Andy Cohen's Blog

Cliff is On The Line

January 18, 2007

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Last night we broadcast the first episode of "Watch What Happens", our live web show featuring your questions for eliminated Top Chef Cliff Crooks and Judge/Food and Wine Empress Gail Simmons. (You can watch the show at your leisure HERE).

It was a little stressful given the incredibly sensitive nature of Cliff's dismissal from the show, which in itself was very upsetting and offputting. I worried about how he would react to seeing the episode for the first time and being thrust into a live interview, and potentially further upsetting situation.

By the way, I thought he was rightfully dismissed from the show; he broke the rules which state that harming or threatening another contestant can be grounds for dismissal. I also think he's a good guy who meant no harm to Marcel in what was essentially a stupid prank gone awry. The stupid prank, though, looked to me like a snuff film. It is almost disgusting to watch, especially given the Marcel-torture that's been building all season.

All this was on my mind all day and I spoke to Cliff yesterday morning to take his temp about seeing said snuff film and then taking viewer q's. Cliff was a total pro. I think he understood that this was a perfect opportunity for him to go on the record and put to rest any lingering questions about his motives or sincerity.

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Comments

Katy D wrote:

I posted a comment earlier but it didn't get posted.
Andy We loved WWH. You did a geat job as did Gail and Cliff. Thanks for answering questions and keep up the good work!

posted on January 18, 2007 at 2:52 PM

Jem wrote:

Andy,

People are furious about show #11 as you may have read from the hundreds of angry emails you and the other producer and hosts are getting. You are still going on about the after show like it was the most normal evening; it wasn't.
This season's TC has degenerated into a vicious side show. Why would you make believe otherwise? You non chalantely declare that one caller mentioned "lord of the flies" REad the emails dude. There are scores of references to hazing and Lord of the Flies like behaviour. You know a thing or two about spin but don't think you can just deny your way out of this ugly situation. Denial is how Marcel got abused to begin with. On your "watch" Andy ole boy!

posted on January 18, 2007 at 6:56 PM

rdc wrote:

All of us have done things in life we were not proud of and wish we had not done. Only, our mistakes likely were not broadcast on national television.

I'm sure the internal processes Cliff first experienced after the incident--and will continue to feel with each rerun of that episode--will be worse than anything anyone else says about him. Long after TC2 ends and the public "forgets" about it in favor of the next cooking crew, Cliff will remember what he did.

A shining moment? No. A moment that should have happened? No. A life-defining moment from which he can never recover? Absolutely not.

We have all done stupid things. Those of us who were smart learned from them and became better people as a result. I'm all for allowing Cliff the opportunity to do the same.

posted on January 27, 2007 at 8:21 PM

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