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'Frugal Gourmet' Chef Jeff Smith Dies
Yahoo! News ^ | July 9, 2004 | AP

Posted on 07/09/2004 3:44:47 PM PDT by Rastus

'Frugal Gourmet' Chef Jeff Smith Dies

SEATTLE - Jeff Smith, a white-bearded minister who became public television's popular "Frugal Gourmet" before a sex scandal ruined his career, has died, his business manager said Friday. He was 65.

Smith died in his sleep Wednesday, Jim Paddleford said. He had long suffered from heart disease and had a valve replaced in 1981.

In the 1960s, Smith, a United Methodist minister, began teaching a course at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma titled "Food as Sacrament and Celebration."

Eventually he got his own program on the local PBS affiliate — "Cooking Fish Creatively" — and his career took off with an appearance on Phil Donahue's talk show.

"The Frugal Gourmet" became the nation's most-watched cooking show, and a series of accompanying cookbooks broke sales records for the category.

But in 1997, seven men filed a lawsuit alleging they had been sexually abused by Smith as youths. Six said the abuse occurred while they worked for him at the Chaplain's Pantry, a restaurant he operated in Tacoma in the 1970s. The seventh alleged Smith abused him after picking him up as a hitchhiker in 1992.

Smith was soon off the air.

Smith denied the allegations and was never charged with a crime. He and his insurance companies paid an undisclosed sum to settle the lawsuit.

Smith is survived by his wife, Patricia, and two sons.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: jeffsmith; obituary; pbs; seattle; umc
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I used to love his show when I was a kid. It kind of got the run on the now-popular cooking show phenomenon. Of course, I was disgusted when I heard the allegations against him. I think even the local PBS pulled the show, but I would have stopped watching in either case. I only started watching because it preceeded Art with William Alexander and his wet-on-wet technique. I hope he didn't have a little boy problem, too.

Anyway, here's the deceased perp:


1 posted on 07/09/2004 3:44:47 PM PDT by Rastus
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To: Rastus

Hah! I noticed many times that his always-youthful assistant would be staring daggers at him when he appeared on camera to hand Smith a pot or something. Now I know why.


2 posted on 07/09/2004 3:47:13 PM PDT by eno_ (Freedom Lite, it's almost worth defending.)
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To: eno_

Now, now. Young Craig was married.


3 posted on 07/09/2004 3:49:20 PM PDT by annyokie (Sure, take all the umbrage.)
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To: Rastus
It was pretty obvious from his young male 'assistants' and their interaction on the air that he wasn't interested in women, but I was surprised when the story about the boys came out.

Then again, he was a preacher wasn't he?

So9

4 posted on 07/09/2004 3:50:31 PM PDT by Servant of the 9 (Screwing the Inscrutable or is it Scruting the Inscrewable?)
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To: eno_
From jumptheshark:

This show jumped when it was clear that Craig was more than the Frugal Gourmet's "assistant". During Craig's first year, he made an occasional appearance helping the Frug' chop onions or something. Then as the months progressed more and more shows featured Craig and his talents. Then if you watched the videos of the trips to Spain and Rome, you wondered...why is Craig featured in every snippet? Of course, once the Frug' got arrested for his questionable activities with young boys, it all became painfully clear.

Somebody jumped. ;)

That sounds like the recipe for a modern reality show: The Frugal and Gay. It could be about young homosexuals surviving in the city on a limited budget. Of course, any channel that picks it up I will cancel off my cable.
5 posted on 07/09/2004 3:53:21 PM PDT by Rastus (Forget it, Moby! I'm voting for Bush!)
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To: eno_

It was the way he seemed to be spelling out HELP M with the crudites. Of course when Jeff looked over, the chopping would begin...


6 posted on 07/09/2004 3:53:49 PM PDT by small voice in the wilderness (Quick, act casual. If they sense scorn and ridicule, they'll flee..)
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To: small voice in the wilderness

LOL.


