First up: Miss Daisy.
First off, we don't know what the hell's going on with that makeup. She looks like a mime.
This is a cute cut. She's got kind of an angular face for such a severe bob, but she had to pick one of them for it and this wigstand's got great hair. Daisy kept going on and on about her marcel wave and we're just not seeing it. Like Anthony said, there's just a little bump on the side of her head.
OhmiGOD, that is some TRANNY HAIR! Sorry, but that is just a big NO. She looks like a Hispanic Priscilla Presley. Granted, this wigstand had some major-league thickness going on, but that's when we course correct, Daisy dear.
Okay, so she took a really cute wigstand with great cheekbones and made her look ...prissy and plain. Of course it doesn't help that she's wearing a Princess Prissypants dress. It might have turned out cute if she'd had enough time to dry the pincurls, but as it is, it looks precious and old-fashioned. The back's kind of cute, though.
Ben:
It really did look great from the front. Michael Carl was dead-on when he said he got an Angeline Jolie vibe off of it. Unfortunately, that back is pure ass. A shame, because if he could have nailed this one, he might just have won it.
It's a really great cut. Ben does have skills, despite there being some doubt as to whether he "deserved" to be there. We're not supercrazy about the asymmetricality or the bangs (which look way too short), but that back is near-perfect.
It's a great cut but it's on the wrong wigstand. We don't claim to know how it turned out this way, but he gave her a youthful sexy cut and somehow she came out looking ten years older.
Writing about hair is fun! What a refreshing change after ten months of "We don't like that hem."
Anthony:
Best bob out of the three of them. Almost perfect job on this one. One problem: that is the wrong cut for that wigstand. It instantly put ten pounds on her face. The heavy makeup didn't help. She was a pretty little wigstand in her before pic. Now she just looks like she's trying too hard.
Okay, this one's tough because we'll admit upfront: we hate this kind of cut. We hate the gigantic bangs look. A little too Agent 99. That's just us, though. Certainly it's well-executed and it frames her face well. It's just that we don't thinks she looks all that pretty.
Yeah, it's a little blunt and angular but it's a perfect precision cut and it's a clear improvement over the wigstand's original look. Color's great too. No, darlings. It's clear to us that Anthony was the definite winner. Come on, when you're facing Vidal Sassoon, you don't do up-do's and finger curls; you do precision cuts and a LOT of them! The judges made the right choice. Imagine that! A Bravo reality show where there's absolutely no controversy over who won!
Okay bitches. Your turn. Let 'er rip.
59 comments:
I laughed a little when I was watching the finale because I was thinking "I wonder what the Project Rungay boys will say about this!"
I agree 100% with everything said. Anthony deserved it AND he seems like such a great guy so that made it so much more enjoyable to watch his win. :)
Wow the photos look so different from the show. Most of them look better in the before than the after.
Was I riding on the Vidal Sassoon kindness cloud? (He is so cool) or was it the movement and incredible shine they all had?
The Priscilla Presley was really really bad. I had a bad wig Barbie Doll with hair like that. I think I made her bald.
Anthony's last cut: precision blonde thing. Yuck Do you know how annoying that haircut would be to wear? Those shaggy pieces on the side are in you eyes, try to push them back and you just look messy.
But the good thing is: It is just hair and it does grow back.
I am going to miss the show and miss you guys! the judges made the right decision. poor daisy, choked the hell out of it.
OK, to paraphrase... Angelina Jolie, no. What the hell happened to Daisy? Her last model looked like a cross between Donna's (however you spell her name) 40's schoolmarm and Ben's semi successful flapper, only way worse. The middle one was just scary, the first one looked like I did back in 6th grade when one of my pink foam rollers fell out in the middle of the night and I had no curl at all, only a big bump with ridges. Anthony absolutely deserved the win, I loved all of his styles, not so much the color on the first one. God, Vidal Sasson has aged.
Yep, no question but that Anthony deserved it--he did three good cuts--the hair moved well and looked shiny and healthy. Whether the specific cuts are to my taste or not is not the point--the hair looked good.
I suppose Ben could have won if his updo had been good in the back, but I doubt it. His bob looked great on the model, but it wasn't really a Nancy Kwan bob--they must have taken off points for that.
