, Ireland, Iceland, UK, Spain etc. I like it better than Food Network. But…I love cooking and I will watch just about anything food related.
I like The Pioneer Woman and totally agree with you about Guy Fieri. He’s got several shows running and I hate all of them. He’s so cocky and arrogant, and for someone who got such horrible ratings for his own NYC restaurant, he always thinks he knows everything.
The one issue that I have with the Pioneer Woman show is so-called wannabe “Cowboy” Josh constantly comes to the table with that filthy hat on his head. Seriously? That’s disrespectful, not to mention unsanitary. He would either remove it or stay away from my table.
I don’t go along with her fixing fattening foods but if her kids are eating what she fixes the girls sure don’t have an ounce of fat on them, skinny as snakes.
Was this show made in the 1970s? 🙂
Jealous, judgemental b***hs.
I just finished Ree’s biography and I am intrigued. What a life! I admit, I’m somewhat envious. At least I admit it, unlike, some of you (as Cheryl Parson’s put it) jealous, judgemental b***hs.
BTW, I can’t imagine what some of you must think of Giada!
I have the utmost respect for Giada. She attended and graduated from culinary school and she later went on to work as a chef in Los Angeles. Giada brings to the Food Network talent and culinary expertise, something the talentless hack Pioneer Woman is sorely lacking.
I 100% agree, and also Giada’s recipes are both delicious AND healthy, quite a challenge nowadays. I can never see myself a fan of Ree’s the way I am of Giada’s, not even close.
I lke Giada too.
That’s like. Sorry. I do like Giada. I do Not like this keyboard.
I saw that Bree was on this morning, so I thought I’d spend 30 minutes getting good material to analyze and naturally criticize. My daughter started out being intrigued by Bree’s photography. She does do a good job of that. I have never read her blog, but I don’t read anyone’s blog. I had a notion of this ranch woman and family living way out in the wilds of Oklahoma on a ranch where they all work hard. What a farce! She lives 5 miles from a town of 3500 people! I live 12 miles from any town. And mainly you see those kids work on the farm. Where’s the schooling? Why can’t they go to the school 5 miles away? Then there is that unbelievable house. She even went to another unbelievable house or lodge or something. Come on! Get real!
I love your show but you all do not wash your hands and they be filthy not so much you but the kids and husband not trying to put you down but cleaning cow shit
I’M SURE THEY DO, IT’S JUST NOT SHOWN ON TV. DUMMY
Renae, immature name-calling is the hallmark of an ignorant, overweight, miserable, unfulfilled, unskilled, slovenly, and shrewish individual. I feel so sorry for you.
I never feel welcome reading her blog because I cook for (or have cooked for) multiple diabetics and others with assorted disorders which require adherence (mostly) to a certain diet. On top of that I need to watch what I eat myself because diabetes runs in my family. I don’t propose banning mostly unhealthy foods from the Earth just because some of us can’t have them, but one glance at her site and you can tell that there really isn’t much there for me or the people I cook for. Which is a shame because she seems to like pushing how family oriented she is. I know her kids are skinny but that doesn’t mean that your diet can’t cause health problems. She just seems kind of clueless.
YOU ALL ARE A BUNCH OF JEALOUS HATERS! IF YOU DON’T LIKE HER, DON’T WATCH HER SHOW! DON’T READ HER BLOGS! I BET SHE’S SMILING AT YOU ALL!
Renae, typing in all caps is the hallmark of an ignorant, overweight, miserable, unfulfilled, unskilled, slovenly, and shrewish individual. I feel so sorry for you.
Ree Drummond is the Jack Kevorkian of cooking. Her kids won’t make it to 30! Way too much saturated fat. Bet you her husband already takes lipator. She has to be the worst thing the FN has ever aired. Please get her off until there is no more butter and heavy cream left in this world. Julia Child would have to drink a bottle of wine to balance one of her meals,
Drinking game: Take a swig every time that woman says the word “cowboy”. You could add a pedal steel guitar to this show and you’d have yourself a cheap, tacky country song.
