Marc Summers Says He Helped Launch Guy Fieri's Career When 'Nobody Seemed to Have Any Interest in Him' (Exclusive)

Marc Summers might just be responsible for Flavortown.

Former host of Nickelodeon’s hit show from the eighties Double Dare he also spent over twenty years of his career at the Food Network, where in 2006 he met no less than industry newcomer Guy Fieri.

“I was the host The Food Network’s Next Star when he won, so I pulled him aside after he won, and I said, ‘Okay, your life is going to change,'” Summers tells PEOPLE of the moment nearly two decades ago.

Marc Summers and Guy Fieri attended the 2016 Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE at Surfcomber Hotel on February 27, 2016 in Miami Beach, Florida.

Dylan Rives/Getty

However, Summers admits that even he didn’t predict at the time how much Fieri’s life would change – but he knew the winner was in for a good ride.

“I said, ‘If you do this right, it’s going to be amazing,'” he recalls telling the now-famous chef, “and I said, ‘Do you have an agent?'”

Guy Fieri Says He’s ‘Very Humbled’ After Signing $100 Million Food Network Deal (Exclusive)

Fieri, having just won the show, of course, had no representation. Summers took the opportunity to change that.

“He came to LA, and I drove him to a bunch of different agents,” he recalls. Eventually, Summers said his own connections helped Fieri land his first agent.

Randall Benton/Sacramento Bee/Tribune News Service/Getty

Summers, who hosted series like Unpacked and Ultimate Recipe Showdown on the Food Network, adds that Fieri is one of the nicest people in the business.

“The guy’s the kind of person who wouldn’t take the shirt off your back, he’d take the skin off your back,” he says. “If I was driving to his house and got stuck on the 5 freeway, he would drive over and pick me up. I mean, we’ve had a really great relationship over the years.”

Guy Fieri at the star ceremony honoring Sammy Hagar with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 30, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Michael Buckner/Variety/Getty

Fieri is currently working as a producer for Summers’ latest venture: Off-Broadway, a one-man show called The life and slime of Marc Summerslasts until June 2.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

For Marc Summers, ‘It Doesn’t Get Much Better’ Than His One-man Show at 72: ‘Hard Time Retiring’ (Exclusive)

“He was a good fan,” says Summers. “He’s a great guy. He always involved me in many things.”

Marc Summers in The Life and Ministry of Marc Summers.

Russ Rowland

This couple’s teamwork also extends to charity work. When Fieri needed an emcee for a fundraiser he was organizing to help those affected by the wildfires in Maui, Summers answered the call.

“He’s the most generous guy. He always collects money for someone who needs something, primarily in the food community, but [also] for the people of Maui, a place we all love,” Summers says of Fiera’s willingness to always help. “And so he thinks, ‘What can I do for you?’ as opposed to ‘What can someone do for me?'”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education