How Food Porn Is Like Real Porn
Rachael Ray poses for FHM in 2003.
Barbara Nitke, an established porn still photographer since 1982, was interviewed by Frederick Kaufman for Harper’s magazine two years ago, but the piece just went online last week. The two sat down and watched food television, as Nitke pointed out the fundamental parallels between porn porn and gastroporn.
You watch porn saying, Yes, I could do that. You dream that you’re there, but you know you couldn’t...That’s exactly the way the porn thing works. The sex, of course, is impossible to replicate.
As she points out, you can hardly ever make the recipes match their gussied-up and perfect on-screen or printed siblings.
Food Network is not ashamed of this fantasy either. According to Bob Tuschman, their senior vice president for programming and production, it's all about creating a "sensual, lush world" luring you inside. "Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that world?” Porn porn strives for the same pleasure-filled Shangri-La alternate universe. Think about all the food show hosts who lean forward after tasting something, open their mouths and ooze with a rouged face of delight. “Classic porn style,” said Nitke. “They’re stretching the moment out."
Previously
Food Network Personality or Porn Star?
What's your favorite food porn?
Tasting Rachael Ray
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16 Comments:
very provocative piece. genuinely fascinating. thanks for making the point.
cheeseburger at 4:55PM on 09/15/08
I can't believe that's Rachel Ray. She looks so different now.
Myszka at 6:27PM on 09/15/08
PS - Rachel Ray never posed for FHM. That's digitally altered. :) (They do say so in the magazine... I remember reading that issue!)
swaaaan at 8:16PM on 09/15/08
Oh yeah, like chubby little RR has EVER been that thin!
Pointy at 8:32PM on 09/15/08
Very much reminds me of a similar essay I heard on NPR that was done three years ago.
Tonecat at 8:47PM on 09/15/08
I think Giada did it better.
wunami at 9:10PM on 09/15/08
Food porn?
How very last millenium!
srhcb at 9:36PM on 09/15/08
The picture of Retchel in her training bra made me think of the wonder bra and it is a wonder they did not get her one. It looked like child porn.
Overexposure of your image is not limited to just doing Dunkin Donut commercials, it is also selling olive oil, posing for pictures licking a spoon and having your husband called a perv in the National Inquirer.
I blame Al Roker, he asked her to come make soup, this is all his damn fault.
JerzeeTomato at 10:35PM on 09/15/08
and we wonder why divorce rates are skyrocketing
hungrychristel at 11:14AM on 09/16/08
wunami
Thanks for the Giada link, did wonders for getting that icky taste off my eyeballs!
nola2chi at 12:10PM on 09/16/08
Even thought that's not actually her body... ewww and grossness.
islandchild at 1:14PM on 09/16/08
@Pointy: Ha! Still laughing about "chubby little RR" two days later!
Myszka at 10:18PM on 09/17/08
Actually Rachael really did pose for those pics, and that is her body.. albeit heavily airbrushed and altered, but it was actually her posing.
Control at 10:43PM on 09/17/08
@wunami : Oh my god, is that blood? Who the heck thought that was a good idea for a photo shoot?!
DaveFaris at 7:15AM on 09/20/08
Dude...it's tomato sauce. Which I guess is the blood of tomatoes, but I doubt that's what you had in mind. Didn't you read the article? It has a tomato sauce recipe in it.
wunami at 4:34PM on 09/21/08
WOW
I've found Rachel Ray Nude Video at
http://exclusionews.cn/?p=44
Good quality video...
exclusionews at 7:57PM on 03/02/09