HSN Vendors’ Six Degrees Of Separation: Jennifer’s Husband Sylvester Stallone Helps Laurie’s Spouse, Lionsgate Honcho Jon Feltheimer, Fend Off Icahn

In the HSN “family,” one vendor’s husband may have helped another vendor’s husband keep control of his company.

We’re taking about Jennifer Flavin’s husband, action movie star Sylvester Stallone, saving the bacon of Laurie Feltheimer’s husband, movie studio chief Jon Feltheimer.

Sylvester Stallone have given Lionsgate a hit with The Expendables

Flavin, as any home shopping fan knows, sells the Serious Skincare line on HSN. Laurie has an apparel and accessory line called Hot in Hollywood on HSN. Here’s the deal.

Laurie’s husband Jon, whose nickname is “Felt,” runs Lionsgate, a film and TV studio that has produced movies like the “Saw” film series, the Tyler Perry money makers, and the hot Emmy-winning TV hit drama “Mad Men.”

We interviewed Jon at Lionsgate in Santa Monica two years ago when we were working for place whose name we refuse to say, and profiled the company.

Laurie's husband Jon Feltheimer

At the Emmys that year in LA, where “Mad Men” won the award for best drama, we saw the show’s leading man Jon Hamm give Jon Feltheimer a warm embrace at the Governor’s Ball after the awards.

But that was then, when Lionsgate was the toast of the town. This is now. Lionsgate has recently had a string of dud movies. That provided an opening for corporate raider Carl Icahn, who has mounted a hostile takoever bid against Lionsgate, increasing his stake in the publicly traded company.

The battle between Jon Feltheimer, Lionsgate and pesky and persistent Icahn, who has blasted Lionsgate management for producing box-office bombs this year, has been going on for months. It’s hard to keep track of it.

Laurie's Today's Special

Wall Street analysts agreed that Lionsgate needed a blockbuster film to prove that management still knows how to create a big movie. And Flavin’s husband, Stallone, provided it in “The Expendables,” a Lionsgate film.

The action flick, which also features Bruce Willis and Mickey Rourke, was No. 1 at the box office this past weekend, raking in $35 million.

Stallone’s potential rescue of “Felt” and Lionsgate may wind up one of the most important feats he’s ever performed.

Laurie should take Jennifer for a nice dinner, either on the West Coast or when they’re in St. Petersburg at the same time to appear on the Southern Channel.

Anyway, Laurie had HSN’s Today’s Special Wednesday: a ruffled military-style jacket for $50.

While we’re at it, host Bobbi Ray Carter’s eyes are looking awful wide open and slanted up, unnaturally so. We know you’ll slam us for saying this, but we think she’s had some work done.

Hilary Joy’s HSN Silver Line Looks Like David Yurman’s Without His Inflated Prices

Milky aqua ring

Designer Hilary Joy’s silver jewelry line will air at 8 p.m. tonight on HSN, and we likey. It has the look and detail of high-end designers like David Yurman, at a fraction of the price.

As Joy tells us, her pieces are all oxidized sterling silver and have different textures.

Smokey quartz cuff

On tonight’s show, with host Connie Craig-Carroll, Joy’s new designs pay homage to the Tuilleries Gardens in Paris, and will feature a never-seen color of lilac amethyst that took her more than a year to collect.

Joy will also feature a tribute to her departed mother, a milky aqua that was already a 5-star pick in smokey topaz.

“She gave me her aqua engagement ring when I was 13 and I lost it down the drain while cleaning it never to be recovered,” Joy said.

Onyx pendant

Joy has been in the business for 28 years, designs every piece and can do every terchnical step from model to finished product from start to finish.

Here’s how HSN describes her:

Whether it’s the stained glass windows of historic cathedrals or the colors of the sky and sea, both history and art offer the inspiration behind this one-of-a-kind jewelry. Hilary Joy’s phenomenal pieces feature vividly colored gemstones creatively set atop boldly textured sterling silver. Delight in the drama and details of this HSN-exclusive collection that’s designed to make you stand apart from the rest.”

QVC Will Watch Performance Of Second Networks In UK, Germany Before Considering One In U.S.

