Thursday, September 18, 2008

Project Runway Episode Ten - Becky Homecky Looks For Work


On last week’s episode, everyone who has ever appeared on Project Runway returned. Bravo has just a little more time to pimp these Ho’s out before shipping them off to Lifetime (see also: Top Design’s latest episode). Kenley continued being “Stankley”, JerHell won, and Blayne & Terri went home. Read my recap (up in) HERE.

It’s morning in Manhattan, and Stankley has NO IDEA why she was on the bottom last week. But she’s “not worried what the judges think”. Yeah, those fashion designers, supermodels, and magazine editors – what do they know, anyway?!?

The fashiontestants meet Heidi on the runway to receive their challenge. Heidi introduces them to some “special ladies” – who walk out onto the runway. Since these “normal” women aren’t exactly supermodel-esque, Bravo uses the “oompa loompa” tuba music to accompany their appearance on stage. This is the same music they use when anyone who isn’t a size zero does any sort of moving. After seeing these ladies, the designers cringe at the thought of making “old lady outfits” (Leanne’s term). I'm waiting for the "Lane Bryant Challenge" to REALLY freak these kids out.

These ladies have actually brought their college graduate daughters – who are getting ready to enter the working world. The designers will be giving the daughters a “head-to-toe” makeover. Heidi uses her magic velvet (ho)bag to pair up the Mother/Daughters to the designers. They are told to meet Tim Gunn in the workroom for more details as we go into a commercial break.

Back in the workroom, Tim now refers to this as the “TRESemmé Challenge”. Apparently Bravo rustled up a sponsorship deal during the commercial. Besides, as everyone knows, there is no greater tool is getting a job than good hair-care products. Tim tells the fashiontestants they will have 30 minutes to meet with their clients, and then $100 to spend at Mood.

Straight Joe immediately moans about the “mother-daughter” dynamic and how it’s the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. Wait, I thought King Kong was the 8th wonder? Anywhoo, Joe notes that if the daughter likes something, the mother usually hates it. Sounds like things are just PEACHY at Joe’s house (with his wife and daughters).

The moms and daughters come in to meet with their designers. Kenley immediately bonds with her gal Anna – who will be working as an Assistant Buyer in the fashion industry (aka – “getting coffee for the buyers”). Anna reminds Kenley of herself, especially since Anna is wearing vintage clothes. This may be the only human that Stankley has ever been nice to, all because Anna is wearing a blouse from a flea market. Go figure.

Korto’s gal Megan currently works in a lab, and is thinking about going to medical school. Korto mentions something about her client wearing a lab coat, and my blood suddenly runs cold …


Proceed with caution, girl. The lab coat look is “a killer”.

JerHell also seems to bond with his gal – and they have many similarities. They are both tall, lanky, and somewhat awkward. But Caitlin also tries to stay away from being too girly – whereas JerHell can never be too girly. Ever.

Leanne’s mother/daughter team won the gold medal in the Loud Talk Mother/Daughter Olympics. OMG – these two don’t shut up. Holly is going to be a teacher and she needs something that makes her look older but not too old right Mom that’s right dear so Leanne do you do animal prints I love animal prints Mom loves anything that looks like a leopard although the boys at the grocery store call her a cougar. Leanne silently stares them down, wondering if you can surgically remove a voicebox with fabric shears.

Suede’s client is a photographer named Avital – who has brought along her no-joke Russian Israeli (see the comments - Avital HERSELF set me straight!) mother. Mom wants “very feminine”, Avital wants “not too feminine”. If they were familiar with Suede’s work, they would both be hoping for “just don’t make it too ugly”.

Joe’s client Laura doesn’t have a job yet – and is looking for work in the field of graphic design. I’m sure the ugly nose ring she’s sporting has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she can’t find work. Nothing impresses bosses more than nasal bling. Joe has decided to go with a conservative skirt suit that she can interview in. Why don’t we start small – lose the nose ring, slacker!

Time for fabric shopping at Mood. Korto, in a tribute to Stella, has decided to use some leah-tha. Joe heads directly for the Tim Gunn pinstripe aisle, while Suede stumbles upon a Pucci-esque purple print. “Just don’t make it too ugly” might actually be asking too much of Suede this week.

Back in the workroom, the designers have until midnight and then the entire next day to finish their looks.

Now is the time in the Project Runway season where we start to get a lot of “filler”. Since there are only 6 designers left, and many of them are boring, there aren’t enough things going on to keep our interest. This also makes it much harder to write a funny recap, but I’ll do the best I can.

Some of this week’s filler included a mention of some of the designer’s first jobs. Leanne worked at a small fashion label, Joe stole worked in the stockroom at Gucci, and Kenley moved to NYC after graduating from college with no money – just like I did back in 1992. I, however, do not wear vintage dresses and put flowers/feathers in my hair. OK – maybe sometimes.

