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Buzz News Roundup, 11/19

BuzzSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:35:31 -0800

Legendary superhero creator Stan Lee has won the National Medal of Arts. — Washington Post
Thanks to ongoing legal wrangling, Project Runway most likely will be off the air till Spring — or beyond. — New York Times
Taylor Swift has topped this week's album sales chart, followed by David Archuleta. — Billboard
The release date for The Soloist has shifted again, this time from March 13 to April 24. — Variety
Beauty and the Geek could move to MTV. — The Hollywood Reporter
The 15 finalists for documentary film Oscar nominations have been selected. — LA Times
Patricia Heaton will star in a comedy pilot called The Middle for ABC. — Zap2it
Young adult literature is all the rage for film adaptation lately: The comedic novel Vibes about a 17-year-old cheerleader who suddenly gets the ability to read minds, and the "vampyre" series House of Night will both be made into movies. — Variety
Does nobody want the Daytime Emmy Awards? — The Hollywood Reporter
Warner Bros. will produce the movie Control-Alt-Delete, which "is described as Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure meets The Matrix." — ComingSoon

What's Your Favorite Bravo Reality Show of All Time?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:30:01 -0800

This week, Bravo premiered a new reality show — the travel-themed First Class All the Way — and wraps up its second season of another, Top Design. The network really seems to have the formula down for its reality shows: They're either competitions (Project Runway, Top Chef); shows that feature a particular eccentric expert in some field (Work Out, Flipping Out, even Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List); or one of the Real Housewives series. And then, of course, there's the granddaddy of them all: Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. This successful formula even recently got a network executive a big profile in the New York Times. Looking back over the years, which of Bravo's many reality shows is your favorite? Source

Who's Your Favorite Project Runway Winner?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 06:30:12 -0700

Now that Project Runway has closed out its fifth season by naming a new winner, it seems like a good time to look back on the Runway champions of past and present. Some (Christian Siriano) have truly embraced their 15 minutes in the spotlight; others (Chloe Dao) have kept somewhat of a lower profile. While we're waiting to see how Leanne uses her newfound fame, tell me: Which of Project Runway's five winners has been your favorite? Source, Source, Source, and courtesy of Bravo

Who's Your Favorite Project Runway Winner?

Jay McCarroll, season one

Chloe Dao, season two

Jeffrey Sebelia, season three

Christian Siriano, season four

Leanne Marshall, season five

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 14, "Finale Part Two"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:30:32 -0700

Ah, the Project Runway finale. It's like my Super Bowl. Luckily for me, it came twice this year (which is an especially good thing knowing that the fate of next season is up in the air). But enough about the future of ProjRun — let's talk about the present. As you know, last week Jerell was eliminated, leaving the three female contestants to vie for the win: Leanne, Korto, and Kenley.

The good news is that I was excited to see what all three of these women could do on the runway — after all, each of them made my top 10 looks of the season list. The bad news is that it was probably the dullest finale in the show's history. I mean, where was the drama? Even the cameo from Morgan (the terror model from season one) was devoid of tension, and they had to turn to dog poo to liven things up a little. That's not to say I didn't like their respective collections. On the contrary, I thought all three had very strong showings; I'm even ready to say these were three of the strongest overall collections in the show's history and the first time I would have been satisfied with any winner. I was just a little bored. Boo.

To talk more about the episode, and to see all of the final looks,

Do You Agree With the Project Runway Winner?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:00:42 -0700

Project Runway's first all-female final three took to the catwalk tonight, as Korto, Leanne, and Kenley presented their final collections. Now, the fifth Runway winner has been revealed. Did the right person walk away with the title and the cash? Or was this a grave miscarriage of justice? I'll have more thoughts in the morning (update: it's here!), but for now, vote here (and watch out for spoilers in the comments)!Photos courtesy of Bravo

Do You Agree With the Project Runway Winner?

Yes! The right person won for sure.

No way! It should have been _________.

Play Project Runway Faceoff and Win!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:00:24 -0700

Play Project Runway Faceoff and Win! Got some time to kill before tonight's big Project Runway finale? Head over to my "Which Look is More Fab" challenge and you could win $100!

How Does This Season of Project Runway Stack Up?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 05:30:46 -0700

The big finale of Project Runway airs tonight, which means we're just hours from finding out whether Kenley, Leanne, or Korto takes home the top prize from this season. I can't wait to finally see the collections (I've been avoiding Fab's pictures) and find out who joins Jay McCarroll, Chloe Dao, Jeffrey Sebelia, and Christian Siriano on the list of Runway winners. I know there's been some discontent about this season, but at the same time, now that the Lifetime deal is on hold, who knows when we'll get another one? So, I'm wondering: All things considered, where do you think this season of Project Runway stacks up? Anyone want to stand up and defend season five? Photo courtesy of Bravo

How Does This Season of Project Runway Stack Up?

