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The Marilyn Denis experience part TWO: Its Showtime


Now the fun part…..I walked in the day before the live to tape, I met my stylist, Peter Papapetrou, he was so sweet and kind. Right away I tried on about 6 or 7 outfits, some of them were WILD, his theme, “bring the sexy back (whoa! Insert another red face here)”. Finally he picked a gorgeous outfit, I did feel beautiful in, and wasn't at all embarrassed to wear it, phew! Although, I had no idea if I was going to be able to walk… then after meeting both stylists and picking out the entire outfit, I was rushed off to an Aaron O'Bryan's Widsfheih’s hair salon in Yorkville. The salon was awesome, everyone was so kind and outgoing, I was treated like a queen, and it took about 5 hours to do the entire dye job, I’m talking foils over my entire head, then toning, then icing balayage, then root smudging… the end result, LOVE. I felt like the “pre-kids” Sam again! Then I was off to work, and it was impossible to sleep that night, uh, I had to talk in front of an audience tomorrow, real people staring at me...WTF!!!!!!!!!

Cut to show day: even though my palms and pits were sweating the entire morning, every second of the show was a friggin blast! Nina and my mom came, and sat in the green room, and got to participate in the rehearsals, and Nina, some parts on the show (I'm sure she was freaking out inside). Just before the show started, it was just myself, Marilyn and the other very worthy contestant, Tatyana. I felt the need in that moment, even though I thought I was going to barff, to comfort the young contestant beside me, and I also got to chat with Marilyn! WOW, she was super sweet and kind, she tried to help us stay calm and told us just to talk to her like a girlfriend. She was also super eager for Christmas vacay to start...my little insider on Marilyn!! At that moment, I wish I would have taken a picture or something, Marilyn is like Nina’s all time fav, and she watches the show very consistently, but my nerves got the best of me. Flash forward, and I'm sitting on stage beside Peter and Marilyn, I still have no idea what I even said, LOL….. I have to watch it again to refresh my memory!!! And then before I knew it I was running off the stage and up stairs with a fake dancing tree behind my head...show business!!!!

I’d have to say the best part of the entire show, was just the calm experience of the actual makeover, sitting there, in a quiet room, with a makeup artist making me look pretty, and my hair getting chopped and curled, that time allowed me to sit and reflect, we’re good. We survived some of life’s storms, and we’re OK. I enjoyed getting pampered, and really took that part in, I couldn't hear the show, and therefore my anxieties were at bay. At that moment, I knew this was it, the tides were changing, that good things are coming for us. As long as you stay positive, work hard, and lean on friends and family for support, you can literally get through anything. Life is too short, you have to push through the bad, to see all the beautiful good, and how lucky we truly are!!!!! Bam, the producer comes in (Alex, who was amazingly awesome!), five minutes until your segment, get dressed….. Holy shit! We run to the changing room, and I’m a bloody sweaty mess again, to the point where I can’t get my freakin fishnet stockings on. Finally I get them on, with the epic green dress, thigh high boots, and a green velvet jacket, only to have about three women panicking because they cant get the backs of my earrings on, haha. They have an assistant running around looking for different backings, finally the look is complete, and myself and Tatyana get a round of applause in the offices upstairs, more Tatyana, as she looked like BEYONCE!!!

Before I knew what was going on, I have hair people fluffing me, makeup touch ups, and my jacket being adjusted and then I’m tossed out on stage, and all I can see is Nina’s HUGE smile! I did feel like one hot momma, it felt sooooo good to feel pretty again. I just wanted to go out and dance!!! So I’m standing there thinking, ya I feel good, and Marilyn looks at us and tells us we’re getting ALL TEN DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAYS…. I remember looking at Marilyn’s face and not really registering this, and then I looked at Nina, in tears, and my mouth dropped open... and of course that picture was used in all the promo’s and social media lol. Holy crap guys, I’m not one for “things” but the majority of items were practical, and about half of it was gift cards, and “experiences”. I’m talking a Trip to ICELAND and spas, Hotels, the ROM, LegoLand membership, symphony show, Disney on Ice, tea houses, movies, dinners and more, these experiences to come with my family are absolutely PRICELESS and couldn't have come at a better time in my life. From the bottom of my heart Nina, thank you so much! The entire, JOURNEY was just what the doctor ordered, and the future experiences are going to bring us such joy and loving memories together. The show aired Dec 21, 2018 on CTV, hopefully you can catch it on demand. And I’ll try to provide the link here:

Much love

Xoxo

Sam

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