7 posted on 07/09/2004 3:54:20 PM PDT by Rastus (Forget it, Moby! I'm voting for Bush!)
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To: Rastus
Smith denied the allegations and was never charged with a crime. He and his insurance companies
paid an undisclosed sum to settle the lawsuit.


Wonder how many insurance companies sell policies to protect against
allegations of pedophilia...

(just joshin', I presume this was covered under some standard sort of legal insurance)
8 posted on 07/09/2004 3:54:21 PM PDT by VOA
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To: eno_

I'm surprised he was only 65. I thought he was 65 twenty years ago.


9 posted on 07/09/2004 3:54:49 PM PDT by MarkeyD (P*ss off a Frenchman, Vote GWB!)
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To: eno_
I always thought this guy was a bit swish as well....

10 posted on 07/09/2004 3:57:01 PM PDT by Slicksadick (He's French. His hairdresser also grooms poodles. He's a rich woman's pet. That cover's it)
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To: Rastus

My favorite chef was that Cajun guy. I think his name was Wilson or something like that. He used to add liquor to his recipes and often got a bit tipsy before the end of his show. Someone refresh my memory on who that was. Is he still alive?


11 posted on 07/09/2004 4:01:25 PM PDT by PJ-Comix
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To: Slicksadick

Swish? Is that some kinda yankee Californ lingo?


12 posted on 07/09/2004 4:02:46 PM PDT by TexasTransplant ("Government is not the solution, Government is the problem" Ronald W. Reagan)
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To: Rastus
The Frugal and Gay. It could be about young homosexuals surviving in the city on a limited budget.

Maybe he knew a certain congressman---Chili Con Barney?

13 posted on 07/09/2004 4:02:47 PM PDT by PJ-Comix
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To: Rastus

It was appalled to hear of his, um, "personal problems", but he put on a damned fine cooking show, and I have several of his books, which are excellent. His show was on a lot when I was on my own and learning to cook, and many of my oft-used food preparation tricks trace directly to the Frugal Gourmet.


14 posted on 07/09/2004 4:03:44 PM PDT by Ichneumon ("...she might as well have been a space alien." - Bill Clinton, on Hillary, "My Life", p. 182)
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To: Rastus

I liked the show, and even have one of his cookbooks.

Interesting that he was never charged. Also seems odd that these folks waited to accuse until he was sufficiently famous and wealthy to afford to pay them off.

I don't remember an assistant, but I watched the show early on when he was still youthful looking. If anyone working with him had a problem they could have just quit.


15 posted on 07/09/2004 4:04:24 PM PDT by visualops (Let's win another one for the Gipper, and donate to FR too!!.)
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To: PJ-Comix
The Cajun to whom you are referring is Justin Wilson!

Mr. Wilson is deceased.

Regards,

TS

16 posted on 07/09/2004 4:05:08 PM PDT by The Shrew (A dollar a day won't cure your addiction to FR but it will make you feel better. Join me!)
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To: PJ-Comix
My favorite chef was that Cajun guy. I think his name was Wilson or something like that.

Justin Wilson. "I gaw-ron-tee!".

17 posted on 07/09/2004 4:05:45 PM PDT by Ichneumon ("...she might as well have been a space alien." - Bill Clinton, on Hillary, "My Life", p. 182)
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To: PJ-Comix

Justin Wilson, he was from Texas I believe but did a Coonass from Louisiana sthick, Good stuff, I Gaurantee!
But if you really want to learn cajun / coonass or Nawlins style cookin Paul Prudeholm (sp) is the professor.


18 posted on 07/09/2004 4:05:59 PM PDT by TexasTransplant ("Government is not the solution, Government is the problem" Ronald W. Reagan)
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To: Rastus

I loved when he had Elmo on!!


19 posted on 07/09/2004 4:06:19 PM PDT by Claire Voyant ((visualize whirled peas))
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To: PJ-Comix

Justin Wilson?


20 posted on 07/09/2004 4:07:02 PM PDT by Twinkie
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