Janice Dickinson: World's First Home Shopping Supermodel

Here's the latest from JCKonline.com about those Janice Dickinson rumors:

Last night while channel surfing, I paused on HSN's fall fashion Hot in Hollywood segment with HIH co-creator Laurie Feltheimer (also wife of Lionsgate's CEO Jon Feltheimer, whose company produces hot TV properties Mad Men and Weeds). Feltheimer was showing pictures of "friends" wearing her wares, including one Ms. Janice Dickinson, of the Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency (you know, the "world's first supermodel").

According the Feltheimer, Dickinson is launching a jewelry line with HSN. (The HSN co-host didn't comment or elaborate.) Who knows what the line will entail, but one thing's for sure: The spicy dicey Dickinson will make sellin' fun.

I hope this is true!!! Love her or hate her, Janice will certainly make for some interesting television. She has about as much trouble censoring herself as Joan Rivers, so there is no telling what kind of rude or completely inappropriate comment will pop out of her mouth.

She does have a reputation for saying ... how shall I say ... "not-so-nice" remarks about plus-size women and plus-size models. That type of stuff will not fly at HSN.

Oh, how I wish Kelly Repassy were still there. Now that would have been interesting.

ShopNBC Board Member Resigns in Protest!

More high drama going down behind the scenes at ShopNBC. I just love it when inept, overpaid executives start slinging mud around.

If you don't already know what's going on, read my blog entries about it here and here.

According to StarTribune.com, Marshall Geller, a 16-year member of the board at ValueVision Media Inc. [parent company to ShopNBC] has resigned to protest the choice of the new leadership.

After huge second quarter losses were reported last week, CEO Rene Aiu was fired and replaced with board chair, John Buck.

Buck neglected to tell shareholders that the board of directors wasn't united in backing him as the new CEO or the direction of the company.

Geller said he did not know why the company chose to wait to disclose his resignation. In his letter, Geller said he was stepping aside to "honor my business judgment and maintain my reputation as a board member serving the public shareholders of the companies I am involved in."

Geller said he quit because he wanted to see "something more dramatic. ... There should have been a lot more emphasis on either doing some strategic partnership, selling the company, merging with someone, acquiring another company -- something other than continually changing management."

I don't claim to know these people or the inner workings of ShopNBC, but this Buck guy seems shady to me. He fires Aiu after giving her only five month to turn the company around (mind you, ShopNBC hasn't been in the black in many, many years), appoints himself in her place, and neglects to tell shareholders that the board doesn't actually agree with his decisions. What a snake.

Who Won by One Vote???

By only ONE VOTE, the always clever and unique Lori Greiner edges out Joy Mangano for the win!!! It's a good thing that online polls don't have hanging chads or this Home Shopping Cage Match could have gotten ugly.

I have to admit, that I have and love her Silver Safekeeper Mirrored Jewelry Cabinet (in the cherry finish). It's by far the best jewelry box I have ever owned.

Here is some interesting Lori tidbits:

--She likes to write plays.

--In 1996, Lori took out a huge loan to create an earring organizer. This is what started it all.

--She used to work for the Chicago Tribune.

--Lori holds over 52 U.S and International Patents.

--Lori provided $40,000 worth of her Food Bag Closures to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a member of America’s Second Harvest.

--She spent spent a week at a Salvation Army church in Newfoundland due to the September 11 terrorist attack.

Eruption Over Kate Hudson's Volcanic Ash Shampoo

Kate Hudson launched her line of eco-friendly hair care products, David Babaii for WildAid, on HSN back in July. You can read my blog entry about the line and launch here.

According to TMZ.com, Kate Hudson is being sued by a hair care company called 220 Labs for unspecified damages. She allegedly enjoyed a sample of their soon-to-be-released secret volcano ash hair product so much that she released her own line of volcano ash hair products and sold them on the Home Shopping Network.

Can you put a patent on volcanic ash???

10% of the profits from this line were supposed to support a great animal charity, WildAid. I hope that this lawsuit doesn't take away from that.

Jennifer Flavin is 40! Seriously!

Serious Skin Care diva, Jennifer Flavin Stallone rocks the bikini while on vacation with her husband, Sylvester Stallone, on the Spanish island of Ibiza on Aug. 4, 2008.

