QVC Pays Up

If you were one of the many QVC customers who bought the "For Women Only" weight-loss pills, "Lite Bites" bars and shakes, or "Bee-Alive Royal Jelly" energy supplements, start looking for a check in your mailbox. As part of a lawsuit settlement for making false claims about products, the FTC just started mailing out 140,000 refund checks totaling $6 million.

The average check is about $40; however, the amount of the check is dependent upon how much the customer spent on the products in question. The checks are only valid for 60 days so don't hesitate to cash it!

If you purchased any of the listed products or you received a check and have a question, call 1-888 257-9567 for further information.

Yo Dawg! American Idol gets Pitchy on QVC

Yo, yo, yo ... What's up? What's up? Let me tell ya ... for me, for you ... I don't know, dawg, It was a little pitchy. Not my favorite, but you worked it out.

Queen Bea's worlds are colliding! American Idol alums will soon be on the Q pitching all sorts of completely random paraphernalia like USB flash drives, hoodies, hats, jewelry, and bobble heads. Ummm ... call me crazy, but what about their actual music? You know, American Idol is supposedly a singing competition after all. At least, that's what those bobble-headed judges keep telling us it is!

Last year's cutie patootie winner Kris Allen will make an appearance. Doesn't seem like the best career move at this point, but I guess Simon Cowell needs to make a little extra cash for that big wedding he's planning.

Kimberly Caldwell, who is now more famous for interviewing American Idol contestants on the red carpet and dating David Cook than for being an American Idol contestant herself, is also scheduled to appear. And Queen Bea's least favorite contestant from last season, Danny Gokey, will also be trying to sell something ... although I didn't see eyeglasses on the lineup of products.

Queen Bea's uncensored reaction to this news ...

QVC Needs Spell Check

I love BBQ sause, don't you? :-)

The QVC Reselling Used Makeup Story has Gone Viral

Complaints about QVC reselling used cosmetics have risen from the depths of the QVC message boards and catapulted all the way up to celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton.

The once humble message board thread, which as of this posting you can still view here, has gone viral through the beauty and gossip blogs. Here are just a few of the blogs covering the story: StyleList, From Mascara to Meatloaf, Shine from Yahoo, Styleite, Coco Perez, and Racked.

It's one thing when Queen Bea posts about the dirty underbelly of home shopping, but it's quite another when everyone else does it. Queen Bea pokes fun out of love.

If QVC knows what's best for them, they'll try to get in front of this story before it makes the inevitable leap from Perez to the mainstream media. And, no, that doesn't mean poofing the post! That will only add fuel to the fire.

~qb

Wendi Russo Remembers Bill Fahey

ShopNBC host Wendi Russo, who co-hosted the morning show with Bill, wanted to share her memories of her friend and mentor:

I have so many memories about Bill after working with him for 18 months on the Daybreak morning show. I remember how excited I was to work with him. He was always so much fun, brought a smile to my face and knew how to make everyone around him feel special.

I'll never forget how he broke down when I told him that all of my dogs puppies had died. He felt my pain and it surprised me how compassionate he was. Behind his jovial exterior, Bill was a deeply sensitive man. Bill was also methodical, arriving early, equipped with historical commentary, stories about a product's background that were just stored in his memory bank from years of experience.

Bill loved counting down the days' til Christmas, starting in October and did it off the top of his head. He loved to challenge himself to come up with phrases that played on the item...if it was a panther.."You'd spot this one a mile away" or "it's a purrrfect addition.." His mind was always moving...It was a little game...I remember playing this game with him with a star necklace, we bantered back phrases that had to do with stars, and when I came up with "And it wouldn't be a 'constellation' prize to wear this necklace"--he laughed so hard and said "that was a good one!"

Bill loved his fans on the set...and I mean wind fans. Because of the hot lights, he would always need every fan in the studio on to make him cool down and very often my hair would be flying all over the place like a Vogue cover shoot because they were tilted too far in my direction. The first 5 minutes of every show would be about the crew getting the right tilt of the fans on him--it became a joke every morning because he wouldn't join in on the conversation until his fans were just right. Sometimes the visuals said that he would often reach for the shammy cloth used to clean the jewelry to mop his brow during the show and occasionally they would mistakenly use it on a piece of jewelry!

When Bill and I started working together in the morning show, it took a little time adjusting to the camraderie of a co-hosted versus solo show--we started noticing that the other tended to have a few catch phrases-- those used a little too often. I kept a running tally of his "Aaaabsoluuutely Beautiful's" and he kept a tally of my "fabulous's" ---although we would rib eachother on and off set, we respected and cared for one another and looked out for each other.

His corny humor drove me crazy at first...he reminded me of my dad's humor, but over time, I loved it. I waited for his carefully planted play on words, his catch phrases and eventually tried to slide my own in before he did. Some of the phrases I remember most are "Sometimes even a blind pig finds a truffle" (if he said something that was very astute or appropriate); variations on that theme were: "Sometimes even a blind squirrel finds a nut" and "The train is leaving for sell out city!"

Shawn Wilsie Tribute to Bill Fahey

Former host and home shopping pioneer Bill Fahey recently and unexpectedly passed away. His close friend and former coworker, Shawn Wilsie, wrote a touching tribute to Bill that I am honored to pass along.

Honestly I'm so shocked words are really hard to come by.

I've told anyone and everyone for years that Bill was one of the three all time greats I've ever known in this industry. A select group of individuals that on a personal and professional level I could never say one bad word about. Bill was the biggest sports fan you ever know so I best recall him as the originator of the sports shows both on ValueVision and on CVN. Name a sport and he could talk it with you. He loved playing just as much and I know it was tough for him as he got older and couldn't play anymore. He had hip issues that in later life you could tell were a nearly constant bother to him but he NEVER let on that he was having a problem or if he was in any pain.

There was a constant Bill Fahey smile that everyone will tell you they remember and it was NEVER "about him.” He was that rare personality where he couldn't care less if you gave him any attention, whether you were a friend, co-worker or guest on a show it was all about you.

Host Katie Rooke Joins JTV

As suspected, Katie Rooke is the next GemsTV host to announce her move to Jewelry Television.

