TV: Man vs. Food

Now entering its second season, The Travel Channel's "Man v. Food" has the kind of premise that's so obvious you wonder why no one ever thought of it before. In the show, host Adam Richman tours America and confronts those monstrous food challenges that you sometimes see on a restaurant menu but would never actually try - everything from nuclear buffalo wings to eating a 12-egg omelette:



It would be a visual spectacle no matter who was attempting the challenge, but Adam brings a lot to the table, so to speak. He's well-educated (undergrad in International Studies from Emory, masters in drama from Yale) and thus lends a lot of quick wit to the proceedings. Additionally, his live theatre experience really shines through when he's on camera (guess there's nothing like eating a 72 ounce steak in front of a crowd to get the old performance juices flowing). Adam's skill at emoting makes the challenges fun rather than gross.

In terms of success against the challenges, Adam seems to have fewer problems with challenges that involve super-spicy food. The challenges based on sheer quantity are sometimes relatively easy (15 dozen oysters) or impossible (a 12 pound burger). The suspense can be pretty gripping sometimes, especially if you find yourself wondering how much punishment Adam's colon can take.