The Food Network is getting into the competitive eating genre with a new series tentatively titled Eat the Clock.

The show, from Pie Town Prods. (Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels), is described as a cross between an eating competition and The Amazing Race. Two teams of contestants rush to various Los Angeles eateries and gorge themselves in face-stuffing challenges.

The Hollywood Reporter notes also that the pilot will shoot soon, ready for a first-quarter premiere should it get picked up. And while it doesn't necessarily uphold Hurl!'s mandatory ralphing standards, the prospects of a voracious tandem accidentally stumbling into the Newsroom Cafe's C-rated kitchen with a mandate to win or go home seems like a competitive twist we could get behind. Or better yet, a tie-in finding the actual fruit of Rachael Ray's "tasty travels" launched 10 feet across her kitchen in a compelling Food Network first. Our moms would love it.

• Food Network eyes competitive eating [THR]

Ten years ago, it would have been out of the question to base a TV show around vomit. Today, a little artful editing allows it to star in its own reality series.

"Vomit on-screen is covered by animated buckets with a one- to five-bucket rating system," said Dale Roy Robinson, who developed and executive produces "Hurl!" with Tom Crehan. "Actually, the show has very little to do with vomit, and everything to do with competition and camaraderie. It's like a college dare all grown up into its own TV show. It's nothing different from what fraternity boys do."

Crehan added, "It's more wholesome and uplifting than any dating show you'd care to make."

While we love the concept of a Purgevivor (we invite you now to peruse their site's fabulous image gallery, which contains no actual puke, but some highly evocative images of an all-you-can-eat sushi bar on choppy seas that does everything but hold your hair back as you dive for the toilet), we hardly think its necessary for one great reality show genre to diminish another. On the contrary: We wish Crehan would see the potential of combining forces with The Bachelorette—a beautiful marriage of formats that's almost guaranteed to feature the most shocking. hot tub. upchuck. orgy. ever.

Bonus link: 339 synonyms for throwing up! (Though "ralph" is curiously missing.) [c4ct.com]

• Has Reality TV Hit Rock Bottom? [ABCNews.com]