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Will NBC's 'Chopping Block' Be Chopped Liver?

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By WALT BELCHER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 11, 2009

NBC, home of "The Biggest Loser," switches gears from dieting to eating at 8 tonight with "The Chopping Block," a chef competition that combines elements of Fox's "Hell's Kitchen" and "Kitchen Nightmares" with Bravo's "Top Chef."

Instead of the in-your-face Gordon Ramsay, "Chopping Block" is fronted by British celebrity chef Marco Pierre White, 47, a soft-spoken, low-key guy who could be called a chef whisperer.

His toughness comes through in cold, cutting criticisms and icy stares instead of profanity-riddled outbursts.

But White's unkempt appearance and unruly mane of hair make him look like a man who should be wearing a "will work for food" sign.

In fact, I'm not sure I would want him handling my food. Get that man a hairnet!

White lords over seven pairs of wannabe chefs. These teams of husband-wife, mother-daughter, best friends, siblings and so on are competing for a $250,000 stake to open a Manhattan restaurant.

White coaches, scolds and observes while the contestants suffer meltdowns. Eminent food critics weigh in to sample their creations.

In Europe, White has an enormous reputation as a chef's chef. He even trained Ramsay, 42, who has said that White once brought him to tears. I'd pay to see that.

But I'm guessing that "The Chopping Block" will be to "Hell's Kitchen" like NBC's "America's Got Talent" is to Fox's "American Idol."

GHOST HUNTERS: Do people tune in to "Ghost Hunters" because they believe in ghosts or because they can't believe that two former Roto-Rooter plumbers are chasing ghosts?

The Sci-Fi Channel series works either way. At last report, a third of the population believes in ghosts. Those who don't can still get a kick out of the hokey electronic gadgets that ghost hunters Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson use. Pass the electro-magnetic field (EMF) detector, please.

Ratings have grown steadily since the series debuted in 2004. The fifth season begins at 9 tonight with the ghost-busting duo taking on Revolutionary War locales.

Hawes, Wilson and The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) team of "ghost techs" check out a 1695 house in Glen Mills, Pa., and the Philadelphia home of Betsy Ross, the woman who, according to legend, may have sewn the first American flag.

By day, the Ross home is a tourist attraction. By night, it's reportedly haunted by Ross herself who is buried on the property. Visitors and staff have reported seeing a woman weeping at Ross' bed and disembodied voices have been reported in the basement.

IDOL CALL: Producers of "American Idol" had to come up with a new toll-free number for fans to call to vote for the 13th contestant because 1-866-IDOLS-13 was taken by a phone sex service. The number to call for Tuesday night's final contestent, Alexis Grace, was 1-866-IDOLS-36.

DANCING STARS: ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" returned with big numbers Monday night, drawing 22.5 million viewers, a 7 percent improvement over the fall 2008 debut.

Judging from the first round, French actor Gilles Marini and partner Cheryl Burke are the favored team, followed by spurned "Bachelor" sweetheart Melissa Rycroft and her partner Tony Dovolani as well as 17-year-old Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson and her dance partner, Mark Ballas.

Most likely to exit early are rodeo star Ty Murray or Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

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