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Tag: Food Network

  • Stephanie March Lives on Cereal Since Bobby Flay Divorce, Judge Slams Her for Small Potatoes

    Stephanie March admits she isn’t eating as well as she was accustomed while married to Food Network chef Bobby Flay.

    The Law & Order: SVU actress and the celebrity chef split up in March after 10 years of marriage. Their divorce was final in July.

    During an interview with Extra earlier this week, Stephanie March dished about her cooking skills–or lack thereof.

    “I thought I would have to learn to cook, because I’m not really a very good cook and I thought, ‘I’m going to have to pick up a few tricks.’ But as it turns out, I go out a lot, so looks like I don’t have to,” she said. “My toast is amazing. My cereal is incredible.”

    This is the first time Stephanie March has addressed the media since her divorce.

    “Business is good, I have great friends, I love my new place, it’s really a good time in my life,” she said.

    March admits it was difficult seeing her name splashed across the tabloid headlines during her divorce.

    “It’s not pleasant to see your private life out there, but, you know, I consider myself pretty lucky,” she said. “I am by no means the only person to ever go through this and I’m very cognitive of that, and I have a wonderful support network of really good friends and really good family so I don’t spend a lot of time feeling sorry for myself about it.”

    Stephanie March apparently didn’t think of that before hauling Bobby Flay back into court on Wednesday in what the judge called “small potatoes” and a case of “revenge.

    March filed a motion earlier in November, demanding $105,000 from Bobby Flay for moving expenses and her appearances in a few Food Network videos.

    “Sounds like the kind of case that should be in small claims court,” Manhattan Supreme Justice Matthew Cooper said on Wednesday.

    “This is about Mr. Flay pushing my client around not honoring the terms of the agreement,” Stephanie March’s lawyer, Nicholas Cohen, said.

    Flay’s lawyer, Jeremy Betthels, called March’s claims acts of retaliation.

    “This is not really about the agreement, it’s not about justice, it’s about revenge,” Betthels said.

    Stephanie March will no doubt be eating a lot more toast and cereal in the coming months. Not only is she a self-admitted unskilled cook, she likely isn’t getting that $105,000 from Bobby Flay either.

  • Giada De Laurentiis: New Beau Shane Farley is Married Man

    Giada De Laurentiis admitted earlier this week she is dating someone new. The new beau is TV producer Shane Farley–and not Bobby Flay–as many had suspected. What Giada didn’t share about her new man, however, is that he’s married.

    Before you start calling Giada De Laurentiis a home wrecker–the way people did when they assumed she and Bobby Flay were an item–do note that Shane Farley is in the process of getting divorced.

    E! News reported Giada met Shane Farley back in 2013, when he was supposed to produce a show for her and Bobby Flay. The two only started dating in August, however.

    Giada De Laurentiis hinted while a guest on The Wendy Williams Show recently that there was someone new in her life, but she didn’t share his name at that time–once again propagating the notion of her hooking up with Bobby Flay.

    Shane Farley reportedly relocated to L.A. after filing for divorce. He filed for divorce in March from personal trainer Jennifer Giamo.

    A rep for Giada De Laurentiis tells Fox News, “Giada and Shane are indeed dating but did not start dating until this past August.” He added suggestions the two had been romantically involved earlier were “outright false.”

    Now that it’s clear neither Giada De Laurentiis nor Shane Farley are home wreckers, perhaps people will lay off and allow the Food Network star and her new beau to enjoy a bit of peace–and maybe a little romance, too.

  • Sandra Lee Doesn’t Take Surgery Lying Down

    Sandra Lee Doesn’t Take Surgery Lying Down

    Sandra Lee needed more surgery to fight her war against breast cancer, but she didn’t take that surgery lying down. Once again, Sandra Lee chose to walk into the operating room, with Governor Andrew Cuomo by her side.

    The Food Network star’s team wrote about her bravery in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning.

    “Once again, Sandra chose to walk into the O.R. instead of being wheeled in on a gurney,” the post reads.

    “Governor Cuomo walked in with her, holding her hand. For you style watchers, the Governor was dressed head to toe in turquoise scrubs and a white surgical mask and Sandra¹s hospital gown was lavender–her slip-on socks were heather gray. As usual they made quite the striking couple.”

    Sandra Lee underwent a double mastectomy in May following a diagnosis of breast cancer in March. On Monday she revealed she was having some follow-up surgery.

    “Infection is an incredible monster,” she wrote on Facebook. “I am a long way from where I was and a long way from where I need to be, but at this point I understand that right now I just need to complete this unexpected phase of a tough journey.”

