Ted Allen - Host "Chopped" CHOPPED RETURNS TO FIND AN ULTIMATE CHAMPION!
Four-Week Stunt Premieres Tuesday, September 8th FOOD NETWORK
This September, Chopped presents a special four-week event that gives previous winners the chance to compete again. This time, the chefs risk becoming first-time losers as they take on new challengers. The winner of each episode takes home $10,000 and the chance to move on and battle against three more Chopped champions. Hosted by Ted Allen, the stunt begins on Tuesday, September 8th at 10pm ET/PT.
Emmy Award-winner Ted Allen is host of Food Network’s Chopped and Food Detectives. He’s been a judge on Bravo’s Top Chef and Food Network’s Iron Chef America and was host of the PBS series Uncorked: Wine Made Simple. Ted was the food and wine specialist on the groundbreaking, Emmy-winning Bravo series Queer Eye, which had a 100-episode run. He is author of “The Food You Want to Eat: 100 Smart, Simple Recipes” (Clarkson-Potter), a cookbook that features easy, all-natural recipes. Ted co-wrote the New York Times best-seller “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy: The Fab Five’s Guide to Looking Better, Cooking Better, Dressing Better, Behaving Better, and Living Better.” Since 1997, Ted has been a contributing editor to Esquire magazine, where he writes about food, wine, style and everything else the American man needs to know. He was a finalist for a National Magazine Award for his Esquire feature on the little-known phenomenon of male breast cancer. Ted also writes regularly for such publications as Bon Appétit and Epicurious.com. Before joining Esquire, Ted was a senior editor and restaurant critic at Chicago magazine. Ted holds an M.A. in journalism from New York University, with an advanced certificate in the school’s Science and Environmental Reporting Program, and a B.A. in psychology from Purdue University. He lives in New York with his longtime partner, Barry Rice.
James Villas - " The Bacon Cookbook: More than 150 Recipes from Around the World for Everyone's Favorite Food " (NATIONAL PORK BOARD)
James Villas was the food and wine editor of Town & Country magazine for twenty-seven years. His work has also appeared in Esquire, Food & Wine, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Saveur, the New York Times, and the Atlantic Monthly, among other publications. Two of his cookbooks have been nominated for a James Beard Award, he has won two James Beard Awards for journalism, and he received Bon Appétit's Food Writer of the Year Award in 2004. Villas is the author of more than a dozen cookbooks and books on food, including My Mother's Southern Kitchen, Crazy for Casseroles, Between Bites, Stalking the Green Fairy, and, most recently, The Glory of Southern Cooking.
· What is Bacon Day?
· Why is the National Pork Board celebrating Bacon Day?
· Why do you love bacon?
· Why did you decide to write The Bacon Cookbook?
· What are some of your favorite bacon recipes?
· What are some tips to enjoying great bacon?
· Where can people find more information about bacon and Bacon Day?
Gunnar Nelson - ‘Early TV Memories’ Stamps Commemorate Golden Age of Television"
Gunnar is the son of teen idol Ricky Nelson and actress Kristin Harmon. He is the identical twin brother of musician Matthew Nelson and brother of Tracy Nelson and musician Sam Nelson. His paternal grandparents are Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Hilliard from the TV series Ozzie and Harriet. His maternal grandparents are football player and sports broadcaster Tom Harmon and the 1940s actress Elyse Knox. His maternal uncle is actor Mark Harmon.
Tonight Show, Ozzie and Harriett, The Lone Ranger Among 20 TV Shows Honored
LOS ANGELES—Woof woof! What’s that Lassie? You’re on a stamp? But where’s Timmy?
One of America’s most revered canines was among 20 television icons that came out of retirement today to be honored on the U.S. Postal Service’s Early TV Memories 44-cent commemorative First-Class stamp sheet. Lassie participated in the first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony that took place at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in North Hollywood. Available nationwide today, all 50 million stamps, available in sheets of 20, commemorate Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet; Alfred Hitchcock Presents; The Dinah Shore Show; Dragnet; The Ed Sullivan Show; The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show; Hopalong Cassidy; The Honeymooners; Howdy Doody; I Love Lucy; Kukla, Fran and Ollie; Lassie; The Lone Ranger; Perry Mason; The Phil Silvers Show; The Red Skelton Show; Texaco Star Theater; The Tonight Show; The Twilight Zone; and, You Bet Your Life. “All of the classic television shows represented on these stamps represents the collective memory of a generation well deserving of entertainment,” said U.S. Postal Service Board of Governor member James C. Miller III in dedicating the stamps. “It was a generation that survived the Great Depression and fought World War II. They were pioneers — creative geniuses — who brought television shows of the 1950’s into our homes, breaking new ground to provide entertainment for everyone.” Joining Miller in dedicating the stamps were Steve Allen’s wife, Jayne Meadows Allen; actor, director and comedian Carl Reiner, who emceed the event; and Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Chairman John Shaffner. Art director Carl Herrman of North Las Vegas, NV, designed the stamps and worked with twenty2product, a San Francisco-based studio, to give the archival photos used in the stamp art a suitably “retro” look. # # #
Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm.
