Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 24

Thread: Hotel Hell

  1. #1
    Owner Dan Druff's Avatar
    Reputation
    10110
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    54,627
    Blog Entries
    2
    Load Metric
    65717989

    Hotel Hell

    So I didn't really watch much of Gordon Ramsay's FOX series Hells Kitchen, but I caught the first episode of "Hotel Hell" and was intrigued enough to watch the 2-parter all the way through.

    Hotel Hell appealed to me because I have stayed in a lot of hotels with a lot of really stupid problems (including inexcusable customer service issues), and I thought it would be fun to watch Gordon Ramsay critiquing them in his obnoxious, over-the-top manner.

    The first Hotel Hell episode was decent, but there were some obviously staged parts. This was the episode where he tried to turn around a failing Vermont bed-and-breakfast run by a snooty gay couple. I facepalmed at certain staged moments, such as Ramsay "walking out", driving away from the property in disgust, and then abruptly deciding that he had to turn around and come back for the employees' sake.

    I also noticed that the main "villain" in the episode --- the more active of the two owners -- seemed to turn his attitude around too quickly. He went from uber-stubborn to seeing the light very abruptly, for seemingly no reason. I accepted this as part of the dramatic license taken by modern reality television, and it didn't bother me too much.

    However, upon watching further episodes, I saw a pattern emerging that become bothersome and distracting.

    Here is pretty much every Hotel Hell episode:

    - Gordon Ramsay shows up to some small, independently owned hotel or bed-and-breakfast, which is financially in trouble and about to go under.

    - There is always some kind of restaurant on premises, and always serves embarrassingly terrible food.

    - There are usually maintenance problems at the hotel, resulting in bad smells, unclean conditions, or things not working.

    - The hotel is run by a couple. The main "decision maker" of the couple (usually the husband) comes off as weird, obnoxious, controlling, and out-of-touch.

    - The chef of the restaurant is shown to have some kind of problem. All of the other employees are portrayed as sympathetic characters, who are overworked, underpaid, and shown no respect.

    - Gordon Ramsay swears constantly, resulting in numerous, annoying bleeps.

    - For most of the episode, Gordon battles with the main owner and the whole situation looks hopeless.

    - About 45 minutes in, the owner suddenly sees the light and does a complete 180-degree turnaround with his attitude.

    - Gordon Ramsay's crew puts a ton of money into fixing up the place (usually hundreds of thousands of dollars), and Gordon himself gives the restaurant a bunch of his recipes to improve the food.

    - The maintenance problems miraculously disappear with no explanation.

    - Everyone appears to live happily ever after, and the asshole owner is suddenly a great guy.


    After watching a number of episodes that all seem to pretty much follow the above formula, I came to realize that most of this had to be staged.

    They are fixing up real hotels with real problems, but I think that's where the "reality" ends.

    Here's what I think really happens:

    - The show's staff finds small hotels in deep financial trouble

    - The staff contacts the hotel and promises them major renovations for free (plus national publicity) in exchange for being on "Hotel Hell". The owners have little to lose at this point, other than their dignity, so they accept.

    - The owners are told to fight and argue with Gordon as much as possible, and even go as far as threatening to punch him. They are afraid to say no because they don't want to lose the opportunity for the publicity and free renovations.

    - The owners are also told at a certain point to knock that off, and to pretend to have an epiphany regarding their behavior. I'm sure they all agree to this, because they feel it will make them look good after being made to look like the bad guy for most of the time.

    This pretty much guarantees drama, while at the same time allowing the show to display real problems at these hotels.

    My biggest problem is that they seem to solve all difficulties with the show's deep-pocketed budget. They spend a lot of time showing customer service and maintenance issues, but these are never really addressed as part of the solution. As soon as the owner "sees the light", Gordon brings in his crew to do the expensive renovations, and he leaves some of his great recipes with the chef (with personal instruction on how to utilize them). Okay, great, but what's the lesson here? Your hotel can be a success again if a TV network shows up and gives you high-end renovations and culinary training for free?

    It's too bad, because I think the series really has potential, but it's not going to do very well if they keep running essentially the same episode over and over again.

  2. #2
    Owner Dan Druff's Avatar
    Reputation
    10110
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    54,627
    Blog Entries
    2
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Fuck that was long.

    I didn't realize I typed out such a lengthy essay about a TV show.