As for poor talented Daisy, I think she got attached to her idea of the "s" curl, and just couldn't let go when it wasn't working. And it clearly wasn't working.
And props to the judges. It was refreshing to have judges who really took seriously the official rules of the competition-- that each challenge was to be judged on its own merit. I'm not sure I think that should be the rule, but since it is the rule, I'm glad they had the courage to follow it, wherever it led them.
I agree that Anthony was the winner, but it was really great to have 3 people in the final I'd be happy to see win. I think it's probably the first time that's happened with a reality show for me. I hope the next season is equally well-thought out and unfooled-around-with.
Excellent commentary, on this episode and everything else! Your blog always brightens up my day!
Siege
I almost keeled over when I saw Anthony's last wigstand. My cathair rocked that cut (but a bit darker overall with bright highlights framing the front to add the illusion of volume) for about 3 years in the late 90's. I'm now stuck in a Sally Shag rut, which my long-time stylist regrets not giving me years ago. Shear Genius was pure pleasure for this hairaholic to watch (I may not change styles that often, but the color changes on a whim...hee).
Agreed about the precision cuts being the reason Anthony won. Straight, fine hair is a bitch to cut; believe me I've heard the compaints over the years. Every mistake is magnified 100-fold, unlike something you can hide with wavier/curlier hair. The only other hair I could imagine being anything nearly that tough would be African-American hair...another great challenge and well-won by Anthony, IIRC.
I was disappointed with Daisy, while Ben's work was about what I expected. Why an updo Ben, WHY??????
They're still both absolutely adorable and winners in my book.
Fingers crossed for a second season, but after Vidal Sassoon, there's nowhere to go but down as far as guest judges go. What a positive, encouraging man.
Thanks for blogging, ladies. It's been a blast, as always.
I liked the tranny hair. If you want tranny hair you should've watched Tyra Banks last night.
SO glad that you also don't like the bangs in Anthony's 2nd look. The judges just gushed over it, and my group of friends was just stunned with the awfulness of it. But overall, I gotta admit that Anthony was the best on finals night.
I agree. If Ben had done the up do right, it would have been a harder choice. Daisy was my favorite, so it was a little hard for me to admit she dropped the ball, but she did. I thought it was really funny when she said she was the underdog. Honey, you were in the top two for all but one of the challenges.
But good job Anthony! He's adorable and skilled.
I remember when one of the models on Project Runway didn't want to wear Diana's lingerie design everyone jumped all over her for having an opinion and not just doing her job. It's a very different world at Shear Genius, where the wigstands are allowed to have opinions about their cuts. It make for very unpredictable handicapping of the stylists. Anthony was criticized for not making his Nancy Kwan shorter in the back, but he was constricted by the wishes of his client. I think if they do another season, they should find models who are willing to let the hairdressers so what they think is best. That's the whole point of great hairdresser -- that they know better than you do what will work on you.
Okay - I didn't see the show but I get it -- thanks. Anthony was the winner not necessarily because what he did was so great but because Daisy lost. Ben, to my surprise, could have easily won it if his first style had been 30% better. He was the only stylist who gave something different. I don't agree about his cut making the woman 10 years older -- I see the opposite to be true. He turned out to be a real artiste.
Anonymous commented: "That's the whole point of great hairdresser -- that they know better than you do what will work on you."
No, that's the point of a great client (which btw, is NEVER to be treated or spoken of as a wigstand). Clients have a right to their opinion -- good or bad. A great hairdresser listens, cajoles, and works the reluctant client into one willing to try. And they become happy clients when the hairdresser performs is able to deliver the goods.
Anthony was really average in his stylings. But he was consistent.
Daisy should have won but what?
Ben -- he really could have taken it and would have deserved it based on his other two cuts.
I ended up loving this show much more than I expected. The producers did a great job in devising interesting challenges and an even greater job in editing the show. As the GayBoys pointed out many times, it was refreshing to watch the stylists lose on merit, even if it meant getting rid of a big personality.
As for the final cuts, Daisy's were unfortunate. That last one -- ugh. I would have looked as pissed as the model.