Since GemsTV closed up shop, Michele Lau, Craig Rooke, and now Craig's wife Katie Rooke have all make the leap to Jewelry television.

Check out the full Booty Dance here.

Remembering Bill Fahey

Here's a clip of Bill Fahey back in his CVN days "pulling a Fahey" as he was well known to do!




And here's a clip of some of his greatest hits:

Bill Fahey Demo from Heather Musil on Vimeo.

Read the announcement of his passing here.

ShopNBC Looking for Model Results

ShopNBC has been rolling out all sorts of new products for their big Beauty Discovery Week. And all I can say is that it’s about time! Their beauty offerings have long lagged behind their competitors and it’s good to see them bringing unique, undiscovered products to the marketplace.

I spoke with one of the latest vendors, Lisa Bass, who is bringing a new Model Results to ShopNBC. The line focuses on an oft overlooked area—the hands. Lisa is an artist and a real estate agent, but she’s also a hand model (see the above gorgeous picture ... wow!) She worked to develop a product that would protect her hands without having to keep them in white cotton gloves all day--always convenient when you need to change diapers and wash dishes!

QB: Kathy Levine, a favorite former QVC host with gorgeous hands, wrote in her book that she tried to get into hand modeling, but didn't have any luck. How did you break into the industry and what led you into hand modeling?

LB: It was a catch 22 - can't get work until you have an agent/can't get an agent until you've done work!  It was perseverance and I believed I could do it.  I was going art school at the time and working as a graphic designer for Michael Friedman Publishing Group in NYC.  The book I was working on was called, "Creative Gift Wrapping".  They needed "how to" shots for the gift wrapping shots and they used my hands.  I worked with a photographer named, Tony Cenicola, for this book.  Whenever he needed a 'hand', pardon the pun, he would call me.  After about a year, he recommended me to an agency.  I went to see them and after I left, they called me back that afternoon to ask if I could do 5 commercials the following week?  My immediate response was, "hold on, let me go quit my job!"  Ever since then, I've been extremely lucky and fortunate to have worked with the most important and fabulous photographers, directors, actors, art directors, fashion editors special effects people in the industry.  It's offered me the chance to travel to different places in the world to work, while remaining in my quiet anonymous fame.

QB: Did you work with any celebrities or do you have any interesting tales from any of the jobs you were sent out on?

LB: Yes I have worked with many different celebrities - all of whom have beautiful hands, but for either scheduling on their part or if it was a complicated hand position, I was asked to step in and help.  I've worked a few times with Brooke Shields.  She has gorgeous hands and was great to work with.  We worked together while she was starring in “GREASE”.  And because of her busy schedule there, I was asked to help for her commercials and print work.

Claudia Schiffer, who also has beautiful hands, thanked me for making her look so good!  Can you imagine?  This woman is so incredibly gorgeous and thanked me for making her look beautiful.  I was blown away by her graciousness!

Madonna - I was her hands for a Japanese Sake commercial.

Julia Roberts  - I was hired to be her hands for the movie, “The Pelican Brief”.  My hands were that of 'Darby Shaw'.  Julia Roberts hands are also so beautiful.  But I think because of her honeymoon with Lyle Lovett, it was easier to get me in to do the hand parts rather than getting Julia back from her honeymoon!  That was an interesting job in that the director asked me to get into Julia’s wardrobe and I looked at him puzzled?  Did he not remember I was just the hands and not the full thing?  Julia was a size, what, 2?  And there’s a real big reason why I wasn’t a full model!  I had to wear her clothes for the shot because that’s what she was wearing in the scene.  After I squeezed into here skirt and shirt, I then had to tuck in my shirt!  Only a woman can understand where I’m coming from with that -  and spanx was not yet invented!  I was fine as long as I didn’t breathe!

Former Host Bill Fahey has Passed Away

Former CVN/ValueVision/ShopNBC host, Bill Fahey, has died. He was found yesterday and the family is awaiting autopsy results. They suspect a heart attack.

His funeral is tentatively set for Friday morning at Pax Christie Church in Eden Prairie MN; however, his son is in Berlin and can't confirm a flight home due to the volcanic ash issues there.

Announcement will likely be in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

I will pass along details as they become available.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family.

Craig & Katie Rooke do the Booty Dance

Waaaay better than the Single Ladies dance! I think this is the funniest thing I have ever seen on home shopping and I can't wait for them to shake up JTV.

GemsTV Host Craig Rooke Coming to JTV

After the recent collapse of GemsTV, Craig Rooke is the latest host to make the move to Jewelry Television. Michele Lau has already announced that she'll be coming to JTV. Could Katie Rooke be far behind?

Shake What Your Mama Gave You

I've been trying to be mature about this, I really have. But based on my track record with HSN's infamous Banana Bunker, maturity doesn't appear to be my strong suit.

Honestly, I don't know how those QVC hosts manage to get through those Shake Weight presentations with a straight face. And exactly what sort of expert do you need to be to be the official Shake Weight vendor rep?

Phew ...  I managed to get through that whole post without making a single cheap, sophomoric comment! Notice that I did not make any snarky remarks about giving them a hand, or that their doing a good job. I didn't go there. Because, clearly, that would have been immature. It was hard, but I rose to the occasion.

Isaac Mizrahi: Can't Buy Me Love!

I have been trying to figure out exactly why every time I see yet another promo on the Q for yet another appearance of Isaac Mizrahi, I let out an exasperated groan and quickly reach for the remote.

I like Isaac. I've always found his short attention span, his enthusiasm, and his willingness to stick his neck out in the fashion industry entertaining. Not to mention that his unabashed love of Quacker Factory is a refreshing change to the usual stuffy, snobby fashion designer. So why am I so annoyed by his very presence all of a sudden?

I think that I finally know what's been bugging me.

Isaac is like those people at the amusement park who shell out the big bucks to get those quick, speedy, platinum, I'm-better-than-all-you-plebs passes that send them straight to the front of the roller coaster line. You know, that line you've been waiting in for the last two and half hours with the blazing sun beating down on your neck and nary a cold drink in sight? Yeah, that line. I know they paid the extra money for the privilege, but it's still not fair.