She sure makes 40 look good! But I seriously doubt she sells anything that'll make me look like that in a bikini. I'm gonna need a hell of a lot more than some Correc-Chin and InstA-tox to lift my derriere!

According to ABC news, "Supermodel Kate Moss was also spotted on the island (she owns a home there) sharing a smoke with the "Rocky" star."

ShopNBC Shareholders Revolt!

Are the ShopNBC shareholders turning into an angry mob?

According to TwinCities.com, angry shareholders want to put ShopNBC up for sale.


After another quarter of plummeting revenue (as reported by Queen Bea here), these "shareholders want the board of directors to hire an investment bank to sell ValueVision Media. They also question the competency of the board for firing Aiu (recently ousted CEO), wondering if Aiu, who was hired March 3, had enough time to turn around the company after it has spent years struggling to find its feet."


Basically, ShopNBC hasn't turned a profit since 2001, but the most recent CEO is taking the fall for the dismal second quarter financials. I hate to defend an overpaid CEO, but that's not exactly fair. Besides, if you're going to spend $600,000 on a CEO, then at least give her a chance to do something before you can her.

And, by the way, it doesn't take some high-falutin, over-paid executive to figure out what their main problem is. Customers have so many options today--online, brick and mortar, catalogue, home shopping television--that you have to separate yourself. If you want to get and keep new customers, you have to make your home shopping channel one that they will want to watch on a regular basis--endearing host personalities, great brands and vendors, lower price points, and a soft sell.

I wonder if you can buy ShopNBC on Value Pay???

Susan Lucci, Dancing Queen!

Following in the footsteps of fellow home shopping diva, Marie Osmond, Susan Lucci is putting on her dancing shoes for the next season of Dancing with the Stars.

According to ETonline.com, Susan is thrilled ... in fact, she could not be more thrilled: "I am thrilled to be on 'Dancing with the Stars' this season," she says. "I have always been a big fan of the show. This is going to be an amazing life experience for me. I've already begun to work with my dance partner, Tony [Dovolani], and could not be more thrilled to be working with him. This is a very exciting time and I look forward to the journey."

I'm pulling for Cloris Leachman for the win! I hope the 82-year-old Emmy-winning diva kicks Kim Kardashian's copious behind.

Here is a rundown of the full cast according to TVsquad.com:

Lance Bass: Bass, formerly of N*Sync, was one of the early rumors for this season's cast. Bass is going to be appearing, but contrary to previous reports, his dancing partner will not be a man. Instead, he will be paired up with Lacey Schwimmer, who is making her first appearance on the show.

Toni Braxton: The six-time Grammy award winning "Un-break My Heart" singer has been on a medical hiatus for the past six months due to heart problems. She has apparently bounced back and will be paired with season one champion, Alec Mazo, who is making his fourth appearance.

Brooke Burke: The lad mag cover girl and former host of Wild On and Rock Star: Supernova will be competing with Derek Hough, who is performing on DWTS for the third time.

Rocco DiSpirito: Audiences were first introduced to this eccentric chef on his reality show, The Restaurant. While he was ousted from the restaurant on which the show was based, he has gone on to publish cookbooks and make other television appearances. He's getting another show on A&E called Rocco Gets Real, premiering in October. He is paired with the infamous Karina Smirnoff, who is making her fifth appearance.

Maurice Greene: This Olympic runner, dubbed "World's Fastest Man," has two Olympic gold medals, one silver, and one bronze that he won in the 2000 and 2004 games. He also currently holds the Indoor World Record for the 60m, with a time of 6.39 seconds. His partner is two-time DWTS champion, Cheryl Burke. This is her sixth appearance on the show.

Kim Kardashian: Most of us first heard about the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star when she appeared in a sex tape with Brandy's brother, Ray-J. Since then, she's appeared in somewhat more legitimate films, including the upcoming Disaster Movie. It was also just reported that she managed to slice her foot open by moving a mirror that was under her desk. This injury required stitches, but is not expected to keep her from competing. Her partner is defending champ Mark Ballas, who is appearing for the third time.

Cloris Leachman: Leachman is 82-years-old and is awesome. a nine-time Emmy award winner, she also won an Oscar for her role in The Last Picture Show. Leachman is paired with Corky Ballas, who is making his DWTS debut.

