Duff-man Saves Television

I really hate (not dislike...hate) reality shows. Perhaps I should embrace them as the greatest exploitive medium to date, but in reality I just find them hard to watch. Ace of Cakes is the exception to this rule. This show is about as real as reality can be on television. There are no challenges or games, there are no eliminations, there are no sob stories, nor are there great makeovers, and most importantly you never watch this show to see people fail. Nay, Ace of Cakes is simply about brilliant, everday people being themselves. The basic story is simple...busy, extremely creative staff of "Charm City Cakes" makes cakes that blow your mind. That is it...you watch to see this group suceed, and you revel in the fact that you get a half hour to hang with this most excellent group from Baltimore.

Duff, the head chef, exudes the best kind of responsible immaturity: he tells the kind of jokes that you tell with your best friends when you are 30 or you are 13. Geoff, the chief sous chef, has a comedic billiance that stems from the mystery of whether he is purposely trying to make you laugh or just being himself. Mary Alice Fallon Yesky, the receptionist and overall organizers for this crew...I cannot say enough about her, this woman has found her calling. Her humor and charm alone make the show worth watching.

The first time I watched this show I wanted to see impressive cakes shaped like King Kong, the Taj Mahal, a Seussian-style wedding cake or... a beaver. While the cakes are amazing to look at, most of the time I am not really paying attention to what they are doing anymore; by now I have seen them laying fondant, or beading with frosting, or using dowels to support the ungainly weight of some pieces. Nope, I am watching because they are letting me sit in on their conversations and just be one of the gang.

Same to Same,

P. H.