Why are so many people gushing over the front of Ben's updo? C'mon. Most of us girls can replicate that when pulling our hair back into a ponytail.
As for Anthony -- I agree with everyone's assessments. He deserved the win and it was delightful to see Ben's genuine appreciation for coming in second.
Thanks, GayBoys, for blogging this show. I looked forward to reading your recaps each week. Now, when does PR4's season start?
mumblesalot (Laura A) said...
Most of them look better in the before than the after.
I agree. But the best thing about the finale was Vidal Sassoon telling the wigstands to shake it.
Daisy just fell apart. Her group was wrong from start to finish. Anthony figured out how to win with the precision cuts.
But it would have been great to see Ben win. He had a great story about personal style winning out in the end. His styles were the most attentive to the beauty of the women's faces.
You have to adore the fact that he got the giggles when they were trying to create the hyper death-knell drama over who would be sent home. I think that is the moment that the judges fell in love with him. He just melted Sally's cold cold heart. I think that is what made Shear Genius so fun: it never took itself too seriously.
And its rebel/outsider was someone who really did challenge the way the industry works. He was also talented and not a total asshole. In fact he was a sweetheart.
And damn if he wasn't from friggin' Calumet.
For some reason, I thought Daisy was going to play it safe. She didn't and ended up losing. Oh, and she clearly didn't manage her time properly.
Anthony, the most experienced of the three, won the show fair and square with his precision cuts. Agreed! I've never been Anthony's biggest fan. Most of his previous cuts just seemed so . . . there--not at all impressive.
Ben really stepped up to the plate. I was impressed. I agree with Trixie about Ben. He melted Sally's cold heart. She fell in love with him early on. The final was drama free, which I'm sure bored a few viewers, but, I enjoyed it.
blah
not my idea of finale hair tough I see why they did it.
zzzzzzzz
i think Ben should get some credit too for actually developing a story that resembles a real narrative:
the shape "S" and "modern/movement" are not stories. they are themes or images, not stories.
but showing some kind of narrative from hollywood glam/external beauty to a more middle-america, "normal" inner beauty at least hints at a "plot." and i LOVED the dresses Ben chose.
that middle cut with bangs was oogly. glad i'm not alone.
and yes: the hair models should have been ones who agreed to ANYTHING the stylists chose when the competition was open-ended like this one. how can you bring models in for a PRECISION HAIRCUT challenge, requiring at least one bob cut, and have them resist getting their hair cut?
and: what the hell happened with daisy's hot irons (the marcel irons?)??? did she forget to switch them on, or did her station not have power? because if that's the case, that's not right.
but anthony did do the best here.
i liked the pincurls. but then, i like sort of old-fashioned 1920s hair.
WHY?? why did daisy pull such ass styles out when it really counted??
Dare I say it? The finale was Meh. Great show, fabulous stylists, Tabs was to die for, Mr. Boogie made me ROFL and want to scratch his eyes out at the same time, Jaclyn showed Padma how to host, Rene was eye candy, but ....
Bravo rushed this one, dahlings. We saw only 8 shows, and then the whole Gddmndthing was over. WTF?
Ah well. TC is coming. A sop for us minions.
BTW, Vidal rocked. He's a hair genius; kindhearted; and a fabulous judge. Plus he saved the finale from turning into a snooze fest.
Boys, I love you the most, but where is our announcement? Did you not say that there would be a shift in the status quo on this site? ....well where is it?
The superiority of Anthony's performance was even clearer in your recap. He was clever to do so many precision haircuts. He did them well. It was so much fun to watch a finale where everyone was talented and charming, though. I thought they should have invited Daisy back on stage for all the hugging at the end. Ben got to be there, and he didn't win either.
my lil' comment on the last cut:
b-e-a-UTIFUL! but i do agree w/ mumblesalot (laura a), because i hav bangs that are a lil' longer than that, and they do get annoying. they tickle. but i think that they are very cute and current.
Given this challenge, Anthony was the clear winner — primarily due to a lack of fumbling.
But do you think it was an accident that all of his hairstyles looked like something resurrected from the Vidal Sassoon School of Hair Design, circa 1975?
Brilliant strategy there, old chap!