Cody Linley: As Hannah Montana's Jake Ryan, Linley is well-known to the tween audience. He's also the youngest celebrity to ever compete on DWTS. Luckily, he has a good partner in two-time champ Julianne Hough, who is returning for her fourth season.

Susan Lucci: Even if you don't watch soap operas, you know Lucci, who has played Erica Kane on All My Children since the beginning of time (Seriously. AMC is having its 10,000th episode in November). Lucci won an Emmy for her role in 1999. She is paired with DWTS vet Tony Dovolani, who is making his sixth appearance.

Misty May-Treanor: A beach volleyball player, May-Treanor apparently does not believe in vacations. She is competing on DWTS right after snagging a gold medal in Beijing. Her victory at the Olympic games also marked her 108th win in a row. She is paired with Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who is returning for his fifth season.

Ted McGinley: Despite his reputation as a show-killer, it's doubtful that his appearance on DWTS is going to do any harm. He is probably best known for his roles on sitcoms Married: With Children and Hope & Faith. He's paired with newcomer Inna Brayer, so maybe producers aren't taking any chances.

Jeffrey Ross: Known as "The Meanest Man in Comedy," Ross can be seen on the various Comedy Central Roasts. He has also made appearances on Weeds and CSI. His partner is Edyta Sliwinska, the only professional dancer to appear on all seven seasons of DWTS.

Warren Sapp: Ths show loves having its awkward football players compete. A recently-retired Super Bowl champion, Sapp played for both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders. Beginning in October, he will host Showtime's Inside the NFL. His partner is Kym Johnson, who is returning for her fifth season.

Dancing With the Stars premieres on Monday, September 22 in a big ol' live, three-night dancing extravaganza. Producers are switching things up a bit by making the contestants choreograph two dances for the first week. They will perform the first dance on Monday, and only 12 of the 13 teams will perform their second dance on Tuesday. On the Wednesday results show, another team will be eliminated. Jesse McCartney and The Jonas Brothers (insert high-pitched squeal here) will be performing.

Take a Lookie Look at Lock & Lock

Here is a link to the super not-so-secret upcoming Lock-n-Lock TSV: Lock & Lock 8-piece Pack, Stack & Go Set with Color Lids

It's $24.88 and available on 2 Easy Pays.

I just can't get enough of Lock & Lock. It's almost as good as Tupperware and waaaaaaay cheaper. Love! Love! Love!

Syanara Signity & Ciao Charles Winston

Are Michael Valitutti and Charles Winston taking their fake diamonds and going home???


I haven't heard that Signity is leaving ShopNBC, but there are only 60 items left in stock on the website, no items for auction, and no shows scheduled.

Also, taking a look at Michael's website, GemsEnVogue.com, there hasn't been a new show listed since May. What's going on, people? Have TPTB decided to drop Michael?


And then there's poor Charles Winston with only a handful of pieces left. On his website, CharlesWinston.com, he still lists ShopNBC as an outlet for his jewelry, but there are no upcoming appearances listed.








Does ShopNBC want to consolidate all the CZ lines into the Brilliante Collection (which has many upcoming shows scheduled)? In lieu of their ongoing financial troubles, are they wanting a flagship brand like the Q's Diamonique and HSN's Absolute?

Quen Bea loves Signity ... I hope they aren't dropping it!

Joy Mangano and Lori Greiner Headed for a Photo Finish

The race is neck and neck between Joy Mangano and Lori Greiner and today is the last day to vote in this HOME SHOPPING CAGE MATCH!

Vote! Vote! Vote!

Who do you want to see face off in our next cage match? Drop me a line and let me know!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas ... Again

I really want to be snarky about QVC's TSV, but those little Cabbage Patch Kids are so stinking cute! I just wanna eat 'em up.

However, I don't have to be nice about QVC's endless stream of Christmases. Is the 25th of every month Christmas???

Per QVC, the reason for the season is a light-up, inflatable nativity scene with motion-sensing music.
Tis the season! Again and again and again ...

Rick Domeier Rocks the Lederhosen with Dave King

Not only is this a super cute look at my viking boyfriend, Rick Domeier, but you can also catch him dancing it up with Dave King in lederhosen.

