Martha Stewart Is No Expert ~
A few days ago, Martha Stewart did an interview where she shared her thoughts on bloggers. Martha Stewart said that bloggers are not experts on recipes, etc. She basically said that bloggers just repost recipes that “trained experts” came up with. She, of course, aligned herself with people she classified as “experts” like Vogue editors and Ralph Lauren.
What Exactly Is An Expert?
ex·pert
ˈekˌspərt/Submit
noun
1.
a person who has a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge of or skill in a particular area.
“experts in child development”
synonyms: specialist, authority, pundit
According to this definition, an “expert” is someone who has a comprehensive knowledge of an area. Hmmm, correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t practice the way to get skilled in a particular area? Since when did cooking 3 meals a day for your family stop being practice?
train
trān/Submit
verb
past tense: trained; past participle: trained
1.
teach (a person or animal) a particular skill or type of behavior through practice and instruction over a period of time.
“the plan trains people for promotion”
synonyms: instruct, teach, coach, tutor, school, educate, prime, drill, ground
If Wikipedia is correct, Stewart holds degrees in History and Architectural History. No Culinary Degrees. Was she formally trained by experts? Wikipedia says that her grandmother taught her how to can and preserve – much like many bloggers I know. So, if degrees are what makes one an expert, then she should not be talking about hot glue and glitter table top decorations. So that can’t be it…
Ok, so perhaps one’s station in life is what makes them an expert. She is rich and I am poor. Hmmm, she also babysat for Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle when she was a child, hosted birthday parties for their kids and got a modeling gig at age 10. I am sure meeting all these high powered people at such a young age didn’t hurt her career. She also married a lawyer who played a pivotal role in her early career by hiring her to cater a book party {which introduced her to a bigwig at Crown Publishing Group} who then hired her to do a cookbook. Is she so arrogant as to say that if a different person had done the same exact things that she did, but not met the same people, they would definitely be where she is today?
Yes, I think Martha Stewart is talented in her niche, but I have seen tons of other people in life who can do the same things or even better things than she can. Just like with everything else, there is always someone better. And these people that I speak of are small time bloggers or flea market crafters. Yes, Martha Stewart may have worked hard to get to where she is today, but luck has definitely gotten Martha Stewart far in life and she would do well to remember that.
So, it seems to me that Martha Stewart became an “expert” the same way that most people do – try it and see.
Martha Stewart Doesn’t Stop With The Blogger Jabs
Paltrow’s empire includes cookbooks, the popular GOOP newletter, a proposed restaurant, and a Goop fashion line with top tier designers like Stella McCartney, Matthew Williamson and Michael Kors.
Martha Stewart also took a jab at Gwyneth Paltrow this week, too. She basically says that Paltrow wants to contribute to the LifeStyle niche but that she, Martha Stewart, created it. Martha Stewart created the whole concept of living to reflect one’s values? Okay…. narcissist much?
Recap {For Those Who Just Want To Skip To The Good Stuff}
Martha Stewart has no formal training above and beyond what the normal blogger has in cooking.
Martha Stewart got her first big break thanks to the hubs and his connections.
Martha Stewart claims she created the lifestyle niche {living a life that represents your style and values}. Before Martha Stewart, we all were just mindless drones with no personalities or style, apparently.
The only thing that separates Martha Stewart from the rest of us blogging idiots is money.
Money and luck = Expertise
So, What Should We Be Blogging About?
If I am understanding her whole argument correctly, according to Martha Stewart, we should only blog about things we are experts on. So, let’s make a deal…
Dearest Martha Stewart, I shall sit here and wait for your insider trading blog on how to step on poor people’s backs to get to the top AND I will be first in line to purchase your book on how to decorate prison cells for fall with only some torn sheets, a few salvaged prison yard pine cones and a whittled toothbrush shank.
As soon as you do these things, I will stop writing recipes that are cheap and tasty. Yes, I am no culinary expert, but by definition, neither are you. 🙂
Nicely written! That really made me mad that she had the nerve to say such things. Truth is, she is only looking to downgrade bloggers because it hurts her bottom line for bloggers to have a presence! Take that Martha. I thought we were friends. =)
oh my!! well written, lady!!
i was so disappointed in martha’s remarks. surprised? No. not at all. disappointed, though. and she was a speaker at blogher 12…
A speaker at Blogher 12??
Wow! Hypocrit much?
Dawn I like your sass – AND you make some great points. I think whatever you do and do well is your area of expertise. For me it’s making babies 😉 For others it is glitter or pork… (hopefully never together.)
Glittery pork chops. Bleh! Lol!
My area of expertise is being a smart alec. 😉
See I just see it as a compliment. She goes after anyone like this that is up and coming. I also heard a few things that Julia Child had said about bloggers as well. Its a bit curt – but they’re old school. They just want everyone to know that we are in the new class of the school they built. LOL
I think that people who had to make everything homemade out of necessity (Little House on the Prairie, anyone?) are rolling their eyes at her comments right now from the grave.
When they made cornbread from scratch in a cast iron skillet handed down for generations was called dinner. When Martha Stewart does it, its called payday and lifestyle…. Blah, blah, blah…
She said the recipe bloggers were just copying trained experts. So is she. She hardly invented wheat, flour or dinner, lol.
Thanks for linking up on #KeepCalmandIgnoreMartha! I’m loving your blog – #ImNoExpert but I think it’s pretty great!
Ang Paris – Juggling Act Mama
Hahaha! Thanks!
