Marc Summers will always be my hero.

I am of the Nickelodeon generation. It's not a very exclusive group. Many many many children (who are now twenty-somethings) grew up watching the game shows on the little MTV sister station.

We wanted to live with Jeff the Mannequin at a mall on Today's Special.

We wanted to be W-w-w-wild Crazy Kids.

And more than anything in the whole world, we wanted to be on Double Dare.

We all secretly knew that we'd kick the ace out of the final obstacle course. We'd slide down the big tongue and grab the flag in under ten seconds. Digging for that red scrap of plastic in the over-sized waffle would be easier than the dolts on TV made it look. And that tricycle would rip down the greasy runway faster than a cracked-out Superman circling the Daily Planet.

After winning a pair of British Knights shoes and brand new VCR, we'd jump and shout for victory. And we'd do it all over again not for the glory, but for the praise of Marc Summers.

Because Marc Summers was the reason the world revolved.

When he started hosting What Would You Do, we all kept on watching. After all, Marc Summers was the king of cool. That and whenever he was around, someone was getting hit with a pie.

(Side Note: Amazing that such an openly OCD person could tolerate such a messy career.)

Once I grew up, I missed seeing Marc Summers on my TV everyday.

But then I discovered the Food Network. And there's a new slew of Marc Summers programs to sate my appetite.

He shows me where Country Crock butter comes from. He teaches me about gum balls and cookies. He hosts cake and brownie competitions.

I have a new hero. And he's my old hero. And I feel seven again. And it's fantastic.