This was posted by QVC, so they'll probably yank it as soon as they realize Dave's on here (skip to 3:05 to see the dance).

Miss Tina to Bedazzle Michelle Obama

Not only does Miss Tina have the Today's Special on HSN, rumor has it that she's also stepping her strappy stilettos into the political arena.

MediaTakeOut.com reported that Tina Knowles is going to be designing a special outfit for Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s wife, Michelle Obama.

I'm just wondering if Michelle has actually looked at Miss Tina's collection. Let's just say that her particular aesthetic doesn't scream First Lady.

ShopNBC Bucks CEO

According to StarTribune.com, ShopNBC has had a major shake up at the top.

After only five months on the job, CEO Rene Aiu was given the boot.

Why?

ShopNBC hasn't turned a profit since 2001 and things have gone from not-so-good to dismal. Second quarter revenue has plummeted 26 percent and their losses have tripled from a year ago.

Board Chairman John Buck, who hired Aiu in March after serving as interim chief, will become ShopNBC's new CEO. They also stole some veteran talent from QVC by hiring Keith Stewart as president and chief operating officer.

Here's what Buck had to say about the problem: "We need to go in and do almost a forensic -- though that's a harsh term -- of our customer service experience. We need to understand why the customer isn't buying from us today, and why they haven't bought from us in the last couple of months. The No. 1 priority is a sense of urgency around sales."

So what do you think is their problem???

I think that most of their products are waaaaaaaaaay to expensive and the majority of their hosts are completely unwatchable (So, no, Mr. Buck, creating even more urgency would be about the worst thing you could do). They also are seriously lacking in the brand and personality department. It's hard to list off ShopNBC vendors and hosts. They have no identity. What is there to get excited about?

Other bad news: ShopNBC has cut 22 percent of their staff in the last 15 months. Stock that sold for $57 in 1999 is valued below $3 today. Shares dropped 17 percent Friday to $2.26 based on the most recent financial information. The average price of an item on ShopNBC is about $225, compared with QVC's $40 average.

The TSV That Wasn't: The Case of the Disappearing Ring

I was watching the Q last night at midnight and saw what looked to be a crazy "Simona Collini Scroll Design Oval Domed Stainless Steel Ring" auction led by frantic auctioneer, Jane "The Ballerina" Treacy.


I don't know if the original TSV fell through and this was a last-minute replacement or they weren't able to get enough of these steel rings in on time, but they sure as heck didn't last.


Is there something I don't know about this ring? Does it have magic powers? Will it wash my dishes? What happened???

Selling Your Soul for Bling

According to MilfordDailyNews.com, Charlotte A. Boehm (pictured above) "pleaded guilty yesterday to using others' medical records and credit cards to steal their identities and buy almost $100,000 in merchandise from various Web sites."

This woman was stealing information from cancer patients to buy jewelry from GemsTV and other Web sites. So not only did her victims have to deal with the hardships of cancer and the financial strains that come with that, they also had to foot her bill for bling.

Why do these con men always buy from the home shopping networks?

Today's Blue Plate Specials ... Studly Studs

The HSN TS is a Technibond "Garden of Gems" Textured Pendant with 18" Popcorn Chain. This looks ... how shall I say ... cheap? unattractive? With the exception of the garnet, the gems are washed out and the setting is boring. Perhaps this is my personal bias against most cluster settings or maybe it's just ugly. Who knows?!

(By the way, I have been told by reliable sources that I am a being a bit of a b-i-t-c-h right now due to some crazy PMS so that could be playing into my nasty reviews. Although it's not like they don't deserve it anyway, right???)

I suppose the chain looks decent ... See, I can be play nice! Sometimes. Whatever. I'll just have to go relax in HSN's new Elle Fall Fashion Lounge. There seems to be a lot of room to spread out. Those skinny models don't take up any space at all!

There is a $5 off coupon code for Signature A Club. Maybe this will help Adrienne gain some ground on Joan!

The QVC TSV is a Slatkin & Co. Set of 3 Ceramic Harvest Figural Candles. These are cute, but not fifty dollars worth of cute! I haven't watched the presentations yet, but I'm guessing that there has been talk of breaking this up into three separate presents--hey, you gotta get your kid's new teacher something nice or she won't like him, right?

