I remember in the early 90s, my dad had a Frugal Gourmet cookbook. He bought all the ingredients and was trying to follow the steps to make it. All of a sudden, from the kitchen I heard him yell "THIS ISNT F***ING FRUGAL!" (RIP dad, miss ya)

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

That's what I felt about him when I watched the show on PBS, long before I heard the awful truth about Jeff Smith.

@seameology

Жыл бұрын

I own every cookbook. And that's a true story.

@ShawnD1027

Жыл бұрын

Well, he always said that the word "frugal" to him didn't mean "cheap," but "not wasteful."

@classicaldeb

11 ай бұрын

Most people don't understand the definition of frugal.

@dabanjo

11 ай бұрын

@classicaldeb Frugal: sparing, simple, plain. I think most people know that.

Jeff Smith was the classic case of, "You can't judge a book by its cover." He came across as a heckuva nice guy on TV.

@jacobh9487

Жыл бұрын

I'm rethinking ppl who are openly as$holes now. At the least, you know they are as$holes.

@tomryan914

Жыл бұрын

Girl on TV comedy, "All the 'nice guys' are either married or gay."

@Melissa0774

Жыл бұрын

You'd be amazed at how assholes can switch on the fake nice guy persona when they get in front of a camera.

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

@@Melissa0774 There is no shortage of accounts where Jeff Smith acted like an asshole to people when the cameras weren't running.

@Tittles1959

Жыл бұрын

Watched him all the time. I’m sickened

I worked in a bookstore where Jeff Smith had a signing event. He was loud and arrogant, and treated the staff like his personal slaves. Never a 'please' or a 'thank you' when his whims were gratified - just tantrums when they weren't. He'd brought Craig with him, and Craig held down the fort during Smith's frequent disappearances out to the parking lot. There was a stash of booze in the limo, (Yes. He'd hired a stretch limo.) and after a while Smith would stagger back in with another plastic cup full of "apple juice." The drunker he got, the nastier and louder he became. By the end of the evening, he was insulting the customers who'd come to see him, and abusing employees who tried to intervene. The bookstore decided not to ask him back.

@christyann

11 ай бұрын

Wow! So disappointing.

@uptown710

11 ай бұрын

Man I remember when I was young there was so many rumors around this guy. You just reminded of his assistant, Craig… he was basically the man behind the scenes in later seasons.

@George-vf7ss

11 ай бұрын

Classic

@thenewyorkcitizen

11 ай бұрын

Omg

@johnsmith1953x

11 ай бұрын

Yeah, that sounds like that bastard.

Shocking to learn about this side of him. He was very relatable and I enjoyed watching his PBS programs. I’m sorry for what his victims were forced/coerced to endure.

@bigfootwalker5399

Жыл бұрын

Unfortunately he wore a convincing mask, but fortunately that mask was eventually ripped off.

@trickrunner4842

Жыл бұрын

Poor guy he got taken advantage of

@mistrrhappy

Жыл бұрын

Jeff Smith did not commit the crimes he was accused of. The testimony from the prosecution was based on "recovered memories", a fraudulent psychological phenomenon that has been debunked. Too bad it destroyed this innocent man's life.

@bunkyman8097

Жыл бұрын

OMG, I loved his show and have his cookbook. Unbelievable...shocking to learn this.

@jennyyy78

Жыл бұрын

I don't believe it !

I had a crappy telemarketing job in the late 90s. One of the random numbers I called was Jeff Smith. His name actually came up as The Frugal Gourmet. This wasn't too long after these allegations came out. He didn't answer the phone, but I did get an answering machine, and sure enough, it was him. Not much of a story, but it weirded me out. I often watched the Frugal Gourmet because I was a foodie at a young age.

I was in a movie made in Tacoma that Smith was catering. I had a scene where I drove down the street and parked. On the first take, As I was 1/2 way down the street, Smith had been sitting in his car and pulled out, blocking me. He jumps out and screams to get the F out of the way. Needless to say, this didn't go over well with the production manager and they fired him immediately. We all got a kick out of his alter ego. This was in 1975.

@ChristopherLuongo

11 ай бұрын

What was the name of the movie?

@radsdad1

11 ай бұрын

@@ChristopherLuongo Sweet Revenge

@utubewillyman

11 ай бұрын

Sure doesn't sound like the humble chaplain persona.

I totally watched him as a kid when I went over to stay with my Grandmother. I had no idea about anything else. He was just gone off PBS one day and my Grandma started teaching me how to cook instead.

