Blow Out

Sometimes it’s difficult to admit to one’s guilty pleasures. Bravo’s  Blow Out, now in its second season, is harder to fess up to than most. Because, really, can a show about doing hair be that interesting? As it turns out—yes it can. Why? Because the characters, especially, the prima donna of hair world, Jonathan Antin, is such a sketch. Jonathan owns two fabulous hair designs studios in Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. Last season’s story arc had Jonathan opening the new shop in Beverly Hills. Opening a new business is often fraught with obstacles. Good managers step up and solve problems, but to a world class drama queen like Jonathan, each obstacle was another opportunity to emote, shout, wave his arms, throw his cell phone, slam a door, insult an employee and generally make an ass of himself. For, you see, Jonathan Antin is the worst manager in history. If his people skills were a haircut the head would be gouged, uneven and bloody. Contrast his missing management skills with his obvious artistry in cutting hair and Bravo has enough tension to make each hour show into a stunning little pageant of bruised egos, hurt feelings, managerial incompetence and great hair. Did I mention this was reality TV?
Oh yeah. Jonathan and his crew of often stunningly beautiful and in-demand hair dressers are real people who actually work in the two shops charging up to $500 per haircut (more, if coloring or extensions are involved. On last night’s show, Kimberly Caldwell of American Idol semi-fame had extensions done and walked out with a bill for two or three thousand dollars—Jonathan was vague on the total). It’s reality TV but one gets the feeling that the producers are capable of the old “misdirect.” For example: is Jonathan gay? Several of his staff members, even most of the guys, are openly and comfortably gay. My gaydar has never worked properly, but Jonathan seems gay to me. He’s awfully good-looking for one thing. And his name is Jonathan. And, he sort of talks gay. Maybe it’s just a  Hollywood thing and maybe I’m falling for the old stereotype of the gay hairdresser and it doesn’t matter anyway except for this: the producers and Jonathan go out of their way to make him appear to be a heterosexual. And, what they do isn’t convincing. He has this “gal” who’s name is Ceci, I think, and who appears to be about twenty-two years old and who sort of phones it in when she’s with Jonathan. She seems to have no interest in him at all. There is no obvious love connection. Early this season Jonathan visited Ceci at her shop located in a basement somewhere to give her a haircut, her first Jonathan haircut. Leaving, he walked up the staircase to the street level, stopped, as if on a balcony, and said, “This is just like Romeo and Juliet.” And Ceci said, “Bye Juliet.”
Jonathan is always making comments about playing golf as in, I’ve been playing a little golf.” I’m not buying it. (Maybe he plays miniature golf). And, finally, last night he got choked up about his wonderful  new line of Jonathan hair products. Straight guys don’t get choked up about hair products.
Another misdirect to add to the drama is Jonathan’s relationship with the designer his hair products vice presidents have hired to create bottles for the new goo. This guy acts like an ass and Jonathan tops him at every turn in a business relationship that in the real world would last about five minutes, not several episodes.
The fun thing about Jonathan is his complete and total self-delusion. He believes that he is caring and supportive. Instead, he is a bully. He believes that he is a great manager when, in fact, he has no idea how to handle people. He plays favorites and is inconsistent. He believes he is always right when he is usually wrong, except in one important area. He is a brilliant hair stylist, a wonderful artist and technician who, as a business owner/manager, has risen to his level of incompetence. He is a train wreck waiting to happen and that’s always fun to watch.

Comments

[gail Carpenter]

I don't understand, they never have any Black Stylist or Stars on his show.

[Term papers]

This guy acts like an ass and Jonathan tops him at every turn in a business relationship that in the real world would last about five minutes, not several episodes.The fun thing about Jonathan is his complete and total self-delusion.