Martha Stewart has bought Emeril Lagasse...

[Virginia Dare]

NEW YORK - Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. is bringing in a new celebrity: popular TV chef Emeril Lagasse.

The New York-based media and merchandising company founded by domesticity maven Martha Stewart announced Tuesday that it bought the rights to the Emeril Lagasse franchise of cookbooks, television shows and kitchen products for $45 million in cash and $5 million in stock at closing.

The final price could rise to up to $70 million if certain benchmarks are achieved.

The company did not acquire Emeril's Homebase, which includes Lagasse's 11 restaurants and corporate office.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080219/ap_on_en_tv/martha_stewart_lagasse

[displacedtexan]

1. I'm glad she appreciates Emeril.

I think he got a raw deal from the Food Network.

Maybe Martha will do the same for Mario Batali.

[tishaLA]

16. I remember her not liking him at all.

This is simply a business decision. From Larry King Live:

STEWART: Well, I'm not so interested in fast food as I'm interested in good food. And on our show, we have...

KING: Can that be the same?

STEWART: Oh, they can be the same, and that's the rub. And if you can make it as good as Jean George cooks it or Daniel -- those guys are really the geniuses of the modern age of food. I think that they really understand the ingredients, they understand the fresh aspects, they understand the lightness.

They understand that -- you know, have you seen chefs lately, most of the chefs? They are the most handsome guys on earth. They are thin. They are...

KING: Wolfgang Puck is flying through the air now.

STEWART: Oh, he's just doing amazingly well. He...

KING: Who's the other guy that's the rage?

STEWART: Oh, Emeril.

KING: Emeril.

STEWART: Emeril on the Food Network. But these guys are -- he's a -- he's a little sloppy. You know....

KING: Emeril's a little sloppy?

STEWART: Yes, a little sloppy, and his food is a little sloppy. But not -- but he's good.

But I'm talking about -- I'm talking about...

KING: Do you mean the food, does it have to be perfect in the pan for you?

STEWART: No, no. I'm saying that the food has to be that healthy, delicious, beautiful, you want to eat it all the time kind of food. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0102/02/lkl.00.html

[displacedtexan]

17. Anthony Bourdain likes him, but he would agree with Martha.

Thanks for the info, though.

[Auggie]

21. I always wondered if he dumbed-down his recipes for the Food Network

[tridim]

2. Does anyone really like Emeril?

I can't stand the guy, but maybe it's just me. IMO he's an below average cook and an annoying personality.

[lazyriver]

4. I didn't care for him until I heard he's sticking with New Orleans

by keeping his restaurant open there and keeping people working. If that's true, I can't help but respect him for it.

[Amelie]

15. It's true

He kept his restaurants in New Orleans. I also heard that after Katrina, either he or his restaurant managers knew that they were going to lose all the food in their freezers and fridges, so they cooked it all up and gave it away.

[waiting for hope]

6. I lived in New Orleans for 14 years-

He's an awesome cook - used to go to Commander's Palace when he was there.

[Stinky The Clown]

8. I've broken bread with Emeril, up close and personal ......

He is a real person and not at all like his teevee personna.

I'd bet you'd like him. What you see on teevee is an affectation. It keeps the blue haired ladies enthralled. At his heart, he's a plain old cook.

[Bridget Burke]

12. I knew someone who'd met Emeril often....

A friend in NOLA worked with at one of his restaurants. She liked him a lot.

Emeril's original cooking show was pretty good--but the one with an audience became a bit of a zoo. Anthony Bourdain criticized Emeril's show quite strongly in the past--but was quite cordial during his recent show set in NOLA.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

13. They probably told him to "turn it up a notch for his Live Show!

[GoneOffShore]

14. Have you ever seen the segment he did with Julia Child?

That was in the days before "Bam!"

He was genuine, respectful and enthusiastic - a real mensch.

[XOKCowboy]

18. Awww Julia. I loved her show.

I can still hear her saying "Fat Is Flavor" in that wonderful voice.

[Stinky The Clown]

19. "Mensch"

Perfect description!

[tridim]

20. Sounds like he should just be himself on TV..

The main thing that bugged me about his show was when he added any alcohol to a recipe. He made it seem like adding the alcohol was a sinister thing, like it would get you drunk or something. The audience would freaking cheer when he did it and egg him on to add more. WTF? That's not cooking, that's pure showbiz. Of course he also never explained WHY he was adding the alcohol (unlike Alton Brown who gives the viewer the why, when and how about almost everything). IMO his show was a complete waste of time to watch because I never learned anything.

All that said, I didn't know about his NOLA stuff. That's certainly respectable.

[Virginia Dare]

10. He's a little full of himself..

he's an awesome chef though.

[waiting for hope]

3. I'm glad they didn't get the restaurants!

The last thing some of his NOLA restaurants need is a huge corporation behind it, somewhat of a slow death.

[leftofthedial]

5. BAM!

Kick it up a notch Martha.

[bryant69]

7. Everythings for sale

Including many people, including celebrities.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Virginia Dare]

9. It always strikes me as weird when people basically sell..

their names though. You essentially no longer own your own name. I guess anything can be bought for a price.

[Auggie]

11. My name is available for a measly million dollars