10 Questions with Caroline Rhea

October 31, 2006

Before I talk about how hilarious and smart Caroline Rhea is, I have to plug my appearance on the insanely simple and addictive (simply addictive?) online show RING MY BELL tomorrow, Wednesday. You can watch the show at Ringmybell.tv, but the most important thing is that you can call in and talk to me and say anything you damn well please from 11-12 PST, that's 2-3 EST for all you confused people. The show is an offshoot of the great WOW Report and those insane World of Wonder kids who produce some fine quality shows for Bravo and HBO and the world so it is an honor to be on their show. How embarrassing will it be if no one calls and I am sitting there singing the Donny and Marie Goodbye Song for an hour? So please do call!!

ANYHOO, man is Caroline Rhea funny and talented! And she also is starring in a standup special on Bravo tonight called "Rhea's Anatomy!" I love that girl and I love the title of the special and she called me yesterday morning at 8 am to chat about it all....

HELLO!
Hi, am I waking you up?

NO, YOU AREN'T. ALMOST THOUGH. WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW?
I am just driving around the city. I just did the morning news to promote the show. There's a lot of pressure -- I have to have every gay man that I like to watch my special tomorrow because Kathy loves the gays so much. But there's enough for all of us, Kathy -- we can share!

EVERYONE HAS A SPECIFIC AUDIENCE -- LIKE WHEN YOU GO TO MARIAH CAREY CONCERTS YOU HAVE THE PLEASURE OF GETTING UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH HER PEOPLE. WHO ARE YOUR PEOPLE?
Gay men and women. That's all my best friends -- gay men and straight women. I wanted to do a show called "Willfull and Graceless." I just think with female comediennes, and for me since I've been in high school my best friend was a gay guy -- there's something about the sensibility that's a natural bonding. Oh, and women get senses of humor and straight men don't!

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10 Questions for Joan Rivers

October 26, 2006

It would have been so OBVIOUS of me to interview Joan Rivers the morning BRAVO aired her standup special, but, like George W. Bush, I don't believe in simply "staying the course." I am an adapter. I am flexible. Andy's Blog is a fluid body of ever-changing thoughts ... so why not interview Joan the morning after her special aired if I damn well please?? I know many of you were flipping between Joan and the Cardinals game anyway, right? Have no fear, we'll rerun the hell out of the special and this taste of Joan is a perfect hump-day treat.

(Note, I still haven't given away the shoe, so if someone emails me a damn good reason why they should have it, I will send it! OK, enough of this -- Joan is on the horn!)

Hello, hello!

HI JOAN. LAST TIME I SAW YOU WAS AT THE OPENING OF CHORUS LINE...
Yes and you were in the good seats!

WHAT DID YOU THINK?
I loved it. My lawyer produced it I have to be clear about that. You're taping this right?

YOU BET!
It was great. I loved it. J'adore Chorus Line.

YOU WERE PROBABLY THERE FOR THE ORIGINAL, RIGHT?
Yes I sat on a stair next to Dick Cavett. You couldn't get a seat.

PEOPLE HAVE NOT SEEN YOU ON TV DOING STANDUP IN SO LONG ... WHY?
Because I'm banned from late night television! I am. I've never been on Leno. I've been on Conan once and Letterman once in 17 years. This is on the record, I'm telling you -- it's the truth. I had to go to England and become a huge sensation over there for Bravo to bring me back and put me on!

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10 Questions With ... John Benjamin Hickey

October 24, 2006

If you saw Flags of our Fathers or Infamous over the weekend, then you saw John Benjamin Hickey. He's one of those rare actors who's got a great mix of concurrent roles on stage, film and TV. He's also one of those rare actors who is out of the closet (paging Kevin Spacey). And he's also my very good friend, neighbor, and one of the most fun people I know to hang out and chat with. With two films in theaters, how could I pass up the opportunity to share some Hickey with Andy's Blog readers!?

HI, HICKEY! WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW?
I'm driving in LA on my way to the movie theater to see The Departed.