Drinking game, perfect, glorious, delicious…I could go on and on!
I am a black male and actually enjoy Pioneer Woman. I find her meals to at least seem hearty, tasty and savory. I am not an accomplished chef so I can’t nick nack her for every misstep. It wasnt until I stumbled upon the Marlboro Woman that I realized there is a legion Ree-person out there….
It wasnt until I stumbled upon the Marlboro Woman that I realized there is of Ree-pers out there….
Yeah, her food is a little over the top with fat and calories but it’s down home food….comfort food. I would guess she and her family eat fairly healthy most of the time as none of them appear overweight or unhealthy. Plus, they get plenty of exercise working and working together as a family. There is *nothing better than that. Her being accused of being a “submissive housewife”….huh? She’s a succussful woman in her own right. She’s also a woman who believes in taking care of her husband and her family. Why is a woman who cooks and cleans the house called a submissive drone? Should her husband take care of the ranch work plus cook the meals? Such feminist thinking is why marriages fail at such a fast rate now. Too many woman stop treating thier husbands like their boyfriends or even someone that matters. Women can do whatever they damn well please, but to bash a woman just because her husband and family come first is totally insane and ignorant. Good luck in your next marriage.
Yep. Succussful is about how I would sum it up as well. Blaming feminist thinking for the rate of divorce – how classy and progressive of you. None of them appear overweight??? If Pioneer Woman ever had to haul ass she’d need to make two trips.
Just read about the home – schooling pageant at the PW and have to say, i worry about those kids, all of them, being home-schooled in rural OK and elsewhere. I have been told standards and accreditation requirements differ from state to state, but these kids are going to be taking standardized tests at some point and presumably try to go to college. They are competing globally now and i doubt that if they DO get in, they’ll be able to meet the demands of a college curriculum. Is there no state agency checking up on these people?
Hello! You all are entitled to your opinions, so I won’t say anything else about that. I just wanted to offer up a few thoughts in regards to the criticisms.
As far as the food she prepares, it’s possible that her family doesn’t eat that way all the time. She very well may be making special-once-in-a-while type dishes for the show. I personally don’t cook that type of food, but there still are people who do. And as one person said, they are slim and healthy-looking, so they must work it off. 🙂
Also, for the ones who seemed offended by her role as a homemaker, that is the choice she has made just like you have chosen something else. I don’t think she would slam you for NOT being a stay at home mother. If you look at her and her family, they all seem really happy. So, she chose what makes her happy. You don’t have to subscribe to it yourself, but you can at least see how her family benefits and how she enjoys the life she chose.
As far as the whole “awkward on camera” thing, I think I do see what you mean. But (and this is just my opinion), I would rather see her humble, awkward and real on camera, than fake, polished, insincere and unrelatable. Someone like Giada appears great on camera, she looks great and communicates wonderfully. However, I feel she is disingenuous and insincere. Just a personal preference, though.
I am glad that I am not the only one who saw through the “aw-shucks” down-home demeanor that comes across as, well, fake on the Food Network PW show. Her recipes are not even worthy of replicating. Salt–and lots of it. Butter, cream, cheese–and lots of it. Nothing is measured. “Just eyeball it!” is NOT the way to excellence in food preparation worthy of a TV show. My paternal grandmother (1881-1978) measured by “hands-ful” and “pinches”, but she also was a pretty lousy cook. My maternal grandmother (1901-1979) measured everything precisely. Her meals were to die for, including the recipe for English fruitcake (don’t gag; authentic–I repeat, AUTHENTIC–English fruitcake is a dense, moist, alcohol-laden, fruit-packed, nut-enlivened, practically religious experience) that has been handed down from eldest female to eldest female in the line since the time of Henry VII. I cringed at the few episodes I watched on the Internet when I saw the gloopy messes she described as “scrumptious”.
Having an alternative opinion to the “Reeples” does NOT make one a hater. Using the word, “hater” by the “Reeples” proclaims loudly that one is little more than a Valley-girl type groupie with a less-than-cursory knowledge of the first ten amendments to the American Constitution of 1789.
