Reality Ravings

Elite Modelling Agency Is Downsizing But Alice Burdeau Has Survived.

Who knew but even the economic crisis is affecting modelling agencies. Fashionindie reports Elite had cut 60 girls from their books, but Australia's Next Top Model winner Alice Burdeau is still there.

However no news on whether season 11 American Next Top Model contestants Katarjyna and Anya made the cut.

Big Brother Runner Up Facing Assault Charges.

Rory Ammon a runner up from Big Brother is facing criminal charges because of an alleged assault on a cyclist. The full story can be found here.

Christian Sirano - Project Runway Season 4 Winner Update
Christian Sirano the young whipper snapper who took out the previous season's title appears to be the most successful winner with a post Project Runway career. This article on WSJ outlines what he has been doing. Because of the tough economic times some of the places that were going to buy his collection have cancelled, however he is still making a living out of endorsements.

Oh and anyone who thought going on a reality TV show was stupid, prior to Project Runway Christian was working on a make up counter at Bloomingdales.

Another Reality TV Couple
American Idol winner Carrie Underwood is apparently dating The Bachelor's Dr Travis Stork. For full details on this hook up go to Buddy TV.

Kirk Pengilly To Mentor On Australian Idol This Sunday.
Former Inxs musician Kirk Pengilly will be mentoring on Idol this week. Are there going to be mentors each week? This could be overkill.

Anyway he will be able to catch up with his former mother-in-law Marcia Hines.

Ricki-Lee and Sophie Monk Face Off Over Tummy Controllers
Ricki-Lee has been named the face of Hold Me Tight shapewear range, whilst Sophie Monk will also be launching tummy tuckers this Tuesday.

I know which one I will be believe the product works for considering Ricki-Lee is size 14 whilst scrawny Sophie wouldn't even need to use these products.

A Unfunny Mary Murphy So You Think You Can Dance Parody.
Well I thought it was not amusing but then again maybe I don't have a sense of humour.
Click the link here and you decide.

Lisa Mitchell Has Completed Her First Album
Lisa Mitchell, the Australian Idol contestant, who was in the best season with Bobby Flynn and Damien Leith, has completed her first album.

Full details on Popdirt.

Project Runway - When they said they were taking it to LA, they meant it.
With Project Runway going to LA it was not just the location. First Lindsay Lohan is to be a guest judge but now Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria Parker will be as well.

It is currently being filmed in LA, however there are issues on when it will screen as Bravo who originally had the first five seasons has gone to court to stop the producers from swapping it to Lifetime.

Here is an interview with Heidi Klum regarding the delay. Please note there is a spoiler regarding one of the Season Five designers in it.

Jack Chambers from So You Think You Can Dance Australia Is Networking in New York.
Season one's winner of SYTYCD Au, Jack Chambers, is currently in New York networking to try and make it on Broadway. He will be back in Australia soon to fulfill some SYTYCD Au requirements, and also to organise his US work visa. Full story here.

Lindsay Lohan To Guest Star On The Next Season Of Project Runway

Now Project Runway will be filming in LA it seems to have gone all Hollywood with their guest judges. Lindsay Lohan will a guest judge on the show. Considering her clothing taste at times has been questionable this should be interesting. Link to story on Access Hollywood.

Has Nina Garcia Had Botox Overdose?
Scandalist reckons the blind item on Page Six of the New York Post of a reality TV judge who had to miss two episodes of a show because of a bad reaction to botox is Nina Garcia. Rumour has it her face blew up like a cauliflower.

Here is an interesting article from the NY Mag which talks about the feud between to Elle fashionistas Nina Garcia, Project Runway judge, and Anne Slowey, 'star' of the new reality TV show Stylista. The premise of this show is wannabe fashion editors battling it out for a job at Elle.

However the article gives a overview of the recent changes to Project Runway and also how Runway has evolved.

Interesting revelations in the article is:

Tim Gun was not paid for Season 1, and was only paid $2500 for each episode in Season 2;

Anne Slowey and Nina Garcia shared the judging spot in Season 1, and the producers decided they just wanted Nina for season 2;

How Nina managed to make the transition from Elle to Marie Claire when Project Runway moved from Bravo to Lifetime; and

the different factions at Elle.

This week on Australia's Next Top Model, the final three girls will be in New York. One of their challenges was to model at a Project Runway former Season 3 contestant Malan Brenton's fashion retrospective.

Blogging Project Runway has a sneak preview of the episode here.

Also while web surfing on Project Runway I found this amusing US Blog called Project Rungay

This is old news however Project Runway has moved channels from Bravo to Lifetime. This has also meant a decision has the shooting of it is moving from New York to LA.

This has elicited as much media comment as the presidential elections and reopened the LA v NYC debate.

Tim Gunn the ubiquitous New Yorker has a few things to say about the LA move in a NY Mag interview here. I cannot really see him in a SUV on the freeways embracing the LA lifestyle. But then again stranger things have happened.

So You Think You Can Dance - Jason Gilkison to replace Bonnie tonight.
The SYTYCD panel will be without Bonnie Lythgoe tonight as she has a family commitment to attend to.

Her replacement will be Jason Gilkison. It will be interesting to see what another person has to say. Also I hope this means he does the group number for Monday night's elimination show.

Rob Mills Former Australian Idol Contestant Has Scored a Lead Role in Wicked.
Wicked now has two former Australian Idol contestants in the cast. Rob Mills will play the lead male role Fiyero.

