Project Runway (Wednesdays at 9 pm/ET, Bravo) has certainly had its share of colorful characters — and inspired creations — over the past four seasons. So which of the reality hit's wannabe designers have found a pattern for success? We checked in with the winners and notable also-rans to find out just what they're up to now.
Wendy PepperVirginia mom Pepper, the controversial dark-horse finalist from PR1, is sticking close to home. Her new line, Pretty World, is being sold exclusively through Highcliffe Clothiers, right down the street in Middleburg, Virginia. "I walk to work and make my line at the shop," says Pepper, 43. "First come, first served!" She extended her Bravo career on Celebrity Poker Showdown and Battle of the Network Reality Stars, and she doesn't rule out returning to TV — "Never say never!"
Jay McCarrollAfter winning PR1
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Question: I was such a die-hard fan of Project Runway until the episode when they kicked off Alison instead of Vincent. To make decisions based on drama (Vincent and Angela) and not on talent (Alison and Michael) just turned me off. I find Tim Gunn's explanation of kicking Keith off for having pattern books a joke now. There is no integrity on that show when they send away someone who has far more talent than that boy. I can already foresee kooky Vincent making it to the final three because they need another Wendy Pepper or Santino Rice to become the talentless underdog who causes drama every week.
Answer: I agree that Vincent should have been booted instead of Alison — and even worse in my mind was robbing Jeffrey of the win that week, favoring Michael's blander design. But I don't see Vincent as anywhere near as dynamic a love-to-hate character as Santino or Wendy. He is bizarre, and maybe the judges are just fascinated by him for some reason. Still, I don't feel nearly as manipulated
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This is Heidi Klum's year of threes: The supermodel is 33 years old, expecting her third child and awaiting the third-season premiere of her other baby, Bravo's Project Runway (launching tonight with a 9 pm/ET casting special, followed by the first episode at 10). Not only has the reality show — in which 15 contestants compete for $100,000, a new car and an optional mentorship (this year with Macy's instead of Banana Republic) — been a surprise hit for Bravo, but Klum says success hasn't altered her intended purpose for it: to celebrate the hard work and talent it takes to create fashion.
"There have always been movies about fashion," Klum says of pop culture's fascination with the industry. "Fashion TV has been around for many, many years. You can go on the Metr
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Question: I am maybe one of the biggest fans of Project Runway, because it's so different than other reality shows. However, I'm beginning to believe that maybe it's not so different. On the Jan. 19 show, General Zod — sorry... Santino — somehow wasn't voted off, yet poor Emmett was. Zod has been on the chopping block numerous of times and Emmett was only on the chopping block one other time. I think this show is rigged. You're someone with knowledge of reality shows. Don't you think this show is rigged just to keep the "villain" on?
Answer: This question came up in an earlier round, when Santino was first in danger of being "out" (and, typically, blew up at the judges), but Daniel Franco was sent packing instead. At that time, it did look like the producers might be favoring Santino because he's colorful and adds conflict to the show (this season's Wendy Pepper?), but I felt that Daniel was clearly unable to function within the rules of this game, especially where time constraints were
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The Apprentice "It's about to get crazy." Randal, buddy, I think you're greatly overestimating your potential for on-screen drama as you and Rebecca square off in the final task. But if by "crazy" you mean civilized and sportsmanlike, well, OK. I mean, come on, when the biggest wild card on your resurrected team is Toral, we can't really expect much in the way of stellar meltdowns. What about Clay? Or Markus? Or even that spunky little loudmouthed Kristi? Give us something to work with here — it's reality television, for crying out loud! If Omarosa, Raj or heck, even Wendy Pepper doesn't show up soon, we may be in for a loooong finale, folks. As usual, the season's going to end with a pair of big charity events: Randal
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