Full disclosure for those of you who haven’t read my bio here on Real TV Addict.  I am on a reality television show based on a bakery my wife and I own.  Our business, Merci Beaucoup, along with three other shops, makes up WE tv’s Amazing Wedding Cakes.  It’s been fun, and we were one of the first shows to come out about cake making.  Obviously Ace of Cakes was the originator and Food Network has their challenge shows, but we’re right down there at the bottom of what has become a monstrously oversized pyramid of pastry.

I don’t want to be seen as biting the hand that feeds me.  Well, to be honest, despite the numbers floated around the news for shows like Jon & Kate Plus 8 and Jersey Shore, the majority of reality TV pays about the same as a greeter position at the local Wal Mart.  To say our show “feeds us” would be a misrepresentation of the facts.

But here’s one fact, there are officially too many cake shows on television!!! I mean it, waaaay too many.  Why, even this week I had a random run in with another show, Fabulous Cakes from TLC!  There are so many, that my non cake life actually intersected with another show!!  It reminded me of the scene in Drop Dead Gorgeous where the two film crews run into each other and start chatting about their respective gigs.  It’s a funny movie, rent it.

Case in point, Next Great Baker, the spin-off, yes I said spin-off of Cake Boss.  Filming wrapped recently on this contestant driven show where Buddy picks the winner who will receive a cash prize as well as an internship at his bakery.  This gives him the dubious honor of being a part of the saturation of cake shows as well as the unfortunate onslaught of New Jersey based television!  The series will air soon with the finale, filmed in front of a bunch of college students, slated for January.  So what’s the over/under on when the winner’s name will leak on Facebook?

Exhibit B: Staten Island Cakes.  This new show from our mothership, WEtv, has yet to roll camera, but a call for clients has been issued in the Staten Island area. Like Buddy’s flagship program, this series will focus on some 20 year old kid who owns(?) a bakery and his fabulous cake talents.

 First of all, how the @%&! does a kid get handed the keys to a business at 20?  He can’t even buy champagne to make a champagne cake!!  Secondly, 20 years old?  Third. he’s really 20?

It is just too much.  I love cake and I love seeing our peers join us in TV land, but the networks are out of control.  Fabulous Cakes has three different shops per episode!  Literally everyone is going to be on TV within the next couple years and you’re going to see a move towards more inexperienced decorators because they are prettier or zanier and that isn’t good for our industry.  We’re at the tipping point my friends. Don’t believe me, let’s run it down:

• Ace of Cakes
• Cake Boss
• Amazing Wedding Cakes
• Fabulous Cakes
• Ultimate Cake Off
• Top Chef: Just Desserts
• Food Network Challenge (uses cake 9 times out of 10)
• DC Cupcakes
• Cupcake Wars
• The Cupcake Girls
• Next Great Baker
• Staten Island Cakes

Holy crap!  And three of those are just about cupcakes!!!!  Listen networks, I love seeing our people well represented and all, but this is getting crazy.  And with that, I’d like to mention I have a great show I’d like to pitch about our shop….

Also, owning a cupcake truck does not make you a pastry chef.  Just saying.