These days, advertising tends to be on a very obvious (superliminal) level. By this, I mean that most broadcasters make no effort to conceal the fact that they're being paid (or compensated in some way) to promote a product. The show Top Chef, for example, frequently refers to the "Kenmore kitchen" provided by its sponsors and repeatedly uses brand names from other companies. This type of advertising really gets a brand name out into the public arena, but some still believe that sneakier tactics are in order to get the public to try their products and would prefer to use subliminal advertising than superliminal, believing that the subconscious mind has a greater impact on human behavior.

This YouTube video clip reveals an example of subliminal advertising that a viewer found on the Food Network during a broadcast of Iron Chef America. The ad, which is for McDonald's, is only about one frame of film long, but is still noticeable to the conscious mind as a red flash on the screen.

Of course, it could have been a broadcasting glitch and not a purposefully placed advertisement. But that might just be what they want you to think....

[via something awful - thanks, Berkana!]

This season of Bravo's Top Chef is close to an end. This episode was the last one of the regular competition and, as we could tell from the promos that ran during the week, it would determine which chefs would make it to the finale in Hawaii. The real question going in to the show was how many chefs would be competing for the title in that last competition, since there were still five chefs left on the show when this episode began.

After a few minutes of footage that illustrated everyone's determination to win, the chefs headed into the kitchen for the quickfire challenge. Everyone was surprised to see that the guest chef was Eric Ripert, who is the chef at Le Bernardin in New York and one of the most well known and well respected chefs in the country. Needless to say, his presence added to the pressure. The challenge was to use chocolate to create something sensual. The dish could be sweet or savory and the chefs had 90 minutes to work.

New year, new episode of Bravo's Top Chef. The season picked up again this week with only seven of the original fifteen competitors still in the competition. At this point, the chefs have been living together for several weeks and, as in many situations where you have a group of type-A personalities, things are getting a little tense. Everyone in the group seems to oscillate back and forth between feeling compelled to act as a team trying to screw over everyone else so that they, as individuals, can get ahead. It makes things more interesting from a dramatic standpoint, but the chefs really need to get a grip on their tempers if they want to end up as Top Chef.

As the episode started out, one of the first things that we got to see was that Michael had a wisdom tooth pulled. He made it sound like he went to a less-than-reputable individual for the procedure, but seemed to be getting along fine aside from the pain and swelling. Medicated, Michael was much less feisty than usual. He noted that he hoped the challenges weren't too long and the rest of the tired-looking competitors agreed.

In January, the Food Network will be debuting a new reality show called Dinner: Impossible. The show features chef Robert Irvine, who has cooked for the British royal family and four US presidents, and his two sous chefs (both named George), all of whom are put into strange situations in which they have to prepare gourmet food while overcoming various obstacles. By obstacles, we're not referring to any Indiana Jones-like traps, but more along the lines of extremely unusual working conditions. For example, one episode will feature the chefs having to shop for and prep dinner for 150, to be served on a train - assuming that they don't get left at the station. Another will feature the chefs cooking with 18th century equipment and utensils, also on a tight timeline. Essentially, the chefs will not know where they are going, where they will be working or who they will be cooking for before they arrive and will have to cook the best food they can in the circumstances. Perhaps the only downside is that, unlike Top Chef, which also features some somewhat extreme cooking situations, no one will be voted off on this show so the only thing that really will keep the chefs motivated is their own desire to beat the odds.

All year long, there has been discussion about whether the TV advertising regulator, Ofcom, would institute a ban on junk food ads on programs that were targeted to kids. Recently, Ofcom said that they would be instituting guidelines for advertising, but that they would not restrict the commercials shown during prime time, a statement which prompted some to believe that the restrictions might not be too severe. Ofcom, however, has just published its guidelines and they call for a "total ban on junk food advertising around all children's programming, on all children's channels" and on any show that would specifically appeal, for any reason, to under 16-year-olds. Due to their decision to include kids up to the age of 16, some awards shows and music channels will be affected.

Comparisons have never really been made between Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray, since the two women really do very different things. Rachael is about casual, easy and the quick-fix. Martha is about doing things from scratch and trying to make things perfect, putting as much attention and detail into them as possible. Now that they seem to be working in the same field with their TV talk shows, it was only a matter of time before there was a bit of conflict between the two domestic (or semi domestic, in Rachael's case) divas. Page Six had a little story about how the producers of RR's show bumped up a prerecorded episode featuring Barry Manilow to air at the exact same time as an episode of Martha's show that also feature the singer. Martha's show, however, was airing live. She said that although she had never met Rachael and was sure she was a nice person, it really wasn't fair to the artist to play the two at the same time. "Barry is on two shows at once. He's live with us, but it's really not fair to the artist because these performers deserve to reach as big of an audience as possible. But anyway, we have him here. Live."

