Queen Latifah The Latest HSN Vendor To Be In A Pickle, New York Post Claims

It seems like HSN vendors are the favorite topic of the New York Post this week. First it was Mary J. Blige, then it was Queen Latifah.

On Wednesday the tabloid published a story with the headline “Latifah Weight Gain$: Burger Flipper.”

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/latifah_weight_gain_HfjNLc5BUPKxJ7ioQvW4gP

According to the Post, Latifah tried to hide her involvement with the Fatburger chain because was acting as a spokeswoman for the Jenny Craig weight-loss program at the time. She and a partner wanted to open two Fatburger franchises in Miami, according to the Post.

Fatburgers are not exactly diet food, folks.

Latifah does a line of clothes and accessories for HSN.

A few days ago, the Post did a story that alleged that Blige had failed to donate money from the sale of her perfume, My Life, on HSN to her charity for women.

Tsk, tsk

Queen Latifah Reigns On HSN As The Network Targets African-American Women Shoppers

Sorry we didn’t post all weekend, but we got derailed by a lady by the name of Irene. Flooding. No power. All on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in NOLA.

But we had to comment on the debut of Queen Latifah’s fashion line on HSN, with the Today’s Special, a suede hobo purse, on Saturday. Latifah, i.e. Dana Owens of East Orange, N.J., was a natural hawking her wares. As host Colleen Lopez pointed out, she really didn’t even have to be there, because Latifah was doing such a great job explaining her Queen Collection so well.

Latifah started out as a rapper and then moved on to acting and films with huge success (an Oscar nominee for “Chicago,” we believe). She’s a warm, down-to-earth, smart, beautiful woman, and she’s a big woman. And as she stated, she’s a sensitive Pisces. And she makes no excuses for her size.

Latifah said that she had been offered loads of money to do fashion lines before signing on with HSN, which she said “got” women. Latifah’s HSN line ranges in size from XS to 3X, and there is no label on it being for “plus-sized” women.

InStyle magazine this month mentions Latifah’s line, with a photo of a gorgeous draped dress that we were coveting.

What was especially uplifting were the many, many calls that Latifah got from African-American women, who said they admired her, her accomplishments and her style. Latifah’s fessed up to owning $3,000 purses, so even though her TS was $160, not cheap, it was considerably less expensive than what she is used to carrying.

HSN never markets this fact, but it has become a real promoter of African-American vendors. Artists, athletes and entrepreneurs including Iman, Serena Williams, Carol’s Daughter, Mary J. Blige, Natalie Cole, Antthony Design Originals, Sean Combs and Professor Amos are all on HSN’s roster.

And HSN used to have even more African-American vendors. Terry Lewis is a former HSN host who had a great line of classic designs, with great leather pants and skirts. Lewis’s fans still skewer HSN for not having her on the air anymore.

And Beyonce’s mother, Tina Knowles, once had a clothing line on HSN.

HSN also recently did a day that featured products tied to the premiere of the movie “The Help.”

We don’t see by effort by any of the other home shopping networks to target women of color, and we think it’s a great strategy on HSN’s part.