Good Lord, I am in a bit of a snit today. However, there are lots of Easy Pay offers today. Check them out here.

The ShopNBC OTV is a Sterling Silver / Platinum Brilliante Simulated Diamond Stud Earring Set. Lisa Mason will be sooo jealous of the ShopNBC hosts getting to say "stud" all day will absolute impunity! Not just one stud, but three studs, baby. Poor Lisa.

Anywho, these three studs need to hit the gym or something. They look very fake and even though I have a undying love for fake diamonds, I don't want them to actually look fake. These look like those crystal earrings that come in a set for little girls down at the Walmart.

Sorry, stud.

When I was watching last night, I happened to catch a new line called Sophisticated Steel. I love steel jewelry! And now that the price of gold has skyrocketed, everyone else seems to be jumping on board. I'm sad to say that they were super stingy with the Value Pays though. Check it out here.

Who Got Their Hair Extensions Handed to Them?

Joan Rivers got Adrienne in a choke hold and didn't even break an acrylic nail!

In Queen Bea's first Home Shopping Cage Match, Joan slaughtered fellow plastic surgery loving, makeup and accessory peddling diva, Adrienne, with 81% of the vote!!!

Congratulations Joan!!!


Don't forget to vote in this week's patent-to-patent match up between Lori "The Safekeeper" Greiner and Joy "The Hanger" Mangano!

JTV Talk, Talk, Talk, Talk, Talking Trainwreck

Dawn Tesh of Jewelry Television talks about talking too much ...

Vince DeMentri Update

According to Philly.com, "NBC10 on Friday removed Vince DeMentri's bio from its Web site. The 4 p.m. anchor, who also anchored its MYPHL17 newscasts, was last seen on the air early last month, just after a mysterious off-air incident involving anchor Lori Delgado. DeMentri retained lawyer Paul Rosen. The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the union representing many TV newsies, filed a grievance against NBC10 last week."

Looks like Vince lost his job, but still has a lot of fight left in him. You'd think after what happened, he'd just want to lay low for a while.

Elvis or Bust!

For the sale price of less than $200, the Wow Wee Elvis Alive Animatronics Life-Size Bust can be yours! For reals, y'all! It was originally almost $300 ... what a bargain.

Who is buying this???

Today's Blue Plate Specials ... Anorexic Gold

Did you watch the Gold Rush yesterday? I caught a few minutes here and there--enough to remind myself why the gold shows are not my favorite. Gold ain't cheap. There's just no way around that fact. You can only make the gold so thin and hollow to try to keep the cost down. I'm fairly certain that there are laws of physics involved in this (much to the Q's dismay).

With few exceptions, the pieces were either too expensive or too thin--anorexic gold is not only not attractive, it doesn't last. Looks like unless or until gold prices go down, I'm not going to be buying much.

Was it just me or did Mary Beth's dress look very uncomfortable last night??? And what's with all the new gold colors? Purple? For real? I have nothing against purple, but I for one would not fork over all that money for real gold that looks fake. I'll just bypass that middle man and buy fake!


The QVC TSV is a KathyVan Zeeland Patent Croco Emb. Convertible Organizer Bag. Normally I love Kathy Van Zeeland purses. They're funky, fun , and fresh. But this one just seems like the same old same old. Not particularly impressed with this one. I still love Kathy though!

The Q's doing 3 Easy Pays on all seasonal clearance this week. It's as close to a sale as you're ever gonna get from QVC!

The HSN TS is a 9.5-10.5mm Peacock Cultured Freshwater Pearl 14K 50" Necklace. I love a long strand of pearls. You can wear it long, double it, triple it, twist it, tie knots in it, jump rope with it ... :-)

The ShopNBC OTV is a Two-Pack 600TC Egyptian Cotton Sheet Sets - Solid Set & Jacquard Set. Not one, but two glorious sets of high-thread-count sheets. Trust me, once you sleep in good sheets, you never want to go back. In fact you keep looking for that higher high. If the 400 TC sheets feel this good, I wonder what the 500 TC sheets would feel like? Before you know it you're spending your life savings for some 1200 TC pillow cases and your spouse is trying to get you some rehab treatment.

Free shipping on lots of clearance jewelry!