  3. #3
    King of the Carts BUBBLES's Avatar
    Reputation
    111
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Sunnyvale
    Posts
    1,917
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Crazy mikes post will be longer, but he will basically say the same thing over and over.
    And somehow Skatz will be involved.

  4. #4
    How Could You? WillieMcFML's Avatar
    Reputation
    1049
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    5,928
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Druff View Post
    Fuck that was long.

    I didn't realize I typed out such a lengthy essay about a TV show.
    i'm glad you said something

    i was a couple sentences in and then made an executive decision to not give a fuck

    let this be a lesson for 408wordsMike

  5. #5
    Walking Image Library
    Reputation
    387
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    1,627
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Druff View Post
    - The hotel is run by a couple. The main "decision maker" of the couple (usually the husband) comes off as weird, obnoxious, controlling, and out-of-touch.


    Have not watched the show as it is a ripoff of Bar Rescue and Hotel Impossible -- or they are a ripoff of Gordan Ramsey and his Seven Circles of Hell. They TOTOally ripped off Ramsey and they grow restless longing for some solitary company. I hear the drums echoing tonight.





    .

    I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become.
    Last edited by bukowski72; 09-16-2012 at 02:13 AM.

  6. #6
    Owner Dan Druff's Avatar
    Reputation
    10110
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    54,627
    Blog Entries
    2
    Load Metric
    65717989
    I'm not sure why you are including that bad-looking still shot (captured from a video as I was blinking or something) in your last post.

    It's not even relevant to anything either of us wrote.

  7. #7
    Walking Image Library
    Reputation
    387
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    1,627
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Druff View Post
    I'm not sure why you are including that bad-looking still shot (captured from a video as I was blinking or something) in your last post.

    It's not even relevant to anything either of us wrote.
    I stopped an old man along the way,
    Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies
    He turned to me as if to say, Hurry boy, It's waiting there for you

  8. #8
    Gold Charham's Avatar
    Reputation
    113
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Posts
    1,066
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Druff View Post
    So I didn't really watch much of Gordon Ramsay's FOX series Hells Kitchen, but I caught the first episode of "Hotel Hell" and was intrigued enough to watch the 2-parter all the way through.

    Hotel Hell appealed to me because I have stayed in a lot of hotels with a lot of really stupid problems (including inexcusable customer service issues), and I thought it would be fun to watch Gordon Ramsay critiquing them in his obnoxious, over-the-top manner.

    The first Hotel Hell episode was decent, but there were some obviously staged parts. This was the episode where he tried to turn around a failing Vermont bed-and-breakfast run by a snooty gay couple. I facepalmed at certain staged moments, such as Ramsay "walking out", driving away from the property in disgust, and then abruptly deciding that he had to turn around and come back for the employees' sake.

    I also noticed that the main "villain" in the episode --- the more active of the two owners -- seemed to turn his attitude around too quickly. He went from uber-stubborn to seeing the light very abruptly, for seemingly no reason. I accepted this as part of the dramatic license taken by modern reality television, and it didn't bother me too much.

    However, upon watching further episodes, I saw a pattern emerging that become bothersome and distracting.

    Here is pretty much every Hotel Hell episode:

    - Gordon Ramsay shows up to some small, independently owned hotel or bed-and-breakfast, which is financially in trouble and about to go under.

    - There is always some kind of restaurant on premises, and always serves embarrassingly terrible food.

    - There are usually maintenance problems at the hotel, resulting in bad smells, unclean conditions, or things not working.

    - The hotel is run by a couple. The main "decision maker" of the couple (usually the husband) comes off as weird, obnoxious, controlling, and out-of-touch.

    - The chef of the restaurant is shown to have some kind of problem. All of the other employees are portrayed as sympathetic characters, who are overworked, underpaid, and shown no respect.

    - Gordon Ramsay swears constantly, resulting in numerous, annoying bleeps.

    - For most of the episode, Gordon battles with the main owner and the whole situation looks hopeless.

    - About 45 minutes in, the owner suddenly sees the light and does a complete 180-degree turnaround with his attitude.

    - Gordon Ramsay's crew puts a ton of money into fixing up the place (usually hundreds of thousands of dollars), and Gordon himself gives the restaurant a bunch of his recipes to improve the food.

    - The maintenance problems miraculously disappear with no explanation.

    - Everyone appears to live happily ever after, and the asshole owner is suddenly a great guy.