It was the best yet!

Ugh, it was the worst!

It was somewhere in the middle.

Other (tell me below)

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 13, "Finale Part One"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:34:27 -0700

There's just one week left till the end of the Project Runway road, and you know what that means: a little thing I like to call Tim Gunn's Couture Tour. This is the episode where Tim travels to each designer's home to critique his or her forthcoming collection, and from that standpoint, this season's version was about what I expected. Luckily, in true ProjRun fashion, they threw the contestants a curve ball . . . or two.

The first twist occurred at the beginning of the episode. Before the designers were sent home, Heidi delivered the usual "create a collection that represents you as a designer" assignment but added an additional task: designing a wedding dress. This news made me giddy, especially when I remembered how fun the wedding challenge was in the first season. The second twist came when the designers returned to New York, where Tim asked them to produce another piece: a bridesmaid's dress that complemented both the wedding dress and the collection as a whole. Also, whether they competed at Bryant Park would depend entirely on the wedding and bridesmaid's dresses. Yikes for them; yay for us!

To find out how each of the designers entertained Tim and to see who's competing in next week's finale,

Which Project Runway Look Is More Fab? Play My Game!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:32:13 -0700

With the Project Runway finale fast approaching, it's time to reflect on all the looks from season five with my new faceoff game! All you have to do is pick which look from each pair you prefer; if you agree with the majority of Sugar users playing the game, you get it right. How many in a row can you get?

The game would be addictive enough on its own, but there's more — if you log into your TeamSugar account and play this or any other faceoff game, you could win $100 every day this month! For official rules click here, and to play the game, head over here to get started!

Buzz's Take: The Best of Project Runway Season Five

BuzzSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:15:13 -0700

Season five of Project Runway may not have had the over-the-top fashion genius of Christian Siriano or the quiet glamour of Chloe Dao, but that doesn't mean there weren't still some enviable looks walking the runway this year. In preparation for this season's big finale (part one airs tonight, and the winner will be named next week), Fab and I have each chosen our favorite looks from the season. Do you agree with her — or with me? You can see my faves when you hit "Start."

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 12, "Nature Calls"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:30:22 -0700

Last night on Project Runway, the remaining four designers had to step up and prove themselves (and their designs) to the judges in hopes of moving on to Fashion Week. Of course, we know that they (and two others) all make it to Bryant Park, but last night it was about discovering who would present his or her collection in the final episode of the season as a contender for the Project Runway win.

I thought each designer would blow me out of the water, especially since the challenge was so basic. Actually "basic" is probably the wrong word — I think "stale" is better. We've seen the "take a picture and be inspired" challenge before (this time the theme was nature), even earlier this season. And in season two, Daniel V won a very similar challenge with his orchid-inspired ensemble, a look that was much more stunning than what these designers produced. That said, the final challenges are almost always a letdown; the judges want the designers to take risks (but punish them when they go awry), while the designers are so close to their goal that they get safe.

To read (and see) more about last night's episode — including a spoiler that annoyed me to no end —

Weekend Reading: How Not to Get Sent Home First

BuzzSugar — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 14:00:42 -0700

I got a kick this week out of a piece Slate did on the doomed reality show contestants who have been voted or kicked off in the first episode, complete with tips on how to avoid their fate. At first I struggled to remember a single first contestant, but then this piece reminded me of Jerry and Nimma from Bravo's Project Runway and Top Chef.

If you are planning on competing on one of these reality shows, these are some pretty good tips for sticking around for more than one episode. If not, you'll probably find them as fascinating as I do and will watch to see if they hold true for shows like The Amazing Race, which premieres tonight.

Here are some of the tips and excerpts from the article:

Lesson 9: Everyone loves a comeback story: "A bad first episode doesn't mean a contestant can't make a comeback. But if you want a shot at post-reality fame, you first have to make it past Week 1."
Lesson 8: Know your demographic: "VH1 understands the ratings power of the loudmouth; who among the channel's viewers wouldn't want to watch a plus-sized Omarosa gone ghetto?"
Lesson 6: Know your eliminator: "On a reality show, it's almost always good to be memorable. But if your fate is in a single person's hands, you'd better be indelible for the right reasons."

