Ashley and her assistant Patty are members (from last week's Disney Classic cakes) and so is Courtney from Cake Nouveau (the big drama episode, with the so called sabotage). That's all I know of!

I heard in another thread that MaryAlice of Charm City Cakes is a member also.

And Marina Sousa!!

and Rebecca Sutterby...Michelle Foster(although not on a challenge that I recall...she still qualifies as a celebrity to me!)...wasn't Geoff on here as well as Mary Alice?...I know there are others

I always thought Buddy was a little cocky based on some of the things that have come out of his own mouth...it's not a bad thing and he's certainly not the only one. He's also likable and talented. He was totally robbed at the other wedding cake challenge, the one where he also made a poker table grooms cake.

My favorite cake on this challenge was Josh's. I thought it was unique. I loved how he shaped his squares and the cupcakes on their sides were awesome, but a little sloppy. His "assistant" iced them and it showed.
He's also really funny...I laughed out loud when he was talking about her monogram (H), and wasn't sure what it stood for, then he said something like, maybe it's *sounded out an H*...and he said it with a straight face...I love that guy.

Josh's cake was my favorite too! It was something that I've never seen before.

Buddy do you think you need 36 people helping you? My husbands off to Iraq! I got a whole year off until he comes back!
You can totally tell that all of these shows are edited. Personally I would be a cake decorating snob if I could complete all of that in 8 hours. I'm sure everything is taken out of context.
I loved Elizabeth's and Josh's cakes also. It would have been hard for me as a judge as they all rocked.
Anne's cake not so much. It was ugly, but not her design. I don't think you should always listen to a bride. Almost every time a bride comes in, I hear her dream cake and wince or make a suggestion and eventually we come to some middle ground. By the time we are done, she is super greatful that I talked her out of her ugly cake. Look in my galleries at the ugly wedding cakes....Oh yeah...I refuse to take pictures of those ugly things.
The disney cakes were also good. I did love the Snow White cake though. They were all awesome looking.

Thanks for that link xstitcher That's a great site........I'd love to take a class with him....(Buddy's probably gonna read this and say "Ay yi yi" in his strong Italian accent!) I can see it now......Buddy seeing my name on the list for his next class, I think there would be a lot of flour flying around!

As summernoelle said I'm starting to like him more and more. I think the network has "created" a personality for Buddy that they wanted the viewing audience to see. I'm happy to get the opportunity to hear his side of what really goes on behind the scenes.

I really do have the utmost respect for the Cake Artists in this world that don't just care about the design of the cake, but what actually goes into the making of the cake too. I LOVE that he's a "scratch" baker. To me that is so very impressive and I respect him for that more then he could know.

How much of the judges "personalities" do you all think is real? I mean, if they're editing to show the dark side of some of the decorators, I'm sure they're doing the same with the judges.

I've found myself really disliking some of them, and I hate to do that based on just what I've seen on the challenges. I know some of you here have met them.........please tell me that they are very nice human beings in "real" life.

Deb

P.S. JamieAnn, great job with the mini-me Buddy.........that is hilarious! Can I put an order in for a mini-me Debbie? I would totally give her all the "crap" jobs in the kitchen. The little fingers would be the perfect size to clean out all my tips!

Here's an article I found online about Buddy's new show:

http://modern-baking.com/news/0225_Buddy_Valastro_TLC/

Thanks Joanne for that link.

I'm so happy to see you post here...........how are you feeling? I've been continuing to pray for you I hope you're doing well!

Deb

P.S. I think Anne from the Pink Cake Box is also a member here.......I saw her as being logged on, but she hasn't posted anything in a while. So Anne if you're out there please post, we'd love to hear from you. You have a LOT of support on this site and we can't wait to see you in your next challenge!

Ok, after seeing this forum, I sat down and watched my recorded episode. AND I have only read to page 8, cause the baby is awake.....

I have always thought Buddy to be a bit cocky (sorry Buddy), BUT after thinking about it, I realized that he is just confident in what he knows and does and I have tremendous respect for that! I wish I could whip off the kinds of things that he does an at the SPEED that he does them. Kudos, man! I think that he has had to learn how to do things fast versus people like me who get to spend an entire week or at least a couple of days working on one cake!

Anyway, I think Anne did a great job following her bride, but I think I would have handled it differently. Yes, the bride knew what she wanted and sketched it, BUT aren't there times that cakes look entirely different in 3D? I think that perhaps Anne wanted to please the bride so much, and because this was her first challenge, she didn't assert herself and say "ok, this is great, but in reality this is what it would take and how it would look". Just my opinion.

I also think that Buddy knows how to teach more which made it easier to instruct his bride.

Anyway, I loved Buddy's cake and the other guys' (sorry totally blanking on the name).

Gotta go get the babe!

It's interesting that Buddy is getting comments about assertiveness and Anne is getting comments about non-assertiveness.

I've never thought of Buddy as cocky ever. I mean he owns a business. I mean you have to have a certain skill set to maintain a business. Look how much we love to hear of Indy's exploits and ultra pithy comments and responses to our situations.