    Governor Cuomo stayed by Sandra Lee’s side in the recovery room following her surgery on Tuesday, but she and the nurses sent him out for dinner.

    A rep for Sandra Lee reported the celebrity chef wants to be released from the hospital on Wednesday, but that she might need to remain in the hospital for a few more days.

    Hopefully Sandra Lee makes a full and speedy recovery and is soon restored to good health.

  • Valerie Bertinelli Cooks Up Delicacies Ahead of Food Network Premiere

    Valerie Bertinelli is headed to the Food Network with her very own show. But before she lands there, she has cooked up some delicacies from her cookbook One Dish at a Time.

    Valerie’s Home Cooking premieres on the Food Network Saturday at 12 p.m. EDT. In addition to appearing on The Today Show this week and preparing some delicious recipes for co-hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, she also made dinner for her Hot in Cleveland co-stars Betty White, Wendie Malick, and Jane Leeves.

    “It was a little nerve-racking because Betty doesn’t like too many things,” Bertinelli said in an interview for the Associated Press. “She likes tuna fish, she likes hot dogs, she likes Red Vines (candy) and vodka. So what am I going to make for Betty?”

    The One Day at a Time star turned to vodka for help. She prepared Betty White and the rest of her guests tuna salad with an Italian twist.

    Right now Valerie Bertinelli is scheduled to appear on the Food Network with 10 episodes of Valerie’s Home Cooking. Ratings will determine whether or not they buy more episodes of her show.

    Just because Valerie Bertinelli is Food Network bound, fans needn’t worry that she’s given up acting. In fact, she says she will soon be seeking out a new acting job. Hot in Cleveland was recently axed after six seasons on the air.

    “Then they canceled us because they wanted to put on younger shows,” she explained.

    Valerie Bertinelli has lots of spunk. It was obvious when she starred on One Day at a Time, and even thought that show aired decades ago, she still has a wealth of spunk left in her today. It will surely serve her well in Valerie’s Home Cooking, and in whatever acting job soon comes her way.

  • Def Leppard Guitarist Calls Trump a Clown

    Def Leppard Guitarist Calls Trump a Clown

    Def Leppard is on tour. Last week we reported that the band will have the dubious honor of being introduced at one of their shows by none other than Donald Trump. Trump will probably be fine with it. None of the members of Def Leppard were ever in a POW camp.

    But how do the members of Def Leppard feel about it?

    Trump was announced to be slated to introduce the band at the Iowa State Fair next month. The band shares a bill with Styx and Tesla at the State Fair Grandstand on the fairgrounds in Des Moines on August 15.

    Odd part is, it seems the folks running the event had never even heard about Trump’s intended appearance.

    “That has not yet been confirmed by our music staff,” a rep for the fair said. “I would say the fair currently has no knowledge of Trump’s appearing on August 15.”

    Now, Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell has posted his opinion about the whole thing on his Facebook page.

    “I really, really, really hope that there’s no truth to this rumour,” Campbell said of the Trump introduction. “Def Leppard have never been a political band, and if we were, I for one wouldn’t be associating my name with this clown.”

    While most of Campbell’s followers on Facebook seemed to share his opinion of Trump, there were some for whom this was unacceptable. These folks expressed their displeasure in the most illiterate way they could summon.

    “well drf lep.. i can honastly you can “go fuck your self !!!! you say your not a political band ?? right there you just him a clown !! thats an opinion !!!! which put you in the non donald side of this.. thats being a stupid libtard !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh by the way im burning all my def leppard albums ..cd’s…and all the tickets i save from you concert !!! and some t-shirts ive had for allmost 19 years..”

    “Vivian, I’m disappointed that your liberal. I thought you had class. I guess you are a poser. You should be defending Americans rights. Not backing the party that opposed civil rights.”

    “Clowns are the politicians ruining the country. Clowns blindly support Hilary and that community disorganizer Obama !
    Some of us love the band but love our country and heritage and take offense to calling out a person that is finally speaking the truth. Trump is speaking for many on this country. Now everyone says no politics , it ruins the music side of life! Well you have proven yourself a liberal by you present and past comments. Not all of us agree with that mental diseased way of thought”

    As for Donald Trump, Def Leppard would not be his first brush with rock and roll. On his Celebrity Apprentice program, Trump rubbed elbows with the likes of Gene Simmons, Bret Michaels, famous band manager Sharon Osbourne, Meat Loaf, and Dee Snider.

  • Anthony Bourdain Digs At Food Network Star About ISIS

    Anthony Bourdain has been on a tour for months, stopping city after city to serve up his irreverent comic stylings as main course, with the food on the side.

