Cincinnati barber, TikTok sensation Vernon Jackson appears on 'The Jennifer Hudson Show'
Vernon Jackson, a Cincinnati barber who recently went viral on TikTok, appeared on "The Jennifer Hudson Show" this week.
Jackson, the owner of Noble Barber & Beauty in Cincinnati's Corryville neighborhood, amassed a large following on TikTok after sharing a video of himself giving a haircut to his client Ellison Eubanks, a 7-year-old with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect. The minute-long video, posted Jan. 26, has generated over 3.4 million views on the short-form video app.
Jackson stopped by "The Jennifer Hudson Show" Thursday to discuss the viral video and his program, the Gifted Event, which provides free haircuts to children with disabilities.
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Jackson told Hudson he started the Gifted Event after hearing "horror stories" of disabled children not being well received by other stylists and barbers in the region. He explained he wanted to create a barbershop experience that would be welcoming to them.
“Instead of me trying to send them someplace else, I thought I had the capacity,” he said.
Ellison's mother, Julie Eubanks of Mason, also appeared on the show to thank Jackson for his work and discuss the bond between him and her son.
“He (Ellison) wants to watch the video all the time,” she said. “There’s something about you that he was drawn to. I think you two are going to be friends for life."
The Gifted Event, which began in August 2021, started with Jackson just carving out time in his day off to provide haircuts for children with disabilities. Due to the success of the video on TikTok, the program has generated over $76,000 in donations and over 300 cuts.
In addition to "The Jennifer Hudson Show," Jackson has been featured on CBS News, "Good Morning America" and "The Today Show." He has also appeared in USA Today and The Guardian.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati barber, TikTok star appears on 'The Jennifer Hudson Show'