I can’t believe I’m starting a thread about Project Runway. So Michael C. is out, and, really, it’s about time. I was rooting for him as the underdog the past several episodes, especially since he seems to have garnered so much ill will from some of the other contestants. But, c’mon, Michael, it’s about time to grow a pair already.
Last night I officially became nauseated at his poor little puppy dog schtick. Most people show a modicum of class when they’re aufed, even before the big show, thanking the judges for the opportunity and walking off, perhaps fighting back tears. But poor little Michael just slouched there an uncomfortably long time, head hanging down, hands in pocket, trying to perfect the dejected look. I think the judges just kind of sat there clearing their throats. And when he finally walked off, he had to stop behind the lit screen and hang his head a bit more, just in case you missed it the first time. I had to fast forward past his meltdown in the green room.
Yeah, I see a big future for him as a designer in New York.
But did you really think his clothes were worse than Andy’s or Gretchen’s? I hated Andy’s grey shorts-thingy and the bathing suit was just an odd choice to send down the runway. Gretchen’s first look, with the saddlebag hips was awful, and none of them were great.
I think Michael was genuinely devastated. It’s obvious that his family isn’t supporting him (none of them were there for the meet & greet with Tim). Even Gretchen showed some empathy for him.
Garments I loved: Mondo’s bubble dress. Michael’s gown and his pantsuit. There was nothing of Gretchen’s I loved or even liked. The saddlebag dress looked comfy. Andy’s green outfit was cool and the pleating impeccable, but it didn’t seem original. I don’t like the shorts outfit, and the bathingsuit looked porn-y.
I’m not a cold and heartless person. Really, I’m not - and neither is Mr. singular. But I have to admit, after a few seconds of “oh, come on.” at his actions, by the time he punched the wall we were both laughing at him. What a drama queen!
I am a bit disappointed by Michael’s departure. I like the clothes he showed, especially the fringed top and the gown. I liked the color palette, but I think he needed to be more bold in his choices. His defense of the color palette consisted of “I have some grey pieces as well.” That isn’t going to fly.
The judges must see something in Gretchen’s stuff that I miss. I just don’t like her clothes and thought her jewelry was ugly.
Andy’s bikini was boring, but I really loved his green dress. The other look was forgettable. I did like his headpieces, they were very whimsical and cute.
Mondo showed good pieces that were very true to his style.
That’s exactly how I felt. He was very lucky not to have been sent home during the competition several times. The judges may have been impressed with him. I wasn’t. What a whiny little baby!
That said the most of the rest of what was out on the runway was pure ass. The only pieces I liked were Mondo’s.
Michael may be a whiny bitch, but he’s a whiny bitch who got completely hosed. Gretchen’s rags could just as easily have been seen at the softer side of your local Sears.
All of you guys are cracking me up, but the softer side of Sears just killed me.
Michael C. was too funny. My daughter walked by the living room and said, “I don’t know why that grown man is crying, but it better not be fashion related”.
I thought his collection was nice. Gretchen’s collection was so bad. So very bad. R.I.P. Michael C.
But if we all know that ten designers actually showed collections at fashion week to protect the results, surely they all know that ahead of time. So really what he’s lost it the chance to have his fashion week collection shown on TV.
How old is he? My parents are unsupportive and judgemental so I pretty much stopped caring what they thought when I was around 20. Find your tribe Michael C. and stop crying.
I really thought Andy was the one going to be Auffed because of the weird bikini floaty thing. I knew it wouldn’t be Gretchen because in all the times I thought it should be Gretchen it was never Gretchen.
Now, I think it’s safe to assume that eliminated designers will return to assist the finalists so I’m wondering who’ll get Ivy.
Yeah, I’m in agreement. I actually preferred Michael C’s collection, even though I think the feathered skirt thing was really ugly.
But really, WRT Gretchen, what was the deal with the backwards overalls butt flap? Talk about bizarre. I know an awful lot of granola hippies, and none of them wear butt flaps.
I did read on another blog that apparently Michael C was forced into an arranged marriage at a young age, and that his ex-wife stole his daughter away and refuses to let him see her. So that really sucks for him. I guess I thought he was Italian though - does anyone know what culture still does that or where he might be from?
