Celebrity Chef And HSN Pot Peddler Todd English Skewered By New York Post Again

The New York Post will not let celebrity chef/HSN pot peddler Todd English alone. And we’re more than happy to share the dish, so to speak.

The Post’s gossip column, Page Six, lead off one day last week with an item that said that some of English’s “Boston brethren think the celebrity chef is full of stale air.”

The headline was “Chefs say Todd’s out to lunch.”

Beleaguered chef Todd English

As it turns out, Boston magazine has done some very unflattering stories about English, with jabs such as he has turned into a “tourist-feeding hack” and is just “half the chef he used to be.”

Needless to say thems’ fightin’ words. So English apparently circulated a letter in his own defense, and tried to get his colleagues in the cooking world to sign it. He didn’t have much luck.

According to Page Six, Boston magazine has been brutal to English, who is best known in New York circles for leaving his bride-to-be at the altar. He later took her to court for hitting him in the head with his own watch.

The magazine skewered English for appearing in Michelob ads, hosting the Miss Universe Pageant in Las Vegas and being caught chasing skirts in the Big Apple.

“You claim you got clocked in the eye by a wristwatch-wielding fiancée,” the magazine wrote, charging that English was making a “laughingstock” of himself, according to Page Six.

HSN, Kraft Foods Cook Up Tasty Alliance That Tosses Celebrity Chef Todd English Into The Mix

HSN Thursday unveiled its multi-year partnership with Kraft Foods, the world’s No. 2 food company, in a deal that marks the home shopping network’s first alliance with a consumer products company.

“The program will combine innovative content and commerce across multiple platforms and will allow consumers to purchase HSN cooking products on Kraftfoods.com’s recipe pages while enabling them to access Kraft Foods content on HSN.com and other HSN distribution channels,” the press release says. “The initiative is designed to offer people compelling food ideas, quality cookware products and a richer experience in the kitchen.”

Starting next Tuesday, the Kraft Store on Kraftfoods.com will be “powered by HSN” and will showcase HSN cooking-related products from its experts such as Todd English, Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Lagasse. HSN.com will soon start integrating Kraft Foods recipes on product pages in the kitchen category.

Todd English

Other plans include featuring Kraft Foods products in HSN programming; developing cooking video that connects Kraft Foods recipe content with key HSN products for the kitchen and leveraging the video across multiple platforms. The partnership is also leveraging the Kraft Foods portfolio, with a number of power brands developing innovative multiplatform marketing programs with HSN:

HSN’s marketing guru, Bill Brand, had this to say about the pact.

“This partnership further deepens the relationship with our customers by providing them more of what they love about HSN — great experiences and great brands,” said Brand, HSN’S EVP of marketing, programming and business Development for HSN. “We are also excited to introduce new customers to HSN through this initiative while reinforcing our leadership position in the kitchen category.”

Kraft Foods and HSN plan to leverage all of their distribution channels to reach their combined consumer bases. Kraftfoods.com is one of the Top 20 Consumer Products Goods Company food and cooking sites. HSN is available in about 96 million homes. HSN.com Top 10-trafficked e-commerce site that attracts roughly 250,000 unique users every day.

“This partnership is truly unique as it led us to the development of a groundbreaking business model, marrying highly relevant content with interactive shopping and creating multimedia platforms for new product launches,” Julie Fleischer, director of Consumer Relationship Marketing Content Strategy and Integration at Kraft Foods, said in a canned statement. “It will enable us to expand and deepen our consumer engagement with exclusive recipes and brand programs.”

This Saturday Philadelphia Cooking Creme, one of Kraft Foods’ biggest product launches this year, will partner with English (quite the ladie’s man) and HSN for a “unique multi-channel social experience.”

English will appear LIVE on HSN at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. showcasing his GreenPan, cookware as well as cooking recipes featuring Philadelphia Cooking Creme.

On the same day, more than 10,000 homes across the country — a record number for an event coordinated by the company House Party — will be hosting a “Philly Dinnertime Dilemma House Party.”

English will also be chatting llive with home cooks via SKYPE. Let’s hope his ex-fiancee, who he left at the altar, doesn’t call in.

In addiiton, Maxwell House International and HSN have combined for a year-long partnership that integrates Maxwell House International into HSN programming, HSN.com and multi-channel interactive games.

HSN consumers will be encouraged to take a moment in their day to enjoy a cup of Maxwell House International coffee while shopping on HSN. Good luck with that.

During the month of March – International Women’s Month – Maxwell House International will sponsor an interactive game on HSN.com that offers HSN customers the opportunity to win HSN and Maxwell House International coupons and prizes.