An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Bandleader Ozzie Nelson, his wife, Harriet, and their sons, David and Ricky, played versions of themselves on a set designed to replicate their real-life home. Ozzie seemed to be around all the time, while Harriet ran things effortlessly and was always beautifully dressed. Gentle comedy arose from everyday problems and misunderstandings as their talented sons grew up and married
Howdy Doody Featuring live-action characters and marionettes, Howdy Doody entertained baby boomers and helped sell television sets to their parents. Puppet Howdy and other residents of Doodyville performed before a live audience of children known as the peanut gallery. Each episode began with a question — “Say, kids, what time is it?” — answered by the children in unison: “It’s Howdy Doody time!”
The Red Skelton Show Red Skelton was already famous when he brought his store of funny faces and voices to television with this long-running show. He played comic characters such as country boy Clem Kadiddlehopper, boxer Cauliflower McPugg, and Junior the “mean widdle kid,” whose phrase “I dood it!” became popular with viewers. One of his most popular characters, Freddie the Freeloader, is shown in the stamp art.
I Love Lucy As bandleader Ricky Ricardo and his wife, Lucy, Desi Arnaz and his real-life spouse Lucille Ball waged a comedic battle of the sexes. William Frawley and Vivian Vance played their landlords and best friends, Fred and Ethel Mertz. Lucy and Ethel had wacky adventures like the one depicted in the stamp art, with Ethel and Lucy trying to keep up with candies on a conveyor belt.
Texaco Star Theater Comedian Milton Berle worked successfully in radio and film before moving to TV, where he became the new medium’s first superstar. His show was known for his clowning, often in outlandish costume and for the quartet that sang the sponsor’s jingle (“Oh, we’re the men of Texaco…”). Berle became known as “Mr. Television” and was credited with driving up television sales.
You Bet Your Life This game show was built around the personality of its host, comedy star Groucho Marx, who loaded his banter with quips. A toy duck lowered from the ceiling delivered a cash prize when contestants said the week’s “secret word,” a common word selected in advance. The actual quiz was less the focal point than an opportunity to unleash Groucho’s wit.
Hopalong Cassidy William Boyd, a leading man from the silent film era, gave life to the title character of this Western series. As originally created by novelist Clarence E. Mulford, Hopalong was a rough-talking cowboy. Later, “Hoppy” was made suitable for a broader audience. He appeared on the covers of national magazines and on such items as lunchboxes, roller skates and watches.
Lassie In 1954, at a time when many Americans had left the countryside for cities and suburbs, Lassie made her television debut, offering viewers a nostalgic look at rural life. Since then, one of the world’s most famous dogs has been welcomed into millions of homes. By performing rescues and other feats, Lassie has become the embodiment of trust, loyalty and friendship.
Dragnet Between the memorable opening notes of its theme and the concluding details about the fate of its villains, this police procedural emphasized the day-to-day drudgery of detective work instead of pulse-pounding action. Series creator Jack Webb, who starred as Sgt. Joe Friday, told a reporter, “We try to make it as real as a guy pouring a cup of coffee.”
The Phil Silvers Show This subversive comedy, set at a fictional army base in Kansas, made a hero of conniving Army Master Sergeant Ernest T. Bilko, a con man who flourished even in the confines of the military. With a highly developed sense of irony and acerbic wit that kept his essential decency hidden, Bilko (Phil Silvers, shown in the stamp art) saw through the American dream.
Kukla, Fran and Ollie The “Kuklapolitan” puppets — chief among them gentle Kukla, who resembled a clown, and Ollie, a mischievous dragon with one prominent tooth — were popular with adults as well as children. The humor in this largely improvised show resided not in slapstick, as in typical puppet theater, but in satire and wit. Host Fran Allison treated the puppet characters as if they were real.
The Ed Sullivan Show Through more than 20 years on the air, host Ed Sullivan kept Broadway buffs, jazz fans, rock-and-rollers and others entertained on Sunday nights. His long-running variety show — called Toast of the Town in its early years — provided a showcase for virtually every kind of act, from classical musicians, ballet dancers, and comedians to popular performers such as Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, and the Beatles.
The Dinah Shore ShowDinah Shore, one of the first popular singers on television and the host of several variety shows over the years, was widely known for her warmth, sincerity and relaxed style. She is remembered for singing her sponsor’s theme song (“See the U.S.A. in your Chevrolet”) and for sending the audience off with a farewell kiss at the end of her show. M-wah!