Used to watch him on PBS, was so angry when I heard he was a pedophile and that he harmed his own boys, which you didn't mention here. Like Bill Cosby it erases all the talent and leaves you with disgust and sadness.

@glorial1569

Жыл бұрын

I didn’t know about his own kids.

@bkm2797

Жыл бұрын

glorial1569, That is what I heard when it was reported way back, I just hope it isn't true.

@emilymulcahy

Жыл бұрын

He didn't touch his own kids as far as I can tell, I just went down the rabbit hole for a few hours and read nothing but the 7 unrelated victims

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

The story with Bill Cosby is that he had a fifty-year carefully cultivated image as a moral hero. Why it was such a shock for people to accept the awful truth about him.

@paulwolf7562

Жыл бұрын

I didn't know that? Anybody who does that is a creep. Makes you wonder?

I was a weird kid and watched Julia Child and the frugal gourmet and had no idea he was such a monster😳

@mistrrhappy

Жыл бұрын

Jeff Smith did not commit the crimes he was accused of. The testimony from the prosecution was based on "recovered memories", a fraudulent psychological phenomenon that has been debunked. Too bad it destroyed this innocent man's life.

@Msfeathers7

Жыл бұрын

I was home sick from school and was watching Julia Childs. She was making a whole chicken dish and dropped the chicken on the floor. She said "whoopies!" picked it up, washed it off and just kept cooking it! Just like we would do at home when no one was watching! So funny.

@AshatHome

Жыл бұрын

@Msfeathers7 Julia was so naturally funny and carefree. Like you said when she made a mistake she would say no big deal and laugh it off. My mom tells a story about when she came to get me from my grandparents after work and I had watched Julia make lobster bisque, and we had to make it. I made my grandpa write the ingredients down. I was like 3 and dead set on that lobster bisque 🤣🤣🤣 my teenagers find it hilarious that I was such a fancy toddler 😂

@Msfeathers7

Жыл бұрын

@@AshatHome Lol!

@TheIkaika777

11 ай бұрын

Julia Child was a real chef.

We sold his kitchen stuff and put together an event where he and Craig come to the store to sign autographs. People lined up all around the store. I was told to get him a bottle of Sherry, and keep his coffee cup full. As the day went on, both he and Craig would take bathroom breaks. When Craig came back, he was signing a book, and blood flowed from his nose onto his white chef's jacket. It was clear why they were going to the bathroom so often. Craig simply buttoned the white jacket on the other side so the blood didn't show. Jeff Smith made a big deal about being a minister, and had a lot of older female fans. Later that night, we arranged to have a limo pick him up and take him to our favorite resturant. When we got there, he had fired the limo, causing us to have to find another one at last minute. We had the local paper out there to interview him, and they took photos, but never ran them. When I inquired as to why they didn't use the photos, they said that he was so drunk that if they had printed them, it would have been bad for him. Also, when we were at dinner, he was mean. He said to Craig that "I found you at McDonalds, and I can send you back there." He liked to humiliate Craig. I did NOT like him at all after that. I have all his cookbooks, bc I bought them before I met him. I have never used them.

@sahej6939

11 ай бұрын

Wow. A nasty mean alcoholic. do you mean he was using cocaine in the bathroom?

@MeltemiX

11 ай бұрын

I would love to take those books off your hands.

@patcola7335

11 ай бұрын

Whatever became of Craig ? I liked Craig

@amiblueful

11 ай бұрын

Craig always looked uncomfortable on the show. I thought he was just camera shy, but now it seems there may have been a lot more to it.

@attiasprouse682

11 ай бұрын

Why the bloody nose? Cocaine?

This makes me incredibly sad. I had no idea. We used to watch his show in the '80s on PBS, he seemed like such a nice and down to earth gentleman. Heartbreaking to realize what he had done, and that it was all a mask.

@Sebastianx007

11 ай бұрын

Most celebrities put on a front just to be liked and make money but in real life are the most horrible people you could ever meet!

I was so disappointed to find out what a creep he was offscreen. I grew up watching his show and I have several of his cookbooks. I learned how to make my own soup stock by reading his books.

@mistrrhappy

Жыл бұрын

Jeff Smith did not commit the crimes he was accused of. The testimony from the prosecution was based on "recovered memories", a fraudulent psychological phenomenon that has been debunked. Too bad it destroyed this innocent man's life.