Chef/HSN Vendor Todd English Eyes Blond Rump Roast At Party, As His Main Squeeze Looks On

It used to be that only the New York Post picked on celebrity chef and HSN pot peddler Todd English, but the New York Daily News jumped on that bandwagon Friday.

Horndog celebrity chef Todd English

English, who made tabloid headlines when he left his bride-to-be at the altar, was out breaking another woman’s heart this week. On its gossip page The News reported that “playboy chef” English got his current squeeze, 27-year-old Candice Sonneman, in a teary-eyed tizzy when he started making a play for a blond model right in front of her.

The scene played out at a party given by Ne-Yo and real estate developer Avi Oster at the Carlton Hotel in Manhattan.

“English sidled up to a tall blond model and — placing his hand on her lower back as if he was seasoning a succulent cut of veal — began whispering in her ear in full view of his gal pal,” the News wrote.

Sonneman left, followed by English. She must be a forgiving soul, because Sonneman returned to the party later that night with English.

If it was us, we would have hit him upside the head with a big watch, which is what his ex-fiancee did. Or better yet, we’d use one of his HSN GreenPans to whack him.

HSN Promotes Holiday Plans With A Mariah Carey Promo

A day after QVC said it was bringing back the “new” Black Friday, HSN put out a press release about its star-studded Thanksgifting Weekend festivities. The biggest attraction will be pregnant pop diva Mariah Carey.

To promote this shindig, HSN has come up with a holiday TV campaign featuring Mariah Carey, Iman and Twiggy as guides on a virtual shopping journey that delivers “the greatest names in gifts.”

It’s kind of cute.

This promo is set to Carey’s single “Oh Santa” from her new album Merry Christmas II You, and showcases an array of products.

“This was one of the most creative campaigns HSN has ever produced and was designed to give our customers a window into the best of the holidays and gifts,” Andrew Sheldon, HSN’s EVP of Television & Executive Creative Director, said in a canned statement Thursday.

“It was exciting to shoot on the back lot of Universal Studios to capture the winter scenes and shopping windows — and to work closely with Mariah Carey and her team. Setting the promotion to Mariah’s new holiday release was a great opportunity to tie her music with her new lifestyle brand launch on Cyber Monday.”

HSN’s holiday campaign is airing on all of its shopping platforms and will also be in rotation on cable operators covering 95 million homes as part of HSN’s cross-channel marketing efforts.

Here is HSN’s line-up over the holidays:

• Nov. 19 – Twiggy presents her LONDON fashion line, while TV actress and fashion model Molly Sims offers the latest in fashion jewelry.
• Nov. 29 (Cyber Monday) – Carey launches her exclusive collection of jewelry and footwear, as well as her limited-edition fragrance and a “Merry Christmas II You” CD/DVD bundle. Also, TV actress Kathy Najimy debuts her new shapewear concept “Ch’arms.”
• Dec. 2 – Iman showcases newest fashion, jewelry and accessory designs.
• Dec. 3-5 – Chef Wolfgang Puck provides cooking tips for the holidays.
• Dec. 3 – Entertainment expert Colin Cowie presents the best in holiday entertaining.
• Dec. 4-5 – Decorating expert Nate Berkus offers distinctive styles for your home.
• Dec. 7 – Serena Williams serves up more of her jewelry, accessories and more.
• Dec. 8-9 – Culinary celebrity Padma Lakshmi showcases her collection of natural spices, teas and teapots.
• Dec. 10 – Mary J. Blige returns with her exclusive fragrance with HSN, My Life.
• Dec. 12 – Chef Todd English with his cookware.

As part of its efforts to make shopping as convenient as possible over the holidays, HSN is leveraging all of its platforms to enable customers to shop where, how and when they want – on TV from the comfort of their home, on hsn.com, or “on the go” on their iPad, iPhone or android handheld device.

Exciting surprises are also available online. Customers can play HSN’s “Great Gift Giveaway” and have the opportunity to win $100,000 in gift prizes, including HSN gift cards, and eight electronic packages, each valued at $2,000. The game is also available on HSN’s Facebook page and mobile app on the iPhone – and is featured on-air ever Friday at 4 p.m. during the Gift Friday hours.

Did HSN Celebrity Chef Todd English Share His Oysters With Four Blonde Beauties?

Usually it’s the New York Post’s Page Six gossip column that taunts HSN vendor/celebrity chef Todd English, but on Tuesday the New York Daily News jumped on that train.

English, a ladies man who got a lot of bad press when he left his bride-to-be Erica Wang at the altar a year ago, has been spotted by Page Six with plenty of babes since then.

