Former “Charlie’s Angel” Jaclyn Smith hosts Shear Genius, premiering Monday May 14, 2007 on Slice New Programs / Slice Posted by RAD on Apr 04, 2007 - 03:35 PM Slice is shining a spotlight on hairstyling with the Canadian premiere of the new competition reality series Shear Genius. Hosted by award-winning actress, designer and entrepreneur Jaclyn Smith, the eight-episode reality competition series offers a behind-the-scenes look at the competitive and creative world of high-end hairstyling. Famed celebrity hairstylist and designer Sally Hershberger serves as lead judge on the series. Michael Carl, fashion director of Allure also judges and Rene Fris, accomplished stylist, serves as the salon manager to the stylists. The crop of guest judges includes styling industry greats Frederick Fekkai, Ken Paves and Jose Eber. “Slice viewers love it when we pull back the curtain to reveal the inner workings of glamorous industries and Shear Genius does just that,” says Vanessa Case, Vice President Content, Slice. "From great hair days to what were they thinking hair days, our viewers will witness all the drama that unfolds in the 'Shear Genius' salon each week as these remarkable stylists literally go head-to-head in attempt to be the last stylist standing." A group of talented and competitive hair stylists will compete for the ultimate title of Shear Genius and a prize package that includes $100,000 in seed money from Nexxus and a chance to style hair for an Allure magazine feature. To win this competition, each hairstylist must prove their "Shear Genius" as they literally go head-to-head in creative challenges that require more than just talent with a comb and scissors. Whether it's the bob, bouffant, perm, or chignon, hair becomes an art form as the contestants with a flair for hair compete in two challenges each day that could put them one step closer to being crowned a "Shear Genius." From the guy next door to the A-list celebrity, everyone is a potential client and provides a true test of skill. Some stylists will get "cut" early and others will "blow away" the competition. In the first episode, the stylists feel the heat when faced with their first short-cut challenge – one hour to show off their signature style on 12 mannequin heads. The winner of the challenge will have first choice of model and station in the upcoming elimination challenge, where the stylists are tasked with creating a work of art using professional models with long hair and a collection of arts and crafts materials. In each episode, host Smith delivers the news of the chosen winner and loser with input from Hershberger and Carl, as well as the guest judges. Following are the Shear Genius stylists: Anthony (40) from Hertfordshire, England Ben (32) from Chicago, Ill. Daisy (31) from Hialeah, Fla. Danna (37) from South Africa Dr. Boogie (33) from Oakland, Calif. Evangelin (32) from Reisterstown, Md. Jim (49) from Buffalo, N.Y. Lacey (22) from York, Penn. Paul-Jean (29) from Nice, France Tabatha (39) from SurfersParadise, Australia Theodore (22) from Canton, Ohio Tyson (31) from Salt Lake City, Utah The Judges: Jaclyn Smith For more than three decades Smith has held the public's interest as an award winning actress, designer and role model. A native of Houston, Texas, Smith's career began as a top model and soon came into American homes as the Breck Girl, which led to relationships with Wella Balsam and Max Factor. Hollywood beckoned, and before long, she was appearing in popular series such as McCloud, The Rookies and Switch. In 1976, Smith starred as Kelly Garrett on Charlie's Angels and was the only actor to continue with the series for its five-year network run. Following Charlie's Angels, she earned a Golden Globe nomination for her critically acclaimed portrayal of the legendary first lady in Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, one of the most highly rated telefilms of all time. In 1989, Smith was honored with a star on the world famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. More recently, she co-starred in the CBS drama, The District, portraying DA, Vanessa Cavanaugh. In 1985, Smith entered the business world with the introduction of her collection of women's apparel for Kmart stores. She pioneered the concept of celebrities developing their own brands rather than merely endorsing others. Since that time, more than 100 million women have purchased clothing or accessories bearing her name. With this strong recognition and record of success, she entered the home furnishings market in 2002. Her latest collection, Jaclyn Smith Home, features furniture, bedding, textiles, wall coverings and home accents at affordable prices. The designs are produced by Hickory Hill Furniture, King Koil, Kingsway Fabrics and Dalyn Rug Company and are available through select dealers. Sally Hershberger Hershberger is one of the most influential and sought after hairstylists in Hollywood and New York. Known for her consistently new vision and the skill, she is a personal favorite of directors and celebrities alike. Equally in demand in the world of fashion, she has been the top choice for a number of the world's most renowned photographers celebrities and models, shooting multi-million dollar campaigns along with covers for Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, W, Allure, Vanity Fair, and many more. Hershberger continues to consult on film sets, designing and coordinating looks for award-winning directors and the world's most popular actors. She is also constantly working as a personal stylist for numerous celebrities and models, as well as prominent social and business leaders. Sally can be found in her own salon in New York at Sally Hershberger Downtown or at the Chris McMillan Salon in Los Angeles, typically with an extensive waiting list of devoted clients. Michael Carl Carl is the fashion director of Allure where he oversees the fashion pages of the magazine including "Fashion Cravings," which features the "lust" and "must" items of the month; "Fashion Extras," which highlights the accessories of the moment; and "Style 101," which breaks down the latest trends to make it easy for women to incorporate them into their wardrobe. Each month, he also writes about the hottest "look now" for "Fashion Bulletin." Twice a year, Carl travels to Milan and Paris to report on the looks of the runway. He has appeared on national and local television (including the Style Network and WPIX's WB11 Morning News) and is frequently interviewed by newspapers across the country. Prior to joining Allure, Carl worked at Jane, Nylon and Interview. Rene Fris Born and raised in Denmark, Fris started with his own salon 15 years ago. His work behind the scenes in TV and film quickly gave him a high-style reputation for hair cutting, coloring, makeup and grooming which has taken him around the world. On the verge of international status, Fris decided to follow the "American Dream" by moving to NYC in 1999. Since then Fris' accolades have included: Head Stylist at Elizabeth Arden's Red Door Salon at Saks 5th Avenue, Celebrity Stylist for John Frieda Salons, Grooming Specialist on the TV series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy in Europe and author of the best selling books Man Tame Your Body and Women Treat Your Body. He has shaped the careers of hundreds of stylists, and the list of celebrities and models that have passed through his doors is endless. This new series premieres Monday, May 14 at 10pm ET/PT. This article is from CHANNEL CANADA   http://www.channelcanada.com/ The URL for this story is:   http://www.channelcanada.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1816