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

There are newer and better cookbooks out there you can get.

@seameology

Жыл бұрын

Yes. I have them all and yes they're good. At least I bought them all used. Before I knew anything.

@vincentmancini6279

11 ай бұрын

@@seameology That has nothing to do with his recipes. Keep cooking.

@darlene6531

11 ай бұрын

Loved had first cookbook. Still have it.

Heart broken....... I loved this guy. Just goes to show you never know 😢

@herecomesforego1787

Жыл бұрын

Right and you still don't smh

@bigverybadtom

11 ай бұрын

@@herecomesforego1787 Like hell we don't. There are too many testimonies from many different people to say it was all rumor.

@vincentmancini6279

11 ай бұрын

@@bigverybadtom Many times it takes two!!!!!!!!!!!

@bigverybadtom

11 ай бұрын

@@vincentmancini6279 Yes, a rapist and a victim!

@dibo-hz7ll

11 ай бұрын

that's how I felt when I found out about Featureman

I always thought he was creepy, just like I think Mario Batali is. Guess my creep-o-meter is in working order.

@monkeywkeys3916

11 ай бұрын

Batali. Yeah. I didn't like him in short notice.

@katmolina2627

11 ай бұрын

Although I enjoyed watching his cooking shows on PBS, I’m certainly glad he was exposed for all the sexual abuse. Wow what an act! Sad!😢

@elaineweinberg7094

11 ай бұрын

Same here!

@kdm71291

3 ай бұрын

Yeah, Mario was accused of making sexual advances with women who worked for him, if I recall correctly.....disappointing and sad!

Sometime in 1993 when I was a kid, I was at a Dim Sum Seafood Restaurant with my parents when I saw Jeff Smith sitting at the table close to us. I walked over by myself, to say hi and ask for his autograph. However, he was not happy and lectured me that it wasn't alright to disturb people while their eating. I was really young at the time, so didnt know. Lesson learned. He did end up signing a card for me, but i have mixed feelings about it till this day.

@Bgz8890s

11 ай бұрын

What as asshole, I'd burn the autograph, if you still have it. Pedophile.

Wow. I never knew he was a disgusting monster. Those poor kids.

@NSPS-yi2oj

5 ай бұрын

Those poor, poor, poor, poor, poor kids. alt.videos.boneless

My ex-husband’s brother talked about this a lot. He was in that program from Stadium High. Said all the guys were targeted and abused one way or another. So awful. The BIL was talking about this long before it became public knowledge.

I had a junior high art class that consisted of the teacher gathering a group of boys in the back and talking to them the whole class time. I actually walked back there once to find out what they might be talking about and the teacher, he always wore black velvet shoes in class (wtf seriously?), lifted his leg and stomped on my foot so hard I could hardly hobble back to my seat. Never bothered him again.

@lisabrightly

Жыл бұрын

Yup. Perverts are not that hard to spot once you know them personally. I had many perverted teachers in Highschool

My sister, who lived in Seattle, warned me about Jeff Smith after she saw one if his cookbooks in my home. She said that it was well known what kind of person he really was.

You could see the disdain of his assistants on his shows. We didn't know what was going on at the time.

@sn1000k

11 ай бұрын

Yeah there was an awkward edge to their interactions

I was a student in the early 70s at UPS. Attending one of Smith's University classes or cooking seminars was the coolest thing of the day. Years later when his dark side came out, we were all shocked .

I’ll stick with my Betty Crocker cookbook.

Shows another example the dark side of the entertainment industry… High functioning sociopaths are entertaining and make good TV personalities.

@trjb1767

11 ай бұрын

Hired and supported by public TV. Ignored by mgmt.

I used to watch his show. Back then, we had an old family friend who came to dinner on weekends. He had a terrific sense of humor and would call that guy “the fruity gourmet,” which I just dismissed.

@danielthoman7324

8 ай бұрын

Your friend was probably also a fruit 🍓🍑

His cooking show was popular when I was first married, and I watched him all the time. Eventually I had a few of his cookbooks. When all of this came to light, I felt terrible. I threw the cookbooks away, I couldn't even give them to a thrift store.

I rember in High School telling my Home Ecnomics teacher about the accusations against Smith as our class used old episodes of The Frugal Gourmat to teach basic cooking skills once and at the time her response was to dismiss them out of hand as essentially scandal mongering. It also kind of made me paranoid about other TV chefs for a while like how many of these people have weird or depraved personal lives off camera?

