Project Runway season 4 winner Christian Siriano (who, incidentally, just this week debuted his first clothing collection on Bluefly.com) has a few choice things to say about Project Runway season 5 contestant Blayne Walsh‘s overuse of the word “girlicious” … essentially, he hates it. Which, I must confess, is pretty funny considering that Christian couldn’t go 3 mins. on his season of the show without saying the world “fierce”:

Christian Siriano, the man who perfected the reality show catch phrase, weighs in on one of “Project Runway’s” most controversial contestants this season, Blayne, and his overuse of the word “Girlicious.” Needless to say, he’s not a fan. But it’s not all bad news – although he doesn’t have such kind things to say about last night’s winning dress either – as Christian gushes about his new BlueFly.com collection, his designs for 2008 Fashion Week and of course, the biggest fashion muse of all, Victoria Beckham.

In a video interview with the New York Post, Christian calls Blayne‘s new attempt at a catchphrase “retarded” and “stupid” claiming that “it doesn’t really work” says that “it’s very forced” and that “it bothers” him. Um, what? Don’t get me wrong, I totally agree … the liciousness is annoyingly lame … but for Christian Siriano — the guy who used the word “fierce” so much that even he had to agree that it became “expired” — to dog on Blayne is too funny. If anything, Blayne is just trying to emulate Christian by mimicking him … it’s funny that Christian now finally sees how annoying this behavior is ;) After the jump, watch the entire New York Post video interview with Christian Siriano …

Bravo TV aired the second episode of the 5th season of Project Runway last night and for this ep they introduced a PR challenge first. Not only were the designers not allowed to shop for the materials they needed to use (that task was left up to their models) but they had to work with “green” eco-friendly materials for their entire design. This ep also featured a celebrity guest judge who is “green”-minded … someone I didn’t guess who appear on the show but, once she did reveal herself, made a perfect fit as guest judge … unfortch, her follow-thru and excitement level was severely lacking:

To be honest, I was very surprised at who got eliminated last night … and I was very impressed with a particular designer who is starting to get on my nerves (big time) but managed to pull off a very nice design in the end. After the jump, find out who was in, who was out and what went down on the ep entitled The Grass Is Always Greener …

Woot! The 5th season of Project Runway debuted on Bravo last night and the new season got off with an old start. We got to meet the new cast earlier this week in photos but got to see them in action in person in last night’s premiere ep. I must admit, a few of the designers turned out to be pretty much the way their photos hinted they might be … some where annoying, some were cute and the overly tanned guy, Blayne, is trying too hard to be this season’s Christian Siriano (but without the same level of talent). For the first challenge, the designers were put to the task of taking on the very first challenge that was presented in the very first episode of season 1 of the show:

After the jump, find out who won the challenge, who got sent home (and rightfully so) and what went down on last night’s ep entitled Let’s Start From The Beginning …

The 5th season of Project Runway debuts tomorrow night at 9pm on Bravo and in addition to revealing the new cast of designers and synopses of every single episode for the entire upcoming season (which, I still contend, is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of), the network has released a preview video to promote the season premiere. Here is a short video of the new cast of designers entering the famed Project Runway work room at Parsons design school for the very first time:

Tim Gunn is featured in this vid as he welcomes the designers to the work room. The 2 minute clip also features some designer banter at their residence and a small portion of the judging process at the end of the challenge. I’m sure it’s a nice little preview for the season premiere ep but I’m holding off on watching anything until the show debuts tomorrow night. Woot! I can’t wait :)

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Bravo TV has *finally* unveiled the cast of Project Runway Season 5 just 2 days ahead of the show’s premiere on Wednesday night. In previous seasons, Bravo did everything they could to promote and build hype for their most successful competitive reality TV show, releasing photos and bios of the designers weeks ahead of the season’s premiere. It appears that since this 5th season is the last on Bravo (it will move to Lifetime in the Fall for the next season) they seem uninterested in hyping up a show that will be leaving their network at the end of this season. In any event, the new cast of Project Runway has finally been announced … here is a promo photo of the assembled cast of designers and new promo images for the PR judges Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia:

Now, I know that some of you may be waiting until the show’s premiere on Wednesday night to meet the new cast of designers but for those of you who are anxious to get your first look at who’s in competition this season, read on. After the jump, meet the cast …

Ok … try not to panic. Well … try not to panic too much. Variety is reporting that Bunim-Murray Productions (the folks who brought us The Real World & Road Rules for MTV and, more recently, Living Lohan for E!) is “close to signing on as producers” for the upcoming sixth season of Project Runway when it debuts on its new network (Lifetime) this November. This isn’t necessarily the most horrible news ever … but it is disheartening that such a drastic change may completely destroy the best competitive reality TV show to ever exist … which, come to think of it, would be the most horrible news ever:

Bunim-Murray is close to signing on as the new producers behind “Project Runway.” The “Real World” producer has been in talks with The Weinstein Co. for weeks about taking over the gig in time for the hit reality show’s sixth season – and first on Lifetime. Magical Elves, which originated the show for the Weinsteins (and their former Miramax label) at Bravo, recently sealed a production deal with NBC Universal (Daily Variety, May 5). Because of their commitment there, they won’t be making the move to Lifetime (where the show bows in November). Bunim-Murray is no stranger to Lifetime, having recently produced “America’s Psychic Challenge” for the cabler. Company’s other recent credits include E!’s “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and “Living Lohan.” It also produces “Bad Girls Club” for Oxygen. In choosing Bunim-Murray to take over the franchise, Weinstein Co. and Lifetime went with a company that knows the reality space well – having produced 21 seasons of “The Real World.” In the competition space, its credits include the music shows “Making the Band” and “Born to Diva” … Beyond the production company shift, “Project Runway” already promises to look dramatically different on Lifetime – which shelled out $150 to snag the show – as it’s shifting production from New York to Los Angeles. The faces aren’t changing, however: Host Heidi Klum, mentor Tim Gunn and judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia are all signed to return … “Project Runway’s” fifth and final season on Bravo, set to air this summer, will be the last under the auspices of Magical Elves.