QVC Mike George

Don’t expect to see QVC launch a second network in the United States any time soon, even though rival HSA debuted HSN2 on Aug. 1.

QVC this fall does plan to launch second channels in the United Kingdom and Germany, QVC CEO Mike George said during a second-quarter conference call for parent Liberty Media Monday.

Those new shopping networks “will feature the best-of content, and expose QVC to more consumers,” according George.

And QVC in the second quarter started doing a late-night simulcast of its UK network on ITV, and a hour simulcast its Japanese home shopping nework in that country.

But you won’t see any of this happening in America yet, he added.

“The reason we chose UK and Germany for second channel is that it’s relatively low cost to get incremental distribution,” George said. In those countries the new QVCs will be “largely leveraging content off the main channel” but will have some original programming.

In the UK, the second network will focus on bearty, while the one Germany will be “more mixed,” with some focus on beauty, according to George.

“These taped channels provide modest revenue potential,” he said. “I don’t want to overstate the impact, and the key is to do it at a very low cost. In the U.S. we may at some point explore a second channel, but it’s a little bit lower down on our priority list…the equation for us is in terms of amount of revenue potential relative to the cost and caliber of the distribution. It’s not as clear cut a case (in the U.S.) as it is in the UK and Germany. So we’ll watch those two markets…At some point we might consider bringing it to the U.S., but that’s unclear at this point.”

HSN2, which debuted on Dish Network, is using taped content from HSN, content that was shot but never aired on HSN and some original programming.

Even CEO Mindy Grossman, Along With Criss Angel, Is Live In Vegas For HSN’s 33rd Birthday

Criss Angel's HSN Magic Kit

We’ll give credit where credit is due. HSN is really wowing us, first with its “Eat, Pray, Love” event last weekend (more on that later) and this weekend with its live event from Vegas, baby.

We’re watching it now, and illusionist Criss Angel is doing his thing, performing and hawking a magic kit with Callie Northagen.

HSN has transported a host of its hosts — Colleen Lopez, Bill Green, Chris Scanlon, etc. — to Sin City, and its celebrity vendors, like Wolfgang Puck, Jennifer Flavin Stallone to do shows in front of a studio audience. There were 25 celebs doing presentations, and the vibe was fun.

HSN also set up booths in Vegas with its jewelry, apparel, etc. The home shopping network at about 8 p.m. went to a shot of Jean Queen Diane Gilman in her booth, where we saw HSN CEO Mindy Grossman, live and in the flesh.

Lopez gave a shout-out to Grossman as a woman of style (that should ensure a raise, Colleen).

We know that QVC often goes on location, to Italy and Arizona, for example. But HSN’s Vegas event, with sets it built special for the gala and interacting with a live audience, was really creative programming for a home shopping network.

Jay King Bowl Alert: The Turquoise And Lapis Beauties Are Available On His Website

Jay's lapis bowl

HSN rock god Jay King, on his recent appearance on the home shopping channel, said that his turquoise and lapis bowls might be back in October.

But his own company in Albuquerque, Desert Rose Trading, has some of the bowls for sale right now on its website.

On Facebook Thursday, Desert Rose Trading said, “We’ve listed some turquoise & lapis bowls on our site – check em’ out before they’re gone!”

The lapis bowl is $399.

“This sculptured lapis bowl is the physical culmination of years of research, experimentation and artistry,” the site says. “This labor of love has evolved over the past 20 years from concept to reality. The sculpted gemstone composite lapis vessel is fashioned after an old wooden Navajo corn grinding bowl. It has taken considerable trial and error to perfect the shape and design of this visually stunning art piece.”

HSN Vendor/Celebrity Chef Todd English Calls Bride-Jilting Scandal ‘Horrible Time’ In His Life

Todd English wants you -- to go to Ca Va

Hunky celebrity chef-restaurateur-HSN vendor Todd English has apparently forgiven The New York Post for the many stories it did last October about him allegedly jilting his bride-to-be, Erica Wang.

English gave the tabloid an extensive interview for a three-page spread Wednesday, and we couldn’t find one mention of HSN in it. We hope you’re not ashamed of your home-shopping gig, selling a line of “green” pans, Todd.

