Ron Maestri Wants Back on QVC

Former QVC host Ron Maestri wants back on the Q and has posted an audition tape on You Tube. Seems like everyone wants back on QVC after they leave, doesn't it?

Here's what Ron had to say about the tape:

Remember me? I was a QVC Program Host from 1996-1999 selected from over 5000 candidates in a nationwide talent search. I was living in Los Angeles at the time, producing/directing very successful national celebrity infomercials. Chosen "as a refreshing change for QVC" because of my out-going fun personality, I proudly joined the staff. My favorite shows to host (and most successful, if I do say so myself) were cook shows. Others included electronics (I sold 500 computer TSV's at 5AM; slam dunked a breadmaker TSV and kicked off a very successful presentation of a new steam/carpet cleaning machine).

In addition to cookware, I worked very closely with buyers for other product categories including fashion, gold, Diamonique, various around the house items, collectables and outdoor on-air presentations. I was the roving road warrior for "Extreme Shopping", QVC's breakout latenight series.

So why did I leave?

Times changed. Attitudes changed and it was for the best at that time.

Today, I've have come full circle and firmly believe I was meant to return once again to QVC, where I would stay for the rest of my career. I hope you and they would agree.

But whether it's me or someone else, just know that becoming a program host for QVC is the greatest privilege one could ever have.

Ron also worked on the short-lived QVC spin off, Q2, the Shop-At-Home Network, and the Gem Shopping Network, so this definitely ain't his first home shopping rodeo.

Steve Bryant, who worked with Ron at the Q and Shop-At-Home, wrote a glowing review of Ron on his website (there's also a goofy video of them doing a mock hurricane report for the weather channel).

Check out Ron's website here and scroll down to watch all the videos. There's a great one from QVC's Halloween special--and by great I mean high-quality QVC cheese! Love it!

Although I wish Ron the best, it seems to me that the Q has been trying desperately to woo the young, female viewers and has subsequently been hiring young, female hosts every chance they get. Is there a place for Ron or hosts like him at QVC today or has the terrain shifted too much over the last decade?

Steve Bryant Update

Steve is up and walking around now. The quadruple bypass heart surgery yesterday went well.

Thoughts and Prayers

Former QVC host, Steve Bryant, is undergoing quadruple bypass heart surgery today. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

It's Howdy Doody Time!

This is purported to be Buffalo Bob's final television appearance. This video is from the Howdy Doody 50th anniversary show on QVC, which aired on July 3, 1998. Buffalo Bob Smith passed away July 30, 1998, less than a month after this appearance.

Even if you aren't a card carrying member of the Peanut Gallery, you'll probably appreciate this little blast from the past.



There are two other videos here and here and there should be two more coming.

The Ugly Side of Home Shopping

Can I just say for the record that former home shopping employees and vendors who are no longer under any contract, non-compete, or any other can't-talk-to-anyone-about-anything-or-we'll-sue-you-into-oblivion legal restrictions are very near and dear to Queen Bea's dark royal heart.

Former QVC host, Steve Bryant, has decided that he needs some blog therapy, y'all! And we are here to help.

Apparently, while he was still working at the Q, he overheard two sophomoric, snickering nincompoops ... sorry, I mean two program hosts, calling him a liar for a cute on-air story he told about a radio job he had back in college and then they "went into a diatribe about how ugly (he) was."

Steve might not be Miss America, but no one can successfully sell on television for 15 years and look like Nosferatu. Ain't gonna happen. Perhaps he didn't faux tan enough for their liking.

But the story gets better ...

"They didn’t know I was standing right around the corner. I came out and let them know I had heard what they said and that it was good to know how they felt. They were speechless, not even a yum-yum face!"

No yum-yum face?!? You mean like this one?

"Panic ensued! The other hosts in the lounge who were listening to my “put down” had obviously gone to our immediate superior to “rat out” their peers, hoping to beat me to the punch and lessen their “second hand guilt.” Actually, I had no intention of any official reprisal. I was going to confront each host privately and settle things person-to-person.

"Apparently, both of the offending hosts had been contacted by our immediate superior since they called my voicemail and apologized. Neither ever said anything to me in person, I guess believing their voicemail mia culpa would suffice.

"Many years later, I guess I should let it go. Writing this has helped to put this behind me. Still, I would like to settle the score in person and will probably do so soon. I’m no Robert Redford, but I do take exception to the “ugly” thing as well as the lying thing.

"They should at least have the guts to apologize in person. Maybe we’ll have crab cakes and laugh about the whole thing…oh, wait, that won’t work. Those Chinese crustaceans are almost extinct. Maybe some cheesecake…or anything squishy I could throw. Just sayin’…

"I wonder if they read my site? Guess I’ll find out."

