Author: Ben Starr
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Today is not only my birthday…
I was born on this day in 1977. July 14 is not only my birthday, it has actual historical significance. In France, this is their biggest national holiday…Bastille Day, or French National Day. It is the day that, in 1789, the French people stormed the fortress Bastille in protest against their monarchy, starting the French…
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What It’s Like To Be On Reality TV
(This blog post has now been picked up on Reddit and other sites, so it’s important for you to know before you read this that this post is made in defense of those on reality TV who are attacked for being villains, racists, etc. On my season of the show, I was treated like a…
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MasterChef 4 recap: Surfers and Chicken Breasts (S4E14)
(PLEASE NOTE: This blog is not endorsed or approved by Fox or MasterChef, and you probably shouldn’t read it. The information in this blog is limited to opinion, only, from a former MasterChef survivor.) 10 contestants left, and the judges are arriving at the beach on jetskis…well, Graham swims up in a skin-colored wetsuit, complete…
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MasterChef 4 recap: Huitlacoche and Walmart (S4E13)
(PLEASE NOTE: This blog is not endorsed or approved by MasterChef or Fox and they would probably rather you not read it. Contained below are the opinions and maniacal ravings of an MC2 survivor and should not be treated as fact or as inside information.) After a blessed 2 week break spanning the 4th of…
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Mulligan’s Manor
I want to tell you a story. It’s about a boy. I don’t know his real name. That information is confidential. So we’re just going to call him Sean. He grew up in a conservative family in California. Like all kids do, he loved his family, even if they were not perfect. And for many…
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MasterChef Where Are They Now: Tracy Kontos
For the next installment of my MasterChef: Where Are They Now? series, I’ve chosen one of my personal favorites from Season 2…Tracy Kontos. Tracy is one of those people that, upon meeting, you instantly feel like you’ve been bosom buddies for decades. She immediately sweeps you into this comfortable familiarity and makes you feel like…
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Words, Words, Words: Paula Deen, Trayvon Martin, and Gay Marriage
What do Paula Deen, the late Trayvon Martin, and the fight over gay marriage have in common? Words. Paula Deen’s use of the “n-word” 50 some-odd years ago and how it makes her unworthy of corporate sponsorship and a television career. Trayvon Martin’s use of the “c-word” (cracker…not the BAD c-word) and how it may…
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MasterChef 4 recap: Weddings and Macarons (NOT Macaroons!) S4E12
(PLEASE NOTE: This blog is not endorsed or approved by Fox or MasterChef, and you probably shouldn’t read it. What follows are the crazed ramblings of a MasterChef season 2 survivor who has no knowledge of the production of this season.) It’s group challenge time, and the contestants are introduced to Aaron, a “flavor scientist”…
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3-minute Microwave Oatmeal Cinnamon Breakfast Cake
I make breakfast almost every single day. During the week, when it’s nothing special, I usually make biscuits or pancakes. Biscuits take about 15 minutes, start to finish, pancakes take a little less. That’s not a lot of time, to be honest. Way less than most people might think. But even 15 minutes is too…
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MasterChef 4 recap: Pig’s Heads and Christine Ha (S4E11)
(PLEASE NOTE: This blog is not approved or endorsed by MasterChef or Fox, and they would probably rather you not read it. The info contained in this blog is OPINION ONLY from a former MasterChef contestant who has no knowledge of the production of this season.) It was like pulling teeth to summon the courage…