Also, whenever I hear Rene speak, I close my eyes and hear a faint strain of ... Elmer Fudd.
Very weird.
Thanks for following this one, GayBoys. It was so much more satisfying than Top Design.
Were the makeup artists on crack? Not a single one of those wigstands had makeup that looked good.
Anthony was the clear winner.
Daisy rocked every challenge before, but totally floundered in the final challenge. Still, she is amazingly talented and knows how to style hair.
Ben...Ben actually surprised me. I think the judges were dead on in having him as runner-up. I always liked Ben's personality but I never thought he would make it to the final 3. But kudos to him. He pulled it out.
I can't wait until SG2! Bravo, go shake it!
Can you please discuss how ridiculous those wigstands were to complain about getting their haircut when $100,000 is at stake for the hairdresser! Where did Bravo find these people?
mumblesalot (Laura A) said...
The Priscilla Presley was really really bad. I had a bad wig Barbie Doll with hair like that. I think I made her bald.
That's it. I'm CRYING!
I. CAN'T. STOP. LAUGHING!
"We hate the gigantic bangs look. A little too Agent 99."
HILARIOUS. Either that or too Captain and Tennille. You guys are so funny.
Just finished watching the final episode (I have to download/buy the episodes from iTunes).
Anthony deserved to win, Ben really impressed me, and Daisy just had a bad day, poor thing. I love her and I think she's very talented and will go far.
"mumblesalot (Laura A) said...
The Priscilla Presley was really really bad. I had a bad wig Barbie Doll with hair like that. I think I made her bald. "
HILARIOUS! I had to show that to my sister who did the same thing when she was young.
"It's clear to us that Anthony was the definite winner. Come on, when you're facing Vidal Sassoon, you don't do up-do's and finger curls; you do precision cuts and a LOT of them! "
You know, I didn't think of that, but you boys are right. Smart move from his part. And also, I thought he was consistently good.
Great analysis, as always.
When are you going to give us subtitles for Rene's way-too-long briefing of the contestants? I seriously contemplated putting the closed-captioning on my TV because I couldn't understand a word of it!
I thought that every single one of those clients looked better before than after. I think they all thought so, too. Look at the looks on their faces!
What was with Rene? He annoyed me more than a splinter under my finger nail. Grow up and quit taunting the contestants!
I loved the show (it seemed a calmer gentler way to gear up for the biggies - PR 4 and Top Chef). I hope that Bravo brings Shear Genius back next year. Next time have a little more creativity in each of the contests. (Babies - now that takes a genius!, bald people, dogs+owners look alike, transgender, each other (!!!!), blindfolded, futurama, etc.
On to Top Chef, heee!
Anthony was very, very smart to do three precision cuts, given the guest judge was Mr. Precision Cut himself...
I agree with everyone who has already remarked about all of the contestants' work being a little disappointing.
Having very thick hair, I can say that if anyone gave me tranny hair I'd be more than just a teensy bit upset... I really don't want to look like a model for Diane Arbus, ya know?
I'm so glad to learn that I wasn't the only girl who was so disgusted with her favorite doll's hairdo that she just ripped it all out. I think my mom thought I was destined to be some sort of psycho when I did that. But her hair was so fugly! She looked much better bald!
riley: I also don't get the love for the front of Ben's updo. That is a fairly simple look to achieve. In fact the whole thing looked like many of my do-it-yourself dos -- pulled back and clean in the front, a total mess in the back.
On the other hand, Ben's second cut was the best of all the cuts in the finale, IMO. Anthony did the best overall, but Ben's "Nancy Kwan" was adorable.
And I agree that the models brought in for this episode should have agreed to anything. There were "please the client" challenges, in which the stylists had work with their clients to achieve the final look -- as they would have to in the usual salon setting. But the finale's setting was "fashion show" -- and in such cases, the models would be professionals and would not be making bleating noises about what the stylists did to them.
Anyway, yay Anthony! And thanks, gayboys, for taking us along on this great ride! You rule.
Oh, and:
Having very thick hair, I can say that if anyone gave me tranny hair I'd be more than just a teensy bit upset... I really don't want to look like a model for Diane Arbus, ya know?
