Magnetized: Top Chef contestant inspired by ESMZ

March 12, 2019
David Wexler

David Wexler, editor/publisher, Janglin Souls

David Wexler, editor/publisher, Janglin Souls

Home is wherever Top Chef is

In a music-themed episode of Top Chef last month, the eight contestants took a road trip to Nashville where they were asked to create a dish inspired by a vibrant music memory. Boston chef Adrienne Wright’s choice was a New England seafood salad inspired by Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – a song that reminded her of a time when she was away from her family after college.

“The song first came out when I was getting my first job after college and I was really lonely, really missing home,” Wright said. “That song was a reminder to me how important home is.”

Wright had five hours to prep and cook for a table of judges and guests at Sky Lounge in downtown Nashville. Among their guests: Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill, model Lily Aldridge, and chefs Jonathan Waxman and Sean Brock.

“Music plays such a big role in all of our lives,” says Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi. “A song comes on the radio and it can take your right back to your first kiss, your wedding.”

So, did Wright’s ESMZ-inspired fruits de mer and summer vegetables impress the judges? Apparently not enough, as Wright was ultimately eliminated from the competition.

“There’s things that I really like about it and there’s things that I’m like meh about,” Waxman says.

Grand Marais shows ‘small towns can do big things’

About 150 residents of Grand Marais got together in October for the Small Town Lip Sync Challenge, set to Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Grand Marais, population 1,500, is located on the east end of Cook County in northern Minnesota on the shores of Lake Superior. The video was produced by Cascade Vacation Rentals and Visit Cook County.

“The town got together to show what they’re made of,” Cascade Vacation Rentals says. “From preschoolers to seniors, Grand Marais shows why it was voted America’s Coolest Small Town by Budget Travel5. Watch town mascots Murray Moose and Skipper Seagull as they are joined by Sheriff Pat, Mayor Jay, County Commissioner Heidi, and over 150 citizens showing that small towns can do big things.”

In turn, Grand Marais followed up by challenging other small towns to show what they’re made of.  Watch their video here

IMG_6839-awesomeness1Showtime kills ‘I’m Dying Up Here’

Some sad news for fans of Showtime’s original series I’m Dying Up Here. The Jim Carrey-produced dramedy, which based on Los Angeles’ famed 1970s stand-up comedy scene, was cancelled after two seasons. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros frontman Alex Ebert scored the first season of the show; guitarist Mark Noseworthy composed the music for the second season.

The show starred Melissa Leo, who co-starred with Ebert and ESMZ’s Stewart Cole and Orpheo McCord in the short film, The Butterfly, the Harp and the Timepiece. I’m Dying Up Here also featured Jake Lacy and Clark Duke, who co-starred along with Nora Kirkpatrick in the final season of The Office.

Ebert has previously scored two features, All Is Lost and A Most Violent Year.

For those interested in learning more about Noseworthy and his musical roots, check out this great read from The Original Fuzz from 2017.

New interactive series for Kirkpatrick

Nora Kirkpatrick and Funny or Die are teaming on The Coop, an eight-episode interactive series for Eko. The show, is described by Deadline.com as Big Brother meets an Agatha Christie novel.

“After a housemate on a reality TV show is mysteriously murdered on New Year’s Eve, you, ‘the viewer’ will have to decide which of the remaining cast mates killed him, and why they did it,” writes Deadline.com. “‘The viewer’ is an integral part of the story, given the responsibility of choosing what path to take and how the story will continue.” The show was created by Kirkpatrick, who directs all episodes.

Kirkpatrick is the creator, writer, director of Hulu live-action virtual reality comedy series, Door No. 1, starring Steve Little, Snoop Dogg and Ravi Patel. Additionally, Kirkpatrick recently developed the CBS comedy Assisted Living, a sitcom about a college student kicked off campus who moves to a local retirement home and bonds with his much older roommate.

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