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With her wonderful Southern accent, grace, friendliness and personality that simply lit up the entire room, Lori Allen - all the way from Atlanta - surprised the press, guests, advertisers, ad buyers and South African TV executives when she appeared as the star guest, draped in shimmering red, at the TLC launch party earlier this evening.
TLC (DStv 186) will be joining MultiChoice's DStv platform from this Friday, 14 October.
Lori Allen is a firm fixture on TLC with her popular show Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids and she agreed to travel very far to come and help launch TLC on DStv. I asked her to pose for a photo, here with Lee Hobbs, channel director for emerging business at Discovery Networks for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA). Even though they were busy with their own conversation, they immediately, graciously agreed to walk few steps with me.
I arrived and Discovery Networks CEEMEA Upfront 2012 event earlier this evening and in less than 5 minutes the gracious, warm and hilarious Lori Allen found me, introduced herself, and started a genuine, real and very enjoyable conversation.
Even though suddenly at the tip of Africa Lori Allen was completely at ease, told me she's looking forward to a quick safari later this week, and also introduced me to her husband who tagged along for this trip (we talked cable and satellites). She asked about South Africa's beaches. I thanked her for making the effort to come so far - despite rumours from the dark continent about elephants in the streets which is not true, and she laughed and said ''So I'm discovering!''
Lori Allen's salon is the largest full-service bridal salon in America, and it's located in Sandy Springs, Atlanta. Her salon features prominenty in Say Yes to the Dress. It's clear that Lori Allen deals with crazy brides because at the TLC launch party she was completely calm, and it must have been a mere 1 on her stress scale of 1 to 10.
Lori Allen asked me if I've watched a lot of TLC. I had to be honest and told her not that much but that I do keep my eye on it. Especially that mom with the many kiddies.
ALSO READ: Rocking Red - How the Discovery Networks CEEMEA Upfront 2012 turned from white to red for the launch of TLC on DStv.
ALSO READ: The TLC Red Carpet Cosmo is a zinger of a cocktail at the red and lovely launch party of the TLC channel joining DStv.
