Representing on Reality TV: Tommy Grella in the Third Round

By now you've probably noticed that we're tracking Tommy Grella's progress in The Next Food Network Star because we're still annoyed that Boston wasn't represented in Top Chef (you hear us, Bravo?). And we like the fact that Grella breaks the "Boston tough guy" reality-TV character.

Despite the ever-present cigar and Mafioso style that had one judge yelp, "You almost looked pissed off at us!" Tommy Grella is a tremendous teddy bear. This week's episode tracks Tommy's deep friendship with Adrien Sharp, the nice-guy deliveryman/aspiring TV chef. These two are total BFF.

When Grella makes a connection with someone, he's not about to cut it off. Hence, he struggles this week because he says the time he's spent on the show is the longest amount of time he's spent away from his family. He gets teary while on the phone with his wife, and his longing for Massachusetts starts to seep into his cooking.

During the first challenge, when he prepares a chocolate dish for the judges and NBA legend Darryl Dawkins, aka "Chocolate Thunder." Grella did a savory dish with cocoa-encrusted pork (uh, we love our local reality-tv folks, but we're not sold on a pork/chocolate combo!), but his presentation lacked his usual vim and vigor. He did indeed look miffed, and when a guy that big looks miffed - well, even Darryl Dawkins might have been concerned.

The next round of the challenge went a little better for Grella since he went back to his roots and did a "Grella-sized" meatball sandwich, but the judges noted that he was withdrawn. A judge said, "His personality sort of keeps closing down."

As a result, Grella gets the boot from the show, along with Colombe Jacobsen, whose show probably would have been named Cooking for Stoners if she'd won. (Seriously - you don't use cheese from a jar on a cooking show unless you are cooking for stoners. That's not knocking her, but her niche is pretty clear.)

No one said much to Jacobsen as she left, but Grella caught everyone else up in a big, fat bear hug and saved a special hug for his weepy BFF. As Grella leaves, Sharp sighs, "I feel extremely, like, alone." We hear you, man.

Image of Tommy Grella from the Food Network.