Media Mondays

Oh, I am a little slow on my Media Monday this week.  I think things will be back to normal-ish by Wednesday, so I will update you on what has been happening.  Here are all of the crazy places I was last week:

Oscars:  If you missed my coverage, you will find it all here.

Tom Barnard Podcast:  This was a fun episode since I had the opportunity to appear with a former colleague from ShopNBC, Christopher Straub. If you are a fan of Project Runway, then you remember him from Season 6.  Listen here.

SheKnows:
Did Anne Hathaway have an Oscar-sized meltdown?--All signs point to a "yes."
Jack Nicholson crashes Jennifer Lawrence interview--Creepy or just Jack?
Jennifer Aniston ready to be Mrs. Theroux--Then the baby bump rumors begin all over again.

I'm Coming To A TV Near You!

You can never leave the past behind........

As much as I try to leave the automotive and home shopping worlds behind, they always suck me right back in.  This weekend is going to be a fun one too!  I will be appearing on HSN three times on Sunday, October 7th (That's tomorrow, kids!) at Noon, 4pm, and 9pm ET or 9am, 1pm, 6pm PT with HSN hosts, Marlo Smith and Brett Chukerman. Yes, it's live, so anything goes!  Check your local cable listings for your HSN channel.  It's part of a basic cable package, so most of you should have it.  If you are a cord cutter, then you can still watch it live online at HSN.com.

Oh, and no pressure at all....it's the first time an automotive company has done anything like this.  Let's make some electronic retailing history!

Photos From Emmys Weekend

I'm still recovering and finishing articles from the crazy Emmys weekend, but here are all of my photos from the set-up to the parties to the backstage gifting lounge.  What was your favorite part of the Emmys show?  Did you think Jimmy Kimmel was a good host?  

 Stand-ins for the real celebs in preparation for the red carpet show.  See the faux Ashley Judd here!

 It's so good to be a rich celebrity, you get more free stuff.  They were giving away these beautiful Aquaswiss watches.  I want one!

 This might be my favorite Shellac name color ever. It won't be out until November, but it's called "Midnight Swim" by CND. Thanks for the manicure, Lisa!

 I totally scared Matthew Perry who then followed me to the NBC party on Saturday night.

 Oh look!  It's the real Ashley Judd at the HBO party.

 Lena Dunham is quirky and interesting, but she deserves a better dress.

 My former colleague at ShopNBC, Charlie Lapson.

Outside The Awards Lounge Party with Gordon Vasquez of Real TV Films.

 It's a guy with an Emmy!

Outfit:  

Dress: Laundry by Shelli Segal 

Shoes:  Nine West

Jewelry: All costume jewelry probably totaling less than $50

And yes, I've worn this dress before!

Join me tonight on AfterBuzz TV at 10PM for our live chat about The New Normal. 

Advice To Aspiring Entertainment Journalists

Throughout the year, I receive emails from broadcast journalism students and young reporters early in their career seeking advice and support in this industry.  It is a tough field that has become even tougher.  The explosion of internet media has quadrupled the talent pool in Los Angeles alone.  I used to audition with the same 30 people only a decade ago.  So, with more opportunities comes more competition and it is important to stand out in a field that is overcrowded with wannabe Giuliana Rancics and Ryan Seacrests.  

Ashley Woodrum from Z-TV contacted me via Twitter awhile back regarding her host reel.  I offered her some feedback and then she asked if I could answer a few questions for her.  I asked for her permission to use her name and her questions here on my blog because I think it is helpful for so many to hear the responses to what she is asking. So, thank you, Ashley, for inspiring this post! 


1. What made you want to be in the entertainment broadcasting industry?

Originally, I set out to work in musical theatre, so working in the broadcasting industry was never on my radar.  In 1997, I was hired to host a children's dance video on how to Electric Slide and Hokey Pokey based on my dance background.  The video (Yes, it was on VHS!) was a success and I received a few other host offers.  My work is really, really raw in that video, so I sought training with Larry Conroy in NYC to go along with my on-camera enthusiasm. I made the big move to Los Angles in 2000 to make my mark in the industry.  

