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Susan Summers poses with the bus she uses to haul antiques she sells out of her Kalama hair salon. The bus unnerved her Philadelphia counterpart, who swapped places with Summers as part of a TV reality show. Greg Ebersole / The Daily News

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Kalama stylist's 'Split Ends' episode debuts Saturday

Saturday, April 5, 2008 6:56 AM PDT

By Leila Summers

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KALAMA — Hair stylists at a posh Philadelphia salon extended a warm welcome to Kalama barber Susan Summers, and they even tried to set her up on a blind date.

Meanwhile, her “Split Ends” counterpart, Philadelphia stylist Mary Lamb, was greeted in Kalama by the green bus Summers uses to haul antiques, which she sells in addition to clipping locks.

“It got me a little nervous about where I was heading,” said Lamb, 34. “A bunch of stuff flew around (in the back) as we turned corners. It wasn’t the cleanest bus either.”

Both women agreed to work three days in each other’s salons in January for an episode of “Split Ends,” a Style Network reality show. The show featuring their contrasting experiences will be broadcast today at 3 p.m. on the Style Network, Comcast digital channel 183.

Summers said she’s excited to see how producers depict her adventure at High Tech Hair in Philadelphia. The swap, she said, wasn’t always easy.

“There were definitely some fussy Philly ladies,” said Summers, 44. “I tried to hang in there and be polite, but I did get a little flustered a time or two.”

For Lamb, adjusting to Kalama’s slow pace took some time, she said.

“It’s just a different personality. It’s not as rushed,” she said. “It’s a little slower than I’m used to.”

Stylists in High Tech Hair often juggle two to three customers at a time, Summers said, and each stylist works with multiple assistants. For Summers, who’s Kalama barbershop is a one-woman show, the adjustment seemed overwhelming at first.

Summers said most of her clients at Stage West Barber Shop & Antiques in Kalama are men or women wanting simple trims. She usually charges under $20 for cuts, and she wasn’t used to some of the complicated styles and “up-do’s” requested of her.

“Men mow it and women grow it. That’s what we do in the Northwest,” she said.

Lamb said her typical Philadelphia clientele varies from the middle-class to the well-to-do. With cuts starting around $75, they expect a quality look, but she wouldn’t classify them as high-maintenance people.

“I think they want to look their very best, so that’s their expectation.”

To work in High Tech Hair, Summers was required to ditch her comfortable boots and strap on a pair of heels. Whereas Lamb said she “wears high heels every day of my life,” Summers said her 4-inch stilettos were a nightmare.

“It wasn’t a Cinderella fit. They were too small,” she said.

For Lamb, on the other hand, it was Kalama that seemed small.

“Everybody seemed to know every single person,” Lamb said. She was struck by how casual and “genuinely kind” everyone was, though there wasn’t much activity around town.

Whereas Lamb spent evenings alone in her Kelso hotel room, Summers said “they dressed me up like a city girl” and the salon’s owner treated her to a night on the town. Summers was even set up on a blind date.

“When I went to downtown Philly ... I felt like ‘That Girl’ with Marlo Thomas walking through the city,” she said.

Lamb said her tour of Kalama was brief.

“There wasn’t much of a tour. I toured the block, if that’s what you mean,” she said.

It was cute to see how downtown antique stores incorporate “something else,” such as a deli or coffee shop, into their stores, Lamb said.

“I didn’t quite understand it mixed into a hair salon,” Lamb said, and riding around in Summers’ green school bus was strange.

The bus, Summers said, has been stripped of most of its seats to accommodate antiques.

The two women said they would consider re-visiting their respective cities and salons -- but each was happy to return home.

“I would come back to see Mount St. Helens,” Lamb said. Her schedule didn’t allow her to visit the famous volcano.

Summers said she would love to go back to the City of Brotherly Love, but “I kind of like my laid back and easy thing I’ve got going on.”