    Bourdain’s “Close to the Bone” tour website calls him “a professional gadfly, bête noir, advocate, social critic, and pork enthusiast, recognized for his caustic sense of humor worldwide. He is as unsparing of those things he hates, as he is evangelical about his passions.”

    Anthony Bourdain’s “unsparing” and “caustic” ways led to his commenting on some of his Food Network compatriots at a recent tour stop.

    One victim of Bourdain’s wit was Adam Richman, host of Man vs. Food. On the show, Richman consumed unholy proportions of food.

    “Why did we watch that show? Admit it. You wanted him to die,” Bourdain said, noting that the show was popular in countries like Yemen, Iran, Libya, and Afghanistan. “The show confirms their worst suspicions—that Americans are fat, lazy, slothful, [and] wasteful.”

    “I know what [people in those countries watching Richman are] thinking, ‘America is a terrible place. I want to join ISIS.’”

    Nor was Alton Brown spared.

    [My daughter’s] hero is Alton Brown . . . Most of the time when there’s a chef on TV, she’ll ask me, “Daddy, do you know them?” I’ll say, “Yes, I do know them.” So she asked, “Daddy, do you know Alton Brown?” At this point, I’ve had enough. I’m like, “Yes, let me tell you about the time Daddy took Alton Brown to the Clermont Lounge.”

    Guy Fieri was given special treatment, especially in light of Bourdain being a parent.

    “The minute that you become a father, certain truths become immediately obvious to you. The first second you see your daughter’s head corkscrew out of the womb and open her eyes, they are pretty much saying “Lose the Ramones shirt.” . . . So I’ve made some adjustments in my life. So I sort of feel in a heartfelt way for Guy [Fieri]. I wonder about him. He’s 52 years-old and still rolling around in the flame outfit . . . What does he do? How does Guy Fieri de-douche?

    Just about the only Food Network star that Anthony Bourdain reserves some love for is Ina Garten, but even then he has reservations.

    “I love Ina Garten. She’s one of the few people on Food Network who can actually cook. When Ina Garden roasts a chicken, she roasts it correct. When Ina Garten makes mashed potatoes, those are some solid mashed potatoes. In many ways I want Ina’s life. I don’t want to live in her house. I don’t want to spend a weekend there. It gets weird in Ina Land.”

  • Stephanie March: Is She Behind ‘Cheater’ Banner Used To Embarrass Bobby Flay?

    Bobby Flay and Stephanie March might be undergoing a very bitter, very public divorce, but the actress wouldn’t go so low that she’d rain on Flay’s big day.

    At least, that’s what March and her attorneys are saying.

    Renowned restaurateur Flay was honored on Tuesday with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

    But while the Mesa Grill owner was being honored, a plane with a banner that read “Cheater” appeared and kept flying around the area for an hour.

    It was only natural that people would assume the Law & Order: SVU actress would be behind the act, given all the animosity that has appeared between the estranged couple.

    However, March’s lawyer Deborah Lan vehemently denies this and told the media that “Stephanie is absolutely not behind [this].”

    The couple’s decade old marriage came to a halt when Flay filed for divorce in April, implying in court documents that the relationship has “broken down irretrievably.”

    That was the start of a vicious he said/she said war between the famous chef and the actress.

    March has accused Flay of cheating on her several times during their marriage, naming actress January Jones and Flay’s 28-year-old assistant Elysse Tirrel as some of the women the chef has had affairs with.

    This was denied by Flay, who fired back that the drama was due to the 40-year-old actress wanting a bigger settlement than the $5,000/month spousal support she’s set to get under the terms of their prenuptial agreement.

    A representative for the Food Network star has stated that they “will continue to refrain from responding to the continued efforts by certain parties to spread rumors and innuendo.”

    But it didn’t stop them from claiming that March’s argument, of needing more support because of her failing health, is invalid, particularly since the health problems were caused by a breast enhancement surgery gone wrong.

  • Sandra Lee Doing Well After Double Mastectomy

    Sandra Lee has just faced down one of ths scariest things many women say they could face. The television chef just underwent a double mastectomy for DCIS, or ductal carcinoma in situ.

    Sandra Lee told the world about her diagnosis on Good Morning America last week. Tuesday, her boyfriend — who also happens to be the governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, released a statement about her condition after surgery.

    Sandra Lee is “as well as can be expected,” Governor Cuomo said.

    “Around 8 a.m. this morning, Sandy underwent surgery that concluded just before 1 p.m. I am happy to report that she is doing as well as can be expected and has begun the post-surgery recovery process.

