Tim Gunn Opens Up About Past Season…and Victorya

One of my favorite TV writers, Maureen Ryan, had a great conversation with PROJECT RUNWAY star Tim Gunn about the level of talent this season, Christian’s win, and what the future holds for Project Runway contestants. And let me tell you, Mr. Gunn didn’t hold back. He was quite honest and spoke openly about mistakes of past contestants including Project Runway Season 1 winner, Jay. But he really let is loose when he spoke about his distaste for Victorya, a contestant from this past season of whom I was not a fan. Tim Gunn I love you!

Tim Gunn: [Regarding the sudden departure of Jack due to a serious infection] Victorya in particular was so hysterical with me and with the producers, [saying] ‘What are you doing to him? He should stay.’ It’s like, ‘You know something, he should be in the hospital right now. Stop it, and stop being so selfish.’”

Maureen Ryan: I don’t really understand why she was so upset. Can you explain that to me?

Tim Gunn: “She was sourpuss, a crabby apple as I keep saying, throughout almost all the show, other than Days 1, 2 and 3. She became this sour pill. Rich Bye, one of the executive producers, and I had two off camera interventions with her. I said to her, ‘You know what makes me beside myself is the fact that there are thousands of designers who would love to be in your place. What’s the matter with you?’

“She said, ‘I never dreamed the experience of being on the show would be like this.’ We said, ‘What do you mean?’ ‘I never dreamed we’d only have a day for challenges, that we wouldn’t have any breaks.’ ‘But you said you saw the show.’ She said, ‘I assumed it was cheated.’ I said, ‘Then you only have your own delusions to blame.’ She was really angry and bitter.

“On one occasion – they edited this out, I knew they would – we were at Mood [Fabrics], and I’m handing out money. They each have $250 dollars. She collects the envelopes from all the designers and hands them back to me. She said, ‘I want you to count it.’ I just stared at her. ‘You want me to do what?’

“She wanted me to count the money in each envelope. I looked to the producer on site with us, and I said, ‘I’m not doing this, am I?’ and he said, ‘The rules say that if a designer asks for the money to be counted, we have to count it.’ I said, ‘Fine,’ and asked why she wanted it counted. And she had pulled out this sheaf of papers – she had the rules with her – and she said, ‘I don’t believe that we all have the same amount of money.’ Why would we do that? If someone didn’t have the right amount, wouldn’t they come to me? So I counted the money.

“But that’s what it was like dealing with her. She actually said about Jack’s departure that we had engineered him leaving because he wasn’t a pretty face anymore. I just said to her, ‘I fundamentally don’t understand why you can’t understand that he is seriously ill. Furthermore, it’s a MRSA [infection]. We are all at risk.’ But she said we were forcing him out and that shouldn’t happen and we should have a hearing or something.”

MR: That explains what the hostility was about in the reunion special. I think I get that now.

TG: “I still don’t understand [what was going on with her]. She was at the finale party last night. I said to myself, ‘What are you doing here? Why are you here, you’ve disassociated yourself from the show, supposedly, but you’re here?’

“I will say this too, as sour as she is, she is extremely talented.”

For more of Tim’s thoughts, please read the full article here.