Project Runway: 9/10/08

The pre-challenge segment included Suede relating about his dream in which they all had to make sweetheart neckline dresses out of chiffon and poptarts. That's interesting.



Someone asked him if he had been drinking before going to bed.

Heidi is looking fab, and Leanne didn't switch models, so Kendel's trashbag wearing days are over. Enter "special guests" - the eliminated designers! The designers still in the game have to work with one of the eliminated designers to create an avant garde design. The look has to be inspired by the astrological sign of one of the members of the team. (I italicized the sign they are using for each team)

Korto is Aquarius, and is paired with Kelly, a cancer.

Kenley is Aquarius, and is paired with Scorpio Wesley.

Joe is Aries, working with Sagitarius Daniel.

Leanne is Libra, working with Emily, a Scorpio.

Blayne is a Libra, and is saddled with Scorpio Stella.

Terri is Sagitarius, paired with Keith, a Leo.

Jerrell is a Sagitarius, working with Jennifer, a Taurus

Suede is a Sagitarius, working with Jerry, a Libra.

They have 2 days, 30 minutes to plan (with the help of astrological sign dossiers). They have 30 minutes, and $250 at Mood.

Can I just say, Keith is a bitch and I don't miss him.

Leanne keeps rolling her eyes at Kenley. I would probably roll my eyes at Kenley, too, but she should try to be a little more subtle.

Tim visits, and Blayne again attempted to make him Holla at Your Boy, to which Tim answered "Do it to it." Go Tim. Don't let that wannabe catch phrase happen. Tim is worried at Jerell's fabric choice, and Leanne's exoskelaton dress is intruiging. He tells Kenley there is a fine line between Avant Garde and Costume, and Kenley swears her design will be super fabulous, I don't know about that. Terri and Keith are not working well together, and Tim is concerned. Keith only speaks up when Tim is around. How annoying.

Note from Heidi - They are showcasing their designs at a special show at the Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History and two designers will be eliminated! And they don't have until midnight, they have until 8 PM.

Everyone is busting ass. Except for Terri and Keith, who are standing around staring at each other and not doing much. When they have an hour left before the party, Tim says that the models AND the designers have to be prepared for the party.

Oh, and no more immunity. Ever.

Kenley is insanely overconfident.

The "special guests" at the party are previous finalists and winners from past seasons. The past designers get to pick the winner, but it won't be revealed until the runway the next day.

Heidi has an issue with ther placement of boobs on Kenley's dress. If someone is going to know something about bust support or lack thereof, it's the Victoria's Secret model. Kenley thinks that she's talking nonsense. She says that Blayne's design looks like old women's panties in color. Blayne (wearing a ridiculous headband) tells her to think outside of the box.

The next day, they have a runway show, and they have some time to fiddle with their designs before going out. Kenley padded her model's chest so that the boobs were better for Heidi. In Kenley's defense, her model is pretty flat chested. Stella got to pound some grommets into leatha. Ah, good times. Suede was really really sad that two people are going home tonight. Keith took a nap.

Runway time!

Michael Kors, Nina Garcia (yay, she's back), and Francisco Costa (a designer) are the judges with Heidi tonight.
Blayne's Outfit: It looked like a Barbie closet exploded on the arm of an Ancient Roman woman, ad she decided to tie it on with leather. Really? Quite dreadful. Can he just go now?
Kenley's Outfit: She looks like something out of Alice in Wonderland. It's a mishmosh of a lot of dreadful. Wow. Hideously giant bulbous arms, and no editing.

Terri's Outfit: Miles better without the fur. The dress is slinky and not pants, ad the color she added really adds a lot to the outfit. The model's styling is spot on. Love it. I don't know about the slimy look of the red, though.
Korto's Outfit: Very water-inspired, and that's nice. Lots of great colors - deep blues and purples. Very flowy. I don't know how avante garde it is.

Joe's Outfit: Much better made. The skirt was fantastic, with lots of layers of reds and oranges and yellows, and the bodice was ok. I'm not sure about the fit of it, and was there exposed skin on her stomache? Hmmm. I love the skirt, though.

Jerell's Outfit: What the hell was he thinking with the fabric? It just didn't work.

