Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Project Runway -Season 5 Preview


It's Project Runway Season 5 Eve, and thanks to Bravo getting the show stolen from them by Lifetime (I think there's a Lifetime movie based on the shady deal in the works...Valerie Bertinella will star), there hasn't been much fanfare. But today, they realized some basic info on this year's contestants. And since this will be the last season on Bravo, the king of reality career competition shows, and the move to Lifetime may endanger the quality of the show (I envision challenges that involve designing escape outfits for abused wives....something with floral print), I felt the need to go all-out this season.

Just last Season 4, I'll conduct thorough note-taking and research in order to bring you the least informed and accurate Project Runway coverage in the blogosphere.

A few of the guest judges have been named, and it lends some insight to what challenges may be in store. There are a bunch of names I don't know (probably actual fashion designers). And then there's a crop of semi-celebrities (they blew their wad on Sarah Jessica Parker last year). Here are my uneducated guesses:

Sandra Bernhard - Roseannewear
Brooke Shields - Lagoonwear
LL Cool J - rap video skankwear
RuPaul - Chris Marchwear

Here's a quick run-down of the contestants. The premiere is tomorrow night at 10pm (I think):


Name: Blayne
Age: 23
Hometown: Yakima, Washington
Current residence: Seattle, Washington
Fun fact: loves neon, designed line for Seattle Seahawk Shaun Alexander (would have dominated the Tiki Barber challenge last season)


Name: Daniel
Age: 25
Hometown: Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Current residence: Brooklyn, New York
Fun fact: loves novelty blazers (my kind of guy) and unevenly tucked shirts (not my kind of guy)


Name: Emily
Age: 27
Hometown: Sacramento, California
Current residence: Los Angeles, California
Fun fact: lots of professional experience and asymmetrical bangs


Name: Jennifer
Age: 27
Hometown: East Syracuse, New York
Current residence: Pistola, Italy
Fun fact: has climbed the ranks of European fashion, looks like a kindergarten teacher


Name: Jerell
Age: 28
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Current residence: Los Angeles, California
Fun fact: former model, apparently likes to dress like Lenny Kravitz/Oliver Twist


Name: Jerry
Age: 32
Hometown: Butte, Montana
Current residence: New York City
Fun fact: has own label, likes black and white combos


Name: Joe
Age: 41
Hometown: Troy, Michigan
Current residence: Troy, Michigan
Fun fact: likes to dress like Simon Cowell, once worked for Bugle Boy!


Name: Keith
Age: 26
Hometown: Salk Lake City, Utah
Current residence: Salt Lake City, Utah
Fun fact: self-taught, trained in advertising


Name: Kelli
Age: 27
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Current residence: Columbus, Ohio
Fun fact: designs guitars, keeps stonewashing alive


Name: Kenley
Age: 25
Hometown: Pompano Beach, Florida
Current residence: Brooklyn, New York
Fun fact: daughter of a tugboat captain(this fact alone might make her my favorite)!


Name: Korto
Age: 33
Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas
Current residence: Mabelvale, Arkansas
Fun fact: originally from Liberia, name sounds like an ancient god of destruction


Name: Leanne
Age: 27
Hometown: Yuta, California
Current residence: Portland, Oregon
Fun fact: automatically loses points for calling her label "Leanimal" (although, Rob Schneider is interested in the screenplay)


Name: Stella
Age: 42
Hometown: Astoria, Queens
Current residence: New York City
Fun fact: oldest contestant, specializes in leather and denim


Name: Suede
Age: 37
Hometown: Seven Hills, Ohio
Current residence: Barryville, New York
Fun fact: claims to be influenced by Madonna, appearance proves he's influenced by Fred Durst


Name: Terri
Age: 39
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Current residence: Columbus, Ohio
Fun fact: works for Victoria's Secret


Name: Wesley
Age: 23
Hometown: Blackstone, Massachusetts
Current residence: New York City
Fun fact: Marc Jacobs protege






So there you have it. Be sure to check the site sometime Thursday afternoon for the episode 1 recap and my undoubtedly off-base predictions for the season.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

woo hoo, can't wait! what is your prediction for number of gays (this does not count american designer michael korsssss or tim gunn). wait is niiiiiina garcia going to be on still? i heard she got fired from elle magazine.

Ryan Costello said...

I'm guessing that Suede and Keith are the only straight guys...which means they're destined to lose.

And nina is still on the show, even though she got booted from her magazine.

Anonymous said...

I love that you do this. It takes already mindless entertainment to an even more mindless level by saving me the trouble of analysis and opinion.

Anonymous said...

based on your fun facts about the new designers alone, i believe your blog will be more entertaining than watching these well-casted hopefuls choosing between chiffon and tacky gold lamee. costello, make it work.

Anonymous said...

...and why is that they always have to have a poster-child for the nyc city slob look and a blonde wannabe rock-a-billy chick with ANGST? AND WHY DOES DANIEL LOOK LIKE A PLASTIC SURGERY CORRECTED HAL SPARKS?!...why?

Ryan Costello said...

Hal Sparks! Nice!

And how sad that the namesake of the greatest Comedy Central Show to only last 10 episodes is an old bag in leather.

Though, maybe Michael, Michael, and David would love that.