10 Things You Don't Know About Project Runway Winner Gretchen Jones

That is Project Runway winner Gretchen Jones sort of giving you the evil eye.

Why?

Well, Marie Claire magazine, that being the magazine where Project Runway judge, Nina Garcia, works, produced a video about Gretchen Jones in which she tells you 10 things you don't know about her.

Choice bits of fascinating information. Like one time Gretchen says she "got busy in a Burger King restroom." Choice bits like that.

Now it really did not matter to me that Gretchen beat Mondo for the win on Project Runway. Gretchen really needed the money bad, while Mondo had already won a cash stash. And, in the end, I'd grown to like Gretchen's particular brand of weirdness.

Others have not been so okay with Mondo not winning.

Like the person in the above photo. Protesting Mondo's Project Runway loss at Jon Stewart's Rally for Sanity last weekend in Washington, D.C.

Apparently there are a lot of people in and out of the fashion industry who have been questioning the sanity of Nina Garcia and Michael Kors and their reasoning as to why Gretchen should be the winner of Project Runway. A lot of their reasoning had something to do with Gretchen being trendy, or trending forward, or fashion forward, or something like that.

Well. There are a lot of clothes designers in the world. Many of them are famous, at least to those who pay attention to such things. I've heard few of the names.

But, these guys named Tom and Lorenzo, they do pay attention to the fashion world and seem to know what they are talking about. Their blogging analysis, with photos, of the Project Runway finale is both interesting and funny. And they have a lot of pictures of other current designers, who's stuff, at least to my untrained eyes, looks a lot like what Mondo is making.

Here's a blurb from Tom & Lorenzo's Blog about the raging trendy controversy...

"You could argue that Gretchen's collection was equally as strong, but THAT'S NOT THE ARGUMENT THE JUDGES MADE. Despite the fact that they literally could not describe Mondo's collection without using the kind of language reserved for winning designers ("He's incredibly creative and talented.") the ONLY arguments made in support of Gretchen by Nina and Michael were "It's on trend" and "I can sell these garments." Pardon us for being purists, but what appalling arguments to be making. This is what happens when a show goes from ELLE Magazine and the Banana Republic accessories wall to Marie Claire and the Piperlime accessories wall. Project Runway was never cutting edge even on its best days, but the dumbing down of the brand has been a distressing thing to witness."

Now on to the Gretchen Jones video, brought to you courtesy of marieclaire.com. I suspect this video may not be long for the world, due to the fact that it is generating a lot of none too flattering reactions, out there in Internet World.

Project Runway: Part 1 of Season Finale Sends Michael Costello Home

I don't remember when I've seen such devastation on a Reality TV Show as what we saw when Michael Costello realized he was out on Project Runway.

I think among the sobbing I heard Michael say that this setback would have his family demanding he get married again. So, that is where the kid came from? He'd been married?

Anyway, Tim Gunn checking in on the final 4 at home was interesting.

Andy South, in Hawaii, was the most likable he has been. But, I totally don't get why he was not the one who was out, what with the bizarre bikini. Andy's back sob story caused me to find him a little less annoying. Apparently they'd escaped from Laos. And now operate a farm where catfish are grown among other things.

Hawaii made Andy seem like much more of a macho man than New York City did. Andy horrified Tim by picking up a live catfish and made Tim scream like a school girl when Andy suggested handing the catfish to Tim so he could have fun holding it. Andy was also very adept and breaking open a coconut.

I  think next up was Mondo in Denver. Mondo's family seemed nice. Funny dialogue between Tim and Mondo's mother about the raising of Mondo. Apparently Mondo was forced to place baseball (short stop) if he wanted to take piano lessons. His family seemed quite proud of Mondo now, especially his sister.

And then it was to Palm Springs to check in on Michael. Michael had a lot of friends there, all male, and his little boy. And his live-in boyfriend. Apparently Michael's family have long given him a hard time about his lifestyle choices.

And then it was off to Portland to check in on Gretchen Jones. Well, Gretchen has been a Reality TV Show Goldmine. I've gone for really disliking her and wanting her to have a humiliating comeuppance, to sort of liking her and sort of feeling sorry for her. Apparently Gretchen returned to Portland to find her life destroyed,   abandoned by her significant other (was not made clear what gender. I suspect male.), her bank account wiped out, no place to live. I forget what else was in Gretchen's litany of woe.

Then it was back to NYC where each had to put 2 things from their collection and one new item on the Runway. Andy's was the one among the 4 that seemed really really bad to me. But, what do I know?

Michael Costello just seems like a much better one to keep around, just for the making good TV factor. Andy is really not made for TV.

Tim Gunn and the others were eventually able to get Michael's hysterical sobbing to stop and get him back laughing. In the end Michael really did win everyone over. Except, I suppose, for Ivy.

