For more on Kenn:
For a town our size, Paducah sure has plenty of super stars. Alben Barkley. Irvin S. Cobb. Fate Marable. Callie Khouri. Steve Finley. Liza Colby from All My Children. And that hawt, hawt, hawt William Sledd. But do you know about Kenn Gray? Yep, add this hottie body to the list of Paducah's newsmakers. Model, television host, interior designer, floral designer, event planner and all-around super fabulous fella, Kenn Gray moved here in September and is already shakin' things up!
Kenn Gray, you are cute, cute, cute, no doubt about it! Look at you! You're all model-ly! Hah! Well, I've been at it a long time.
When did you realize that you'd be such a gorgeous model?
This is the oldest story in the book. I grew up in Booneville, Miss. Somebody actually came up to me in a mall in Tupelo and said she had a modeling school. I'm a unique-looking person — even back then. This was when the waif look was big. So the next thing I knew, I was modeling for Calvin Klein, Gautier and the like.
Wait a minute. You went from a mall in Tupelo to modeling for Calvin Klein, Gautier and the like?
My mom and I went to New York and I got signed with Click agency. It just kind of happened. So I did a lot of print work and runway stuff. And after I graduated from Booneville High School, I moved to Paris to model, and then I went to college in Los Angeles and then New York, modeling non-stop. I finally ended up in Boston. It was amazing.
Did you just love it?
Oh yeah.
So how on earth do you get from the runways of Paris to the streets of Paducah?
I missed my family. They live in Tennessee and were building a house last year. So I went to help them and was thinking, actually, about relocating to Nashville.
Then my friend John was starring in The Producers when it came to the Carson Center. So I drove up to see him. And I thought, "Why has no one told me about this cute little town?" The cobblestone streets! The Artist Relocation Program!
I'd just filmed 14 episodes of Travel Spies and I didn't have any other big career moves ahead. Plus, for the first time in years, I wasn't in a relationship.
I was at a good point to make a change, so that's what I did.
So you came to visit? I came about three or four times and scoped everything out. I fell in love with this house on 4th Street and the backyard. That sold it. The backyard used to be a jungle, but I transformed it into this great garden, and I just love it. As soon as the last cold snap was over, I was already outside working in it. I've been here since September.
Welcome to your new home!
I love it here. It's really different from what I'm used to. But I'm thoroughly thrilled to be nearer to my family.
Tell us about Travel Spies! I was in New York a few years ago visiting a friend and, through her, I met the head of talent and development at Discovery Communications, which owns the Travel Channel. He thought I was funny and said that he'd call me and put me in a TV show.
I was all, "Oh sure, you do that." You know, I've heard that before!
He called three days later and told me about Travel Spies. I couldn't have asked for a better show to do. I got to be 100 percent myself.
You go under cover, right?
Yes. There were three of us: Jeff Gurtman, a well-known hospitality consultant, Nilou Motamed, editor of Travel + Leisure and me. Each episode would focus on a particular place, and the three of us would go under cover to three different hotel properties and rate them on service, comfort, food and value for the money. Then we'd pick our favorite.
We got to go all over the world. It was such a blast.
So, like where?
Well, in the Florida Keys I went skinny-dipping, which got a lot of laughs. They blurred out my private parts. It was a big blur, I can tell you!
Hah! I bet! We also visited Wyoming, Bermuda, Mexico, Hawaii, the Virgin Islands and other great places. We did 14 episodes.
Which was your favorite?
Well, my favorite scene was in Bermuda. You know the men there wear knee socks, shorts, jackets and ties. So when it was time for me to go snorkeling, I put my flippers right over my pink knee socks.
How fun!
It was so fun. It's weird, though. When I was a little boy, I told my mom that I would be famous and be on TV. I lived in Los Angeles for seven years, but I never went on an audition. All my friends were in soap operas, and I don't know why I didn't do anything. I guess I just wasn't ready. And then the minute I wasn't thinking about it is when it happened.
And you sing, too! You must be the only singer to cover the Facts of Life theme song. Did you know Blair is coming to Paducah in August?
Of course I know, thanks to iList Paducah!
Yep, Lisa Whelchel is the speaker for a two-day women’s event at Southland Baptist Temple, August 1 and 2. Well, I'd love to meet her and play it for her, but I don't know how she'll feel since I made it into a rock song!
And now you're a designer at The Green Door. I love your new location. And Betty Hall is the best!
I had so much fun creating that space with Betty and bringing something different to Paducah. I've done so many different things and had so many different career moves. So I tried to bring all that together and give a different vibe to the shop. Our business has doubled since this move, and we feel very lucky and excited about it all.
Congratulations! You all do fresh and silk flowers?
Yes, and interior design. I owned an award-winning interior design firm in Boston, and Betty has done interior design for years. So we're doing a lot of that. Plus, I do decorative painting — faux finishes and murals — that kind of work.
And event planning?
Yes, definitely. We do more than just flowers. We can do the whole event. And we have a showroom of wonderful gift items and home decor.
How did you find each other?
I just walked in one day. Betty says the Lord brought me to her. She told my dad that, and he said, "Yeah, we thought so too — at first!" He's such a funny guy. At least I think he was kidding….
Your folks must be so proud. How often do you get to see them? I go down to Tennessee, or they come up, every other weekend. They are so thrilled to have me close. They're amazing and very supportive. They've always been proud of me no matter what I do.
So what's up with your love life?
I haven't met anybody in Paducah. We've been joking at work — Betty said, "You need to tell her you need to be more than iDate of the Week because you're a little more challenging." She thinks I need to be iDate of the Month!
Kenn Gray, you should have dates lined up out the door! You're dar-ling!
I'm totally open to it. I'm used to being in successful long-term relationships — some with guys, some with girls. It's all about the relationship.
Wow! Wait. Guys or girls? Either? That must be so convenient. You could date literally everyone!
A lot of people don't understand that, but it has to be an amazing person. It's all about the person to me. I'm the happiest I've ever been — I just wish I had someone to hang out with. That's really the only thing missing.
Does the amazing guy or gal have to be as gorgeous as you are? You know, you model types can be a little intimidating to us regular folk. Every person I've been with is so wildly different in looks and otherwise. When I meet someone, I automatically know. I'm a very good judge of people. It just clicks sometimes. I don't really have a "type." I'm a visual person, so I'm attracted to people who are beautiful. But my definition of beautiful is varied.
What else do you do for fun?
I love to travel, obviously. I love riding horses and being outside. And I love Carson Center shows. I love getting into the car and just going somewhere. I'm very spontaneous. I like to do off-the-wall things.
But my immediate goal is to be non-single because of iList Paducah and you, Miss Mary!
Well, Kenn Gray, if you're still single in a month, I'll snorkel in the Ohio River with flippers over pink knee socks myself!