Connie Kunkle Cabaret

Turns out that Connie Kunkle of ShopNBC, isn't just a host, she's an actress and singer that has worked at Disney, on Broadway, and for Andrew Lloyd Webber (be still my theater-loving heart!)

Connie will be starring in a performance tonight that will support the Orlando Repertory Theater, which is aptly called “An Evening With Connie Kunkle."

While on stage, she'll also be decked-out some new bling from the Brilliante collection ... that Connie knows how to work all the angles, doesn't she?

Here is a link to the full article from CFS News 13 and to the full video interview.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!! :-)

Hopefully, I'll finally get a chance to see the new Batman movie on the IMAX and eat myself into a Cheesecake-Factory-New-York-style-cheesecake-with-strawberries-on-top sugar coma.

Oh, to dream the impossible dream! :-)

NSFW: Ernest Borgnine Comes to Grips with Himself

Tova's husband, Ernest Borgnine, who is 91 years old, was asked on Fox & Friends what his secret was to staying so young and energetic.

Let me tell you, it has nothing to do with perfume.

Watch the clip below to find out Ernest's secret to such a long life ... FAIR WARNING: THIS IS NOT SAFE FOR WORK!!! And if you are easily offended, this ain't for you either!

You were warned.

Today's Blue Plate Specials ... China Gold (No, not the Olympics!)

The QVC TSV is a Kodak All-In-One Printer, Copier, & Scanner 3.0" Diag. LCD. Although I've had my share of issues with Kodak, this looks good. My only concern is the price of the ink. It seems like the ink always costs more than the printer!

The Q has some great Sample Beauty Offers. Check them out here.

And the Joseph Esposito customer choice design was unveiled today. You can see it and his other new items here.


The HSN TS is an Everyday Gold by Michael Anthony 14K Glitter Diamond-Cut Rope Necklace. It still upsets me that this line is no longer USA Gold because they couldn't keep the manufacturing in America. I understand that the price of gold has gone through the roof and they had to cut costs ... but at what cost? So much of the products sold on all the channels are Made in China, it was refreshing to find an entire line proudly Made in America.

Don't forget, today is the last day to get 20% off SSC in celebration Jennifer's 40th birthday.

And there is a new contest: the Summer Sizzlin' Kitchen. Enter for a chance to win HSN gift cards, $25,000, or a trip to Las Vegas.

The ShopNBC OTV is a Marble Top Accent Table. This looks really nice and it has great reviews. This is definitely the type of product that ShopNBC (and Margie!) does well.

Bras by the Truckload!

Ever wonder where all those eBay Power Sellers get all that QVC merchandise? Did it fall off a truck? Employee theft? Fakes?

Nope.

QVC sells all their customer returns, damaged, and overstock/discontinued items themselves on their own website: QVCliquidation.com.

Yes, there are good deals to be had, but you have to buy it by the pallet.

For example, you can buy 749 Breezies bras for only $3,941.09. That's like $5.26 per bra.

That's a lot of bras, y'all!!!

HSN Model Cashes in her Plinko Chips

According to TampaBay.com, HSN model and former Big Brother 5 contestant,Karen O'Neil, recently auditioned to be the next Price is Right model. She even brought a prop: a real Plinko chip autographed by Bob Barker for her 92-year-old grandfather.



Once known as Barker's Beauties for long-time host, Bob Barker, they are now called Carey's Cuties for new host, Drew Carey. Regardless of what they're called, they still had to prove that they could walk, wave, and show prizes in that classic Price is Right game show style. One of the 60 women who auditioned will win a trip to Los Angeles to compete against about a dozen semifinalists nationwide.



Not only did Karen have a Plinko chip, she also brought a drawing of Drew Carey that said, "Pick Karen." And just to make sure she left an indelible impression on the judges, she yodeled the mountain climber song from the Cliff Hanger game and closed with Barker's signoff: "Please have your pets spayed and neutered."

Check out Karen in a strange You Tube videos here and here. You can also watch her naughty antics on Big Brother here. I'm getting the impression that she likes attention!

Today's Blue Plate Specials ... Do Not Taunt Happy Fun Ball!

The ShopNBS OTV is a Pamela McCoy Metallic Nouveau Fabric Trench Coat. Nouveau Fabric? Nouveau? Seriously??? So what exactly constitutes "nouveau?" Shhh ... here's the big secret, chickadees: Made of 100% polyurethane.

