"About Leina" - installment the fourth

Today's installment: addicted to tv shopping networks.

For the longest time, I thought I was a total Food Network junkie. Then I remembered, that no, I've logged way more hours watching shopping channels.

I can kinda remember the first time I watched HSN. I was still in Catholic school, probably fifth grade or so. I had a regular tv in my bedroom with no cable connection. It had really long antennae and two dials: one for VHF and the other for UHF. HSN was one of the channels on UHF that had no static. The first time I caught HSN, they were hocking Connie Stevens skincare.

If I just want something on tv just to have that tv noise, I leave it on a tv shopping network. And I watch those channels so often that the phone numbers are burned into my projection tv. Oopsy.

The only shows I don't have any patience for are the ones for coins and watches. Talk about boring. I also don't have much patience for the low-budget channels, you know, the ones that have the camera focus on a spinning lazy susan full of rings because those hosts are way too loud and the jewelry doesn't look very appealing.

What weirds me out about tv shopping networks is that the same hosts rotate through them. Several hosts from ShopNBC are now on GemsTV. A married couple of hosts from QVC moved over to HSN. One of my fave hosts from QVC is now on ShopNBC. ShopAtHome (R.I.P) was a breeding ground of hosts for HSN and ShopNBC. Why, yes, I do pay attention to who is trying to sell me jewelry, food, cookware, tools, swords, slankets, and shower curtains.

I think the most random tv shopping network-related moment I ever experienced was geeking out when I met Leslie Blodgett at the Bare Escentuals boutique at Valley Fair Mall. It was like I was meeting a tv star. She kinda is, I guess, since she's a regular guest on QVC.

Another totally random tv shopping network-related moment was when I was forced to watch Evil Dead 2 with a group of movie theatre coworkers. I was bored out of my mind, but then I perked up in my seat when I recognised Rick Domeier from QVC!

D-List celebrities have been popping up on shopping networks, which definitely provides a lot of entertainment. My favourite so far has been Janice Dickinson. She was so loud and so fabulous. The most random crazy old ladies would call in on her shows, declaring their love for her and her random accessories.

Here is an example of a precious piece of Janice merchandise:

Talk about qualiITAY.

So, here is my list of channels, ranked in order of most hours watched, along with my favourite hosts.

1. HSN - the one that started my addiction - Colleen Lopez, Bobbi Ray Carter
2. GemsTV - Brook Roberts, Karen Connelly
3. QVC - Antonella Nester, David James, Lisa Robertson
4. ShopNBC - Daniel Green (the hot Brit!), Dave King, Lynne Schacher

Oh, one more thing: Although I have a viewing addiction to shopping channels, I most certainly am not a compulsive shopper. I've logged thousands of hours watching, yet I own a small handful of items purchased mostly from hsn. All of them purchased on clearance. If there's a cz ring that I like, I patiently wait for it to show up on the clearance section on the network's website.

And I've never called in and spoken to a host on-air. Ha!