Ex-ShopNBC Host Charla Rhines Is Back, And EmVee TV Has Her

Charla Rhines

SHIP BOTTOM, N.J.–Why does so much news break while we’re trying to take a few days off down the shore?

We just got back from a nice dinner at PF Chang’s in Atlantic City, checked our e-mail and Facebook, and saw that former ShopNBC host Charla Rhines Monday confirmed that she’s landed at EmVee TV.

We’d previously reported that she was likely to land there, but Rhines offered this dish Monday.

“Hi ladies and gents! Ya, i’m going back to work this weekend at emvee tv. soooo looking forward to it. they stream live now every sat. and sun. so go to emvee tv.com, or if you have a dish they are on channel 225 direct tv, or channel 224 on dish network. see you all soon! thank you for the kind words”

ShopNBC let tart, mouthy, funny, frank Rhines go earlier this year, releasing an angry torrent of venom from her fans against the No. 3 home shopping channel.

Our blogs on her have gotten more than 100 angry posts from her fans.

Here’s wishing you luck, Charla.

QVC PR Department Lands Two Puff Pieces On Vendors In Philly Inquirer

Looks like QVC has a special “in” at The Philadelphia Inquirer. Within the span of a few days, the paper has done two features — or what in the newsroom are usually called “puff pieces,” or worse — on two QVC vendors.

Sunday there’s a lengthy story on QVC’s Topsy Turvy tomato planters and their “folksy inventor,” Bill Felknor.

It’s just like it sounds, folks. The hanging tomatoes grow from the bottom of planters that have soil in them, and you water them from the top.

But this Friday, The Inquirer did a feature on QVC’s resident inventor, Lori Greiner.

The Inquirer says that Felknor’s upside-down tomatoes are top sellers, and the story has a news hook.

Four new Topsy Turvy planters are coming out this year, “including ones for strawberries and hot peppers. Later this year comes a Topsy ‘patio terrace,’ comprising six plastic plant-platforms on a stand,” The Inquirer said, proud of its scoop.

“Where will it end?” the once-venerable paper then asks.

When indeed.

One thing is clear: Someone in the QVC PR department woke up.