Thanks For The Memories, Shear Genius

So, everyone’s favorite Bravo reality show Shear Genius has finally come to an end. If you’re looking for a recap of the finale, then you’re looking in the wrong place. If that's what you're looking for, then check out Eric’s hilarious recap on the Bravissimo blog. Good stuff!



Anyway, I’d like to share some of my general feelings and a few observations about the show. I think everyone in the blogosphere agrees that this show wasn’t your run-of-the-mill reality show. No! This show was all about the hair. There were, of course, a few bumps here and there. Some people seemed to lack interpersonal skills, while others were just plain weird. However, compared to other reality shows, this kind of stuff doesn’t qualify as drama. Although the whole Tabs vs. Tyson thing was kind of entertaining. Now, let’s scrutinize the geniuses and the judges.



Jaclyn Smith looked amazing on the finale. She was just radiant. And the woman is an excellent host/moderator. She was in control. She even contributed a few thoughtful comments during the deliberation in the finale. I think this was an educational experience for Jaclyn, too. Heidi Klum is no match for this angel. I’ll miss Jaclyn’s reactions to the stylists' odd behavior on the show. At first, I thought she just didn’t like interruptions. For example, she looked puzzled when Tabs started bashing Tyson. It was clear what Tabs was doing, but Jaclyn seemed disoriented. Was she expecting things to follow some sort of script? Was she looking for cue cards? It's a reality show, Jackie! I have no idea why you were surprised by a little drama. Sally, on the other hand, was all smiles. She loved the drama. Jaclyn also appeared moved by almost every loser’s goodbye speech; that was kind of cute. She would usually recover quickly and warn the stylists that any one of them could be next. Boy, she wasn’t kidding.



Is there anything cooler than Sally Hershberger? Well, yes—Tabs. But other than Tabs, no one can touch Sally. Yes, Sally was my favorite judge, and I’m not just saying that because she got to touch Meg Ryan’s head. Sally’s flat affect and use of the word “yummy” during the finale have earned her the title of coolest judge ever. It’s hard to be cool, but Sally makes it look so easy. Nina Garcia who?

My mind draws a blank when I try to think of good things to say about Michael Carl. I never really cared for the guy. Interestingly, He (and Sally) seemed a bit sedated during the finale. Hm, I guess Vidal’s presence really affected everyone on the show. They were all on their best behavior. Actually, the week before the finale, I remember thinking that Michael wasn’t too happy with Ben, and it showed during the finale. His embryo comment was just vicious. Was that really necessary, Michael? Come on. Ben is so harmless. I guess he felt the need to bitch slap Ben one last time just for old time’s sake.



If you’ve been reading my blog for the past few weeks, then you should know that I think the world of Tabatha Coffey. She’s a confident woman who doesn’t take bs from anyone. She has an aggressive personality and her hair styles were consistently hard-edged throughout the show. She gets extra points for being a lesbian. Hey, this is a gay blog, not as GAY as some other blogs, but gay nonetheless. Anyway, click here if you want to read an older post I dedicated to the hair witch (Tabs). I think I was sleep deprived when I wrote it. That actually explains a lot. Long live Tabs!



Daisy was a joy to watch every week. The Hialeah Sound Machine never apologized for being herself, and, of course, she shouldn’t. She’s loud; she’s Cuban; she’s queer; and she’s proud! Amen to that! I thought she was going to play it safe for the finale, but she did the exact opposite. She went nuts. I appreciate that fact that she did something different. However, it didn’t work out for her, and that's a shame. Also, I find it interesting that they were able to find two lesbian stylists to participate in the show. I guess there are more lesbian hairdressers out there than most would think.



I had a love/hate relationship with Ben throughout the show. This rocker from Illinois turned out to be the biggest sweetheart. I’m sure he can fight with the best of them, but he was a total gentleman from the start. He’s also quite the little sponge; yes, he’s a fast learner and that made all the difference in some of the challenges. Also, he was eager to please his clients and the judges, and that surely helped him make it to the final. Although I like Ben, I have to admit that I wasn’t pleased that he made it as far as he did. He’s one lucky guy. However, he did well in the finale. Oh, and how hot did he look throughout the final episode?



Anthony established himself as a contender from the start. He didn’t impress me all that much, but he did produce some consistently acceptable styles. And he saved the best for last. The judges made the right call by naming him the winner of the first season of Shear Genius. Ben’s inexperience and Daisy’s lack of time management (and foresight) helped Anthony secure the win. His precision cuts were very good.



So, I guess this is my last Shear Genius (season 1) post. It was fun watching the show and reading other blogs. And even though Rene didn’t really do much on the show, I will miss seeing his gorgeous face every Wednesday night. Now, it’s time to get ready for Top Chef 3. Yes!