And the News’ gossip column, Gatecrasher, reported that English “isn’t one for subtlety when it comes to his playboy lifestyle.”

English was seen sharing a meal with “four young blonde beauties” at Flex Mussels, an eatery in the West Village, the News said.

And what he was dining on? Oysters. We guess when you’re 50 and you’ve got a flock of chicks to entertain, you need the oysters.

You’ll have to read the News to see the snarky remark it made about English’s oysters.

HSN Vendor/Celebrity Chef Todd English Calls Bride-Jilting Scandal ‘Horrible Time’ In His Life

Todd English wants you -- to go to Ca Va

Hunky celebrity chef-restaurateur-HSN vendor Todd English has apparently forgiven The New York Post for the many stories it did last October about him allegedly jilting his bride-to-be, Erica Wang.

English gave the tabloid an extensive interview for a three-page spread Wednesday, and we couldn’t find one mention of HSN in it. We hope you’re not ashamed of your home-shopping gig, selling a line of “green” pans, Todd.

The Post story is part of English’s efforts to drum up publicity for his new Manhattan restaurant, a French brasserie called Ca Va. The article is headlined “NYC’s Tasty Dish: After Being Burned By Love, Sexy Celebrity Chef Todd English is Back Fanning the Flames.”

In the piece, The Post drags out all the dirty details of English’s “scandalous breakup” with his fiancee Wang last fall.
Asked about what happened, and if he had any remorse over how it played out in the press, English told the Post, “Oh my God, yes, of course. Yes. It’s horrible. I’m not all that tough. It was a horrible time in my life.”

Wang gave The Post an exclusive interview last October claiming that English had left her at the altar, and she went ahead with the fancy reception at the posh St. Regis anyway. Wang also charged that English left her holding the bag for $12,000 of costs from the cancelled wedding.

English disputed Wang’s claims, saying he had told her the nuptials were off long before the wedding day and that he’d paid all the bills for the derailed event.

The whole mess got even nastier when English filed charges against Wang for hitting him in the head with his pricey Chopard watch. A judge subsequently ordered Wang to take anger management classes.

English told the Post hat he’s got a new TV series in the works, and that he is writing two books.

But the best was the Post’s headline for the jump on its spread on the bedroom-eyed chef: “English (Stud) Muffin.”

Celebrity Chef and HSN Pot Peddler Todd English Finally Gives His Side Of The Story About Jilting His Bride — and Page Six Writes About It

We weren’t going to blog today.

We spent the weekend at a friend’s house on Long Beach Island, celebrating our BFF Ann’s birthday. Our dinner for six at a new eatery was a lot of fun, and we even found a dive bar no one had ever heard of to hang at.

But driving home on the Garden State Parkway Sunday, we just couldn’t keep our eyes open, we were so tired. We’d gone to bed about 1:30 a.m., had trouble sleeping (as we usually do when we’re not in our own bed) and then got up at 7 a.m. to shower and make 8:45 a.m. mass.

We were nodding off when we came within an inch, we swear, of hitting the car ahead of us when it slowed down because of traffic. We knew we had to get off the road and go to a rest stop, and get coffee or something, even though we’re not supposed to have caffeine.

Todd English for the first time gives his side of he story about his messy cancelled wedding in an interview on Slashfood.com

We decided to get a large Diet Coke, to help wash down the Pizza Hut bread sticks and pepperoni personal pan pizza that’s one of our favorite meals — yes, we admit it. Obviously, we’re shouldn’t be eating such fattening fare, as it appears to be going directly to our thighs. As we noshed, we had the New York Post with us and began to read it.

Lo and behold, Page Six hasn’t picked on celebrity chef/restaurateur and HSN pot peddler (as in kitchen equipment) Todd English for months. But it wrote about him today.

Last October the Post broke the story that handsome English had jilted his bride-to-be, Erica Wang, and then stiffed her for the cost of the reception for their cancelled nuptials. It was very nasty, with Wang hurling charges against English and portraying him as a rat, and the chef eventually filing an assault charge against Wang for nailing him on the head with his own watch once. Those charges were later dropped.

We salute the Post for writing an item about English’s first interview talking about the terrible publicity the whole blow-up had caused him — and denying that any of Wang’s charges were true. You can watch English, and judge whether you think he’s telling the truth, in a video clip on www.slashfood.com.

Asked whether he was a ladies man or playboy, English said, “You read too much Page Six.”

He said the hoopla over his and Wang’s cancelled wedding was “a sad time in my life.” English said he “paid for the whole party,” and did not stiff Wang.

