Jaime Paxton

Jaime Paxton landed her first Hollywood job as a production assistant on the first season of MTV’s hit show "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County." Two years later she’s gotten a promotion of sorts. While working on the show for Executive Producer Gary Auerbach, Paxton pursued her hobby of writing and playing music at night. She teamed up with Los Angeles producer Brian Irwin and recorded a few songs as a demo. When the show's editors were searching for new music to place on an episode, they suggested Ms. Paxton bring in some of her songs. She did, and two of her tracks ended up on the show's first season.

When season two rolled around, music supervisor Jon Ernst began turning to Paxton’s music and songwriting skills to feature on the show. “Jaime has proven to be a very valuable resource to me,” said Ernst. “When I can’t find the perfect song for a scene, she magically goes home, writes the perfect song and brings it in for us just in the nick of time – Gotta love that!” Five of Paxton’s songs were featured prominently in numerous episodes of the series’ second season.

Thanks to her exposure on the show, Ms. Paxton has landed gigs at MTV’s Laguna Beach landslide benefit as well as numerous sold out shows in Los Angeles with her band. She has also had songs featured on A&E’s Rollergirls with one song, “Five Years,” being featured on the Rollergirls Soundtrack album which was released by Koch Entertainment in February 2006.

Paxton has left her full time job at MTV this spring to focus on writing and performing exclusively. “I love everyone involved with the show, they’ve all been so good to me. It’s challenging and refreshing to be able to do what I love to do full time,” Paxton said. - New York Review, Allan Micheals

In television the lowest of the low is the Production Assistant, the PA. Everyone's bitch, the PA works the hardest, gets the most shit, gets paid the worst and usually isn't allowed even to talk to the talent.

So when stories like this one end up on our browsers about people like Jaime Paxton, who started off as a PA on MTV's "Laguna Beach", we smile, for the PA has overcome all odds and shot straight up the ladder overnight, proving that dreams really do come true here.

While working on the show for Executive Producer Gary Auerbach, Paxton pursued her hobby of writing and playing music at night. She teamed up with Los Angeles producer Brian Irwin and recorded a few songs as a demo. When the show's editors were searching for new music to place on an episode, they suggested Ms. Paxton bring in some of her songs. She did, and two of her tracks ended up on the show's first season.

When season two rolled around, music supervisor Jon Ernst began turning to Paxton’s music and songwriting skills to feature on the show. “Jaime has proven to be a very valuable resource to me,” said Ernst. “When I can’t find the perfect song for a scene, she magically goes home, writes the perfect song and brings it in for us just in the nick of time – Gotta love that!” Five of Paxton’s songs were featured prominently in numerous episodes of the series’ second season.
- LAist.com, Tony Pierce