After the season premiere of The Rachel Zoe Project, Taylor Jacobson is trying to set the record straight on what really went down between her and ex-boss Rachel Zoe.
Since Tay never had the opportunity to go on camera and tell her side of the story, the bleach-blonde stylist sat down for an interview with TV Guide.
Here’s what she had to say:
So you’ve heard about the premiere. What happened there? Why did you leave?
Uh-huh. I’ve heard a lot about it. … For legal reasons, I’m not really allowed to discuss it, which makes it hard for me to give “the juice.” But what I heard about the first episode is pretty amazing. I heard there is ripping out of pictures and throwing them into the fireplace.
Do you still talk to Brad? You two had become close.
No. You know, you’ve got to sever ties to a toxic environment and go forward. I’m trying to stay positive. There’s obviously horrible s— being said about me in the media. It’s no secret that certain people who shall not be named are trying to blacklist me and get me kicked off jobs and talk s— to some of my clients. There has been a lot of cattiness from certain people. I don’t go into it. People who work with me and know me know I’m not about this bulls—. I’m about the job. I can’t get caught up in this. Ties were severed. Whatever happened happened, and it’s time to move forward.
In terms of the cattiness, has there been fallout for you? Has it cost you work?
It’s been a mix. When one door closes, another one opens. It’s definitely been… I don’t want to say it’s been rocky because I’ve been working consistently. I’ve gotten to do a lot of things I wanted to do. But there are people out there who can throw their weight around.
The people who worked with while you were with Rachel, have they stuck by you?
Yes, pretty much for the most part.
Was there any thought to appearing in the third season? To defend yourself, if nothing else?
No, I was done. No more TV for me. My ultimate dream is to be a costume designer, so if I could get into that over the next five to 10 years, I’d be stoked.
Do you feel like you were fairly portrayed on the show before you left?
Reality TV is faux reality. It’s a contrived reality, and everyone knows that. I was an extremely hard worker and I still am. So, in that sense, yes. As much as people want me to go off on the show and Rachel, I don’t really have anything to say about the woman who I am not allowed to talk about. Really, I don’t have ill will. It’s time to move on and I have.
The first episode contains flashbacks to your happier times with Rachel. She often referred to you as family. Are you hurt at all by how things have ended?
I have an answer for that, and while I would like to say what I have on my mind, I don’t think it would be good. When you work for anyone high profile, you sign a confidentiality agreement. That’s why I really can’t talk about it. I will say this: I don’t fit into sample sizes! Where did that even come from? I’m not a size zero. I have 34-D boobs! Models are flat. I don’t fit into samples. I don’t understand. It’s the weirdest thing to me. I’m fat.
Word is you have been approached by other networks to do a spin-off series.
Yes, but I’m not interested. Also, I’m not a catty person. I did four years. I’ve worked with other celebrity stylists. With Rachel, I was just at a point where it was time for me to do it on my own and concentrate on my career and on where I want to go and what I want to do — and not be under someone’s shadow. Things in the styling business? The lines get blurred. Things get misconstrued. There are always two sides to a story. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been supposedly fired by Rachel — just investigate her past with clients and assistants. It doesn’t matter really what I say. The going back and forth? I don’t want to keep perpetuating it. There are 50 million things that I could say, but where is that going to get me.