JerHell’s first job was at McDonald’s – which was also my first job in real life. McDonald’s gave JerHell bad skin. It gave me an insatiable craving for Big Macs and McNuggets … and the weight gain that comes with it. I would have loved to have come away with only a bad case of acne. Clearasil can't help you lose 90 pounds, but it WILL eventually clear up your skin.

Suede won’t stop complaining about his client’s desire for pants. HOW DARE a young photographer want to wear PANTS while rushing around the city taking pictures. Suede thinks she should wear a pretty dress! I agree with Suede – when I think “crime-scene photographer”, I picture a gal in a purple Pucci-esque print. And maybe an open-toe sandal.

The clients arrive with their moms for a fitting. JerHell’s clients likee, Suede’s Mama makes a suggestion, which Suede says “looks cheap”. Pot, meet kettle. Kenley and Anna continue their love-fest. And Joe’s nose-ring gal doesn’t like pinstripes, but Mama and Joe work hard to sell Laura on the idea.

Then we have Leanne and the LOUD!® Family. Mom/daughter don’t like what Leanne has come up with. So much so, that Leanne has to scrap her entire plan and start over. JerHell refers to Leanne’s client as 'this week’s Hedda Lettuce'. It’s pretty bad when you’re as difficult as a drag queen named after a garden vegetable.

The clients leave, and work resumes. Suede – did I mention he didn’t want to do pants? – is draping a dress. Client be damned! Kenley and JerHell make fun of Joe’s “80’s business suit” with pocket square. As they walk out the door, JerHell tells Joe that he can “work on Nancy Reagan tomorrow”. Nancy Reagan wouldn't get anywhere NEAR that mess.

The next day after gathering back in the workroom, Tim announces another fitting. This time the gals are there without their mothers.

Joe is still selling Miss Nostril Jewelry on the pinstriped suit, saying the BLAZER is what’s really going to set this garment apart from the rest. How does Nina Garcia spell “fierce”? B-L-A-Z-E-R. Go for it, straight boy.

Leanne’s client, LOUD!® Holly Lettuce, takes a look at the changes and is finally happy. Suede’s client agrees to the dress – especially since that’s the only thing Suede has created. It’s like walking into an Ice Cream Parlor that only serves vanilla ice cream, and “agreeing” to have vanilla.

Tim calls for a “gather-round”, prompting fear from the designers. However, this “gather-round” is one of those Bravo sponsorship time-wasters. Jeanie Syfu, a stylist from TRESemmé, will consult with each of the designers. She also announces that the winner of this challenge will appear in a TRESemmé ad in Elle Magazine. The TRESemmé commercial consultations begin.

After the helpful hair hints, Tim Gunn does his own consultations. He visits Suede, and it is obvious that Tim no likee. He also no likee Joe’s “lawyer/banker” look because it has nothing to do with being a graphic designer. Or a nose-piercer. But Joe is “not that concerned” with Tim’s advice. After all, he made a BLAZER!!!

Tim really likee JerHell’s look, but has some suggestions for Stankley. Stankley says that “Tim doesn’t really understand me as a designer” and “I never really change anything for Tim”. Hi God, it’s me David again. PLEASE let those statements from Stankley be foreshadowing of her aufing. And please make her cry when it happens. Thanks God – I appreciate it. Amen.

Joe and Korto discuss mothers and daughters – and Joe repeats how mothers and daughters never agree on anything. This prompts a phone call to his family which goes something like this:

Phone rings, wife picks up.
Wife: “Hello?”
Joe: “Hey. Put the girls on.”
Wife: “Uh?… OK.” Daughter picks up.
Daughter: “Daddy!!!”
Joe: “I love you!!!”
Daughter: “I love you MORE!!!”
Joe: “I love YOU more!!!”
Blah blah … “I love you girls so much” … “You are my precious angels” … “Is Mommy still fat?” blah blah…
Joe: “Put Mommy back on the phone.” Wife picks up
Wife: “Hello?”
Joe: “Gotta go.” Click.

I think we see which side Joe is on in the mother/daughter struggle at his house.

Back in the apartments later that night, the girls gather round to discuss who they think is going home. They all agree on Suede – with Leanne poking fun at his dress by saying she could audition for the role of Selena in it. Stankley decides to crank the stank up a notch, calling Suede a “poser” and his design “horrible”. Damn – who pissed in HER corn flakes?!? I guess the only way Suede could gain Stankley’s respect is if he started wearing blouses from the flea market.

