Man vs. Medical Bills?

Hi everyone!

Before I proceed with today’s topic (which, by the way, is a lot lighter in nature than my previous post as I no longer feel the need to air my grievances with Food Network), I’d just like to take a moment to thank all of my current readers for visiting (and hopefully enjoying) my blog, in addition to leaving comments and sharing in my enthusiasm.

And now, on with the show!

Over the course of 2009, and especially during the past two weeks, the Travel Channel has, in many ways (and for many reasons), become my surrogate Food Network. Once laden with episode after episode of Samantha Brown (and other lesser-known globe-trotters), it has now caught on to, and successfully incorporated, what many of us instinctively associate with travel - food. While the Food Network may not be pleased with this increased competition, I, as a food-oriented TV viewer (and Cablevision subscriber), am thrilled to now have alternative television options.

Prior to 2009, I would watch the Travel Channel every now and then, perhaps to see the captivating panoramas of somewhere exotic or, more likely, because nothing else “good” was on. Considering this lacking devotion to the channel, there had to be something special, something unique and exciting, to change my impression and keep me coming back day after day, faithfully, to channel 63. And there was.

What really got me hooked (other than Samantha Brown’s occasionally tolerable antics) was the Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives spin-off, Man vs. Food. Hosted by Adam Richman, the show takes its Food Network-esque counterpart to a whole new dimension by simultaneously serving as a glorified eating competition.

For the record, I’ve never been a fan of competitive eating. Frankly, I typically find it rather disgusting (though I do, admittedly, make an exception for the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest). But this show, for some odd and almost unexplainable reason, has gained not only my respect, but also my applause (I should totally be paid for plugging and promoting these networks as much as I am, don’t you agree? Travel Channel scouts . . . anyone?)

Where was I? Oh, yes- Mr. Adam Richman. Throughout his travels, and many meals (each of which probably constitutes a day and a half’s worth of food in and of itself), Richman maintains an indescribable kind of poise that makes him and his plight that much more respectable. I often find myself cheering him on, alongside the likes of the crowds featured on the given episode, to eat the last super spicy chicken wing, down the last spoonful of ice cream, finish off the last French fry, or conquer whatever else the case may be. But I have to wonder, who pays for it all?

No, I am not referring to the plane tickets that he needs, the meals that he consumes, or even the Pepto Bismol that he will undoubtedly need following each Man vs. Food encounter. I’m talking about the long-term effects of pursuing such an audacious cause.

Consistently eating in the fashion that he does, and in such large and unjustifiable quantities, must be taking a major toll on his body. And with the unlimited access we have to the information that is swirling around libraries, universities, and cyberspace, Richman, and the Travel Channel, must be aware of the health risks that he is imposing on himself. So did they agree to monitor Richman’s health during the filming of the show? Did the Travel Channel commit, in his contract, to providing for doctors visits and their accoutrements in what is, realistically speaking, the not-so-distant future? Did anyone, besides me, ever really consider, contemplate, and meddle on this topic for more than just a brief second?

Regardless of the answers, I can’t say that I am unhappy to see Richman continue to film new seasons of his show. And if I don’t have to pay anything, other than remote attention, to see the Travel Channel and its beloved Adam Richman in upcoming years, I guess I can’t complain. I guess I can just fade back into the persona of the average Man vs. Food viewer and utter to myself the words, “Go Adam, go! Go Adam, go!”