Last Wednesday was the Top Chef Reunion show, which I obsessively tuned into despite my loathing of the host of these particular reunions. It was rather uneventful (aside from Zoi and Jenn's palatable discomfort).

This season, the average age of the Cheftestants for this round came in at 31- the eldest being 38, youngest 26. I bring it up because I think it had something to do with my enjoyment this season- I believe to be the best yet. The chefs we all around my age- they were not only on my stomping grounds, they looked, spoke and acted like my friends and me.

So I took it a bit personally when, in the reunion show, The judges suddenly began sternly lecturing the chefs over their language. A collection of well-bleeped clips followed, and gathered together in that way it may have seemed excessive. Chef Tom Colicchio, in particular, lectured the chefs about their behavior on the "interviews" (I have always thought of them more as confessionals). He expressed his surprise that in at Judge's Table, he had no indication of the language "problem" and thought it was unprofessional that the language in the more private settings and in the interviews was "foul".

I will avoid taking on the hypocrisy of a show whose first printed shirt theme was "I'm not your bitch, bitch" taking on the cussing of its cheftestants. What I found particularly interesting was DH and my reactions to the lecture. I was instantly irritated. Why does it matter what they say? Why are cuss words such a big f-ing deal? What is our obsession with a "professional" exterior at all times? And who was this older guy to criticize the language habits of my generation? Because as I thought about it, the swearing on the show never seemed off to me, never seemed excessive, never seemed anything other than natural and organic. It's the way my friends talk, it is the way I talk.