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Sparkle (1)
Seriously, dudes, Project Runway isn't supposed to make me cry. Over and over.
This week's episode opens with Valerie whine whine whining. She thought she would go home, not that she wanted to go home, but she's sorry Ivy went home, because ivy is her BFF and on and on. Ivy may have been way more toxic, but really? Valerie is the most self-deluded. And she dresses like a Peanuts character. Which, actually, might be a mitigating factor.
After two wins in a row, even Gretchen can admit that Mondo is her big competition. Well, duh. Although I don't think you're quite as much competition for him, honey.
When we hit the workroom the designers find pictures from their childhood up on each of their big huge HP touchscreens. Including Michael C. as a little boy in his underwear, which I actually could have done without.
And this week's commercial is for HP. Meaning, it's the "HP Challenge." The Executive Director of HP Global Marketing gets 15 seconds, not even minutes, of fame to introduce the challenge. It's a repeat of last year's opportunity to create a textile design that will be created overnight and used for the challenge's design.
This year he challenge came with a little more explicit instruction: The textile design must evoke something very personal. Design itself can be anything, but the textile must have some inspiration or story.
And it has to be the main element of the design, although they'll get to spend $100 at Mood for supplemental fabric.
So, what did we learn this about their childhoods while they were designing textiles?
Well, it sounds like Michael C. had a homophobic mother. That picture of him in his underwear? Well, right before he had been spinning around and around in a skirt to see it twirl, and when his mom caught him she made him take it off. And then took a picture of him. Did anyone else find that story creepy?
That Christopher has a future in commercials
That April's the "dark one," and that must be why she always designs in black. Her textile is about her parents' divorce.
And finally, we learn that Mondo's life is a bit like the character of Paul in the musicalA Chorus Line. Coming from a traditional Latino family, Mondo did come out to his mother when he was only 17, but basically she told him not to tell his dad, and not to tell anyone else either. And he really didn't. Not only that, but he's designing a textile filled with plus signs. Because he's been HIV positive for 10 years. And hasn't told anyone.
Well, until now on national TV.
And the timing? What with the recent losses the LGBT community has suffered, particularly among young gay men who have taken their own lives in the face of bullying and continued stigma. I was a mess watching Mondo put it out there. And for once I hoped it would do some good to have a reality TV show pushing their contestants into doing a "confessional."
From there they went to Mood, where Swatch was nowhere to be seen. But if you were thinking the emotional level would be dialed down ... think again. Because back at the workroom, Tim let them know some special guests would be showing up, and with that he sent in the moms!! One and two at a time.
First moms in? Valerie's and Mondo's! Then Michael's mom came with his son, which made him a blubbery mess.
And then there was a pause, to build dramatic tension of course, and to provide a moment for Gretchen to share that she doubted her mom could come because she has to stay home and take care of Gretchen's step-dad, and they don't have money, so she could never afford to get a caretaker, so she could come. And how she missed her mom and felt bereft watching everyone else's show up. And OK, I actually liked Gretchen. And of course her mom showed up ... seriously, how could she not?
Christopher was the only one whose partner showed up instead of his mom. Which made me wonder why, but that question went unanswered.
Tim gave all the designers the rest of the day off, and they got to spend time with their dear ones. And Mondo thought about telling his mom about his HIV status, but couldn't do it. He couldn't "cause her pain at that moment." I was thinking this episode was obviously going to conclude
