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.

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Home Shopping Speed Dating

Now that homeschool is off of Spring break and back in session, Queen Bea has less time and energy to post all those funny and acerbic home shopping rants that you all have come to love ... or at least tolerate. So in an effort to prevent Queen Bea from taking another extended spectacle, here is a quick rundown of just some of the home shopping madness that has already started to pile up in the inbox.



Three things about this video: 1) I think Jeanne Bice and Isaac Mizrahi were separated at birth, 2) Jeanne sure knows how to make an entrance, and 3) what is up with the constant flow of IsaacMizrahiLive! TSV's? I realize that the Q dumped a lot of money into him--even building Isaac his own special studio--but too much of a good thing is never good. Let me break it down into simple home shopping terms: Even though Queen Bea would love to sit on the couch all day an eat an entire Isaac Mizrahi designed Junior's cheesecake while watching a Golden Girls marathon, doing so would make her feel very sick and not fit into her pants the next day.


QVC is looking for a real life doctor to pitch health and beauty products for them--actors need not apply. Could this be in response to the recent QVC-Andrew Lessman lawsuit? Interesting.


Pat James-Dementri's ex-husband, Vince Dementri, just got a new broadcasting job.Seems like this particular station is starting a rehab program for wayward newscasters. If you haven't already, check out what happened at his last job here.


Queen Bea has been a fan of QVC fashion designer Chloe Dao ever since her Project Runway days. However, in a recent interview Chloe Dao said that her high-end collection only goes to a size 10. Considering that the average American woman is a size 12/14, that really stinks. Apparently, only skinny rich ladies are welcome.


Liz Lange, that designer with the awesome maternity clothes line at Target, just launched a line of clothes on HSN for all us un-pregnant folks to enjoy. I love her Target stuff, so I'm holding out hope for this one.


QVC issed $500 million in bonds in order to pay down some bank debt. I will not pretend to be an expert on these types of financial dealings, but from what I read at several different sources, they are being described as "junk bonds." I guess Easy Pay only goes so far.


QVC's parent company, Liberty Media, was looking to buy HSN later this year (for real--read it here), but HSN's stock has been doing so well lately--up 50% since just January--that they might prove to big to buy.


Massillon Cable TV and Clear Picture were recently selected to receive $25,000, the grand prize in the 2009 QVC Affiliate Cross Channel Promotion Program for promoting QVC throughout the year. And do you know what they did with the prize? They donated it all to charities in their community. Good for them!!! In this day of corporate greed, it's wonderful to see a company do something so generous.


Sonia Bitton--whose name I love to try to say in her distinctive accent--launched a new website SoniaBLive.com where you can purchase daily and weekly specials of her high-end jewelry. Sonia Bitton has long been a staple jewelry designer at ShopNBC, but her luxury baubles did not match up with the new lower price point that ShopNBC was aiming for. Since the split from ShopNBC, Sonia has been on QVC-UK and even an Australian home shopping channel where she worked with none other than Queen Bea's favorite host--Charla Rines! Oh, Charla, how I miss you so! (I love Sonia and Charla, but why are they selling the Tacori Harlequin ring in Australia? Look for yourself! What's going on here?)

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