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show George Burns and Gracie Allen were a popular comedy team from vaudeville and radio. On television, they played versions of themselves, a married couple dealing with various complications. Allen acted the part of the zany blonde who disrupted the order represented by her husband, the “straight man” who moved in and out of the action to comment on it directly.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents Film director Alfred Hitchcock presented tales of mystery and suspense in this anthology series. Its memorable theme music was based on Charles Gounod’s “Funeral March of a Marionette.” The balding, rotund Hitchcock introduced each episode and appeared again at the end to offer assurance that evildoers had been punished, addressing the television audience with his trademark drollery and gallows humor.
Perry Mason In a typical episode of this long-running courtroom drama, protagonist Perry Mason and his team cleared their client of murder charges and identified the actual killer, who was usually present when exposed as the culprit. The stamp art features Mason (Raymond Burr, at right) in confrontation with his customary trial opponent, the formidable District Attorney Hamilton Burger (William Talman).
The Lone Ranger The year 2008 marked the 75th anniversary of The Lone Ranger. Since his radio debut in 1933, this masked hero has captivated loyal fans in books, movies, comics, and — most successfully of all—television. Clayton Moore played the virtuous if mysterious title character who was beloved for his valor, righteousness, and the jaunty command he gave his white horse: “Hi-yo, Silver, away!”
The Honeymooners The Honeymooners presented a comic view of working-class life and marriage. Jackie Gleason starred as Ralph Kramden, an irascible bus driver susceptible to get-rich-quick schemes and frequently embroiled in arguments with his more levelheaded wife, Alice. Unfortunately, his longed-for jackpot always failed to materialize. Art Carney, pictured in the stamp art with Gleason, was memorable as Ralph’s neighbor, friend and foil, Ed Norton.
The Twilight Zone The Twilight Zone cautioned viewers not to be too sure of anything. Intended for an adult audience, this anthology series focused on the imaginary and the bizarre. Creator Rod Serling wrote many episodes and served as narrator. The stranger-than-fiction dramas were often social commentaries set against a background of fantasy and science fiction.
The Tonight Show The basic format of this long-running late show — comedy, music, and talk hosted by one magnetic personality — was intact from the beginning. Various hosts have entertained the show’s audience over the years. The first, Steve Allen, pioneered the format and is pictured in the stamp art. Allen is remembered for his genuine wit, talent at the piano and for interacting “live” with his studio audience.
Merry Edwards - Merry Edwards Winery
Merry Edwards approaches life with graceful intensity. When sampling grapes in the vineyard, hand pruning her cherished roses, preparing dinner for her family, running the rapids on the Colorado River — in whatever she does, Merry balances intellect with intuition. Each wine she makes benefits from her precision and perception of subtlety and elegance.
During her thirty-three year winemaking career, Merry has earned the universal respect of winemaking peers, grape growers and academicians. A self-described perfectionist, she has constantly refined her vineyard practices, wines and techniques. Merry does not rest on her laurels; she grows. Food was Merry’s gateway to wine. She recalls, “When I was a teenager my mother had cookbooks produced by the California Wine Advisory Board. Wine was an ingredient in every recipe, so I started cooking with wine.” Fascinated with food chemistry and fermentation in particular, Merry brewed beer as a simple extension of making bread and working with yeast. Then she purchased a book on home winemaking and began to ferment fruit wines. In 1970, when Merry earned her B. S. degree in Physiology from the University of California at Berkeley, her friends knew her as the accomplished amateur who made " The Merry Vintners" wines. In 1971, while attending graduate school in nutrition at U. C. Berkeley, Merry met Andy Quady who was studying winemaking at the University of California at Davis. “Looking through Andy’s books, I became fascinated,” recalls Merry. “I was surprised to learn one could study winemaking as a discipline.” Within a month, Merry shifted her graduate studies to wine at U. C. Davis. In the winter of 1973 she earned a masters degree in Food Science with an emphasis in Enology. Of the three women in the masters program, only Merry became a winemaker. While seeking her first winemaking position, Merry encountered gender discrimination time and again. Supported by her mentor, Dr. Maynard Amerine, she stayed the course, pursuing a career as a winemaker, rejecting positions as a laboratory technician, the traditional role of women in the science of winemaking at that time. Merry’s perseverance precipitated changes in hiring policies, paving the way for future generations of women to take charge in the cellar. Consulting Winemaker Richard Graf and the owners of Mount Eden Vineyards selected Merry to be their winemaker in February 1974. She made three vintages while at Mount Eden and earned a reputation as a rising star in the California wine industry. In 1975 Merry selected cuttings from Mount Eden’s Pinot Noir vineyard and sent them to U.C. Davis for heat treatment (to remove virus) and propagation. This field selection became UCD clone 37, also known as the “Merry Edwards selection” and a star performer in the Russian River Valley. During the mid-Seventies, she made many trips to Sonoma County, inspired by the pioneering Pinot Noirs made by her good friend, Joe Swan. Merry was taken with the area, particularly the distinctive grapes grown here. “The fruit from Sonoma County was recognizable to me. I could pick out the juicy, rich fruit character in a blind tasting.” When a friend proposed a joint venture with Merry as winemaker, she left Mount Eden and permanently relocated to Sonoma County. The project fell apart before she was able to make wine, but not before Merry became acquainted with some winegrowers, including David and Sandra Steiner (now Sandra McIver). In summer, 1977 Sandra hired Merry to help build Matanzas Creek Winery from scratch. Merry produced seven acclaimed vintages at Matanzas Creek, catapulting the brand to national prominence. She also developed a very popular style of Sauvignon Blanc, the model for her own varietal wine today. Prior to Merry’s first vintage at Matanzas Creek Winery, Sandra McIver sent her to France on reconnaissance. Intrigued by clonal research described to her by Dr. Harold Olmo at U. C. Davis, Merry traveled to the University of Beaune where a major study of Pinot Noir clones was underway. She surveyed the experimental vineyards, where the nuances of clonal variation captured Merry's attention.