    After watching a number of episodes that all seem to pretty much follow the above formula, I came to realize that most of this had to be staged.

    They are fixing up real hotels with real problems, but I think that's where the "reality" ends.

    Here's what I think really happens:

    - The show's staff finds small hotels in deep financial trouble

    - The staff contacts the hotel and promises them major renovations for free (plus national publicity) in exchange for being on "Hotel Hell". The owners have little to lose at this point, other than their dignity, so they accept.

    - The owners are told to fight and argue with Gordon as much as possible, and even go as far as threatening to punch him. They are afraid to say no because they don't want to lose the opportunity for the publicity and free renovations.

    - The owners are also told at a certain point to knock that off, and to pretend to have an epiphany regarding their behavior. I'm sure they all agree to this, because they feel it will make them look good after being made to look like the bad guy for most of the time.

    This pretty much guarantees drama, while at the same time allowing the show to display real problems at these hotels.

    My biggest problem is that they seem to solve all difficulties with the show's deep-pocketed budget. They spend a lot of time showing customer service and maintenance issues, but these are never really addressed as part of the solution. As soon as the owner "sees the light", Gordon brings in his crew to do the expensive renovations, and he leaves some of his great recipes with the chef (with personal instruction on how to utilize them). Okay, great, but what's the lesson here? Your hotel can be a success again if a TV network shows up and gives you high-end renovations and culinary training for free?

    It's too bad, because I think the series really has potential, but it's not going to do very well if they keep running essentially the same episode over and over again.
    Great write up. I enjoyed this. So much popular culture is ripe for analysis, consider doing this regularly. The only problem is you have to watch the shows, and there is only so much time you can stomach the crap. My wife watches the real housewives which would be fun to breakdown if I could stay for the hour.

  9. #9
    Diamond BCR's Avatar
    Reputation
    2014
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    6,869
    Load Metric
    65717989
    I haven't watched the hotel one yet, but it sounds like Kitchen Nightmares. Every show is basically the same though. Asshole owner clashes with Ramsey, production eventually goes to guy and says act like you're changing and we'll dump some money for cosmetic improvements, and owner acts super grateful and 90% of the places advertise for the next 6 months using Ramsey's visit and then they sell. I researched all the restaurants on the show once, and they almost all sell or go under within a year or two.

    Usually they are way too underwater by the time he ever gets there to actually turn it around, and the producers want people on the edge of financial ruin for the drama. He also undervalues things like location, economy, etc. He overvalues the palate of the average American, and he'll suggest that using the local farmer for daily fresh fruit and shipping in fresh seafood daily from Maine is the answer to some local dive catering to the lower middle class. It often isn't the underlying problem, and the solution will just put them under more. At least he has the resume to act like an ass in regards to owning a restaurant. I'm not sure he has that talking hotels? Either way, it's just people watching an entertaining guy yell at some poor schlub who will be compensated with a makeover for his business. Formulaic, but Ramsey himself is often good tv.

  10. #10
    Gold Bootsy Collins's Avatar
    Reputation
    162
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Orange County, CA
    Posts
    2,422
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Ramsey's shows on FOX = Eh. Ramsey's shows on BBC is GOD.
    Quote Originally Posted by RealTalk View Post
    Lol at the amount of effort that druff's friends have to exert trying to do an internet podcast without offending him.

  11. #11
    Feelin' Stronger Every Day tony bagadonuts's Avatar
    Reputation
    558
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    3,517
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Quote Originally Posted by bukowski72 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Druff View Post
    - The hotel is run by a couple. The main "decision maker" of the couple (usually the husband) comes off as weird, obnoxious, controlling, and out-of-touch.


    Have not watched the show as it is a ripoff of Bar Rescue and Hotel Impossible -- or they are a ripoff of Gordan Ramsey and his Seven Circles of Hell. They TOTOally ripped off Ramsey and they grow restless longing for some solitary company. I hear the drums echoing tonight.





    .

    I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become.
    Bravo Bukowski, bravo.


  12. #12
    Bronze Mad Dad's Avatar
    Reputation
    10
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    North of USA
    Posts
    259
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Reality TV sucks.

    Unlike sports where the outcome is uncertain and you can bet on it, with reality TV the outcome is always certain and predictable, and even the production of the show is completely formula - no matter whether it is Pawn Stars, American Pickers, Gordon Ramsey whatever, etc. Might as well stay up all night and wait for the sun to rise. Fun to do once, but who would ever do it twice?