WHAT'S IT LIKE BEING DIRECTED BY CLINT EASTWOOD?
The greatest experience of my life! Like being in a room with Miles Davis -- not that I've been in a room with Miles Davis, but that's how I imagine it would be like.

IS HE AN INTIMIDATING MAN'S MAN, OR WHAT IS HIS VIBE?
I wouldn't say he's unintimidating, but that's not because of him, it's because of whatever baggage you bring.

YOU'RE ALSO IN INFAMOUS PLAYING TRUMAN CAPOTE'S KIND OF BOYFRIEND OR PARTNER JACK DUNPHY. WERE THEY BFS? WHAT WAS THE DEAL THERE?
They were partners, lovers, and boyfriends for some 30 years and Jack led his own much quieter life. They had something worked out to where it worked for them, because Truman got around much more than Jack did.

AND REVIEWERS ARE ALL OVER TOBY JONES' PORTRAYAL OF CAPOTE. THEY SAY HE'S EVEN BETTER THAN PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN..
I loved him -- thought he was a total reincarnation of Capote and an inspired and giving actor. He was so much fun to work with. Andy, is this a boring interview?

NO, SWEETIE, IT MOST CERTAINLY IS NOT A BORING INTERVIEW. THERE ARE ABOUT 200 MORE BORING INTERVIEWS OUT THERE WITH A LADY NAMED NICOLE KIDMAN SO DON'T WORRY.
OK, good....

A FEW YEARS AGO YOU STARRED ON AN ABC SITCOM ABOUT A MARRIED GAY COUPLE CALLED "IT'S ALL RELATIVE." WAS THERE EVER PRESSURE FROM ABC TO TONE DOWN THE GAY? WAS THERE A LINE YOU COULD NOT CROSS?
Actually, surprisingly -- given that their parent company is Disney -- we met little resistance. For whatever you may have thought about that show, it did offer Middle America a monogamous gay couple like a lot of married couples and I thought that was cool. It was cool to get to do that on network television -- especially on ABC. They never
censored us in any shape or form. Granted it wasn't the most cutting edge show, but even so....

DO YOU THINK BEING AN OUT GAY ACTOR HAS HURT YOU OR HELPED YOU?
I think the only time it hurts me is when I think about it too much, and there have been times that I've thought about it or freaked out about it and that makes you crazy. I think at the end of the day if you're a good actor then you're a good actor. People don't care. At times I've thought about it more than anyone in show business or anywhere has!

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Judges Defend Jeffrey Win

October 20, 2006

Yesterday started with a phone call to Tim Gunn to see how his finale night was and to get the poop on the TRESemmé finale party. He told me who was there (all the Final Four and a lot of the designers) and how the show went down (very well). I told him that from what I was reading, the online chatter was that Uli was robbed. Tim was not going for that at all. I gots to say -- the judges loved Uli's collection but really responded to Jeffrey's innovation and new point of view. The fashionistas went for the new sparkly sparklies in front of them and so did Tim. It is interesting to see how steadfast the Runway crew was in their commitment to their decision and then to see the real people chattering passionately online.

After I hung up with Tim I moved on to one of my fave ways to start a day: a quick catch-up at Bonsignor with "Flags of our Fathers" star John Benjamin Hickey. We were in the middle of a Runway debrief (he was cool with Jeffrey's win) when we ran into Ethan Hawke. Hawke told us about being onstage the night before in Tom Stoppard's "Coast of Utopia" when co-star Richard Easton dropped to the floor, mid-monologue, with a heart attack. From the stage, Martha Coolidge threw out the classic, but underused "is there a doctor in the house?".

Ethan has an adorable border collie and Easton is gonna be ok.

In the taxi to work, I heard from Bruce, who was furious himself about Uli being overlooked for the win. He thought her stuff was the most wearable and beautiful. He was saying "why, Nina, why!?" I told him I spoke to Nina on Wednesday and she was still carrying on about how much she loved Jeffrey's stuff and how she felt like Uli is going to have a huge career, but that she's seen it all before.

