Happy Birthday Jaclyn Smith!

Hope it's a happy one!

From the Mailbag

Shear Genius hottie and mentor Rene Fris and Tabatha Coffey attended the Princess Grace awards at Cipriani 42nd Street Wednesday night. The Princess Grace Foundation is dedicated to identifying and assisting emerging talent in theater, dance, and film by awarding grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships.

Jaclyn Smith has launched a wig line with Jose Eber, available at Paula Young.

From the Mailbag

Jaclyn Smith discusses surviving breast cancer on the Bonnie Hunt show today! Click here to see a clip.

When Reality Worlds Collide

On Wednesday, Laura K and I went to New York to attend the Shear Genius finale viewing party, sponsored by Nexxus. Upon arrival at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, Laura K spotted Charlie, his sister Kelly, and Daniel in the lobby, and they were nice enough to pose for some photos.

Before the party, we met up with Project Runway's Malan Breton and model Amanda Fields to have dinner at Top Chef season one winner Harold Dieterle's restaurant, Perilla. On our way out the door, we ran into finalist Nicole, posing here with her friend, Matt who came up from Texas to cheer for her. She was tiny and completely adorable.

Dinner was fantastic, and I enjoyed meeting Ms. Fields for the first time. Here are our dinner companions posing on the red carpet at the party.

The party started at 8PM with flashbulbs, as photographers flooded the red carpet area with lights to capture the stylists. Jaclyn and Rene were also in attendance. They are both as utterly gorgeous in real life as they are on the show. More so, actually.

Rene and Jaclyn pose with Nicole, Dee, and Charlie.

Other stylists in attendance were Glenn, Gail, and Daniel. The gals were just plain stunning in the flesh. Gaw-juss!

After the initial red carpet photography, the stylists were allowed to mingle with the guests and Bravo shot mini interview videos (which will pop up on BSG sometime later). Then came a surprise Short Cut challenge in which the three finalists cut the hair of women who were making a donation to Locks of Love, a charity that creates wigs for children suffering from long term medical hair loss.

Here we see Jaclyn Smith, Nexxus Editorial Director Roy Teeluck and President of Locks of Love Madonna Coffman during the judging.

At 10 PM we were ushered into the hotel's theatre to watch the finale broadcast. The stylists sat in the front row, with the rest of us in the seats behind them. Everyone cheered and clapped during the broadcast, and it was probably the most fun I had watching TV in a long time. However, it did feel pretty weird not to be taking notes. Fellow blogger in attendance David Dust expressed the same sentiment.

After the broadcast, Dee was presented with a giant check and there were more photos taken plus interviews. At that point, the guests took the opportunity to thank their hosts and leave the event, as did Malan, Amanda, David, Laura, and I. What a fun party it had been!

From the Mailbag

Mara Davis interviews Jaclyn Smith

Mark H. passed along this tidbit that he found on the Locks of Love Web site.

Calling LOL Donors!

Seeking women between the ages of 18-40 willing to donate their hair (10 inches or more) and participate in a live haircutting challenge as part of the Nexxus finale event for BRAVO’s hit reality show “Shear Genius”. Candidates should be available on the evening of Wednesday, August 27, live in the NY area and be willing to appear on camera. Hair will be cut and styled by “Shear Genius” finalists."

Veddy interesting! If anybody participates in this, please do let us know!

From the Mailbag

Seacoast Online has an article on Jaclyn Smith and Shear Genius.

KREN CW News has a short interview with Jaclyn.

There's an interview with Parker and Dee in the Miami Herald.

And Kim Vo will be appearing at the International Beauty Show in Las Vegas, Nevada June 28-30, 2008.

From the Mailbag

Jaclyn Smith will be appearing on Fox's Morning Show with Mike and Julia today at 9AM EDT!

Here's an interview with Dee Adams on AfterEllen.

...and a feature on Dallas-area stylists and Shear Genius contestants Matthew Tully and Daniel Lewis in the Star-Telegram.

From the Mailbag

The Advocate has an interview with Jaclyn Smith, discussing Shear Genius, life as a businesswoman, and Charlie's Angels.

Here's an article on Glenn Mitchell on Huntsville, Alabama's WHNT-TV 19 site.

Dee got a cute shout out on Latina blog Guanabee.

Got news on a Shear Genius stylist or one of the judges? Drop BSG a line!

From the Mailbag

Season One's Tabatha Coffey is getting her own Bravo show - Tabatha's Takeover. Here's an article from The Sydney Morning Herald comparing her to chef Gordon Ramsay.

Also, Jaclyn Smith will be inducted as this year's Achievement Award Honoree at the 12th Annual World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) at Universal CityWalk, July 19 - 27. More information can be found at the WCOPA site.

Interview with Jaclyn and Kim

Jaclyn Smith and Kim Vo took time out of their busy schedules recently to answer some questions. BSG was lucky enough to be able to participate in this conference call! Here are some of the highlights of the conversation.