It's not Isaac's personality, or his fashions, or even his cheesecake. It's his special straight-to-the-front-of-the-line QVC plaid pass.

Most vendors, no matter their celebrity status or designing credentials, have to at least prove themselves to the customers before getting doled out hours of dedicated air time and TSV's every other week--not to mention a custom-built studio in New York. Come on ... was that really necessary?

QVC has always been a bit of a democracy. The powers that be parade new products on the air and we the customers vote with our wallets. The more votes a vendor gets the more perks they earn. So when Bare Escentual's Leslie Blodgett, WEN's Chaz Dean, or Honora's Joel Schechter is on with another TSV, it's because the customers decided that they earned the right to be there.

On the other hand, Isaac didn't spend the time building up a loyal QVC customer base. Isaac and his entire studio just went straight to the front of the line.

And while I suppose most of Isaac's TSV's have performed moderately well, he did have one that went over like a lead cheesecake. Remember the $40 scoop-necked T-shirt? A T-shirt shouldn't have to be on easy pay--even with the embellishments.

I really do like Isaac, but just like his cheesecake, a little goes a long way.

</rant>

Marie Osmond's New Doll ...

... her daughter, Rachel, who worked with her mother selling dolls and jewelry on QVC.

What's in Queen Bea's Beauty Bag?

The Counterculture is Coming to ShopNBC with a BOOM!

Even if the name Cindy Joseph doesn’t immediately ring a bell, you know her face. Since breaking into the modeling business at the tender age of 49—no, that’s not a typo!—Cindy and her trademark silver hair have been photographed in ad campaigns for Olay, Elizabeth Arden and Aveda. She’s also modeled for Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, and J. Crew, and graced the covers and pages of Oprah, Glamour, and Mademoiselle magazines. And she did this all while being two inches too short and three decades too late to ever be a fashion model.

After 25 years as a makeup artist working behind the scenes, Cindy was ready to retire and get out of the beauty business altogether. She had even decided to quit dying her hair, instead opting to proudly go gray. The day she cut off the last of her dyed hair was the day that she was approached on the street by a casting agent to model for Dolce & Gabbana. After that, Ford Modeling Agency quickly snapped her up and Cindy has been working as a model who proudly embraces her age ever since.

Now Cindy wants to help all women have the courage to accept and love their skin and their age.

Cindy worked to develop a line of simple, healthy, and pro-age cosmetics called BOOM! Her products don’t claim to or even try to reduce wrinkles, hide age spots, or make you look younger. In a sea of anti-aging beauty products bombarding you with the message that you must look young to be beautiful, Cindy wants you to know that it’s the character and wisdom in your face that truly make you beautiful and that all you need to do is enhance the beauty that’s already there—not cover it up with a mask.

I had the opportunity to talk with Cindy about her new BOOM! line of cosmetics. I loved her story and her refreshing approach to beauty, but I wasn’t exactly sure how she would fit into the home shopping landscape.

Cindy spoke passionately about how women of all ages just want to be valued, noticed, flirted with. “We’re bombarded with the message that a woman’s value in society goes down as she gets older.” And while she certainly sympathizes with women who struggle to fight the battle against time, Cindy really wants women to change the way they perceive what is beautiful.

“Women shouldn’t hide the texture, lines, and wrinkles on their faces. It’s what gives us character. We look good when we are healthy and when we are happy. Your face radiates when it’s flushed from exercise, laughter, crying, or romance. You can make a 90-year-old woman blush!”

Cindy keeps her skin healthy the old-fashioned way with “sleep, fresh air, sunshine, exercise, fruits and vegetables, psychological and emotional health. You are dealt a hand. You can’t change your skin. You only have control over what you do with it.”

When’s the last time you heard that touted by a beauty vendor?

Home Shopping Verses the Volcano

 And neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, nor the winds of change, nor a nation challenged, will stay us from the swift completion of our appointed rounds. Ever.

Last week, the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull (which I think is what happens to the alphabet after being emulsified in the Montel Williams HealthMaster) wreaked havoc on European air traffic for days.

But volcanic ash or not, the show must go on because home shopping never sleeps!

According to KnoxNews.com, a group of five Jewelry Television gem hunters--Jerry Sisk, Jay Boyle, Maureen Pierce, Ryan Acree, and Dan Magnafici--have been suck in Tanzania since April 9th, unable to catch a flight out of the country. At one point they were even forced out of their hotel onto the streets. To make matters worse, two crew members are also running low on necessary prescription medication. With all the flights to Europe cancelled, the plan was to get visas to go to India and then fly home from there. However, there's been yet another set back. Watch the video here.

But our group of JTV Indian Jones adventurers aren't the only home shopping folks to get derailed by the volcanic ash.

Stacey Schieffelin of y.b.f. (formerly Models Prefer) just posted on her blog that she was a recently part of the "Volcano Victims displacement program."

Last week on the morning of the volcano eruption we were the last flights to land in Europe! We arrived in Rome and then flew onto Bologna where we made it but our luggage did not. Loosing our luggage wasn’t the worst thing that can happen when traveling - we learned later! 

...

You all know we were prepared to have our premier show for Ideal World from the USA on April 26/27 - at our home network HSN (home shopping network) in sunny Florida - my home state!

...

With the help of so many of you - we rented 2 cars -bought train tickets in 2 countries - put up residence at 5 different hotels/motels - we’ve seen beautiful Europe from the motor way, railway, air and sea all to get to our lovely girlfriends and we would not have wanted to have it any other way!! It was worth traveling through Italy, Switzerland and France to find our way home to the UK and we could have never managed it without all of the help and prayers of you…our girlfriends! We so appreciate all of your time and effort in guilding us along our exciting way!

Poor Stacey probably didn't even have her curlers while she was schlepping across Europe on trains, planes, and automobiles! Read he rest of Stacey's volcanic adventures here.

~

Congratulations Linea Ladies!

Well Linea Ladies, it seems that all those phone calls, letters, emails, message board posts, blog posts, and tweets have paid off in spades.