Leanne's Outfit: I love the exoskelaton and the underdress. Lovely. Not that I'd wear it, but it's quite beautiful and different.

Suede's Outfit: Yawn. It's nice, but it doesn't look avante garde to me. It looks a little lumpy, and the pants are satin and show all sorts of wrinkles.

Korto, Jerell, Leanne, and Joe are among the top. Who will win? We have to wait until after the ouster to find out.

Terri, Blayne, Suede, and Kenley are in the bottom. That's about right.

Blayne attempted to talk up his design and his idea, but Nina said that it looked like a one-legged monster, and Heidi called it not pretty. Michael says it looks like she is pooping fabric. So not good.

Terri is berated for not being able to work with anyone, and Michael called it very costumey and said she looked like Voodoo Princess in Hell. Terri is shocked at the bad reviews.
Kenley again can't shut up long enough to listen to her critique. Michael says it looks like stuff he's seen, and that it looks Dolce on the bottom, and she snips back "I don't look at collections." She is shocked that they hate her design and say Nina says that she thinks that Kenley did what she wanted to do and completely disregarded the challenge.

Suede talked about himself in third person way too much. Nina and Heidi call it safe and not avante garde. I would agree. Michael says "It's not the 'I need to make this and put it in the department store challenge.'"

In judging, Michael finally spoke about Suede's talking about Suede in third person, and said it was a lot of self delusion. Bingo.

Time for the winner. It's Jerell! I don't know about that. I thought it was a mess. Oh well. Goes how much I know.

Kenley and her bitchy attitude are safe. Finally, Blayne is out. I just have to say, that's fantastilicious. I will not Holla at Your Boy, you idiot. Goodbye. Suede and his self delusion are safe, and Terri is out in the one week she didn't make a pantsuit. I think she was doomed by her inability to work with Keith.

Edited to add: How come I've never read the blogs on Bravo before? For your reading pleasure - Tim's Blog and Michael Kors' blog! I'm so totally in love with Tim Gunn.

Please still read my blog, too. I need the love.

Survivor Gabon: Preview

My DVR picked this preview up and I thought it was on CBS (Sorry, Ed), but it was actually on the TV Guide Network.

A couple neat things that I learned.

There is an "Exile Island" this season still, and the person sent there will have a choice of a clue to find immunity, or comfort, like an apple and some pillows. Probst said "I hope that someone is dumb enough to get a chance at Immunity, which will keep them in the game, and they choose an apple." He is sadistic sometimes.

The Rock Climbing Granny is wonderful in the preview. She's from South Africa originally, so she has that awesome accent. I love the South African accent.

I love to see Probst's original views on the castaways. It's always neat.

Michelle is a real cutie, and she's a boxer, which is neat. She moved to Hawaii and got married (and is now divorced) at a young age. I have a friend who has the same story. Minus the boxing.

Ace is still on the fence for me, but he seems really annoying.

Jessica "Sugar" said that she is going to act stupid. She said that she isn't planning on telling people that she is an actor, because then people will always think she is lying to them. She thinks she is there for comic relief, because she's really not physical. I don't think she'll last long.

The preview showed this season's Tribal Council, and it is beautiful. The snuffer is in the shape of an elephant head, and that is awesome. Probst just looks like he has so much fun with his job.

Crystal is the Olympic Gold Medalist, and she is not planning on telling anyone that little tidbit. She says "If anything, I'm going to lie and say that I'm a basketball player." She's 6'3". That's insane. I could like her.
Marcus seems like an ass, and Probst boldly said "Marcus is not going to win."

Kelly is adorable, and Probst calls her the "Hot Chick of the Season," and I hope she is more than that.

Matty is the trust fund boy who piddled it all away.

Corrine said that she never thinks about people's feelings before saying anything. I don't know if I can handle her for long. If she wins, she wants to get the money in $1 bills, fill a giant tank, and do the backstroke. Yeah, good luck with that.

There is some background of what happens behind the scenes. They shoot about 2500 hours of footage per season. Producers and small crews basically live on the beach with the castaways. Their shooting ratio is 300:1 - for every minute you see, there is 300 minutes you didn't. Each episode takes about 4 weeks to edit. That's crazy. I like seeing that type of information.

