Series Review: IS IT CAKE?

Contestant Andrew Fuller doing his baking thing.

Inflation is at a 40-year high. Russia continues to obliterate Ukraine villages and kill civilians. All of Shanghai is on lockdown because of rising Covid cases. People are getting shot on the NYC subway. And worst of all, Kamala Harris is the Vice President. Basically, things suck all over. So the only thing to do is lose yourself in whatever works, be it alcohol, hot fudge sundaes, marijuana or bingeing TV shows, the stupider the better. Last night I found one that can't be beat for its inanity and entertainment value. Is It Cake? is streaming on Netflix and it's "guaranteed to ease your mind" to quote Freddie Mercury's "Killer Queen."

The premise is silly and ridiculous, yet oddly absorbing and challenging. A group of bakers are asked to make cakes that look like everyday objects in the hopes of fooling a panel of judges who have to discern which one is the phony from among five real ones. It's crazy! Last night's episode had bakers making faux fast food, including tacos, a cheeseburger and a breakfast sandwich. The winning baker wins $5,000, with a chance for another five grand by choosing a fake thing from a baked thing at the end.

Not only are the final cakes awesome and amazing, but watching the various talented bakers do their thing is also lots of fun. And the emcee for the show, Mikey Day, is a riot, as are the contestants themselves. After all, it's not your ordinary person who spends their life baking trompe l'oeil cakes for a living. One guy had green hair piled high, a pierced nose and a black and green beard. (See photo above.)

Each episode runs about an hour and you'll never think about anything else for the whole time. Admit it, you could use a break. Try it.