Eclectic Salon in Los Angeles was a high-end, forward-thinking, top-earning, multicultural salon when it opened. Currently it's high-end circus... which is why owner Jacqui has called in reality television's toughest ringmaster. In episode 3 of Tabatha's Salon Takeover, Ms. Coffey is in LA to pull Jacqui and Eclectic Salon from the brink of collapse.
Eleven years ago Jacqui sold her house to invest in Eclectic Salon, but now the salon and it's staff have become a terrible liability.
Tabatha greets Jacqui and they head off to check out the surveillance footage of her staff in "Salon Undercover." Jacqui seems like a nice enough boss, but I would say the combination of the "stern eyebrows" and the leash necklace are sending a mixed message to her staff -- A message they've interpreted to be, "Jacqui's schizophrenic and we can run this place like arts and crafts time at Bellvue."
Jacqui tells Tabatha the story of Eclectic Salon. Jac opened the salon as a co-op, so that her friends and fellow stylist will feel more invested in the salon. Each stylist pays her rent each week for their chair. However at some point in the last few years, Jac's focus has slipped and she's stopped leading her staff. And since Jacqui has lost her focus, her staff has started to make and live by their own rules. Problem is...
1. They're bums
2. They're obnoxious bums
3. They're obnoxious bums turning her salon into a circus
Tabatha rolls the surveillance footage and the first target caught on film is receptionist/assistant/assistant manager Lauren.
Despite having very little experience in an administrative role, or any interest in beauty or in being employed, Lauren was hired as a receptionist. She's doesn't attend to clients and she doesn't assist the stylists. She pretty much does nothing but suck out any ambiance or serenity from the waiting area.
Lauren looks like Frodo and Little Orphan Annie had a second child and starved her of affection. She's lazy, she spends her time texting and not working and obviously the staff feels that a singing Big Mouth Billy Bass is a more elegant addition to the salon than Lauren.
Not that the stylists on the floor are doing a better job, or that they have a more advanced work ethic, but at least they have a marketable skill. When we are introduced to the team of stylists in the surveillance footage, we find one of her male stylists joking about weed and a female stylist telling fart jokes. Loudly. Very Loudly. So basically it's a Farrelly Brothers movie in the salon at all times.
And then Tabatha turns on Jacqui. Jacqui has set up her station in the little balcony above the cutting floor. She's separated herself from her staff and stopped coming into the salon during the week because she cannot take the atmosphere. She can't stand to be in the salon and it's obvious. It seems like she's given up.
Time to address the staff. As the staff gathers for Tabatha's first LA address, salon elder Andre is concerned that Tabatha's experience and expertise may not be applicable in a predominantly African-American salon, but as soon as TC opens her mouth we know she's not about to be shy.
Tabatha stares down the 9 person staff and begins to address their weaknesses. Stefon, the singing stylist, is up first. Tabatha informs him that he's loud and sloppy and unprofessional.
Lauren is next on the hit list. She didn't do anything all day. She didn't help a client, or assist a stylist. She didn't run a comb through her hair either.
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Comments (4)
Good recap (and I love that your blog name matches the show's premise).
However, am I the only one who noticed that Jacqui and Tabatha have the same haircut and similar high-arched eyebrows? Is this a shop-owner trend?
Recap-wise, I loved all the lines, especially:
"Lauren looks like Frodo and Little Orphan Annie had a second child and starved her of affection." But, I caught a couple typos: "Mary J. Blidge" (Blige) & "Subtly is a virtue" (subtlety).
Otherwise, great recap. And my hidden LOTR self loved the allusions.
1 of 4 | Posted by anicho01 | Posted on November 27, 2009 6:47 PM
My niece watched this ep with me. Out of nowhere she says, "That lady has a really BIG neck!". I thought she looked sort of weird but figured it was the eye brows and colored contacts. But when my niece said that I took a closer look and noticed she totally looked like an erect penis with a little wig on it...and "stern" eyebrows.
2 of 4 | Posted by uglycutie | Posted on November 28, 2009 12:59 AM
"Lauren looks like Frodo and Little Orphan Annie had a second child and starved her of affection. She's lazy, she spends her time texting and not working and obviously the staff feels that a singing Big Mouth Billy Bass is a more elegant addition to the salon than Lauren."
I read great jokes on TVgasm every day, but that hands down the best paragraph I've read in a long, long time. Oh and everything else in this post was just as good, thanks and I can't wait to read your next one.
3 of 4 | Posted by waffleboy09 | Posted on November 28, 2009 8:12 AM
Aw, thanks guys!
And please, don't let me slack, keep me on my toes! I appreciate it!
4 of 4 | Posted by medusa | Posted on November 30, 2009 7:09 AM