That. Is hysterical!
The cuts were all very meh, but of the three Anthony certainly did the best job. They're all talented and seem really nice. It was a fun season, and you guys made it that much better. Thanks for it all!
Oh, Daisy. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Sigh.
Anthony definitely deserved to win--as pointed out, he made the best choices with Vidal Sassoon on the runway.
As for Vidal aging, as LisaSabatier noted... honey, we ALL have. He said something about being in the industry for 60 years... may I be as on pointe as he is when *I* have gone through 60 years at work!
Anthony had no competition in this one!
I was disappointed with Daisy's work, but I love her to death. She has great ideas, though she faded under pressure, and she's a sweethead.
I changed my mind about Ben over the course of this show. At first, I didn't like his work at all, but he really seemed to mature as the competition progressed.
I disagree, however, about Ben's updo. The back was, indeed, ass, but the front was deadly dull and boring. Anybody can scrape hair straight off the face.
Bottom line, though, is that all three deserved to be where they were, something that's not always the case with these shows. And they all behaved courteously and professionally. Kudos to them all.
sweethead??
I can't believe I wrote that! Must be a Freudian slip.
I meant, of course, sweetheart!
Just caught the last 2 shows -- I missed the finale. Wow.
Ben really could have taken it all. His last model's hair was incredible. Had he not chosen an updo - he would have taken it.
Anthony knows how to cut hair, consistent and his 24 years in the biz show in his work. Bravo!
Vidal looks great -- in the business 65 years and he is still passionate about hair. What a joy!
I am SOOOOO disappointed with Daisy's choice. The story was great but honey, it's Vidal -- what did you think would be important to him?
I am even more disappointed that Bravo didn't keep her in the room. Having champagne without her hair was just mean.
Not giving her electricity was wrong. I wonder if one of the producers also sabotaged her station? Sigh.
"...without her hair.."
Of course, I meant there. I guess I'm Freudian slipping, too.
Either that or just pissed off that Daisy wasn't allowed to be in the room. Four years total in the business -- sounds like a winner to me!
Unfortunately, it is really hard for a woman to make it to the top in the hair business -- clients prefer men (even those with little talent) and judges prefer cute guys. Sigh.
Ben's wigstand who looked older in the after than the before...she was given a "mom cut," as my friends and I call it. Tag "mom-" before any article of clothing or accessory (including hair or makeup) that reminds you of Mrs. Jones, the room mom who tries too hard. These things that should be cute and fun, like the flippy haircut and African bead espadrilles just help age someone over the age of 35 10 more years on the wrong person. She's a beautiful woman, but the cut makes her look like she's trying too hard.
As for the third hairstyle of Anthony (the blonde)--this picture makes her look like one of those pictures from the hair magazines at the salon that make me cringe (most of these hairstyles do, actually, but ESPECIALLY this one), because the layers have been so painstakingly cut and then laid out in this awful, "look, i'm perfect and just got cut." I know that people love that hairstyle, but it always ends up looking too DONE. Sally's shags have this wonderful natural look that the best stylists can do, along with the precision cuts (which are necessary too).
I rambled. I do think Anthony was the true winner from the final three. OH, but Ben's little short bangs? They're totally the kind of thing my alterna-friends who party in Deep Ellum (Dallas) wear. It's the kind of haircut you'd get if you were the type of person who wore babydoll dresses and hung out with Ben himself.
"Were the makeup artists on crack? Not a single one of those wigstands had makeup that looked good."
Amen!
It's the kind of haircut you'd get if you were the type of person who wore babydoll dresses and hung out with Ben himself.
Hey! I resemble that remark!
It's funny, it had totally slipped my mind about the Vidal Sassoon hair care line years ago--I used nothing but VS products and loved them to death. After seeing him on SG, I immediately did a call everyone/google like crazy search and then smacked my head. "Oh, yeah, I stopped using it because it disappeared from the shelves. Duh!"
I know the company was sold/got gobbled up, but if anyone in the biz stumbles over these posts, PLEASE!!!--bring back the hairstyle products! They were fantastic.
IM IN WITHDRAWLS!!!!!!
