I am going to let you in on a little secret: One of the funniest hours on television is not on Comedy Central or C-SPAN or the Oprah Winfrey Network, although they certainly have their share, intentional or otherwise.
No, it's on the Cooking Channel. This hidden gem is usually buried deep in the second or third tier of most cable lineups, but if you can find it, you will be rewarded with a unique viewing experience.
Currently airing in back-to-back episodes on Wednesdays, “Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen” is the most original “cooking” show you will ever see. Host Nadia Giosia is young, cute, perky and quite possibly the funniest female comic since Gilda Radner.
She has some of the coolest recipes (such as drunken strawberry shortcake parfait), not to mention some of the quirkiest assistants, including Panos, the “Meat and Fish Guy,” and Yeheskel Mizrahi (or something like that), the “Spice Agent.”
But the cuisine is just an excuse to watch this charismatic Italian-Canadian with the Brooklyn accent do her shtick, complete with stiletto heels and finger bling that looks like a set of brass knuckles. Julia Child she ain't — but she is No. 96 on Maxim magazine's Hot 100 list for 2012.
Like the dishes she concocts, Ms. G is an acquired taste. She will not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you like your food shows with a dash of offbeat humor and a dollop of relationship advice, this one takes the cake.
Some recent words of wisdom sprinkled amidst the panko shrimp and the diavoli fritte: You don't need to be in a relationship to be happy. Tons of people love being single. You call the shots; you set the pace; you die alone.
Umm, thanks, Nadia, ... I think.
