Saturday, January 28, 2006

Project Runway Plays Favorites

I don't know why everyone is hating on Zulema this week. So she had a "walk-off." So what? Isn't choosing your model supposed to be one of the rewards of winning the previous week's challenge? Don't designers usually "cast" their runway shows -- selecting models who they think will show their clothes to the best advantage? And didn't everyone -- especially Nick and Tim Gunn -- acknowledge the shortcomings of Zulema's previous model? Tim freaking called her "an elongated marshmallow with gumby legs."

This has nothing to do with Zulema's designs, which I'll admit had their own problems. Rather, this simply seems like a case of Tim Gunn et al playing favorites. The shit they've tolerated from Santino doesn't even compare to Zulema's decision to take advantage of one of the privileges afforded her by winning the previous week's challenge. It's like they skewed this very fair, reasonable thing Zulema did just to make viewers feel more satisfied when she got cut. And I think that's stupid.

Just sayin'.

5 comments:

Bloglisted said...

I agree that Santino gets away with more. But I think at first he was perceived as having a lot of talent and that put him through. It's a talent competition, you know? But now that he seems to be turning into a one-trick pony, he won't last much longer with his ego. If you are going to act like an ass, you have to have the talent to back it up.

I think Zulema's decision to change models was fine. But I think the way she did it violated a certain code that the designers sort of worked by. Everyone is loyal to their own models. I also think it was a bitchy thing to do to Nick...who is very vocal about how much he loved his model. I'm not saying she couldn't do it, but violating that code is not going to win you likability points. Also, the way she did it was lame. Commanding them to have a "walk-off?" A walk-off is not like some official thing....a walk-off is something created by Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson in Zoolander. It's a joke. Having the models do a "walk-off" was like making them into a joke. And I think that was really the rudest thing.

As for Tim calling that girl gumby legs, I thought that was inexcusable. He always comes off as such a nice guy. I was really surprised he said that on camera. And I think it was terrible of the producers to put that on the air.

femme feral said...

yeah, I guess I just didn't read the walk-off that way since it seemed like exactly the same thing designers do when they cast a show. And the loyalty to the models doesn't make sense to me in terms of the competition; modeling is a competitive field, as is designing. Having the models compete doesn't make them into a joke anymore than having two tennis palyers compete make them a joke. I'm not saying that I don't think the loyalty to the models is nice, but it just doesn't make sense in terms of the competition. And even if Nick did love his model -- again, it's a competition. He lucked out by being randomly assigned one of the better models, and Zulema took advantage of her win by selecting her for herself. And you're right that it's a talent competition, which is why likability / loyalty seems like an odd category by which to judge the contestants. Are they being judged for their loyalty and likability, or their talent? I personally enjoy Project Runway most when it focuses on the talent, as that what makes it unique from other reality shows. All those other reality shows are about these really contrived personality competitions. Project Runway is best when it avoids that.

And I agree wholeheartedly about the Tim Gunn comment. I used to really like him, but now I think he's a snob.

juniper pearl said...

zulema was well within rights, and nick acted like a slighted princess. why everyone backed him up, i'll never know. it's just one more bit of evidence supporting my theory that any time you put more than five adults in a controlled environment, that environment instantly becomes a high school cafeteria.

santino's in rough shape right now because he's going out of his way to follow advice that goes against his instincts, and his work is losing luster because of it. but i still luv him.

juniper pearl said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
juniper pearl said...

oh, and while PR does judge its contestants on more noble terms than most reality horrorshows, if you look carefully you can catch the briefly displayed disclaimer that states that contestants are eliminated based on input from the judges and the show's producers. so it isn't all roses.

by the way, i super *heart* your new banner. it's swank.