So, my path was not a traditional one, but if you want to work in the entertainment broadcasting in 2012, here are a few recommendations:
     -Broadcast Journalism degree
     -Know how to write, produce, shoot, and edit your own pieces.
     -Be social media savvy:  this includes a Twitter, public Facebook, and Instagram account.
     -Intern anywhere you can to meet and network with people in the industry.
     -Find a mentor whom you can go to for advice and guidance.

2. If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take to really get your first full time job?

My first full-time job came in 2002 when I was hired as a network host for ShopNBC.  It was about 5 years into my career and 2 years into my time in Los Angeles and it required a move to Minneapolis.  While home shopping was not my dream job, it became such a valuable tool in terms of working with an IFB on live TV with a cue card only giving you 5 bullet points on each product you were selling.  My ad-lib skills are so strong as a result of this job.  


3.  What did you do to reach that goal of yours?

The person that changed my career was Marki Costello.  I began taking her host boot camp weekend in the Spring of 2001 and then I continued with ongoing classes throughout the year.  She is a tough teacher, but coming from a dance background, I was used to that type of teaching format:  perform, get constructive feedback, and then do it again the RIGHT way.  Now, Marki is an empire with multiple classes and boot camps all over the US, so I am not sure the focused individual attention from her is on the curriculum as much.  However, there are other great media trainers out in LA that I would probably recommend more now, yet I owe my career to Marki Costello.


4. Could you offer me any other advice in regards to employment? I know this field takes patience, but like I said I'm still looking for that one person to notice me! Sometimes I get a little disheartened because I work so hard, and have yet to have someone pick me up if you know what I mean.

All of the clichés are true here:  "Don't ever give up", "Believe in your dreams", and "Success is when opportunity meets preparation."  You have to know what makes you unique in a very crowded field.  What is the one thing that you get complimented on in regards to your on-camera work?  What do you have to offer an employer that no one else can bring to the table?  If you know what that is, you can work on enhancing that even more on your reel, your blog, and most importantly, your brand.  Even though this is a creative field, it is still a business, so think like an MBA student when it comes to your career.

Also, I find that creating a vision board with personal and professional hopes and dreams helps make my goals a reality.  I keep it in my walk-in closet where I can see my everything I want right in front of me several times a day.  It keeps me accountable for continuing to grow my career.  

5. Also lastly, I was wondering if you could look over my resume and maybe offer me some tips or advice on that? I understand you must be very busy but any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Yes!  Send it on over.  I am happy to help.  You have my email.  If anyone else wants to contact me with more questions, feel free to use the tab above, hit me up on Twitter or Facebook, or comment below. I would be happy to continue this discussion with you and other hosts/entertainment reporters.    

I also do coaching/mentoring sessions that run $75/hour.  If you mention this article, I will give you 20% off.  I am available for in-person consulting in the LA area or via Skype for those who are out of town.  

Huh? What Did I Just Say?

I love what I do for a living and I am so happy that each day is different because I am not sure I could handle a desk job.  My creative brain likes to bounce all over the place and my job offers the opportunity to learn about so many different subjects.  I never thought I would become an alternative fuel vehicle expert, but my Toyota Live job has afforded me that.  I love entertainment news, so it is easy to prep for a red carpet job.  Plus, my ability to memorize quickly and pitch a product has allowed me to dabble in home shopping and infomercials from time to time.  Every once in awhile though, I watch myself on camera and think, "What did I just say?".  This is one of them.........(And that screen capture is priceless!)

Gifts

Yes, I took the day off from blogging yesterday. I was having trouble loading photos to Blogger, so I decided it was a sign to rest and relax after being out of town for the month. I spent the day cozying up on a rainy day to my favorite farm animals, getting a facial, and making a pot of Texas chili with sweet cornbread muffins.