To see some more, just

Judge Says Project Runway Can't Move to Lifetime

BuzzSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:01:55 -0700

Don't expect to see Project Runway on Lifetime anytime soon. Today, a judge ruled in NBC's favor and blocked the show's move from Bravo to Lifetime. According to an NBC statement:

The overwhelming evidence demonstrated that The Weinstein Company violated NBC Universal's right of first refusal to future cycles of Project Runway. After hearing all of the evidence, the court issued an order prohibiting The Weinstein Company from taking the show or any spinoff to Lifetime.

No statement from Lifetime yet, but I'll keep you posted. Meanwhile, it's unclear what this means for any future seasons of Project Runway on Bravo. The last report from Lifetime was that casting had been done for season six with new producers Bunim/Murray, and the show would start airing in January.

Photo courtesy of Bravo

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 11, "Rock N' Runway"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:30:21 -0700

When the challenge on this week's Project Runway first got announced, I was thrilled, because I've always loved challenges where the designers have to be each other's clients. But then, Tim announced the music component of the challenge, and suddenly, we were looking at one of the most poorly conceived Runway challenges ever.

If the designers had been asked to design outfits for each other based on either the designer's or the client's favorite musical genre, that would have been fine. But to design an outfit based on a totally random musical genre, pulled out of a bag, that neither designer nor client might have any interest in? Stupid. Of course Kenley designing a hip-hop outfit for Leanne is going to be a wreck — neither one of them seems to know/care much about hip-hop! It made what could have been a really cool challenge into something meaningless and silly. That said, some of the designers still managed to produce good work, while others crashed and burned in stunning fashion, so to hear my thoughts, just

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 10, "Transformation"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:30:11 -0700

The Project Runway challenge a couple of years back where the designers had to dress other contestants' mothers was a nightmare, so it's no wonder that when this year's crop of designers saw a bunch of average-looking, middle-aged women walk out onto the runway, they feared the worst. But the Project Runway team had something new up its sleeve in Wednesday's episode: This time, the designers had to dress the women's daughters, hip young women just out of college and looking for jobs.

Of course, it still could have been a disaster, with pushy mothers overruling what their daughters wanted, but for the most part (save for Leanne's family, and even then only slightly) the challenge proceeded with little drama. In fact, the episode was almost a little boring: relatively calm workroom, relatively good designs, relatively happy clients. Hey, at least we had Jerell to light the room up with his wit. From "Come on, Joe, you can work on Nancy Reagan tomorrow" to his story of working at McDonald's and "getting all kinds of free Big-n-Tasties," our boy was on fire last night!

Meanwhile, Kenley dressed her mini-me, we saw pictures of the designers in their own just-entering-the-workforce days, and the fabulous Cynthia Rowley stopped by to judge, so to see my thoughts on the episode, just

The Project Runway Season Five Finale Runway Show!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:04:55 -0700

The Project Runway Season Five Finale Runway Show! FabSugar wrapped up her Fashion Week at the Project Runway finale show. She's got pictures and spoilers galore from the show, including reviews of each designer's collection. If you can't wait for the finale, go check it out!

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 9, "What's Your Sign?"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:32:04 -0700

With the Project Runway show at New York Fashion Week scheduled for this Friday, it seemed that we'd need to say goodbye to some designers fast. I mean, we've seen ProjRun Fashion Week shows with four designers, and I think even five, but eight? So I wasn't the least bit surprised to learn that two designers would be chopped after the avant garde challenge.

The double elimination was just one piece of what was going on in this jam-packed episode, though. There were old designers aplenty — eliminated contestants from this season back to help the remaining designers, plus favorites from previous seasons who returned to judge the winner at a cocktail party. Oh, and the outfits had to be both avant garde and based on the signs of the zodiac. To see all the outfits and talk about the auffings, just

Lifetime Pushes Project Runway to January

BuzzSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:45:50 -0700

Looks like we won't be getting three seasons of Project Runway crammed into this year after all. Lifetime's been saying for months now that its first season of Runway would premiere in November, but now that's been pushed till January.

If it happens at all, that is. NBC is challenging whether Lifetime even has the rights to air the show, and a lawsuit over the show is still pending in court.

Nobody's directly blaming the lawsuit for the delay, though. One source told Entertainment Weekly that Bunim/Murray, the Real World producers who are taking over the show from Magical Elves when it moves to Lifetime, couldn't get production organized for a Fall start. Another source disputed that, though, saying casting is done for season six and the production was totally on schedule.

Either way, a Lifetime representative said this change means Runway will be back on its regular, two-seasons-per-year schedule — which makes me breathe a big sigh of relief. I'm already feeling overloaded from this year's two seasons, and I wasn't sure I could psych myself up for a third. Now at least we'll have a little bit of a break to regroup before we see what Lifetime does with the show. What do you think — good news or bad news?

