Dear Food Network, Stop Junioring Things

Food Network’s “Rachel vs. Guy: Kids Cook-Off” contestants.

Kids Appeal to Women

Since the dawn of time, a woman’s “place” has been the kitchen. Or, at least, that’s how men have seen it (and some still do- please, if that’s you, spare me the kitchen “jokes”). So what better place to put a bajillion kiddos on TV than on a network where women spend a lot of time watching?

Even before the kid craze, Food Network was a women’s network. With a ton of women chefs and home-cooks (Aarti, Ree Drummond, Barefoot Contessa, Giada, Aida, Daphne, Nigella, Rachael Ray, etc.), handsome guys (Bobby Flay, Jamie Oliver, Keith Famie, Dave Lieberman), shows about quick meals for the family, shows specific to desserts, shows about weight loss and dieting… They’re not even spoon-feeding us (excuse the pun).

So… kids is the next step I suppose.

It makes sense in a biological way. I guess. I mean, we’re hardwired to care for children, even if they aren’t our own. And what makes a person saw “awww” and come back week after week more than a crying eight year old, or the underdog coming back from behind to win a fierce competition? Those are both themes that tug at our heartstrings.

So not only are networks exploiting children, but they are tapping into a women’s natural kid-radar to justify pitting fifteen nine-year-olds against each other in a kitchen with sharp objects. Got it.

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