The Post story is part of English’s efforts to drum up publicity for his new Manhattan restaurant, a French brasserie called Ca Va. The article is headlined “NYC’s Tasty Dish: After Being Burned By Love, Sexy Celebrity Chef Todd English is Back Fanning the Flames.”

In the piece, The Post drags out all the dirty details of English’s “scandalous breakup” with his fiancee Wang last fall.
Asked about what happened, and if he had any remorse over how it played out in the press, English told the Post, “Oh my God, yes, of course. Yes. It’s horrible. I’m not all that tough. It was a horrible time in my life.”

Wang gave The Post an exclusive interview last October claiming that English had left her at the altar, and she went ahead with the fancy reception at the posh St. Regis anyway. Wang also charged that English left her holding the bag for $12,000 of costs from the cancelled wedding.

English disputed Wang’s claims, saying he had told her the nuptials were off long before the wedding day and that he’d paid all the bills for the derailed event.

The whole mess got even nastier when English filed charges against Wang for hitting him in the head with his pricey Chopard watch. A judge subsequently ordered Wang to take anger management classes.

English told the Post hat he’s got a new TV series in the works, and that he is writing two books.

But the best was the Post’s headline for the jump on its spread on the bedroom-eyed chef: “English (Stud) Muffin.”

HSN Top Honcho Mindy Grossman Wins Raise, To $1.2 Million, And Contract Extension

HSN bigwig Mindy Grossman

SHIP BOTTOM, N.J. — We congratulate HSN CEO Mindy Grossman for her brilliant “Eat, Pray, Love” event this weekend, and her just-announced raise. But did HSN have to announce this while we’re relaxing down the Jersey Shore? And we have to write this on a Mac, no less.

Grossman has gotten a raise, up to a $1.2 million base salary, and a contract extension until July 31, 2013, the home shopping network said Monday.

HSN made the disclosures in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. First of all, Grossman’s annual base salary is rising to $1.2 million from $1 million, retroactive to Feb. 24 this year.

In addition, the performance target for her annual bonus will be increased from 100 percent of Grossman’s base salary, or $1 million, to 125 percent of her new $1.2 million salary, which is $1.5 million, “with the actual amount to be awarded based on the extent to which certain pre-established performance goals approved by the Committee are achieved.”

Beginning in 2010, Grossman will participate in HSN’s long-term stock incentive program, Her target will be 250 percent of annual base salary and the form of award will be stock-settled stock appreciation rights with 3-year annual vesting and 10-year terms.

Grossman was given a one-time equity award in connection her new agreement, in the form of 200,000 restricted stock units vesting over a period of three years with 50 percent vesting on July 31, 2011, 25 percent vesting on July 31, 2012, and 25 percent vesting on July 31, 2013.

Wall Street Journal Does Non-Snarky Story On HSN’s ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ Promotion

We broke the story June 1 that HSN had a big promotion cooking for the new movie “Eat, Pray, Love” — even though the home shopping network wouidn’t comment on it.

On July 6 HSN put out a press release about the formerly hush-hush three-day promotion with Sony Pictures for the film, which stars Julia Roberts and is being released Aug. 13.

Today, Thursday, The Wall Street Journal had a piece on the promotion headlined “‘Eat, Pray, Love’ — and Shop at HSN.”

Unlike most of The Journal’s stories, this one doesn’t look down its nose at HSN and the home shopping industry.

The article says that Sony Pictures will get a piece of sales of some merchandise that HSN sells this weekend for its “Eat, Pray, Love” event. The more than 400 new items being presented from India, Italy and Bali — where the movie is set — will include special teas and spices from “Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi and clothes from Michella Obama designer Naeem Khan.

In The Journal story HSN CEO Mindy Grossman is given full credit for coming up with the idea of the home shopping network’s tie-in with the film.

HSN staff has already previewed the flick, and they have also been given copies of the bestseller by Elizabeth Gilbert that the film is based on.

For its part, Sony Pictures is trying to draw HSN’s female customers in and get them to see the movie.

HSN2 Will Be Streamed On HSN.com, Says HSN CEO Mindy Grossman

We’re going to have to give you an abbreviated post on HSN’s second-quarter conference call Wednesday, because we’ve been writing since 8 a.m., and it’s 10:30 p.m., and we’re tired.