TruCelt - Michael C’s last name is Costello, an Irish surname. The Travellers often arraign their children’s marriages, sometimes marrying them off very young. They are also very insular. If Michael C is a Traveller, it makes sense that his family would be putting so much pressure to remain in the fold and to conform to their customs.
The difference between this auf’ing and all the earlier ones is that the designers had been at home working for 6 weeks on their collections (I think it was six). So that sucks a little extra, having spent all that time on something and being told that you’re the loser of the day.
I also thought they could have maybe dialed it back a liiiitle bit with the editing of Michael C’s auf. They really need to show extended footage of his sobbing breakdown? They couldn’t spend the airtime showing, I dunno, clothes? Or the design process, Tim’s critques, home visits, etc. I mean, I know it’s a reality TV show but as a viewer I like to feel like I’m getting a little inside peek into the fashion industry, even if it’s entirely artificial. This just made me feel guilty for watching trashy reality TV.
In an interview here, the former contestant Peach says:
Verrrry interesting.
Also if he is Roma, that certainly explains the family not going to be at fashion week, and the family not approving of his chosen career or his sexual orientation.
Jesus fuck, Gretchen’s stuff is consistently so grandmother hyena fugly I just do. Not. Understand. What in the hell is there to appreciate about her stuff? Honestly. I would feel so sorry for anyone I passed on the street wearing any of that.
Michael is a whiny bitch and has seemed insincere to me throughout the show. Grow a spine.
I like Mondo. Andy doesn’t do much for me but I think he has the chops.
Am I the only person who didn’t realize prior to last night that Michael C is gay? (I also didn’t realize that Mondo was Hispanic, so my powers of observation are in question.)
I was so disgusted when Gretchen was chosen that I turned off the show and missed Michael’s meltdown. Gretchen’s clothes were pitiful. I believe that the purpose of this final elimination was simply to fill out the schedule. It was decided weeks ago that Mondo, Andy, and Gretchen would be the three finalists. Why the judges love Gretchen is a mystery.
If that’s true, I have more respect for him than I did last night when I thought he was an emotionally incontinent 30ish man who’s afraid of his parents.
And his clothes were still better than Gretchen’s, which will be even funnier if it turns out he’s way more into being on television than he is into fashion.
Nope. My brain was all “Son=Straight”, so I was taken by surprise. And I was also very shocked when it said that his partner outed him to his parents. That, in my mind, would be something unforgivable.
“Michael Costello came onto the show, he even said this to us, because he wants his own reality show and he’s creating this character that you see. There were two sides of Michael Costello and one of them did not have the nicest language; not just curse words, subject matter too. I don’t know how to put it, but he is not the victim that they’re painting him to be.”
And the fact that he was playing a character that people loved to hate was probably the reason he lasted so long. Only towards the end of a reality show do you care more about who is the best, and less about who is the most entertaining.
(And here’s one point where I hate the removal of multiquote
I thought the same thing, although it did occur to me that it might have gone something like this:
Michael: I can’t tell my parents.
Partner: If you don’t, then i will.
Michael: OK, you do it. I can’t face them.
I’ve heard of similar scenarios before, where it’s not so much the parents knowing as it is that the gay son doesn’t want to be the one to tell them.
Anyway, i could have lived with Andy, Michael, or Gretchen going home today. The only one i was completely committed to keeping was Mondo, so when he was announced as first in, i was happy.
If he’s truly Roma, (and I really hope I haven’t started an inaccurate rumor here), then he may have been afraid to be present for the outing. It wouldn’t be surprising if there were violence in the immediate aftermath of a revelation like that.
And didn’t he say when all the Mothers came that he was really hoping to see his Mom? I have the impression that he is not entirely accepted within his family. I think he was hoping that money and success would make them accept him. In most cultures faults convert to eccentricities at certain level of fame and financial success. I think he took it hard because he had some deep emotional needs riding on a win.
I do also think that a lot of his grimacing and puppy eyes on the runway were manipulative and rang false. I had the impression that he was standing there because he was trying to make himself cry. The sobbing at the wall appeared genuine though, so idunno.