As to all the press coverage about his leaving Wang at the altar, English said, “It certainly wasn’t the true story behind it.”

As to being a playboy, English said, “I enjoy life, I like to have a good time,” but added that he’s looking for a serious relationship.

HSN Celebrity Chef Todd English Still Has Taste For Asian Woman, According To New York Post

The New York Post must save a spot in its Page Six gossip column each Saturday for an item on HSN celebrity chef Todd English.

Ever since English left his bride-to-be, Erica Wang, at the altar last October, the Post has been writing about him. Most of those tidbits have been about English kicking up his heels at some joint having a good ol’ time, not mourning his nasty break-up with Wang.

Today Page Six wrote about a possibly touchy subject: English’s “taste for Asian beauties.” His jilted bride Wang is of Asian descent, and today’s item says English was spotted in Las Vegas at American Fish “chatting up” an Asian woman at the bar there.

Page Six added that on Wednesday, Todd was seen with “another Asian stunner” while flying from Sin City to the other sin city, South Beach.

We’ve read stories by Asian woman talking about the sexual stereotypes Caucasian men have about them, and how they feel about those myths.

We’re half Puerto Rican, so we’re aware of the Latin spitfire, Madonna-whore, notions that men have about Hispanic women. We once went to a party for a Spanish-language cable network, and we ran into men who were essentially there just to meet the Latina hot tamale of their dreams.

It gave us the creeps. You couldn’t tell if the guy was interested in you, or the Latin stereotype he had in his head.

HSN’s Joy Mangano Breaks Record With Orders For 180,000 Of Her Home Fragrance Product — Two Weeks Ago

Mangano's Forever Fragrant

Joy Mangano, HSN’s so-called “Mother of Invention,” is doing well with products beyond her Huggable Hangers.

Maybe they’re taking a cue from QVC PR, but HSN waited two weeks to finally put out a press release on inventor-entrepreneur Mangano making HSN history Jan. 31 by selling 180,000 units of her home fragrance product, Forever Fragrant, in one day.

She surpassed her previously held record, for Huggable Hangers, by more than 50 percent.

Here is Mangano’s canned quote.

“I am thrilled by the overwhelmingly positive response to Forever Fragrant. I believe in the product, but didn’t know just how many people would be as excited about it as I am. HSN, once again, has been the perfect platform to allow me to enter the homes of 93 million Americans and share with them such a remarkable new household item.”

Forever Fragrant are fragrance-releasing sticks and discs that last up to two years.

Mangano introduced six new scents to the collection during her January appearance: Blackberry Grape (deep purple); Coconut Colada (golden yellow); Country Home (red); Couture Powder (pink); Eucalyptus Desert (dark green); and Lavender Fields (lavender). Fresh Linen (white) and Vanilla Amber (amber), two of the original best-selling scents, were also reintroduced.

Yummy.

Mangano’s claim to fame is her Huggable Hangers. Laugh if you will, but our closet is full of them. They really do free up a lot of space in your wardrobe. There’s a reason more than 260 million of them have been sold.

HSN owns Mangano’s company, Ingenious Designs LLC, making of the Huggable Hangers, My Little Steamer. IDL is now also
managing and designing product for the guitarist Esteban, Iman, Serena Williams, Paula Abdul and chef/restaurateur Todd English.

“Joy epitomizes the creative, entrepreneurial spirit that thrives here at HSN and we couldn’t be happier about her latest accomplishment, especially as it coincides with her 10th anniversary,” said Lynne Ronon, HSN’s EVP of merchandising. “Her ability to take practical home solutions to the next level is unmatched. She has an innate talent for creating products that people need and want to have in their homes.”

Page Six Spots HSN Celebrity Chef Todd English — Apparently Over His Broken Engagement — Drinking, Dancing On A Banquette And Playing Air Guitar

The New York Post’s Page Six continues to track HSN celebrity chef Todd English as he cavorts following leaving his bride at the altar last October.

Today Page Six says that English, who sells a line of “green” pans on HSN, was “embracing his bachelorhood” by drinking Belvedere, dancing on a banquette and playing air guitar at Bagatelle in Manhattan.

English’s jilted bride, Erica Wang, claims he left her at the altar on the day of their wedding. English denies it, and filed domestic assault charges against Wang. She may be taking anger management classes and doing community service to get the charges dismissed. Isn’t love grand?

Thank God the Post isn’t watching our whereabouts, otherwise they would have seen us sloshing down two huge margaritas with a gang of journalists at the Diva Lounge in Montclair, N.J., last night. With our buzz on, we sent out one of those e-mails last night that you wish you could pull back.