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

Well, it turned-out to be real and not scandal mongering in Jeff Smith's case.

@GamingDrummer89

Жыл бұрын

Although it didn't involve kids (IIRC), Mario Batali had that off-camera side to him as well.

@sharimeline3077

11 ай бұрын

I think any kind of person can have a secret depraved life. Anyone. Could be a doctor, a teacher, a preacher, your next door neighbor. They learn how to hide it.

@Ida-Adriana

11 ай бұрын

Why just TV chefs? 😞

@sahej6939

11 ай бұрын

Good you called your teacher out! Adults are always dismissive of youth but they should listen. Hope the school has finally thrown away the crappy books

Used to love watching him. Back then, there weren't many cooking shows. All were inspirational.

@Msfeathers7

Жыл бұрын

And much better then the ones today.

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

@@Msfeathers7 Nah, I find the cooking shows of nowadays much better than the Frugal Gourmet ever was.

@TheIkaika777

11 ай бұрын

Are there any cooking shows today? All I see on the Food Network is cooking game shows.

@bigverybadtom

11 ай бұрын

@@TheIkaika777They're not famous but they exist.

@TheIkaika777

11 ай бұрын

@@bigverybadtom , There are better cooking shows on KZread than the Food Network.

Smith had a tendency to be very “preachy” in his approach. It’s also been said that he was very arrogant and nearly narcissistic. He probably believed he could do whatever he wanted- being a minister and a celebrity! It’s also been said that many of his recipes were not all that good- one critic said that Smith was “neither frugal, nor gourmet.” Too, with so many reports of Catholic clergy abusing young boys, it’s been almost ignored that clergy of other denominations have abusers as well- Smith was a Methodist!

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

Most child molesters aren't clergy.

@JN-vt7mz

Жыл бұрын

Now do the teachers union. Its a astonishing amount versus priests

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

@@JN-vt7mz I don't know how many teachers are pedophiles, but they obviously have more children to choose from than any clergy.

@sahej6939

11 ай бұрын

I was given his book as a gift at 12, and even then I did not like his recipes or use the book (and I love cookbooks, kitchen stuff, and creating in the kitchen)

@monkeywkeys3916

11 ай бұрын

Oh he was a minister prior to the cooking show. Now it makes sense

My mom was suspicious. He was rude and impatient with his boy assistants. Bad vibe

@bg147

8 ай бұрын

Moms know shit. Good judges of character. He seemed like a dick back then.

I loved watching this guys show back in the day growing up. This explains why his shows just disappeared. I hope his victims find peace.

@vincentmancini6279

11 ай бұрын

Keep cooking!

I remember watching him on PBS when I was a senior in college. Such a sad story.

This is upsetting. His show was a staple in my childhood home in the late 80s early 90s. Seeing him as a predator is really shocking.

I knew as a college kid he always saw that he had young good-looking college male s. On his show😂

I learned this as a kid. Broke my heart.

Liked his pbs show when I was a kid. More than Michael Jackson, these revelations really made me cynical about media personalities.

@trishayamada807

Жыл бұрын

MJ is still a hero to many and gets a pass on his transgressions which were also settled out of court. Funny how one is vilified and one is not.

I can see having a "reference" book like The Joy Of Cooking in hard copy but mostly if I want to try making a dish I look online at recipes and see what's crucial to making that dish and when make my own version. An example is the time I made hummous. I lived in a semi-rural area where tahini was hard to get but I had plenty of another oily seed/nut, locally grown walnuts. It came out great.

@jamespohl-md2eq

11 ай бұрын

I’m glad it turned out good. But you didn’t make hummus.

This is so sad to learn. Growing up in the early 90s as a very little kid my mom watched a lot of PBS, and "The Frugal Gourmet," is one of the shows I fondly remember along side "This Old House," and "The New Yankee Workshop." I'm glad however that the truth about Smith came out.

I used to watch his cooking show on tv. I wondered what happened to him. I didn't know he was a psycho pervert. All of those good memories that I had of his show just went out the window and down the toilet. How disgusting.

Even before the news came out, some people referred to him as The Fruitcake Gourmet", they were not speaking of his off-air reality.

@sn1000k

11 ай бұрын

That's homophobia, not an accurate summation

@SmittyAZ

11 ай бұрын

@@sn1000k Fruitcake means nuts / crazy. "Nutty as a Fruitcake". I think you mean Fruit / fruity?