Jaclyn on being a host, and her expectations of Shear Genius:
It was difficult at first. I’d never done reality TV. It was rather daunting and frightening because it’s not like just taking a character and creating it…and fine-tuning it. You are on the spot at all times. And you have to be very present. And it was challenging. But I must say the second time around it was easier and I had fun. And…I love the challenge of it, I really enjoyed it. I really didn’t know what to expect…I just wanted to have fun. I wanted to be challenged. And believe me, the first season I was challenged. And then now I’m on the second season and…it’s just another whole world.

I had fun both times but being in the moment and being spontaneous, and not getting so emotionally involved with all the stylists, it’s difficult for me.

Jaclyn on the show and Season Two:
I think in these challenges what’s very interesting and why I was attracted to this type of show that Bravo does because it is about talent, but it isn’t just about the technical talent. It’s about the mind and how you handle the stress of a particular challenge because they’re under such time restraints. I mean, to do all - color, cut and style - in two hours is difficult. So it is the mental capacity to be under that type of stress. It’s not always to the very finest in color, the very finest in cut. It’s who can really complete that challenge without letting the stress overtake you.

The second season is a very cohesive group. They really got along. There was unbelievable bonding between them. Yes, everybody wanted to win but they were also pulling for each other which I thought was admirable. I like that because I think more talent comes out when you are not so desperate to win something.

Kim on the next hair icon:
You know who I’m in love with right now is Gwyneth Paltrow’s new cut, how she’s wearing it… a little below the shoulders. She cut off all that long hair and she’s wearing it a little bit wavy. It’s just sliced in [the back], but it’s a little beveled so it’s not such a blunt bob. And I definitely see very natural wavy hair coming back, definitely for summer and into the fall.


Click here to read the rest of the interview.

An Angel Reunion?

Yes! According to Jaclyn Smith, there's a Charlie's Angels challenge this season - the original Angels, of which Jaclyn was a part for five seasons (1976 - 1981). Kate Jackson and Farrah Fawcett are both participating, and the challenge will involve recreating those famous hairdos.

Jaclyn says, "I thought it was challenging, because you think the simplicity of those styles. I think having some 'Angels' there was intimidating to some of the stylists. I think it was harder for them than just recreating [the hair styles] because we were there."

Looking forward to this challenge especially!

Host Bio - Jaclyn Smith

For more than three decades, Jaclyn Smith has held the public's interest as an award winning actress, a designer and role model. She loves her family, her home, gardening, Tchaikovsky, baseball, "Gone with the Wind," her mother's cooking – and her dogs.

A native of Houston, Texas, Jaclyn put on her first pair of dancing shoes at the age of three. She studied drama at Trinity University and was soon in productions of "Bye Bye Birdie," "West Side Story," and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." She left Texas to pursue her dream as a dancer in New York, was discovered by an agent and soon came into American homes as the Breck Girl – which led to contracts with Wella Balsam and Max Factor. While with Max Factor, she developed a new scent, Jaclyn Smith's California, which won best mass-produced fragrance the year in 1989 when it launched.
Hollywood beckoned, and before long she was appearing in popular series such as "McCloud," "The Rookies" and "Switch." In 1976, Smith starred as Kelly Garrett on "Charlie's Angels" and was the only actor to continue with the series for its five-year network run. Following "Charlie's Angels," Jaclyn earned a Golden Globe nomination for her critically acclaimed role in "Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy." Smith also starred in the mini-series "Rage of Angels," "George Washington," "Rage of Angels: The Story Continues," "The Bourne Identity," "Ordinary Miracles," "Family Album," and "Florence Nightingale," one of her favorite roles.

Smith has compiled an impressive filmography of more than 50 films and TV appearances. In 1989, Smith was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was also featured in the popular television series "The District," "Becker," and "Hope and Faith."

In 1985, Smith entered the business world with the introduction of her collection of women's apparel for Kmart stores. Since that time more than 100 million women have purchased clothing or accessories bearing her name. Industry authority Woman's Wear Daily reported that the signature Jaclyn Smith line had the highest consumer awareness of any private label apparel brand in the country.

Smith entered the home furnishings market in 2002, and her latest collection, Jaclyn Smith Home, features furniture, bedding, textiles, rugs, wall coverings, fine art reproductions and home accents at affordable prices, available through select dealers. At the spring 2008 Home Furnishings Show, she debuted her own showroom featuring her furniture and accessories displayed in coordinating vignettes.

"I've been very fortunate," says the woman who has been named one of the "Most Beautiful People in the World" by People Magazine on two separate occasions. "My work has always been very exciting and interesting, but to me, my family must come first."

Husband, Bradley Allen, a pediatric cardiac surgeon, son, Gaston Anthony and daughter, Spencer Margaret, and her mother, Margaret Ellen, keep her centered and serve as her inspiration. "That's truly where my heart lies."

Image and bio courtesy of Bravo.