TV

eBay

And now for the finale! Everyone knows I am an eBay lover. I’ve been a proud member since 2001 and nearly every fashion favorite in my closet is from eBay—silver tweed Couture Couture winter coat, black patent Furla bag, vintage rhinestone collar, 80s enamel Hermes cuff—the list goes on…and on.  The good news is that I save an average of $200 to $300 off of retail prices when I shop eBay. And I’ve come back to my Mecca this year full force. So to satisfy the multitudes of you people who ask me to share my sellers, here all of my secrets (well, some of them :) )

http://stores.ebay.com/Celebrity-Owned?_rdc=1

• Straight from the wardrobes of some of your favorite TV and film sets. Get the white cashmere shawl Gwyneth wore for ¾ of the price.

http://stores.ebay.com/DOLLFACE-VINTAGE-clothing?_rdc=1

• Actual super cool vintage finds that look modern and well kept at super low prices. Your friends will think Pat Field is hiding in your closet.

http://stores.ebay.com/thepaisleypetunia

• I love J. Crew. So sue me, I’m from Connecticut. But I’m not so jazzed at the fact that their price points now hit the $1000 mark. Thanks to The Paisley Petunia, I can load up on all my J. Crew wish list items for at least $100 below the original retail price. And the merch is literally only a catalogue behind if that.

Now, go forth and save. But don’t you dare look any less cute, people!

No one likes to be embarrassed in public, that's just the facts. Not only does a public spectacle bring you down, if you have a family it can bring them down along with you. Some of the biggest public spectacles have happened around political figures. Of course, they are public people, after all. Clinton, Spitzer. Not good for them. Not good for the family, and not so good for us on the sidelines watching. Just an overall bummer.

I wasn't up on the Letterman thing when it broke. I had my head in a cloud of another sort that will remain nameless, but when I found out, honestly, I was like, who cares? Sorry. He isn't running the country, he's not a spiritual leader, he's not a teacher. The guy is a performer, a comedian. Yes, he does appear on our TV screens most nights, but again, so what? If he wants to wreck his own marriage and image, that's his business. Of course, it's also the business of the network who could see advertisers bolt.

I don't hold celebrities as examples and/or holders of a specific moral code. Their foibles and failings are their own. They are "artists" and interpreters and just people. Would I like to be married to someone like Dave? No. Would I like him to be a friend I can rely on? No. Doesn't seem to be the trustworthy type. Am I going to spend anymore time considering his silliness? No. He's got his wife and the network to answer to. Oh, and himself. That little voice inside that might want to rethink some life strategies. In the end, that's the toughest critic of all.

Source: mediabistro.com
 

There's an upswing in the intervention trend. Apparently, everyone is doing it! We know it's hot when TV has a show devoted to the subject. Even if a show isn't positioned as "intervention TV," we can see when that tone and tempo is running the storyline - take a look at "The Biggest Loser." All the makeover shows are about an intervention, if you think about it. "Gosh, you look like dog doody, let's do something with that hair, never mind those teeth!"

Intervention comes with its share of crying and anger. We love to see people cry and have their "come to Jesus moment." Let's not forget, America LOVES a comeback story, it's in our DNA. "Those losers from the continent, they made good after all!"

But intervention with a client, now that's a scary scenario. If they don't like what you have to say then in the infamous words of a toughie, that's actually quite nice in real life, no matter what you think of his hair, "you're fired!"

We've had our share of client interventions. And yes, some went better than others. It all depends on how you handle it (tactfully) and if you make the case that you're only trying to help (their image and ultimately bottom line). But it's amazing what kind of silliness may get thrown into the mix as you present your case. The rationalizations could run the gamut from the supernatural (I'm not at liberty to share details here) to the stubborn (they've always liked our product just the way it is so why do we have to change?)

Honestly, I don't have great advice on how to do this perfectly, but what I can say is this - don't be afraid to try. And here's why... It's a matter of integrity. Later, when your peers look at the brand and wonder how it got its head so stuck in the mud, you're going to want to know that you tried. The client may not listen, but you will know you gave it your all, and that is what you're getting paid for, after all. So do it!

Source: hulu.com
 

Running a business comes with a load of stress. You're dealing with HR issues, cash flow, new business outreach, keeping current clients happy, long term planning (oops, we're outgrowing our space), etc. That kind of stress is bound to produce some "bad behavior" every now and then, aka, “What the heck is going on here!" Raised voices? Yep, that could be me. But one thing I have learned is it's never really a good thing to raise the roof. It just proves you can't take the pressure, and most of the time (though your case may be justified) the person in your sites is trying as hard as they can. That's most of the time, but not ALL of the time...

So, when I heard about what Kanye West did to Taylor Swift I had empathy - yes, I've lost my head before (but not on national TV, praise goodness). I also thought, gosh, what a bad move. Not only for Kanye (he finally went too far) but also for Taylor who didn't deserve to have her moment spoiled that way. Apparently, he called her and apologized. And apparently he had a "good" reason for his behavior, his mom's death. But all in all a sad moment, one that he may always regret, somewhere deep down inside. Don't worry Kanye, America likes to forgive those that mess up, it's our way. And Taylor, you did win, after all.

But there was a winner here, and his name is Jay Leno. Good night for ratings. So, does bad behavior ever go right? For Jay it did. And once in a while when I do flip out on someone who really isn't doing their job and they get back in line, I find the tough approach does help. It's unfortunate, but true. "Hey you, what's going on over there!"

Source: mirror.co.uk
 

Our agency reps jewelry and fashion brands that year on year vie for red carpet exposure. And year on year we show up, thanks to the tireless efforts of our team. It's always a bit of a struggle as you wrangle temperamental stylists (they are artists after all) and compete against the BIG brands with BIG budgets who PAY for their spot on the carpet. It's all a white knuckle experience as the E! pre-show airs and the team scans the celebs, especially the ones they've been negotiating with. Will they or won't they???

We've been doing this for years, and the anticipation and general freak out never gets that much better. But a little better, with a long line of success in your wake (January Jones, Jessica Lange, Olivia Wilde, Natalie Portman) does make it a less painful experience. So, as we move past Emmy and toward Oscar (not to mention our golden friend) I started wondering, will Emmy ever catch up to Oscar in terms of desire and panache? What separates them? TV vs. Film. Is film really that much more glamorous? Maybe. But maybe it's also the crush of award shows and all the build up that makes Oscar so exciting.

Oscar has been getting a bit tarnished these last few years, mainly in the ratings game. They've tried to spice up the proceedings, and last year was a great new step forward, but not sure if things will continue to slip. I sure hope not, that red carpet has spelled gold for several of our clients. But back to Emmy vs. Oscar. Here's what I think: Emmy has been gaining over the years and I think our golden boy may need to watch his back. It will be interesting to see how things shape up. I'm watching. Are you?

Source: thewrap.com