Sometimes, nice guys – and gals – do finish first.

In the July-August issue of CSM, journalist Delaina Dixon contributed an exclusive interview with Christian Siriano, the fashion designer who first skyrocketed to fame when, in 2008, he became the youngest winner ever of the show Project Runway.
Delaina is my best friend back home in New York, so I’ve had a chance to observe her career trajectory firsthand. She has always been the consummate professional, and I’ve learned so much from her about the entertainment industry and how one needs to conduct themselves while working within it.
Still, media & communications is one of the most competitive industries, with tens of thousands of eager young graduates with first-rate academic pedigrees flooding it each year. The result is that getting ahead is not always determined by merit or even hard work but other things, like internecine politics and the cliquish mentality that unfortunately still permeates many of the elitist corridors of the publishing industry. But Delaina knew she had a lot to offer – as did all of us who knew her – so she never gave up on herself, trusting that someone, somewhere, would have no choice but to recognize that. She was right.
After a monthlong trial, Delaina’s pilot series, The Gossip Table, has been picked up and will become an official part of VH1’s “big morning block” programming campaign as of Sept. 30. Delaina, who is also the editor-in-chief and cofounder of DivaGalsDaily.com, will be one of five daily cohosts who report all the latest tasty tidbits from New York to Hollywood and everywhere in-between and around. She will be joined Monday through Friday at 9:30 a.m. by Rob Shuter (NaughtyButNiceRob.com), Marianne Garvey (The New York Daily News), Noah Levy (InTouch) and Chloe Melas (HollywoodLife.com). Having viewed every episode of the pilot, I can tell you with all sincerity that the show is light, fun and sports an energetic yet amiable rapport among the cohosts.

On behalf of myself and CSM, I offer heartfelt congratulations and a hearty Bravo! to my dear friend, Delaina Dixon. Not only is she more richly deserving of this great showcase that anyone else I know, now the world will discover what I’ve known for more than 15 years: Delaina is da bomb! – Nick Brandi