Anthony Callea will also be playing a taller then usual munchkin. The show opens in Melbourne in July.

Project Runway Style guru Tim Gunn May be Here for The Logies.
The organisers of the Logies have stopped shipping in D grade American TV stars, and are now trying to get US reality TV stars. In my opinion this is a definite step up on the TV food chain.

US Project Runway style guru Tim Gunn is going to try and "make it work" so he can visit Australia as a special guest for the TV Week Logie Awards.

Unfortunately he probably won't be commentating on the red carpet.

If the timing was right he could have a guest appearance on the Australian version of the show as it starts filiming in Melbourne at that time.

The show to be hosted by Kristy Hinze, still has not locked in the judging panel.

Auditions are still ongoing . Lining up for their chance in Sydney were Aung Thu Ya and Emily Hubble.

You know when a reality tv show is successful when one of the bit players Tim Gunn gets his own TV show. Tim Gunn's Guide To Style will also be showing of Arena soon.

The show opened with the fifteen contestants/designers moving into their apartment in the luxury Gotham Apartments in New York City. Personally I thought they looked more Meriton then The Plaza.

The designers are:
Rami Kashov 31 - Freelance designer originally from Israel.
Chris March 44 - Costume designer who I hope stays in awhile as he cracked me up.
Christian Siriano 21 - Vertically challenged freelance designer - "Kind of fierce and kind of celeb in my own head" - he looks kind of fun.
Carmen Webber 37 - freelance designer and former model, I think girl is going to be loud and could get irritating.
Jillian Lewis 26 - Illustrator/Designer for Ralph Lauren
Kit 'Pistol' Scarbo 26 - Freelance designer and wardrobe stylist.
Kevin Christian 30 - Jean designer and he was insistent he was a straight designer - at first I thought that was some kind of design specialty until I realised he meant not gay. Being a male straight man in this field probably is a specialty.
Jack Mackenroth 30 - freelance designer - who I thought was straight for 30 seconds, but how deluded was I?
Steven Rosengard - designer from Chicago
Simone Le Blanc 32 - designer
Elisa Jimenez 42 - multimedia artist "who accidentally fell into fashion design" as she had to dress herself to use her marionettes. She is clearly the kooky one of the bunch.
Marian Lee 39 - flower boutique owner
Ricky Lizalde 35 - lingerie designer
'Sweet P' Vaughan 46 - designer, but used to be in an all girl motorcycle club, and has the tatts to go prove it.
Victorya Hong 34 -designer.

Then it was down to Bryant Park the ultimate mecca for fashionistas and where the final three will get the opportunity show their designs at New York fashion week. However now they were swigging on french champagne and awaiting the arrival of the show's host Heidi Klum, and the mentor Tim Gunn.

Heidi who is the envy of all mothers, has managed to push out 3 kids in 4 years, and still have an amazing body. But frankly I don't believe the fast metabolism crap, I could see her bony shoulders, she doesn't eat. The other weird thing was her shoes looked about three sizes to big for her.

In her no nonsense German way she said the party is over and the first challenge was about to begin.

She then pointed to three white plastic tents and said the first challenge is to design a piece that showcased their style. They had this startled bunny in headlight looks when they thought they would be making their designs out of plastic, except for costume designer Chris March who was used to such material.

However it was revealed that in those tents was $50,000 of Mood materials (this was just the first of many product placements), and then it was a foot race and they were off and running with ten minutes to pick out materials.

The thing that I thought was unfair was people just stuffing material into bags with no thought. Chris who was a bit like the turtle and the hare race, by the time he arrived he only had bits to choose from. However he was satisfied with what he got.

Elisa was rubbing some material into the grass to get a grass stained look on it, the contestants were saying weirdo, but some had a maybe she is onto something here look.

They then had 13 hours to create their outfit.

Elisa continued to garner a kooky reputation by sewing her design on herself. It was a nice elegant dress with a multi coloured tail on it. When she finished two hours early she went and had a sleep.

They then came back in the morning and had 2 hours to get the model ready for the Project Runway catwalk.

The judges were Michael Kors - designer, Nina Garcia - fashion editor, Elle Magazine, Monique Lhullier - designer, and of course Heidi Klum.

Elisa's dress inevitably tangled when her model went down the catwalk and you knew she was going to be in the bottom three.

After the judgement nine of the designers were told they were safe, and the six remaining were the top 3 and bottom 3.

Rami won the challenge and now would have immunity next week. Monique found his design "very chic". Michael Kors thought the flower was a bit MOB (Mother of the Bride).

Victorya dress was black with this silver flower on it. However the model could not lift her arms up. This did not appear to be a negative thing for the judges. In fact Michael took sadistic delight in pointing out he knew women who had "bled for the right dress".

Christian they loved the European look and detail.

The Bottom three:
Elisa got panned for her long train and told to go with her instincts to cut it back. I was surprised none of the judges mentioned the hideous blue suede knee high boots the model was wearing with the outfit. But Heidi did get it right when she said "she looked like she was pooing fabric."

She was also told her look was way to much.

Ricky the lingerie designer made a baby doll dress, and it was boring I am sure I have seen similar designs in Target. I thought he was lucky not to be eliminated. He was told it was not good enough.

Simone had sewing issue and was criticised for her creation being boring, poorly made and no creativity. Heidi quickly told her her time on the show was over. Auf Wiedershen clearly the Project Runway equivalent to Jeff Probst Survivor's, "the tribe has spoken".