Monday, December 31, 2018

Celebrity chef's criticism of Chinese American restaurants gets his TV shows canceled


ASAM NEWS

THE TRAVEL CHANNEL has stopped production in midseason of Andrew Zimmern’s two programs on the cable network, reports the New York Post.

In a video promoting his new restaurant Lucky Cricket, Zimmern said: "I think I’m saving the souls of all the people from having to dine at these horseh*t- restaurants masquerading as Chinese food that are in the Midwest.”

The network confirms the remaining episodes of Bizarre Foods and The Zimmern List are no longer airing in prime time, but instead can be seen on a rotation basis on Saturday mornings. Filming has been discontinued.

More than one month after Zimmern’s comments, the backlash has not died down. The Washington Post this week ran a story featuring comments from Minnesotans about the chef, a resident of the Twin Cities.

“If we have to be the generation that is going to be calling out problematic behavior, because in the past it hasn’t been, then I’m going to do it. . . . I will do a 100-year war with him,” said Eve Wu, a baker.

Eve along with her husband and chef, Eddie Wu, and Hmong American chef, Chris Her, held a popup to generate a discussion around the controversy.

Zimmern made his comments in a video interview meant to promote his fusion Chinese restaurant, Lucky Cricket outside Minneapolis.

“I let myself get carried away and have too much fun as opposed to realizing that I was working,” he said to the Washington Post. “You stop being mindful, and you say something flippant. You’re not being precise with your words.”

The Travel Channel denies it fired Zimmern because of his comments, saying the decision had been made prior to the controversy.
_______________________________________________________________________________

No comments:

Post a Comment