“When I was flying back in the airplane, when I saw Mount St. Helens and the Columbia River I wanted to stand and clap,” she said. “I was pretty happy to be in the Northwest.”

Things must be slow... wrote on Apr 5, 2008 1:23 AM:

" if this is the top story of the day. I would think that the hunt for an attempted murder suspect would rate a bit higher than this. Good thing I'm not in the newspaper business...I'd certainly go broke not knowing what my priorities should be. Maybe next week the looney advice lady will have the top spot... "

Northwest citizen wrote on Apr 5, 2008 4:57 AM:

" I was appalled that ashleigh was proud to be a white trash contest winner. they must think that those are the things people in the northwest strive for. "

Nice, wrote on Apr 5, 2008 6:48 AM:

" We have war on several fronts, our current president is raping the country, corruption in all levels of goverment, a presidential race, local murder suspects running loose, and you choose this as your "top" story? What is wrong with you people? Have you been smoking the dope you keep reporting about? "

Yippy Ki AY wrote on Apr 5, 2008 7:23 AM:

" Nice it is!It's grate to read about things in this world other than drugs,murder,war,rape,and politics! "

Why? wrote on Apr 5, 2008 7:49 AM:

" Why did she stay at a hotel in Kelso, I'm pretty sure there's one in Kalama??? "

RE:Northwest citizen wrote on Apr 5, 2008 7:59 AM:

" Where in the article does it say anything about a White Trash contest winner? And the person who won that contests name wasn't Ashleigh. "

tired of the negatives! wrote on Apr 5, 2008 8:24 AM:

" More Cowlitz Complainers. This is a local newspaper. This is a nice local story. It's a good fit. If you want to read about war, the president, government corruption, and the president's race, read the New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Seattle or Portland papers, Financial Times, or the Wall Street Journal. Or do you not read any of those, and only like to complain about how our local paper doesn't meet your standards? "

Been there 'n done that wrote on Apr 5, 2008 8:30 AM:

" I've been in the newspaper business, and there is one rule that can't be ignored or fixed. You can't please everybody with story selection, placement or priority. It's really hard to get right, and slight errors are magnified by egotistical twits who think they know more than others because by their keen insight they spot a (perceived) slight error in priority. Furthermore, an ellipsis is used in place of unstated words, not a pause in thought. It's a good thing you aren't in the newspaper business! "

Liberty's right wrote on Apr 5, 2008 8:52 AM:

" so very cool,to give life a chance and see where it takes you.tv today is way overpriced!support free internet while you still can! "

RED wrote on Apr 5, 2008 10:35 AM:

" Ms. Lamb seems a bit 'stuffy.' "

James wrote on Apr 5, 2008 2:28 PM:

" Lighten up. It is a fun, well written story about a really nice person. "

Miss White Trash wrote on Apr 5, 2008 4:14 PM:

" I am the winner. I am proud of being a trophy winner. It's a nation wide pageant and a blast!! Go to misswhitetrash.com to see more!!!
By the way, EVERYTHING on the show is fake. NOTHING is or was real except the pageant contestants. "

kalmite wrote on Apr 5, 2008 4:45 PM:

" Hey Red...wouldn't you be stuffy just walking into Miss White Trash 2007? That green bus should be moved off main st. I wonder what the Twilight movie set thought when they rolled into town.
Oh, I forgot the movie set was in FORKS, Wa. not much different than Kalama,Wa. HUH?
Welcome To DORK'SVILLE. "

Kelsoooo wrote on Apr 5, 2008 8:42 PM:

" If I was the Kalama owner I'd be embarrassed that who was left in charge had represented the shop in such an unprofessional way... Wow. Her efforts to make The Philly lady look stupid, only made herself look bad. "

talkmary wrote on Apr 5, 2008 9:36 PM:

" I think Susan looks great and all the rest of you should be nicer because you sound kind of jealous to me. "

Kay E. wrote on Apr 5, 2008 9:41 PM:

