Looking at the Look Book
Meet Shelley Hennig, Miss Teen USA 2004 and this week's featured face in New York magazine's Look Book. Shelley's your typical mactress, bouncing around New York and doing flying leaps and jet s whenever a photographer shows up. Her stylist tells her that West 8th Street is NYC's unofficial shoe district, so she shops around there — but not right now. First, Shelley's got to take her dad to the "beautiful" South Street Seaport. Rah rah!
After the jump, Intern Alexis gathers Matt Kirsch, Colin Bennett, and Annie Karni to tackle Shelley's perkiness.
Shelley apparently dated Ryan Cabrera for a little bit. What did Joe Simpson think of Shelley?
OK, so this isn't corroborated but it's so "Joe" that it has to be true. Apparently, Ryan had to cancel a performance because he had some eye irritation, and when Pastor Joe found out (who hasn't officially cussed since grade school), he flipped, "If I have ever catch the effing eff that gave you the pink eye, I'll effing eff up his eff" and the last "eff" meant "face" we think- and that's when Shelley walks in, her left eye redder than her home state, Joe walks up to her real close, everyone thinks he's gonna hit her, luckily his
cell phone rings, it's Jessica, he leaves the room, but not before calling Shelley a "c-bag" on the way out!
If 8th Street could talk what would it say to Shelley?
"No, no. Don't try to pet that dog. It's working. You see that man holding its leash. He's blind. That's right he can't see. Very good. He's using his dog to help him get around. What's that? Yes I'm sure the dog works on weekends. Well, it's not a question of 'fair,' it's just how it is. Just. Just eat your yogurt."
What's next for Shelley, career-wise?
She can do anything and when I say anything, I mean literally anything. If she wants to do commercials, if she wants to cure polio, she can do it — she's that super-talented and ambitious. If I had to guess, which I hate to do because it's like trying to guess Einstein's next chess move, I think we'll see her transition from model slash actor to actor slash model in the next three to five years.
How can we get Shelley ready for Fall?
She'll tell you otherwise because that's just who she is, but I really think she needs a new trapper keeper- her old one's all worn on the side and it doesn't really close anymore. Her pencil case is fine, she has a protractor, all that, but she really needs a new 'keeper - I saw one at the supermarket with sharpei puppies on it, she'll love it, I swear.
Colin Bennett, ne'er-do-well
Shelley apparently dated Ryan Cabrera for a little bit. What did Joe Simpson think of Shelley?
Joe Simpson bears no ill will towards Shelley. Joe Simpson in fact is relieved that Ryan's ghostwriters and his daughter Ashlee's ghostwriters are no longer writing singles to each other. It was all getting a bit too "pre-marital" for former preacher Joe Simpson. And now, Ashlee is right back where she belongs: in father Joe's warm, paternal, completely non-creepy, hand-sliding-slowly-down-the-soft-curve-of-Ashlee's-lower-back-towards-the-shh-
shh-honey-it's-ok-daddy-would-never-hurt-you-baby embrace.
If 8th Street could talk what would it say to Shelley?
As the "unofficial shoe district of New York," I believe West 8th Street might encourage this young fashion plate to take her gamboling on over to its cousin, West 208th Street, the "unofficial walk around dressed like that in the train yards at night and see what happens district of New York."
What's next for Shelley, career-wise?
Does missing whatever this jump is you're making and landing in a big puddle and ruining your Mystic Tan because you were too busy skull-grinning count as a career? No? What about massive credit card debt and tearful midnight calls and Western Union transfers from mom and dad in Louisiana? Not a career? Not even if you add a -slash- to it?
How can we get Shelley ready for Fall?
A better question might be: how can we get Fall ready for Shelley? Because seriously, she's just gonna take this season by storm. Froggy went a-courtin' style, guns blazing, galoshes pounding right up the
ol' beachhead like some paint-by-number fear of god inside you landing craft. By storm.
Annie Karni, freelance writer
Shelley apparently dated Ryan Cabrera for a little bit. What did Joe Simpson think of Shelley?
I'm assuming this alleged romance occurred during the pre-Ashlee Simpson-nose job era, i.e. the not-yet-hot stage, during which Ashlee's love interests and the history of their hijinks failed to
register on Joe Simpson's radar. Frankly, I don't believe that Joe Simpson thought of Shelley at all. I'm sorry.
If 8th Street could talk what would it say to Shelley?
8th Street, home of the cheap stiletto and the clowney platform, would tell Shelley that if, as she claims, comfort is her No. 1 priority, she's hunting in the wrong forest. 8th Street would say, "honey, either you're sniffing down the wrong path, you've got some crazy notions about comfort, or you're a liar!"
What's next for Shelley, career-wise?
When Shelley was asked what she did, she said "I was Miss Teen USA in 2004." Okay. Well, that's kinda special, true. But, Shelley, this is the time to look to your future, not to dwell nostalgically on the past! You are a bright, young, up-and-coming model-slash-actor! The world is your oyster!
But all kidding aside, I think Shelley's visit to South Street Seaport with her dad-slash-BFF presents an opportunity for a real honest heart-to-heart. As they look at the boats floating in the bay, I see Mr. Hennig throwing down the fatherly advice ("it's important to keep an even keel;" "we all must learn to cope with the changing tides of life," etc.) and Shelley really focusing her energy on commercial auditions this Fall.
How can we get Shelley ready for Fall?
Pants are always a good start. But, hey, that's just one girl's opinion.