I remember going to Westberry Long Island, New York to stand on lines forever with my daughter to ge a book signed by him. Still have that book. This was way before the story came out. He was there with that young man. Can’t remember his name right now.

@salemslot9

11 ай бұрын

Craig?

My parents had his books kicking around the house and I remember the first time seeing them and I thought to myself, "now that guy is a diddler if I ever saw one". I hesitated reading the cookbooks but eventually gave them a chance and really enjoyed the books and laughed at his show. Only to discover that he was indeed a kiddie diddler. Pretty messed up

NOOOOOO…. So much love and care and support to the people this criminal victimized. 😢

The only good takeaway from this story is that today people have more of a voice about issues like this. Problems w/this guy would have found their way on line immediately. I saw him at a kitchen store decades ago & he gave me the creeps even though I didn't know one thing about his actions.

I watched his shows, learned of his pervasion, threw my books away…Jeff Smith was a predator.

One of my favorite cooking show. I was devastated to learn of his dark side. I stopped watching him.

You willfully left out the fact that Craig Wollam had had a long-term consensual gay relationship with Jeff Smith for years during the run of The Frugal Gourmet series, which played a huge part in the breakdown of his then troubled marriage to his wife Patty, who was already devastated about his past abuses involving young men whom he had sexually assaulted years before.

@thecommercialarchive

4 ай бұрын

Didn't know that, how did you find that out?

@jamesandrews3583

2 ай бұрын

Lmao, where'd you hear that?

The first time I ever saw the Frugal Gourmet, he was making a fish soup/stew. I was grossed out when he pulled from the pot a fish head. The song " Fish Heads " popped into my mind. I know he was trying to make a point of some kind, but it was lost somewhere in the " Fish Heads " song from Dr Demento's play list. I miss Dr Demento !

@Emiliapocalypse

Жыл бұрын

Oh great! Now I’ve got it stuck in my head. Eat them up, yum!! The music video for that is up on KZread, if you feel like watching it, lol. Take care 🐟

@orangeblossom1769

11 ай бұрын

Fish heads, fish heads, roly poly fish heads. Fish heads, fish heads, eat them up. Yum!

@erroneous6947

11 ай бұрын

That’s hilarious I remember that episode and I loved that song. Dead Kennedy’s right?

@Jane_Dow

11 ай бұрын

@@erroneous6947 Not sure who sung it. But my Mother Hated me singing any of those songs. Esp. " Dead Puppies " !!

@artstocker60

11 ай бұрын

IMS, I believe "Fish heads" was composed by Bill Mumy, aka Will Robinson.

My mother loved the Frugal Gourmet as did I. I watched his show and bought several of his cookbooks. The Frugal Gourmet Cooks With Wine was long one of my favorite cookbooks but after finding out about him, I can't open it anymore.

I felt uneasy whenever his show came on. I even felt guilty about it but while I didn’t have specific suspicions, I knew he wasn’t a nice person. And a potentially dangerous one.

@johnwiemer120

Жыл бұрын

I got the same vibe. Seems many people can be fooled by monsters public facade.

@kissedbysun2517

11 ай бұрын

Me too. I was sexually abused as a kid and this guy had all the ear marks. And the more fame and fortune he got the more bizarre and narcissistic he got. I was not at all surprised when the story came out. I was surprised it took so long. Several other stars and people I've come across in life I have felt the same way, and sadly have been right most of the time. But I did not suspect Cosby. That one caught me off guard.

@tarnishermack94

11 ай бұрын

He was creepy to me and Mr. Rogers. Just couldn’t put a finger in it but they made me extremely uncomfortable to watch.

@edl6398

11 ай бұрын

I agree! I could never put my finger on it but I was in my 20’s and there was something off about him. Creepy old white guy claiming to be a Christian and his “May you have peace” weird closing statement.

@sn1000k

11 ай бұрын

​@@tarnishermack94c'mon Mr Rogers was unusual but I'm pretty sure he was more or less a saint

I watched him when I was a teenager and had very warm, nostalgic memories of the frugal gourmet- omg I’m shattered to learn what type of person he truly was! Please tell me Yan Can Cook was a decent man! I need him to replace the frugal gourmet as my favorite 80’s/90’s chef!

