Birds Barbershop Featured in New Reality TV Show

Stylists from Austin's Birds Barbershop will compete in tomorrow night's debut episode of "Tease," a new reality series on the Oxygen Network. Hosted by actress Lisa Rinna ("Dancing with the Stars," "Melrose Place," "Days of Our Lives"), each episode of the "hair competition series"—like "Iron Chef" but with clippers—pits two up-and-coming stylists against one another.

From a network press release:

The aspiring stylists will put their skills to the ultimate tress test in front of a panel of expert judges as they compete for a chance at the supreme challenge a one-on-one battle with a high-profile master stylist. Should they surpass the expertise of a hair pro, their photo will hang on the Tease hair wall of fame and they will receive the silver scissors, the crowning symbol of their styling victory.

The debut episode, airing tomorrow night at 8pm, will feature Birds Art Director Laura Harkness, along with the help of colorist Allie Barnard and co-owner Erin Portman.

“We’re very humbled that in just under a year in business, a national program like ‘Tease’ has chosen Birds Barbershop’s talent to represent Austin,” said Portman, who served as stylists’ assistant on the show. “I won’t spoil the ending, but suffice it to say that Laura and Allie rock on this episode. No wonder they chose it as the debut for the whole series.”

The South Lamar rock 'n roll barbershop has made quite the name for itself in the past year: they were recently crowned "Best Barbershop" in the Austin Chronicle's Best of Austin 2006 polls, written up in Newsweek, and featured as one of Mastercard.com's "Priceless Picks" (check out the video, set to a song by local band Best Fwends, here). They also hosted a killer party last summer, co-sponsored by yours truly.

[Birds Barbershop on Myspace]

Debut Episode of "Tease"
Wednesday, January 10th
Oxygen Network
8pm CST

Birds Barbershop
2110 South Lamar
510-442-8800