Emeril

I enjoy watching Emeril Lagasse's cooking shows on the Food Network, but this situation comedy built around him is a misfire. Compliments to the chef: Lagasse appears to be very comfortable acting in front of the camera as opposed to cooking. However, it's as if he's a supporting character on his own show. Lisa Ann Walter (veteran of a failed sitcom herself) and the other two ladies who play characters who assist with the chef's cooking show seem to pull the action right out from under him. I have no idea why Robert Ulrich's agent character is there at all; I guess the writers needed to give Lagasse a male buddy to interact with to counterpoint all of the women he's surrounded by.

His cooking shows on cable are more entertaining than this undercooked offering.

I actually favored watching his live show on the Food Network over this show. If only NBC had done things differently, Emeril fans, like myself, wouldn't have ran out the door! I now feel sorry for Emeril and his potential acting career because I think he could've gone far with this one. My advice to Emeril is, "Please try again."

It was not Emerils fault that the show bombed.

The Thomasons would not let Emeril "play" Emeril as himself.

There were no "bams", no "kick it up a notches".

They forced him to play a toned down version of himself.

Then cast a bunch of actors around him to liven the show up.

Sure Emeril is no Sir Laurence Oliver, but neither is Tom Hanks.

Emeril was handicapped by not being allowed to be himself.

Emeril can still buy and sell any of you out there who have knocked his effort.

I went to one of the tapings of the show in California and in my opinion did as good of a job as was possible given the circumstances.

At least HE tried, can any of you dopes say say the same!

The critics keep expecting a show that is synonymous with Henrick Ibsen or Anton Chekov in its writing and plots. But that isn't what Emeril does. The show is just a pleasant diversion, with common issues with its viewers. I watched the show and enjoyed it for what it was. Why are people attacking it? It's not derogatory, it isn't hateful, and it doesn't dumb down to anybody. It's just a pleasant television show about a famous cook!

This poorly written sitcom relies entirely on the charisma of Emeril, and he needs help. The scripts were dreadful, the supporting cast (with the exception of Urich) were pedestrian, and the entire concept seems poorly thought out. Linda Bloodworth Thomassan, who with her husband gave the much needed support to President Clinton, via advice and speech critique, seems to have lost out again. And again it is the viewers that suffer.