According to Louis' latest blog post, not only did QVC agree to bring back his entire Linea fashion line, they also agreed to start carrying a new Linea Jewelry collection, which Louis hopes to eventually expand into a full accessory line.

Are you ladies feeling drunk with power yet? :-)

This just proves that QVC does listen when your voice gets loud and your wallet snaps shut!

~

Shop Jacktv Drags Home Shopping Out of the Closet

You got your gay in my home shopping! You got your home shopping in my gay!

Gay men have long toiled away on home shopping channels to make us ladies stylish and beautiful, but they have sorely been ignored as potential customers in their own right.

But no longer!

Canada's gay cable channel, OUTtv is rolling out a new gay shopping and lifestyle show called Shop JACKtv. (The website isn't porn or anything, but probably NSFW due to all the half-naked men!)

Jack will take "style-challenged gay men and give them a fashion makeover." Translation: they will take hot guys who will pretend not to have a clue how to dress themselves and then make them strut around shirtless in order to sell some low-rise jeans.

According to Gay.com:

Viewers are privy to a wide selection of products, ranging from clothing to underwear to accessories and gifts, but the sales pitch is woven into an amusing plot following the sexy host (Jack, duh) and his pals. Gorgeous Jack provides counsel for his gaggle of gay friends on a broad array of topics such as health and dating, right down to the sexy pair of Rufskin brand jeans he knows will showcase viewers' best "assets" the next time they go out. The genius part: If you covet the same hot jeans (or whatever), you can simply call up or click online and voilà! A purchase is on its way to you.

The show will premier Saturday, April 24th at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.

I don't even get ShopNBC these days, so I know that I don't get this channel. however, there is a little sneak peek online.

Two great tastes that taste great together!


`

GemsTV Host Michele Lau Coming to JTV

Gems TV just closed its doors, but host Michele Lau has already lined up another job at Jewelry Television.

According to Michele's Facebook Fan Page:

I am proud and excited to announce that I am joining the Jewelry Television family in Knoxville, Tennessee! There are many changes happening in the home shopping industry. I am impressed with the evolution that is happening at JTV and honored to be asked to be a part of it!

Congratulations!

Remember Daliza Crane?

There sure were a whole lotta Star Trek and Elvis collectibles going on back in the day, weren't there?

Daliza Crane was a QVC show host years ago who was mostly stuck with overnight shifts. She was one of the four former Q hosts that sued for discrimination (the other hosts involved in the suit were Victor Velez, Clarence Reynolds, and Gwen Owens).

Daliza Ramirez Crane claimed her moment of truth arrived when the channel told her to "lighten up" her image.

"No other host was ever asked to do this, but I wanted to keep this job, the job of my dreams," said Crane, who got a New York cosmetics stylist to make her look "whiter" and stuck with QVC for five years.

After her stint at the Q, Daliza went on to pursue her doctorate in media studies.

I can't verify that Daliza was the one who actually posted this little note, but someone claiming to be her posted this on the Discovery Channel Dirty Jobs forums and thought it was rather interesting:

Mike Rowe, can you please get in touch with me. It's Daliza Crane from QVC and it is not about cohosting. It is personal. Kelly, Clarence or Dale all have my contact info or you can email me at Daliza_Crane@[edited out*].com. I won't put up my phone no. in case this gets broadcast.

Let me tell you, I don't blame her one bit. In fact, Mike Rowe actually needs to contact Queen Bea about something personal too! Check out Mike before he was dirty here and his dirtiest job here.

*Yes, I took out the actual email address.

Former Host Sues JTV

Former JTV host, Valerie Hughes, filed suit against Jewelry Television for some sort of alleged civil rights violation.* I'll pass along the details as they become available. Valerie Hughes was a show host at JTV from August 2006 through May 2008.

Last year, former Jewelry Television vice president Steve Gordon sued JTV for age discrimination (Queen Bea's post here and the court documents here). Like Valerie, Steve was also laid off during JTV's major workforce reduction of '08, but felt that he was actually being targeted due to his age and health issues.



*I'm having trouble getting the link to work now, but this is the cached copy.

What's in Queen Bea's Shower?

One my friend loaned me her new Flip camcorder so while I had the opportunity, I decided to do some silly little vlogs. In the spirit of live home shopping style TV, it's all in one unedited take. I have to admit that it ain't easy, but much faster than typing out blog post.

This first one takes you into Queen Bea's shower, which isn't nearly as exciting or as dirty as it sounds. More will be coming soon: the makeup bag, jewelry box, and whatever else I can manage to record before my friend stalks me down and rips her Flip cam out of my frantically vlogging hands.

One of my long-time readers emailed me that she was stunned by the sound of my voice. She assumed by my "tart prose" that I was an old chain-smokin', whiskey-swilling, kiss-my-grits kind of a broad. But "tart prose" comes from the heart, not a pack of smokes! :-)

~

Marie Osmond Back on QVC

After the tragic death of her 18-year-old son Michael Blosil, Marie Osmond understandably cancelled all of her upcoming QVC appearances. But there is good news for her loyal QVC fans, Marie announced on Twitter today that she will be back on the air April 26 with a "surprise guest host."

Marie will be working with QVC host Mary Beth Roe who recently lost her mother.

~

The Song that Haunts my Dreams

Close your eyes and count to eight ...

I fall asleep to this song, I wake up to this song, I catch myself singing it while I'm folding laundry or washing dishes. Is there some sort of subliminal messaging going on?

No don't, cause I can't wait ...

Since I'm completely powerless to fight it, I thought I would at least find out exactly who was slowly brainwashing me. The song, which is on super heavy rotation on QVC, is called "Honeycomb" and the artist's name is Nadia Fey. According to her website, Nadia's songs aren't just popular on the Q:

A cutting edge singer/songwriter, Nadia Fay's talents are unparalleled. Her original songs have appeared in films/trailers (Nights in Rodanthe, Marley & Me), commercials (QVC promo, Shoe Carnival, Samsung) and in several major TV shows including General Hospital, Road Rules, Smallville, Ghost Whisperer, Reaper, CSI NY, How to Look Good Naked, The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Entertainment Tonight, etc. A dynamic performer, Nadia is currently playing live in the Los Angeles area and working on new material for her upcoming album "Spirit on Display", a deeply personal collection of her best music yet. Stay tuned! See youtube.com/nadiafay for more videos Nadia's album "Honeycomb" is available at iTunes, rhapsody.com and amazon.com

Everything's free in this field of fantasy ...



