"The Next Food Network Star", Season 5, Episode 6

The judges got this one right. On episode 6 of The Next Food Network Star, Michael Proietti was sent home. In a way it's a shame, because what he was really sent home for was being himself. His performance overall wasn't that bad—others had a worse day—but apparently after 6 weeks, the judges decided Michael was too over the top.

And that's my problem with the decision. You see, Michael has always been over the top. As I've stated before, there is no way (in my opinion) that the judges were ever going to build a show around Michael. His personality is too "out there" to draw the ratings numbers The Food Network needs for a show. Personally, I wouldn't watch a show with him in it, but that's not the point. The point is that from day one, Michael has been Michael, and the judges—particularly Bob—said people loved him, although every week the camera showed people turned off by him.

So why was Michael even there? I have a hard time believing he was any different in his audition tape than he was on the show. So if he was "himself" on his audition tape, they should have known that he probably couldn't win. Michael added a lot of "character" to the show, but if that's all they brought him in for, they should be ashamed.

I need to update my guess of who is to go next. I thought it would be Jamika, but Debbie again had honesty issues and that, I believe will get her sent home next.