MasterChef Final versus Federal Election Debate

Just in case you haven't noticed, cooking is is as hot as the stove right now. It has been predicted that the the final MasterChef, a popular reality TV cooking show is going to overshadow the election debate between the first women Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. The original time slot has been rescheduled so that it does not coincide with each other.The only leaders' debate scheduled for the federal election campaign has been brought forward and shortened to avoid clashing with the rating bursting show. Call it clever marketing strategy or a new social phenomenon, if you will. But why an important election debate between two leaders is threatened by a estimated audience of four millions viewers tuning to a channel to watch who wins the reality TV show on a Sunday night. Is it because the debate is likened to a puff of hot air? Or because the contest of ideas between Julia and Tony is a leftover of their predecessors. Hmm.. maybe somewhat stale. Whereas the food-oriented game show has gone all out its way to nourish the dream, in both contestants and us of being able to be a MasterChef regardless of their backgrounds. Of the many people who successfully auditioned for this show, different professionals from lawyer to pharmaceutical scientist were among the finals, who went through the series of cooking challenges, pressure test and eliminations. What is it about at this time we live in that has so many of us trying our hands at cooking?