We saw today that ShopHQ vendor Pamela McCoy has a new jewelry line: Carbon Copy.
It’s a very clever name for lab-grown diamonds, a product we won’t be spending any money on.
Today she is featuring a large cross, which appears to be the same design of a real diamond cross we bought from her a few years ago.
Can us snobs, or idiots, but we don’t like lab-made or man-made when it comes to any of our gemstones.
OK, we’ll give credit where credit is due.
We weren’t fans of Pamela McCoy’s diamond line for Jewelry Television. But the former ShopHQ host has returned to the No. 3 home shopping channel with a new diamond collection, and the Today’s Top Value, and we think it’s a winner.
Pamela McCoy
It’s a 1.95-carat diamond round and baguette 14K gold ring. It came in white, yellow and rose gold, but white and yellow have already sold out. the price tag is $1,290, or six ValuePays of $215.
The sparkler is modeled after a ring that McCoy had made for her. We remember admiring the ring when McCoy posted a photo of it on Facebook.
Last night McCoy said that a ShopHQ buyer also saw the ring and wanted it duplicated for the network.
McCoy also said that that the TTV’s diamond quality is better than her original ring. The color grade is H-I and clarity is I1-I2.
Well, there’s plenty shaking in the home shopping world in Minnesota: Not only is Pam McCoy returning to ShopHQ, ex-QVC host Kathy Levine is joining that cold crew.
Levine, known for her love of “big honker” jewelry when she was on QVC, appeared in a video clip on ShopHQ Tuesday night to announce that she was coming to the network, soon-to-be-rebranded as Evine Live, as a “roving reporter.”
She made it clear that she is not going to be a host.
Then, bitch claimed that she had her first scoop for Evine Live, that former ShopHQ host and vendor McCoy was coming back to ShopHQ/Evine Live with a clothing line.
Girlfriend, we already blogged that! You ain’t got no scoop!
McCoy appeared in the video, as well. She comes to ShopHQ Dec. 12 and 13, and frankly seemed a bit put off by Levine’s fat mouth. So were we.
We can’t claim to know the inside dish but speculation is booming that ex-ShopHQ host and vendor Pamela McCoy is heading back to Minnesota.
McCoy and her hubby Wes were a staple host duo on ShopHQ, which we think was ShopNBC back then, until the couple’s abrupt exit. Pamela came back as a vendor with coats, and then moved on to Jewelry Television with a diamond line. But it fizzled out.
Pamela McCoy
But on McCoy’s Facebook page there is talk of her return to the No. 3 home shopping network.
“(ShopHQ host) Kendy is wearing one of your jackets today and said it is not available but maybe something might be happening soon. Said she could not say more. Why is it still such a secret that you are returning to ShopHQ?” one person posted.
Others chimed in:
“Shop HQ confirmed!!!! YES”
“I used to watch you and Wes on ShopHQ..I then moved and couldn’t get channel now I can and you are gone…I was always wanting one of your fauxfur hooded coats…can you please tell me where I can shop for your clothing? Thank you”
“Yes, please tell us where to find your collection?”
“Very cryptic but your secret is out.”
We ordered one of McCoy’s faux fur coats once and to say we were disappointed would be a huge understatement. Maybe it was part of a bad batch, but it shed all over our carpet when we put it on. We have never seen anything like it.
This is what we call a show stopper: Former ShopHQ host Pamela McCoy’s email in support of the dissident shareholders who are trying to oust management at the the No. 3 home shopping network.
Here is her email to The Clinton Group:
From: Pamela McCoy
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2014 8:14 AM
To: vvtv@clinton.com
Subject: Concerned voice
Dear Mr Taxin,
I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Pamela McCoy. My husband Wes and I were two of the first employees chosen to help start a new shopping channel – ValueVision.
We were with the network for almost 20 years as hosts. I also developed a line of clothing that was highly successful and branded exclusively for the network.
Pamela McCoy
I was at ValueVision to celebrate the first $5000 day as well as the first $1 million hour. A year and a half ago circumstances dictated that I move to another network. However, I maintain a very close relationship with many of the employees there. More than a dozen have called me in the last few months to express their frustrations and to seek my advice. They all share a fear of speaking out (or speaking directly to you) out of concern for losing jobs.
I am convinced that the abuse to which the employees are subjected to would make headlines if it were exposed and it breaks my heart to see what this network has become in the past five years.
The way the employees are treated is deplorable. Despicable things like hosts being told they were not sexy enough and were encouraged to have plastic surgery. Hosts are given mandatory readings, including books such as “Younger Next Year for Women” and “How Not To Look Old: Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better” by Charla Krupp.
One very talented host left the company when she felt pressured to have Botox. The network actually organized “Botox parties” in an effort to make it easier for them.
There are certain department heads that are so verbally abusive that some employees I know are literally afraid to go to work. Many have sought counseling.
With the current management team, the language used in meetings was often vulgar and misogynistic. This behavior was never present with any prior management team and would never be tolerated at a major network or broadcasting company.