I was also lucky enough to come home to my BF and lots of presents from his trip to Oktoberfest and Prague (Yes, while I was working in Dallas, he was in Europe-not a fair trade!). I was dying to see what he got me and it was an eclectic mix of treasures, just the way I like it.

Starting off with a gift from Oktoberfest, I am hoping my pal, Lydia, chimes in on this one, but I guess all the ladies wear these cookie necklaces during the festival. A guy gives it to his girl to wear and it means something like "You have my heart". Okay, that is what I was told, but I am hoping for a little more clarity, so chime in the comments section if you have more information. It also made me laugh that many girls are seen stomping on their cookies if their boyfriends piss them off after a few beers. Oh, and if you see a little puncture hole at the bottom of the cookie, it is Indy's little teeth. She tried to eat my cookie.

A charming little Santa to add to my Christmas ornament collection. At the rate I am going, we we will need two trees this year. I think Santa looks like a 1970's version of a Weeble.
A beautiful handcrafted glass tea light holder. It matches perfectly with the dining room decor.
And jackpot! Some cool pieces from Prague, a big chunky Amber ring and a garnet pendant necklace. They complement each other well, so I have been wearing them together. My BF has good taste. Uh, and my hand modeling job in this photo is atrocious. My former co-workers at ShopNBC would be so disappointed, never mind the bad manicure which is getting fixed today, I promise!
Well, phew...it's good to be home even if it is for just a week and a half. My next trip is to Nashville to work with this gentleman. I will have more details about that job once I shoot the infomercial, but I am thrilled to be working with such an icon in the field of electronic retailing. See you tomorrow at Red Carpet Closet!

For the Win: Physician's Endorsed Accessories

It's no secret that I was a network host for ShopNBC and the on-air rep for Stila Cometics on QVC earlier in the decade.  You may think I have put my home shopping days behind me, but I still keep up with all of the news on one of my favorite blogs, Home Shopping Queen.  While perusing the site one day, I happily stumbled upon a Twitter giveaway of Physician's Endorsed accessories. Given that it is summer and I am a befreckled bottle blonde, it is important for me to always cover up in the sun.  Even though I never win these things, I typed my 140 characters on Twitter to enter the contest.  Little did I know, I would be the winning entry!  After communicating with Queen Bea of Home Shopping Queen, I received my new hat and sunglasses in the mail.  Here are the long-awaited photos of my new glam summer look.  Not only are they perfect for my upcoming summer trip, the hat and sunglasses are even better than I ever imagined:  high quality, trendy, and ideal for the fair-haired, fair-skinned ladies of the world.  So, be sure to check out Physician's Endorsed for your summer accessories and stop by and say "hi" to Queen Bea for all the latest in home shopping scoop.   Thanks, QB and Physician's Endorsed!

Remembering Bill Fahey

A screen shot of me and Bill Fahey on our last day co-hosting together. November 2004

In 2002, ShopNBC gave me my big break in hosting.  Oh boy, was it a tough transition.  I went from the endless summer in Los Angeles to the endless winter in Minnesota.  My new employer was tumultuous at best and "Minnesota Nice" was well, not so nice.  Yet each day as I got off shift at 6 AM, Bill Fahey was there to greet my morning with a smile.  His knowledge, warmth, and kindness kept me going even on days when I missed my West Coast home.  He worked out next to me on the treadmill at Flagship Athletic Club and told me to go that extra mile.  He sat with me at lunch and cheered me up when I was blue.  And he made my 3 hours go by so quickly when I filled in for his co-host during the Sunrise hours.  A friend here in Los Angeles saw my post on Facebook today about Bill and reminded me of the fun we all used to have....me as a host, she as a viewer.  Each morning at 5:45 AM, Bill would drop by the set and hide.  We would play, "Where in the World is Bill Fahey?".  I know this wasn't ShopNBC approved, but it made me laugh.  He would hide behind desks, cameras, the set, just to keep life interesting in the wee hours of the morning.  And when this LA gal heard the call to go home to the sunshine and the bright lights of Hollywood, he was the first one there to encourage me to go for my dreams and the last one standing with gifts, a cake, and a hug on my last day on the air at ShopNBC.
Bill was my co-host, my mentor, but most importantly, my friend:
R.I.P. 


