[ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 7/28/04 ]
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WEDNESDAY PEACH BUZZ
'Big Adventure' for pantyhose exec
By RICHARD ELDREDGE
Atlanta entrepreneur Sara Blakely flew to England on Tuesday afternoon to meet one of her business role models, Virgin founder Richard Branson. Blakely, who has made her name in the business world by creating Spanx footless control-top pantyhose, will spend the next nine weeks with Branson and company as a contestant for the businessman's upcoming Fox reality series, "Branson's Big Adventure."
"After today, we'll have no further contact with Sara until she comes back to Atlanta in October," Spanx representative Sharena Summerall told Buzz on Tuesday. Blakely got through several rounds of interviews prior before being selected for the series. The contestants will face "physical and business-related challenges." All Blakely was told before departing was to expect something "beyond her wildest dreams."
Summerall said friends had initially coaxed Blakely to participate in Donald Trump's NBC reality series, "The Apprentice." While Blakely didn't gravitate toward the wispy-haired comb-over king, she vowed that if Branson ever did a show, "I'll pack my bags."
While Blakely jets around the globe with Fox cameras, Spanx CEO Laurie Ann Goldman will be handling the business end of things in Atlanta.
Said Summerall of Blakely's bag-packing technique: "She did a lot of shopping at REI [Recreational Equipment Inc.], and I know she packed plenty of Spanx.
((Sharena is from Gamma Tau!!!))
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