I don’t begrudge them making a good living on their ranch. I reserve the right NOT to augment that income buying a cookbook or franchise souvenir item whose recipes would gag a maggot.
The Drummonds only prove why most of the Midwest is called “flyover states”. THAT is sad for the decent, hard-working, and honest/honorable folk who eke out a living on what remains of the prairie.
While your a loud to have an opinion this blog comes off as PURE JEALOUSY! Your a food blogger, so is she. It truly sounds like your upset because she got the show you “deserved.” Honestly she does fine on camera too me and I enjoy some of her recipes. I plan to home school my kids and enjoy reading some of the lesson plans she uses (although my kids won’t be homeschooled in the same manner as hers as we have different religious beliefs). As for the unhealthy issue? She never claims it to be healthy. Here daughters, and sons are literally as thin as humanly possible. My super healthy food eating friends (I eat a “clean” diet myself)have kids no where as close to as thin and healthy as her children.
I know this is an old but apparently other people besides me like it… she made it to what her 4th season now?
Never read her blog but just watched the show and it was so boring and useless (for anyone that already can open a can) that I had to look up a review of it and found this blog. In the episode I watched she took store bought breakfast sausage and battered them in pancake mix and deep fried them. That was accompanied by your basic smoothie that anyone can make. I didn’t watch much more after the next map she mad started with her making fruit cocktail from various cans of fruit. Not joking. That was enough.
First off – I’m not personally a fan of the show per se. But everyone talking about how “fake” it is how “fake” she is, etc etc. Its the ENTERTAINMENT Industry geniuses! Every single TV personality has a Publicist (or TEAM of them) to adjust looks, speech or anything and everything needed for the largest audience appeal. Every single person on the Food Network (or any network for that matter) is fake to some degree – some are just better at faking it. And to the health nazis – if her husband is truly out on a ranch all day, doing ACTUAL physical activity (not some gym crap) then I’m sure his cholesterol and fat levels and blood pressure are just fine. but I don’t think her husband or kids spend much time sitting on the couch playing Angry Birds on their iPhones. a friend of my father worked cutting trees in the forests of Northwestern Ontario, and he lived on a diet of bacon, white bread and whiskey and couldn’t have picked a vegetable out of a lineup. And he worked in the bush till he was almost 70. and lived to somewhere north of 80. I seem to see a lot of jealous, bitter people. I’m sorry that someone’s success at something burdens you so. As I said – I’m not a fan of hers, but she obviously works hard, and I am happy for her success and others as well.
Seems like there’s a lot of dried-up, bitter bitches in here.
Hi,
The show does air in Canada. It’s on weekday mornings when everyone is at work, or in bed if they have the day off. I had never heard of her, but caught it by accident when I was off work one morning. It was about 7:00 am? I left it on out of curiousity because I find there are so few shows on that network anymore where people just cook and far too many where they are showing you where you can eat the largest burger in the world (triple d, you gotta eat here, eat st) . Well I watched it and I ws thoroughly bored. What did bug me was the yes dear no dear, everything for my hubby dear thing. Meat and potatoes isn’t inherently unhealthy, depending on how it’s done.
It’s just everyone that cooks probably already knows how to cook it. Mum would have pan fried the meat and it would have been veal or pork instead of beef, and she would have added 2%
milk instead of cream cheese, but anyone can do that. I’m surprised her next move wasn’t to heat up a can of peas to go with it. Having said that, I like mashed potatoes …with butter. I’d have added roasted garlic and rosemary…and grilled asparagus with balsamic….with my schnitzel…or milanese.
I really like Ree. She seems like a sweet person to me. There is nothing wrong with loving to cook and bake, and choosing that over cow wrangling or heels and a power suit. Why denigrate this choice? Can’t we choose what we want? It makes me sad that we have come this far as women and still want to push somebody out of the kitchen who obviously loves being there.
