TVSquad

Move over, Rachael Ray! Another Food Network bird is straying for the nest to try her wings in syndication. Southern diva Paula Deen is readying a daytime cooking show for syndication in 2009. She also following Rachael's lead by not giving up her secure and lucrative connection to Food Network. Her Paula's Home Cooking and Paula's Party programs will remain Food Network staples.

The challenge for Paula will be coming up with a show that's not simply an echo of her other two shows. Unlike Rachael, who does a full-fledged talk show with a cooking segment, Paula's new effort is being called a "cooking" show. That could be limiting.

I mean, Paula's fun and perky and entertaining, but there is only so much fried food, butter and Savannah culinary tips to go around. The theory here is clearly widening her play. By appearing in a syndicated show, she'll likely be reaching many more eyeballs than just those who tune in to Food Network.

Paula's Southern charm is more of a selling point than the food. She's got a great story -- she was once an agoraphobic housewife, but after a divorce left her with two sons to raise alone, she was forced out of the house to earn a living. She used her cooking skills to create a sandwich business, selling bag lunches to local business people, that expanded to catering and eventually a big time restaurant called Lady and Sons. She earned some notoriety with a cookbook and some TV appearances, leading to Gordon Elliott (A Current Affair) packaging her in a show and selling it to Food Network. Since then, she's be skyrocketing. Her personal appearances are standing room only, so there's no doubt she's a popular personality. This new show will prove just how popular.

I think cooking alone won't be enough for Paula to really make her mark, so if I were advising her, I'd suggest she expand the premise and include some chat, travel, anything that can get her interacting with guests.

Paula Deen isn't the only name giving syndication a shot in 2009. Dr. Oz, Marie Osmond and -- perhaps -- Kirstie Alley have been talked up for syndication deals.