It’s runway day, and the designers have one hour to get their clients ready for the runway. Joe mentions to Laura about the doubts over his outfit – and it’s appropriateness for the graphic design field. “A job’s a job”, she replies – especially when you have a nose ring. Maybe she should work at a Tattoo Parlor. She could impress them with her neat BLAZER!

Kenley, is lavishing praise on Anna’s practice walk, but isn’t impressed with anyone’s else’s garments (natch). In fact, Stankley states that “I know I’m going to be in the top three”. Holy crap – she and Anna are wearing matching feathers in their hair. It’s like the Will & Grace episode where Natasha Lyonne morphs into Karen while interning at Grace Adler Designs. Before Natasha Lyonne became a crackhead…

It’s time for the runway show – and the designers and moms both watch from the audience. This week’s judges are Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, and fashion designer Cynthia Rowley – who is “the nice judge” on HGTV’s Design Star.

The looks come down the runway. Joe’s garment screams Charlotte Rae in Facts of Life – with a nose ring. I can almost hear Mrs. Garret shouting “Girls, Girls, GIRLS!!!”. The others, for the most part, elicit smiles from the mothers.

Heidi kicks the moms out for the judging. They start with Stankley, who talks about how she and Anna bonded because they both share the same stank style. Kenley even thinks her look would be perfect for Elle Magazine – prompting a clenched-jaw smile from Nina. The judges generally likee – and Heidi remarks that Anna has become Kenley’s “Mini-Me”. Stankley and Anna laugh in unison, confirming this.

Joe is next. Cynthia Rowley thinks it’s “interesting” that Joe thought “professional” equaled “menswear”. Translation: “What do YOU know about fashion, you penis-possessing LOSER!”. Cynthia has obviously decided not to be as nice on Project Runway as she is on Design Star.

While judging Joe’s design, Michael Kors does a funny impression of an old man talking about a “professional” look. This makes Stankley and Anna laugh out loud and then cover their mouths in exact unison. Those two are creeping me out.

The judges really likee the jacket Korto has created, but they no likee the jacket Leanne made – which covers up her client’s “cute body”.

They are all extremely impressed with JerHell’s look – and Caitlin states that “he made me feel pretty”. JerHell may be SASSY!®, but he seems like he would be fun to work with. Wait a second – what in the (Jer)HELL is he wearing on his head? I'll give you an appoximation...


JerHell just can’t rest until there is something funky on somebody's head. This will be his look for the "In The Bedroom" challenge next week...




And then we have Suede. Nina says “I have a lot of problems with this piece”, followed by “I will say no more”, followed by a silent frown. This was how many of Nina’s dates ended during HER college years.

The Judges to their judging – and here is the breakdown:

LIKEE:
JerHell’s sophisticated transformation. He’s lucky they aren’t judging HIS headwear.
Kenley’s reliable and pretty print.
Korto’s sophisticated jacket.

NO LIKEE:
Suede’s “disaster”
Leanne’s “frumpy” look
Joe’s “out of touch” suit, which Michael called “Becky Homecky”. Becky Homecky is my new drag name. Don’t piss her off, or she’ll spank you with a spatula. And squirt icing in your eye.

Furthermore, Nina calls Joe’s outfit “cliché”. Michael agrees, saying you could wear this outfit to a “Working Girl Party”. Based on the "conversation" he had with his wife, I bet he HAS been to a few “Working Girl Parties” before. In fact, he’s scheduled to be at one the moment he leaves Project Runway – which should be any minute now.

Commercial break. I certainly hope Lifetime gets some new sponsors – so we can see some new commercials. I mean, if I see that naked Bluefly Ho in the airport ONE MORE TIME… At least I won’t have to suffer through Rachel Zoe and Tabitha previews. Wait a second … Top Chef NYC … COMING SOON!!!!!! Oh HELL Yeah, Baby! I miss Gail Simmons and her Boobies.

It’s time for the results, and the six remaining designers line up. Korto is in.

JerHell is the winner for the second week in a row – despite his Fall Foliage Headgear. Stankley is pissed! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I love it when Mean Girls lose!!!!!

Leanne is safe – leaving Suede and Joe.

Joe is out – and Suede somehow slinks by one more time. It must be all those dead relatives pulling strings for him.

Joe packs up his things, saying he wanted to show his daughters to follow their dreams. Funny, he didn’t mention his wife… Oh well, time to get to that Working Girl Party!!

They do the TRESemmé/Elle photo shoot on the runway – and they let JerHell wear the oak leaves on his head. It I was a hair-care company, I’d think twice about that…


Next week: One of the Hottest Daddies EVER is in the Hizzy – L.L. Cool J! Tim finally tells Stankley to shut her trap, and there just might be some SABOTAGE!! Till then, bitches!!!