On the plus side, Bunim-Murry Productions are responsible for arguably the first reality TV show in existence (many people, me included, contend that the first season of The Real World heralded the birth of the genre) which proves they have much experience. Then again, that show has kinda lost its edge and has taken a turn for the worse in recent years (I think it started getting bad when the show went to Hawaii and went straight into the toilet when it went to Las Vegas — something that they’ve done twice already). If they put the designers in confessionals, I’m out. I swear, I’ll be done with the show. I’m trying to stay as positive as I can but the thought of so much change really has me worried. Pretty much everyone thinks that a new production company and a new network is going to kill the show. I hope and pray that those people are wrong … but my worry alert level has just been upped to HIGH.

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New York magazine caught up with Project Runway co-host and fashion maven Tim Gunn recently at the Peabody Awards which were held at the Waldorf-Astoria earlier this week and learned, among other things, that Tim is so bizzy working he doesn’t have time to scratch his nose (he has a season of Project Runway [the last season in NYC] and a season of his own show Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style to film over the summer). New York mag also learned that Tim is feeling “panicky” at the thought of relocating to Los Angeles, CA when Project Runway moves to the Left Coast (and to Lifetime) later on in the Fall:

As Tim Gunn has discovered, there really is no time to rest when you’re trying to make the world a more stylish place … Gunn told us he won’t have a day off until September 22. “I have no vacation plans,” he said. “I’m traveling to the Project Runway set.” That would be the set of the last Project Runway to be shot in our fair city (and therefore possibly the last season of the show worth watching — ever.). Then it’s off to shoot Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style. But Gunn isn’t worried about his endless work schedule. What really freaks him out is the idea of moving to Los Angeles when Project Runway switches to Lifetime for season six. “Can I be honest with you?” he said. “I’m panicky about it, and the whole idea of moving to a place that has a big car culture has me apoplectic.” Gunn won’t be moving to Los Angeles permanently but will have to stay there for a whole five weeks while the season films. He says he’s not even sure he wants to get an apartment: “I may have a little lean-to inside the set, wherever it is, so I don’t have to worry about travel.” At least, unlike most New Yorkers, he knows how to drive. He just isn’t sure he knows how to drive in L.A. “I’m not a good highway person,” he said. “I’m much better at back roads. I’ll make it work.” And what of that ubiquitous catch phrase? Heidi Klum has indicated that the show might say “auf Wiedersehen” to a few old favorites like “Make it work.” Is it true? “What?! No,” Gunn said, aghast. “I couldn’t possibly. ‘Make it work’ comes with me. I’ve been saying it for decades.”

HMMM … more evidence that the first season of Project Runway to be made for Lifetime will permanently relocate to LA instead of NYC (as opposed to the bullshizz we were told when the news broke that Lifetime acquired the show which claimed the show would be shot in NYC and LA). This huge change does have me worried but I’m far from apoplectic about the matter (ap·o·plec·tic — of, relating to, or causing stroke). Personally, I’m sure that Tim Gunn will do well in LA — there are a lot of folks out here who love him and the show (the majority of those folks live in West Hollywood, CA). I just hope that producers don’t muck up the show to the point of complete and utter destruction of the brand. I don’t know that my frail little heart could take ruination of the show I lurve so much. Hearing Tim Gunn‘s concerns doesn’t do much to appease my fears. I guess we’ll have to watch what happens (sorry Bravo).

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There is new word that Heidi Klum has sold her Greenwich Village apartment in NYC right around the time that she gave an interview to Forbes.com about the changes that are being planned for future seasons of Project Runway (ie. when the show moves to Lifetime from Bravo later on this year). According to Heidi, the show will get a bit of a “facelift” when it “moves to LA”. She goes on to give other comments that make it seem like the show will be moving there full-time and not part-time like we were led to believe earlier this year:

As Forbes’s 78th most powerful celebrity on its new list of the 100 most powerful celebrities, Heidi Klum discusses her career in a video on Forbes.com. In doing so, she spills some details about what Project Runway will really be like when it moves to Lifetime. “The concept will be the same,” she says. But! “It will have, definitely, a face-lift. The look of the show will change a little bit.” Oh, God, we can see the pink graphics already. She also said they might add some “different catch phrases,” which we’d welcome with open arms, since, as much as we love Tim Gunn, we’ve been ready to put “make it work” in the compost heap for years. Klum adds the show won’t be shot at Parsons, since they’ll be in L.A. Now we understood only half of the show would be shot in L.A. But Klum makes it sound like every runway scene will be shot in L.A., which would be the entire season, no? “It will have a Hollywood flair,” she says. Oh, gag.

See, I’m not willing to take the fatalist viewpoint and automatically assume that the show will turn to horse shizz just because it’s moving to LA. I’m concerned that too many changes (no matter where it’s shot) will turn off viewers and may put the show in jeopardy. There is one final season of the show set to air on Bravo starting next month and then the new (and improved?) Project Runway moves to Lifetime and debuts in November. It really sounds like the show is moving to LA full-time … despite the fact that people were spinning this huge change by saying it will be partly shot in NYC partly shot in LA. Heidi has a bad habit of letting the cat out of the bag too early and she did just sell her NYC home … it kinda feels like PR is really moving the whole kit and caboodle here to SoCal. I’m reserving judgment … surely they won’t totally destroy my fave competitive reality TV show … will they?

[Photo credit: Splash News, Source]