Best Baker in America

The show is an interesting concept and could be enjoyable except for one fatal flaw, Jason Smith. They need to put him out like a donkey at a horse show.

I love Jason Smith so much. He is my favorite! He seems so kind and he is very knowledgeable. He makes me laugh too. I absolutely loved him on Holiday Baking Championship. I was so happy to see him get his own show. I don't quite understand why Carla Hall has basically taken over the show. She is on EVERY Food Network show now! Why? This was Jason's only show, and now she is stealing the spotlight. Too much Carla is NOT a good thing. Carla is a judge on several shows now. I just watched her on Holiday Baking Championship. She wasn't as annoying as she is on Best Bakers. She is just so over the top ridiculous on Best Bakers in America.

While I appreciate the talent of the contestants and the difficulty of the challenges, I'm finding that watching the show is becoming more tedious because of the sideshow judges. Jason Smith at least goes about things in a businesslike manner despite his screamingly hysterical jackets and his contrived country bromides. Carla Hall is downright ridiculous most of the time. She obviously suffers from an excess of personality and is always working at 11 on a scale of 10 and the obvious subtext is me...me...me...! Two sideshows is two too much for me.

I recognized FIVE contestants from previous Food Network outings - and I don't even have cable TV! I watch occasionally on the road so evidently the food network has a rotating stable of contestants to fill up their empty slots. They seem to be fed quips from production to pump them up for more gigs at a later date. Their introductions never seem to mention, "was a contestant on this-show, that-show, and whatever-show." The fact that Jason was anointed as a star just shows the bottom of the barrel in casting judges, too. His cornpone routine was tiring when he was a "contestant" and it's tiring now. The fact that none of the bakers in the episode I'm watching know that there IS a difference between a "macaron" and a "macaroon" illustrate the same barrel-delving as produced Jason.

I liked Jason on Food Network Star, but he is sure igetting tiring on Best Baker. He's no match for his co-judge, a real expert, and his folksy sayings are getting ridiculous. Scott is one of the most unappealing judges on Chopped and that continues on Best Baker. The premise and the contestants are GREAT! But a new host and a new judge would bring the popularity of the show way up!