Episode Report Card Jeff Long: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT If You Can Make It Work Here...
By Jeff Long | Season 7 | Episode 1 | Aired on 01.14.2010
Ping Wu enters the girls' apartment. Janeane introduces herself and they hug. Ping seems really excited. She is 33 and from Chicago. She tells us that she is an American-trained physical therapist and Italian-trained fashion designer. She works as a physical therapist by day, so she knows how the body moves. Oh my shit, thank you WORLD! Is this my new Diana Eng? Is it? If it is, I'm just going to go ahead and decree that this may be the third best season of Project Runway ever. I love the weirdos. So, we see video of Ping's work on a runway. It has, to coin a possibly meaningless/hopefully evocative phrase, a kind of flowing geometry to it. There's a sort of Mondrian thing going on in her prints and there's an angularity that is softened with long skirts and loose fit. She says that she is always looking for the simplest cuts to liberate body movement. The mannequins are flipped to the tits. They are ecstatic. I know, girls!
Ben Chmura, who is 29 and from Tampa, is the next guy to enter. Seth Aaron introduces himself as "Seth Aaron." I know. When it was 1972/73 and his parents named him Seth Aaron Henderson, I'd bet you a pair of glitter-colored Doc Martens that they had no intention whatsoever of anyone ever calling him "Seth Aaron." Seth Aaron shows Ben around and tells him to avoid the bed that he broke. We don't see any of Ben's work.
Outside, getting out of a taxi, is Anthony Williams. He's 28 and from Atlanta. He tells us that he grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and laughs that it is hell growing up black and gay in the ghetto. Touché. He enters the apartment and Seth Aaron remarks, "Wow, that's quite a suitcase." Anthony has a big suitcase. He replies sweetly, "Honey, I brought Georgia with me." So, I'm liking Anthony. There's something genuine about the obvious placeholder for this year's gay clown slot. He explains that his ultimate goal is to design gowns for contestants in the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. He's not a fan of the Miss America pageant. I actually find that sort of intriguing and want to know more. We see some shots of Anthony's creations and they are typical pageant wear, though a little less over the top than Kayne Of Many Colors was churning out when he was our clown. It's unknown whether that will be a good or bad thing. Anthony says that, "If life has called me for such a time as now, then Anthony needs to rise to the occasion. Period." The mannequins are like, "I get it, but what the fuck did he just say?"