Project Runway: Funny Farm

I know, I know – you’ve seen this episode, you’ve forgotten about it, and you’ve mentally moved on to Thursday night’s team challenge fiasco.

Well, I didn’t get around to checking this out until yesterday, and, it was just too good for me to move on without doing a quick recap. (My column on the latest “Runway” episode will be up soon – maybe.)

The designers met up with Tim in a farm (not Broadway or the moon, Janeane) where he was backed up by a herd of models wearing potato sacks. The challenge was to prove the old saying — “she could make a potato sack look good” — is true and create a cocktail look out of a potato sack for an upcoming “industry function.”

The most noteworthy part of this process (other than Jay Nicolas’ random cartwheel in a field that HAD to include manure) was Mila’s model choosing to work with Anthony instead. Mila became insecure about her skills before passive-aggressively lashing out at Anthony. (The gist was “Ew, why would she choose to work with Anthony over me.) I kind of gave Anthony a hard time during the premiere for being to sass-tastic by half, but I like that he told Mila to kiss he and his family’s ass. (My other favorite part was Tim telling the designers to use the farm stand “thoughtfully” as if it were some sort of acceptable substitute for the Bluefly.com Accessory Wall.)

That being said, I’m REALLY glad the model switch worked out for Mila (she and her new model gelled beautifully and produced a sleek, futuristic garment that probably should’ve won) because I have a feeling we would’ve been hearing about this for weeks if it hadn’t.

Mila was joined in the top 3 by Amy (with a flowy, earthy look that was my girlfriend Erica’s favorite) and challenge winner Jay Nicolas (who changed course from a navy blue dye he didn’t like to black, including a fantastically fluffy skirt that didn’t look like potato sack at all.) To be honest, I wouldn’t have had a problem with any of the top 3 winning – but Jay Nicolas’ was my third favorite look. I also really liked Anthony’s stylish red dress. (I also liked that it proved this guy could actually design a little.)

The bottom 3 was made up of Jesus (who broke the first and most important commandment on “Project Runway”: “Thou shalt listen to the advice Tim gives you during his workroom visit!”) Pamela and her denim booty-tasic dress (uh, double up, uh uh!) and Ping. (I admire that Jesse made pants, but he’s lucky his uncomfortable-looking ensemble wasn’t deemed bottom-3 worthy.)

Oh Ping. Our semi-beloved flake was also guilty of breaking that first commandment (Tim warned her about her dress being too short). Then again, if Ping had listened to Tim, we wouldn’t have gotten the amazingly hilarious sight of Ping’s model walking down the runway with her butt cheeks flapping in the wind. (Bonus points to Heidi for leaning in to get a better look.)

Ping was spared because she’s just too much fun to have around and the judges wanted to see what she’d come up with next. The elimination came down to Pamela and Jesus, who had, well, skirted the challenge by covering the bottom of his potato sack with ribbon, against Tim’s advice.

I would’ve bet money that Jesus (in the bottom two for the second week in a row and looking totally hopeless) was going home, but I would’ve lost. At first, I was somewhat outraged about this, but then they kept showing Pamela’s dress and how big it made her model’s ass look. Also, though Pamela executed the denim dye job perfectly – who the hell would want to wear a denim dress to a fashion industry cocktail party?

So what’d you think of this episode? Did Jesus deserve to go home? Who would you have picked as the winner? Finally, isn’t Seth Aaron a little old to be dressing the way he does?