When fellow NBC producer Eric Jackson asked me to participate, my eyes glazed over until he said two words girls love to hear: "personal stylist." He had me hooked.
I was told to show up at the TODAY show hair, makeup and wardrobe room looking like my normal self. I have to admit I was nervous. I just started my job at TODAY two months ago, so I wanted to make a good impression. Jill Martin, stylist and contributor for US Weekly magazine, met me at the door. She's gorgeous. I knew I was in good hands.
Jill gave me a pink bathrobe (so cute), sat me down and asked if I was ready. I said yes. Of course, cameras were rolling. Then, the first stressful moment. The makeup artist asked me to take off all my makeup.
"All of it?" I asked.
"Yep, all of it," she said.
Oh my. I thought about running, but decided that was a bad idea, since the escape would be caught on tape and posted on YouTube before I even made it out of the building. So I washed my security blanket down the drain and went back to the makeup chair barefaced and blotchy.
The hairstylist and makeup artist went to work. I was in heaven. When they turned the chair around to reveal the final product, I didn't recognize the person looking back at me in the mirror. My hair was the size of RuPaul's, and I have to admit, I was already wondering how I could re-create the look in the comfort of my own home. The makeup was a Jennifer Lopez smoky eye with a glossy lip and shimmer of bronzer on the cheeks. OK, I'm going a little overboard, but it was pretty impressive.
Now, to wardrobe. Jill dressed me in clothing that must have come right off a mannequin in the window at Saks. She put me in a gorgeous leather dress, textured tights and fab patent leather boots. Then, the crown jewel ... a Chanel handbag that probably cost more than my monthly rent. To complete the look, oversized sunglasses and of course, Zak. Zak is a dog that's the size of a can of Diet Coke. He was adorable and so light I hardly knew he was in the palm of my left hand. Jill said I was ready for action.
I met my "entourage" in the lobby, along with author and marketing expert Martin Lindstrom. Martin is one of the world's most respected marketing gurus, with clients like McDonald's, Microsoft and American Express. He told us to stay in character, no matter what happened. He said people would flock to me, ask for my autograph and take pictures. I begged to differ. Off we went.
When we walked out of the building, people started staring right away. I figured they would, since we had the fake paparazzi taking pictures. We also had one of our "real" cameramen there, which always attracts attention. We started walking towards Fifth Avenue, and not much happened. People stared from a distance. I started to think I wasn't really all that fabulous. I had to press on.
We headed toward Fifth Avenue ... Martin had instructed us to window-shop at Saks.
As soon as we approached Saks, BAM! They came out of the woodwork. People started moving closer. I heard them asking my "entourage" who I was. Some didn't care ... they took photos and asked questions later.
I walked really slowly, as Martin had instructed, and tried to act like someone famous.
Roberto Bailey, a fellow producer who was playing the role of my assistant, was informing me about my schedule for the day. I told him I wanted a mimosa for lunch and a massage after. Sounds good, right?
As we walked, the crowd got bigger. The fake paparazzi screamed out questions, such as:
"Krista, what are you wearing to the Oscars?"
"Who are you taking to the Super Bowl?"
"Are you sleeping with Peyton Manning?"
That last one almost ended the act. I had to pretend to sneeze so I didn't bust out laughing.
My fake security guard, who in real life is a security guard at 30 Rock, was keeping the crowd at bay, but he did allow a few autographs. I happily scribbled my name, then watched as people walked away saying "Who is she? I can't read her writing."
I posed for photos, signed more autographs and brushed off questions about my latest project. We were out there for about 20 minutes and the crowd grew to a few dozen people.
As we walked back to the office, I was relieved it was over. I gotta say, it was kind of scary. I consider myself a friendly, outgoing person, but this situation had me a little uneasy. If I hadn't had so many officemates around me, I would have been really frightened. People came right up to me and got very close and pushy with their cameras, pens and paper. I wasn't afraid for my safety, but it was uncomfortable. I wanted to be able to smile and say hello, but I also wanted room to actually walk down the sidewalk and do some shopping.
The next day, I woke up in my apartment as Krista again. I had hoped someone would bring me coffee and the morning paper on a silver tray with fresh flowers, but no members of my "entourage" arrived. I thought about some of the things Martin Lindstrom said about building your personal brand.
Martin said it's a good idea to leave people wondering. Create some mystery. That's something I can really learn from. I'm very social and love to talk. The thought of keeping my mouth shut once in a while had me intrigued.
Another big takeaway for me: Know what you are and what you are NOT. I've spent many years working on who I am, but I've never really thought about who I'm NOT. Learning who you're not, Martin says, can teach you about your strengths and help build a better you. Something to ponder the next time I'm having a foot massage!