~

Big Mike Davidson Back on ShopNBC

After being shown the revolving door earlier this year, former ShopNBC host Mike Davidson will be back at his old stampin' grounds. You can catch Big Mike's coming out party this Sunday on the "Watch Time with Jim" show as the new Renato watch guy. Does this mean Daniel Mink is out?

But for the love of all that's home shopping, what about Charla?!?!

~

Queen Bea's (pretend) QVC Beauty Bash Haul

We are all going to close our eyes and pretend that this $2000 QVC Beauty Bash haul is actually Queen Bea's ... I particularly need some of that new Green with Envy concealer collection.

There May be a Future for Linea at QVC After All

Thanks to the grassroots efforts of Louis Dell'Olio's loyal fans, his Linea fashion line may still have a future at the Q.

Louis posted the news on his blog today:

My Dear Friends,
I will never be able to tell you enough times how much I appreciate all of your support. I want you all to know that Jac and I have read every Post, Blog and Twitter that has been written. Jac has cried often over your very kind and supportive words. I know about the e-mails and all of your letters and calls to QVC. This has been a very emotional time. How can I ever describe how much you have meant to both of us. My promise to you is that I will always be honest and direct in whatever I say. Because of your efforts alone, QVC has just approached me to say they want to have a discussion regarding the future of Linea. As of last week, there was no future for Linea. I will, of course, keep you informed.
To be continued…….Thank you all and God bless………Louis

Be proud Linea Ladies! Give yourselves a standing ovation and pat on the back!!!I'm beginning to thing that his classically-tailored clothes have superpowers. :-)

~

QVC Designer Louis Dell'Olio "Overwhelmed" by Fan Support

Jac and I want you all to know that we are just overwhelmed by your caring…… Overwhelmed. My anniversary dates are: Wednesday, May 12th, 6-7am, 1-3pm and 7-8pm. We love you all………….Louis

This week, QVC designer Louis Dell'Olio posted on his blog that QVC was rather unceremoniously dropping his popular Linea fashion line after carrying it for a decade.

In his always personable way, he addresses the post to the fan who asked the direct question: Dear Alita ...

I said in my blog that my 10 year, May anniversary show will be my “LAST big show”…..I actually meant for Spring, since that was the season I was discussing. However, since you have asked me a direct question, I feel obligated to give you an honest and direct answer. As of this writing, QVC has informed me that there are no new Linea products or reorders planned for Fall 2010. It saddens me to tell you this, but I will never lie to my loyal customers whom I consider my friends.

I will continue to connect with all of you and keep you informed of my upcoming shows. I can’t believe I have completed 10 very successful years on QVC. During this time it has been my extreme pleasure to get to know all of you……….with much LOVE……..Louis

Since the announcement, his loyal "Linea Ladies," who regularly correspond with him through his blog, are up-in-arms. But instead of just stewing in their anger over the injustice of it all, they are taking action. The outrage that was burning up the QVC message boards has turned into an organized effort to call and email anyone in QVC management whose contact information they can dig up. They have also started an @LineaLadies Twitter group. I can only assume that a grassroots Facebook campaign is right around the bend.

Many of Louis' fans contacted me wanting to express their outrage at QVC for dumping their favorite designer. So I asked them what was it about Louis and his Linea collection that was driving them to go to such lengths to keep him at QVC.

Of course, it goes without saying that they love the clothes. While they adore Louis' classic designs, they also love and respect the man himself. They feel that he's a true gentleman who knows how to properly dress a lady for any occasion and will take the time to teach you how to do it yourself. And he listens ... a hard quality to find in any man!

He has a quality line at exceptionally reasonable prices. It sounds trite, but its true. His styles are more timeless. They are not hokey. I'm retired and live in jeans. But one can't always dress casually, Louis fills the bill when I must dress up. I guess you would say his wardrobe is more suited to professionals and the office, with a little tailored casual thrown in. He comes across very well on air, a true gentleman that appears to adore his wife, who also models his line right along with the QVC models. She worked for the big fashion houses back in the day.

And the Linea Ladies, who have loyally supported QVC with their money for ten years, have some words of advice for the company:

The direction that QVC is headed appears to be trying to attract a younger audience. However, I don't see why doing this has to be done at the expense of Linea. I would think that QVC would want to attract as broad of an audience as possible and offer a broad variety of products to attract a spectrum of viewers/buyers. And, I don't understand this total fascination with Isaac Mizrahi. I'm sure that he has appeal to some customers, but it seems that QVC is staking their entire future on him. It does not seem wise to put all the QVC eggs in one basket. More and more of the offerings on QVC are items that can be easily found at other outlets. I would think QVC would want to focus on things that make it unique, not what someone can purchase at any Wal-Mart or Kohls for the same - or probably less - without the added expense and hassle of shipping fees.

Or as one Linea Lady succinctly put it:

Nothing against Isaac Mizrahi, but there's no way I'm going to buy & wear a plaid mini-skirt!!

Part of the grassroots effort is to hit QVC in the place that hurts them the deepest--the pocketbook. They are all pledging to no longer purchase anything from QVC (with the exception of Louis' big tenth anniversary show next month, of course!)

If QVC can't make it work with Louis, then I will no longer purchase anything from them. It won't be that hard, as items comparable to all of their other lines, except for Linea, can easily be found at other vendors.

I'm tired of companies telling me what I want. Aren't companies supposed to serve the customer? I'm making my voice heard.

Louis Dell'Olio has never been afraid to speak his mind. Queen Bea covered the big feud with ShopNBC designer Pam McCoy over some "copycat" jackets. Read all about it here.

He also quit blogging on the QVC website and started up his own blog in order to have the freedom to truthfully answer questions--starting with why he really wasn't bringing out his designs in tall and petite sizes as so many people had requested.

