What's cooking

The queen of kitchen quick, Rachael Ray, is ready for her syndicated show's new season, which started Monday.

Ray, whose show is produced by Oprah Winfrey's King World distributors, chatted with journalists last week via a teleconference call, joined by her executive producer Janet Annino.

"There are no drastic changes in the format with the second season of the show," Annino said.

"And any changes you'll notice, come from what viewers told us they wanted."

Ray, 39, first shot to fame on cable's Food Network with 30-minute recipe advice and affordable travel tips.

During the interview call, one of the King World media reps also reminded that last year's debut of Ray's new show earned the highest numbers of a first-run syndicated show since the launch of Dr. Phil McGraw's show in 2002.

Ray said she will continue to push a greater emphasis to education and awareness for children to learn the importance of healthy eating and a balanced diet.

She also said the show will continue to showcase visits to her studio kitchen from notables and celebrities.

Among her guests during this premiere week included actresses Teri Hatcher and Valerie Bertinelli, along with today's guest Elizabeth Edwards, wife of presidential candidate, Sen. John Edwards.

"Elizabeth is so funny," Ray said. "I asked her what was the last movie she's seen since they've been so busy with the campaign and she said it was watching 'High School Musical 2' with their kids. And then she went on to say, but it wasn't nearly as good as the first one."

During Monday's first show of the season, Ray also has the cast of Disney's "High School Musical 2" on as guests during a segment about school lunches.

Tonight, Ray will be a guest on Larry King's CNN show for half the broadcast, while the second half will be devoted to an interview with biz wiz Suze Orman.

Reunion update

This Saturday is the planned reunion for the surviving members of the 1971 film "Brian's Song," which I first wrote about in February.

Last year marked the 35th anniversary of this movie about the close bond between Chicago Bears players Brian Piccolo (played by James Caan) and Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams).

The reunion event benefits The Gale Sayers Center, and center's executive director Dave Mann is hosting the movie screening and cast Q&A at Chicago's Harris Theatre in Millennium Park.

The bad news is Mann reported to me on Tuesday that the roster of attending stars just became a little smaller.

Both Caan and Williams have had to bow out, but Shelley Fabares (who played Joy Piccolo) and Judy Pace-Flood (the actress who played Linda Sayers and the widow of baseball legend Curt Flood) are still confirmed.

A tribute also is planned for the late Jack Warden, who played Halas.

For more information and tickets ($100-$200), call (312) 334-7777 or visit www.harristheaterchicago.org or (847) 391-4819 or www.galesayerscenter.org.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

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