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Food

Video: Sandra Lee Visits L.A. For New Cocktail Show, Has Never Seen Square Ice

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When the Cooking Channel launched back in 2010, we had such high hopes that, as promised, they'd deliver a fresh perspective to food television by bringing in more cutting-edge content from young, diverse talent. But alas, time has passed and programming on has basically become a carbon copy of the personality-driven shows on the Food Network. Exhibit A: Sandra Lee's new show, "Lounges, Taverns, and Clubs." Sounds a lot like Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," right?

Right. Now, I'm no network exec, but please explain to me how a middle-aged woman running around night clubs is a good choice in casting. The formula worked for Brooke Burke back when she was in her early 30s for Wild On E!, but this is Sandra Lee. You heardt that right. The woman who was made famous by butchering a Kwanzaa cake.

What's more is that this "expert" that's leading us around America's best watering holes has never seen or heard of square ice cubes. You know, those things that became cool around the same time the first speakeasy hit the scene almost five years ago. When she came to pay a visit to L.A. in a recent episode, she was seriously dumbfounded by Lexington Social House's "oddly-shaped" ice.

How is it that someone like this ends up hosting a show on America's best cocktails? Why not take a risk and cast someone that might have the slightest inkling as to what's going on in the world of F&B? Maybe then you wouldn't end up with a host wearing beach gear at a social house doing a hula dance during a demo. Or having your top recommendation from said establishment be, get this, their bottle service.

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We could go on and on, but you can see Ms. Kwanzaa Cake marveling over Lexington Social House right here for yourself. Apparently she also paid a visit to the Spare Room, but we can't seem to dig up that video. Though admittedly, our blood pressure is probably better off.

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