    “On behalf of Sandy and myself, I want to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and prayers over the last few days. Your support has meant the world to us.”

    Last week, Sandra Lee told Robin Roberts that she had been shocked by the sudden diagnosis.

    “I just was still. I didn’t even cry, I was stunned,” Sandra Lee said. “And that’s how fast life turns, it turns on a dime.”

    Like many women, Sandra Lee considered a lumpectomy to remove the cancer, but her doctors advised a more radical approach.

    “Both the radiologist and the doctor said, ‘You’re a ticking time bomb,’ and they both said, ‘I would just get them both done.’”

    Sandra Lee is famous for her Food Network show Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee, as well as Sandra’s Restaurant Remakes and Sandra Lee’s Taverns, Lounges & Clubs.

    She popularized the “semi-homemade” cooking concept that recognizes how busy many people are. The idea is for the average recipe to use 70 percent pre-packaged products, but 30 percent homemade ingredients.

  • Sandra Lee Undergoes Double Mastectomy, Governor Andrew Cuomo by Her Side

    Sandra Lee, the celebrity chef known for her ‘semi-homemade’ concept, underwent a double mastectomy on Tuesday. Boyfriend, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, released a statement about her surgery later in the day.

    “Around 8 a.m. this morning, Sandy underwent surgery that concluded just before 1 p.m. I am happy to report that she is doing as well as can be expected and has begun the post-surgery recovery process,” he said. “On behalf of Sandy and myself, I want to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and prayers over the last few days. Your support has meant the world to us.”

    It was only a few weeks ago that Sandra Lee announced she had breast cancer. She was scheduled for surgery earlier, but due to a respiratory infection it was rescheduled for this week instead.

    The Food Network star made sure her team kept fans informed of her hospitalization, which they did via Facebook.

    Sandra Lee prefaced their posts with one of her own on Monday.

    Dear Facebook Family,I wanted to let you know that I am having surgery tomorrow morning. I am handing my social…

    Posted by Sandra Lee on Monday, May 18, 2015

    On Tuesday morning the team began sharing information.

    Dear Facebook Family,Sandra is heading into her surgery this morning and we want to reach out to all of you her…

    Posted by Sandra Lee on Tuesday, May 19, 2015

    As they awaited another update, the team shared some of what Sandra Lee went through just prior to her surgery.

    Dear Facebook family,We've got an update on Sandra: the day started out in the middle of the night. She was up before…

    Posted by Sandra Lee on Tuesday, May 19, 2015

    There was no doubt much rejoicing when they learned she was out of surgery.

    Facebook friends, A new update: Sandra is out of surgery! She is currently in a recovery room with Governor Cuomo and…

    Posted by Sandra Lee on Tuesday, May 19, 2015

    And soon her team posted that Sandra Lee was ‘resting comfortably.’

    Facebook family, We have another update. Sandra is out of the recovery room, and was taken to her hospital room. It…

    Posted by Sandra Lee on Tuesday, May 19, 2015

    Sandra Lee certainly has several days of discomfort ahead, but hopefully the worst is over. The determination and drive she is known for will certainly prove itself invaluable during this trial.

  • Sandra Lee Diagnosed With Breast Cancer, Food Network Star to Undergo Double Mastectomy

    Sandra Lee, the Food Network star known for her ‘Semi-Homemade’ cooking concept, has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will undergo a double mastectomy later this week. Lee has DCIS–which stands for ductal carcinoma in situ. It is a common noninvasive cancer contained within the milk ducts. It can become invasive over time if left untreated.

    People magazine reports that Sandra Lee went in for what she expected to be a routine mammogram and wound up with the cancer diagnosis.

    Lee has dated New York Governor Andrew Cuomo since 2005, and he says he plans to be by her side throughout the entire ordeal. That includes being by her side when she has the surgery.

    “This is about her feeling secure and loved,” he says.

    “My doctor called me a poster girl for mammography,” Sandra Lee says.

    She is definitely glad she didn’t wait until age 50 to get her first mammogram, as new guidelines recommend. She is 48.

    “I am in good health. I have no family history. I tested negative for both [breast-cancer-causing genes] BRCA1 and BRCA2. I had no warning sights–no feeling of being tired, no pain and no lump–nothing,’’ she shared in her very emotional tweet.

    “Had I not gone for a routine annual mammogram, I would never have known I was in danger,” she adds

    Andrew Cuomo is incredibly proud of Sandra Lee for sharing her story in the media.

    “We’re hopeful that she’s going to have surgery at the end of this week and that everything turns out well,’’ he said.