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Jeffrey -- The Winner -- Speaks

October 19, 2006

Not only was Jeffrey not booted from competition, he won the whole damn thing! He was at the Bravo offices again yesterday and I forced him to sit down at my desk for a face-to-face interview. What could be a better prize for winning Project Runway!?

SO, WHAT WAS IT LIKE AFTER YOU FOUND OUT YOU WON?
This is the worst question to ask. I mean, you were there that day! I was exhausted and in shock! So many thoughts went through my head and all I could think was, "What does this mean? Does this mean that I am the next great American designer?!" My experience tells me no, nothing is in the bag. It means I worked hard and did some smart things and won a contest. And now, hopefully because of the nature of the contest I can fuel my business with this. I don't take anything for granted. I am hoping for a higher standard of living for my family and a great career.

WHEN YOU WERE STANDING THERE WITH ULI, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? DID YOU THINK YOU WERE GOING TO WIN?
Honestly, it was easier for me to grasp the idea of Uli winning because there was nothing attached to it for me. I am fine thinking, "Oh, this is going to be so great for Uli!" But I have a hard time stepping outside myself and thinking about what's great for me. My opinion of the finale shows was that it went how I thought. I sometimes don't get the judging, but to see Michael go first for the reasons he did made sense, and then Laura and then I thought from the moment I got there that it would be between Uli and I. I don't pretend to know what the judges are thinking. If you show up and be in the moment and not have expectations you're not prepared. The moment got big and exciting and i was like, "Wow, now what do I do?"

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Project Runway Finale Tonight!

October 18, 2006

About four hours before we crowned the winner....

Well, tonight's the night!! I am so excited for all to see this episode because it is the most emotional finale we've had yet. As we watched long rough cuts of this show, I was overtaken with panic that there was no way to cut it to time and preserve the emotion and drama. But Rich Bye and the editors and team at the Magical Elves delivered a beautiful show. I cried my face off at the end, and isn't that what it's all about?

Before we taped the Q&A, Nina gets quizzed by (from l to r) Bravo's Shari Levine, Magical Elves Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, and Bravo's Frances Berwick

The models and designers take a break from the looooong Q&A. We kept begging Laura to sit in a chair and she finally relented -- after hours of standing.

I spent some time with the Runway winner yesterday. There ain't no spoilers in this blog, btw, because all four finalists are in town and have been around. Anytime someone has come to my office over the last few weeks, I force them to look out my window at the incredible sculpture at the base of Rock Center by Anish Kapoor. It is called Sky Mirror and is literally a massive mirror that tilts upward towards the sky, reflecting the top of the huge tower. It is so cool., and sadly coming down soon.

The amazing Sky Mirror by the very darling artist, Anish Kapoor.

I am sure by this point in the blog you would love some infotainment either about Project Runway or where I dragged my tired ass last night, right? Well, I think I'll move on to my night last night, because it was a good one that started at a party in the Conde Nast tower in Times Square celebrating Amy Sedaris' book I LIKE YOU.

Last night, Amy wore the same dress she wears on the cover of her book!

I can't say enough about how much I love this book. It is so original and smart and funny and beautiful and crafty. It, like Amy herself, is the gift the keeps on giving. I could not stay at the party very long because I had to book it to our Top Chef party at Tom Colicchio's CraftSteak on 10th Avenue, so I kissed Amy goodbye and, though I have one, grabbed a book. The great thing about a book party is, of course, the free books. There are never enough though, so arrive early and grab one. On my way out, I ran into John Benjamin Hickey, who was waiting for SJP and Matthew Broderick, who were about a minute away.

Here's three things that go together: Prada, Times Square, and handsome John Benjamin Hickey!

Mr. Hickey answered a few leftover questions I had about Flags of our Fathers and then the dynamic duo arrived. I screamed "Go Cardinals!" to Mets fan Broderick as we parted ways.

Head Chef Tom Colicchio hangs with host Padma Lakshmi and season 2 chef Cliff Crooks.