This season, there were issues getting supplies to the set, and they said that because this season is in HD, they had to pay a little more attention to detail - "So you don't see the duct tape that you couldn't see before." I can't wait.

Randy is the guy who I hope is out first. He's a wedding videographer, and I can't imagine hiring him to videotape something pleasant. He said he's had tens of thousands of dollars of therapy, which has made him realize that he needs to just keep his distance.

Paloma is pretty uber religious, and Jeff is worried that she is going to fade away. She is so beautiful, though.

Bob is the attempt at Yau Man v.2.0. I really want him to do well. He's adorable. He plans on staying under the radar.

Susie has a tshirt with a picture of her kid on it. I don't know about that.

Dan is a wildcard. Jeff said "He appears to have it all together and appears to be a smart guy, but when I listen to him, I'm not so sure." Ha ha.

They ended the preview with a look at the first immunity challenge, and it looks like a killer one.

Who's excited???

Watch This Show: Fringe

If for no other reason than there is a character named Astrid.

Tee Hee.

That never happens.

No, seriously. It's an X-Filesish show. Pretty neat in the pilot. Interesting cinematography, good acting. I think there might be Rambaldi devices at work somewhere. And/or Dharma could be behind some of the weirdness.

A cow in a basement lab at Harvard.

Yes, a cow.

Give it a chance.

Fox. 9PM on Tuesdays.

Yay for a New Season: Sarah Conner Chronicles

Here's one of the shows that I watch and am thrilled to see back for a second season, but I won't be blogging about it regularly. Just wanted to get the word out in case you missed it, it's coming back tonight. 8 PM. Fox. Let the rejoicing begin.

Yay for a New Season - Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares!

I'm not going play by play for this one, but I am so happy to see it back. For the premiere, Ramsey is revisiting 6 restaurants he worked his magic on last season to see if his changes stuck. I am happy to see this Where Are They Now. I always wonder what happens after the cameras stop rolling.

Finn McCool's has done well for themselves, and managed to make it through the owner's heart attack and they are making money. The chef is happy and is doing a fantastic job. They did a good job at listening and applying what was suggested.

The Old Stone Mill was a mess before Ramsey's intervention, and they have improved incredibly since. They are up over 25% now. That's awesome. The chef is happy and confident, and it's looking good. Another good job.

The Mixing Bowl made such a great transformation under Ramsey's watchful eye. Did they keep it up? They did indeed! They are selling out every night! They need more seats! It's doing wonderfully. Everyone is happy and smiling. See what happens when you listen to Ramsey?

Dillons was the strange Indian/non-Indian bug haven in Manhattan before Ramsey showed up. Ramsey renamed it Purnima Dillons Restaurant, which was a more Indian name, and installed a new authentic Indian chef. After they spent some time on their own, they claim to be proud of what they are doing. Their new Indian chef, Vikas, is amazing, and has become a "visionary" of the restaurant. How nice. The restaurant and kitchen are gorgeous and emmaculately clean. They have done a great job, and there is one head chef who can thank Ramsey for his job. I guess he was good before, but now he is working at a very sucessful restaurant and he can be proud.

Campania was a mess last time, with surley chefs and waitstaff who didn't help the restaurant at all. Post-transformation, it is a total success. They continue to serve on the smaller plates that Ramsey brought in, and Ramsey got their meatballs declared the Best Meatball in their bourough (maybe in NJ, I couldn't hear). It was great. Ramsey actually brought some of the meatballs home with him.

Finally, on to Peter's, the family run restaurant with the gangsta wannabe. Peter was so annoying - buying himself a suit instead of buying a stove and the like. Now, it's another success story. They have a new (calm) head chef, and that is awesome. The whole thing is doing very well.

Say what you will about his tactics, but Ramsey is effective, it seems.

And coming up in the season - more gross and dangerous kitchens. I can't wait to see how it goes from here!

