THE PLAYERS

KAREN SALKIN

Though media personality Karen Salkin began her show business career by running away and joining the circus, she’s best known as the award-winning hostess of the long-running television show, Karen’s Restaurant Revue. Although the show was often less about food and more about her childhood in Brooklyn, ongoing exploits, show biz adventures, and life in general, Karen became known as one of the most popular and hip Los Angeles restaurant critics. And she’s been an even more in-demand raconteur, as evidenced by all the talk shows that have come calling.

In addition to being an actress with many stage, screen, and TV credits, (which provide much fodder for her comedic rants), she’s been a frequent TV host and guest, with her favorite gig being a couple of Tonight Show appearances.

Karen’s resume includes several radio shows, including co-hosting the nationally syndicated political show Talk Back with Fred Wallin. Together, they’ve also helmed a few sports radio shows, with Karen providing the gossip-y side of the subject, (even though she knows, and loves, the competition aspects, as well.)

During the run of her show, but before founding the E-Zine ItsNotAboutMe.TV, Karen became a successful freelance journalist, with assignments for (among others) TVGuide.com, Plays411.com, and her absolute favorite, People.com. Her weekly column for BeverlyHillsPeople.com, entitled Out To Lunch, was the most widely-read feature on that site. She also spent two recent years being the restaurant critic for the Culver City News and Blue Pacific News.

Karen’s Restaurant Revue has often been referred to as “the original reality show.” Just a year or two into her iconic show, Karen was one of the few recipients of Los Angeles’ inaugural Marvy Award, which was given to celebrities who were deemed “marvelous” in their fields, alongside the likes of former Olympic Pole Vault Champion, and current International City Racing CEO, Bob Seagren.

In the past, Karen has been a model, dancer, hip-hop club promoter, and elementary school teacher, and attended four colleges, collecting two degrees along the way.

With ItsNotAboutMe.TV, (also known affectionately as simply INAM,)Karen Salkin is finally able to combine all of her many interests into one endeavor. She tells it like it is about her experiences–the good, the bad, and the ugly. (Especially the ugly!)

Ever-ageless Karen has been a style and beauty icon since she first came into the public eye with her show. Featured on television shows and in magazines as the “do,” since the beginning of her career, she’s became almost as famous for her hair and nails as for her personality! And, her constant wearing of Reebok’s colorful sneakers, both on-camera and in private life, helped put that company on the map.

She has constantly changed-up her fashion sense, while trying to always maintain her long luxurious locks, (despite a mishap way back in the day, when a stylist erroneously cut-off all her hair, to almost a buzz-cut!)

Deciding to stick with the face she was born with, her “regal looks,” (according to the many artists who’ve drawn her over time,) led to many modeling assignments through the years. She was especially lauded for her fashion illustration lay-outs.

And now, with the Beauty section of ItsNotAboutMe.TV, Karen introduces us to her hip and helpful fashion, beauty, and health choices on a continual basis.

And when she finally has time to launch the video aspect of this site, she’ll be thrilled to be able to bring you her takes on, as Johnny Carson said, “Whatever pops into her mind at the moment.”

MR. X

Obviously, by choosing the name Mr. X, he doesn’t want you to know anything about him! So, suffice it to say, this mystery man is the person behind Karen’s successes. He created, and forced her into doing, her long-running cable TV show, Karen’s Restaurant Revue, which is what springboarded her into every other endeavor.

He’s a talented actor, singer, and writer in his own right, in addition to being Karen’s dishwasher, dog wrangler, laundry man, gardener, hairdresser, electrician, sanitary engineer, chef, plumber, cleaning crew, tech support, male nurse, personal shopper, and financier.

CLARENCE, AKA THE SINGING DOG

The most precious being in the world, Clarence has been Karen’s co-star for his whole life. He’s known mainly for his amazing singing ability, but just this year, like the famous opera singers before him, Clarence has gone into retirement in that category.

But you can see his beautiful face, and mouth-watering (in every way!) kissing technique, in the podcasts coming soon to this site. Just don’t be too jealous now!

REVIEWING PANELS

I’m happy to announce the addition of “reviewing panels” to the site. As long-time readers know, I always use the opinions of pals in my restaurant reviews, because as the site states, It’s Not About Me.

Now we’ve added panels for many aspects of the site, including the Beauty and Gift Ideas sections, so we can bring you the consensus opinion, where applicable.

As of now, most panel members are located in Los Angeles, with a handful in NY, and they’re all people I know with opinions I trust. As there’s more time, I have prospective members scattered throughout the country to add on. The group is both sexes, multi ages and ethnicities, and fun people in general.

I’ll have a link up soon where you can apply to join, as soon as we can accept strangers to the panel. So, please keep checking for it, if you’re interested.