The party at CraftSteak was fantastic. Almost all of the chefs that you will see tonight on "Top Chef" were there. Also there were some Season 1 faves like Dave, Cynthia, Candice, Andrea and Harold, who was cooking a tasting menu for the entire party. The crowd, naturally, gravitated to last season's favorites while the stars of season 2 mainly roamed unrecognized.

Bravo President Lauren Zalaznick is flanked by Season 2 Top Chefs Marcel, Elia, Mike and Sam.

I told the Season 2 kids that Wednesday is the first day in the next chapter of their lives. I can't imagine what awaits them. Sam and several other chefs reported that they'd been recognized on the streets of Manhattan just based on the commercials and bus ads. Wow.

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Flags, Flotilla, and Florent: Me in NYC

October 17, 2006

Last night I went to what turned out to be a supersmall and superfancy screening of Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers." I was ready to show up in jeans and a jacket and my friend said: "You better wear a suit, babe, this is a serious night." It was.

"Top Chef" Host Padma Lakshmi, Sarah Jessica Parker, Toni Collette, Barry Diller, Laura Linney, Aidan and Lizzie Quinn, "Sex and the City" braintrust Michael Patrick King with Adriana Trigiani, and Lauren Bacall were all there to see the film. The seats next to ours had a nametag on them that said "Streep" but the Dame never showed. That is what I call serious. In attendance from the film were Ryan Philippe (with wife Reese Witherspoon), Jesse Bradford, John Slattery and my dear friend John Benjamin Hickey.

The flick is really good and tells the story behind one of the most famous photos ever told -- the six men raising the flag in battle at Iwo Jima. It features standout performances from the guy who plays the Indian (I irresponsibly can't remember his name), Slattery, and Hickey. Also Ryan Phillippe is literally wearing a sailorsuit to match his babyface for the entire film, which ain't awful to watch for 90 minutes.

The film ends with everyone in the audience in tears. This being a premieresque screening, people stayed for the entirety of the credits. It's always weird determining the appropriate time to exit a movie premiere. Can one stand when the credits enter the sound mixer category? The craft service apparatus? This audience sat still for the entire credit roll. Appropriate, but zzzzzzzz.

We hit the dinner following at the Soho Grand, where a DJ playing "Billie Jean" set the tone for the soiree. I don't think the DJ had seen the same film that the 50 of us had, because he might've altered his 80s dance hits selections for the night. I was ready to vibe out to some Dinah Shore after the film, but that was not to be.

We had a good time anyway, and when "Hung Up" came on I surrendered myself to the DJ and realized it was just fine to celebrate on top of a roof looking at midtown and the (lit orange) Empire State Building. It's what Clint would have wanted, I told myself. Not to mention the men of Iwo Jima. They certainly would have wanted us dancing to Madonna following our engagement in their story.

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Michael Kors and Fantasia

October 16, 2006

The thing that I love about Michael Kors is that, as funny and fun to watch as he is, he is pretty much always right. He makes sense. He's smart. It's one thing to be a reality show clowny judge, and it is quite another to have the chops to back that shit up. He does! People ask what Kors is like on the set, and he is exactly as you think he is. When we are on breaks, he's hanging out regaling all with stories about EVERYTHING from his mother to thread counts in sheets to fashion or what he did last night. And his clothes rule!

WELL, HELLO THERE.
Well, hello there....

AS WE'VE WATCHED THIS SERIES UNFOLD, ALL THESE UNKNOWN DESIGNERS BECOME HOUSEHOLD NAMES. WHEN DID YOU BECOME A HOUSEHOLD NAME?
Oh my. The funny thing is I think that my career in fashion has been more like an onion unpeeling. The first wave of recognition came amongst fashion insiders, and then that spreads from just being a NY thing to being a NY and LA thing, and then that unfolds and turns into a Dallas, Miami, and Chicago thing. What probably really broke me away from the pack was in the late 90s when I started designing for Celine (note kids: the line -- NOT Dion). That introduced me to an international audience that might have been unaware of what was going on in the States. What brought us to broader audience here was when we launched Michael and people who can't afford to buy a $2,000 dollar jacket could now buy stuff that's available to them where they can shop. You didn't have to go to Barneys or Bergdorf's to find me -- suddenly if you shopped at Macy's you could buy a piece of Michael Kors.