    “To me, it’s just another reminder,’’ the governor added. “One phone call could change your life, and sometimes you get caught up in the day to day and all these little nuances that we think are so important at the time, and then you get a phone call that actually reminds you of what’s really important. I lost my father in January, this situation with Sandy, it just reframes everything for you.”

    Lots of prayers will no doubt be said for Sandra Lee this week as she undergoes the double mastectomy that will save her life from breast cancer. Fans will be anxiously awaiting word from Andrew Cuomo on the outcome of her surgery.

  • Sandra Lee, Food Network Chef and Girlfriend of NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, Reveals She Has Breast Cancer

    Sandra Lee revealed to Good Morning America Tuesday that she is battling breast cancer.

    The Food Network star, Sandra Lee, said she was diagnosed with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), a common noninvasive cancer contained within the milk ducts that can become invasive over time if left untreated. She said she was diagnosed after a routine mammogram.

    According to People magazine, Sandra Lee will undergo a double mastectomy this week.

    “Life can turn on a dime,” she told People about the diagnosis.

    Although treatment is normally a lumpectomy followed by radiation or a mastectomy, Sandra Lee has chosen to undergo a double mastectomy because she did not want to go through six to eight weeks of daily radiation.

    Sandra Lee, who had a mammogram before the recommended age of 50, said she also chose the more aggressive treatment partially out of fear of a recurrence.

    “I never want to go through this again,” she said.

    After her mammogram, Lee had a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis, and underwent testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2, the genes that increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

    She tested negative, then consulted several doctors to help her make her choice of treatment.

    Sandra Lee’s boyfriend of 10 years, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, will be by her side in the operating room.

    “This is about her feeling secure and loved,” he told People.

    “My doctor called me a poster girl for mammography,” Sandra Lee said.

    The ordeal has taught the chef much and she says she plans to help others in the future.

    “Girls in 20s and their 30s just have to know. And I don’t want women to wait. And that’s why I’m talking … If it saves one person, and makes one more person go get a mammogram, and if they’re sitting down right now watching this, don’t watch this TV. Go pick your phone up, and call your doctor and get your rear end in there and get a mammogram right now,” Sandra Lee told fellow cancer survivor Robin Roberts.

  • Paula Deen Back on Cable TV With ‘Paula Deen’s Kitchen’

    Paula Deen is ending a lengthy hiatus by returning to cable TV with a new show called Paula Deen’s Kitchen. The former Food Network star, who was dropped faster than a hot, buttered biscuit for admitting she’d used the N-word, will soon debut her new show on Evine Line–previously known as ShopHQ. Paula Deen’s Kitchen premieres Wednesday with a three-hour show.

    It’s been 22 months since Deen was ostracized for her racially offensive talk. Since then her media appearances have involved mostly apologies and admissions of guilt. There was one exception, however, and that’s when Paula Deen made a red-carpet appearance during Evine’s live broadcast from The Plaza Hotel on Valentine’s weekend.

    In addition to losing her contract with the Food Network, Paula Deen also saw millions of dollars in endorsement contracts and publishing deals slashed, including Ballantine Books, Caesars Entertainment, Home Depot and Walmart.

    The NY Post reports that the controversy about Deen erupted from a lawsuit–filed in March 2012 by a former employee of the celebrity chef and restaurant owner–that charged Paula Deen and her brother with sexual harassment and racially offensive talk.

    In June of 2013, former President Jimmy Carter came to the defense of Paula Deen, saying she had been punished more than enough.

    President Carter said Paula Deen was “punished–perhaps overly severely–for her honesty in admitting it and for the use of the word in the distant past.”

    Evine CEO Mark Bozek recently appeared on Bloomberg TV and echoed Carter’s sentiments.

    “Everybody makes mistakes,” he said, adding that Paula Deen “has a good soul” and “a huge fan base.”

    Do you think Paula Deen’s Kitchen will gain back many of the viewers who watched the southern cook prior to this scandal? Will Paula Deen forever be associated with her use of the N-word?

  • Good Eats Hits Netflix Alongside Other Food/Travel Shows

    Good Eats Hits Netflix Alongside Other Food/Travel Shows

    Here’s some good news as you head into the weekend.

    Alton Brown’s instant-classic cooking/science show Good Eats is now on Netflix. For years, fans of the show have pestered Food Network, as well as Brown himself, to make this happen. It joins other Food Network shows like Cutthroat Kitchen (also an Alton Brown affair), Cupcake Wars, and Chopped – which are also new additions to the Netflix catalog.

    There are new episodes of some Travel Channel shows as well, including Man v. Food and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.