" Way to go Susan! I saw the show and you did much better than the Philly lady did. You had a lot more going on however. Not much to film in the Kalama shop except Amberleigh and Mary. I wonder if Amberleigh had a script? "

It's Amazing wrote on Apr 5, 2008 11:14 PM:

" It's amazing to see how a first comment on a story can flavor the rest of the blog to follow. If you don't like the story, move onto the next one. Jeesh, get a life! "

talkmary3 wrote on Apr 6, 2008 1:31 AM:

" I think Susan looks great! The rest of you should stop being mean because you sound kind of jealous. "

NorWester wrote on Apr 6, 2008 10:15 AM:

" Amber Lee was so funny. I loved when she said that hanging out with Mary "was better than jail!" hahaha "

Seattlegirl wrote on Apr 6, 2008 11:47 AM:

" Being from Kalama and now living in Seattle, I find myself quite disappointed in how my hometown was portrayed on this "reality show". I find it quite unecessary that banjo music was played between transitions from talking about the Philly store and Kalama's store. I know that Kalama is small, but come on......banjo music, white trash pageant winners, haircuts paid with farm fresh eggs?! Really? Really? "

Shameful wrote on Apr 6, 2008 11:52 AM:

" I have to agree that the portrayal of Kalama was awful. It wasn't surprising that the Philly stylist pronounced the town's name wrong, but then the show's narrator did the same. The producers always distort things for dramatic effect, but I think they owe Kalama an apology because this particular portrayal was just mean. "

loved it wrote on Apr 6, 2008 10:35 PM:

" Susan, you looked beautiful on TV! "

Colleen wrote on Apr 7, 2008 6:32 AM:

" I saw the episode last evening and would have to say I was disappointed. They made High Tech Hair look as if it was located in a posh area of Center City Philadelphia instead of in a strip mall at Bustleton Avenue & Byberry Road. The owner appeared very rude and purposely push ignorant clients on the stylist from Kalama. Although the store manager back in Kalama tried to be bossy she just made herself look stupid. Not the best of their programs! "

zoeygirl wrote on Apr 8, 2008 11:19 AM:

" Susie you did a great job. You shuld be proud of yourself. Amberleigh, this is a life lesson. I'm sure you are not as immature or as rude as you seemed. Take this lesson and grow from it. "

dreamcine wrote on Apr 9, 2008 10:19 AM:

" Ha ha ha ha ha! Amberleigh did exactly what the producers asked for and was paid well for it! It's entertaining to read comments about stupidity and such when they come from the same. Reality. For those of you who got pulled in-try the Phil Hendrie show! "

Noelle wrote on Apr 9, 2008 10:24 AM:

" Good job, Amberleigh-without you the show would have been a bore. "

Trish Williams wrote on Apr 11, 2008 9:49 AM:

" Susan, you still do hair like you use to when we worked together in Westport. The only thing that changed is you lost a ton of weight and I must have gained it. I am still married to the same guy and now live in Elma, oh yea, I am retired now too. Once in a while I do family hair but it was good to see that you moved on and you are still doing hair. Good to see how your son has grown. Trish "

Cheeky wrote on Apr 11, 2008 3:22 PM:

" Reality TV: If you believe it is reality, then you are not in touch with reality. Come on, you know everything is going to be exaggerated, or it wouldn't be interesting! All the ladies did a wonderful job of playing their "parts" just like the producers wanted. Bravo! Hilarious!! "

ptown wrote on Apr 11, 2008 4:51 PM:

" I just watched the episode which, by the way, airs like 5 times a day - looo-vving it! To Northeast Citizen - I can tell from your grammar that you didn't pass the sixth grade, but if you had you would have caught the humor in the show. If you are going to be angry at someone, get mad at the people who were responsible for educating you - frankly, it's embarrassing. "

Sarah Bott wrote on Apr 22, 2008 5:03 PM:

" Amberleigh we are so proud of you at the Dekum Street Guest House!!! You rock!

Love, Sarah and Kelly Ray and Henry and Walter and Dorothy and Otis "

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