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Emeril Lagasse, who became one of the first stars on the fledgling Food Network and introduced "Bam!" to the popular lexicon, nearly went broke a few years ago. His unlikely knight-in-shining-armor was none other than domestic diva, Martha Stewart.
Hurricane Katrina was the culprit. Lagasse has three New Orleans restaurants and lost at least one million dollars, with profits dropping by a third. Also, his 17-year run on Food Network was over. Adding insult to injury: his Mississippi home was destroyed. It was precipitous times for the celebrity chef who opened his first restaurant over twenty years ago. But in 2008 Martha swept off her white horse (with a perfectly braided mane) and purchased the rights to Lagasse's empire of cookbooks, televisions shows and kitchen products for $45 million in cash and $5 million in stock.
"She showed up at a tough time when I thought the whole ship might be going down," Lagasse admitted during a recent interview. "Basically, what I have now is a business partner." "I don't have any regrets. The experience with Martha Stewart has been delightful. She's a smart lady and a hard worker. My little bit just fits into a corner of her empire, and I'm happy to be there."
Lagasse is once again back on top. He has a show on Sirius radio called "Cooking with Emeril," and has a business partnership with Allen Brothers which will sell Emeril's Red Marble Steaks. They'll be available online next month.
Finally he's back in the medium that made him a star -- T.V. His new television show began this week on ION Television.
We missed our "Bam!" It's good to have them back.
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4-21-2010 @8:36PM molly said... EMERIL DOESN'T SAY SO BUT HE MADE SURE THAT HIS NEW ORLEANS RESTAURANT STAFF WERE TAKEN CARE OF, EVEN WHEN HE WAS LOSING HIS SHIRT. HE IS A HECK OF A GOOD GUY.
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4-21-2010 @8:37PM Hattie Crabtree said... I liked Emeril when he was so young and handsome.The Food Network still airs his old shows.His little son is so cute tho.
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4-21-2010 @8:55PM sondbr said... People like to slam Martha Stewart, but she's done a lot for many businesses by having their owners on her show, giving them the amount of success they never dreamed of. I'm glad to see that she helped Emeril out, too. She is a SELF MADE success, building and running her companies herself which is more than the stuffed shirts that walk into some big business, thinking they know it all, and running them into the ground. Martha literally gets her hands dirty for her business and she is to be commended. But, being a woman, many men are jealous of what she had accomplished. I have subscribed to Martha Stewart Living since it started and it's a work of art - there is NO magazine on the newstands that can even come close to hers in quality. I wish nothing but the best for the Martha/Emeril partnership and I'm glad Emeril is back!
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4-21-2010 @9:13PM Lisa McClintich said... I think Emeril is great but he really needs to lose weight he looks very bloated on TV and it makes me think his food is unhealthy. He used to be a very attractive guy.
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4-21-2010 @9:16PM Lisa McClintich said... PS Martha is a brilliant woman. The person who sent her to jail managed to ignore all the real crooks including Mr Madoff who at the time was reported over and over to the authorities. I wonder why they would take Martha down and NOT MADOFF? Why isnt anyone asking about this. The woman single handedly brought cooking and housekeeping and style into fashion. She is the greatest!!!
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4-21-2010 @9:28PM Jenifer said... I agree! The guy that sent her to jail was mad because "Martha was rude to him on the phone." What a little baby. Sounds like a jealous little boy who didn't like that he had to "take orders" from a much more succesful woman. I'm sure Martha doesn't have time to chit chat with everyone that answers the phone before she gets to the person she needs to conduct business with. I never understood why people were threatened by her "perfection." I may not have fresh farm eggs, but I can make the same recipe and it still is yummy. I think Martha is very smart and I love Emeril. I like his show Emeril Green on the Planet Green channel.
4-22-2010 @8:58AM LinC said... She got caught doing insider trading that made her a bundle of money. A judge sent her to prison for it. There's no whitewashing that basic fact. She's smart but in that case she was too smart for her own good.
4-22-2010 @11:10AM jcurtis said... They did take down Madoff...? I love Martha too, but insider trading is insider trading... Brilliant and beautiful woman.