    Good news, right?

    So here’s the bad news – the selection is limited, to say the least.

    You won’t find full seasons of Good Eats, Chopped, or No Reservations. Instead, you’ll find “collections” consisting of 25 hand-picked episodes. These collections are not season-specific.

    Long story short – yes, there are now Good Eats episodes on Netflix, but not many.

    The reason for all of this is a recent licensing deal that Netflix inked with Scripps Networks, whose umbrella shields Food Network, HGTV, and Travel Channel. According to the Wall Street Journal, “the deal appears to be limited in scope, with one person familiar with the matter saying the life of it is ‘relatively short.’ The deal only covers the U.S., not other territories, the person said…”

    You may recall that Food Network shows like Chopped used to be available on Amazon Prime Instant Video – but were dropped in March. that’s because Scripps’ and Amazon let their licensing deal expire.

    Point being, these deals have a history of being brief. What does this mean for the future of shows like Good Eats and Chopped on Netflix? Simply put – enjoy it while you can. And while you can remain hopeful that more episodes could be added at some point, don’t count on it.

    Plus, if you’re really needing your Good Eats fix, the whole show’s on YouTube. And remember, it’s all the Good Eats you’re ever going to have…

    Image via Food Network, YouTube screenshot

  • The Neelys Divorce And Everyone Is STUNNED

    Beloved former Food Network stars Pat and Gina Neely have officially split up.

    According to recent reports, the Neelys have filed for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences”.

    Fans were hit with a double whammy when the news became official in recent days.

    First there is the divorce itself. The Neelys have been married for nearly two decades. It’s hard to fathom any couple calling it quits after being together for so long.

    The second blow came from the news that Pat and Gina have been quietly separated for about two years.

    The two continued to work together on their popular Food Network show Down Home With The Neelys, and their rapport had many audience members completely fooled.

    Though it must be said that Pat and Gina Neely are absolute professionals. If you appear to get along so well on camera that viewers have no idea you are maritally estranged, that’s a pretty convincing performance.

    Bravo in that regard at least.

    Now we’re left to wonder what happens to the Down Home With The Neelys brand?

    The closest thing to an answer received is that the couple, despite parting on relatively good terms, will be focusing on their “individual brands”.

    This may mean that Food Network will nix this show in favor of a couple of new shows.

    Television fame aside, the Neelys revealed that despite the divorce, the two intend to continue to share ownership of the restaurant that launched their successful careers.

    The couple have two adult daughters together, which means that there will be no child support issues.

    It’s disappointing to see this awesome pair head their separate ways, though it’s admittedly not too surprising when a celebrity couple calls it quits.

  • Paula Deen Launches New Cooking Network

    Paula Deen Launches New Cooking Network

    Paula Deen has announced the launch date of her new digital food network that will give her fans the chance to “engage and access Paula and her Southern home cooking, anytime, anywhere — on computer, smartphone or tablet.”

    The network’s official launch date is September 24, 2014, however pre-registration is now open, on Paul’s website PaulaDeen.com. The trial will give users 14 free days of cooking demos, tips, game shows and more. Once the trial is over, the subscription will be $7.99 per month.

    “You never know what unexpected moments will happen [on camera], whether we have some surprise guests to my dogs, pigs and goats running through the kitchen,” Paula told People Magazine.

    Paula split from the Food Network last year, and is excited to be launching her new network and hopes her fans will enjoy it. “I am just so thrilled to take my fans on this amazing adventure,” she said.

    Paula is being backed by a $100 million private equity investment, and has turned her former Savannah, Georgia home into a studio. “As people’s time becomes more fragmented and they can’t sit down in front of TVs, that time that they choose to get what Paula has to offer is even better,” said executive producer Gordon Elliott.

    Image via Twitpic.com

  • Paula Deen Makes Online Transition After Being Dropped By Food Network

    Last year, Food Network dropped cooking show host and celebrity chef Paula Deen after learning that she used racial slurs in the past. On Friday, the television network said that Deen’s contract will expire at the end of this month and they are not interested in renewing it.

    The Southern cook made guest appearances on several Food Network shows in 1999. By 2002, she was able to secure her own show Paula’s Home Cooking and later had other shows, such as Paula’s Best Dishes.

    Deen was the center of attention when she admitted that she used the n-word in the past. Lisa Jackson, a former manager at Deen’s restaurant, filed a complaint that exposed Deen.

    Deen took to YouTube to apologize for her racist comments. She said, “I want people to understand that my family and I are not the kind of people that the press is wanting to say we are. Your color of your skin, your religion, your sexual preference does not matter to me. But it’s what’s in the heart, and my family and I try to live by that. I am here to say I am so sorry. I was wrong, yes, I have worked hard and I made mistakes, but that is no excuse.”