AM I CRAZY OR...
Yes, you're crazy.

RIGHT, I KNOW. OK, AM I CRAZY OR DO YOU LITERALLY ONLY WEAR A BLACK T-SHIRT AND SPORTCOAT? HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?
That's my total uniform.... I have this strange thing that when I was a kid from the ages of 10 'til 20 I was the trendiest human being on the planet. Whatever was the trend, I wore it. I went to 5th grade dressed as Dr. Zhivago right into discomania, then tie dyes, and rock and roll insanity -- I did it all. In my early 20s when I went into business I was thinking about fashion for other people so much that I made a decision that I didn't want to think about it for myself. I love the idea that if you're consistent then you can still look at a picture and say what year is that from. Does the black jacket change over the years? Yeah. In the 80s it was one button, in the 90s it was three button, and now it's two button. The jean goes from dark rinse with a bootleg to torn up medium rinse and on and on. With a black T-shirt and the right tailoring and a pair of aviators it is so easy. Also, I don't like to think about or acknowledge the weather. I hate heavy winter clothes. I would rather spend my time thinking of dressing others than myself!

DID YOU HAVE A FAVORITE DRESS THIS SEASON?
My favorite dress this season was "For Nuts Only" from Laura.

WOW. THAT'S GREAT....
I love that dress. I think it's tough to be chic and have a sense of humor. When people say chic they think uptight and no sense of humor. Are there ever gorgeous stylish female comedians -- not many. There was Lucy, Mary Tyler Moore, SJP, and Debra Messing and that's pretty much it. It's so hard to pull off being funny and stylish and Laura's dress was both of those things. And it was nice to see HER have a sense of humor, too.

ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL DECISIONS WAS ALISON'S ELIMINATION. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT, LOOKING BACK ON IT?
I think that she has so many of the elements that you need to succeed in fashion -- she's talented, well spoken, smart and attractive. The audience watching the show saw all those things. In that particular episode what she unfortunately showed was the inability to edit or be self critical and stand back from yourself. She had blinders on. The decision was unfortunate that it had to be made but coming from her -- a woman who knows how to dress a woman, I thought it was surpirsiing that she sent it out. She should've edited it and saved her own butt. My analogy is when Uli said: "I want Nazri." She was smart enough to know that the right model can change your whole presentation and in fashion that's everything, sometimes. I don't think Uli's tie dye would've looked the same on Alison's model with that hair. If Alison had that model I think she should think of what dress is going to be the easiest for her to wear and how to wear it. She needed to acknowledge who she was dressing.

IS THERE ANY PART OF THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING LEAD JUDGE ON "RUNWAY" THAT YOU CAN STEP AWAY FROM AND SAY "I LOVE THAT?"
I think for me, I have over the years had a lot of situations where I have been a critic at Parsons or FIT and have met students who end up working for me and growing. Maybe there's something about me that's like the wacky father figure. I stopped doing it at Parsons when they changed their program structure and I started travelling and I kind of missed doing it. This brings me back into it. I also need to continue to grow and learn as a designer, and unless I can help someone else navigate the waters it feels selfish. I like that part of the show. Also I like seeing clothes from people who aren't bogged down with the things that designers in the business are bogged down by -- the press and the stores and all that. I like seeing it raw, that's fun! Fashion is not an easy thing to navigate and stay raw. They go with their gut and that's fun.

AND IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT DOING THE SHOW THAT YOU CAN STEP AWAY FROM AND SAY "I HATE THAT?"
Well, when I like the designer and I sense that there is talent there and they've just made the wrong turn and you have to say goodbye, I hate it. It's not fun. I think that hopefully it shouldn't mean the end of their career -- just as a designer in business who has bad reviews keeps going on the next day. If you have something to say, you learn from it and move on.