@WarbirdPhoenix

11 ай бұрын

Thankfully, you don't have to worry about that. Chef Yan is still doing his thing and as quirky as ever. I grew up watching all the 70'/80's cooking shows and their reruns too and strangely remember them all except this guy. I guess I sensed something off about Jeff when I was a kid.

@zendrive

10 ай бұрын

Yan is a good dude, my brother worked for him in the 90s filling orders for books and knives. He treated staff great.

All of his young assistants were well groomed.

Shame on former celebrity chef Jeff smith for being a horrible human being whom took advantage of dozens of young men inappropriately in different decades

I'll never forget what he did. I was appalled. I lived in Chicagoland area at the time.

He just manipulative narcissist.

I enjoyed watching his show every week and it got me interested in cooking. You can never tell what someone is like behind the scenes.

@maryohare4141

11 ай бұрын

I watched his show twice...and picked up on his "touchy-feely" behavior and his snarky putdowns. I quickly realized he was an old pervert hiding behind a sneering smile and the FAKE minister song and dance. YEP...ran into that creepy type as a young pre-teen....so I could spot a pervert in seconds! Yuck! He should have been found barbecued in a pig's pit! Oh, wait...that IS what happened...once he got sent to hell, by God!

I remember watching this show- there was a family friendly element to the show. Finding out about Smith's misdeeds was completely shocking. Amazing how a public mask can cover terrible things.

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

Bill Cosby had the biggest mask of all.

As a kid often left home alone, and with no access to cable, I learned how to cook watching his show. Potato soup at 10. I still think of it fondly.

I remember that guy. My roommate and I used to call him The Frugal Wino. Was always pouring wine in his food.

In the 1970s I visited the retail section of the Chaplin's Pantry. I was a teenager and already cooking professionally. Smith started talking to me and asking increasingly personal questions. He slowly began chasing me around the store and suggesting I join him for dinner. I left confused and creeped out. In the 1990s I heard the allegations against him and everything clicked. Glad I dodged that bullet.

I always got creepy vibes from the Frugile Gourmet man so I prefered Justin Wilson's Cajun cooking show.

@paulwolf7562

Жыл бұрын

Yea, I kinda liked Justin Wilson's show a little better. I never knew about this stuff, until now. I probably never noticed?

Used to watch him all the time. Have his first cook book. Love the recipes.

@johnbalkon8521

Жыл бұрын

I would throw that garbage away if I were you. Or burn it.

@mikebarooshian7255

11 ай бұрын

@@johnbalkon8521I used to watch his cooking shows on tv I have 1 of his cook books and my mom made 2 recipes from his book and it wasn’t even that good I’m sure there’s better chefs out there then him he doesn’t know a damn thing about the history of food we never made anything else from his book

My dad was a big fan of his but ripped up his cookbooks and stopped watching cooking shows altogether when he was told by a business associate whose kid (maybe nephew or someone closely related like that) had been one of the guys that Smith had abused through his school. My dad was one of the abuse victims that bankrupted the Portland archdiocese and he was violently disgusted by pedophiles from his own awful experiences as an altar boy. Everyone in Seattle knew before long.

Wow, I just threw away that cookbook. I watched him all the time on PBS before all the scandal started.

It a sad shock Frugal Gourmet was a classic 80's early 90's Saturday afternoon PBS staple with Cajun Justine Wilson, Natalie Dupree, classic Julia childs I remember when the Gourmet cooked with Elmo but I guess you don't know a person...

@user-er3ri6sc3j

Жыл бұрын

Dr Jekyll Mr Hyde.

@ovrezy

2 күн бұрын

Turned out Elmo had similar problems

It was settled out of court. So sadly we’ll never know what was real. Even then it poisoned the memory of a man I really enjoyed. Remember just because you are accused of something it doesn’t mean it’s true!

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

If he was innocent he never would have settled, he would have fought the charges. You think all the women who said Bill Cosby drugged and raped him were lying too?

@kmoecub

Жыл бұрын

Often it's true that if you settle you're avoiding a more stern consequence. My abuser did nothing wrong, according to him anyway.

@lostboy8084

Жыл бұрын

A lot of times it is cheaper and less damaging to the person who is accused to settle out of court. You would think that they would want justice done but they settle because a lot of times the person can drag it forever and they will no longer afford lawyers. So I seen false accusations in person and I seen the opposite

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

@@lostboy8084 Somebody who is accused of child molesting is going to settle if they were truly innocent? Boy, you live a very sheltered life. I'm sure Jeff Smith wasn't exactly a pauper and would have fought any accusations if he were truly innocent. Yes, fake accusations exist, but usually they are readily proven, just as the people of the MacMartin Preschool were accused of child molesting and devil worship and it was proven that a corrupt district attorney coached children to lie in court.