I agree with much of what you all say about Ree’s stilted, scripted delivery. Okay. True. And seriously she could give Ina a run for her money on the calorie count. C’mon Ree. You don’t have to make quiche with heavy cream. I think I am fascinated by the awkwardness, in some weird watch an accident way, though, and I can’t help feeling like if I landed on her stoop for a cup of cowboy coffee, Ree and I would have a great laugh together. In the end, she’s nice.
Obviously you have never lived or worked kn a ranch. I dont eat this way but know a lot of men who do. Believe me, they work it off. As far as her choice to be a house wife, not everyone wants a high powered job in some city. I love living in the country and cooking for my family.
I am a feminist – I believe everyone should have equality and the same opportunities. Ree is the perfect housewife – a choice she made for herself when she decided to live the way she does. If she is okay with it and isn’t being oppressed into a life she doesn’t want then it’s totally fine! She’s made a name for herself doing the thing she loves most, which is providing a good home for her family. People are saying she is living in a 50s lifestyle but if that’s what she wants to do, then great.
As for the show, yes it’s really cheesy. But she’s a great cook and knows what she’s doing.
If you really have nothing better to do than to be rude about someone you said in the post you ‘really know nothing about’ then I suggest you at least find something more interesting to do, because your negativity is disheartening.
FYI: it is grammatically INCORRECT to say “would have CAME”! Ugh. You “would have come”, or you “came”.
My teenage daughter really likes the show; I can’t get past the pasted smile/smirk on her face. Perhaps she’s just laughing all the way to the bank and just can’t stop. I observe the facial expressions closely in other true professional chefs on TV and their smiles appear genuine and appropriate. I too think her kids are a bit bratty and hubby is unfriendly and dull.
nothing grown from her garden..no cows milked..no chicken in back or collecting eggs and she calls herself pioneer woman?? amazed how she got plenty of foods from the foodstore???
HAHAHAHAHA. Just came across this post. It’s summer 2015. Ree Drummond is famous. Her show is going strong. she has many well known cookbooks and a very large following. And I never heard of you, Enjoy your jealousy.
Guess any time someone puts their creative talents to work they may suffer backlash from people who just want to ride their hopes on someone else’s dream. It doesn’t matter if I like the show or every recipe, what matters is whether there is originality, creativity, and a refreshing style. There is appreciation for the women of the past in her style, a willingness to introduce all different kinds of foods and to savor the traditional while embracing the new. That’s talent.
as far as whether you achieve greatness or remain a wannabe..that is up to you.
[…] The Pioneer Woman—Really? | The Wannabe … – Lol…You ppl are just too funny!! I looove The Pioneer Woman!!! I think you ppl have nothing better to do down in that little windblown Okie town than to rag on Ree … […]
cannot stand this show. her voice is awful. she is dumber than the cows on her ranch. food she makes is horrible. a waste of space on the show. PLEASE take her off.
I watch pioneer woman but that is going to change. The latest recipe of gets that I tried was hamburger soup. Printed it off and followed directions exactly and it was so damn bland. I seasoned as I thought it should taste and it was delicious. Not the first recipe of gets hat were really bad. What is food network thinking? Sneaked some crappy food I would not even feed it to wild animals. Food network sucks. I will watch it again they have some lousy cooks on there. I was watching food network regularly no more. They are going downhill fast
She’s a lucky woman but I’m not seeing much science to her cooking.. I see other chefs create and show people how to cook from scratch-scratch, not using. canned soups) I’m not saying I’m better, but there are other women and men who are more deserving of a show than she, I think. Also, to me , she doesn’t encompass the hardships the true pioneer women did I’m sure .. maybe that’s what irks me a little about her titled self.
unfortunately left out the 1 in my email comment about Pioneer Woman..
Thank good there are many great shows on the FN to watch with great food and personalities. I suppose this show works for some. I just don’t understand the clothes from K-Mart reject pile, and the kind of nasty food she claims to be good. Have you tried the overly sweet, greasy food she claims ‘her cowboys’ love? Worse, she is unpleasant to look at and really hard to listen to. I am surprised it’s still on and that she has a following. But I am sure there are people that relate well to her and love tuning in. Can’t imagine those people but they obviously exist.