ANY EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE YOU'VE HAD TO LET GO OF THAT UPSET YOU?
Alison. To me, that was bad. When her model turned the corner I said, "Why did she do that?" Maybe it's lack of experience. I knew that we had to say goodbye to her. I really felt sorry about saying goodbye to her. Kayne also -- I felt bad. I never want to make them doubt themselves. I want to make them the best they are. I didn't want to make Kayne feel like we beat him down. He's got big taste and personality and he's optimistic and I didn't want to saddle him with the idea there's no place for him. The reality is some people like tomatoes and some like potatoes! There's room for everyone!

HOW DID VINCENT STAY SO LONG?

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Laura Talks Back; To be Style Guru, Maybe

October 13, 2006

I had a feeling I might hear something from Laura Bennett after my interview with Santino last week, in which he called our elegant Park Avenue finalist a "hobbyist," among other things.... Sure enough, I got a message from an amused Laura the other morning saying that Uli was over at her place and that they were picking up their eyeballs off the floor after reading Santino's comments about them in this space. Since I am known internationally as Andy "Scoop" Cohen, I called Laura back to see if she had anything she wanted to say.

SO YOU'VE READ THE SANTINO BLOG?
Well first of all I didn't read the whole thing in detail, so don't ask me about other parts of it -- we read the Laura part and the Uli part.

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Jackie Warner on Coming Out, High School, and Why We Need Gay Marriage

October 10, 2006

It's National Coming Out Day, and so I thought it perfectly appropriate to begin the day by calling "Work Out's” bodtacular Jackie Warner to bond over our out-ness.

GOOD MORNING LADY!
Good morning!

IT'S NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY!

Ahh yes... what a beautiful day!

YOU GREW UP IN A FAIRBORN OHIO, A SMALL TOWN OUTSIDE OF DAYTON ... DID YOU HAVE ANY GAY ROLE MODELS?

Not one! I felt completely and I mean completely isolated. I grew up in the 80s, Andy, and in the 80s we didn't have anybody coming out and discussing their homosexuality ...

YOU AND I ARE THE SAME AGE -- I DON'T THINK THE YOUNGINS WE SURROUND OURSELVES WITH REALIZE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUEER EYES OR SEE ANY GAY PEOPLE ON TV. ALL WE HAD WAS PAUL LYNDE AND ANNE B. DAVIS. WAS ANNE B. GAY, BY THE WAY?

I have no idea! I just remember my first gay movie I had to drive 45 minutes away and watch this movie. I sat alone -- I was 17 or 18 I was terrified someone would see me. It opened my eyes to so much obviously.

WHAT WAS THE MOVIE?

It was Desert Hearts -- it was so important because it had two feminine characters, two women I could relate to. Both characters were feminine and I understood it and related to it. I had to travel to see it alone in the theater -- it was funny..

WOW I AM HAVING A FLASHBACK TO RENTING MAKING LOVE AT THE VIDEO STORE AND SNEAKING IT HOME!

I remember that! That was an important movie for people

FASTFORWARD TO TODAY AND YOU ARE A GAY ROLE MODEL! HOW DOES THAT FEEL?

It feels pretty interesting. I don't realize it until I go out in the community or read the emails and see the impact. I am reminded of the importance of what I did. I think I was honest and comfortable with myself onscreen with my relationship. By no means did I try to do this - it's how I live. I have a regular lifestyle and a business and a lover and friends and all that is what makes my life.

I think I was able to get into the straight community because those factors are interwoven into my life. I don't think straight people see me as gay, but that is just part of my personality. I think it's important for people to see our sexuality as just part of ourselves.

Some people need to walk the line and help the heterosexual community understand that we're just like them. That's what I did. That was my form of protest. Some people shout and picket, but this was my subtle way of getting attention to 'the cause'

WHEN DID YOU COME OUT?

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I'm Not Jake Gyllenhaal's Best Friend ...

October 09, 2006

Why I love Amy Sedaris, and Oprah & Gayle are not doing it.

OK, so I have a hodge podge collage of information on my mind this morning as I try to motivate to go to the gym at my hotel in Los Angeles. In no particular order, I'm going to dump it directly from my brain ... to yours! (That's kind of HOT, right! Like, I feel CLOSE to you....)

