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Sparkle (1)
I seriously want to kick some people in the shins right now, namely: Mondo and Michael's parents.
With $9000 to spend, 6 weeks to work and 10 pieces to build, the final four of Michael, Mondo, Andy and Gretchen get to work. and Tim sets off to visit them each in their home town.
So, yes, we kick off with Tim getting to go to Hawaii to visit Andy.
Andy's family emigrated from Laos, and lives on a farm where they raise, among other things, catfish. Tim is inordinately freaked out by the catfish. I'm just wishing Andy would put them back in the water, you know, where they belong.
Andy is working from an inspiration of home, meaning Laos.
He's using Laotian textiles, the last package of which only arrived the day before...a mere two weeks before they have to head back to NYC. He also sourced metals from Laos.
The bottom line is that he doesn't have much for Tim to look at...which is worrisome to them both.
Next, Tim heads to overheated Palm Springs to visit Michael.
I may be mistaken, but the show has been somewhat coy on the point of Michael's sexuality throughout the initial episodes. He was the guy with a kid, and they didn't really mention how that happened, or with whom. But now we learn that Michael has a nice partner, Richard, who is clearly a bit bitter about Michael's parents. Apparently they've been telling him he's no good and should give up this design thing, but worse than that: They think he should go back and try being married to a woman again. I'm sure America's women thank you, Michael's parents, for pushing him back out on the market, despite knowing he's actually gay. I'm not liking Michael's parents very much at this point.
Michael is working form the inspiration of sky....and feathers.
He has a dozen completed looks on the maybe pile, and another half-dozen on the reject pile. Tim tells him he has "design diarrhea," and that he better focus.
Next, Tim heads to Denver to visit Mondo.
Mondo lives in a Mexican neighborhood of Denver. So he's inspired first by vintage shots of circuses in Mexico City. And he wanted to evoke both "gritty" and "creepy." Which then reminded him of the Day of the Dead. So he's got a circus/Day of the Dead marriage going on. That does indeed sound creepy.
Except for one hot pink piece, for which Tim pulls out a good SAT word: Jejune!
So, Mondo has a boyfriend, which is nice. And no one brings up[ the whole "do his parents now know his HIV status" thing. But Tim does make oblique reference to Mondo not being "your traditional child". And Mondo's parents go to town on that one:
Mom: I tried everything to make him be one. Yes, to be a macho guy.
Dad: I wanted him to play ball.
Mondo: The rules were he had to play ball to play piano.
And here's the thing: It's not like they're saying this ruefully -- or if they said, "but NOW, I'm so proud of the child I have," we are not shown that at all.
So, I'm not liking Mondo's parents very much at this point either.
Finally, Tim goes to Portland to visit Gretchen.
And I really am starting to feel empathy for Gretchen, despite not liking her demeanor or her designs. I mean, how can you not feel for someone who comes back from NYC and the stress of competing to find a "failed relationship, empty bank account and empty house."?? She's "embarrassed to have Tim come under these circumstances."
But Tim, all-around BFF that he is, tells Gretchen about his intense relationship that failed -- and that if it hadn't, "I never would have moved to New York."
Aw, Tim, I loves you.
Gretchen is inspired by her Western roots, mixed with dabbling with other rural cultures. Which sounds cool.
But Tim pulls out the dreaded "costume-y" to describe the results. So, she has work to do.
When they head back to NYC, we discover they are staying at the New York Hilton. That's the BlogHer '10 Hilton to you beyotches!
Tim's back with the velvet bag, and they're all concerned. As Mondo says: "It's always going to be evil, no matter what's in it."
But no. Hilton is giving each of them a trip, either to Barbados, Costa Rica or Hawaii. A trip