Photo courtesy of Bravo

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 8, "Double-0 Fashion"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:34:20 -0700

The "design something for a fashion icon" challenge is nothing new for Project Runway, but what was rather refreshing about Wednesday's episode was that the icon this time truly was a legend. The designers were asked to design something that would impress Diane von Furstenberg — she of the wrap dress — enough that she would consider including it in her next collection. That was a pretty big deal for all the designers (except maybe Blayne, who would have preferred an Olsen twin), and they really let the pressure show as they worked on the challenge.

In fact, none of them let Diane's iconic status get to them more than the typically smooth Kenley. She was sobbing so much through all of her early interviews, in fact, that I was convinced she'd be the one sent home. Then again, maybe her tears came because things in the workroom were so tense — I'm not sure I've ever seen a season of Project Runway where all the designers seemed to dislike each other so early. There's a feud a'brewing between Leanne and Kenley, another between Korto and Terri, still another between Terri and . . . everyone else. The Parsons workroom just doesn't seem like a very happy place to be right now.

That said, the designers still turned out some iconic looks of their own — plus some requisite disasters — so to hear my thoughts on the designs and see a gallery of all the looks, just

Project Runway Rundown: Episode Seven, "Fashion That Drives You"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:30:12 -0700

Last night's episode of Project Runway was surprisingly entertaining (I figured it would be hard to follow the drag queen episode) — not because of the challenge, per se, but because Tim Gunn shamed the designers right off the bat, reminding them of how pathetically they performed in the very first challenge that required innovative thinking. And thank goodness Tim lit that fire under their you-know-whats, because otherwise we would have seen a boatload of beige seat belt pencil skirts coming down that runway, which makes me fall asleep just typing about it.

As it happened, we were only subjected to a small percentage of seat belt skirts (and one unfortunate seat belt dress) while a good portion of the designers used this challenge as a moment to stand out. So far this season I've been unsure about which designers I would want to see at Bryant Park, and this ~~Saturn hybrid commercial~~ car parts challenge helped me understand who among this group has taste and vision and who just . . . doesn't. To see which designers I have a new respect for and what I thought of one designer's mental meltdown,

Project Runway Rundown: Episode Six, "Good Queen Fun"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:30:47 -0700

The word that keeps popping into my mind when I think about this week's episode of Project Runway is "big." There were big, huge drag queens with big personalities, there was the return of that big Chris March laugh, the outfits the designers created were big and over the top, guest judge RuPaul is a very big person. . . you get the idea. And as the saying goes, bigger is better, so it's no surprise that this episode was a whole lot of fun! Maybe even the best one of the season so far — what do you think?

Honestly, I was in heaven once those drag queen names started rolling off of the ladies' tongues: Hedda Lettuce, Varla Jean Merman, Annida Greenkard, Acid Betty, Sweetie, etc. It was such a good injection of colorful fun into this season and most of the designers really stretched themselves to come up with something "theatrical," as Tim instructed them to do. I said "most," though, not "all" — so to chat about who soared in this competition and who utterly bombed,

Project Runway Rundown: Episode Five, "Welcome to the Jungle"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:30:33 -0700

On this week's Project Runway, Heidi told the contestants that they would be designing an outfit for a high-powered, glamorous woman. I loved that Blayne immediately thought of Hillary Clinton — and then groaned to the camera that the last thing he wanted to whip up was a neon pants suit. Lucky for him, the client was not a trail-blazing politico after all. In Project Runway-land, "high-powered woman" is usually another way of saying "stars in her own TV show — preferably on an NBC network."

The mystery guest was Brooke Shields, whose Lipstick Jungle character, Wendy, desperately needs a look that will take her from day to night. Did anyone else immediately flash to that '80s working-woman icon Day-to-Night Barbie?

