Customer Reviews

"Well laid out series of videos, it was a binge worthy series."

"The quality and reporting here was excellent, and I appreciated the kind but fair lens used to tell the story of this incredibly sad portrait of a conflicted man. I enjoyed Jeff Smith's show and bought his books, but as soon as the accusations were revealed, I could no longer support him. I stand with all of the men he abused, and am so sorry they did not get the apology and justice they deserved in the end."

"Very well done! Fascinating story that I knew very little about. I did watch his show when it was on. I was saddened by the number of people in the film who continue to defend him. And maintained a friendship. In my opinion his choices and actions destroyed lives. That is unforgivable. Side note, the film looks great! The cinematography is so bright and crisp."

"A moving and balanced docuseries. I appreciated that it gave a voice to everyone involved, regardless of which side of the story they were on. It felt honest, thorough, and left me with a much clearer understanding of the man behind the 'Frugal Gourmet' title. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the full story."

"I watched the Frugal Gourmet in the late 80s and 90s as a young bride and thoroughly enjoyed his show. Bought the cookbooks and still have them. So I was very interested in watching this documentary and have emerged from it with an emotional response I wasn’t expecting. First of all I must say this was excellently made… a truly wonderful and insightful docuseries. I appreciated the well fleshed out background to Jeff Smith’s story and also the story of the people behind him and next to him along the way. I was fascinated by the entire rise - and ultimate fall - of this very complex man. I now have sons myself and was horrified by the abuse Jeff Smith has been accused of. My empathy lies with his victims. I must say I felt sad for Jeff Smith as well. I didn’t think I would feel that way at all. But I do. And I can only say I hope this documentary is seen by many others as it absolutely draws the viewer in and days after finishing it, the show just won’t let go. Excellently done."

"Very thorough dissection of a complicated life. By digging into he early years of Jeff Smith’s life the listener begins to get a glimpse of the “drivers” that guided Smith to the success he had. Unfortunately his success led him to be trapped in a public image - causing his demons to be exercised in private. The producers of this video do something very unusual - instead of “cancelling” Jeff as is the popular tactic in today’s culture for someone who has committed horrible crimes - they endeavor to allow us to see Jeff as a “whole” person including voices from many who know of his crimes but still love the Jeff they knew,worked with, benefitted and grew from. While that may be criticized by many - as the crimes he committed left deep scars on the victims (this too is detailed in this pod cast) Jeff Smith is, as we all are, multi and deeply faceted. There is still good in Jeff Smith - and it is a credit to the producers that they show this through the voices of contemporaries."

"Most informative. I loved watching The Frugal Gourmet. At first, I thought his sidekick, Craig, seemed a little young, then I noticed him being filmed with other younger boys around. I just brushed it off, but apparently, there was more. It was too bad to see who seemed like such a nice person, had such a dark side. So sad."

"Insightful, well done, and a must-see!"

"I'm a huge fan of independent documentaries. This is the best of the genre. I appreciated all the research that must have gone into telling his story. There were many interviews from people who knew him at different times of his life. There was also a lot of archival footage. I learned the good and the very bad of Jeff Smith, a cooking host I've long been intrigued with. I enjoyed his show and the many cuisines he highlighted but I was a bit turned off by Jeff himself. My father was also an alcoholic so maybe I sensed that in Jeff as well. I threw away my cookbooks by Jeff when I learned the allegations. Ultimately, I'm saddened by how Jeff wasted his own talents and how he intimated and abused those around him. This documentary gives a full picture of Jeff Smith, the pioneer TV star and flawed human being."

"A very intensive and thoughtful documentary, I would highly recommend. It is clear to see a lot of effort and research was put into this. Hope to see more from the creator, 10/10."

"Fascinating Documentary! Very well done! Though tragic it was amazing to watch the work unfold and how it all happened. I’d love to see more works by Johnson. Very well written and produced."

"Amazing documentary that didnt hold back. Having grown up in the 80s jeff’s show and books were a staple in my home. When the scandal broke i was completely shocked. This documentary does an amazing job of presenting the information with an unbiased approach. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoyed Jeff’s work."