Project Runway: 9/3/08

Heidi is very sparkly tonight. That woman is just gorgeous. Leanne sticks with her model, so no drama there. Tim gets a rare appearance on the runway, and he announces that they get to design for a fashion legend. Leanne is happy not to be designing for Tim. Blayne wants the legend to be Mary-Kate Olsen. I don't think so honey. He also expressed his dream to marry Mary-Kate. Also don't know about that one, honey. Keep dreaming. Instead, they get to design for Diane von Furstenberg. Kenley burst into tears (of joy). Their challenge is to create a look for her fall collection based on the movie A Foreign Affair. They get to visit her sample room and use some of her fabrics. The winning look will be produced and sold to American Express cardholders, and part of the proceeds will go to CFDA.

In the sample room, everyone is doing a great job and having fun picking out fabrics. Stella again whines for help. Tim tells her to work it out, pretty much, and Kenley tosses the fabric at her.

In the work room, they each get to look through the look book, and almost everyone is doing three pieces, except for Kenley, who opts for a dress. Suede used some more annoying third person and I tuned him out. Blayne went black instead of neon, and Terri whipped up another pair of pants. That girl makes beautiful pants, but she seems to be redoing the same thing over and over. Korto starts to get catty. Jerell's outfit could be nice if it looks anything like his drawing. Joe's looks really neat and unique. Leanne admits that she has never been out of the country, and has had no foreign affairs, but thinks it would be fun to be a spy. Suede fears that Suede's blue hair would give him away.

Enter Tim! He questioned Suede's vest shape, and calls Leanne's dress phenomenal (and I agree) - though he thought her jacket was floppy. Joe's dress and hooded shawl is interesting, and Tim wants him to work it out. Korto's dress has a pop of yellow that Tim worries looks like a bra strap. Stella's fabric looked like it had some leatha in it, and she didn't have anything cohesive yet, and said that the judges didn't like her design last week because they were clueless. He liked Kenley's sillhouette, but said that it could go either way with her only having one piece. Kenley cried (again). Her voice is truly annoying me. Stella lamented that Diane is not rock and roll, so might not understand her design.

Crunch time at Parson's! Everyone is scrambling except for Kenley, and everyone is sewing their models into their outfits and furiously sewing their final bits. Sadly, Joe's deisign looked like a mess upon quick glance, and Stella might be done.

Runway time!

Fern Malace is filling in for Nina this week, along with Heidi, Michael, and Diane von F.

Joe's Outfit: It was better than it looked in the workroom, but the front flap and buttons looked crooked, and I don't get the theme from it much.

Leanne's Outfit: The dress is truly gorgeous, but I hate the lump of grey jacket she felt obliged to throw on top of it. The gown, though, is impressive.

Terri's Outfit: Pretty nice, but it just looks like everything else she has done. I wanted her model to take off the jacket so I could see the blouse.

Jerrel's Outfit: The electric blue belt and the jaunty little hat don't fit the rest of the outfit, but other than that, it isn't bad. Not as good as I expected it to be, though.

Korto's Outfit: I love her fabric, and the yellow works where she ended up putting it, down in a kick pleat type thing. In the top, it did look a little like bra straps.

Blayne's Outfit: What the heck was he making? Poofy pantaloons? Not only is the idiot wearing what looks like leftover fabric wrapped around his little addled head, but he made pantaloons. The jacket is interesting, and the shirt doesn't go.

Suede's Outfit: It's nothing really special. I don't know why one would wear a vest with a pretty dress like hat, and it did manage to make his skinny model look a bit hippy - not a good thing.

Stella's Outfit: The pants are nice, and the vest on top was something. I don't know that I was digging it, though.

Kenley's Outfit: The dress was really pretty. Nice job, Kenley.

Terri, Jerell, and Blayne are the middle of the roaders this week. Boo for pantaloons!

Korto is in the top, and her outfit gets good marks. The jacket was very very nice. Joe's outfit is not well made and not cohesive. The skirt didn't match up, the belt didn't match up. Just not good. Kenley pat herself on the back, and talked over Heidi when she was trying to critique her. Diane liked the dress, but Kenley needed to shut the heck up. The other judges liked it. Stella's outfit was badly tailored, and the cape was not a 40's cape, it was called a "dracula cape". Not good. Leanne's outfit (even the jacket) was well received. They loved the ruffles on the back. Suede's outfit was called unflattering with a superfluous slit in back. The herringbone didn't go at all, and Michael says it looked like the model got dressed in the dark. Ouch.

