I did not know that Joanna was 1/4 Lebanese - I had to find that out from this site. I always thought that she was Native-American, possibly from the Hueco Tribe, which is where Waco got its name. I see that she did play Pocahontas in a high school play, however. I think a lot of people thought that Cher was Native American as well, while she is instead half Armenian. Cher's mother claimed to be part Cherokee, but I think that has been disputed.

Anyway, I do love Lebanese food, and so I would watch her cooking show for that. I've never watched her design show, as being reminded of Waco is too painful for me. Plus it is not my style at all and never was.

One of my best friends (Jimmy) in Los Angeles is half Korean, and I thought he was Italian when I met him. However, he grew up in central Michigan after his mother married his stepfather, who adopted him. Jimmy was born in Korea (in a rice paddy, if you believe what he says) and did not move to the U.S. until he was seven, which is when he learned English. He told me that he had to deal with a lot of prejudice in Michigan for being half Korean but that when he moved to L.A., no one even noticed, and certainly did not care. Jimmy has two half-brothers in Michigan and never knew who his biological father was.

I certainly did not know that Joanna was half Korean, but then I'm not good at being able to notice these things.

I wonder if people are still interested in the Gaines family, or if their 15 minutes is up.

I travelled through Waco over the holidays. Judging by the expansion of their footprint since the last time I was through there a couple of years ago, and the throngs of people there on a cold and rainy Wednesday morning, I'd say they're doing fine. I'm actually looking forward to the launch of the Magnolia Channel. It seems like it's going to have some interesting shows, one even focused on a bespoke kitchen cabinet maker in England. I think it will have a softer touch than the standard loud HGTV fare, greige and subway tile notwithstanding.

15 minutes? Well, let's see...Chip and Joanna had an extremely popular TV show for 5 years; have a successful line of furniture, rugs, and home accessories; have authored several books; created a popular destination spot with their own complex of buildings; are launching their own TV network; and I'm sure other things I don't know or have forgotten.
It seems to me that dismissing all of these years of hard work and talent with the cliched 15 minutes of fame line is beyond ridiculous.
I very much enjoy the passion and energy these two have for what they do and I'm looking forward to what their Network brings.

I really respect her. She seems to balance her family life with her passion and business ambition very well. I see her as the new Martha Stewart, whom I also respect quite a bit too. I wish I had been able to mesh my love of domestication into a profitable business.

I like the new set’s inset wood cabinets, they are yummy!

I ran across it about 15 minutes in, and I'm enjoying it so far. Also looking forward to the new channel and shows.

People sure can get tetchy when it comes to discussing the Gaineses. I don't get the great appeal... YMMV. I liked them for oh, possibly about 15 minutes when they first aired, but HGTV aired and aired and aired their episodes again and again, so it seems to me that there was an over-saturation of their particular brand. I got to where I couldn't watch the childish antics of Chip; didn't find his schtick humorous in the least. I realize that they have built something of an empire and hey, good for them and all, but we don't all have to think they hung the moon.

Then again, this is not to say that the new network won't be different and of greater interest than Fixer Upper was after a time. I won't knock it until I see it.

She can cook too? Where I live the young ones, 20's, 30's, are into the Gaineses.

They have five kids, do they even see them? I'll definitely check into their new channel, anything's got to be better than HGTV.

I do like The Pioneer Woman though. :)

I agree with Ocotillo. It is HGTV’s fault that I am sick of the Gaines Show./family. Remember when they retired? HGTV aired their shows for another year or more. When HGTV sees a good thing ($$), they programmed their shows daily and for hours. I feel the same about Home Town and the Property Brothers. Watching Joanna cook will not be must see TV for me.

Lars, you're a funny guy. No, Cher was not a half breed. That was just a song but she might be part gypsy.
I won' be watching Joanna Gaines. She's alittle too one note for me.

I stopped watching Fixer Upper after the episode in which Chip was playing around with a football inside a house they were showing to a client and he hit Joanna in the head with it—accidentally, obviously—-but never apologized on camera. That schtick of him being an unruly child and her the stern mother was too Freudian and sexist for me to continue to watch. I liked maybe one third of her work but not her signature touches of plants hanging in pockets on the wall (where they couldn’t be reached to water), open kitchen shelving of slabs of wood, and black pipes, etc. I also wanted to brush her daughters” hair every time I saw them. Her own hair was always perfectly groomed....she couldn’t spare a minute to run a comb through theirs?

On another note entirely I read a magazine article in which she claimed God spoke to her in an audible voice telling her to create great things under the Magnolia name. That’s when I knew she worshipped her own ambition 😎