Ben Starr

The Ultimate Food Geek

Regarding the Daily Post Article

I awakened Saturday morning to a barrage of media and harassment regarding an article published by the Daily Post, followed by countless other gossip rags, about how I’m coming clean about MasterChef being fake.  This was news to me!

I want it made clear that I have NEVER spoken to ANYONE from the Daily Post or ANY other gossip rag…  I was not contacted about their article.  This “breaking news” article is pieced together from blog posts I wrote many years ago.  I was not asked permission to use any of the content they used.  And I find it amusing that while their article seems to condemn MasterChef, and reality TV in general, for piecing together content and presenting it completely out of context…that’s exactly what their article did.

The blog post it referenced was a years-old post saying “farewell” to  MasterChef.  I no longer want to be associated with the brand, I no longer watch the show, and I don’t really want to think about it any longer.  I am truly grateful for what it brought me…a horde of amazing foodie fans around the world…many dear, dear friends from across the seasons who’ve become as important to me as family…and enough exposure that I’ve been able to not only start a really cool underground restaurant, but do lots of charity work around the country to benefit those in need.  I was nothing but clear that MY OWN EXPERIENCE with the show was excellent, and I wouldn’t have changed anything about it.  The post was not meant to be a condemnation of MasterChef, but to encourage people to treat ALL television as entertainment rather than actual reality, to avoid developing character judgements about reality TV contestants whose content is highly edited, and to encourage folks to spend their time doing quality things that improve themselves and benefit the world at large.

I find it both endlessly amusing and deeply depressing that a washed-up reality TV star’s blog from years ago can be considered relevant and news-worthy enough to be making the gossip rag circuits.  I also find it amusing that these rags seem to think it’s “news” that reality TV is engineered.  Everyone with half a brain knows this.  I have no desire for this attention and will not address any comments related to it…I’ve long since put MasterChef out of my mind and have moved on to other things!

So instead of wasting time reading gossip news about reality TV, how about we go out and hunt for mushrooms, or get in the kitchen and bake some muffins, eh?

14 responses to “Regarding the Daily Post Article”

  1. MJ Lai Avatar
    MJ Lai

    Oh no, sorry to hear about the harassment. You’ve been an open-minded and good sport about your experiences with Masterchef, and it is too bad that it seems that though you want to move forward with your life, the brand still seems to rear its head up at you now and then, unfortunately in a negative fashion. I just want to say that as a Ben Starr the Person fan not Ben Starr the former Master Chef contestant fan (though that is how I found you), that I wholeheartedly support all that you do and your great attitude towards occurences like this. Just give a shrug and continue on with all the awesome things you do. 🙂 speaking of mushrooms, chanterelle season is winding down here in the Pacific Northwest. I admit I wasn’t helpful on our most recent trip, I was more interested at looking at all of the neat coral and jelly fungi, and deep purple mushrooms and humongous boletes than being a lousy chanterelle hunter. 🙂 We found a great assortment of Chanterelles near Mt. Hood, included white chanterelles (which are a buttery cream color), and matsutake! I have to admit I was very paranoid about the matsutake, I am not as familiar with it as my half japanese bf who very adamently insisted he IDed it correctly. I found myself pouring over poisonous matsutake lookalikes, and though it was unmistakably matsutake, I found it hard to enjoy the fabulous matsutake rice dish I made. I would love to read more blogs on your mushroom hunts, though I know you have some great ones in that archive already.. 🙂 If you ever find yourself in Oregon around October, I highly recommend hunting for PNW chanterelles. Apparently truffle hunting is a thing around here too.

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      WOW, you’ve got me daydreaming about chanterelles, now!! I’ve never enjoyed matsutakes, they taste like wet socks to me, but I know they’re probably the single most prized mushroom in Japan.

      1. MJ Lai Avatar
        MJ Lai

        Oops, darn ipad lol. I have to admit I wasn’t a fan, it made the rice taste bitter and it definitely had a piney foresty funk to them. My bf looked at me as if I was completely uncultured. :X Now, HE doesn’t like chanterelles because they ‘taste too buttery’ and have the texture of slugs… More for me!

  2. Melanie Avatar
    Melanie

    And that why I love your spirit Ben!!!! Much love to you!! I don’t do Mushrooms, but I do love to visit my local farmers’ markets and search for some local, unique and yummy finds!!

  3. Kathy Panchyk Avatar
    Kathy Panchyk

    Love you, Ben!

  4. shirakestenbaum Avatar
    shirakestenbaum

    sorry to hear about the media blah blah blah. thanks for your pumpkin stuffed muffins -sound amazing – everything is better with cheesecake! (I’m thinking that the cheesecake filling could work with so many other muffins…)

  5. Justin L Dew Avatar
    Justin L Dew

    Benn, all I could find through a cursory google search is post from tabloid trash. The storm(more like stiff breeze) will pass. Hope you’re having a great weekend!

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      Thanks so much, Justin!!

  6. Guestess Avatar
    Guestess

    The blog you wrote that you took down was dated June 14, 2014
    Look, I’m sure the network or production yelled at you and that is why you took it down — you name calling is childish. Seriously dude. come on.
    People are tired of being lied to by production companies and networks.

    What do you define as harassment? There were hundreds of comments on the blog and you replied to many of them

    You do know that people do NOT need your permission to say what you said or to quote you.

  7. Gregory Wright Avatar
    Gregory Wright

    Wait…you were on MasterChef?

  8. Andrea Avatar
    Andrea

    Media will do a ton of bovine manure to earn more readers, and it’s a damn shame they took advantage of what you wrote. Isn’t that illegal, anyway?

  9. It’sMasterchefNotMasturbate Avatar
    It’sMasterchefNotMasturbate

    I’ve been re-watching old seasons of Masterchef lately and that’s how I ended up discovering some of your old blog posts. It’s 2018 now and the few posts I’ve read by you are from 2014. I actually quite enjoyed the one you wrote about Josh Marks after his death, and I appreciate the fact you’re very honest about your opinion on what goes on behind the scenes of Masterchef and reality shows in general, so please don’t take this next comment as me being one of those online haters who just try and talk sh*t…but for someone who supposedly wants nothing to do with Masterchef anymore why do you still have a picture of you and Ramsay posted at the top of this page? You wanted nothing to do with the show anymore dating back to 2014, and 4 years later you still have a picture of Gordon Ramsay (the main reason people even watch the show)

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      Gordon left his mark on me as a lovely human being. Gordon is an actor on the show. He doesn’t make the decisions…they are handed to him from the producers. I have nothing but respect for Gordon’s talent, I remember the man fondly as a mentor, friend, and jokester. The story behind the photo you mention is a special memory for me…Gordon had left the set, headed to the airport, when they called him to tell him that I had wanted a photo with him before he left. He turned his card around and came back to the set to take that photo. It will always be special for me!

  10. Erik Kreider Avatar
    Erik Kreider

    Just started watching the show a few weeks ago and have been really enjoying it. I finished season 2, with you in it. I understand that reality shows are more entertainment than reality but I enjoyed you on the show. After every season I go to website that has a “Where are they now?” feature and I read on it that you came out against the show. Did a little research and found this post. Glad to hear your side of it. I understand your feelings and what I think you were trying to accomplish. Sorry so much of what you said was taken out of context and without permission.

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