Vidal Sasson was involved with a lawsuit against P&G (the manufacturer of his hair care line) He claimed they neglected his line to promote an in-house brand (Pantene, I think). I have no idea if the lawsuit was ever settled. I think that part of the suit was to get the rights back so he could develop products with someone else.
I had no intention of watching this show, it sounded lame. As always, y'all made it sound so fun that I had to check it out. The first episode hit me like crack cocaine.
This blog is so dead-on. It WAS tranny hair, and the updo WAS ass, and of course it makes sense to demonstrate precision cuts to Vidal.
In the future, the finale wigstands need to be more open to change. The challenge should be to make them look their best, by complementing hair, face and clothing. That is why a woman needs a hairstylist!
I wish Ben had won. He had me at the first giggle...and I think he did the best job of tailoring hairstyles to make faces more beautiful.
I was disappointed in all 9 of the 'dos. In spite of that, I think they came out in the right order -- Anthony first, Ben second and Daisy third.
I do not understand why Ben tried an updo when he is clearly not an updo guy. I think Daisy should have done an updo on the woman she gave "tranny hair," because she has mad updo skills.
All of Anthony's dos were just ... kinda ... eh for me. I didn't go ga-ga over any of them, but I didn't hate them either. I like his attitude the best out of all of them, I must admit.
I wonder how much he'll charge for a style now?
None of the styles were anything I would love to have, but the right contestant won this one. Anthony's were well executed.
I hope these meddling Bravo producers (PR specifically) learned a lesson here. It IS possible to have an engaging, successful reality competition without their grubby paws all over everything. As someone before me said, cast the show CORRECTLY and judge on talent.
brandenburg...
you are right about all of us aging, me most of all. I remember when Vidal was a hot stud involved in a hotly contested, bitter divorce with Beverly...so how old does that make me?....very!!!!
tranny hair? call it what you want, it's totally the in style right now. all of the younger women covet that hairstyle darnit.
Lighten up, Lauraandmichael
"No, that's the point of a great client (which btw, is NEVER to be treated or spoken of as a wigstand). Clients have a right to their opinion -- good or bad. A great hairdresser listens, cajoles, and works the reluctant client into one willing to try. And they become happy clients when the hairdresser performs is able to deliver the goods."
Of course these people work with real clients and treat them well I am sure.
Wigstand = funny talk.
thyrza said...
It's the kind of haircut you'd get if you were the type of person who wore babydoll dresses and hung out with Ben himself.
Hey! I resemble that remark!
Oh, and I think it's fabulous that people resemble that...:-) I think those hairstyles are sooo cute, but I have a feeling the judges think differently much of the time. They're maybe too trendy or something for them.
Yes, Anthony's win was well deserved - but I still love that Daisy!!
The makeup on ALL of them was like something out of The Addams Family! Or Cher in the 60s.
I was out of town so I'm chiming in late just in case Bravo is still paying attention. I disagree with those that say they should, by some miracle, find people who won't argue with the stylist. Stylists have to deal with this on a daily basis and it should play into the competition. Part of being a stylist is dealing with the client.
Anyone else notice that when Vidal was describing the cut he would have done on Anthony's #3, it was exactly what Anthony was trying to talk her into?
Again, THANKS Bravo for the little experiment of leaving a show the eff alone. Do you see even one fan bitching the producers out for not interfering enough? Please, PR producers, take a lesson! This show was absolutely charming from beginning to end.
macasism said...
I disagree with those that say they should, by some miracle, find people who won't argue with the stylist. Stylists have to deal with this on a daily basis and it should play into the competition. Part of being a stylist is dealing with the client.
I agree to the point of dealing with this in a regular challenge that depends on client satisfaction (Celebrity Look-Alike is a perfect example). But the finale challenge had nothing to do with that, it had to do with demonstrating their skills within a strict time frame. They didn't really have the time to haggle over losing a couple of inches.
Jenn said...
I hope these meddling Bravo producers (PR specifically) learned a lesson here. It IS possible to have an engaging, successful reality competition without their grubby paws all over everything. As someone before me said, cast the show CORRECTLY and judge on talent.
This needs to be posted in LARGE type all over the sets for TC and PR!
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