Janelle Davison, OD, is no stranger to TV appearances. She’s appeared on a number of programs to share tips on digital eye strain and back-to-school exams, including Yahoo News and a number of Atlanta news stations. But an invitation she received in early October came as a surprise.
A marketing agency working with Tarsus Pharmaceuticals had recommended she be featured in one of its sponsored segments on The Jennifer Hudson Show.
“I was completely in shock,” Dr. Davison says. “This was my first time on a daytime talk show and a huge deal. Plus, being a woman of color, I think it’s important for young women to see themselves in all facets of life, including eye care.”
The segment, “The Beauty Alert: Jennifer Calls for an Eye Doctor (and You’ll Be Glad She Did!)” focused on demodex mites. Dr. Davison joined beauty influencer Golloria George to bust the myth that poor hygiene causes eyelid mites.
“The goal was to spread awareness about eyelid mites but, more importantly, the importance of getting routine eye exams annually,” Dr. Davison says.
THE HOLLYWOOD TREATMENT
Only a few weeks passed between the initial call and taping. Dr. Davison flew from Atlanta to Burbank, California, a day early to check out Hollywood. She felt prepared as she had completed a number of calls with the show’s producers but didn’t meet Hudson until the actual taping. “The producers gave me a walk-through of the studio, and we did a final dress rehearsal on the stage, which Hudson was not present for. They wanted our first meeting to be genuine.”
On the day of filming, the marketing agency sent a hair and makeup artist to her hotel room at 7 a.m. and she was at the studio by 11 a.m. After a hiccup at the security gate—a “top secret movie was also filming that day, so security was extra tight”—Dr. Davison was treated as talent, complete with her own dressing room filled with food and amenities.
When filming finally began, it went by in a flash. “The segment was less than five minutes,” Dr. Davison says. “I was amazed to see all of the preparation that went into it.”
Now back in Atlanta, Dr. Davison looks forward to continuing to educate her patients on mites and much more.
“This was a huge opportunity for me to showcase optometry on a national scale,” she says. “It has been one of the highlights of my year.”
Watch Dr. Davison’s segment on The Jennifer Hudson Show here.
