"These models, how did they let this happen to themselves?" muses Jaclyn Smith about a moment on Bravo's latest reality series, "Shear Genius." "I mean, if someone came at me with garden shears, I don't think I'd stay there."

	"A good haircut will save the day in that you can do anything with it," says Jaclyn Smith. Click photo for larger image.

The former "Charlie's Angels" star is the host and judge for "Shear Genius," a reality show that offers 12 hairstylists a chance to compete for the coveted title, a styling feature in Allure magazine and $100,000 in seed money.

"Shear Genius" premieres after the "Top Design" finale tonight at 11 and moves to its regular time slot next week at 10 p.m. Wednesday.

To prove themselves worthy, contestants will need to run the gamut of creative and nerve-wracking challenges that include creating a day-to-evening 'do, straightening African-American hair, perfecting Vidal Sassoon's "Nancy Kwan" bob, and of course, using the aforementioned unconventional tools.

"When I saw the garden shears, the box cutters, I was then in awe of all the stylists," Smith said. "I thought that was fun. I really, really liked that. That probably was my favorite."

As an actress, designer and entrepreneur, Smith wasn't that familiar with the intensity and creativity behind high-end hairstyling. Nevertheless, she's gleaned some knowledge about hair over the years from her work with industry stylists like Jose Eber and her stint as the iconic Breck Girl, whose ranks include Kim Basinger, Brooke Shields, Cybill Shepherd, Cheryl Tiegs and Erin Gray.

Smith works alongside three fellow judges: celebrity stylist Sally Herschberger, who's known for creating Meg Ryan's famous shag, Allure's fashion director Michael Carl and a rotating guest judge spot filled by the likes of Frederick Fekkai, Ken Paves, Gerren and Eber. Stylist Rene Fris will serve as the competitors' salon manager and adviser, the rather hunkier and less avuncular counterpart of "Project Runway's" Tim Gunn.

"I came away understanding so much more about cut," says Smith. "You know about your own hair, but you don't always know what it takes to go from dark to light, from long to short. You learn what is right and what is wrong. We watched the Sally shag and the slicing into the hair. It might look choppy, but, hey, it is definitely a precision cut."

There won't be any shags in Smith's future, though. Despite a brief flirtation with the "ducktail" hairstyle and a chin-length cut after having her second child, the actress has maintained a more consistent, conservative style.

"I tend to like long hair because my hair is curly, and I like something easy. That's why I keep with the classic cut of long layers," Smith explains. "Sometimes I'll go with shorter bangs or a shorter, more layered look. But in general it's pretty classic, pretty easy: put it up, put it down. This cut works the best for me. I don't want to put a lot of time into it. A good haircut will save the day in that you can do anything with it."

She takes advantage of this versatility on the show, relying on stylist Brant Mayfield to create a different look for her every week's episode. It's a departure for her because she's used to her close working relationship with her personal stylist, Eber, who was also responsible for the signature look of fellow "Charlie's Angels" castmate Farrah Fawcett in the '70s.

"Farrah's hair had a life of its own. It sort of needed its own phone line," jokes Smith. "Jose certainly was responsible for that wilder, layered look that was more choppy. Farrah was perfect for it because of the texture of her hair. She had curly hair, but a lot of hair. She owned it. It couldn't have gotten better."