Reality on Bravo

On this week’s episode of Project Runway, the designers had one of the best challenges I think we’ve seen in a long, long time - create an outfit for a woman who’s lost a significant amount of weight, using her favorite outfit from BEFORE losing the weight as inspiration for the new outfit.

But that wasn’t the big news of the night. This was the episode we had been warned was coming, way back in October. Contestant Jack Mackenroth left the show. Yes, the rumors were true. Well, some of them.

True:

• Jack is HIV positive. (He never made this a secret, and was often shown taking medications and talking about his health.)
• Jack left the show.
• Jack left due to a staff infection he developed during Week Five.
• The staff infection got pretty nasty, causing his face to swell up.

FALSE: Bravo kicked the designer off of the show.

Now, I know you guys didn’t believe that, did you? Staff is gross and contagious and really f’ing dangerous. So yet, it is good that he left for his own health and the health of the other contestants. But that was Jack’s decision. I’m not saying that the producers didn’t encourage it. Wouldn’t you? If someone has a potentially deadly skin infection, wouldn’t you tell them to screw a silly contest and seek medical help? No one held a gun to his head, though. Unless they did some REALLY creative editing and Jack is being totally cool everything.

Everyone, including myself and other PR fans, was sad to see someone go due to a medical problem. But you know what that means, don’t you?

“I’m baaaaaaaaaaaack…*insert insane giggle here*”

I lurve Chris. Even if he does create wacky designers…I just think he’s the bee’s knees. Lol.

(To see pictures of outfits, click on the links below, after the break)

Chris stayed up all night to finish his garment, since he got a late start, but he still landed in the bottom due to the “costumy” look. With him in the bottom were Elisa and Steven. Top three this week were Kevin (who I thought should have won), Jillian (who had no right being in the top three, seeing as she didn’t follow the directions of the challenge), and Christian (the overall winner mainly because his outfit matched his style most closely? Give me a break. It was cute and he deserved top three, but he really just took in the jeans and made a black shirt. Kevin’s was much more inventive and technically challenging.)

Poor Steven went home this week, and I have to say, I’ll miss him. He was so hilarious, in a dry kind of way, and he talked to the camera really well. My one friend compared him to Dale of Top Chef, and I have to agree. You know what though? Kudos, judges, on a great decision. That outfit was HIDEOUS.

The best part of the night, though? Hands down it was a moment between Chris and Tim Gunn, as they were discussing how Chris should do all of his planning early so he wouldn’t have to make and tough calls in the early morning hours.

Tim: “I’ve made more bad decisions at 3 o’clock than I can even remember…”
*Everybody pauses for a second, then bursts out laughing*
Steven, from across the room: “We want a list of names, Tim.”
Tim: “I guess this proves that I really am an old fart. My mind didn’t even go there!”