The nationally syndicated morning show broadcast a veritable lovefest/foodfest/musicfest starring the city of New Orleans, narrated with great humor by Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa, who said they had been eating their way through New Orleans restaurants. Ripa at one point joked that she hadn't "had a beignet or a banana cream pie in about 40 minutes."

On an unseasonally cool and windy April morning, chef Emeril Lagasse cooked up beignets, seafood gumbo, crab cakes and his banana cr?me pie on the street while Rebirth Brass Band played "Jambalaya" on a balcony right above him.

"I've been here 26 years, and there's no city like New Orleans," Lagasse said.

The 2,000 cheering and clapping audience members, most of them women, waited in long lines in cold weather to get into their seats, but there were few complaints.

Amy Trosclair and Cathy Murray drove in from Reserve. "She's fabulous," Trosclair said of Ripa. "She's family-oriented. That's what I like."

"I've been watching her since she was on 'All My Children,' " Murray said. "They jell well together."

Others in line said they had come from as far away as Baton Rouge; Birmingham, Ala.; and Florida. Although tickets were distributed, there was no guaranteed seating, so some fans began lining up as early as 2 a.m. to ensure their spot in the audience.

This is the fifth time in 20 years the show has been to New Orleans, the last visit coming in 2007.

"This was not a hard sell. Regis and Kelly love New Orleans," said Sandy Shilstone, president and CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation. The talk show is built around chit-chat, humor and good times, and this episode was no exception.

The set was adorned with Carnival court jesters and other purple, green and gold props. The hosts danced with Hugo the Hornet, the mascot of the New Orleans Hornets , who dipped Ripa almost to the floor. Later in the week, she said, she plans to do some Cajun dancing with local musician Sunpie Barnes.

Philbin had been to the Hornets game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night, guest of owner George Shinn. The Bees were never in the game. Point guard Chris Paul drew the loudest audience cheer of the morning when he was introduced as a guest. Philbin decided to stick the needle in Paul.

"I was at the game last night," Philbin told him.

Paul: "Yeah, did you enjoy it?"

Philbin: "I enjoyed the first minute."

Paul: "Never come again. Never come again. Never ever. You're bad luck." The audience howled with laughter. Ripa agreed with Paul.

Philbin: "Come on, Chris."

Paul: "No, you can't ever come again."

Later, Philbin joked that Paul ignored him even though he was sitting courtside and appeared on the Jumbotron, adding that when he goes to see the Lakers, Kobe Bryant always gives him a chest thump.

"We're in New Orleans. We're not talking about Kobe," Paul joked.

Ripa said she took her parents and a friend, actress Faith Ford, to Commander's Palace, adding that her parents never drink but they had a Tequila Mockingbird and "got wild on the bayou."

She said she and Ford went out for a jog Sunday because they had been hitting the town so much, including a stop at Li'l Dizzy's for fried chicken.

"We wound up in the middle of a marathon. They were cheering us on," she said. "We looked so energetic compared to the others." And for good reason -- they had run into the very the end of the 70.3-mile Ochsner Ironman Triathlon.

Right before the Emeril cooking segment of the show, right after Philbin had said, "Poor Kelly is freezing," she added, "Let me stand next to the hot oil," which was there to cook the beignets. She put her hands over the pot.

Emeril told them that he had just added shrimp and crawfish to the gumbo and was about to toss in the oysters and crabmeat.

"Who could use a bowl of gumbo right now?" shouted Philbin.

"Yesssss!" said the audience.

. . . . . . .

Columnist Angus Lind can be reached at alind@timespicayune.com or at 504.826.3449. Comment or read past columns at www.nola.com/living.

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LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY

Today's guests

Saints running back Reggie Bush, actress Faith Ford, singer Jesse McCartney.

House band

Storyville Stompers.

9 a.m. Ch. 4

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THEY SAID IT!

Quotes from Monday's telecast of 'Live With Regis and Kelly'

Regis Philbin: 'We're happy to tell the country the city is booming again. It's up and running, restaurants are packed, conventions are here, spirits are high!'

Kelly Ripa: 'If you want to experience the greatest things this country has to offer, you have to come to New Orleans. Get in your car, and drive here now!'

Philbin: 'You can see all the beautiful buildings here on . . . what is it? Pod-row Street? Poydras! Don't turn on me!'