While it wasn't the craziest challenge ever, I definitely was happy to sit back and watch the designers sketch and pitch their ideas to Ms. Shields. Plus, things always get interesting when designers are paired up, so I knew we were in for some highly entertaining television (and with Blayne's sketch among Brooke's choices, it couldn't have been boring). Another thing keeping this episode spicy: extremely colorful language all night, including Michael Kors calling one look "Slutty! Slutty! Slutty!" Let's discuss it together — just

Do You Care If Reality TV Is Real or Not?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 11:00:13 -0700

It's pretty commonplace today to hear griping about the amount of truth in reality TV shows that are supposed to be "real." The Hills has been under particular scrutiny for what elements are scripted, but the issue extends to many other shows as well: Fans tend to cry foul when contestants on American Idol actually have professional singing experience or when the designers of Project Runway seem to be chosen for personality rather than skill. But the outrage never really lasts — the shows are still immensely popular, and it's not like anyone's breaking the law. So it's interesting to look at today in contrast to the '50s, when the rigging of a popular game show called Twenty-One was a major scandal. (Remember the Robert Redford film Quiz Show? It's based on this.) I got to thinking about it again because the contestant responsible for the fake-out, Charles Van Doren, has written about his role in the scandal for the first time in 50 years. It's a funny reminder of how far we've come in terms of how much fiction we'll tolerate on "real" programming. I didn't quite realize how crazy this scandal got back then — there were Congressional hearings! Compared to the outrage over the rigged game show that occurred decades ago, there don't seem to be many consequences for faking on TV nowadays. Is it because we just don't care anymore? As long as it's entertaining, do you need a show to be really real?Source

Do You Care If Reality TV Is Real or Not?

Yes! It's dishonest, misleading, and shady.

No! As long as I'm enjoying the show, that's all that matters.

Sometimes — It depends on the show.

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 4, "Rings of Glory"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:30:32 -0700

Last night's Project Runway began as they all do: winner picks model, Heidi tempts us with a prelude to the challenge, the designers get a promise to the tune of "Tim will fill you in on all the details later." Lucky for us viewers, we got to hear what was in store mere moments later, but the designers weren't as fortunate, leaving Jerell to say, "I don't really have any idea where we're going to be going — I just really hope it has nothing to do with female wrestlers." Oh Jerell, that'll never happen again. Right?

Well, this week's challenge wasn't to wardrobe the women of the WWE, but it wasn't too far off. The designers were instructed to create an outfit for the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics. This didn't seem too "wack-a-doodle" (as Suede would say), but based on the reactions of designers like Daniel who had never watched an opening ceremony, it was. As he imagined it, "somebody holds a flame and runs around a track field." Which was off the mark, but not nearly as much as his dress was. Yes, he designed a dress, and most of the other designers did skirts, which resulted in a couple laugh-out-loud moments watching the models walk the runway.

To talk about (and see) what was so humorous,

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 3, "Bright Lights/Big City"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:30:31 -0700

The challenge on last night's episode of Project Runway was nothing new: Take inspiration from the sights and sounds of New York City and turn it into something fierce. It may not have been the most earth-shattering challenge (they did it in season two, remember, with Daniel V.'s orchid-inspired winner?), but if I were a designer on the show, I probably would have really enjoyed it.

Some designers were lacking in original inspiration, though: The "street" designer Terri went straight for — what else? — graffiti! Meh. We've seen it before. Viewing all previous seasons of Project Runway should be required for all contestants. Hilariously throwing a wrench in the old "find inspiration from the city" idea, though, was the fact that it was dark and rainy outside, so we watched people whose clothing aesthetic is supposed to be more refined than the rest of ours suffer through the hideousness that is the poncho. There's lots more to talk about, including one of the best comments made from a guest judge ever and the most crushing critique I've heard from Nina in awhile, so

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 2, "Grass is Always Greener"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:30:22 -0700

After last week's relatively lackluster season five premiere, boy was I pleasantly surprised with this week's episode of Project Runway. It was definitely my favorite episode of the series in a long while. Heidi started the night off by having the designers choose their models, and what a choice it was. See, after the designers were given the challenge of creating a cocktail dress using eco-friendly fabrics, they found out that their models were their clients. And while my hope that at least one of the models would be as crazy as Morgan from season one wasn't realized, the night was chock full of drama regardless.

Dramatic moment number one: when the designers learned that the models would be going to Mood to pick out the fabrics for them. Sweet. Even Stella said, "Oh great, I'm going to have somebody that probably doesn't know that much about fabrics to begin with go pick me out some fabric." Big words from someone who used trash bags for her last challenge! Dramatic moment number two: when some of the designers realized that their models had chosen a lot of the same fabric, and not enough of it at that. Ruh-roh.

There's a lot more to discuss, including a gallery of all 15 looks and a very, very special guest star, so

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 1, "Let's Start From the Beginning"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:30:45 -0700

Well, welcome back Project Runway. You may not have been gone for long, but it's good to have you back all the same. As for the first episode, it wasn't called "Let's Start From the Beginning" for nothing. They took it back to the very first episode of season one and re-created the first challenge. You know, the one where Austin Scarlett made a dress out of corn husks. And who better to introduce the task and guest judge than Mr. Scarlett himself? I'm happy to report he is as over-the-top as ever.

