On Saturday night, A&E premiered the new docu-series Psychic Tia centered around the very Jersey life of psychic Tia Belle. Tia already has a reality TV following, having made a few appearances on Bravo’s Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Other than the boss, the other featured cast member is a pretty, blonde, fish out of water in the form of assistant Hailey Best. As Tia revealed during the first episode, Hailey is a former Miss North Carolina and I was fascinated as to how a southern beauty queen ended up as an assistant for a Jersey psychic.
Here is Hailey’s bio info and Q&A via A&E intermingled with some pics from her pageant days. Hailey was Miss North Carolina in 2011:
Hailey works as Tia’s assistant at The Craft. This small town, southern girl and former Miss North Carolina came to New York to find herself… but the fast-paced, big city life is hard for her to get used to and the pangs of homesickness has her thinking twice about her decision. Hailey is at a crossroads, but her work at The Craft definitely keeps life interesting!
Q&A WITH HAILEY
What have you learned about yourself since working for Tia?
I have actually learned quite a bit about myself while working with Tia. I never realized how adaptable I was until working at The Craft. I have to be able to adjust to many different situations with readings and home visits, as well as different personalities. I never know what’s going to happen next with Tia, what she might say, or where she might take me. I just have to be along for the ride.
What’s the hardest thing about your job? The thing you enjoy most?
Nothing is ever the same from day to day. I always have to be ready for any type of person to come into the shop, who might have a variety of reasons for their visits, and make them feel like family. Thank goodness with my southern roots I can turn on the charm and make them feel at home. But it isn’t always easy. Some people don’t take me seriously at first. It could be the blonde hair and the southern accent. But I work hard to earn their trust and respect.
The variety of clients we serve is probably the thing I love most too. One day we’ll have a 22-year-old girl looking for love, whom I click with instantly, and later that same day we might have a 50-year-old rock and roller come into the shop. It’s my job to become friends with all of them. That’s a real challenge – but so much fun!!
How is Tia as a boss?
Tia is a good boss, but unlike any other I have ever had. She knows what she wants and when she wants it, and she’s going to get it.
Does Tia read you all the time at work? Has she ever told you anything that surprised you?
Tia has only read me once. I feel like she’s reading me at all times, but she promises she isn’t. When she gave me my reading, I was surprised that Andrew (my fiancé) came up a lot. She also told me some things about upcoming success in my career. I was really surprised by the details she gave me.
It might seem contrived that a former Miss North Carolina just so happens to be Tia’s assistant on the show, but according to a recent promotional interview with news station WNCT that’s exactly what happened. When she was asked what her responsibilities are at the shop, Hailey explained how TV came knocking after she was hired:
“I basically book her clients, follow-up with them, greet them when they come in and serve as her PR person in the shop. And after that, we found that A&E would like to do a show with us. So now we have our own show about Psychic Tia and what she does, and her psychic readings, her crossing-overs with deceased people and trying to make loved ones of those people feel more comfortable and content with what has happened in their lives. It’s my job to make everything run smoothly.”
Here are Hailey Best’s social media links:
Facebook
Twitter
Official Website
Hailey has been pursuing a career in country music and she has an experienced background in theater performance. Here is Miss Best doing her best on a version of “Art Is Calling For Me” via her official YouTube channel:
You can catch Hailey giving her helping hand on Psychic Tia Saturday nights at 10/9c.
