JTV And Bali Jewelry Designer Janyl Sherman Part Ways, Homeshoppingista Is Banned By Bali Babes

When several people posted on this blog that JTV and Janyl Sherman were parting ways, we didn’t believe it. She been a mainstay on the home shopping network for years, and we own many of her pieces.

Turns out it’s true. That news was shocking and disappointing, but not as shocking, disappointing and infuriating as when we tried to find out what was going on.

Threats from Sherman’s people? Give us a freakin’ break.

Last Friday and this weekend we reached out to JTV and Sherman’s own Facebook page, Sarda, for her Balinese sterling jewelry. The JTV PR person didn’t respond to an email. Customer service said it couldn’t comment on whether Sherman was leaving. Nothing from Sarda.

So we posted the question on Sherman’s fan page on FB, Bali Babes. We are a member — or was. Please wait for it.

We got an honest response. One of the administrators reposted two messages, from late January and from chief Bali Babe and brand ambassador Amberly Miller, about the situation with Sherman and JTV.

The first post was dated Jan. 25, by Miller.

“Effective immediately, we will no longer be promoting JTV and the Artisan Collection of Bali line as we have in the past through spotlights and publishing show items,” she wrote. “

Sherman will continue to sell her handmade jewelry on her Sarda website, the post said.

On Jan. 29, Miller had an update.

After quoting the Bible and Ecclesiastes regarding a season and time for everything, Miller wrote, “It appears that the ‘season’ of Janyl’s SARDA designs being sold through JTV’s Artisan of Bali line is coming to an end; and JTV will continue to sell the Artisan of Bali line with the possibility of a different designer once they have cleared out the SARDA inventory.”

Miller thanked JTV for carrying Sherman’s line “and spreading so much joy with this awesome jewelry.”

Very gracious.

The post also said, “JTV has reached out and shared that they want to thank our group for our loyalty to the Artisan of Bali line [while Janyl’s designs were being sold]. And they are honored they could show us items that brought us so much joy.”

Also very gracious on the network’s part.

In this case, we don’t know if the decision was made by Sherman or JTV.

In any event, although we’ll miss Sherman on JTV, it is not unusual for vendors to exit home shopping networks even after being at one for years. It happens all the time. No big dirty secret or shame. One would think.

We wouldn’t know that from the nasty series of messages we got on Facebook from Miller after we asked our question in the Bali Babes’ group. We’re used to being jerked around and threatened at our day job as a reporter, but we don’t remember any situation like this in the past with our blog.

First Miller messaged asking, “May I ask you when did you get permission from me or our Bali Babes to quote us in your blog?”

Last time we quoted them was a year ago. We had not written this blog yet, obviously.

We told the truth, and here it is for her and everyone else: Social media is open to the world, that’s why people warn you not to post things that your employer or friends might not like.

We, as a blogger or journalist, don’t need your permission to quote what you put up for the world to see. This reminded us of a former colleague who started a small newspaper in New Jersey, and had residents tell him he needed their permission to post their photos taken at a public meeting or quote what they said there. NOPE!

Her response was she knew we had written about Bali Babes previously “and even quoted some of us without even giving us a courtesy to let us know.”

No one committed a crime here. We don’t have to notify someone if we are quoting what they have put on Facebook.

“Your have broken our trust,” Miller said. “As a result, you have been removed from Bali Babes. You are not a Bali Babe in spirit. When you write about this situation, I hope you have all of your facts correct.”

We are not Bali Babes in spirit, we guess. We are journalists.

And we have had many an editor tell us that as journalists, our allegiance is to our readers. In this case, that’s people who read this blog. Not Janyl Sherman or Bali Babes.

If Sherman or JTV had anything to add or any clarifications, we would be very happy to post them.

We don’t know what is going on or why this seems to be such a sensitive topic.

Ex-QVC Host Dan Wheeler Is Getting Remarried

Former QVC host Dan Wheeler is getting hitched!

The amiable longtime host, who tragically lost his first wife Beth to cancer, posted the good news on social media.

“He just said it on his Fearless Faith site, while out on the golf course,” someone posted on our blog.

We can’t find the post, but we’ll take their word for it.

Congrats!

JTV Diamonds: No Color Disclosed, 10K Gold, Nope

We’ve been seeing a lot of diamond shows on JTV recently, and we watch, but not buy.

Now, everyone has their own preferences and budgets. But personally, we don’t like the idea of buying 10 carat gold jewelry. A lot of JTV’s diamond baubles are in 10 carat.

We want 14 carat. Now, we always hear JTV hosts say that 10 carat is stronger than 14.

Don’t care. Don’t care if its sturdier or cheaper than 14 carat.

Next, we don’t understand how people can spend $1,000, $2,000 or $3,000 on a diamond ring without knowing what its color and clarity is. We credit QVC for now disclosing those ratings for the diamond jewelry it sells.

We heard once one JTV host, Jennifer Miller, try to give some BS excuse about why JTV didn’t supply its diamonds color and clarity.

That dog don’t hunt.

It may not matter to some shoppers, but it does to us.