Hell's Kitchen Season 8 (Episode 14)

Well proof positive after this episode.  Ramsay has no integral control of the course of the show.  If he did, I dare say, he would probably have sent them all packing.  So it comes down to a 29 year old arrogant psychopath who CAN cook (at least) Versus a fat drama queen with the Palate of a Boa constrictor.

It's really funny because in the challenge she couldn't taste the difference between Mashed Potatoes, which was supposed to be up, and mashed celery.  At the very end she was described as having 'an exceptional palate' and they even had a scene showing her tasting the mashed celery.  Someone must have slipped in some sarcasm past the crack production staff.   I'm looking at you, Flash.

They say that losers never win and winners never lose.  What about a rat race?  Russ has proven himself to be a capable cook with an unshakeable confidence.  Sure he doesn't win all the time or even most of the time... but those are instances where 'the judges are dummies with unrefined palates'.  This guy scares me.  Not because he is big or has no soul...though those are good points.  He is the face of a brand new and completely selfish generation of 20 somethings.  For this guy to succeed means that his precision bullying and thuggery is an accepted means of getting what you want.  Something no one ever gets is the fact that media carves out its own templates for behavior among the developing new generation.  Social responsibility?  Somehow I don't think that goes with 'FOX'...and I'm sleeping with the lights on tonight.

He's in the last 2.  His opponent cannot win on her cooking or leadership skill against this guy.   I know they are standing at the reward ceremony doors with their family on the other side.  There will be a winner.  Among the casualities will be Gordon Ramsay's integrity.  The best that I can hope for is a followup screen saying "Russ was fired 3 days later for yelling at customers in LA Market"...somehow I think they will omitt that part.

Trev.  Well you weren't the greatest cook and your enemies were persistently forcing you between a wall and a hard place.   I liked how Jillian was yelling at you about the difference in size of the fish portions when they were precut.  Like how you cooked them could have magically changed that fact.  I feel for you mate.  You were the first of the last 4 to go and they were all trying to knock you down from the start.  You stood against the group and you gave it your all.  I respect you for it.

Speeking of....   Jillian.  Wow.  You served mayonnaise to Michelin Star chefs as part of your fusion blunder and got away with it...and won?  Seriously...where the fuck are you hiding those horseshoes?   You finally sunk Trev's boat but one of those torpedoes blew up in it's hatch and you started to sound like a whiny little bitch right in front of Ramsay.  Way to play into Russell's hand.   There were much more deserving people who should have been a contender at the end that weren't you.  It's only because you were more able to stay under the radar that they went home and you didn't.  If you have 5 years of solid growing up and improving your skill, I can see you being a contender.  Best of luck (but you have plenty of that) and all the best to you and your family in the future.

Well Nona, I'm now officially rooting for you.  You're a weak cook.  You break up easily under even the slightest amount of preasure.  You have the palate of a smoking snake.   Why am I rooting for you?  You're not Russ.