    A few weeks ago, the Food Network also dropped Deen’s son Jamie Deen. His show, Home for Dinner With Jamie Deen, has not been in production since 2013.

    Despite being dropped by the Food Network, Deen is not losing hope and is gearing to come back with the launch of her digital network in September. “Guess who’s going digital, y’all! I’m so excited about my new online network and can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been working on,” Deen said in a statement.

    The Paula Deen Network, which is backed by a $100 million investment from private-equity firm Najafi Cos., is a subscriber-based network that will be broadcasting cooking videos of Deen in front of an audience. Subscription fees have not been finalized.

    In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Deen said that going digital is the next step for her, as she wants her fans to be able to reach her anytime and anywhere. “iPads are so much lighter to tote around than a TV. In a network program, you only have 22 minutes. The fans are going to see things they have never seen before,” she said.

    Deen has a strong brand name that should serve her well in her new endeavor. She has 1.25 million Twitter followers and 4.25 million likes on her Facebook page.

    Image via YouTube

  • Paula Deen Launches Digital Cooking Network

    Paula Deen, the celebrity cook who is getting back on her feet after racial slurs nearly ended her career, is set to launch a digital network.

    Paula Deen Ventures announced Wednesday its plans to launch the Paula Deen Network— which will feature daily programming with recipes, episodes, guest appearances and cooking tools — in September. The paid subscription-based network will be available on computers, smartphones and tablets.

    “We’re going to have so much fun being together and cooking up some wonderful new and classic dishes,” Deen said in a press release. “Y’all can get my recipes, tips and cooking anytime you want — this is for you. I can’t wait to crank up the oven and get cooking for the people I love: my family, my friends and my fans!”

    Production is already underway in Savannah and the set — built to accommodate a live audience — is recreated from her first television show, Paula’s Home Cooking.

    Deen is struggling to get her career back on track which began with the announcement in February of a deal with the Najafi Companies, an Arizona-based private investment firm that’s investing millions to revamp her public image.

    “The Paula Deen Network is one more example of Paula doing things her own way and taking control of her brand to connect directly with her ardent fans,” said Jahm Najafi in a statement.

    “You can throw out your TV now, because this is where you can find me,” Deen says, holding up an iPad in a promo for the site.

    It was a nearly a year ago that Deen’s sworn statement admitting she had used racial slurs in the past became public. The Food Network and other corporate sponsors immediately distanced themselves from the southern cook.

    Deen is currently on a nationwide tour with a 90-minute Paula Deen Live! show featuring cooking demonstrations, games with audience members and personal stories.

    Some of the programs slated for the digital network include shows entitled 20-Minute Meals, Paula Cooking Light and One Dish, Three Ways.

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘Two Fat Ladies’ TV Star Clarissa Dickson Wright Dies at 66

    The last TV personality of Britain’s Two Fat Ladies has passed away.

    At the age of 66 years old, Clarissa Dickson Wright died Saturday at Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary.

    Her cause of death was said to be unknown.

    Born on June 14, 1947 as Clarissa Theresa Philomena Aileen Mary Josephine Agnes Elsie Trilby Louise Esmeralda Dickson Wright, the TV star grew up in London.

    According to CBS News, Dickson Wright dealt with alcoholism later in life during her career as an attorney. After recovering from alcoholism and leaving the legal profession, she became a caterer and ran a cookery bookstore.

    BBC scouted her for the TV show series while she was working at the bookstore.

    At the time, Dickson Wright said she had no professional experience in cooking, but she became a dynamic duo along with co-host Jennifer Paterson.

    Here is a 1998 interview of the pair:

    The international program became an immediate hit, showing the pair touring Britain in sidecars and on motorcycles. Dickson Wright and Paterson were mainly known for traveling to various locations to cook exotic meals and share culinary advice.

    “She [Dickson Wright] was a force of nature and a true character, someone who knew how to tell a great story and had a fabulous sense of humor,” said show producer, Patricia Llewellyn.

    The show came to an end, however, in 1999 when Paterson died from cancer at the age of 71.

    The TV cook celebrity later released an autobiography in 2007 titled Spilling The Beans. She also appeared in other TV series.

    Her agent, Heather Holden-Brown, told BBC News Monday, “Her fun and laughter, extraordinary learning and intelligence, will be missed always by so many of us. Loved dearly by her friends and many fans all over the world, Clarissa was utterly non-PC and fought for what she believed in, always, with no thought to her own personal cost.”

