At least New York Magazine thinks so. But calling me a “world class mooch”? I’ve cooked too many meals for my roommates and friends for that title. And as of today I’ve only received two free restaurant meals: the free truffle dinner which was a total fluke (I never thought they’d actually respond to my e-mail) and this one at Le Cirque which we had because everyone urged me to give Le Cirque a second chance. The fact that I called the food, the second time, sub-par only proves that I’m not in this for the free meals. I’m in this because I care about food. But all publicity is good publicity, I suppose. Maybe I’ll adopt an African baby next…
39 thoughts on “I Am Power Mad!”
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OUCH!
Mads will bring home another kid or two from Africa soon. You can then write about the raw and macrobiotic foods that her chefs prepare for them.
It’s so interesting to watch the information delivery mediums shifting right now between professional journalists and the “ordinary people.” It certainly is making some industry folk uncomfortable. I think that blogs are here to stay, but some are desperate to see this as a fad that people will tire of. Maybe such a rebuttal is really just a virtual waving of the fist to show who’s boss of the internet.
I wouldn’t label you “power mad.” I might label you “mad” for some of those Thursday Night Dinner songs (but that’s using a different definition of the word). People will talk, and they are. Congratulations.
Ah well…..just think of all the extra hits you’ll get. :)
Sometimes restaurants just aren’t nearly as good as they think they are. There’s one popular restaurant in my city, one that everyone loves, and I DESPISE it. And anytime I saw so, people jump all over me.
But it sucks. I’d rather eat my own cooking (which, to be fair, doesn’t exactly suck).
Great reads here – thanks!
I think it’s decision-making time re the direction and tenor of your future postings. Maybe you should consult with an uninvolved 3rd party to see if maybe you were not engaging in a bit of self-aggrandizement. The written word, in this particular medium, is sometimes perceived to be all about attitude and arrogance as much as it is thought to be about the use of humor in conveying substance. So some soul-searching is probably a good prescription. You did seem to be a bit “bragadocious.”
And re the use of humor – the African baby remark is not funny.
While the tone isn’t nice, I see it as an argument in your favor. Loyal readers know that you’re not trying to get free meals out of this endeavor and you seem to know that your “bread is buttered” by them, not Le Cirque. I appreciate your honesty and would have thought it was sort of sketchy if your next review had been completely glowing.
I can’t find the Le Cirque story on Serious Eats. Anyone else have any luck?
The story about Adam’s return visit to Le Cirque is in the right-hand column of Serious Eats, next to the story about Fried Chicken. The title of the story is “The Power of Food Blogging.” It was quite enjoyable to read.
I am the anti-mooch.
I just learnt a new word.
I always used ‘ligger’ til now.
But to get a whole article in New York Magazine – how much did you pay for that honour? Or did you mooch it ;)
I hope fortune will follow your new found fame!
-sam
How many free theater tickets and free books have you gotten?
That is absolutely hilarious! Wield your powers carefully, young Adam…
You’re no mooch, chin up there.
PS to my previous comment – returning to a restaurant and being genuinely surprised to learn that the management was treating you to dinner certainly does not make you a mooch. In addition, you gave your honest opinion of the second dinner, which was only right.
And re the use of humor – the African baby remark is not funny.
Someone needs to get out more often.
¿World Class? Don’t know about that. ¿Mad? As in the magazine. Probably. & more power to you.
Note: A definition of Jealousy is “Fear and Envy”
The New York Magazine article seems benign to me and tongue-in-cheek. As long as you disclose the freebies in your reviews, mooch away! However I agree with some of the other commenters that the baby joke was not funny, and I hope for the same reason- namely not because it was non-PC but because it just wasn’t funny. I suppose it’s in reference to some other article(s) in NYM but I didn’t get it. (As an Atlantian I don’t read NYM much. Alright, ever).
Just a joke about Madonna and Angelina adopting babies from Africa. It’s a pop-culture reference.
I work for an African baby; So I am really getting a kick out of most of these replies. Some of you guys are very good at making it sound like you know what you are talking about. But trust me…. You don’t. I think you just want to make yourself sound smart, when in reality you don’t know what you are talking about. This is how bad info gets passed around. If you dont know about the topic….Dont make yourself sound like you do. Cos some blog readers believe anything they hear.
I think most of us get the baby reference, but the joke itself has surpassed its comedic expiry date.
An relevant blog post from the software world:
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2006/12/28.html
Ok, folks who found the African baby comment not funny or offensive, y’all obviously haven’t read much of the AG’s blog. He is consistently irreverent, funny and profoundly inappropriate. If you had taken the time to read some of his work before posting your very important opinion as commentary, you would have immediately recognized that the AG was referring to (and ridiculing) the American celebrity phenomenon of adopting African children. The message, which is indeed funny — although it loses its humor when I have to spell it out for you — is that the Amateur Gourment is so powerful as a blogger-celebrity (see NYMagazine article) that he can now joint the ranks of other powerful celebs like Madonna and Bradjolina and do outrageous things like go across the world to adopt a child in Africa. He is making fun of his celebrity status — not the plight of African or American orphans. Wake up and smell the funny, people. If the AG’s sense of humor is too subtle for you, try reading it again… slowly (and with an open mind).
“I think it’s decision-making time re the direction and tenor of your future postings. Maybe you should consult with an uninvolved 3rd party to see if maybe you were not engaging in a bit of self-aggrandizement. The written word, in this particular medium, is sometimes perceived to be all about attitude and arrogance as much as it is thought to be about the use of humor in conveying substance. So some soul-searching is probably a good prescription. You did seem to be a bit “bragadocious.”