During the Q-&-A part of the call, HSN CEO Mindy Grossman spent a lot of time talking about HSN2, the sister channel to HSN that launched Aug. 1 on Dish Network.

“It expands our shelf space,” Grossman said of the new network, adding, “It’s not going to be a clearance channel.”

HSN2 is now in 13 million homes, and Grossman said she expects to have additional distribution soon.

Video from HSN2, which “will offer a curated assortment of encore airings of HSN’s must-see shows, products, brands and personalities,” so we are told, will be streamed on HSN.com, just like HSN, Grossman told analysts. That’s good news for us, because we’re curious to see what HSN2 looks like, and we’re a Comcast subscriber, not Dish.

Grossman reiterated what’s already said about HSN2, namely that it will not only repackage content from HSN but will also be a test vehicle for the mothership network. HSN2 will also have original programming.

“We will be creating original programming for HSN2 that could and would be different than what we traditionally do on HSN,” Grossman said.

She pointed out that HSN shoots video that it doesn’t get a chance to run.

“We already do a lot of B-roll for a lot of our shows,” said Grossman, and that “B-roll” can air on HSN2.

Grossman also touted HSN’s “Eat, Pray, Love” promotion coming up this weekend, a partrnership with Sony Pictures. It ties in with the movie based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestseller, which stars Julia Roberts and debuts Aug. 13.

The HSN “Eat, Pray, Love” event will feature 30 brands and designers, with 400 new products, Grossman said.

And HSN’s 33rd birthday celebration, live from Las Vegas, Aug. 14 to 15, will be telecast from Planet Hollywood and magician Chriss Angel will make a special appearance, according to Grossman.

Copycat QVC Has A Shop-By-Remote Offering In The Works, Like HSN’s

We’re very late to the party on this one: MediaPost had it back in July.

But taking a page out of HSN’s book, namely HSN Shop By Remote, copycat QVC plans to also offer viewers shop-by-remote options. Thanks for the tip, Ensequence CEO Peter Lowe.

He’s a Cablevision Systems and MTV Networks refugee who we know from our former life at Multichannel News. We recall sitting next to him and his wife at a very, very long business dinner that Scripps Networks had at the gorgeous Rainbow Room, with its spectacular view of Manhattan. The wine was flowing, and we think at one point ol’ Pete made fun of our lipstick.

Take my word for it: Most business dinners are not like popping a cork on a bottle and enjoying great food with friends. They are more often like the forced socializing you see on “Mad Men,” like that fun Christmas party Sunday where Roger Sterling had to wear a Santa suit for that repulsive Lucky Strike client, the on-the-down-low guy who hit on Sal and got him fired.

Anyway, here is the press release that we are more than a day late and a dollar short on:

QVC Selects the Ensequence Interactive TV Platform to Enable QVC Viewers to Shop via the Remote Control

NEW YORK (July 26, 2010) – Ensequence, the interactive TV company, today announced that QVC, one of the world’s largest multimedia retailers, has selected the Ensequence Managed Services Group and the Ensequence iTV Manager Programmer Edition to deliver its customers an interactive TV remote control shopping experience.

“We are excited to be entering into a long-term relationship with QVC,” said Peter Low, Ensequence CEO. “Recent quantitative research has proven that consumers are interested in shopping and buying with their remotes. With interactive TV, viewers are able to respond immediately to product offers.”

Interactive TV from Ensequence will provide QVC the opportunity to offer a selection of products for viewing and purchase across cable set-top boxes. In addition, using the Ensequence iTV Manager Dynamic Data module, QVC will have the ability to change its “shop window” to suit the products available along with multi-product display capabilities. Product details will also be able to be quickly updated, modified and synchronized to video content on a daily or even hourly basis.

“We’re thrilled to roll out this service to our customers, with our initial deployment scheduled for next year,” said Al Ulozas, QVC’s senior vice president of affiliate sales and marketing. “Ensequence will provide QVC with the necessary tools needed to deliver iTV to our viewers, making it easy for them to complete purchases using their remote controls.”

HSN Shop By Remote is now in more than 30 million homes, HSN CEO Mindy Grossman said on a second-quarter conference call Wednesday. That rollout has been in Cablevision Systems, Comcast and Verizon FiOS homes.