TVSquad

Some people say that President Obama has been on TV too much since he became President a year ago, but his wife is about to make a big splash on one of Food Network's most popular shows.

First Lady Michelle Obama will reveal the secret ingredient on the January 3 special episode of Iron Chef America (I don't think it's the season premiere because we're in the middle of new episodes right now). There's no specifics yet on what the secret ingredient will be, but it is something that grows in the White House garden and ties in with the First Lady's "Healthy Kids Initiative" to get kids eating better and exercising. Beyond all that, this sounds like its going to be a great episode of the show. It will pit White House chef Cristeta Comerford and Bobby Flay against Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse.

You know what I'd like to see as the secret ingredient on Iron Chef America? Ring Dings. Or how about Atomic Fireballs?

When you're a cable network and you're only reaching 55 million households and want to reach twice that amount, what do you do? If you're Scripps Networks, you rebrand the channel and give it a new name. That's why Fine Living will become the Cooking Channel in 2010.

The way I see this, since Scripps owns the Food Network, the Cooking Channel will be sort of a Food Network annex. Food Network 2.0. Food Network, Two. In actuality, a lot of the programming on Fine Living now is connected to Food Network. Old Iron Chef episodes, Emeril LaGasse and Mario Batali and Wolfgang Puck ... all cooking shows that were once on Food Network.

Now that it's going to drop the Fine Living angle and concentrate on cooking, all the overflow from Food Network will have somewhere to go.

So we're down to two.

One thing that I was wondering while watching this episode was ... is Emeril Lagasse even on Food Network anymore? I know there are repeats of his shows still running, but I wasn't aware that he was still doing new things (his show now airs on Fine Living).

I love Top Chef (well, the regular version... this oddball Masters edition seems to be just summer filler until the real show starts again). I especially enjoy the hosting stylings of Padma Lakshmi, and not just because of her looks. She has a presence, seems to know her food, and displays an intelligence that fits well in the cerebral nature of the show.

But the word "funny" has never come to mind when I've seen her work. Which is why I'm scratching my head at the news that NBC is developing a sitcom for Lakshmi. You heard me. As in most cases in the world of TV, the premise can be boiled down into one oh-so-confidence-infusing sentence, according to Variety: "Building on her Top Chef credentials, the show will star Lakshmi as a woman working in the culinary world." One possible title? Single Serving.

Oofah. The show's got "two week mid-season stinker" written all over it, doesn't it?

[via TV Week]

Oh, boy, I can't wait! Finally, after all this time we're going to get to go behind the gates, into the exclusive, much-discussed but rarely filmed Martha Stewart estate. Actually, not the whole estate, but part of it. On her syndicated show, Martha Stewart's 153-acre Bedford, New York farm will be on display in the season ahead.

When the show returns with new episodes on September 15, Ms. Martha will share all the fun stuff she grows and prunes and plants. You know what this means, don't you? Compost heap! Seriously, Martha believes in natural recycling.

There will also be her state-of-the-art greenhouses and her extensive flower and vegetable gardens. Over a hundred guests will join Martha on her tour of the farm.

A day hasn't gone by where we haven't received some sort of tip or email asking us, the TV Squad, how to get on [insert reality show here]. Unfortunately no, Simon Cowell does not work for us, and Donald Trump isn't my BFF, so we really can't help all that much.

The folks at RealityWanted.com often send us a list of new and existing reality shows that are looking for new, er, talent, and they've given us permission to make mention of them here. We'll try to make this a regular feature as often as we get a new list.

This time we have Split Ends, Divorce Court and other new shows.

Late last year we told you how Emeril Lagasse was going to leave Food Network. Now we know where he's going.

The chef is going to move his Emeril Live show to the Fine Living Network. The show will air in the same time slot (7pm) that it currently runs in, seven nights a week. The new shows start on July 7th. Emeril is part of the Martha Stewart empire now (except for his many restaurants, which he has held on to), and repeats of Martha's daily syndicated show run on Fine Living every night as well. Both shows will air next to each other on the schedule.

Just a few weeks ago, TV Squad reported that Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia acquired Emeril Lagasse's media properties. Now, the Bam-man will be starring in a new daily cooking show. Celebrity chef and restauranteur Emeril Lagasse will star in Emeril Green, a show that will be shot entirely at Whole Foods Market. The enterprise will be shot in front of a live audience, and will air on Planet Green, Discovery Communications' new 24/7 eco-lifestyle television network, PG launches in June 2008 with a bunch of new shows, including Emeril Green which will launch in July.

How's this for a winning recipe? Domestic diva Martha Stewart has snagged superchef Emeril Lagasse for her empire. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. announced today the acquisition of Emeril's franchise -- all those cookbooks, kitchen products and TV shows in which he stars -- for $45 million in cash and $5 million in stock at closing. That $50 million could swell by $20 million more if "if certain benchmarkets are achieved."

Martha's purchase, however, does not include Emeril's Homebase, which includes the chef's 11 stellar restaurants, including Emeril's New Orleans and Delmonico's Steakhouse in Las Vegas.

Fishbowl New York is reporting that negotiations between celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse and Food Network have gotten nowhere and he won't be returning to the cable channel. The last day of taping for his show is December 11, though reruns will continue on the network, probably forever.

First Sara Moulton, then Mario Batali, now Emeril. I can't say I'll be sorry to see him go though. I'm sure he's a nice guy, but his Emeril Live show is unwatchable. I mean, come on, a live studio audience and a band? That's just ridiculous. The audience has orgasms every time he mentions that he's going to put garlic into a recipe, and applauds when he adds alcohol. And his "oh yeah, babe" is even more annoying than his "bam!" I'm sure he'll pop up on TV some place else.

Who will be next to go? Alton Brown? Sandra Lee? Bobby Flay? Nah, I say all of those people stay on for a long time.

Update: Food Network e-mailed Serious Eats to say that only Emeril Live is ending. Lagasse will continue to do the audience and band-free Essence of Emeril on the network.