HSN Host Colleen Lopez, Designer Wayne Scot Lukas Share An Order Of Fries At Fred’s: Next Time Invite Us

Wayne Scot Lukas

Here’s a Halloween surprise.

Designer/celebrity stylist Wayne Scot Lukas tipped off his Facebook fans Sunday that some of his leftover merchandise on ShopNBC has popped up on clearance at prices that are a steal.

That includes a Lukastyle techno suede jacket for $43 and a twist top, which we really like, for 15 clams.

Lukas, who was a fixture on HSN before moving briefly to ShopNBC, was hanging with HSN host Colleen Lopez recently in the Big Apple. Jersey native Lukas posted some photos of him with the luscious French fries, our favorite, they were chowing down on at Fred’s in Barneys in Manhattan.

Barney’s is so pricey that we hyperventilate every time we walk in there: We can’t even afford a shopping bag in that joint.

Lukas, who stood us up when we tried to stop by and see him in Monmouth (no worries, Wayne) a few months ago, said that Colleen was good and only had two fries. We guess she does not want to add any girth to that great skinny-minny figure she has now.

The chance of us only eating two French fries at a meal is one in a million: Colleen obviously has more willpower than us.

Lukas, by the way, has found a new home at QVC and is doing collections for several of the home shopping channel’s European networks, including QVC UK.

Pop Diva Mariah Carey’s ‘Lifestyle Brand’ To Debut On HSN: Does That Mean Too Tight Dresses And Mucho Cleavage?

We knew, and have written, that pop tart Mariah Carey was going to be doing more than just selling her CDs on HSN, that she also had a jewelry and shoe line planned, etc.

Well, with Carey making news with her pregnancy, HSN Friday decided it was the perfect time to announce all the details of the busty singer’s “lifestyle brand” and partnership with with the home shopping network.

Grammy-award winning artist Carey will be on HSN Nov. 29 to debut her products. That date is Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving that always racks up huge online sales.

Mimi will be on HSN Cyber Monday

Carey has done an exclusive collection of jewelry (including butterflies, which we predicted) and footwear for HSN, as well as a limited-edition fragrance.

This go-around of products follows the recent introduction of Carey’s holiday album “Merry Christmas II You,” which premiered on HSN Oct. 20 as part of an exclusive CD/DVD bundle and will also be available on HSN throughout the holiday season.

And here’s the canned statement that we are supposed to believe is from Carey, not a PR person.

“I am always eager to push my creativity into new directions,” Carey said. “After meeting Mindy Grossman, I jumped at the opportunity to develop my own collection of shoes and baubles, and to enhance my fragrance offering.”

And here is HSN CEO Grossman’s canned response.

“We are thrilled to launch on HSN a lifestyle brand that captures Mariah’s creative sensibility as well as the different facets of her life,” Grossman said. “From the moment we met her, there was a great connection and a shared passion for beautiful products and entertaining experiences. This lifestyle collection is a reflection of her unique personal style.”

Here’s the description of Carey’s items from her premiere collection straight from the release:

Jewelry: Stylish with a feminine flair, Mariah’s intricate jewelry designs speak to her love of pave detailing and colorful stone accents. Highlights include a pave-set initial pendant that hangs from a delicate stone-by-the-yard chain and crystal accented, butterfly earrings, available in pink or blue hues. Prices range from approximately $39.99 to $199.95.

Footwear: In an assortment of colors and unique design styles, Mariah’s footwear collection includes rhinestone encrusted sandals and quilted winter boots. Other highlights are right on trend for the season, including the suede peep-toe boot with a platform wedge and the fur trimmed booties. Prices range from approximately $69.90 to $199.90.

Limited Edition Fragrance: Mariah will offer her successful Luscious Pink fragrance in a special limited edition bottle, exclusive to HSN customers. Additionally, 25 bottles of her Luscious Pink Deluxe Edition Parfum will feature exquisitely detailed, Swarovski Elements crystal-studded butterfly caps, packaged in a gold cosmetic case and available for $275. Each of these 25 treasured keepsakes will contain a personal note from Mariah herself and will be available on a first-come basis.