4-22-2010 @12:44PM Lisa McClintich said... Maybe they took Madoff but they left the rest of the family as for putting Martha away they let rapists do community service was society really served by putting her in a prison- give me a break if she was a male she would have been given a break- The woman is a brilliant icon and I dont care if she ignores me or anyone else in public is arrogant or whatever else has been written- she is no different then oprah or anyone else- Meanwhile back to Emeril- he needs a diet some yoga and maybe he should lose weight with his listeners on his show by creating great diet food for all of us instead of vein clotting creams and butter. I say this because he is obviously too stressed out- and he's really a sweet guy-
4-21-2010 @9:44PM HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY said... I AM SO HAPPY THAT EMERIL IS BACK!!! MY WHOLE FAMILY LOVES THAT MAN!!! . CASH IN THE AMOUT OF 45 MILLION, FIVE MILLION IN STOCK, AND PROCEEDS FROM HIS NEW SHOWS, "THAT BOY SITTIN PRETTY NA".
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4-21-2010 @9:45PM FINELY TUNED AND POLISHED said... Emeril? Well lets b 4 reel... he came on almost as a new comer in food. His gimmick lets all clap when he says garlic. PLEEZZZZE... his cooking basic, no style, much hype, once in a yellow moon a descent dish "with high cooking fires" Can he shine "M. Mario's shoes? NO!!! Not a good mixer and in depth cook. (chef?) I don't think so!! A fancy hankie only!!!!
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4-22-2010 @11:31PM Dinsay said... Why did Emeril leave his first wife? Everybody thinks he is such a great guy he's no better than the rest of the dog's!!
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4-21-2010 @10:02PM schemoo said... I don't care for the domestic diva and I never really cared for Mr. Bam and all his hype so. I guess they are a financial match made in food land. I would occasionaly watch Mr. Bam but NEVER the domestic diva. BYE BYE BAM BAM!
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4-21-2010 @10:01PM Dee said... It's just something about that Emeril. I don't know him, but I always felt that he was a good person he gives off that type of vibe. I'm not surprised at all that he did that for his employees! Ye gives and Ye shall receive! Emeril always appeared to have a warm heart. I am so glad that Martha was thoughtful enough to save him. Obviously she has a warm heart too! Speaking of warm, and thinking about good food, I was online recently with a sweet tooth so I goggled bread pudding and at first all I came up with was recipes, but I lucked up and found this real bread pudding entry and when I went to the website I could have eaten my computer! that breadpudding looked so good I ordered some and much to my surprise, It tastes just as good as it looks! So good I just had to share! Martha and Emeril lookout! Just for FYI the website is www.realbreadpudding.com Check it out - you'll be real glad you did!!!
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4-21-2010 @10:41PM Rosealee said... I enjoyed this article very much. It's nice to see a positive article where people are praised for being kind; positive. :D I like both folks written about as well.
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4-21-2010 @10:50PM osufan said... I love Emeral but CAN NOT STAND that Felon that still should be in jail Stewart Don't trust all the way Emeril Please or your heart may go BAM to
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4-22-2010 @7:20AM David S. said... Osufan -- that "felon" is a billionaire and laughing all the way to the bank. She made her own way in life -- guess you just don't like successful women. Get your head out of your arse and join the real world.
4-22-2010 @12:51PM Dan Prestton said... Martha came at the right time. Emeril watch your back when your are around Martha, she is still a bitch and she is always looking out for no 1
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4-21-2010 @11:41PM MIchael Mc Manus said... He is a likeable person. The new show stinks. Not representative of his original broadcasts.
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4-21-2010 @11:43PM lita said... I always found Lagasse's TV persona annoying--that insipid bam nonsense, the moronic applause for no reason (somewhat akin to the goofballs in Rachel Ray's audience who also respond like Pavlov's dogs when cheese or garlic is mentioned), and that awful band he had in the kitchen was over the top suckful. What was the point of that lousy band? Just cook, and stop trying to be so funny and clever--unless you actually are funny and clever. Sadly, he is neither.
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