So what's going on at the Food Network?

Apparently Mario Batali was given the boot from Iron Chef, then given his own show on the FN, but the shows never aired, or something? Now Emeril (whom I've never really liked - BAM! gets on my nerves, big time) is also out with contract negotiations failing.

I mean, I realize the FN has been hiring more hosts with big boobs of late, but does it ALL have to be food porn and on-the-road food shows?

I don't think they have made that many great choices so far (More Alton Brown) and I would think that aside from just putting T&A on the air--go with some "buy local" and organic shows. Okay that is just my political side coming out but I think that that would be a big hit.

You will notice that theKatey Couric lookalike that they had on making a week of food in an hour has disappeared.

sort of a televised version of localharvest.org (hey! what an idea!). INCLUDING local beef, poultry, etc. The network has done a lot to reintroduce Americans to the idea of good food, not just fast food, so it would be great if the network could ALSO educate Americans about what's in their food, the impact buying asparagus in winter (just as an example) - really, what buying anything out of season has on the environment, etc. I know it's not appetizing, but it'd be nice if the network could also push for humane slaughter practices, educating those who won't give up meat on the food animal industry. I have more of a problem with the way meat is 'produced' than the actual consumption of it.

I never saw the Katie Couric lookalike - my viewing has been sort of hit-and-miss the last few months, but I noticed on HuffingtonPost that Emeril was out.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_rm/0,2757,FOOD_23676,00.html

Okay it is still on-I must not watch it like I used to. I always liked this show because this is what I did back in my bachelor days-cook Sunday morning for the whole week but I don't think this sits too well with people who have nothing better to do than take FOREVER to make a meal (is 30 minutes really a remarkable amount of time to make something to eat???)

I'll check it out.

If you're the one cooking, it can be discouraging to cook for 30 minutes to an hour or so, only to have the food shoveled down in 5 minutes flat -- so I can understand why some people don't like to cook if all they see is the end result.

But I like preparing food just as an activity in and of itself, when I have time to do it. If I have a tight schedule, though, I'd rather do something that doesn't require a lot of energy/concentration, esp. if I have to get back to work.

No kidding. Because they are mostly likely to have 1) disposable income 2) spend it rather than save it.

But it seems to be backfiring, even the young males they want to go after are mad at them for not showing more ... cooking. *sigh

http://www.slashfood.com/2006/02/23/the-food-networks-new-demographic/#comments

yes, it does seem to be backfiring, if those comments are any indication. I really didn't watch much until I caught an episode of Iron Chef that I thought was entertaining, and Alton Brown is always interesting (except his 'humor' grates sometimes). I caught one or two episodes of Nigella and Giada (not the boobies-on-the-road show, but Giada's cooking show) and they were interesting - and I thought the blatant cleavage-cam was actually funny because it seemed like a wink-wink-nod-nod kind of thing, not a Girls-Gone-Wild kind of thing. But then, rather rapidly, the shows went from having some real connection to cooking to having NO connection to cooking: just guys running and trying to drink beer at the same time, or women doing nothing but gyrating while sprinkling oregano on everything.

Oh well. C'est la vie. I guess I'm behind the times because that blog you posted was from 2006; I'll look for PBS's shows. But I'm not a regular TV-viewer, I'm more of a catch-it-while-you-can viewer, I don't Tivo anything.

While he could be really pompous, it was actually kind of funny!

And don't forget Jack McDavid of Grillin' and Chillin'!

The chocolate artist. Oooh La La! :D

At least he did me.
I thought he was an egocentric blowhard at first.
Well, he is, kinda.
But I like him with an audience to play to on Emeril Live.
Essence of Emeril is still sucky though.
He talks to the audience (camera) like none of us have seen a kitchen before.