I understand how hard it is for petites to find clothes to fit them properly. When I was designing at Anne Klein, we had a separate petite division. However, QVC, makes the decision about what is ordered in a petite and what isn’t. I have absolutely NO SAY in the matter. I have been with QVC for ten years [this May] and QVC has only ordered one pant one time in petite and tall sizes…..so, I truly think it is highly unlikely that they will be ordering anything from me in a petite in the future. I am terribly sorry about this situation…..again, there is really nothing I can do.

dineyj….you are an inspiration! I am so happy you received a great prognosis!!! Your attitude and outlook is terrific….I couldn’t agree with you more…live and be happy today…the past is over….forget it and who knows what tomorrow will bring….it’s a lesson for all of us…be well ad God bless!

Okay, the QVC news. As many of you know they have instituted many new formats. I tried to blog on the “Designer” site, but it wouldn’t go through. I have been advised that from now on I have to submit my blog to them and they would gladly post it. I have decided that is not the way I want to go….so from now on I will only be posting here…on my own site….it will be easier and quicker for all of us. I check it every day, so you can always reach me. I truly enjoy our conversations….I guess I’m a people person! I hope this doesn’t inconvenience you in any way. I look forward to hearing from you after you get your new things. Hope to “see” you tomorrow at 1:00pm for the “Special Occasion” show. I can’t believe we have to drive down there again!

With much love and appreciation….Louis

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RIP Gems TV

Tonight, GemsTV will be going off the air forever. My heart goes out to all their employees who will now be out of a job in our current economy. Help them "Go Out in Style" for the final show and the final goodbye from 5 to 8 p.m. (EDT).

In case you're looking for some fire-sale prices, the GemsTV website will be up and running for another week. I tried to get on look around, but the website kept crashing on me ... too many people looking for a bargain!

Read about the GemsTV bankruptcy here.

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Adrien Arpel Then and Now

1989                                                2009

Found this video of Adrien (back when she wasn't Adrienne) in a talk show called "Attitudes" back in 1989. She discusses marriage, makeup after 40, and plastic surgery. Even though she wasn't even selling her Signature Club A on HSN yet, the spiel is the same. You can read all about Queen Bea's odd love for Adrien here.

(Wow! Linda Dano's hair!)

Shalini Vadhera Resigns from Global Goddess

Shalini Vadhera, celebrity makeup artist and CEO of Global Goddess Beauty, which is sold on HSN, announced her resignation from the company via Twitter today. Here are the tweets in chronological order:

It comes w great sadness that on April 8th I resigned as CEO of Global Goddess Beauty. I will no longer have anything to do with GGB. ... Although there may be an attempt 2 use my name & picture 2 promote the brand, I won't be able 2 guarantee the integrity of the formulations ... nor will I be able to guarantee the authenticity of the beauty secrets ... It was my lifelong dream 2 create a brand I truly believed in 2 empower women worldwide. With ur help I was on my way to realizing my dream ... It was shocking & immensely disappointing 2 learn an investor brought on 2 support my business has ultimately decided to take it over ... I want to sincerely thank each and every one of you for your support. ... And for giving me the opportunity to create products I truly believed in to help women look and feel beautiful around the world ... I look forward to our paths crossing in the future... Signing off of Twitter as Global Goddess

Although the website for Global Goddess Beauty still exists, all the products have been pulled and it is now "under construction." Her beauty blog is still up at HSN, but there aren't many products left to speak of and most of those are on clearance.

Shalini is also the author of the book Passport to Beauty. And she recently took a twitter swipe at Jessica Simpson:

Jessica Simpsons show complete knock off of my book and brand. 2 bad she doesn't do it justice. Lack of authenticity is speaks volumes 

Here is a screenshot of the tweets. They're a little hard to read since you have to start at the bottom and read up!

Someone at JTV is Not Happy

Jewelry Television is advertising for a Production Associate position on Knoxville Craigslist. You can check it out here if you'd like, but it's a fairly standard employment ad.

But then some anonymous person who claims not to be a former employee posts this:

Now that Gems TV bidding for about a 30% stake in JTV, the place is probably moving even farther away from its "family run" roots.

Ken Paves Turns Jessica Simpson into Carol Brady

Either it's Carol Brady or Jessica and Ken are morphing into the same person. Check out Jessica's tweets here and Ken Paves tweets here.

Queen Bea will be taking a pass on that particular hair piece.

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The Many Facets of Judy Crowell

Over the last 20 years, Judy Crowell has worked as a host at both QVC and HSN, launched her own fashion collection on ShopNBC, and also married former host and current gem vendor, Paul Deasy. She is most certainly home shopping royalty.

During our recent talk, Queen Bea and Judy ended up discussing everything from why she has a real coffin in the garage to what she really thinks of those new “stripped down” Kirk’s Folly sets ... not to mention how she practically had to burn down her house before finally "marrying smart!"

For those of you who have followed Judy over the years, across the networks, and through all her ups and downs, I think you will find her even more endearing. So pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy the read!

QB: As a "military brat," you were raised all around the world--4 countries and 12 states to be exact! Do you think the constant moving and having to meet new people all the time helped prepare you for hosting and being a vendor? How did your multicultural upbringing affect your sense of style?

JC: There's no question that my upbringing helped prepare me for my future in home shopping. I feel able to relate to customers of all lifestyles and all cultures because of my experiences living and traveling all over the world. In watching fashion shows, I always appreciate the designer's extra touches that 'borrow' from other cultures. I also love designers' takes on other eras. (I sometimes feel I was born in the wrong era, as I love the romantic styles of the past.)

Get Fit with Judy!

QB: What is your current fitness program? How is it different from what you used to do with the "Get Fit with Judy" show? Any plans to do anything in the fitness industry?

JC: Would you believe I have a fitness book already written and just sitting on my computer??!!! I know I need to get it published. I think there's this fear that no one will find it interesting. It's a combination of my own personal road to finding fitness and completely changing my body to suggestions on how to incorporate various workouts into your own life. I also touch on the importance of food; the types of foods that are good for you; why certain diets are dangerous, etc.

