I actually don't have cable or satellite tv at all, janie... but I have seen all these programs enuf at others' homes that I certainly know what one is speaking of when they discuss them. I liked Rachel's $40 a Day show...have always liked Paula, and I like Giada's 'Everyday Italian' and 'Behind the Bash'... Actually, I pretty much liked all of them except Emeril and anything by Bobby Flay- for some reason those two just never grew on me in any way. Oh- one of my favs on FN has always been Michael Chiarello...

I like Martha's show, can handle Rachel's show in very small doses, and on PBS I enjoy Lidia and Rick Bayless, and Caprille & John, and the food segments on 'Real Simple'...

And though they are mega-popular with most, I cannot stand Gordon Ramsay's show or Iron Chef.

I saw Dinner Impossible last night with the new host Chef Symon from Iron Chef.
He replaced Robert Irvine who was fired for fibbing about his credentials.
I didnt like Symon on Iron Chef ..I wanted John Besh to win.
I had hoped they would bring in Chef Besh to host Dinner Impossible. Symon stunk at it.
I wont be watching that one anymore.

Chubby I'm like you. We don't have cable, so the only time I see those shows is at friends houses, or when we're on the road.

When I night clered at a motel I used to turn on FN when I got there, and leave it be until it switched to infomercials at 4 in the morning.

>one of my favs on FN has always been Michael Chiarello...<

I like Michael's show. But replicating his ease and comfort escapes me. I have one of his books, At Home With Michael Chiarello, and have yet to make anything from it that turned out the way it's supposed to.

I was thinking about FN chefs the other day. Look at how some of them group:

Paula, Ina, the Neeley gal.

Giada, Sandra Lee, Ellie Krieger

Now remember Rule No. 1: Never trust a skinny chef. Gotta be something to it. Of course, the way things are going, pretty soon you won't qualify for a FN show if you are female and wear a dress size bigger than 4 or a bra smaller than 38 DDD.

Ha! You may have something there with the dress-size/bra-size, Brook!

I am unfamiliar with "the Neeley gal" and Ellie Krieger, so maybe it's been too long since I checked out FN.

Ellie Krieger is the one that host the show Healthy Appetite.
The Neeley gal hosts Down Home With The Neeley's with her husband Pat. He is the BBQ king according to them. They make alot of food like Paula Deen. I think the Neeley gal is a tad over the top for my taste. She gets on my nerves when I watch their show but they do have some good recipes. From what I see her and her husband are going to be the hosts of Road Tasted now and not the Deen brothers.

The FN is really going downhill fast. I miss the way it used to be.