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www.ExpressGayNews.com • January 19, 2004 Q1 Q_COVERstory Brini Maxwell: Retro Queen of All Things Stylish New York TV Star Brings Cult Hit to the Style Network By Mary Damiano “I’ve always thought television was an Arts & Entertainment Editor exciting medium,” she says. “One of the things Brini Maxwell never dreamed that a I like about is that you reach so many people fabulous Salvation Army store find of a yet you have no idea who you’re reaching. vintage set of nesting bowls from the 1950s You create in a cocoon, and you put what would lead her down a new career path and you’ve created out there to these people. You land her a TV show on the Style Network. put it out there and people find it.” But these were not your typical nesting The Brini Maxwell Show premiered in bowls, just as Brini Maxwell is not your New York City on Jan. 1, 1998, and ran until typical television style doyenne. Maxwell, November 2003. Maxwell’s mother was her a.k.a. gender-bender Ben Sander, is an expert producer and camerawoman as well as a on the style and pop culture of a very specific recurring character. Other characters era—1958 to 1974—and has managed to included Maxwell’s friends and neighbors, incorporate that appreciation into every who dropped by as Maxwell presented her aspect of her life. Everything visible in her tips for decorating, cooking, entertaining and Chelsea apartment is from that era. Her living an all-around stylish life. wardrobe is a mix of pieces she’s made and Word spread and Maxwell’s unique show vintage finds. She also espouses what she became a cult hit. “I wasn’t sure where it would calls the optimism of that time period, an go or how it would be received, but people optimism she feels lacking in the world today. really picked up on it,” Maxwell says. “It made All of these elements come together in me feel like I had something to offer.” Maxwell’s look and attitude, as well as her Two years ago, Amy Briamonte, a philosophy: “Add style to your life and life producer with Termite Art Productions, was to your style.” nursing morning sickness and watching TV, That outlook is the focus of The Brini when she caught an episode of The Brini Maxwell Show, which premieres on the Maxwell Show. She contacted Maxwell and Style Network Friday, Jan. 23, at 10:30 p.m. the two set off on a mission to bring Brini The first episode, “A Womb with a View,” Maxwell to the masses. Briamonte contacted gives tips and ideas on how to make your the Style Network, and Heather Moran, vice Brini Maxwell sews things up on her show home a cozy haven. Thirteen episodes are president of programming for the network, already in the can, and show topics include liked the show enough to sign Maxwell. creating a stylish home office, demystifying Of course, Maxwell is not the first Maxwell also loves the pop culture, especially Pussy Galore, from James Bond,” Maxwell says. art and incorporating art into one’s home stylish gal to host a lifestyle show. Maxwell movies and TV. She cites The Mary Tyler Moore “But now, Auntie Mame, Mary Tyler Moore’s and life, bringing the outdoors indoors, and has nothing but respect for style guru Show, That Girl and The Doris Day Show as Mary Richards and her Laura Petrie are the making a seasonal rental home or apartment Martha Stewart. “I think Martha Stewart some of her favorite shows from that time. She characters I feel a kinship with. As time goes uniquely yours for the time you’re there. is remarkable,” she says. “She’s created especially likes the strong female characters by, I’m not quite as much Pussy Galore, But what exactly was it about those such an incredible empire for herself. And on those shows and believes the time is right although I might like to be.” nesting bowls—for the uninitiated, what I find so interesting about her is that for the comeback of female characters. “I used nesting bowls are mixing bowls of various she started out as the kind of person I to describe myself as a hybrid between Sue The Brini Maxwell Show premieres sizes that fit inside each other for easy would be talking to—a single working girl Ann Nivens, the Happy Homemaker from The Friday, Jan. 23, at 10:30 p.m. on the Style storage—that started Maxwell’s journey in New York City. She was a model. She Mary Tyler Moore Show, Auntie Mame and Network. to TV stardom? really took that somewhere and built Brini Maxwell’s Tips for Adding Style to Your Life “They have little figures of farmers something out of that desire to create a Home Style on the sides—just adorable,” Maxwell personal space for herself.” Don’t be afraid of color. So many people think that if they have a dark room and paint it says. “They were $15 for the entire set— Maxwell would like to build her own style white, it will be lighter, but what you get is a white room that’s dark. Use color to brighten a room. these are vintage 1950s, and collectors pay empire—she already sells note cards, recipe And I love the use of accent walls. Pick a wall and paint that one wall a bright color, and it creates a a lot more, so I bought them.” cards and T-shirts through her Web site, focal point. Maxwell was so thrilled with her find BriniMaxwell.com. In Maxwell’s typical can-do Create a personal space with interesting items found at second-hand stores. It’s always more and about how they complemented the style, she created the items herself with her interesting to find things that are not made in bulk. If you walk into a room that someone has décor of her kitchen that she thought it home computer. “I have lots of ideas for furnished at Crate & Barrel, you recognize it as Crate & Barrel. But if you find a great mixer for your would be awful if no one saw them, since products, home products and things like that,” kitchen on ebay or at a thrift store rather than buying one at Bed, Bath & Beyond, then it’s they were for food preparation, not for she says. something unexpected. serving. So she did what anyone with a And you can bet that whatever Maxwell Personal Style sense of style and adventure would do— designs, the products will be reminiscent of The key is to shop at place like The Gap and Banana Republic or Club Monaco for the basics, she leased space on cable and produced her favorite era. “That period created a fertile then add to them fun pieces that you’ve made yourself or found in a vintage store. Then you create her own lifestyle show, right from her ground for the development of the style that a look all your own, but that has a very current feel, the latest silhouette. apartment. came out of,” she says. “It was a wonderful The integration of unique pieces, whether they’re vintage or they’re made by craftsmen who Maxwell had been working in the fashion time for design, in clothing and interiors, and make only one, a scarf or a piece of jewelry, for example, can add to your cache. It makes you industry but was unhappy in her job. Her industrial design as well. Even everyday objects interesting to people and creates a conversational opener. People can come up to you and say, “Oh, therapist encouraged her to change career were exciting to look at.” I love that scarf, where did you get that?” paths and explore something more interesting. In addition to the designs of the era, Q2 www.ExpressGayNews.com • January 19, 2004 Q_THEATER preview America’s Favorite TV Mom Steps into the Spotlight The Florida Follies Marks Latest Chapter in Florence Henderson’s Career By Mary Damiano characters, she has embraced the role and the them. Arts & Entertainment Editor fans who still think of her as America’s mom. Henderson received one of the nicest At one point in The Florida Follies, the “It seems to mean so much to people,” tributes from Reed, by way of his daughter, new variety show at Parker Playhouse in Fort Henderson says. “I think that whatever your who is now compiling a book about her father. Lauderdale, Florence Henderson croons past is, you have to remember it, come to terms “She said, ‘My father told me that he wanted “Young at Heart” as a tribute to George Burns. with it and embrace it, and that’s what I’ve to marry you,’” Henderson says. “We would That song could be the theme for The Florida done.” have made a good team.” Follies, in which the performers range in age In some ways, the Brady kids are like Although homosexuality was not a topic from 53 to 81. Henderson’s second family. She keeps in touch for The Brady Bunch, Henderson’s says that “I’m blown away by the talent in this with the former child stars, and shares a warm she knows how Carol Brady would have show,” says Henderson, who turns 70 on bond with them. She also shared a strong reacted if one of her brood were gay. “I would Valentine’s Day. “It’s one of the best casts friendship with late actor Robert Reed, who say, ‘What can I do to make you feel better? I’ve ever been involved with.

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