Courtesy of an email from ..
https://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2006/06/26/bourdain_QA
I always entertain the notion that I’m wrong, or that I’ll have to revise my opinion. Most of the time that feels good; sometimes it really hurts and is embarrassing. But it’s not a problem for me to change positions. For instance, I think that beating up on Emeril was turning into shtick. He looks like [legendary chef Georges Auguste] Escoffier now compared to some of the bobble-heads who are on that network.
Q: Bobble-heads! Care to name names?
Rachael Ray. She’s paid more and is more popular [than Emeril], and I see a day when the executives say, we don’t need Emeril anymore, even though he built their network. They’ll replace him with some industry-created freakozoid who’s been grown from a seedling into a recognized brand. When you look at Sandra Lee or Rachael Ray or some of the new shows like “Calorie Commando” that are just vomit-inducing — at least Emeril worked his way up and has a real restaurant empire.
And he has been nice to me, shown incredible good humor about me calling him an Ewok. I went out drinking in New Orleans years ago with a lot of his cooks and employees, and they said he’s a good boss, a fair guy who looks after his people.
I still hate the show! But even the show, compared to Rocco DiSpirito, is Shakespeare. Rocco’s a really talented cook, way more talented than I ever was. But he wanted, with such an unholy fervor, to be on TV, to be loved by strangers.
[…]
Q: Will we see you in a year saying, “Oh, I had drinks with Rachael Ray, and actually, she’s all right”?
Yeah, right. “After the hot-tub incident, I’ve changed my mind.” You know, listen, like I said, I could be wrong. Unlikely. But maybe she’s nice to puppies.
Q: Sure, sure–you haven’t seen her kicking any old people lately.
Actually, that would be cool. If I ever saw her getting trashed on Old Crow, pistol-whipping a vegan after a bar crawl, I would think, “That’s an interesting woman. I would like to know her.”
Carrie doesn’t understand why I dislike Rachel Ray so much, but it’s good to see that someone besides and myself think she should be punched in the throat.