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His pain is palpable, his dream crushed.  On Thursday’s finale part 1 of Project Runway, Michael C’s elimination for a spot to go to New York Fashion Week is the most gut-wrenching of any over the past 8 seasons of the show.

Whether or not you thought he should have been chosen doesn’t matter.  I think we all cried a little bit with him.  But man, that was tough to watch.  Remember the open to ABC Wide World of Sports, where the ski jumper dramatically crashes off the ramp and into the crowd.  Well now we have a replacement – Michael’s total breakdown on the runway and in the backroom.

Seems many viewers thought Gretchen should have been auf’ed and I agree.  WTF.  Her collection isn’t just granola, it’s downright dowdy.  Whatever.  We all know Mondo will win, or will PR/Lifetime just screw with our minds on that too?

What I want to know is, was this episode taped before or after the Spring 2010 collections in September?  At that time, PR was only a few episodes into the current season 8.  So not to spoil the surprise of the show, many of the PR designers did create and show their collections – as decoys – at the new home of fashion week at Lincoln Center.  Yes, Michael C. got to show.  So did Casanova for that matter.  Their runway debuts were on September 9, 2010.

If they showed before the finale was taped, then Michael’s reaction does feel way over the top.  He got his Lincoln Center fashion show, and the entire line photographed and watched countless times online.  Great exposure for him, no doubt.

If the shows happened after the finale taping, Michael’s emotional outburst is absolutely more real, as he believes he won’t get to make it to the fashion week runway.

Yet, I couldn’t help feel the PR producers were milking Michael’s crushing disappointment for all it was worth.  I just want to say, shame on you, at least let they guy be auf’ed with what little dignity he may still have.   You know when reality TV has gone way overboard if you squirm in your seat, as we all did, watching the PR finale play out.

Best wishes to you, Michael C.

Who doesn’t love Tim Gunn?  At the end of last week’s Project Runway, he rocked our world by putting Gretchen in her place (finally!) and admonished her team, Luxe, for letting her run all over them.  Wow.  I had to rewind my DVR over and over to watch.  It was a rare insight into what he’s seeing behind the scenes.  Bravo Tim!

Then he kicks it up a notch in his new book, Gunn’s Golden Rules: Life’s Little Lessons for Making It Work. Tim dishes on his observations in the fashion world, and has the nerve to call out Vogue‘s Anna Wintour on her diva-like behavior.  Oh no, Tim may be banished to fashion wilderness! Tim, we’ll follow you anywhere.

I can’t wait to see Project Runway tonight, to see what the fallout of his scolding Team Luxe will be.  At least he’s making PR interesting, something it certainly needed.

What are your favorite Tim Gunn moments?

Click here for more on Tim’s book