The importance of clones was not recognized in California at the time; vintners and farmers alike considered Merry’s focus heretical. “Joe Swan, a primary mentor for me, was one of few who recognized the importance of clones. Joe and Dr. Olmo encouraged my research,” Merry says. She planted seven different clones in Matanzas Creek’s Chardonnay vineyard. Harvesting and segregating the fruit in barrel trials, Merry’s pioneering work forever changed the California wine industry. In 1985 Merry and Dr. Olmo presented the first clonal seminar ever offered at U. C. Davis, where she substantiated clonal significance to skeptical vintners and growers. In 1984 Merry left Matanzas Creek to devote full time to her consulting business and Merry Vintners, a small winery she and her family founded in the Russian River Valley. Dedicated exclusively to Chardonnay, Merry Vintners enjoyed widespread recognition. Unfortunately the family business was caught in the industry’s downward cycle in the late 1980s. Lenders called back the loans of many small wineries, including Merry Vintners’, and it ceased production in 1989. Financial restraints interrupted Merry’s career once again when Vintech, an ill-fated investment company, filed for bankruptcy late in 1990. Vintech had recruited Merry as Vice President and Winemaker of Laurier Winery in 1989. She produced two vintages in the new, state of the art winery she helped to build before the bankruptcy pre-empted their release. Merry Edwards in her Meredith Vineyard Merry’s successful consulting business became her full time profession. Her esteemed reputation and expertise defined a new breed of winemaker: the consultant superstar whose name enhanced the reputation of her client’s brand. The most exciting and absorbing chapter of Merry's professional career is her present passion. In 1997 she co-founded a business venture allowing her to produce Merry Edwards Wines from select Pinot Noir grapes in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast, including, for the first time, her own vineyards: Meredith Estate, Coopersmith and Georganne. “ I have always wanted to make wine from the ground up. Today my husband Ken and I are growing over forty acres of Pinot Noir. After many years of being a guest in other wineries, we are building our own, customized Merry Edwards Winery, located at our own Coopersmith Vineyard.” At home in the Russian River Valley since 1977, Merry has explored the hills, pockets, slopes and hollows, discovering small vineyard properties where site, clone and farming practices produce exceptional grapes. An acknowledged expert in viticulture as well as winemaking, she has developed close working relationships with dedicated vineyard owners, allowing her to influence the farming and harvesting of Pinot Noir, and her other love – Sauvignon Blanc. Reflecting on her many accomplished years, Merry advises novice winemakers to begin their careers with a dual degree in Viticulture and Enology. “Through experience and study, I have earned my ‘viticulture degree’ in the field. It is very important to me to do everything possible to obtain quality, and that begins in the vineyard,” she says.
Gardening, cooking, literature and family balance Merry’s life. She is devoted to her country gardens, which include more than 50 roses. “I love beauty around me and I love to create my own environment,” she explains. Merry enjoys reading and likens favorite authors to favorite wines - they are each unique and too numerous to mention. Merry raised two sons while successfully managing her career. Now she shares quiet moments and collaborative projects with her husband and partner, Ken Coopersmith. In many ways Merry Edwards is like her wines—complex, balanced and memorable. An intricate blend of artistic vision, scientific training, spirit and grace, she leaves a lasting impression.
Steve Evans - "The Movie Guy
What's happening at the movies this weekend? Steve has all the info on what to see or maybe what to pass up. The hottest films and the biggest bombs from "The Movie Guy".