It’s not easy being Anthony Lombardi these days. The owner of Verona’s Anthony Robert Salon is one of the stars of the reality TV show “Jerseylicious“, and its on-screen blowups have been getting as big as the blowouts. Last week, the story line had Lombardi juggling the drama at the show’s Gatsby Salon and his family, while managing an apprentice, Filippo Giove, who seems more interested in ogling the ladies than in cutting their hair.
“Back when I started, I would have gotten hit with a brush or a blow dryer if that had happened,” says Lombardi, who started cutting hair at 22. Giove, who really is the son of a Staten Island acquaintance of Lombardi’s, is just 18. Lombardi wants to cut him some slack because of his age, but not much. “Every time the phone rings, there’s a hundred-dollar bill calling,” says Lombardi with his signature snap. “If you don’t need it, don’t answer it.” Giove, for his part, seems to have gotten wiser since episode 2 was taped: “You can’t mix business and pleasure,” he says, with a barely audible sigh.
The conversation with Lombardi and Giove was a short as Olivia Blois Sharpe’s dresses on the show, but we were able to tease out a little bit on the upcoming episodes. The Anthony Robert Salon will get some air time and Lombardi, who the story line now has managing the Gatsby, will continue to spread himself thin–but with style.
“Jerseylicious” airs Sunday night at 8 p.m. on Style Network, which is on channel 160 on Verizon and channel 50 on Comcast. You can also catch Lombardi this Wednesday on “Rachel Ray”.