And I get the part about your strengths being dismissed rather than applauded, at least they should be acknowledged. If one is good at piping, then why wouldn't the piping be essential to the design. Otherwise they'd say, well, where's the piping you are noted for. Same with florals and whatever the strength.

I'm sorry they portrayed you that way, Buddy.
I can see how that would really sting.

They take professional people that have dug and climbed and clawed to achieve. They disregard that hard earned achievement all the way to disrespecting it with that cut throat editing. All for one sound bite.

Sugary bloodsport.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking forward to your show, Buddy!
Multiplied Congratulations and good for you.

So I guess, the moral of the story is, when Food Network calls,
'Just say NO' huh.

No kidding...When they had been doing the challenges for about a year they called me, and I said thanks but no thanks. Who needs the stress, and I had no doubt they'd be billing me as "the unknown competitor" and shoving a camera in my face all day to wait for me to make any mistake they could use for drama. I didn't need that kind of excitement...

I think if you have a thick skin you should go for it. Why not? It's great advertising and great for business. I am thick skinned (you have to be in my family the way we roast each other on a daily basis ) and I would do it. I wouldn't care if they shoved a camera in my face. They can tout me as whatever they want. Not that I am Food Network Cake Challenge material, but you know... if they wanted to dumb it down a bit I'm all over it.

First of all - Buddy, you ROCK! I'm glad you finally won b/c it seems like you have been robbed in the past. Anyone who runs their own business (and is good enough to be on challenges) has to know what they are doing and be personally strong enough and smart enough to pull it off!
I totally agree with you guys - they obviously edit things for drama drama drama! I love the challenges but putting professionals with people with NO experience? Puuleeeeze! I'm sure all the competitors and brides were good sports but it TOTALLY seemed like they purposely put brides and decorators together so they would NOT get along! (but it's TVand drama is what they want so we all get it). But Anne getting the rocker bride who had FASTED for 3 weeks really seemed like a disadvantage. She would be hungry, cranky, and fuzzy brained to begin with - that is it's own challenge!
I have never posted and am NOT a professional (just done a couple of courses and do stuff for my family and friends, etc.) - LOVE this site for ideas BTW!!! And all of you "regulars" on here are my total cake HEROES! You are all AMAZING!
Love it!
behilld

I think the difference are those 35 employees depending on Buddy and on his image that was mis-portrayed (at a minimim).

How family treats us off camera is one thing. How the world perceives us on tv at the hands of cut throat ruthless people is another.

I mean I think it would be a total gas to be on one of those--although I'd probably spend more time in the bathroom than on the set. As Gordon Ramsay says, "I'd be sh*tting meself."

I would be more careful of what I said than what I did though. I would constantly be 'sound biting' myself. My eyes would probably be spinning around in my head as much as I'd be watching what I said.

But with the sliming that was done to Courtney I would probably pass.

I don't see Buddy as coming off as cocky at all (maybe I should go watch it again) so but what happened to Courtney was unforgivable.

I loved the challenge where Buddy made that poker cake! That was awesome! But I had to laugh that, since he was done a few minutes early, or at least completely done on time, he was sort of accused of not working hard enough, or something. It's been a while since I've seen that one, so I can't remember the exact words, but why should you get dinged for time HAVING time management skills? Not ragging, just saying that it's sort of funny. If you can't get it all done, then you're too ambitious, if you DO get it all done, you didn't challenge yourself. But sometimes it's just a matter of having to find SOMETHING negative to say, you know? I mean, how much fun are the episodes of Iron Chef where all they do is tell the Iron Chef how amazingly perfect he is and how everything he touches is artwork? Come on... once in a while they come up with some strange ideas that may not taste perfect. Or heck... maybe that dish over there could've used a shake of salt. Nothing wrong with that. Thusly, how fun would it to be to see Kerry sitting there saying, "Your cake is perfect. I can't think of a single thing to improve on." When you get there... you've peaked, that's for sure.

I think they should say YES! to FN.

What they gain from these appearances far exceeds a little tricky editing. They know that or they wouldn't keep going back...and is it really that tricky? These pros say stuff that adds to how they're perceived.

Being thought of as a little cocky is not going to hurt Buddy's business...he's also been portrayed as likable, successful, and damn good at what he does. Yes, he's clawed and climbed to achieve and because of that he's made it to nationwide TV...he would not be getting his own show without his challenge appearances...same with Duff.

PS...I don't think Geoff is hot, but I love his straight-faced sense of humor too.

Awwwe... thanks toodles...

I love love love Tori too. She's such an amazing artist.

Just for clarification...I wasn't standing in the "I think he's hot" line...I'm old enough to be his uh...um...aunt..yeah, that's it. and I ain't no cougar!

I was standing in the "I think he's humorous" line

Melvira...LOL...I love Alton's personality too...

The one who floats my boat is the host of "Iron Chef America" Mark Dacascos...he used to be an actor...I loved his TV show "The Crow", same character as Brandon Lee first played in the movie version.

Wow, way too much info .

I like Alton...I never thought of him as cute before....hmm....