Be sure to see some terrific tribute clips and memories of Bill Fahey over at Home Shopping Queen.


To see a fun clip of Bill and I hosting together, check out this clip at the 4:00 minute mark:

Our supporters!

Just a quick update while I catch up on the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy and wonder who will be in or out on Project Runway. (By the way, do you not love Models of the Runway this season? Genius idea, Lifetime, genius!) All I have to say is, "Go, Christopher Straub"! He was a colleague of mine when I worked as a network host for ShopNBC. Oh, you didn't know I was a home shopping host in my former life, did you? :)

I cannot thank Mathieas McNaughton enough. His unparalleled support of The Web Files is beyond appreciated. His comments on the episodes make me laugh--whether it is a couch that is too small or his appreciation for my hat obsession. (By the way, Mathieas, I have another hat coming for you in our Cabonauts episode.) So, to support him and his daily features on the web series community, bookmark his blog: LG15 Today

Also, I wish there was a way to show my appreciation for Blip.tv. They consistently support our show and you can often find the latest episode of The Web Files on their home page as a part of their "Featured Episodes". Tom Reynolds was an early cheerleader for The Web Files and the exposure we have gained on their site is immeasurable. So, take the time to visit our friends over at Blip.tv and stop by The Web Files while you are at it: The Web Files.

Paley Center: "House" and My Fashion Faux Pas

Hey Everyone,

It has been a busy week on the red carpet, so I have been digging around my closet for lots of outfits. Unfortunately, this one was not my best look. We were covering the panel for FOX's hit TV show, "House", at the Paley Center. These events are what I like to call, "snappy casual". I needed a simple dress with cute heels and an accessory or two. I decided to dig out a sundress that was a hand-me-down from Kristin Chenoweth. I think when I received it, there were still tags on it. It is an easy, black cotton sundress from Express from 2002. It has scalloped lace edges at the hem of the dress and at the neckline with white ribbon running through the spaghetti straps at the top. Sounds hard to mess up, right? Well, take a look at the picture and focus in on the length. I normally wear this outfit with cute flip flops and head out for the day where hemlines do not matter. Instead, I took the outfit and dressed it up thinking it would translate to the red carpet. Wrong! The hemline hits below the knee emphasizing my lack of waist and delivering a less than desirable potato sack look. I might have solved some of these issues if I had belted the dress, but, alas, my friends, it is one big fashion faux pas. Sigh.

I do love my accessories though. My shoes are orange!!! The sling backs with a 3.5" heel and pointy toes are another great find from Nine West. My earrings were made by a friend of mine, Betheny Zolt, who created a gold-dipped leaf design with copper accents. Finally, my bracelet is encrusted with semi-precious stones....colorful fall color accents to enhance my shoes and brighten up the black sundress. I cannot remember the name of the designer, but I bought it during my time as a home shopping host at ShopNBC. I remember that the line is also sold at Nordstroms, so if I think of it, I will add the name here. (And yes, I was a home shopping host, but that is another story for another time.....only if you are interested, so speak up!)

So, I guess not every outfit is a winner? Lesson learned. Regardless, the "House" red carpet was fun thanks to great interviews with celebs like Omar Epps (mighty handsome in person), Robert Sean Leonard (very witty), and the genius show creator, David Shore. It was also one of the most organized red carpets I have ever worked, so thank you, Paley Center! All of the footage can be found here at Focus Hollywood, if you are looking for more on the event.

Next up, my wardrobe from the Television Academy's "Father's Day Salute to TV Dads". Oh yeah, Reverend Camden is just as hot in person as he is on "7th Heaven".

Have a spectacular weekend, peeps!

Reporting Live from Los Angeles,

kb

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