Now, on to the new class: ProjRun cycle cinco. I'm excited about some of the contestants, but overall I was left wanting a little more, especially since many of these designers clearly didn't do their homework. I mean how obvious is it that you shouldn't use a cloth-like fabrication for an innovative grocery store challenge? I thought that Tim Gunn was right on when he said the designers would be called out for their laziness. And of course they were.

There's plenty more to talk about (tell Fab what you think, too), including a gallery of all 16 looks, so

TV Tonight: Project Runway

BuzzSugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:30:48 -0700

It's sew time! Project Runway's barely been gone long enough for me to miss it, and yet I'm finally feeling the excitement about the show's fifth season.

It helps now that we've been able to see the contestants and, in Fab's case, even pick a few favorites. And, of course, there's the little issue of it possibly being the show's final season on Bravo before the big move to Lifetime. I wouldn't miss that for the world (hey, it could be the end of Runway as we know it), and so even if Christian Siriano's catchphrases are still ringing in my head, I suppose I can get on with the business of a new season.

That business, not terribly surprisingly, appears to involve the contestants being caught off-guard by Tim Gunn, who awakens them early in the morning — or is it still technically night? — for their first challenge in the video below. (For a peek at the designers working away at Parsons after learning of the challenge, head over here.) Don't forget Runway's on at a new time tonight, at 9 p.m. EDT and PDT. You can check out the sneak peek, and tell me your hopes for the new season, if you

Are You Excited About Project Runway 5?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:30:03 -0700

We're getting close to the premiere of Project Runway's fifth season, most likely its last on Bravo. And yet, up until yesterday when Bravo finally announced the new crop of contestants, all the press had been about how there was no press. Instead of the typical weeks of teasers and bus ads for this season, we've mostly been met with silence. Granted, now we know the contestants and even the challenges. But that all came with less than three days to go before the premiere, which seems like a really short amount of time for building any sort of enthusiasm about the show. There's even been speculation that Bravo is trying to make this season of ProjRun fail so that it's damaged goods by the time it gets to Lifetime in November (though Bravo folks have said that's nuts). For the first time since the show really started to pick up steam in its first season, I've even found myself forgetting it's going to be on! I'm still excited, somewhere deep inside of me, but I'm wondering if you're excited too — or if you're just feeling kind of blase about the whole thing. Photo courtesy of Bravo

Are You Excited About Project Runway 5?

Are you nuts? Of course I'm excited!

Nope. I'm over it. This season feels like overkill.

I wasn't till we saw the contestants, but now I am.

I'm iffy. I'll still watch, but I'm not as pumped as normal.

You know, I never really liked this show.

Other (tell me below)

Meet Project Runway's New Designers!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:30:42 -0700

Here it is — your first glimpse at the creative folks who will battle it out yet it again on the fifth season of Project Runway. They come from a diverse range of hometowns and ages (well, one designer is 42 years old, which is "diverse" for TV, anyway). You can see Fab's early favorites here, and to check out for yourself who you might be rooting for when the season premieres this Wednesday, hit "Start."
Photos courtesy of Bravo

Buzz News Roundup, 6/30

BuzzSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:34:21 -0700

American Idol's Kristy Lee Cook has signed a recording deal with Arista Nashville, USA Today reports.
According to the Futon Critic, AMC has enlisted Ian McKellen and Jim Caviezel to star in a six-part miniseries remake of the TV show The Prisoner.
Variety reports that The Real World producers Bunim-Murray could be tapped to run Project Runway when the show moves to Lifetime.
Ne-Yo has bumped Coldplay out of the No. 1 spot on the UK singles chart, Billboard reports.
The Wackness and the documentary Man on Wire were audience favorites at this year's Los Angeles Film Festival, Variety writes.
Neal McDonough is the latest actor to join Desperate Housewives as a possible love interest for Edie, Zap2it reports.
Billboard announces that Bon Jovi will play a free show in Central Park on July 12.
Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane and Google are teaming up for an Internet-only animated series that will be released this Fall, writes the New York Times.

Photo courtesy of Fox

Which Season of Project Runway Was Your Favorite?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 05:45:24 -0700

The first promo for season five of Project Runway is here, and though the season's kickoff is just three weeks away, the video doesn't reveal anything about the contestants or challenges of the new installment. Instead, it's a fun little reflection on the seasons that have come before — from the initial showdown between Jay, Kara, and Wendy to Christian's sassy triumph. Bravo says season five will "follow the pattern of greatness" — so, which season do you think has been the most fabulous so far? Source and Bravo

Which Season of Project Runway Was Your Favorite?

