Ode to Casey-Jo

Years ago, I nearly ruined my afro by doing a terrible job of cutting it myself. Lucky for me, my mother came to my rescue. As she went about her business with her clippers, she said something that stuck with me.

“A haircut shouldn’t look like an apology.”

Hilarious, but true.

Those words came to mind as I was taken in by bits and pieces of the Much Music VJ Search last night. I chose to watch because of the previews. They suggested some racial tension might be brewing. (Supposedly Erik used a racial slur against Frank. But from what I saw, no footage was shown (taken?) to back up Frank’s claim.) However, while I came for the promised mini race-war, I stayed for the debacle that was…The VJ Makeovers.

Which brings me to the focus of this entry. Casey-Jo. I have to ask the people at Much one question: What were you thinking? For those who didn’t see it, essentially, these are the basics: The VJ hopefuls were whisked off to a uberchic salon to be transformed for a photo shoot. I’m talking the works: Hair, makeup, clothes.

Clips were deftly interspersed—there was the fashion stylist, the hair stylists, VJ wannabes, etc. Of particular interest was the head hair stylist…er…Visionary, Jie Matar, of Salon Jie (pronounced like a soft, buzzing, "G"). He commented on the wannabe VJs and their attitudes.

Mr. Matar complained quite a bit regarding Casey-Jo. In fact, as far as I could tell, she was the only one he really had anything negative to say about. Apparently, unlike her contemporaries, CJ wasn’t grateful, blah, blah, blah…

Unbeknownst to the people at Jie, given the way they made her look, if I was in CJ’s place, “grateful” would have been the least of their worries.

Casey-Jo’s haircut was hideous. I don’t care how cutting-edge any fashionista said it was. You know that adage about the right thing at the wrong time…? Well, the right hairdo on the wrong person is just wrong. Period.

Yet the coverage of CJ’s reaction….I don’t know what to make of Jie’s comments. His minion made CJ look preposterous. Her only consolation? As mentioned on the show, “Hair grows…”

In the end, I applaud Casey-Jo. She strikes me as one who doesn’t believe in putting up with anyone’s crap. Honestly. What did the people at MuchMusic expect her to do? Smile and act nice?

I recognize the footage last night might have been hewn together in an attempt to make Casey-Jo seem like an ungrateful little waif. Instead, it made Jie, and (inadvertently) MuchMusic, seem arrogant and presumptuous. “I am a styling superstar. You must approve of my decisions, no matter how ghastly I make you look. After all, I am a Big Name, no?”

No.

It’s a pity Casey-Jo probably signed a waiver/contract to be on the MMVJS. If it was me…Hmmm....Let's look at the facts...You made a fool out of me on national television...And your editing team did their best to make me look like a whiny harpy. Failing miserably, I might add.

I don’t know who I would have to get in touch with. But someone would be getting sued.