    The clip below shows the pair cooking together:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Giada De Laurentiis Turns Model for Go Red Event

    Food Network all-star and celebrity super chef Giada De Laurentiis stepped out of the kitchen and onto the runway yesterday. The Italian born, Southern California raised De Laurentiis, has never done any professional modelling, but that didn’t stop the brunette beauty from taking center stage during New York Fashion Week at Lincoln Center wearing a gorgeous red gown as part of the Go Red for Women Event.

    E! News caught up with the amateur model to ask about what it was like to strut down the catwalk. “I’m super excited; I’ve never done this before. I used to think being a model and walking the runway was an easy job, but I have changed my mind. I have so much respect for those women because it’s a tough job!”

    De Laurentiis was part of the Heart Truth Dress Collection show. The chef was all decked out in a red Carolina Herrera gown.

    Giada was joined by Anna Sophia Robb, Lindsey Vonn (in crutches), Ireland Baldwin and Joan Jett among other celebrities in wearing red in tribute to the American Heart Association’s National Wear Red Day. Go Red For Women is a social initiative to raise awareness for the issues surrounding women and heart disease. The main problem, of course, being that people usually think of men when they think of heart disease. However, Cardiovascular disease kills almost 500,000 American females every year.

    De Laurentiis is known for both her healthy and hearty recipes on the Food Network. Prior to hitting the runway, she loaded up on a bunch of heart-healthy food. She told Fox News, “Before I came here I had a banana, walnut, almond milkshake, and for breakfast I had oatmeal with olive oil.”

    New York Fashion Week runs February 6 – 13.

    Image via Facebook

  • Guy Fieri’s Lamborghini Thief Gets Life in Prison

    Celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s $200,000 yellow convertible Lamborghini was stolen in 2011. The sports car was taken from a shop in San Francisco by a thief who broke into the dealership by rappelling down a window. However, the car wasn’t found until a year later when police were investigating an attempted murder, drive-by shooting that brought them to a storage locker that belonged to a suspect named Max Wade.

    On Thursday Wade, 19, was sentenced for attempted murder, car theft and a list of other crimes. Even though Wade was under 18 when he committed the crimes, he was treated by the court as an adult and received a sentence of life in prison.

    Wade could possibly be granted parole in about 18 years, however, the young man must also serve 21 years and four months in prison for a separate crime. Whether or not Wade ever walks the earth as a free man again will ultimately be determined by the Board of Parole Hearings.

    Wade’s attempted murder sentence stems from an incident that took place on April 13, 2012. Wade fired shots into a truck carrying two passengers named Landon Wahstrom and Eva Dedier, neither passenger was hurt. During the trial, the prosecution painted the picture that Wade was jealous of Wahstrom’s relationship with Dedier.

    Judge Kelly Vieira explained her reasoning for handing down the maximum sentence. “I feel that Ms. Dedier and Mr. Wahlstrom are two of the luckiest people on Earth. I cannot believe they are alive. It is not Mr. Wade’s fault that they are alive. He thought about the crime for months. He planned the attack carefully. That’s kind of scary to see how much work Mr. Wade put into these crimes.”

    One of the police who helped bring Wade to justice, Detective Greg Garrett, agreed with the judge’s assessment. “He’s an extremely rare type of criminal. To see someone so young being seemingly untouched by what he has done is unusual.”

    Guy Fieri is known for his gig as host of the popular Food Network television program Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The bottle-blonde, pointy-haired host travels across the country sampling food from funky joints that are known for their scratch-made specialties and “out of bounds” cuisine.

    Image via Twitter

  • Giada De Laurentiis Slices Finger During Live Broadcast

    (image)Here’s what you don’t want to do as you carve the Thanksgiving Day turkey.

    Giada De Laurentiis sliced her finger Saturday on live television during the Food Network‘s annual Thanksgiving special. She was slicing a turkey roll when the accident occurred. She briefly left the set to have her wound attended to, and returned 15 minutes later to continue the show.

    “She seemed to go pale and got very quiet putting pressure on it and whispering to Ina that it was bad,” an eyewitness told Radar Online. “She looked like she was about to faint.”

    Other celebrity chefs accompanying De Laurentiis on the holiday-themed special were Alton Brown, Ina Garten and Bobby Flay.

    In response to a fan asking about De Laurentiis because she was unable to watch the show, Brown quipped on Twitter, “we did locate the end of Giada’s left index finger in the stuffing. Rushing to hospital now.”

    De Laurentiis seemed to enjoy this comment, and replied with a smiley face.

    Images via Twitter