CD/DVD Bundle: Mariah’s highly anticipated holiday album, Merry Christmas II You, will be bundled with a 30-minute exclusive DVD. Merry Christmas II You contains original material and holiday classics, including a re-record of Mariah Carey’s original self-penned #1 Christmas classic “All I Want for Christmas is You,” as well as her new single “Oh Santa.” The DVD will feature exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Mariah recording her second Christmas album, candid interviews and never-before-seen personal photos and festive Christmas videos. Price of the CD/DVD bundle is $14.95

Carey is currently scheduled to appear on HSN on Nov. 29 at 12 a.m., 1 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Seems Like Old Times As Ex-ShopNBC Jewelry Vendors Flock To HSN Thursday

Carlo Viani ring

HSN’s first Gem Artistry Day Thursday is a reunion of former ShopNBC vendors.

First of all, jewelry designer Carlo Viani had his HSN premiere in the early morning. He’d previously been on ShopNBC.

He was followed in the dawn hours by Gem Designs by Palermo and Dallas Prince, who both also used to grace the set at the No. 3 home shopping network in Minnesota.

And at 3 p.m. Effy, another former ShopNBC vendor, did an HSN show featuring its My Precious Rainbow line.

We’d love to have been a fly on the wall to hear what these folks said to each other about their former home shopping venue.

Anyone care to share?

HSN Jewelry Designer Carol Brodie Offers Her Tips In The Wall Street Journal

Jewelry designer Carol Brodie, who does the Rarities line for HSN, offers advice on how to organize jewelry in The Wall Street Journal, of all places, Thursday.

In a story headlined “Jewelry-Box Surprise: Wearing Old Pieces in New Ways,” we learn that Brodie has been collecting jewelry since she was seven, and that she now owns more than 500 pieces.

HSN's Carol Brodie makes The Wall Street Journal

Brodie changes out her jewelry for the each new season, and cleans her pieces by soaking them in water with some Johnson’s Baby Shampoo and ammonia. She then wipes then off with a cotton T-shirt. We’ll have to try that for our stuff.

The tall blonde beauty loves to mix and match her pieces.

Brodie is quite careful about how she stores her jewelry, and like us, she displays favorite necklaces and bracelets. She uses acrylic holders from the Container Store, we bought our metal stands from Urban Outfitters and TJ Maxx.

Brodie posted the story on Facebook Wednesday night.

Designer Isaac Mizrahi Is Way Out Of The Closet: Will QVC Shoppers Take Offense?

We were burning the midnight oil last night, and had QVC on while we were writing a story.

Designer Isaac Mizrahi, who has Wednesday’s Today’s Special Value, was on with fat-mouth host Shawn Killinger, who we find frightfully annoying.

But in any event, Mizrahi was talking about how he likes to stay home during the upcoming holidays and relax, with his boyfriend. He said “my boyfriend” at least twice.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that, at least in our book. But the only designer on home shopping that we recall being so out of the closet is the late-great Wayne Scot Lukas, when his appearances — filled with double entendres — on HSN cracked us up.

We couldn’t help but wonder if QVC viewers in the heartland, as we Easterners call it, would take offense at Mizrahi. And then we chided ourselves for making assumptions about the rest of America, when a young gay Rutgers University student committed suicide after his scumbag roommate secretly videotaped him kissing a man in their room.

Our own home state of New Jersey shamed us for that anti-gay tragedy: Who are we to cast stones at the Midwest when our own state is homophobic?

As it turns out, there was something really shocking during the Mizrahi-Killinger show late last night.

At one point, at 1 a.m., Mizrahi and Killinger were both in the sack, covered by cotton cashmere flannel sheets that the curly-topped designer was hawking.

“Oh, we’re in bed together, Shawn,” Mizrahi said. The video is here.

Now that picture really disturbed us, for some reason, much more than seeing Mizrahi in bed with his boyfriend would have.

QVC App For iPAD Now Available On The App Store

The QVC App for iPad is now available on the App Store, the home shopping network said Monday.

“Our customers enjoyed a sneak peek of the QVC App for iPad during New York Fashion Week at our pop-up shop in Rockefeller Center,” said Angie Simmons, QVC’s executive vice president of multichannel platforms. “We received great feedback and are now thrilled to make this app available to all iPad users.”

Created specifically for the revolutionary iPad, the QVC App is optimized for the 10-inch screen and includes access to a full widescreen HD feed of QVC’s live broadcast.

As with the QVC App for iPhone and iPod touch, iPad users will enjoy comprehensive search capability and access to full product descriptions, sizing, available colors and additional images within product detail. Users can also view customer ratings and reviews.

