We’re all pretty excited about Katie Cazorla’s new nail salon-focused reality show that’s premiering later this month (all the details are in our cover story here). After years of reality shows on everything from hoarders to bridezillas, it’s validating to finally have a reality show all of our own. How many times have you said to yourself that there was enough material in a day at the salon to do a reality show? 

Of course the new show, called Nail Files, which premieres June 21 on TV Guide Network, isn’t going to focus solely on Katie’s nail business, The Painted Nail in Sherman Oaks, Calif. It’s also going to follow the multi-tasking businesswoman on her escapades with her friends and her older, much calmer boyfriend. But it’s more focused on nails than anything in any recent memory (a brief appearance of a nail tech on Blow Out, a peek of the nail area on Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, or a mini storyline about a nail tech on Jerseylicious). Granted, most reality shows thrive on drama and conflict (Let’s face it, would you watch Jersey Shore if it was just about some respectable kids living and working at the beach for the summer?), but we can still hope for the best and rally around the first reality show for nails.

Over the years a number of producers have talked to me when they were pitching nail salon reality shows to their networks. Some were looking for specific personalities; some wondered what kind of competition show would work in our industry; but everything fell by the wayside. Either networks weren’t sold on the idea of nail salons being a big enough draw or the idea just fizzled. So, Nail Files is all about nails and, as exciting as it is, I just hope it shows our industry in a good light. The last thing we all want is for our shining moment coming into everyone’s living rooms to be marred by the myths about nail salons already perpetuated by the mainstream media.

We’re so used to nail salons and nail techs being portrayed in a negative light in the media that I sense myself “hoping” (maybe too much) that this show is going to help pull us away from all the scare tactic stories we see on the nightly news and daily talk shows.

Knowing Katie’s dedication to her business, especially to salon sanitation, I feel comfortable that viewers will see how a good salon operates (which might in turn push reluctant clients or long-lost regulars into the salon). And viewers will also likely see the camaraderie that comes with working in a fun, well-run salon and want to be a part of it in reality. Katie will be blogging on our From the Editors blog (blogs.nailsmag.com/editor) every Wednesday after the show airs Tuesday nights to give NAILS readers exclusive behind-the-scenes scoop on what went on during filming.

We also hear rumblings about another possible nail salon-focused reality show in the making. For now our lips are sealed, but maybe 2011 will be the year we see our time in the spotlight. Let’s just hope the spotlight shines favorably upon us.

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