Korto is safe, and not the winner. Leanne is the winner, and I am thrilled. Her dress was simply and utterly astounding. The jacket I was not thrilled with, but I guess it was a look. Kenley is safe, and I wonder if she was on her way to cry some more. Suede's design was not bad enough to get Suede booted this week. So, it's down to Stella and Joe. The trash bag didn't do her in, but Diane von Furstenberg did. Stella's out. I won't miss her. Joe needs to step it up and get his act together on the hems. Stella pretty much said F-you to the whole Project Runway experience. "If you like my designs, com buy it, if not, keep walking." She will be happy to get back to all Leatha all the Time.

Can't wait for next week! (And sorry if I am a bit off this week, I have a little cold)

Survivor Gabon: The Cast and First Thoughts

Just a few more weeks until the next version of Survivor kicks off with a 2 hour premiere - in HD no less! The cast list has been released, and Zap2it has a nice photo gallery. If you click on each of the names, it will link to their profile on the CBS website.

Name: Ace Gordon
Age: 27
Hometown: Naples, Florida
Occupation: Fashion photographer

My thoughts: He was raised in London, so he's got an accent, and that could be cool, but he also proclaims what a flirt he is on his bio, and that could get annoying real fast. It's a fine line between charming and irritating, and I will have to see which side of that line he falls on when the show starts. His bio also states that he had a "privileged" upbringing, and that right there sounds arrogant to me. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but he's not a favorite right off the bat.

Name: Robert "Bob" Crowley
Age: 58
Hometown: Portland, Maine
Occupation: Physics teacher

My thoughts: How cute! They are trying to recreate the Yau Man phenomenon! According to his bio, he considers himself a cross between Indiana Jones and Robinson Crusoe. Hope that doesn't mean that he is afraid of snakes and needs a manservant. He could be very interesting to watch, and has a lot of experience in different situations. If he can handle the physical part of the game, he could be one to watch.

Name: Charlie Herschel
Age: 29
Hometown: New York City
Occupation: Lawyer

My thoughts: He's a marathoner, so the physical game might be not so tough on him, and he's also a lawyer, so he might be able to conive his way through the mental parts. He's also an Ivy Leaguer, so he is probably pretty smart. Is he the Todd of this season?

Name: Corinne Kaplan
Age: 29
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: Pharmaceutical Sales Rep

My thoughts: A self-described bitch? She seems to be my usual least favorite type of player. Her bio descibes her as a catty former sorority girl, and she sounds like she is straight from central casting. I wonder what her employer thinks when reading that she is in it all for the money? The way the bio sounds, it seems that she means her job AND the game. We'll see. I hope that she twists her ankle and we don't have to be subjected to her for too long. I know my brother will disagree, because she is pretty.

Name: Crystal Cox
Age: 29
Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
Occupation: Former Olympic athlete

My thoughts: How better to tie into the Olympics than to have a former Olympian on board? She looks like a strong, tough, and nice woman - she works as a childcare teacher when not competing. That's pretty cool. She could be well-rounded and interesting. Wonder if her tribemates will recognize her? She is probably one to watch.

Name: Dan Kay
Age: 32
Hometown: Boston
Occupation: Lawyer

My thoughts: Another lawyer? His name is Dan Kay. I almost with he went by Danny. Almost. He's got a sob story childhood, with a disabled father and full-time working mother supporting them all. He was a high school football star. He recently took a hiatis from work and sold some property to focus on the little things in life. He could go either way. I could love him, or he could be a pompous ass. We'll see.

Name: Danny "GC" Brown
Age: 26
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Occupation: Maintenance man

My thoughts: I hope that having someone from Oregon on doesn't lessen my brother's eventual chances of getting on the show. He's going to apply soon. On to GC. He has survived being homeless, and he works as a maintenance man for an apartment complex. That could prepare him for putting up with a lot of the stuff he is going to hear about from his fellow tribemates. He could be one to watch, if he doesn't fizzle out quickly.