And re the use of humor – the African baby remark is not funny.”
Oh for the love…perhaps it is time for you to consider reading a different blog…and rectifying your cranial rectal inversion problem.
Adam, you didn’t mooch. As a matter of fact, the dinner was offered to your parents, was it not?
I do not think that Adam is above getting anything for free. In fact, if it is free, he will go for it. It is just too bad but that’s how some people are.
The baby joke was just not funny. To play on some old news…is just bad, bad comedy. AG should know that, after NYU film school and all that.:)
Cheers
Nel
RE: African Baby.
Clearly that was a reference to the “Madonna Incident”
AG meant no offense.
I am African and i get it…..jeez.
RE: Power Mad.
Ducasse’s people offered him a free dinner, clearly they used him as much as he used them…….OH wait, he didnt actually use them, they wanted to use him and asked if he would promote thier $320 Truffle dinner and he said his readers could not afford it but he would be glad to write about it if they offered him a free truffle dinner, *they* said yes.
I mean ….really Boo hoo lets all feel sorry for alain ducasse who charges $800 for dinner for 2 and wants free advertising.
Ducasse fully expected to cough up a dinner before they made the initial “unsolicited” overture, AG was just smart enough to say FU very much but I wont promote you for free.
Le Circue.
You would think with all the year’s the Maccioni’s have been in business, they would have better publicists and media advisors. In terms of damage control, if they wanted AG’s initial post to die away, they should not have responded to it at all. Ruth Reichl had already exposed thier bullshit long ago so who was suprised ?
The behaviour just seemed a bit more egregious during AG’s first dinner with the parents.
They tracked down his parents ostensibly through credit card records and offered them a free dinner, nobody forced them.
AG isnt anymore power mad than all these superexpensive overrated restaurants that make you feel like you have to earn the right to eat there.
Besides that long explanation, we do have a first amendment to the constitution.
You would think people at New york magazine would have been taught that at journalism school.
You are definitely not power mad. I met you at your reading at Good World Bar and you were very nice and humble and willing to say hello to me despite the fact that you were obviously talking to someone much more important than my roommate and I…
I still want to be your best friend, Adam, and I deeply appreciate the fact that you are silly as hell, and more than willing to share it.
you have your cheerleaders AG but people have been trying to tell you for a while now that you don’t know how to play the game your in and it shows. what’s going on lately anyway – throw out a few (subjective: boring) posts every so often to keep your readers at bay and think we aren’t going to notice? Don’t give us an old bone to try and get us to keep coming back. Lots of other great bloggers who are working for our undivided attention – so many blogs, so little time you know. Move over bacon, a write up like that in New York Magazine and you’re as good as toast in NYC where all publicity isn’t good publicity. It’s not about eating truffle for free, or about outing Le Cirque because you think you know good from bad…it’s your style. Thank you NYM for validating i’m not alone in this thought process.
I might wager that the “world-class mooch” comment might also refer to the years worth of posts of you going to New York’s finest restaurants on your parents’ dime. But that’s just me.
I have been reading this post for years. I think that your recent detractors (those posted here particularly) are clearly jealous of your increasing success as a food writer. Please though, do try to stay humble, it is a big part of your charm.
To those of you who don’t like Adam’s writing style or his blog; why are you posting here?
Apart from adopting an African baby, you could also walk around and tell people they’re fired, start a blogging feud with Ruhlman and throw a gem studded blackberry at Craig… And THEN they could call you a power hungry fathead.
Just ignore it- I mean, honestly…there are still .0000005 free meals to every bad experience at a restaurant.
Reading some of these self-righteous posts is almost as entertaining as some of Adams blogs :)
Those of you who are so offended might want to read Martha Stewart’s (if she has one) instead…..less insulting ;)
a) The AG should get free shit all the time.
b) If the AG’s folks wanted to treat you to dinner at Daniel’s, would you turn it down?
c) That African baby bit IS funny. I should know.
Off to work on my posh British accent some more.
Stay cool, AG — if the ravening hordes think you’re “power mad” that must mean you have some power, right? ;-) Book deal + blogging success (and frankly your Comic Life post are breathing new life into the boring hipster paradise of food blogging, IMHO) = haters. Don’t let ’em get you down…you’ve got LOLITA!
Um, the African baby joke was funny- because it was a joke about publicity. Which stemmed from the idea that you are a moocher. Which, in my opinion, you are not.
I’ve been reading your blog for ages. I’ve never questioned your integrity.
I assume that the people who do question, those that comment in a negative way are just hateful trolls looking for attention (publicity?? maybe they should go get African babies), not sincere criticisms.
Your writing is solid. I appreciate your reviews. You are funny.
Enough said.
They are just jealous besides what does it matter if you get a few free meals out of the deal you are giving the restaurants exposure. Hang in there!
Adam,
it’s first time I comment here though I read you all the time.
I think the article in NYT is just a kind of comliment and little confirmation of your growing importance.
Keep it moochin’ Adam, you are GREAT!!!!! :)
And – do adopt african baby! cook dog á la mode Borat! do everything you want, just stay so nicely super mad, as you are!
Thanks for everything :)
I feel obligated to reiterate (don’t ask me why, I just do)- the baby joke was not funny. It did not make me laugh or even crinkle the edge of my lip a little (though some of the comments about it have). As the arbiter of all that is funny I declare discussion over on this topic and we should move on.
If you want people to take your food writing seriously, you cannot except free meals. Period.
If you don’t care about respect or credibility, go ahead and take the free meals. But be prepared for those meals to disappear once you bite that hand that feeds you.