Season one (final three: Jay, Kara, and Wendy)

Season two (final three: Santino, Daniel, and Chloe)

Season three (final four: Jeffrey, Laura, Uli, Michael)

Season four (final three: Christian, Rami, Jillian)

Project Runway Gets Another Spinoff; Santino Gets a Job

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:30:40 -0700

Apparently, the two Project Runway spinoffs that the Weinstein Company announced it had up its sleeve for Lifetime just aren't enough. The Weinsteins are pitching another Project-titled project, this one called Project Triple Threat.

The show will be a quest for the nation's best actor/singer/dancer, according to Variety. Just like the rest of the Project shows, the 16 contestants will share a house together while competing for a grand prize, this time a shot at a record contract and a role in a musical. That's in addition to the newly named Models of the Runway, the show about Project Runway's models, and Project Pygmalion, a society-themed competition that will turn its winner into a high-class socialite.

I think at some point, all these Project _______ shows are just going to lead to diminishing returns, just like how Bravo's Top ______ series fizzled a bit with Top Design last year. A lot depends on the contestants' personalities and the challenges they're given, of course, but at some point, the formula's just not interesting anymore. Do you think you'd watch Project Triple Threat?

In other Runway related news, second-season runner-up Santino Rice will be competing on a Fox Reality Channel show called Gimme My Reality Show, in which "D-list celebs who have appeared on reality shows but never starred in their own" will "battle for star recognition in a variety of challenges." I kind of want to cry now. Meanwhile, the lawsuit over Runway's move to Lifetime will be heard in court on July 17 — one day after the fifth season premieres on Bravo. Good timing, universe!

Source and Source

Project Runway Fans: Mark Your Calendars!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:29:38 -0700

In the midst of the Top Chef finale last night, Bravo slipped in a little gift for Project Runway fans: a premiere date for the sooner-than-planned season five. July 16 is the day the newest crop of fashion wannabes will start cutting and draping their way toward success.

One change from previous seasons, though: Instead of airing at 10 p.m., Runway will now air at 9. That's because Shear Genius will be taking the 10 p.m. spot starting in two weeks, right after next week's Top Chef reunion. It's going to be strange to have two of Bravo's "big four" reality series (Runway, Shear Genius, Top Chef, Top Design) airing back-to-back on the same night — but it could help Shear Genius if people come for Runway and then don't want to get off the couch.

I'm still a little wary about this season — July is just so soon! I mean, Christian Siriano's 15 minutes aren't even up yet. But on the other hand, it could be the last season of Runway as we know it, on Bravo and with the Magical Elves team behind it. No chance I'm going to miss out, even if I don't quite have my normal Runway craving yet. You?

Photo courtesy of Bravo

Do You See Yourself Watching More Lifetime?

BuzzSugar — Sat, 17 May 2008 13:30:29 -0700

First there was the major news that Bravo's groundbreaking (in the fierceness department) show Project Runway may be moving to Lifetime. This took a lot of people by surprise but started to reveal a new strategy by the network looking to woo the young and the hip. And I have to admit, I've been a little skeptical about this. This is, after all, the channel that practically invented the cheesy made-for-TV movie. Then I spotted a press release about a TV movie starring Mena Suvari titled, "Sex & Lies in the City." Whoa. Really? Of course, it may end up being just like this Tori Spelling-strips-to-classical-music bit, but still. . . Is this you, Lifetime? What do you think? If you weren't already, can you see yourself tuning into Lifetime regularly?Source

Do You See Yourself Watching More Lifetime?

Yes. It sounds like they're going to add cool stuff to their schedule.

No. They've never appealed to me and adding Project Runway won't change that.

I already love Lifetime!

Other (I'll tell you below)

Project Runway's Producers Stick With NBC, Not Lifetime

BuzzSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:39:39 -0700

Lifetime stole Project Runway from NBC — so now, NBC has stolen back the show's producers. Magical Elves, the team behind Runway, Top Chef, and Step It Up and Dance, has just signed a deal with NBC that gives the network and its cable channels the first shot at any projects the company develops. The producers can also work on existing NBC projects.

So, if Project Runway does indeed make the move to Lifetime this Fall (a decision that's still being challenged in court), it will have a new production team. Not sure what that means? Well, consider the difference between Runway and, say, the first season of Top Design, which largely fell flat. The producers are responsible for the entire feel of the show — which is making Lifetime's claim that they'd deliver the same Runway we know and love seem a little doubtful.