** THE CARDS AND THE QUEEN: Last night I watched my beloved St. Louis Cardinals kill the Padres and advance to play the Mets to decide who will represent the National League in the Series. Watching them clinch in their new ballpark made me regret writing my diatribe against the new Busch Stadium a few months ago after I'd visited the park.

When the game was over, I switched gears from Albert Pujols and marvelled at Helen Mirren giving it hard in The Queen. Give the lady a trophy for bringing humanity to a cold monarch who turned her back on England as her people begged her to stand up and say something -- namely that she was sad about the death of the People's Princess. You feel like you spent a chilly week at Balmoral with some insanely uptight tea-drinkers, but come away understanding her struggle. And the guy who plays Tony Blair is amazing.

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Now He's Nasty: Santino Talks A Lot

October 05, 2006

THIS IS PART TWO OF THE INTERVIEW WITH SANTINO. PART ONE WAS PUBLISHED YESTERDAY.

OK, GIVE ME YOUR OPINIONS OF THE OTHERS STILL IN THE GAME. LAURA I KNOW ... ULI?

I liked Uli too when she came to the casting. I vouched for her. Some of the other judges didn't see it or thought it humdrum -- but she had a great eye for combining prints. She's talented, she has a stylist background, and that's completely valid. A lot of her work on the show I found mesmerising and beautiful.

to read the full interview, visit our CHAT section here: CHAT

Santino Talks to Bravo's Andy Cohen

October 04, 2006

Santino Rice is one of the most talented, popular, and divisive designers in Runway history. Everyone has been on pins and needles waiting for either Barbara Walters or I to nab the exclusive Santino interview about the man's views of runway and the universe. I called him last night around midnight in NYC to see what was up in LA.

For the full interview (and one crazy picture) visit OUTzone's new Chat section HERE.

Austin Scarlett, Jackie Warner and Ricki Lake

October 02, 2006

I was so zonked from last week's management training and programming offsite and general fall craziness that on Saturday I doped myself on up on melatonin and spent the day in a haze. I made an early attempt at productivity so I screened episode 3 of "Top Chef" (it's really good) then hit my kitchen, where I whipped up an old favorite -- some Kraft mac and cheese that I bet would get high marks from Tom Colicchio. Did I brown the top using the broiler option on my toaster? Well, yes, I did. Please pack your knives and stay, Andrew Joseph.

I committed myself to staying inside all day and hit the DVR in a big way. I watched two episodes of Oprah (road trip and Janet Jackson), last week's "Studio 60" (why did I almost cry at one point?), the premiere of "The Class" (an actual funny sitcom!), and last week's "Survivor" (they mixed the races together to form two teams zzzz).

Saturday night I went with Graciela to a birthday party for the artist Jason Middlebrook at the Sara Meltzer gallery. His stuff is really cool. Walking around galleries always reaffirms my absolute inability to articulate or measure how much a piece of art is going to cost. Always a brain twister for this reporter.

When we were done at the gallery, we headed over to a soiree that promised "light fare" at the lower Fifth Avenue skypad of Master Austin Scarlett. We knew there would be curiousities awaiting us, and there were. I love that Austin. He is talented, alabaster, sweet, and kind.

Yesterday started with a monsoon and I was geared up for a rainy Sunday. I met Bruce at Florent for some breakfast. If you are ever looking for me on a weekend, stop by Florent on Gansevoort Street and chances are you'll find me. I have been having breakfast there since I first moved to the West Village in '91. I saw Florent (the owner) the other night and was telling him that one of the great things about his restaurant was the low turnover of his staff. There are folks who have worked there for 10/15/20 years who are still smiling.

The weather cleared up and I dragged Bruce to the set of a new Bravo series that we were shooting down on Wall Street. I wanted to pop down there and say hi to Bravo sensation Jackie "Work Out" Warner, who was making a guest appearance on said show. It is always great to see Jackie, especially in NYC. Last time I saw her in this town she was here for Mimi's birthday last year and we were pulling out the stops to make sure the GF's first visit to NYC was one to remember.

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