The QVC for iPad App allows users to access QVC’s signature programming features through an easy homepage, including its Today’s Special Value (offered at an exceptionally low price – good for that given day, until 11:59 PM (ET), unless it sells out sooner), Items Recently on Air, Current Item on Air and other special promotions.

The QVC App for iPad is available from the App store on iPad or at http://www.itunes.com/appstore/.

Dr. Oz Comes To ShopNBC With Vits Tuesday

Nutritionist to the stars and best-selling author Dr. Oz Garcia will debut his Vivantage Nutrition line Tuesday on ShopNBC.

“Created as an easy, effective ingestible program, Vivantage Nutrition is designed for men and women who want to live a healthier lifestyle,” ShopNBC said in a press release Monday.

The two-day premiere will span Tuesday and Wednesday.

Dr. Oz Garcia has over 30 years in the health and wellness industry and is a worldwide leading authority in the development and implementation of nutrition.

Dr. Garcia has been featured in numerous publications, has been twice voted the “Best Nutritionist” by New York Magazine, and has appeared on Fox News as a nutrition expert.

He heads the health and nutritional services for Equinox Fitness Clubs worldwide and is the best selling author of “The Balance” and “Look and Feel Fabulous Forever.” Dr. Oz Garcia is the go-to nutritionist for A-List celebrities, for Fortune 100 CEO’s, and now for the ShopNBC viewers.

Available only on ShopNBC, Vivantage Nutrition is a line of research-based supplements for men and women who want to live a healthier lifestyle.

Here’s the hype:

“Vivantage products provide a complete and balanced vitamin and supplement program which is focused to maximize support for the body’s nutritional needs and overall health. Products include high quality supplements with formulas that are designed to work together making it simple to incorporate into a healthier lifestyle.”

The Vivantage Nutrition roster includes:

Vivantage Nutrition Multi-Vitamin 90 Day Supply (C74078) $58.47. Formulations developed specifically for women under and over the age of 50 and for men under and over the age of 50.

Vivantage Nutrition Daily Boost Antioxidant Drink (C74079) $22.80. A blend of antioxidants “bursting with berries and berry extracts.”

Vivantage Nutrition Energy Sticks 30 Pack (C74081) $35.51. Sugar-free, 10-calorie packets with B-6 and B-12 vitamins, natural caffeine from green tea, folic acid, potassium and antioxidants.

You Can’t Make This Up: Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey And Sandra Bullock Will Star In Film About A Home Shopping Network

At first we thought someone was pulling our leg, but it’s true. Sandra Bullock, fellow New Jersey native Meryl Streep (Bernardsville) and Oprah Winfrey are doing a movie set at a home shopping network for Universal Pictures!

Universal put out a press release on the project Friday and, dig this, it will be directed by Michael Patrick King, the mastermind behind “Sex and the City.”

The Hollywood trade press, including Variety and Deadline Hollywood, as well as the consumer press, Entertainment Weekly, all wrote stories about the yet-untitled film.

Jersey Girl Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock warm up for their roles in a new movie set at a home shopping network

Variety said that the comedy will be “set around a home-shopping TV channel.” According to Universal’s statement, the dynamic trio will “make their way through the maze of mania that surrounds marketing, marriages and the media.”

The script is supposed to be ready in January.

Of course, EW’s PopWatch had to make some snide remarks about home shopping channels, circa 1980.

“Today came the announcement via Universal that Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep, and Oprah Winfrey would all co-star in Michael Patrick King’s untitled project about a home-shopping channel,” PopWatch wrote.

“Wait a tick — you’re telling me I can get Hollywood’s three wisest women for one easy payment of $12?! (Or, $17, if King decides to go the 3-D route.) Can they come with a bonus Slap Chop too?”

That’s a real knee slapper, you moron. Never mind that even stars like Madonna, Mary J. Blige and Sheryl Crow have appeared on home shopping channels.

But PopWatch ultimately gave the film its due.

“In all seriousness, this is some pretty awesome casting news, even if we have barely any idea of what exactly happens in the film. (But if the plotline is anywhere near as entertaining as the one in the Magic Bullet infomercial, count me in.),” it wrote.

