I will have my first ever national TV debut this week.
(This blog post has been recently updated with actual video footage of my segment!) Getting this TV opportunity and traveling into Atlanta to film in the CNN studios over 2 days came at a crazy time. To say my life has been hectic, would be an understatement.
In a nutshell, the call came when my freelance makeup work was very busy (thankful), keeping up with my 3 kids and their schedules is always challenging since they have started new schools, and to top it off we are living in transition in between homes after moving out of our house of 12 years and into a rental condo. *Whew. (But we are ALMOST ready for moving day into our new house! Yay!)
So I am thrilled to FINALLY be able to share more about my TV debut in THIS new blog post! Click on the arrow below to play both of the videos from each segment …
Being on YouTube is NOT the same as being on a legit TV set.
When I told a few friends I was going to be filming on CNN’s HLN television set of Morning Express with Robin Meade, and that I was already nervous, some said, “Oh it will be a piece of cake. You have filmed a hundred YouTube videos.” *Insert eyes wide open emoji face.*
Here’s the difference between filming my YouTube videos and filming on the set of CNN :
- My videos are typically filmed in the comfort of a room in my home. Usually by myself with my one camera on a tripod or my husband is in the room with me, and that’s it. Oh, and maybe Taco (my 6 lb Papillon) is at my feet waiting for me to notice him. And if I mess up my lines or train of thought, I can re-record those thoughts as many times as I want. Shoot, I have even bailed on my YouTube recordings when I was just not feeling it, gone to the kitchen to grab a handful of Oreos, and back to scrolling through Instagram!
- Filming for CNN’s HLN is on a huge set filled with more energy than you can imagine. There are least 20 people on the set with multiple cameras, a million lights, sound people, and producers. And they’re ALL focused on you. There are last minute line changes on the spot for teleprompters, people running around making sure your micropohones are working, hurried outfit changes, and then making sure the set and products are placed just right. Then when they pre-record (thank God it wasn’t live for my first time!) you only have about 2 to 3 run throughs to get it right because the studio is constantly being turned over for filming for the next segment. There is no 5th or 6th time to get it right. You gotta get in, get the job done, and get it right.
Why I was asked to be on this show.
I was asked to be a beauty expert highlighting current beauty trends that would tie in with upcoming New York Fashion Week that starts September 7th. I would be sharing how women (not runway models!) can incorporate the latest trends in makeup with their everyday beauty routine. Basically taking the runway to real life!!
I have always thought that Bobbie Thomas (a popular beauty & style expert) had the coolest job – talking about makeup on national TV. This is right up my alley of what I do everyday as a makeup artist and beauty blogger right?? I should be a natural at this….or should I??
Why I almost said NO.
Even though this is EXACTLY what I love to do and I feel comes pretty naturally to me, I had a brief moment where I wanted to make up an excuse of why I couldn’t do it. Because I had that terrifying fear of failure and self doubt.
Fear that I couldn’t handle the pressure of being on the set, that I would forget what I was going to say, or that I was going to freeze up completely and embarrass myself and my friends/family.
But as I have learned in my 39 years of life, you cannot let the fear of failure ever hold you back. God’s plans are always way better than my own and he already knew that I could do it. Despite the fact I have never been on national television before.
Thankfully I said YES.
I am so grateful for this opportunity and experience I was given. I am thankful that a few people had faith in me that I could do it. Enough faith to pitch me to the producer (thank you Amy!) and to eventually secure me as the special guest expert over the other contenders for the spot (thank you Kerry!). Also a big thanks to the host of the segment, Melissa Knowles, for being so warm and welcoming to me and coaching me through it with a “you can do this!” attitude to this newcomer!
Hopefully this won’t be my last TV appearance because I really found it exhilarating! Of course it took about 15 minutes behind the lights and cameras until I FINALLY felt like, “OK I can do this, it’s actually a lot of fun.” I told myself, “Just talk like you are chatting with all of your girlfriends and clients about the subject you love most, MAKEUP!”
Here are the details so you can be sure to tune in and see all of the beauty fun! I actually haven’t seen the footage or final segments yet so we will be seeing them for the first time together!
- Thursday Sept. 7th at the 7am hour of Morning Express (talking about the metallic makeup trend)
- Friday September 8th at the 9am hour of Morning Express (talking on-the-go makeup ideas)
I have gone to NYFW in the past (blog posts here and here) but this year I decided to take a break from it because of our big move into our new home. So the next best thing (or maybe better than) being in New York for fashion week, is actually being on TV during Fashion Week!!
I am deeply appreciative of everyones kind support of my blog and thank you for always being uplifting and encouraging! I believe this blog is a big reason why I was asked to be a part of this beauty segment. Blogging has allowed me to meet the neatest people, opened doors to do the coolest things, and continued to make me hone my craft for the love of all things beauty. I hope that you will continue to find something good/helpful to take away every time you visit my blog and social media accounts.
*Special thanks to Cheeky Peach in Athens, GA for outfitting me in the teal dress and black vest combo for my On-The-Go makeup segment. And to the Hyman Showroom in Atlanta for my Free People silver skirt outfit for the Metallic Trend segment.*