@mistrrhappy

Жыл бұрын

@@kmoecub Jeff Smith did not commit the crimes he was accused of. The testimony from the prosecution was based on "recovered memories", a fraudulent psychological phenomenon that has been debunked. Too bad it destroyed this innocent man's life.

I use to watch this show regularly growing up. It was a favorite of mine. When his abusive behavior came to light it was a shock. You never know who these tv personalities are like behind the scene. What a disgrace!!!

Wow, My mom watched this guy all the time back in the 80s on PBS...

The allegations against him shocked the hell out of me! I still make a few of his dishes.

Thanks for the info!

I used to love watching his shows. His personality was very kind but once I heard these accusations I just couldn’t enjoy watching it anymore. Sometimes the wolf does indeed wear sheepskin to hide themselves 😮

I had read a story about this way back in the late 90's. One of the guys had a quote that Jeff Smith told him " I want to eat you like a sugar cookie."

@sn1000k

11 ай бұрын

Gross

Scripture and kid diddling, a classic combination.

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

Most child molesters aren't clergy.

@MichaelAnthony-kq2tz

11 ай бұрын

Nowhere in scripture is this spoken of.

@EASTSIDERIDER707

11 ай бұрын

@@MichaelAnthony-kq2tz It seems to be understood. Or are the stories just fake news? Like the account you just created.

@MichaelAnthony-kq2tz

11 ай бұрын

@@EASTSIDERIDER707 Understood in what way. Again, no where in scripture is molestation mentioned let alone promoted.

@EASTSIDERIDER707

11 ай бұрын

@@MichaelAnthony-kq2tz yet I runs rampant. You bible thumpers are closet perverts.

So the lawsuit ended with no admission of guilt and no police report was ever filed. That is the definition of innocence.

I still have his cookbooks and somewhere is a photo of me with him taken at a book signing. My favorite was "...cooks American" - best damn corn chowder recipe! Truly a shame...

Never knew any of this. One of my mom's recipes is in one of his cookbooks, and he gave her credit. They were acquaintances. 😳

Looks like wikipedia needs n update.

Used to watch this as a kid and loved it. When I watched it was an adult I realized he doesn’t actually cook anything on the show. Sadness.

Admit this guy always creeped me out, so none too suprised when the ugly news "came out".😢

I watched probably every episode he ever did, even own 3 of his cook books. was sad to see his downfall, still use his books.

@dragonsky799

Жыл бұрын

I feel worse for his victims.

I'd heard rumors of an affair between Jeff Smith and his on-screen chef. It seems like a lot of what actually happened was hushed up and swept under the rug because the few articles that actually said anything about it were extremely brief. I'd always wondered why he left PBS so abruptly when he was at the height of his popularity.

@sn1000k

11 ай бұрын

That was kind of the gist of what I heard at the time too. Less room to hide w today's internet. Plenty of people ready to fully spill the beans. It's a good thing.

He officiated a wedding I attended in late 1980s. Very arrogant.

I always got profoundly creepy vibes from him, not surprised a bit.

I remember watching his shows on Saturdays and loved them. To learn of this was really sad, he appeared on TV as such a loving nice man. To know now that he was this monster is again plain sad.

There was some undefinable quality about Jeff Smith that gave me the creeps. He was sort of manic and his behavior around his young, handsome male sidekick-helper on the show made me uneasy. When the truth about his abusive behavior became public knowledge, I was not surprised. Smith had the intelligence, education and resources to get help with his problems, but he chose not to do so. A friend gave me one of Smith's cookbooks as a gift. I have since thrown it out.

@bg147

8 ай бұрын

i just thought he was an arrogant dick.

Jeff, you helped me in my early 30s when I was living in a situation that was so Difficult to be in, I would turn on your TV show on Saturday and the pain went away. You meant so much to me at that time You meant so much to me at that time. I am sorry for all of those allocations . In my fantasy world, I will always love you in my heart You help me through a very difficult time .

I watched his show when I was a kid. I was also shocked about his abuses toward children. He was hiding in plain sight though because I've learned that most grown men who enjoy and or cultivate a lifestyle around teenagers need a second look and are not to be trusted. At least he died in shame. We got to see his mask come off.