I guess Nouveau sounds better than polyurethane. And if you don't like it, you can melt the coat down and use it to varnish your furniture!

I love the cleaning instructions: Wipe clean with mild detergent on a damp cloth, do not dry clean, do not machine wash, do not bleach, do not tumble dry ... Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball!!!





Get ready to Ripkarize, chickadees! The QVC TSV is a Judith Ripka Sterling 18", 22", or 54" Cultured Freshwater Pearl Chain. Did you catch Lisa Robertson last night with all those chains on? I swear she was like Madison Avenue Mr. T! I am digging that long one, but I'm definitely NOT digging the price. Oh, well. At least you get free shipping, right?

I'm still debating that big, fat lab-created yellow sapphire ring. It's massive, but I love it. If they ever put that thing on easy pay, I will be on like a fake bake on a show host.




The HSN TS is an AJ. Valenci Leather Shootie with Decorative Patent Flap. I like shooties. I do. I'm just never exactly sure how to wear them. They look ok on the models, but I can never pull it off ... sock? no sock? trouser sock? I don't know. It just never looks right on me. I'm either doing something wrong or I'm just too damn short to pull it off. Ugh!

There's 10-cent shipping on Wolfgang Puck to celebrate his 10th Anniversary.

Today's Blue Plate Specials ... Suck

The HSN TS is a 2.98ct Ruby Sterling Silver "Vintage" Ring. You see, I love rubies. But I love really good rubies. The kind that are more expensive per carat than good diamonds. In light of the fact that I am not Oprah, I make due with the lab-created variety. "Real" rubies--like the kind in this ring--do nothing for me.



The QVC TSV is an Oreck Restaurant Vacuum with Floor Sweeper,Crystal Aroma & Deodorize. I haven't ever used an Oreck, but I've heard that they're great. However, can they still compete against the Dyson? I don't know. It did get the Arthritis Foundation Ease-of-Use Commendation.



Yet another in a long, long line of watch OTV's from ShopNBC. I love the watch itself, but hate the bands that come with it. They cheapen the look of the watch.

There is an online only Offerings Trunk Show. Check it out here. One of these days I'm going to actually order something from Offerings instead of just window shopping.

Don't forget to vote if this week's HOME SHOPPING CAGE MATCH!

Adrienne Arpel vs. Joan Rivers

Fashion jewelry, watches, makeup, skincare, purses, and plastic surgery ... they both do it all ... but who does it better???

Pay No Attention to that Man Behind the Curtain!

Check out this great blog by Danny Seo. He recently went to HSN to unveil the Simmons Natural Care by Danny Seo mattress line and wrote a detailed description of what the experience was like. Being a vendor isn't as easy as some make it look!


This monitor shows the sales numbers in real time, what's on air, and the competition. Notice that only QVC is considered competition ... interesting.


Huge pile of notes to study. Don't you just love those vendors that don't study for the big test?!


A look behind the scenes!

QVC Sales Slumping

Libery Media, which owns all of QVC and part of HSN (read about that here), reported a 4% increase in total second quarter revenue.

But all is not well in the house that Diamonique built.

The increase is due to a big 14% increase in international revenue--especially Japan. U.S. sales have been less than stellar.

According to an article from rapidtvnews.com, QVC's domestic revenue decreased in the second quarter. "The mix of product sold shifted to the accessories area from the home and jewelry categories. The average selling price increased six per cent from $44.83 to $47.39 while the total number of units shipped declined four per cent to 27.6 million from 28.8 million. Returns as a percent of gross product revenue increased due to product mix shifts and higher average selling prices. QVC.com sales as a percentage of domestic sales grew from 23% in the second quarter of 2007 to 25% in the second quarter of 2008."

So the products shifted, the prices went up, and sales went down. Looks like the only bright spot is the increase in Internet sales. No wonder the hosts have been harping about QVC.com lately.

We're hurting, Q! We can't afford to buy multiple sets Diamonique studs (Oh, snap! Shout out to Lisa Mason--you know how she loves a good stud!) to keep on hand in the gift drawer. I know that you are morally and ethically opposed to clearance sales, but I've heard that they actually work ... why not try having one for once?