“With these three powerhouses on board, I’m wondering where King can go from here — should he just go ahead and Ocean’s 11 this joint by adding the likes of Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, and Tina Fey (who’s already co-starring with Streep elsewhere) to the cast too?” PopWatch said. “Who else should come on board? Will Bullock and Streep face-off for Oscar again?”

We first learned of this film when HSN super host Colleen Lopez mentioned it on Facebook, after someone posted the PopWatch story.

“Wow!! I had not heard about this, Kalli,” Colleen wrote “How cool! Now it will be fun to see who their different characters will be ‘based’ on or ‘inspired by’….fun stuff! Thanks for sharing ♥”

We wonder if one of those characters will be a curly-haired, wise-cracking brunette with a Jersey accent who writes a superb blog about home shopping.

Universal and King, we are available.

QVC Announces TV Cooking Show Host Lidia Bastianich’s Debut Date As This Sunday

We first reported that chef/restaurateur Lidia Bastianich was coming to QVC when network honcho Mike George mentioned it during a second-quarter earnings call.

Cooking show host Bastianich will launch her cookware and servingware line, Lidia’s Kitchen, this Sunday at 7 p.m.

“Lidia’s Kitchen combines the beauty of Italy and the functionality of Bastianich’s own cooking style to create a cookware and tabletop collection that is reflective of her practical culinary sensibilities,” the press release Friday said. “After many years working in restaurant kitchens, Bastianich has designed cookware created with simple, easy cooking in mind, with plenty of style and utmost functionality.”

And of course, there was the canned quote from ol’ Lidia.

“I have always wanted my own line of kitchenware and QVC allows me to introduce my products to the whole country,” Bastianich said. “Collaborating with my daughter Tanya to design pieces that can work in any home has been a true labor of love.”

Bastianich designed the collection herself, with attention to practicality and detail.

“The pieces are classic with a modern edge and remind Bastianich of the staples that were in her kitchen as a child in Italy,” QVC said. “Select items from the line include ceramic serving platters in earth tones, pasta pots, terra cotta casserole dishes and steel knives, with prices ranging from approximately $15 to $60.”

John Kelly, QVC’s vice president of merchandisingm chirped, l“We are thrilled to share Lidia’s authentic Italian style with QVC viewers. Her practical, well-designed pieces will appeal to novices and seasoned chefs alike.”

Bastianich’s signature line, “Tutti a tavola a mangiare!” means “Everybody to the table to eat!” Lidia is looking forward to bringing her line of cookware and servingware to tables across the country through QVC.

Bastianich is a popular TV chef,, a best-selling cookbook author, restaurateur, and owner of a flourishing food and entertainment business.

Her cookbooks include “Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy” and “Lidia’s Italy” – both companion books to the Emmy-nominated television series, “Lidia’s Italy,” as well as Lidia’s Family Table, Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen, Lidia’s Italian Table, La Cucina di Lidia and the release of her first children’s book this fall, Nonna Tell Me a Story: Lidia’s Christmas Kitchen.

Bastianich is the chef/owner of Felidia, Becco, Esca and Del Posto, as well as Lidia’s in Pittsburgh and Kansas City. She is also a partner of Eataly, the largest artisanal Italian food and wine marketplace in New York City.

She also produces award-winning wines at Bastianich Vineyards in Friuli and La Mozza Vineyards in Maremma, Italy. Along with her daughter Tanya, son-in-law Corrado Manuali, and partners Robert Quinn and John Baker, the team launched Nonna Foods in 2010 as a platform to distribute an array of both existing and new “Lidia’s” food products.

Hilary Joy Brings Her Hampton Collection To HSN

Jewelry designer Hilary Joy does what looks like very high-end jewelry at very reasonable prices. And she will be back on HSN next Tuesday with her Classic Hamptons Collection.

She has several new malachite pieces as part of this grouping, including a matching pendant, ring and bracelet.

Here’s what HSN.com says about Hilary’s inspiration for one of the pieces in this line:

“A lush Hampton vineyard, and the unique beauty of malachite itself, inspired Hilary to create this bold pendant. While wandering through a vineyard in Sagaponak, Hilary realized the vines that surrounded her were the exact color of malachite, and thus her ‘Classic Hamptons Vineyard’ collection was born. Pair this pendant with a classic white blouse and the color will really pop.”

By the way Hilary, anytime you want to invite us to the Hamptons, we’ll be ready.

And while we’re at it, is Hilary Joy just the name of your jewely line, and Hilary Diaz your actual name?