My fitness routine is pretty much the same as when I hosted "Get Fit with Judy." I loved that show, and I was honored that QVC granted me a good two year run with it.

QB: You must, must, must tell me all about your engagement ring! Most people don't have a gem expert picking out their ring.

JC: I had been engaged a couple of times in my life and married once before. (It took me a long time to find Paul and to understand what qualities in a person were the most important) So, having had diamond engagement rings before, all very beautiful, I told Paul I'd like to do something completely different this time. I said I'd like to wear color. And, I told him that because of his expertise and knowledge of gemstones, that it would be the perfect reflection of him.

Besides the fact that diamonds are beautiful, women choose them because of their resistance to scratching. Let's face it, you plan to wear it every day for a long time. It had better be strong! Very few other gems are as hard as a diamond, but rubies and sapphires are the next best thing. Perhaps Princess Diana's ring influenced me, but I also thought that deep blue would go with more things than red. So, I asked for a sapphire instead of a ruby. I get more compliments on this ring than I think I've gotten on any other piece of jewelry in my life. From young girls to mature women, I constantly get stopped. I told Paul (and I'm sure this made him happy... he knows he'll be saving a lot of money as a result!) that I'll never get tired of it or need to "trade up." It was the perfect choice. (P.S. So was he!)

Judy looking glamorous at a Nevada gem mine.

QB: During your travels for QVC and HSN, you visited many gem mines and factories (even proclaiming yourself "Indiana Judy!") How did this affect your appreciation for all the jewelry that you sold on television?

JC: I have always loved jewelry. I was raised by women (mother and grandmothers) who were all very stylish, and who appreciated jewelry as their perfect finishing touch. Visiting the Gem Mines through my job only gave me a greater appreciation for it. What fascinated me most is that gemstones and jewelry are both associated with a glamorous life. But, to acquire those gemstones is anything but glamorous. The mining business is very dirty; sometimes dangerous; makes for rough living conditions; and, does not always lead to success. I look at gemstone jewelry very differently now than I used to, and have a whole new appreciation for what could be under that rock!

QB: Which celebrity were you most starstruck by?

JC: Charlton Heston. I don't know why that was so easy to answer. I've certainly met and worked with a lot of them. But, Moses? That was special. The funniest? Tim Conway. The quickest? Joan Rivers. The silliest? Richard Simmons. The tannest (is that a word)? George Hamilton. The prettiest? Loni Anderson. The most genuine? Donny Osmond.

QB: Who was your favorite vendor to work with? Did you try to emulate this person when you became a vendor yourself? Did all your hosting experience prepare you for the craziness of putting together your first Our Top Value (OTV)?

JC: I think the enthusiasm and playfulness of a Jeanne Bice (QVC); the design genius of a Bob Mackie (QVC) and an Antthony Mark Hankins (HSN); and the thoroughness and attention-to-detail of a Diane Gilman (HSN) and a Susan Graver (QVC) were all influences on my style as a vendor. I liked hearing what inspired them, what their goals were for their brand.

Now, it's fun to be the expert myself, and I'm having a ball! I'm involved in the whole process from choosing the season's color palette to selecting the styles, lengths, collars, button details, etc. I only hope I can do my fashions and accessories the same kind of justice that my "mentors" do!

QB: What was your most memorable moment as a host?

JC: Difficult question. It's tough to pick just one. I was a host for 18 years! You can only imagine some of the moments that are popping into my head. I must say I was given some incredible opportunities, mainly at QVC. On their behalf, either to do product research or to produce stories for future shows, I traveled ... Boy, did I travel... China, Brazil, England, Ireland, Hong Kong, Thailand, Bolivia, Monaco, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Hawaii, Alaska, and then some.

Then, of course, there was the LIVE remote we did from Loni and Burt Reynolds' house on Mulholland Drive in Beverly Hills; the "Cure By the Shore" broadcast LIVE from Monte Carlo right on the Mediterranean Sea; the numerous remotes with Makeup Artist to the Stars, Victoria Jackson, LIVE from LA.

But, then there was that one time I was selling a porcelain baby doll that sucked its' thumb. And, when I demonstrated the importance of being careful when you pulled the thumb out of the porcelain mouth, well, you guessed it, the whole jaw, in an extreme close-up, broke off in my hand.

There's that moment.

Home shopping back when it was still magical.

QB: Since you spent so much time dressed up as a magical fairy, what do you think of the new "stripped down" Kirks Folly sets?

JC: Jenniefer and I were introduced a few days before our very first Kirks Folly show back in 1991, and we hit it off immediately. She is, to this day, still a dear friend. (I texted her, very worried about her and Seaview during all the terrible floods last month in Warwick, RI!) Anyway, she misses all the fun and craziness we used to have on the sets at QVC. We really did have some doozies of theatrics at one point! hahaha It was so much fun. We were like little kids getting all dolled up and having tea parties together!

I think it’s difficult these days to do the same. Everything's expensive; the bar is set very high; sets need to be changed out immediately for the next show. Time is money, and there can't be any wasted time. We had the luxury of experimentation in the early days of TV shopping where everything was being tried for the first time. Now, it's a whole different ballgame.

QB: What drives you to be such an advocate for women's issues?

JC: My Nana was a real women's advocate. One of very few women who went to college in the early 1900's, she got a good education and knew she had choices. So, she fought on a number of fronts for women's rights. I guess I'm a lot like her. I've volunteered ever since I was 16, and learned then that there were a lot of people with a lot of needs. Whether it was a badge I earned in Girl Scouts that taught me about "giving back;" joining a Sorority in college whose platform was raising money for young women who otherwise wouldn't get the chance of an education; or painting bedrooms at a local Women's Shelter... I've just always felt better when I'm helping.

Throughout my life, I've also had plenty of women mentors... Harriet Passarelli, Marlene Verny, Jerilyn Goodman, Marcia Bradley, Marion Branick... women who took the time to help me, and as a result helped shape my career. I try to do the same for other young women today.

Judy and Paul dressed up for Halloween ... at least that's their story!

QB: Please tell me about your Scary Charity for animals. I love animals, so I have to ask about this!

