Ex-Fashion Model out of control, Janice Dickinson

Having an interest in woman's fashion, last night I watched the first six installments on dvd of the realty show, Janice Dickinson, a former model, who decides to begin her own fashion agency in LA. She presents herself as a tough-talking, hard-driving, when necessary, ruthless business woman, who has a soft spot for models that remind her of herself. That is to say models who may look a bit different and not find ready acceptance and promotion. I imagine Ms. Dickinson believes she presents herself as a resourceful, confident and tenacious business woman, worthy of admiration and emulation. Doubtless, we will grant her some of these admirable qualities, but at the same time her manner is so blunt, abrasive, and overbearing that she seems a stock character from stage or film, who serves as source of our laugher, amusement and contempt. Thus her arrogant character, virtually oblivious to criticism and change, serves as one of the chief attractions of this realty show.

During the course of the show, Ms. Dickinson, who herself wears a variety of impressive outfits, ends up making the very indiscretions she counsels her models to avoid, like arriving late to an appointment and behaving oneself at a show. She also can't resist dropping all pretenses of professional conduct, when in one incident, she insists one of her male models to whom she's attracted remove his underwear, so she can check out just how much he packs.

The culmination of Ms. Dickinson's business is almost undermined by her own wild antics. Invited to serve as a queen at the White Party in Palm Springs, wearing a one of a kind designer dress, she meets the designer at the party. Here it should be added that this designer is supposed to be supplying her dresses for her opening day at her fashion agency. Unable to resist temptation, Ms. Dickinson leaps into the white fountain, insisting that she be photographed while doing so, and ruins her dress out on loan. The designer decides to take revenge, so refuses to supply dresses for the opening day of Ms Dickinson's agency. Only the entreaties of her more sensible partner to the offended designer to go ahead and supply the dresses, saves the day for her.

Overall, I enjoyed this show, which offers insight into the world of fashion, a look at fashions, and a larger than life character, Ms. Dickinson, who plays the role quite well of someone quite oblivious to her own shortcomings and flaws, which makes for great theatre.