Though it might seem superficial, beauty pageants have become a reliable entertainment option to distract ourselves from the problems of the world. From Miss America to Miss World, there is no shortage of beauty pageantries for us to entertain ourselves with. And while there are plenty of names behind each show, there is one name that stands out, and that is, Kim Gravel.
If you are familiar with the show, Kim of Queens, you probably know who Kim Gravel is. She is a beauty pageant coach who was once a pageant winner. Today, she has built on her teenage experiences to become the coach to hundreds of aspiring beauty queens all over America, as well as an enviable television career. We took a look at the life of one of the most interesting women in America. Check it out.
Kim Gravel’s Life of Pageantry and Television
On the 27th of July, 1971, Jo Hardee and Brooks Hardee welcomed Kim Gravel into their lives as one of two children born to the family. Kim was born in Seneca, South Carolina, and was raised there alongside her solitary sister, Allisyn Varalla.
Part of growing up in the modern world involves going through basic education. And while we are quite sure that Kim Gravel attended high school, we do not have the particulars of her high school, and we cannot determine if she went to college.
However, whatever may have been the trajectory of her academic life, it hasn’t mattered as much as her life in show business. Right from a young age, Kim Gravel has had an affinity for singing and a tendency to let her opinion fly whenever she has them. The latter has made her become one of the top beauty pageant coaches in the country. Her passion for singing and the fraction of talent she had to go along with it helped her become the lead singer and songwriter of a music group called Beloved.
How she came to compete in a beauty pageant is unknown. But in the year 1991, she competed in her first major beauty pageant – the Miss Georgia Beauty Pageant.
She went on to win the contest; hence, becoming the youngest ever to win the competition at the age of 19. This win led to other opportunities for Kim Gravel, starting with representing Georgia at the Miss America pageant and becoming a U.S Goodwill Ambassador to Japan.
With her pageantry days behind her, Kim Gravel has, in turn, settled into a career of training young girls who wish to be beauty queens. She has been doing this on national television via Kim of Queens, which began to air in 2014. Aside from passing beauty pageant knowledge on the show, she also shares insights into her life, with appearances from family members like her mother, Jo, and sister, Allisyn.
Unfortunately, the show only lasted for two seasons before it got canceled by Lifetime, the broadcasting media outlet of the show. But the beauty coach continues to share her knowledge at her coaching facility, The Pageant Place, located in Georgia.
Aside from her show, Kim has featured in several other television shows, particularly alongside the TV icon, Steve Harvey. She has appeared on his shows, Steve and Steve Harvey, where she regularly features as a panelist. Aside from reality television, the former beauty pageant also has a credit in a scripted drama to her name. Kim played a minor role as a waitress in an episode of Drop Dead Diva in 2014.
Beyond her television exploits, Kim Gravel is also an entrepreneur. Her life as a beauty pageant coach as well as a makeup artist gig for Christian Dior led to her pursuit in the beauty industry. She has an apparel collection line for women of all shapes and sizes called Belle by Kim Gravel. It launched in 2016 and in the following year, she launched the beauty line, Belle Beauty by Kim Gravel. The shopping channel, QVC sell both collections.
Kim Gravel Now Hosts A Show For QVC
Speaking of Belle by Kim Gravel, the cosmetic and apparel line proved very successful. The products, which were sold primarily through QVC, quickly made her a mainstay figure for the multiplatform retailer. Since their initial collaboration was a rousing success, the management of QVC sought to expand their partnership by creating the media outlet’s first talk show.
EXCITING NEWS!???? You can join us for ✨ Kim Gravel NOW✨, our very first talk show hosted by everyone's #BFF, @KimGravel, beginning on Saturday, 8/10, at 9pm ET!???? "RT" if you'll be joining in the fun on 8/10!???? pic.twitter.com/2cXDFtkpN3
— QVC (@QVC) August 3, 2019
The talk show, named Kim Gravel NOW, premiered on the 10th of August, 2019. The weekly talk show is unscripted and relies mostly on the personality and charm of Kim Gravel. So far, Gravel has held conversations on the show covering themes like womanhood, connecting, community, and more.
In addition to doing what talk show hosts do, she will also showcase products sold by QVC. Interestingly, none of them will be from her successful line of beauty products.
How Much Is The Former Pageant Queen Worth Today?
$10 million? $20 million? When it comes to the net worth of the beauty pageant coach and talk show host, the answer is anyone’s guess. As mentioned earlier, she has spent a considerable number of years in the spotlight, working as a beauty pageant coach. Her résumé includes appearances on major shows like Steve Harvey, Steve, and FabLife.
This extended stay in public life has certainly put Kim Gravel in an income realm above that of the average person. And when combined with her entrepreneurial success, there is no doubt that Kim is financially well off. But by how much exactly? The mystery continues.
Also Read: Teresa Giudice – Bio, Kids, Mother, Daughter, Husband, Father
She Is Married To A Former Model
Kim Gravel is one of the few Hollywood celebrities who have been able to maintain a long-lasting marriage. She has been married to her husband, Travis Gravel, since the 16th of August, 2000.
Their marriage has rarely featured in gossip tabloids, which in Hollywood often means all has been well with their relationship. In addition to the love and affection they share, the couple has been able to raise two children – Beau and Blanton, two boys who were born in 2010 and 2012, respectively.
Before Travis Gravel became her husband, he worked as a model for a brief period. Kim Gravel, her husband, and their family live in Atlanta.
