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WRONG WRONG WRONG....Upscale 4 Star Rest's do have Actor's on staff as bartenders and waiters what universe do you live in pal. Also before you for the 10billionth time say none of them work there anymore I will again repeatOriginally Posted by stebo
MOST OF THEM ARE STILL WORKING THERE and given the turnover in the foodservice industry that's pretty amazing
I enjoyed this show and don't know why people are complaining about it not being "reality". Of course there are cameras there or we would have no show to watch. There are cameras on all the reality shows. I think they needed to get everything it needed to open the restaurant in one show so that we could catch the humor and drama that goes on behind the scenes in future episodes. That's where the reality begins--watching the staff and the customers interact. Maybe too many people are judging this show unfairly and expecting too much before it even really begins.
Saw on another board two people from the show (one front staff and one back). Both acknowledged that four or five "front" people--who appear on camera MORE than the rest--were actors hired because they would appear a certain way on the show, and they all left for greener pastures when the cameras left. It may be true that some of the others may have also be out-of-work actors who are still there, as you claim, but the point is that acting ringers were brought in to appear wacky and dramatic on TV, and left thereafter.
Also, apparently people in the front AND back didn't get paid for a long time and were pissed, the turnover in the kitchen among the line cooks was HUGE (its always huge with a new restaurant, but these guys thought it was even bigger than normal), and Rocco only appeared in the kitchens when the cameras did and never really cooked anything (not that the last bit will surprise anyone...)
From Lola Belle's website:
Specific questions answered about Episode 1...
1. No one actually spit in the spitoon that Gideon drank. We were just emptying our glasses into it. So, yes it was a travesty to the art and appreciation of wine study...but my boy was seriously broke and wanted some bucks to make it to my party that night. I offered him $$ NOT to drink it...but the dark side prevailed! God bless that kid.
Rebuttle ya'll:
One of the reasons I decided to do the show was because I wouldn't have to marry anyone, compromise my ethics or manipulate people. It was an exciting opportunity and a good way to pad my resume by working for Rocco. Yes. Some of the staff ARE actors and musicians but show me a restaurant in NYC that doesn't employ these people and you can drink for free at my bar for a year. AND YES. Some of these people hammed it up more than others...but that occurs on every friggin show (and in any restaurant without cameras filming everything.) You'll have your idiots, your bitches, your drunks, your witty comediennes (wink), your sweethearts and your focused professionals.
There wasn't a script. No one instructed Gideon to be first on line or to drink the spitoon. He just saw an in and went for it. He needed money and decided to get crazy/stupid haha.
Everyone on the show either dug their own grave or shined with intergrity without being manipulated. If anything, I was personally surprised at how LITTLE the producers (who were always a few feet away) interfered. They just listened on their headsets and took notes.
I mean feel free to keep knocking the show. Either you like it or you don't. I'm just hear to lay it down for you. If I felt it was all bullshit...Believe me..I'd be calling bullshit.
xo
miss lola belle
I think it's a great concept and a great show. I used to work in the restaurant biz (as a cook and as a manager) and I don't feel this is giving people the wrong impression. To be honest I don't think i've ever worried about others impressions on what the restaurant business is like. This restaurant isn't going to run like other restaurants at first mostly because it's also being promoted as a reality show. Stebo you wondered why a chef would need a publicist. It's because he's also a star in a reality documentary.
I'm not that impressed with Rocco. He does seem to be wishy washy. And as an owner of a 5 star(?) restaurant I would have done every thing in my power to get rid of the rat footage. Even if it meant attacking the cameraman and ripping the film out of the camera. The producers of the show might just want to show everything that goes on behind the scenes but Rocco is still going to be running that restaurant even after the cameras are gone.
No, I didn't post that. I can understand where a guy like Rocco is not yuor typical chef and a publicist is very normal for him. I was just dissapointed with it. Maybe my tastes are much more in tune for some sort of documentary type of thing that doesn't mslead people. I just thing it was a fantastic idea that has been really distorted. I think the actors in it all seem like very nice people. The title of the thread is What a waste of a great concept. Maybe I judged to quickly; but week one was dissapointing to me. I thought for sure it would take the first month to show how to get the thing open. There are so many facets to it from the neverending licenses that you have to apply for all the way down to stressing out about money problems. They just portayed it like they money at it and it went away. That is not how it works, I wish it was but it is not that simple. You are dealing with multiple levels of civil servants that hold the key to yuo opening up with their personal opinions. I would like to have seen the show expose that a little. I'll give it another week; if nothing more than for the fact that I totally respect not one, not two; but three of the staff/actors showing up on here to defend the show. That is incredibly respectful to me (the viewer) that they care so passionately about it and is kind of the thing that I would like to have seen in the show rather than on the message board. I got a very indifferent, care-free feel from the show. People in the rest. bus. are passionate about what they do and I am glad to see a little of that coming out on the board through them. I just wish the producers would capture that same spirit on the tele.Stebo you wondered why a chef would need a publicist.
Yeah give it a couple more weeks. It's bound to get better for you. I agree with what someone else posted about how boring that would be to watch him stand in line to get licenses and all that. They did have that one guy with the briefcase and the pink panther theme. Don't worry about all the staff being actors either. One of the best employees I ever had was an out of work welder.
I think you are doing a really good job of proving my point with all of this. Obviously I don't want to see someone standing in a damn line filling out paperwork for licenses. If that is what you think goes on then my thought pattern is totally reinforced. Getting a liquor license is a major pain and you normally sweat it until you get it. 9 ou tof 10 restaurants do not get it in by the time they open so they have to open without it and do a BYOB or they have to postpone the opening. It is an elaborate process that most people think is as simple as filling out a form and standing in one of those really long lines. Your post shows this and proves my point. It is an interesting process, you have go before three judges: one local, one state, and one federal. You have to be registered nationally, there are extensive background checks to make sure you are not a felon or have not had a felony in the last 7 years... I could list off about 20 things. and it obviously doesn't sound interesting for me to just say it, the director's job is to capture the tension and the anger/frustration that goes along with it.
But, you think it is a matter of filling out forms and standing in lines... thank you for proving my point. The alcohol license alone would take 3 months- MINIMUM. If you believe that they really got this place opened in 5 weeks from signing of the lease to opening, then I have some ocean front property in South Dakota that you may be interested in.
Of course, watching people drink spit (that ISN'T really spit; but rather a set up pitcher of poured out wine) is fun as well. I tel you what, I will respect that you like the entertainment of the show and you respect that I don't like how it is misrepresenting the truth of opening a rest. Deal?
Stebo...the liquor lisence was a huge part of opening the restaurant...we actually had several articles in the newspapers about how the restaurant might not open because we didnt obtain the lisence on time. We had to pay a day-to-day lisence fee. They made a severe exception for us...
here is one of the articles
http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/231.htm
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