So I just finished watching Emeril Live for the first time since . . . um, actually, I’ve never watched a whole episode of Emeril. I’m at best a casual Food Network watcher, settling on a show for a few minutes when flipping channels - though I’ve always had a soft spot for the aspirational efficiency of 30 Minute Meals. But I could never stand the “Bam!” I recall stumbling on Emeril doing something halfway interesting and then it would come out and the channel would change.

Anyway, I taped this week’s episode of Emeril, “Kicked Up Tailgaiting,” because it featured as special guests soccer stars Pablo Mastroeni and Jimmy Conrad. And by “soccer stars,” I mean people self-proclaimed soccer fan Emeril has never heard of, judging by the fact that he couldn’t remember their last names or their teams without reading them off the blue card. And these poor guys play on the national team for Pete’s sake! Mastroeni and Conrad were, of course, gracious and adorable, which made it much less awkward than it could have been. Even when Emeril thanked “the soccer organization” - whatever that is - at the end of the show.

(I only taped it because it featured the two soccer players. Every couple weeks I do a keyword search in the DVR for “soccer” so I can catch all the games I might want to tape, but that also creates lots of random hits like Emeril, usually at least one Dora the Explorer episode, the Will & Grace where Will and Jack join a gay soccer team, and whimsical bits like Cleats of Imminent Doom.)

Query - why does Emeril have a band? I suppose it’s a vestige of the dizzying heights of fame he once achieved - and the women in his audience still look enraptured by him (though other than the excessive use of cilantro, I would not say no to him cooking for me) - but it’s just so goofy.

The upside of the viewing was that not only is the “Bam!” thankfully gone, but I got to appreciate just how charming Emeril is. He was funny, though not as funny as the audience thought, and I bet no one does lime juice rage like Emeril. His was so into his stories even when they lacked payoff for the rest of us, but he endearingly made it work. And he had no problem teasing himself for his gaffes, including the running motif of measuring so casually that the various pots and bowls were not quite big enough for what he needed to put in them. I have no intention of watching again, but if the Bam! was keeping you away, it’s safe to go back.

Posted on Saturday, July 7th, 2007 at 12:33 pm in Pop Culture, Random.
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