It is painful to hear what is happening and not be In a position to help. As a former senior employee and current stock holder I feel a strong sense of responsibility to this company. That is why I am reaching out to you.
The shift in culture at ShopHQ presents itself as coarse and demeaning. Many talented and valuable employees and vendors have already left and I fear more will follow. The turnover rate for employees in key departments is alarming. The need for change is apparent to many.
I am voting for a change. I am voting gold. I am voting for the Clinton Group. I know you can make this the successful company it was meant to be and a place that encourages creativity as well as productivity. Many employees have asked me to expressed their gratitude and appreciate all of your efforts.
Please feel free to share this e-mail with any other investors.
Best Regards,
Pamela McCoy
Here is another email, this one from a current ShopHQ employee.
From: Anonymous
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2014 9:07 AM
To: vvtv@clinton.com
Subject: ShopHQ
To Greg –
As I mentioned on the phone, I am currently an employee of ValueVision and am fearful that speaking out will cost me my job. Thank you for agreeing to keep my name confidential.
Shop is a strange working environment – very much like Mad Men. The management is group is abusive and employees are in fear of them. They are not here for the full week. Nancy and Carol leave on Thursday afternoon together, Bob and Annette are out of here too Thursday afternoon. No one from senior management is around on Friday, except for Keith.
Because they aren’t around we are asked to do five days of work in the 3 or 4 days when they are here. There is a heightened sense of urgency when they are in town and its creates havoc on people’s schedules.
I think the biggest problem, though, is that the senior people do not have the skill to take the company any further. The company is basically a dumping ground for people who were fired from QVC. The CMO is stuck in the weeds, picking colors for items and not trusting her team. Bob is old school and not up on trends.
Vendors are used and tossed aside, sometimes losing hundreds of thousands of dollars, and this sort of churn and burn has led to a real backlash in the vendor community.
The strategy seems to evolve day-to-day and there is no plan for the company to march to. We have no real corporate strategy or vision, which is different than other places I have worked. I believe the company is going nowhere very fast and so do the other employees.
The management team appears stuck in a time warp, both in their management style and in their knowledge of the industry. They beat people up here and people leave constantly.
I have never seen turnover like this. One of the senior people was forced as part of a settlement to take a 3 month sabbatical because he had been so abusive to people. He’s back. The annual surveys about senior management are so horrific.
I think if there are not changes soon, there will be an empty parking lot. There is a lot of opportunity but things need to change. I am a shareholder and I want to grow the stock.
Not a bunch of happy campers, we fear.
ShopHQ’s dissident shareholders have a new forum to dish their dirt: The New York Post. And former host Pamela McCoy is sticking it to the network’s CEO Keith Stewart, claiming management held Botox parties for hosts and encouraged them to get plastic surgery.
Pamela McCoy
According to the Post story, McCoy will be voting her shares of ShopHQ for the slate of directors that’s been nominated by The Clinton Group, which aims to oust Stewart and his crew.
http://nypost.com/2014/06/11/valuevision-pushed-hosts-to-have-botox-say-employees/
McCoy now sells a diamond jewelry line on Jewelry Television, and though she denies it, she looks like she had Botox or plastic surgery after she left ShopHQ with her husband and fellow host, Wes.
Any way, the details of her accusations — which ShopHQ denies — are in the Post story.
We missed it earlier this week, but the Post did another story on the shareholder battle at the network. The tabloid seems to think that The Clinton Group will succeed in getting control of the company. We’re not so sure.
http://nypost.com/2014/06/09/activist-wins-key-support-to-oust-board-of-shophq-parent/
ShopNBC vet Pamela McCoy debuted her diamond jewelry line this morning on Jewelry Television. We were at work and could not see it live, but we checked the goods online.
McCoy had already posted photos of some of her jewelry on Facebook, and it drew fire because the diamonds looked so cloudy. And McCoy declined to disclose what the quality rating of her diamonds was.
The stuff was not cheap. The least expensive item we saw was $100, and the priciest was $734, a diamond bracelet.
Here is what JTV had to say on its website about McCoy, who looks a hell of a lot difference — and younger — than she did when she was a host and vendor on ShopNBC.
Fashion and jewelry have always been directly related and very much in tune with each other. With that in mind, Pamela McCoy brings to JTV her passion for fashion and high-class jewelry with Pamela McCoy Diamonds. Pamela McCoy, a fashion icon as well as trend and jewelry expert, has more than 20 years of design experience and holds graduate certificates in diamonds, colored gems and precious metals.
Her collection features dazzling diamonds set in sterling silver wrapped in 14kt gold and rhodium with a fashionable twist of individuality, texture and upmost (sic) quality. Pamela’s love of both jewelry and fashion offers you a dazzling, aspirational look that you can both love and afford. Her pieces are classic with a contemporary attitude, topped with diamonds that maximize every facet. Indulge in this exclusive line of fine jewelry.
Our favorite “Real Housewife of Beverly Hills,” Lisa Vanderpump, rocks a Pamela McCoy fake fur coat.