Meanwhile, there have been reports of other changes on the Lifetime version of the show, including the news that the show will film part of its sixth season in LA and a new rumor that Marie Claire could replace Elle as the show's magazine partner. I'm not saying change is bad — shows can start to get a little stale after five seasons or so — but I don't think I'd want to see Runway be drastically reimagined. Color me officially worried. How about you?

Meanwhile, season five of Runway is still set to air this Summer on Bravo, so we might be all worn out by the time Lifetime finally gets its crack at the show anyway. Too much of a good thing?

NBC and Source

Link Time! 5/1

BuzzSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:30:37 -0700

The Onion AV Club points me to a site where an artist is drawing characters from The Wire in the style of The Simpsons.
The MTV Movies Blog has put together an incredibly bizarre talk show, hosted by, of course, Josh Horowitz.
What now? According to Hollywood Insider, Project Runway will be moving to Los Angeles when it starts on Lifetime in the Fall.
According to Cinematical, these are the seven children's books that need to be adapted to film immediately.
Between the fictional MILF Island and the very real new cougar dating show on TV Land, TV Filter declares that it's officially the year of the cougar.
One EW writer explains on Popwatch why she's OK with letting her kids watch Gossip Girl.
Vulture uses Baby Mama to explore the history of the girlfriend — note: not chick — flick.
Sun Kil Moon's Mark Kozelek gives a rundown of all the things he loves about San Francisco in the travel-meets-music feature Off The Record on AquariumDrunkard.
Give Me My Remote has a clip of Ed Helms on The Tonight Show, complete with scenes from tonight's episode of The Office.

Source

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 07:30:37 -0700

The Beverly Hills Chihuahua movie got a poster that hilariously helps us out with pronunciation. Honestly, I think I'm more excited for the little talking dogs than the new Dane Cook flick. How about you?
Mariah Carey's appearance on American Idol not only brought out some surprising performances, but also a smoking hot Ms. Carey. She looked awesome and I'm happy for her. Kristy Lee Cook was sent home which was probably a long time coming, though it's a little ironic since I think she put in one of her best performances of the season.
MTV premiered the 20th season of Real World this week and let's just say the casting has, um, come a long way — to put it nicely. However, if Real World is no longer your thing, The Paper also premiered on MTV and it looks fun. Did you watch it? What did you think?
Project Runway news continues to pop up as LIfetime develops several spin-offs. Bravo isn't sitting idly by, however, and announced its own programming plans this week.
I featured a diverse collection of trailers this week including The Wackness, The House Bunny, Helen Hunt's directorial debut Then She Found Me, and The Battle in Seattle.
Remember when I was excited about Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski being cast in a movie together? Well now the movie has a name and Allison Janney!
In other casting news, there is talk of a Teen Witch remake starring Ashley Tisdale. My befuddlement at '80s remake mania aside, this news reminded me of one of the greatest rap scenes of all time which you simply must watch.
Author Jennifer Weiner is on board to help ABC develop more programming aimed at women. As for current female-centric hit shows, Samantha of Samantha Who? is the focus of this week's Caption It contest.

Bravo's Schedule: Runway in July, Shows on Mondays, More

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:30:27 -0700

Yesterday, we got a sense for what Lifetime has planned for Project Runway when it gets the rights to air the show in November (pending a lawsuit, of course). Today, we got a taste of what Bravo has in mind for the fifth season of Runway — plus the rest of the network's programming plans, including more Shear Genius and Top Design.

Runway's fifth season is now set to premiere on Bravo in July, presumably with the final designers showing off their collections at New York Fashion Week in September. While that seems like it will be a quick turnaround between the Bravo and Lifetime seasons, it's actually about the same amount of time the show took off between seasons two and three.

Among the other announcements:

Bravo has launched MoviesWithoutPity, a spinoff of TelevisionWithoutPity.
Flipping Out, My Life on the D List, and Shear Genius all will return this Summer.
Bravo will start having original programming on Monday nights for the first time.
Both Real Housewives series — Orange County and NYC — will return, and they'll have a third spinoff: The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Speaking of Housewives, Jo De La Rosa's dating show is a go. Date My Ex, as it's known, will follow Jo looking for love — apparently with her ex, Slade, right by her side.
Top Design will return in the Fall with new host India Hicks — though Todd Oldham is sticking around as a mentor to the designers. All the judges from the first season will be returning, too (hooray, more questionable fashion from Kelly Wearstler!).
The Millionaire Matchmaker, Million Dollar Listing, and Tim Gunn's Guide to Style all will be back at some point.

Bravo also announced a couple of new shows in development. To see what they are, just