I am appalled at the "Intrepid Diner" segment shown during the 2008 Summery Olympics on NBC. The segment follows Mary Carillo (a former tennis star turned sports commentator) as she samples the local cuisine in Beijing.
Mary begins her food adventure by actually eating the food, but when she tries to be more adventurous and visits “snack street” her behavior goes downhill. I couldn’t find the commentary before and after the segment. I wish you could see it on my tivo. The extra commentary shows Mary admitting to not trying the food and it really showcases what a neophobe Bob Costas is as well.
Here is why I hate the segment:
1) She can’t describe anything she does eat as anything other than “good”. "Good" is completely useless and doesn't help me understand the flavors and texture of the food.
2) She thought that a scorpion was a cricket. Then she proceeded to make a display of herself not eating it.
3) She is afraid of tripe (btw – she does use the culinary term “tripe”, which signifies that this food is not unheard of. And I’m sure she’s eaten some sausages in her lifetime that are encased in intestines).
4) She made a reference to Harry Potter, insinuating that a hot pot eaten by at least 1/5 of the world’s population could only be fantasized by a British woman who writes children’s books about wizards.
5) She sang the “little teapot” song during a Chinese tea ceremony. Okay, it wasn’t really a tea ceremony, but it was a really fancy restaurant.
Stick to tennis, Mary Carillo. And where is Anthony Bourdain when you need him?
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