New JTV vendor McCoy posted a photo on Facebook of Vanderpump, now star of her own Bravo spinoff series, “Vanderpump Rules,” wearing one of her creations. There was apparently a shot on Twitter of Vanderpump wearing it, and it drew a lot of compliments, according to Vanderpump.
Lisa Vanderpump wearing her Pamela McCoy faux fur
McCoy, an ex-ShopNBC host, did a popular line of faux fur coats for that home shopping channel when she was there.
Next week McCoy is debuting a diamond jewelry line on JTV, and fans of her fur coat collection are clamoring for her to resume production of that line.
Vanderpump, a classy Brit who has been married for ages to her doting husband, co-owns the West Hollywood restaurant Sur.
Ex-ShopNBC host and vendor Pamela McCoy hasn’t even debuted her new diamond line on Jewelry Television yet, and it is already causing a controversy.
McCoy’s jewelry will bow on JTV Jan. 31, and the physically rejuvenated ex-host has posted photos of several of her pieces on Facebook, two rings and a bracelet so far.
But she had no sooner posted them than someone had the same complaint that we had when we saw the shots: The diamonds in the pieces look extremely cloudy. That prompted a nasty back and forth among suspicious jewelry buyers, McCoy and her defenders.
“What grade diamonds are you using Pamela?” one woman asked.
The cloudy and controversial ring
“Pamela, Your taste in diamonds is as exquisite as your beautiful outerwear,” another woman wrote. “I am so excited for you and can’t wait until you debut your new collection. Hopefully,this beautiful ring will be affordable. It is simply stunning and I can’t wait to own it!”
McCoy responded.
“Thanks for all the kind words!” she said. “I really love this ring! JTV does not give diamond quality unless they send a lab certificate with the piece. But I can say that the diamonds are very white and beautiful! I think I have created the perfect balance of wow and price!”
Our reporter’s bullshit detector was activated by McCoy’s comment, and apparently you don’t have to be a journalist to have that same BS alarm. In fact, posters got a little feisty on McCoy’s Facebook page.
Another McCoy JTV item
“Pam you did not answer the question,” wrote one woman. “What color and clarity are YOUR diamonds used in your new jewelry line. We are looking for a letter like G,H,I and a clarity like Si1 or Si2 hopefully not the I3 I4 Clarity. Saying they are white is not an accurate statement of color or clarity. If you are the designer and manufacturing these pieces you should KNOW what Color and clarity diamonds are being used.”
“No way will they be anything more than I3 quality,” wrote another skeptic. “JTV has crap diamonds unfortunately and Pam’s prices are right in line with the other JTV pricing.”
“I remember your beautiful jewelry line before: What are the diamond stats?” another woman begged.
“White as in milky white, this piece is very similar to a another piece on ShopNBC!!!” snarked another poster.
McCoy and JTV did have their defenders.
“Why don’t you go somewhere else and shop and let the people enjoy what they can afford,” wrote one McCoy fan. “You certainly didn’t come from a very good family if they didn’t teach you not to insult someone’s jewelry. We love Pamela and wish her the best!”
Another cloudy McCoy JTV ring
By that measure, we guess we didn’t come from a very good family, either.
The critics, whose mamas apparently didn’t raise them right, either, didn’t let up.
“Ring nice, diamonds cloudy.”
“Beautiful ring setting! Whats the quality grading of the diamonds, Pam?”
“Would you wear a ring with poor quality diamonds like this one? I don’t think so…… We want top quality and are willing to pay for it.”
“Too cloudy for me.”
JTV has officially heralded McCoy’s arrival.
“We’re excited to announce that Pamela McCoy will be joining JTV with her new line – Pamela McCoy Diamonds! Tune in for her first show on January 31st from 10am to 12pm EST. Welcome Pamela!”
Welcome, indeed.
The cat’s finally out of the bag: Veteran ShopNBC host Pamela McCoy is coming to what some people refer to as the Hillbilly Channel, Jewelry Television.
McCoy, who spent many years as a ShopNBC host with her husband Wes, announced the news on Facebook.
“It is official!” she posted. “I can now announce my new destination.Some of you have already guessed it. I will be launching Pamela McCoy Diamonds at JTV! My first show is on Jan. 31st from 10 to 12 eastern. I am sooooo excited!!”
Pamela McCoy has landed on JTV
“I have been working on this line for almost a year,” McCoy wrote. “Every single piece of jewelry is a new design that will be launching for the first time. I chose JTV for this collection because they are the jewelry experts in the television industry. I will be posting a link to their website as well as photos of the new jewelry soon. I would love to get your feedback and support as soon as you see the collection. Thanks again for being such great friends and following me to my new home!”
The McCoys’ tenure as hosts on ShopNBC ended a while back, but Pam then did a clothing line for the network.
We think you’ll find this Pamela McCoy quite different that the one you saw on ShopNBC. She has long hair, and looks a lot younger. She bristled, and denied it, when we suggested that she had some work done. You can take a look and decide.
Homeshoppingista's Blog By Linda Moss 