Martha, of course, had a good point - but does it seem like she might be just a bit testy about RR's show? With Martha's commitment to class, it seems unlikely that the pair will end up in a daytime TV catfight, but it wouldn't be surprising to see a few more barbs thrown from either side as they solidify their viewership.

Do Paul McCartney fans sit around chatting about how Paul should have his own cooking show? Someone must have told him that that is what people want to see, because Paul is shown here, starring in his own cooking clip, preparing mashed potatoes. He even seems to have a professional set and a crew.  Paul keeps reiterating that he has no idea what he's doing as he peels, boils and mashes the potatoes with lots of margarine and some milk. He also demonstrates his "technique" for chopping onions - which should not be used unless you want to risk chopping off your own fingers - that are added as a "special" ingredient.

Paul opens by asking "How exciting is this on the internet?"

The answer is not very, Paul. But you might actually do well if the Food Network runs another season of The Next Food Network Star.

Is anyone a fan of Dave Lieberman? The Food Network is counting on what they believe is his appeal with younger audiences to make his newest ventures, Dave Does, a success. Dave Does is a web-based series that is launching on the Food Network's website in August. This is the second internet-only show for Lieberman, who starred in a series titled Eat This a few months ago. Unlike Dave Does, the previous show only ran for a few episodes, though Food Network reps say it was very popular. The new show will deal with the latest food trends, gadgets and "insider" restaurant locations in cities including Boston, Philadelphia, New York and Portland in each of its thirteen, 5-minute episodes.

Lieberman is entertaining in small doses, so the "webisode" format works well for him. The unfortunate thin about the show is that it is not a cooking show. That makes this just another example of the Food Network moving further away from people who like to cook. How many shows can they have that feature "insider restaurant locations"?

I obviously misunderstood the commercials that Bravo was running to promote the "two hour Las Vegas finale" for the show, Top Chef. You see, I assumed that the two hours would be run consecutively. I was wrong. This week only featured the first half of the finale and was based around one very long challenge.

When the chefs arrived in Las Vegas, the found themselves staying in the ultra-posh Skylofts at the MGM Grand, where guests get flowers and their initials monogrammed onto their pillows. As they caught up with each other, we learned that Dave's restaurant had been sold, Tiffani has must been working as usual and Harold is trying to open his own place in New York City. The chefs had some wine and were right to worry about the challenge the next day because the quickfire challenge this week was actually an elimination challenge.

After the mishaps with the Wolfgang Puck self-heating lattes, I am a little leery of any packaged coffee that makes itself. At least JavaVoo uses the microwave instead of a potentially explosive internal heating device.

JavaVoo uses a patented "pressure brewing" process in which water is forced through a filter of organic coffee grounds during a quick, 2-minute trip in the microwave. The empty water bottle, included in the package and upended on the top during brewing, is removed and disposed of once the drink is made, allowing the user to drink right from the cup. In addition to being able to brew plain coffees, the company has developed flavored latte drinks, which include milk/cream and sweetener, and non-coffee beverages, like spiced chai tea and cinnamon cider. JavaVoo premiered at the Fancy Foods Show this month in Chicago and seemed to be very well received, both because it is convenient and organic, hitting two hot-button trends with one product.

Top Chef has but two episodes left to go this season, if you count the "reunion show" next week along with the Las Vegas finale on May 17th. This week's episode was all about luxury and being able to showcase ingredients. It is unfortunate that Stephen was eliminated last week because he probably would have done very well in the elimination competition.

First up was the quickfire challenge, after the show took the viewers though a quick tour of the household dynamics to point out that no one really likes Tiffani very much. For the challenge, a table bearing plates of junk food - from corn dogs to ding dongs - was presented to the chefs. There was a moment where they all looked crestfallen, sick of having to cook with such unwelcome ingredients. Fortunately for the chefs, however, the task was to reinvent the junk food as a gourmet food and they had 45 minutes to do it.

Top Chef is really heating up. The closer we get to the end of the season, the more the viewers can get involved with the contestants. No doubt everyone has their favorite to win at this point, but it is still anyone's game. This week the contestants faced the celebrity chef judge Ted Allen, the food guru of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and a panel of professional food writers and critics at a party he hosted to celebrate the release of a new book. Talk about pressure! This was the first challenge that all the chefs had to work together, though the were judged separately, and things really got hot in the kitchen.

The quickfire challenge was about budgeting money and time. The contestants were presented with an array of ingredients, priced by the ounce, and had 20 minutes and $3 to spend on an appetizer. Ted Allen's favorites were Tiffani's dish of oyster 3-ways ($2.67), Harold's radicchio stuffed with Gorgonzola and wrapped in bacon ($2.93), Stephen's poached clams over grilled sea beans ($2.84) and Lee Anne's deep fried oysters ($2.98). Allen was won over by Stephen's El Bulli-like ultra-modern presentation, as well as the taste of his dish, and awarded him with immunity. This drew criticism from the other chefs, but clearly is a hugely successful trend in the restaurant business.