100-word Project Runway RECAP

And away we go...

The Final Four. Only three will make it to fashion week. That's how the show works, right?

Challenge? It's off to Elle where Nina tells them to design something that represents their style. Isn't that what they always do? They pick three words to describe their style. Uli and Tattoo Neck get nasty with Michael's words - awkward to watch. Admittedly, "sexiness" isn't the best choice.

Runway. Judges hate everyone except Uli. She wins. It appears Tattoo Neck is going down...but wait! Because they were all so mediocre, everybody's going to fashion week. No elimination. Total cop out -- wasted episode.

Next week: Fashion Week finale! Heidi forces the designers do an surprise extra design inside a burning building. Then, the designers freak out when they find out they'll be designing an outfit for fashion designer icon Shelia Phalangeles. Finally, in one more nasty twist, it's declared that no one wins. The judges laugh in the designers' tear-filled faces. No Saturns for anyone.

Actually, I think it's just the reunion episode...

All new things to click on!

Yep, I've added some links and blogs to my little side panel, so check 'em out when you get a chance. If I've left anyone out, let me know, I'm all about the commerce.

Last and least

Art Week concludes in Ronsonville with the birth of the criminally terrible super hero known as Catman. He's intentionally lame, but that doesn't stop him from being just plain creepy. At least Bach came by to mix things up a bit...

Musclemen have feelings too

Another disturbing character sketch from my notebooks...

Stay tuned for the All New Adventures of...

IU boxer shorts? I'm sure that was a completely random decision. I've drawn a lot of dogs, but this is THE dog of 2006...

From the "sketchbook"

Here are some drawings I did recently for a brainstorming session for an ad campaign. The medium is red ink on post-it notes. The theme is "green" but I was trying hard to avoid potential copyright nightmares. I find turning any popular character into a businessman sneakily escapes this trap. I have no idea why the Glob is playing poker. We ended up not using any of this.

Whiskey-soaked

It's the cliché of the day!! I despise this phrase so much that I call for any reviewer describing a musician as having a whiskey-soaked voice (and making it sound like it's a good thing) to be stripped of their laptops and sent straight back to Critical Writing 101. I'm lookin' at you, Matt LeMay.

New Feature! The 100-word Project Runway recap!

And away we go with last night's thrilling ep:

Heidi reveals worst surprise ever: Vincent and Angela are back. If they win (yeah, right), they're back in the competition. Wouldn't it have been nice to see someone with talent?

Black and white dress challenge. Even more cruel: You must use all of your fabric. Architect Woman freaks out. New baby hormones?

Architect Woman and Michael do fine. Though she freaked, Architect Woman wins. Shock: Vincent and Angela do terribly. They're out (again). Uli and Tattoo Neck do the same thing they always do. Kayne chooses not to follow the very basic rules of the challenge, designing a black dress. Bye-bye, Kayne!

Next week: Heidi tortures the designers by making them design with their arms tied behind their backs. What a twist!

And the Most Random Cast Award goes to...

Enemy of the State (1998)! Congrats to all for playing. I've been blazing through movies lately, and I doubt there's a movie with a more randomly assembled collection of actors.

On the surface, it's basically a Harrison Ford-styled thriller (um, with Will Smith playing the part of Harrison) where a mild-mannered lawyer gets thrown into extrodinary circumstances. But literally everybody in this movie is somebody. It's actually weird when you don't recognize someone...

The cast includes a before-he-was-profitable Jack Black playing it straight; the pairing of Jamie Kennedy and Seth Green as surveillance buddies (who I always used to get confused. You can almost hear the director say, "We need a Jamie Kennedy/Seth Green type in this role. We can get 'em both? Let's use 'em!"); Jason Lee, Lisa Bonet, Gabriel Byrne and Tom Sizemore all in bit roles; and Regina King (who voices Riley and Huey in the Boondocks cartoon) as Will Smith's wife. Even the people who are nobodies (Scott Caan, Jake Busey) are sons of famous people. There are so many people in this movie, I can't name them all. It's a Kevin Baconesque nightmare.

Tony Scott is also director of the second place movie in this category, True Romance. But that movie, written by Quentin Tarantino, sort of begs for stunt casting. This was like watching Witness with Jim Carrey as Amish Guy #2. Weird.

Kennst Du Kästchenhüpfspiele?

Christmas Alfreakingready?

Christmas comes early for fans of Sufjan Stevens this year. A 5-CD box set of Christmasy music is coming on November 21st. I'm a little late to the party -- apparently these tracks have been circulating for awhile. Anyway, this should be a perfect collection for either those looking for a little extra depression this holiday season or those who feel that the banjo has been wholly underused in the history of Christmas tunes (that would be me).

For those more concerned with music happening right now, it'll be a big shopping day for me on September 12, with new releases from The Rapture, TV on the Radio and Yo La Tengo. Goodbye, disposable income!

MTV Video Awards recap!

Cultural shift alert! R&B and watered down hip hop, look out! It might have been subtle, but I noticed a change in the guard last night. MTV has decided to pass the torch to corny pop-rock bands like Fall Out Boy and AFI, who swept up most of the VMAs last night.

This was most symbolically apparent during the Video of the Year award. J. Lo seemed confused and maybe even hesitant when she begrudgingly announced "Panic! At The Disco" as the winner in this category. It's supposedly the biggest award MTV can hand out (although everyone stopped caring about 15 years ago) and it went to a hack "rock band" who has the most annoying song titles ever. You could almost hear every pretty boy 20-year-old with an angular haircut pick up their guitar and flock to New York and L.A. to ride out the trend, forming bands with names like SchoolGirl Crush and Johnny Danger.

I'm not actually interested in any of this, except maybe in a scientist checking out an ant colony sort of way. From what I've checked out, most folks thought the awards were pretty dull.

My personal reasons for checking out the VMAs were pretty disappointing. Jack Black was painfully unfunny (and I'm a fan) and Jack White (leading the VMA house band the Raconteurs) continually made faces that seemed to say "this is the worst mistake I've ever made." Hoping for some witty banter between Jacks Black & White? Didn't happen. Just awkwardness and plenty of it!

OK, the rant stops here. Admittedly, I didn't watch more than a half hour of the show. I need to cut myself off from awards shows completely. I felt bad for Kari who had to hear a few of my rants, including one that involved comparing the decadence of the VMAs to the Roman Empire (this was around when the cast from Jackass gave out an award). A little over the top on my part. Maybe.