Can you believe all this petty, back-stabbing, ass-covering nastiness? Unbelievable!

Check out Steve's Blog--this is just the tip of the crap cake, y'all!

Politically Incorrect Christmas

There's always a bit of controversy during the holiday season about the political correctness of Christmas.

Home shopping is not immune to this.

There's been an ongoing debate about whether or not the hosts are encouraged to say "Happy Holidays" and not "Merry Christmas."

Well according to an article in the Tennessean about former QVC host, Steve Bryant, they certainly are:

His [song] "I Still Say Merry Christmas" was inspired "by the many years I spent on QVC and had to say 'happy holidays' instead of 'merry Christmas' on-air," he said.

Although there were Christmas trees and decorations everywhere at QVC, the phrase was verboten on the air, Bryant said.

"I slipped the occasional 'merry Christmas' in, and I heard about it," he said.

Also, be sure to check out his website here and the Christmas song here. He's got a great post on the home page about the current and many woes of home shopping channels. Here's a snippet:

At QVC, we used to debut new and exciting products all the time. Today, it seems that most televised shopping channels rely on a core of products they sell all the time. Recently, one of them sold a cookware set for over 3 hours straight. Now there’s compelling television. They sold a bunch of them, but how many viewers did they turn off in the process. How many of those disgruntled viewers/customers will be back soon?

I just love three hours of Green Pans, don't you? Ugh!

Anyway, this all seems so strange to me since home shopping channels, along with other retailers, make most of their money in the forth quarter because of Christmas sales. Besides, who exactly is offended by Christmas? I'm not offended when my grandma's Jewish boyfriend celebrates Hanukkah. Nor was I offended when a co-worker fasted during Ramadan. And, for the record, my friend's agnostic husband doesn't bug me either. I just don't get it.

Isn't it almost time for Christmas in July?

Shopping Around ... Info Dump

So I've been slacking on the blog over the Thanksgiving holiday and my inbox overfloweth. This is going to be the biggest info-dump post ever. I just have to clear out some clutter! I can't take it anymore!




Kathy McGuire, inventor of My Little Weatherbuddy, got to meet Joan Rivers backstage at the Q after their 22nd Birthday Holiday Party. Kathy said Joan was "so nice and gorgeous" and that she had a great first experience on QVC, "I couldn't of had a better time in Disney world." I'm so jealous! I love Joan!


Finally! Someone is listening to me! I have nagging ad nauseum about high shipping costs and finally the-powers-that-be cleaned the wax outta their ears and listened. According to this Wall Street Journal article, it’s been all about the free shipping this holiday season.


Say bye-bye to bling-bling, electronics is now the Q’s most popular business (I wonder if this could this have anything to do with King George coming from Dell?) There's just one little problem with this: unlike jewelry, electronics has a very low profit margin.


Here's a warning that some of the coins sold on the home shopping channels might not be uncirculated as they claim. Basically this boils down to just buying what you love for fun and not buying because of some perceived future value. The best advice on the topic can be found on Steve Bryant's website (former QVC host). And while your there, take a quick listen to his song parodies (FYI--some are NSFW).


When the markets tanked last Monday (not to be confused with all the other days that it tanked), HSN dropped 24 percent to $2.84. That's in one day, folks. Wow.


Carol Alt is bringing her RAW beauty products to HSN and they are raw for real, y'all—as in not cooked. I knew about the raw eating trend, but I didn’t know that it extended into other non-edible products too. I could never do that whole raw eating thing since I (usually) love to cook! That would just suck too much joy out of my life. Oh well, to each her own.


Apparently iPhone is greedy enough to lower themselves to Walmart, but still too good for the Q. I guess you gotta draw the line somewhere, right?


This is a great article about not confusing home shopping hosts with real friends--even if they are nice people. Hosts are just doing their job by selling you stuff in an entertaining and friendly manner. And I really wish that the Q would stop all their talk about the big, happy QVC family--especially since they're canning hundreds of their beloved family members.


Here's a good write up for JTV’s watch website, which is much better than the regular Jewelry Television site--great pictures and easy navigation. I thought I'd post this since there hasn't been much good news coming out of JTV recently. Gotta take what you can get.


Mindy Grossman, CEO of HSN, was named number 28 on the 2008 Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Cable list. Why? Because HSN “has posted revenue growth during a time when most retailers have been challenged. Her reputation in the retail industry combined with her vision of HSN as a new retail frontier have made HSN a top choice for brands and strategic partners who had previously been averse to TV retailing, including Condé Nast, Sephora, Nate Berkus and Coty Inc. Her strategy of combining lifestyle entertainment and commerce has had an impact on the retail industry as well as on other media.” Forget King George over at the Q—all hail Queen Mindy!