    You might as well watch ESPN replays of classic games - over and over and over and over - you know exactly what is going to happen.

    For example Watch

    And then for kicks, if you liked watching that clip, click the link again and watch it again and again and again and again and again ...

    Don't forget to wipe off the drool and put the empty snack bags in the trash, or you know what - you may end up on Hoarders or Extreme Makeover - Weight Loss Edition!

  13. #13
    Walking Image Library
    Reputation
    387
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    1,627
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Druff View Post
    I'm not sure why you are including that bad-looking still shot (captured from a video as I was blinking or something) in your last post.

    It's not even relevant to anything either of us wrote.
    Nothing personal. I was looking for another pic when I came across that one and it made me laugh.






  14. #14
    Bronze HEX's Avatar
    Reputation
    27
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    469
    Load Metric
    65717989
    This is exactly how it goes on the show "Restaurant Impossible" on Food TV. It's unwatchable because it's so obviously staged. The food always has to be inedible at first (always with clips of customers complaining about it), the owners always have to be resistant, and then at the end it all miraculously goes away and they have a great opening with fantastic food and tons of people in the place. Then they all live happily ever after. Of course, the truth is that the vast majority of the places are out of business within a year or two, but who cares about that?

  15. #15
    Platinum JimmyG_415's Avatar
    Reputation
    -78
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    2,516
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Quote Originally Posted by HEX View Post
    This is exactly how it goes on the show "Restaurant Impossible" on Food TV. It's unwatchable because it's so obviously staged. The food always has to be inedible at first (always with clips of customers complaining about it), the owners always have to be resistant, and then at the end it all miraculously goes away and they have a great opening with fantastic food and tons of people in the place. Then they all live happily ever after. Of course, the truth is that the vast majority of the places are out of business within a year or two, but who cares about that?
    LOL, I was typing the same thing. I was stuck in a hotel w/out TiVo or on demand, so settled for a marathon.
    Exact same format. And to top off every episode, after they hug and cry about how great everything will be from now on, there is ALWAYS a line out the door to get in the 1st day after they clean the place. Now how does he do that? These can't be paying customers.

    I liked the part about how the maintenance problems just disappear, same thing here.
    I mean 30 % at least, maybe more, of these kitchens are simply disgusting. Roaches, mice, I can't believe how many places have Salmonella in their ice machine. Then this guy comes for 2 days and everything is cured forever.

    I'm weary of even eating out these days, and no ice in the glass.

    I can't watch a minute of it now.

  16. #16
    Platinum DirtyB's Avatar
    Reputation
    664
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    2,927
    Load Metric
    65717989
    (sticks finger in ear)

    This news just in- "reality" TV is staged.

  17. #17
    Bronze
    Reputation
    73
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    225
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Druff can you write up a report on Honey Boo Boo?

  18. #18
    Gold rickastley's Avatar
    Reputation
    87
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    1,525
    Load Metric
    65717989

  19. #19
    Bronze Sirens's Avatar
    Reputation
    6
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    111
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Quote Originally Posted by rickastley View Post

    This guys a dick in real life,I know him but he standardly rude

  20. #20
    Diamond DRK Star's Avatar
    Reputation
    1282
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    8,401
    Load Metric
    65717989
    Quote Originally Posted by WillieMcFML View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Druff View Post
    Fuck that was long.

    I didn't realize I typed out such a lengthy essay about a TV show.


    i was a couple sentences in and then made an executive decision to not give a fuck

    let this be a lesson for 408wordsMike
















    Name:  yck9Scb.jpg
Views: 621
Size:  26.3 KB

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. NYC hotel suggestions
    By Dan Druff in forum Flying Stupidity
    Replies: 34
    Last Post: 09-18-2012, 03:21 PM
  2. One hell of a good vid link and some thoughts
    By cleatus in forum Flying Stupidity
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 09-17-2012, 04:51 PM
  3. The lock on your hotel door is basically useless.
    By sonatine in forum Flying Stupidity
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 09-11-2012, 09:19 AM
  4. Cheap Jew hotel tips
    By Dan Druff in forum Flying Stupidity
    Replies: 39
    Last Post: 06-14-2012, 02:14 PM
  5. Seediest hotel you have ever stayed at?
    By The PHA in forum Flying Stupidity
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: 05-08-2012, 05:57 PM