The Frugal Gourmet - Red Meats

[@lizhaydon2250]

He had character and was so fun to watch.

[@jamesoffutt2801]

Indeed definitely! I love watching this guy when I was a kid. And playing Sonic the hedgehog.

[@notinternettype]

He was a sexual predator who preyed on boys.

[@henrylee8510]

Sure, I guess you like pedophiles. He was a serial child molester in case you didn't know

[@twilightzone-1959-4ever]

Terrific cook with a pleasant sensr of humor...felt like he was innocent...

[@toddlee2571]

Its a video like this one that reminds us of how off into the weeds the cooking networks have gone with their fake competitions and ADHD driven content

[@119Agent]

It was very “PBS” in the 90’s.

[@matthewgabbard6415]

This “wholesome” show’s host was a sexual abuser of teenage boys. Of course he was a minister so what did we expect.

[@amiblueful]

PBS coking shows will always be superior to anything on Food Network. No fake drama. Just the hosts' natural personalities.

[@119Agent]

@@amiblueful ummmm….

[@tonymaurice4157]

Big farts to

[@Subgunman]

Thank you for posting this video, it brings back fond memories of all of the fine cooking shows on PBS. Too bad his family has not released a collection of his videos to enjoy. It would be well worth the money.

[@HomeRuleNews]

Given his sex scandal that he settled for in 1998 which canceled the show, many folks walked away from him and didn't touch him. PBS hardly every notes him or the show outside of historical context despite other older shows having a renaissance of new fans due to being re-leased. Some reports state he and his wife were estranged at the time of his death so we will never know what happened but while Jeff Smith died in 2004, the Frugal Gourmet died in 1998

[@msr1116]

I have to wonder what sort of marriage Patti and Jeff really had. It seems she was his beard and enabled his inappropriate behavior over the decades they were married. She also had two children with an alcoholic, homosexual Methodist chaplain--and likely knowingly-- in order to keep up appearances. I knew a guy who interned on the show and the relationship with his sons was apparently not a good one at all. And, Jeff was grabby with the male help on the set. He was not shy about his sexual harassment.

[@ricaug50]

The rolled flank steak is a work of art.

[@jamesoffutt2801]

Also this guy had a fucking sense of humor😂😂😂😂

[@notinternettype]

On T.V. he was the frugal gourmet......in private he was a child molester. Pretty fucking funny huh??

[@davidgatzen1543]

At about 11:50 in the video he put meat between two sheets of plastic to pound them and make them thinner, and he said that the plastic sheets are 8mm thick. Those plastic sheets are not 8mm thick.

[@CThomasBeer]

He meant 8 mil, not 8 mm.

[@krgid65]

Oooh I was in love with Craig lol. Whatever happened to him?

[@markomib]

Sadly, he went into hiding after the molestation charges of smith. Which, are abhorent and most likely true, but the work should stand aside from the horrible human being he actually was. It is tragic that this, probably, is why Craig was never seen from again. He would have been amaizing.

[@VladamireD]

When the BS claims (and they were BS claims) against Smith were made and the producers decided it made more monetary sense for them to pay off the guys and end the show than fight it in court (like Smith wanted to do, but the guys had sued the production company that produced The Frugal Gourmet rather than Smith himself), Craig was paying $2k a month in child support for a son he had. He went to court to have the amount reduced as he was under/unemployed with the show being ended, but the mother fought back claiming he still being paid from the show/books and could still make the payments. Things dragged on for years, with documents not being filed on time, lost files, and incurred court fees. Craig's lawyer was even almost disbarred for failing to pay money to the court related to the case. Last I heard, Craig was still in the culinary industry, just in a much lower profile position than he enjoyed when he was on The Frugal Gourmet. I really think Smith was hoping to train Craig up to take his position as the host of the show, as he was slowing down due to his age and health, and that's why Craig was making more and longer appearances on screen, but bullshit happened and destroyed a number of lives in the process.

[@krgid65]

@@VladamireD that’s sad about Craig... I would have loved seeing him take over as host of the show.

[@mcr3105]

👍

[@avagrego3195]

I enjoyed his programs and wondered why he was gone. Yes I heard some negativity abt his cook and felt deceived.

[@tommyt1971]

One thing you could by this point in his TV career was that he was really slowing down - he wasn’t nearly as enthusiastic and animated as he’d been before.

[@Maplelust]

seems like he was running out of breath and had to have the young man come in and finish the show. he was often short of breath in shows I've noticed. he also spoke of heart problems and surgeries. anyone have any insight of this?

[@HomeRuleNews]

He had open heart surgery in 1981 which literally bankrupted him and he had to close his restaurant he had in Tacoma. He was out of shape as you can look at his physique and towards the final years before cancellation, you can hear the heavy breathing and winding in him as he did the show. Some locals have reported in his final years of his life, he was using a motorized cart in the grocery store to shop and lived alone as he was estranged from his wife after the dust settled. He was, according to some reports, working on a new cookbook but none of those items were ever posthumously released. By that time, the Frugal Gourmet brand was dead and it was like it was completely erased. Sad ending

[@beavacuda]

UFIA

[@EURIPODES]

I heard this dude did some seriously bad stuff. Then spent all his money paying people off.

[@ricaug50]

It's all true! That's why no PBS station will air his old shows.

[@actownsend7288]

I never believed he was guilty.

[@Fizz-rv9cz]

Spill the tea

[@jamesdelornhowlandjr.6516]

I didn’t know that he did bad things. God dealt with him.