JC: Paul loves, adores, lives for Halloween! (He's so funny. We actually have a real wooden coffin in our garage for parties!) Anyway, he spends days in October decorating our house, and when he's finished, it really looks haunted. (Gone are my cute little pumpkins and pretty witches! haha They no longer fit. We have Bates Motel monogrammed black towels instead!!)

One year, I thought it would be fun to make it a charity night, and donate all the money to a good cause. (Thus the name Scary Charity)

I'd read about a wonderful couple out in Montana who bought thousands of acres of land to start a shelter for abandoned, abused or other-wise neglected animals ... horses, dogs and cats. It's called The Rolling Dog Ranch. I asked if they'd send me a newsletter and a video about their "Sanctuary" because we wanted to hold a charity event on their behalf. (I, too, love animals and would like to rescue every single one that's not treated well)

Well, the party was a big success; everyone was decked out; each person gave $50; and, we showed the video midway through the night so everyone could see where their money was going. (Not a dry eye in the room)

We raised $2500; Paul and I then matched that; and our company even matched that. We gave The Rolling Dog Ranch $10,000. I was so proud! I said to our kids, "Okay guys, let's share in the choice of a charity for these parties. We'll give to different charities each time. So, put your thinking caps on, and also think about how you're going to market the reason for that particular choice. You can give a presentation to the family, and we'll all vote on which one to do that year." We haven't had another one just yet, but it's now a family affair. (I've read that it's great to talk about charities with your children and let them participate. It makes them appreciate what they have, and want to help those who don't.)

Judy and Paul

QB: You mentioned that it took a long time to find the happiness that you now have with Paul and his kids. What is it about Paul that brings so much joy to your life? What would you say to other ladies who are "of a certain age" who haven't found their prince charming yet?

JC: A dear friend of mine said to me, after another disappointing break-up, "You know, Judy, Gloria Steinem didn't find love until she was in her 50's. She had decided that perhaps a lasting partnership just wasn't in the cards for her, but that she had had a remarkable life just the same. Then BOOM! She met this guy, fell in love and got married. So, you see, love can happen at any age." She was right, of course, and I hung onto that thought.

I also gave myself another type of pep talk, "You have absolutely everything else in life that one could want: a loving family, a great job, your own money to do with what you want, a beautiful home, wonderful friends and the sweetest doggie ever. So, let go of that one little aspect that's missing, and enjoy your life!"

That worked for a while, :) and then I went out and bought this book called "Marrying Smart." I read the whole thing in one day. It was fun and lighthearted. There was this little ritual the author had you do, reciting this message on a piece of paper ... after which you burned the paper and left things up to the universe. (I practically burned down my house!!!) Ironically, what I had written on that piece of paper came true, and I was married a year and a half later. (That author definitely owes me royalties after you print this!)

Judy and her true love!

QB: What would I find in your refrigerator right now?

JC: Wine. (Everyone knows about my love of wine... our kids joke about it, and I get wine-related gifts every year) Lots of salad dressings. (I love salads, too) The usual milk, eggs, cheese, orange juice, apples and some left-over homemade lasagna. (It's my specialty. Otherwise, Paul's the cook!)

QB: What band or star were you obsessed with as a teenager?

JC: Elvis. and The Carpenters. I loved them, and would dance around the living room to their music like I was a rock star. (and of course, in my living room, I was!)

QB: Besides yourself, who are your favorite clothing and handbag designers?

JC: I'm not really loyal to just one or two designers. It's more about the fit, the style and the quality for me. If I feel good in it, then that's my favorite designer that day! :) There's so much talent out there that it's a fun time to be wearing clothes!! And, just like young fashion students on the verge of a burgeoning career, if I can bring a great design with a creative twist to the market, then I've done a good job.

QB: You have worked in home shopping long enough to see many changes. What do you miss most about the "good old days" and what do you think is the best thing to happen in home shopping?

JC: I miss the relaxed atmosphere of the good ole days. The high expectations weren't there back then. Everything was an experiment, and there was this attitude of "anything goes." The change I do appreciate, though, is the new-found respect for the shopping channels. We were called hawkers back in the day, and reporters frequently wrote unflattering articles about the business. I'm glad that negative reputation has changed.

Judy on the ShopNBC set presenting her first OTV.

QB: What's coming down the pike in your new collection? Will you be expanding into new areas?

JC: Yes. And, its so exciting. I have handbags coming in for Fall... (just saw one of the samples come through, and its gorgeous!); I have more darling coats and jackets for Fall, too... (we just did a big presentation on them last week, and ShopNBC is really excited); AND, I'm working on a line of jewelry! (shhhh... its a secret) (Big, big meeting happening next week!)

Where to find Judy:

Judy Crowell Website

Judy Crowell Collection at ShopNBC

Judy Crowell Facebook Fan Page

Judy Crowell Collection Facebook Fan Page

Judy Crowell Twitter

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Not the Smithsonian's First Faux Rodeo

The Smithsonian's recent deal with QVC to sell faux versions of their priceless collection of jewels made headlines everywhere: the New York Times, the Washington Post,  The Atlantic (OMG! Queen Bea was featured!)

The common theme seemed to be dread and horror at the mass market cheapening of our national treasures. But little did anyone know that our precious jewels were tainted long ago. This might be the first time the Smithsonian lowered its standards to peddle copies of its jewelry on an American home shopping network, but its not the first time they have sold out to a home shopping channel.

The Australian home shopping channel, TVSN, currently has their Smithsonian collection on clearance (sorry, all sales are final!) The Australian Smithsonian collection features the Napolean Diadem Pin, the Sultan's Emerald Pin, and of course the iconic Hope Diamond Pin

The Smithsonian Icon Hope Diamond Pin is described as being "faithfully adapted from the original Hope Diamond found in the Harry Winston Gallery at the Smithsonian's Natioanl Musuem of Natural History. The original 45.52 carat diamond is known for its deep blue colour as well as it's dramatic history. Our centre stone is custom cut European glass and surrounded by fifteen cubic zirconia."

I sure hope the Q does a better job interpreting the Smithsonian collection cause I'm not impressed with any of these pieces.

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