Name: Gillian Larson
Age: 61
Hometown: Temecula, California
Occupation: Retired nurse

My thoughts: This tough chickie has applied to Survivor 15 times! That's persistance! Her bio claims that she is very active - mountain climbing and the like - and I would enjoy seeing an older woman kicking some butt on this show. She has been married to her husband for 37 years, so I worry about the emotional isolation for her. I have hopes for her.

Name: Jacquie Berg
Age: 25
Hometown: Santa Barbara, California
Occupation: Medical device sales rep

My thoughts: Another real beauty, it'll be interesting to see how she plays in contrast to Corrine. She describes herself as sweet and enthusiastic, and I instantly like her more than Miss Bitch. She's got some possibilities. Did I mention that she's gorgeous?

Name: Jessica "Sugar" Kiper
Age: 29
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Occupation: Pin-up model

My thoughts: Wonder what she will look like after her make-up has all worn off and she is forced to go au naturel. If she is as spunky as her bio promises, she could be some fun. If she is really just in it to get her face on tv and get some exposure, I don't have high hopes for her. I'll reserve judgement until I see how willing she is to get dirty.

Name: Kelly Czarnecki
Age: 22
Hometown: Buffalo Grove, Illinois
Occupation: Retail sales

My thoughts: Yet another little hottie, she could be more than she appears. She has 3 brothers, and that could be enough to make a girl strong and tough. Wonder how her "denim expertise" is going to serve her in a situation where clothing is limited. She claims to be a leader. We'll see how she comes across.

Name: Ken Hoang
Age: 22
Hometown: Westminster, California
Occupation: Professional gamer

My thoughts: Ah, the Professional Gamer. Maybe his uber-strong thumbs will help him in challenges involving holding onto ropes. He did climb Mt. Fuji at 20, but who knows if he will be strong enough for Survivor? I kind of want to root for him, but I don't know how fruitful that will be.

Name: Marcus Lehman
Age: 28
Hometown: Atlanta
Occupation: Doctor

My thoughts: He was named Georgia's hottest bachelor by Cosmo in 2006. He's still a resident, and I wonder how he got time off to play Survivor. He could be good, but he could also be really cocky. I smell a potential hook-up between him and one of the young hotties. He seems the type.

Name: Matty Whitmore
Age: 29
Hometown: Pacific Palisades, California
Occupation: Personal trainer

My thoughts: Matty? Really? I don't think that I can like him - he got an inheritance at 18 and partied it all away. That's just stupid. He could surprise me, and maybe he has learned enough from past mistakes to be a decent player. But, dude. His dog's name is Dink. I don't know if I can like a guy who does that to a dog.

Name: Michelle Chase
Age: 24
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: Music producer

My thoughts: She's just adorable. She was married and divorced by 19, and she describes herself as bodacious and hard core. She might be one to watch. She's also a triathelete. That could be very good for the game.

Name: Paloma Soto-Castillo
Age: 24
Hometown: Downey, California
Occupation: Student

My thoughts: They didn't pick any plain looking girls this year, did they? Another gorgeous girl, her parents were missionaries, and she moved to Kenya all by herself and lived among the natives for three months. That's pretty bad ass. She wants to open an orphanage in Kenya with any winnings from Survivor. Noble. She might be one to watch. She's used to roughing it.

Name: Randy Bailey
Age: 49
Hometown: Eagle Rock, Missouri
Occupation: Wedding Videographer

My thoughts: This guy looks like a grade A jackass. He calls himself a bully who likes to pick on inferior people. Yeah, that'll make him popular around camp. He's competed in triathalonsa and Ironman triathalons, so he ought to be strong and have endurance, but that can't make up for being a complete jerk.

Name: Susie Smith
Age: 47
Hometown: Charles City, Iowa
Occupation: Hairdresser

My thoughts: She might be interesting to watch. She is the child of Mexican immigrant field crop workers, and she currently teaches ESL to K-8 kids and also works as a hairdresser. She's been married for 25 years, so again, the social isolation might be tough for her. She might be a very neat character. We'll see.

So, your thoughts?

My vote for first out, sight unseen = Randy
My vote for winner, sight unseen = Paloma