Project Runway: Mondo's Record 3 Wins in a Row While Announcing He Is HIV Positive

Well, Project Runway continues to be the most entertaining 90 minute long Reality TV Show. I think it may be the only 90 minute Reality TV Show.

Project Runway uses those extra minutes to deliver some good drama.

This week the designers had to design a fabric inspired by something in their past. Then Tim Gunn brought in their loved ones, like moms and boyfriends.

There was way too much blubbering. How long had they been away from their mommys? A couple weeks?

Mondo's fabric design theme was plus signs. Mondo then told us he'd been carrying a secret to 10 years. He is HIV Positive.

From what I am reading on the Internet, it seems Mondo is becoming a bit of a phenomenon. Every once in awhile there is a breakout Reality TV Star. It seems like this may be the case with Mondo. This week Mondo won a record breaking 3rd Project Runway win in a row. And he delivered what will likely be this year's Project Runway Emmy submission episode with his dramatic explanation of his fabric's story, after Nina Garcia told Mondo she had no idea what story his fabric was telling.

Soon, pretty much everyone was in sob mode.

Watching the story arc and character of Mondo develop during the course of this season of Project Runway has been very interesting. I started off thinking he was a total creepy weirdo. Now I think he's an extremely well-grounded, smart, funny, unique, one-of-a-kind talented guy.

I am also liking how I have gone from totally not liking Gretchen to now liking her.

But, the biggest surprise of the episode, to me, was not Mondo being HIV Positive, it was the fact that Michael Costello has reproduced with a male replication of himself. The son showed up with Michael's mom. No birth mother in view, or mention made of. The son looked like a little version of Michael, so this must be a biological reproduction. Michael just did not seem like a breeder, to me.

Michael Costello's story arc on Project Runway has been interesting too, in addition to that unexpected reproduction. He's gone from everyone pretty much despising him, to now, pretty much everyone likes him.

There is only one of the remaining dress makers who bugs me. Andy South. He had a breakdown because his mommy showed up. Andy seems real dumb. I don't like the way he talks. I don't like his reptilian appearance.   He is not even remotely interesting.

It was Valerie Mayen who was out this week. Even I could tell the dress she made was really bad. I liked Valerie. She was very good-natured and funny. Gave great commentary. And I enjoyed her corny departing comments to each of the remaining designers. She was being Dorothy saying good bye to the Tin Man,  Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion.

I don't remember what we were manipulated in to thinking was going to happen in the previews for next week's Project Runway. Will Mondo make it 4 in a row? I have no idea.

Project Runway: Ivy Out While Mondo Wins Again

That is Ivy getting the Auf Wiedersehen, you're OUT kiss, from Heidi Klum on tonight's Project Runway. Ivy is OUT due to making a couple dresses even I could tell were terrible.

I really have not figured out why I find Project Runway entertaining. I have absolutely no interest in high or low fashion. I have absolutely no interest in sewing clothes.

I guess I find it entertaining watching people do something I know I could not do and seeing them whip out these ridiculous items of clothing. Along with drama and angst.

Some of the characters are entertaining. I have gone from really disliking Gretchen, to, well, she has sort of redeemed herself. She seems to have gotten cuter.

Most of the non-redeemable characters are now gone, like that annoying one who was OUT last week, Michael Drummond, I believe was the name. One of the worst speaking voices I've ever been tortured by.

Project Runway is not nearly as amusing without Casanova. They really should have kept him longer.

And then there is the little guy who calls himself Mondo. At first I had trouble getting past what a weirdo he seemed to be. Now he seems more interesting character than weirdo. What he wears is a character of its own. And what he does with his hair is usually strange.

Another strange thing about Mondo is, after seeing him for awhile now, he starts seeming really, well, almost normal and grounded. And quite likable, with an amusing sense of humor.

Mondo won tonight's competition to design a high end piece of couture. Whatever that means. And a ready-wear companion piece was later thrown in as a curve. Mondo won $20,000, plus got his designs in some magazines as advertorials, which I assume are advertisements that serve as editorials. But I really have no idea.

We saw Mondo at the photo shoot for the advertorial, all done up in one of his Mondo outfits. Then the photo-shoot people totally tarted Mondo up with a manly hair-do and a suit. He looked quite stylish.

Mondo said he had $14 in his bank account when he left Colorado and was now quite happy to have $20,014 in his account. All of the designers seemed quite eager to win the $20,000, with Mondo saying that was more than the $12,000 he made last year.

It was Mondo, Gretchen and the annoying Hawaiian, Andy, in the Top 3. The OUT Ivy, Valerie and Michael Costello in the Bottom 3.

Michael C made this bizarre dress that had a 50 foot, or longer, tail trailing behind it. Valerie's looked like something I could make if you left me alone with a needle and some cloth for a day. Ivy's was just tacky looking and a really bad color of blue.

In the previews, for next week, the judges are mortified at what they see come down the runway, just like they are every week on Project Runway.