If they can make an opera out of “The Jerry Springer Show,” how far-fetched is the idea of making a Broadway play out of “Top Chef“?
That’s what the cooking show’s top judge, restaurateur Tom Colicchio, is reportedly pushing for.
“He thinks he has a great idea about doing something like that,” Bravo’s high-energy program boss, Andy Cohen, tells New York magazine.
“I told him, ‘I’m not so sure,’ but he’s trying to convince me!” says Cohen, who also hosts his own eccentric, weekly talk show, “Watch What Happens Live.”
The idea of making a musical based on the drama — real and pumped-up — of a reality show seems like a brilliant idea to Colicchio, Cohen says.
The series — a competition show that pits young chefs against each other in weekly, pressure-packed food challenges — has been one of Bravo’s most reliable hits because of the memorable characters it has featured, including the hard-to-please Colicchio and the show’s enigmatic host, Padma Lakshmi.
One ex-contestant even suggested to the magazine that the Broadway show include “overt product placement musical numbers — like one about the incredibly shiny Gladware plastic wrap.”