Making the Cut
Never doubt that an Iowa farm boy can cut it in Hollywood.

—Lee Nelson, Labors of Love article in Emmy Magazine

Sure, back home Dean Banowetz baled hay, drove a tractor and milked cows as the thirteenth of fifteen children on his family's DeWitt, Iowa, farm. But he’s fitting in just fine as a hairstylist on the set of shows like Extra and American Idol because he's learned a few things about his new home.

"In Los Angeles, you have to work when you can," he says. "This city will kick you to the curb. You have to make things happen for your-self. But you have to have a gratitude check. You just have to surround yourself with people who have a good spirit."

That Midwest optimism has won him respect and even adoration in celebrity circles. His regular clients include motivational guru Tony Robbins, but his biggest fan may be Extra host Leeza Gibbons. Since beating out hundreds of applicants for a job on the syndicated newsmag almost two years ago, he's been styling the hair of the anchors as well as working as Gibbons' personal stylist.

How did he win the gig? As Gibbons tells it, Banowetz lit a candle he called "Protection from Bad Hairdressers" and proceeded to massage her neck and shoulders. His easygoing confidence and sense of humor instantly impressed her.

This past summer Banowetz spent time behind the scenes of Fox’s smash hit, American Idol, styling the hair of hosts Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman and judges Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon "Mr. Nasty" Cowell. But while his stylist status grows, he’s branching out. As a field reporter for Gibbons’ syndicated radio show, Hollywood Confidential, he conducts red-carpet interviews with celebrities.

"I knew I needed to put that charisma to work for me," Gibbons says. "He reports as the Hollywood Hair Guy, my personal guru."

Banowetz began his hair career back in Iowa. After seven years in the army (he was Soldier of the Year in 1987), he earned an art degree at the University of Iowa, then went on to cosmetology school. He worked in dinner theater in the Midwest, creating wigs for actors and performing himself. For years he owned a popular salon in Bettendorf, Iowa, before moving to L.A. in 2000.

Hundreds of web surfers click on his site each week (deanbanowetz.com) for hairstyling tips and updates on his clients. (To achieve Gibbons' look, for example, "blow dry on low heat using a volumizer to help give lift," he advises.) Still, Banowetz says, his popularity is "so not about the hair. It’s the trust factor and the security. My mission in life is to take care of the people who take care of me. This whole business in Hollywood is a marriage between relationships."

But he won't form a relationship with just anyone. When Linda Blair's manager called for an appointment for her client, Banowetz asked bluntly, "Is she a witch? I won't work on anyone who is mean. I only want meaningful relationships in my life." He and Blair have been friends ever since.

He's also advised nobility. After a conversation with Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, about ways to enhance her fiery locks, he sent her some complimentary products. He often delivers gift bags of shampoo, candles, conditioners and gels to even the biggest stars. "Everyone likes to get free stuff," he says, "no matter who they are."

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