This article details how Internet sales are becoming a bigger chunk of total home shopping sales. Personally, I never call to order anything. I am exclusively an online kind of a girl since I like to comparison shop and read reviews before making a purchase. I also do NOT like the pressure of the on-air sale (only two per state left!) I do, however, enjoy listening to the designer or inventor of the product describe and explain what they are selling. You just don’t get that kind of expertise from the eighteen-year-old at the mall. I think that the on-air and online compliment each other quite nicely and, really, the Internet is home shopping’s only hope for remaining a relevant shopping format in the future.


Here are some articles about some smart ladies with smart products who worked hard and got lucky by getting to go on QVC: Affirmagy, Butler Bag, and Lapper Trays. Congrats to all!


Interesting article about the science behind the Living Proof NoFrizz product, which won the Allure Beauty Breakthrough of the Year and is now sold on QVC. I checked out the reviews and they are definitely a mixed bag. We can fly a man to the moon, but we can't cure baldness or tame frizzy hair--go figure.


HSN's Terry Lewis gets a glowing review here for her line of "investment coats." Sounds impressive.


Fashion designer Arnold Scaasi has designed for Jacqueline Kennedy and now he’s launching a jewelry line on HSN featuring hematite, pearls, enamel and gemstones. I swear, home shopping channels are like Las Vegas—at some point everyone ends up performing there.

Steve Bryant ... Straight From the Horse's Mouth

Former QVC host, Steve Bryant, chimed in over at the QVC boards to explain why he "came and went" over the years. I love it when hosts and vendors post as themselves on message boards. It's sooo exciting! Maybe one day Queen Bea will even post as herself ... you never know where I might be lurking, chickadees. ;-P

Here is the link to the message board thread where I found this. I NEVER post anything from the boards without stating it first. So no revolts this time, ok?

And in case you didn't know, Steve is a man of many, many talents ... check out his very funny Home Shopping-ism song here (I promise that it's worth a listen!)

Hello!

Thought I would chime in so you could get this straight from the “horse’s mouth.”

I did leave full time employment at QVC back in 1989 to do a morning drive radio show. While I did say goodbye then from my evening show, I stayed on QVC part time for weekends, Friday evening through Sunday. After almost a year of working 7 days a week on radio and TV, I returned to QVC full time in 1990.

I did take a leave of absence in 1998 at the end of my contract. I spent a few months taking care of some business and personal issues. I returned and stayed for the duration of my new 2 year contract. I left of my own accord in May of 2001 to do some musical things I always wanted to do. I played at blues and folk festivals all over America for a year, traveling with my dog Mandy. We covered 30 states and Canada in that year. It was the experience of a lifetime and Mandy was great company. I still miss her everyday. Now I know how Mr. Bojangles must have felt in the song.

After that, I did some talk radio outside Philadelphia, a few infomercials and finally went to Nashville to be Vice President of On-Air Sales at Shop At Home, which had just been purchased by Scripps Networks (HGTV, The Food Network, DIY and Fine Living).

When Scripps sold them two years later, I opted not to stay. The new owners were excited that they would be able to sell a package of 20 swords for under $100. When I replied, “20 Swords?! Is there a dragon epidemic I don’t know anything about?” They realized I didn’t share their vision and released me from my contract.

My wife and I are still in Nashville and I’m having a blast doing song parodies, comedy bits and some serious music for radio shows around the country. (There are links to them on my website.)

I had a great career at QVC and I’m having fun now. Just worked with Bobby Rydel, Bill Dana and the Smothers Brothers this past week on a very exciting TV project.

As Paul Harvey would say, “And now, you know the rest of the story.” Thanks for all the kind comments over the years!

Home Shopping-isms Part Deux

Here is another list of some "Crazy Good" Home Shopping-isms emailed to be from someone who should know ... ;-)

1) This one is FLYING out the door! Hurry and get yours before they're all gone!

2) It practically irons itself!

3) Reduces the APPEARANCE of fine lines and wrinkles.

4) Be the envy of all your girlfriends.

5) All the rage on the red carpet.

6) Seen in all the fashion mags this season.

7) All the stars in Hollywood are wearing/using/talking about it.

8) Be the only one on your block to have this.

9) Can you imagine what it would be like to have this on your hand?

10) NOBODY will know you only spent 9.99 for this... NOBODY!

11) Get it today before they're gone because we don't k now when we will be able to get them back in stock. (And Queen Bea would like to add: even if we do manage to get them back in stock, it certainly won't be at this price!!!)

Read Queen Bea's list here and listen to the musical version by former QVC host, Steve Bryant here.

So what's your favorite home shoppingisms, chickadees?