Love this.. you really summed it up and nailed awesome points! I am disappointed with what she said.. and also really don’t get what inspired her to even say that stuff. LAME!
She really did decide to step in it, didn’t she? She offended probably the largest group of followers she has. Nice job!
Perhaps her area of expertise is now “Open Mouth, Insert Foot.” lol
This is beautiful!!!! I loved every word and agree wholeheartedly! I have not ever been a fan of Martha Stewart. She is so stuck on herself and always has been.
Great post and nicely done… totally agree with you and frankly don’t care about Martha Stewart either…it’s not HER products just because they stick her name on it…
I have never been a fan of Martha Stewart and this just makes me think I am even more right! LOL
I watched part of that interview, then decided it wasn’t worth my time. So only a few cream of the crop deserve to have their thoughts, ideas, crafts and recipes shared with the world? Hmmm… That world would be very small and boring! Great post!
While I don’t necessarily agree with what Martha Stewart said, I think that she has a right to believe what she wants to. As bloggers we need to prove her wrong and not continue the hype. I, personally think we are giving it more attention than it needs and eyes continue to look at her.
You are probably right.
Then again, we are all free to believe and say what we want to. Not just her. 😉
What a mess she got herself into. Someone needs to remind her of the old saying “Don’t bite the hands that feed you.” Many of us ‘mere bloggers’ are female HOH decision makers that will surely decide NOT to purchase one of her brands the next time we’re out shopping.
If nothing else, her comments were a great publicity stunt.
Exactly.
Good points. Although I do agree that there are bloggers out there who really don’t know what they say they know, but it’s that way with every hobby or profession. There are good and bad. Plus, as I’m sure Martha knows, every blogger looks at blogging differently and has a different idea of what blogging is all about. I’m not sure where her head was with this one.
While Martha Stewart did basically pioneer modern day DIY and home inspiration, it’s interesting that she wouldn’t be happy for those who followed her lead, whether directly or indirectly, and have become sources of inspiration in her own right. She would do well to adapt gracefully to inevitable changes in the world.
*in their own right*
This is the best post yet! Thanks for this!
This is the one Martha Stewart post that actually made me laugh, lol. Plus I love the disapproving baby pic!
You are so right…she is not an expert by any means and in fact, I often turn to bloggers for recipes and advice before I ever look to what she puts out as “high quality content”.
A lot of her recipes are just not practical {time wise or monetarily} for everyday life, in my opinion. We regular folks need a voice, too.
By all the name dropping she did in that interview, it’s pretty apparent what social class she is worried about. 😉
This annoyed me too because no one is perfect, BUT seriously…she has a crew, and blogger program, a “name brand”. No one is born an expert, but that doesn’t mean you or I cant become one..seems like she forgot her roots.
I have read a few posts like this one and I am LOVING them!! AWESOME POST!!
I never got the whole Martha Stewart thing. Just like Rachel Ray with her baby talk (wanna sammie?) It’s all too absurd!
Martha Stewart should have thought more before she opened her mouth about bloggers. Not all bloggers are the same and as you stated she didn’t get formal training in her fields either.
Love your post! I can’t believe she had the nerve to say what she did..but oh well..her loss! I’m sure she’s lost a lot of fans…
she must really hate pinterest then.shes just upset their are people far more creative than her and its hurting her profits. I personally dont like most of her stuff.
Good post. Witty and informative. She’s talented, I know, but luck and knowing people also promoted her. Many others are talented too. Sometimes….alright, most times, we don’t want big “culinary” dishes. Quick and easy recipes are often family favorites.
I have as much respect for Martha Stewart as I do for her spray-painted pine cones and blow-dried chickens. Maybe less. Write on, bloggers!
Lol!
Ignoring Martha and her judgmental attitude? It’s a good thing. : )
Amen, sister!
She has no right to criticize anyone else. I prefer make their recipe compared to Marthas anyhow.
Not everyone has money or time to do things her way. Gimme a old fashion cook any time. As for this being a stunt . Seems to many people are doing bad things for publicity now . Come on now . One person gets critized and thrown under the bus for what she said years ago and another trys to gain popularity for this crap – now thats wrong in my book
You are exactly spot on!!!
I never liked Martha Stewart. She just has a smug look about her.
I really enjoyed this post! I hadn’t heard about these comments, but somehow I am not surprised by them. Recipes are hobbies for most of us! We see something we like, we try it and then we typically make a variation of our own. I am waiting on a disability hearing and with a lot of time on my hands, having discovered so many wonderful blogs online has given me something to fill my time with by reading and experimenting with the recipes , craft ideas, etc. that I have come across. I can relate to people like yourself because you understand what it’s like to live on a budget. It seems that perhaps Martha Stewart’s ego has increased along with her bank account. I for one would rather interact with people who can relate to typical American life like yourself!
Thank you very much. It’s funny. I started this blog because of a knee and ankle injury. I am not disabled but I was in physical therapy for months. When they told me I had to go back to work, I didn’t agree. I have been blogging ever since. 🙂
Good luck to you. 🙂 And glad you found a hobby in the meantime.
I never was a fan of Martha’s- because she “thinks” she is a celebrity she feels she can put others down… tisk tisk Martha!
I agree with the whole “expert” thing. There are hundreds of so called experts on TV these days giving their opinions on things that they have idea about. Just because Martha was in prison for a little while, does that make her an expert on the prison system?? I don’t think so. And please, please, don’t get me started on the whole “reality” show thing.