hmm very interesting (as someone on TV used to say)
read the story at the link
from Mashed
Even if you were a huge fan of "The Frugal Gourmet" back in the 1980s and 1990s, there are probably still many behind-the-scenes details that you might not know. At one point, 300 public television stations carried "The Frugal Gourmet." At its most popular, 15 million viewers at a time were watching it. Then it just disappeared.
Before "The Frugal Gourmet's" downfall, Smith had sold 12 million of his companion cookbooks to his TV series, with the last one coming out in 1995 (two years before the TV show ended). The show had its share of successes, but there were also some problems brewing beneath the surface.
Over the years, Smith came under scrutiny for everything from not being frugal enough and plagiarizing to being politically incorrect and selling out for money.
He tended to have excuses for everything and said people criticized him because they were jealous of his success. However, he became an instant has-been once his past finally caught up to him in a big way.
If you ever wonder what happened to "The Frugal Gourmet" and have some of Smith's cookbooks in your kitchen, you'll likely develop different feelings about the show and him once you read about what was happening behind the scenes.
from Mashed
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