Pure evil.

I remember watching his weekly show with my family weekly. I remember toward the end of hos show he started to become more erratic, gaining a lot of weight, and was genuinely drinking, and insinuating drinking, quite a but on the remaining shows. I asked my mom what was going on with him, and mom told me he was an alcoholic and doing badly. Learning this just now, it’s not a wonder why he was drinking so much!

I used to love watching his show and I also have two of his books. I was shocked like everyone else when I learned about what he had done to those young men. Jeff Smith was a predator with a preference for teenage boys. The purpose of him training teenage boys from a local school was to pick and choose which ones he wanted to groom.

@MaryDavidson911

Жыл бұрын

You would be laughed out of a jury seat. There’s no proof this actually occurred

@longtimelo

Жыл бұрын

@@MaryDavidson911 It did. He's the Sandusky of cooking. Many (most) smart predators choose vocations that give them cover. Hello? Catholic priests?

@testmcgee9230

Жыл бұрын

Pediatricians too.

@bigverybadtom

11 ай бұрын

@@longtimelo Why all this fuss over Catholic priests? Most of them are not sex offenders. Besides, the best way to get access to kids is by being in a profession where there is a large supply of them, like a sports team.

@miriamhavard7621

11 ай бұрын

​​@@bigverybadtomthe fuss is that they're supposed to be trustworthy. The fuss is that the Church is and has been WELL aware of the abusive ones for GENERATIONS and keeps covering and protecting the predators and punishing the prey.

'Married With Children', The Bundy's having catered dinner at home. French cook to Bud, "Would you like to be ze chef when you grow up Bud?" "No I'd rather be a man."

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

I don't know if Jeff Smith's pedophilia was known to the world when that episode was made.

Had forgotten about him.

I thought he had gone to jail. Thanks for clearing that up👍

Elmo and The Frugal Gourmet appeared together on the same shows? Wow. All my Heroes - capital "H" HEROES - are pe... I'm being facetious, but it's not an exaggeration to say that Jeff Smith was a food god to me and one of the main reasons that I'm a semi-pro cook today. And Justin Wilson. And Martin Yan. And Child, Puck, Graham, and all the PBS classics. Legends. (Legends...never meet yours.)

@bigverybadtom

Жыл бұрын

Only Jeff Smith did those bad things, not the others.

@sn1000k

11 ай бұрын

I've met some of mine and they were great!

Watched the shows. Thought his interactions with the young men on the show were off.

Enjoyed the show. My mom however taught mom NEVER to idolize man and you won't be disappointed when you find out about their flaws. Many of the "greats" couldn't keep the zipper UP! even on PBS. i worked in a restaurant. sadly, a lot of that went on.

The fact that he never spent a day in prison is an absolute tragedy for the victims.

I used to watch his show. Sad that he had to destroy it. And his poor wife...

@beth3535

Жыл бұрын

What was sad was how he leveraged his success to young men and ultimately destroy his family.

@beltigussin81

11 ай бұрын

His poor wife? She lived with this guy for all those years and didn't know who he was. Not buying that.

@beth3535

11 ай бұрын

Men like this put a great deal of effort into controlling and using their shield wives. I’m glad it came out and destroyed what he put in place. Fully deserved. And his wife, children, and others are much better off for him being exposed. Awful that it upended their lives but it also freed of his pernicious behaviors.

@elainebmack

11 ай бұрын

No sympathy for her. She drank the Koolaid and lived a cushy life with her celebrity husband, apparently at a price.

Sad, my dad taught my brother and me the joy of cooking and this show was a favorite for us when we were little kids. My brother mastered eggs and crepes as a child! Hopefully going forward, people will understand that their actions have consequences, and treat people with more kindness.

@beltigussin81

11 ай бұрын

More kindness? How about just not being a pervert. Or if you're a pervert keep your hands off kids and people who don't want you.

@juliekswanson

11 ай бұрын

@@beltigussin81 lol trigger yourself.

@sn1000k

11 ай бұрын

Kindness = not being a tireless, lifelong sex pest

"Jeff made cooking accessible to everyone" Jacque Pepin says hi.

Wow! Back to the Future! 1983, bell bottoms out, Frugal Gourmet in. My Pop enjoyed his cooking shows, I believe we acquired a cookbook, a wok, ( my dad learned quick how to make a mean stir fry. Some African dishes, too. Dad used food to travel. I think .. 😮woah Epiphany