By Charles Nounou, editor
In order to shore up its flagging ratings, The Food Network is canceling “Emeril Live” and replacing it with a new show, “Rachael Ray meets Ronald McDonald”
The new show will also replace some of the episodes of “30 Minute Meals” with a new format: six showings a day of “5 Minute Meals” featuring a “humor-filled drive to the nearest McDonald’s with Rachael and Ronald trading jokes.
Audiences will be treated to visual clowning such as Ronald getting his oversized shoe caught as he tries to get into the car, Ronald getting his oversized shoe caught as he tries to get out of the car, and Rachael mugging at Ronald’s madcap antics.
The jazz musicians who appeared with Emeril Lagasse will not be seen or heard on the new show. Instead, Ronald will blow a slide whistle at the beginning, end, and on commercial breaks.
Asked if he thought he could fill Emeril’s shoes, Ronald said, “Bam, I can’t even fill my own shoes! But then who can?”
Joey Spatz, speaking for the Food Network, said, “We found out that a lot of our viewers were watching Emeril cook, getting hungry, and then going out for a burger because they couldn’t take the time to buy the ingredients and cook for themselves. So let’s cut to the chase and just show the burgers they’re going to eat anyway.”
Asked what he thought of the development, Alton Brown of “Good Eats” said he could not comment because of his contract with the Food Network, but made a gesture with his index finger down his throat.
Paula Deen, who hosts Paula’s Home Cooking, also would not comment. She was eating a fried chicken leg at the time and would only make “yummy” noises while we spoke to her.
Asked how the show would match the variety of food Emeril prepares and his culinary standards, Rachael Ray said, “What’s that?” Ronald just grinned and said, “Happy Meal, Happy Meal.”
7 Comments
Just another nail in the coffin of the Food Network. I haven’t watched it since they started the 30 minute meal thing (Paula’s Home Cooking should be titled “How to clog your arteries in 3 easy steps”) and the food warriors’ show–can’t even remember the name of that one.
I DO like Alton Brown.
Give me Jacques Pepin any day. Julia Child is probably rolling over in her grave about now.
The reason I like Alton is that he actually teaches you things besides how to cook a particular dish. You learn why some ways of doing things work better than others and that has broad application. I have stopped watching the Food Network, too.
Yes, Alton is kinda like the Mr. Science guy from the 50s, except it’s about food. He was recently a guest host on TCM and I loved the movies he chose also–he’s a movie nut like me and David.
There’s a Food channel on TV?
Yes, Lorenzo. There’s also a military channel. All the “bases” are covered.
Where is my Gnus? It has now been 20 days since I received an article from the new news gazette & Time Clarion. Am I going to have to cancel my subscription and resign myself to reading an inferior brand of reporting?
Fear not, Lorenzo. We have inside skinny that the writers’ strike will soon be over.
Post a Comment