Did everyone watch the Season 2 premiere of Tabatha’s Salon Takeover last night? It was so good! I love Tabatha Coffey. She is dead serious about hair. And she doesn’t suck at what she does. (When she said that to annoying as hell Lindsay last night, I lol’d.) She doesn’t care if people think she’s a bitch because she gets stuff done–correctly. I like people like that. And I’m generally amazed at how poorly people run their businesses on this show! Last night was b-a-n-a-n-a-s. I was excited that the salon was based in my old hometown of Chicago, although I’d never heard of Orbit. And, wow, that basement was disgusting. They could’ve done a crossover show with Hoarders.
The Chicago Sun-Times blog, The TV Paige, checked back in with Orbit seven months after Tabatha took over to see how they were holding up without her. Apparently a “concerned and anonymous citizen” nominated Orbit for the show? Weird. I always assumed the owner nominated the salon themselves.(Actually, I bet it was Andrea, the salon manager.)
Reality TV Manipulation 101
According to The TV Paige, while the show depicted the salon full of dusty products, with hairballs on the floor, and stations a mess, the stylists at Orbit say a lot of it was reality TV manipulation. “They told us not to clean the salon for a month before we filmed the show,” says Bobby Paul, Orbit’s artistic director. “Our salon was dirty, I’m not going to say it wasn’t, but it wasn’t that bad. And they moved shit around the basement to make it look messier.”
(Hmm. Looks like Tabatha is not buying Bobby’s excuse.) The episode also shows hairdresser Lindsay Giffen (the annoying one) getting fired for swearing at Tabatha and generally acting like she was in third grade. But the stylists at Orbit say Lindsay was hired back almost immediately. “I think [Tabatha] is kind of a joke, actually,” says Lindsay. She goes on to say that in her interviews with the producers, they nudged her in a negative direction. “It was 10 days of filming and you’re hungry,” says Lindsay. (Lindz totally needed a nap.)
A word from Tabatha and even more of Lindsay’s complaining after the jump.
“I am shocked,” says Tabatha, who hadn’t heard that Lindsay was rehired. “It’s disappointing, but maybe Lindsay has changed and realized that she has to step up her game.”
OMG. Lindsay is Still Complaining.
On every episode of Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, the salons get a makeover. And Orbit got what I thought was an especially good one, including a new sitting area, a break room, bathroom, office, tons of cleaning, etc.
If you saw the episode, it’s no surprise, though, that Lindsay HATED EVERYTHING. “They threw a bunch of yellow paint everywhere that made us look tackier than usual,” Lindsay told The TV Paige. “All they did was turn our wax room into the break room. They didn’t do anything. We had blinds that needed to be replaced, a ceiling that was leaking, and a sink that needed to be fixed.” (God. She is insufferable.)
At least Bobby was a little more positive: “She did bring us together as a team,” he says. “But it’s a hair salon, girl. There’s gonna be drama.”
Word, Bobby. And that’s why it makes for some great television.
I think it’s on Clark in Wrigleyville? I also thought I saw that they’d opened a second location somewhere in Bucktown maybe? I taped this last night so I’m now eager to watch it. Sounds like a total mess.
I love it! The stylists were called out on being lazy and full of excuses. Now…. they are still full of excuses. It is not like we are not all media savy enough to realize that reality tv is constructed by television producers ( to varying degrees ofcourse), but i am shocked they would hire Lindsay back. Not only was her attitude very poor and unprofessional, her hair styling skills left much to be desired. Gotta loves the drama!!
Allie, that’s right. He was $750,000 in debt because he opened a second location. (I wonder where in Bucktown?) I wish they’d said specifically where the salons were… Also, I could also just look it up. haha. But it for sure seemed like the salon they featured was up north, even though they kept showing shots of downtown and then Wrigleyfield, etc. . ha. I can’t wait till you watch. I have a feeling you’re going to love Lindsay.
Gidget, Lindsay was kind of amazing. She was complaining, swearing, crying or pouting (usually all at the same time) the entire time she was on camera. She kind of reminded me of some other reality tv nobody, but I can’t think of who… Bugging me.
We BOTH (haha) watched the show last night! I did see the address as something like: 3445 N. so it is more like Lakeview area.
Your comments are hysterical! I wondered how true the whole episode was. I was really blown away by how many styling products were were for sale. So many bottles lined up for few customers..It was fun to watch though…
3481 N. Clark and 2222 W. North Avenue in Chicago
Thanks, Arline! ;)
omg, Arline. I forgot to mention that. There were SO MANY BOTTLES. It was crazy! Actually, it probably was crazy in diagnosable sense. I was picking up a major OCD vibe from the owner. Even after they cleaned up the place, there was still an obscene amount of product. There is no way they will ever sell all that stuff.