Am I In Or Out On Halloween?

October 31, 2008

Happy Halloween everybody!

Grab a cup of Joe this weekend, find a comfy chair, and check out the fantabulous NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE cover story about my boss, Bravo President Lauren Zalaznick. It's a huge, great piece that will give you a lot of inside info about Lauren, Bravo, and where we're coming from. Writer Susan Dominus did a great job getting what Lauren and Bravo are all about.

As you've seen, over the last few weeks we've been doing some pretty heavy inter-office fashion-policing of late (see HERE and HERE), and the other day my peers came by my Bravo dorm room to critique a jacket that will definitely be familiar to longtime Andy's Blog Readers. Here's what they had to say, and I am hoping you'll post your opinions too:

The Freaks Come On Thursday

October 30, 2008

I am incredibly mixed about this new blog layout. I might actually hate it. I feel like there is air and space everywhere, kind of like a blog air and space museum. You have been to a blog air and space museum, right?

Ok I can't start so stupid on a Thursday. I just can't. Especially on a day that will end with a brand new episode of "Guide to Style" because it wouldn't be fair to Tim!

It is cold in NYC, with a distinct fall nip in the air. Liza was saying the other day that it takes one cool day to make you forget what it feels like to walk outside in a tee shirt. Oh Liza, why do you always know best? Why?

READ MORE > >

Wiggin Wednesday

October 29, 2008

Tonight is a new "Top Design" and it gets really intense when Jeff Lewis steps in to guest judge and determine who will move on to the finale. He and Margaret have a bit of a fight during judging and I think you'll be surprised by the ending.

Just want to remind you that if you post questions for the Atlanta Housewives below, I will do my best to get them answered at the reunion show. Give me some good ones! Was it almost painful watching the auction at DeShawn's benefit? She should have charged admission, people. Let that be a lesson as we all go on to plan our own Night of 1000 Stars Benefits at our homes.

In celebration of the next week's finale of "Top Design", I'm posting an interview I did with Leeane and her beau the day after she won "Project Runway". But before I do I want to share with you an email I got this morning from an Andy's Blog reader named KYLE:

READ MORE > >

NYC Weekend Photoblog

October 27, 2008

The Top Chef tour made a stop in NYC this weekend and I hightailed it to Union Square on an empty stomach to see what was cooking on Saturday.

The bus has been around the country, with Top Chef alum going deep with TC fans in the form of cooking demos and rowdy Q and A's.

READ MORE > >

Webby

October 23, 2008

Now that "Runway" and Kenley are over I need to know where y'all stand on "Top Design" Eddie. He is a piece of work, eh?

I am at the Webby conference in Laguna Beach. It is total folklore that people who come to web conferences are geeky; it ain't so. There are some really interesting white hot webheads gathered in Laguna and the entire operation is under the purview of Rodger Berman, aka Rachel Zoe's Rodger.

If you watched "The Rachel Zoe Project", then you know Rodger isn't going to pull together some hokey pokey group of people. That being said, it is my understanding that the other conferences concurrently underway down the hall are for Waste Management goulies and NRA freakazoids. What if some of the freakazoids and goulies mistake the web thing for their conference? Would the 'net crash?

Oh and since I am at this Webby conference, I should mention some digital stuff that I've been finding particularly WebWeWeavable....

READ MORE > >

Chanel

October 22, 2008

Before I get into today's ramble, let me make sure you saw yesterday's visit with the Atlanta Housewives:

Now that that's out of the way, check out "Top Design" tonight. There's a super-high end challenge, lots of drama, Simon Doonan is the guest judge, and Eddie is provocative.

READ MORE > >

I Bow To Billy

October 20, 2008

What a fun, busy weekend. My parents were here, which is always simultaneously fun and a melancholy reminder of how fast life is going.

Friday night I celebrated my 20th anniversary of friendship with two leading ladies in my life, Dr. Amanda Baten and Graciela Meltzer at il Buco. The three of us met studying abroad in London in the fall of '88 and our soul connection took off from there. Amanda was the first person I ever came out to and Grac spent the semester wondering why I never came onto her. 20 years later, we still make each other laugh like crazy.

Saturday was an all-day Bravo photoshoot featuring everyone from Padma to Lipton and the Real Housewives of NYC. There was A LOT of energy in that joint and it was great seeing everyone. We have very outspoken and fun people working at Bravo. Joy.

I bopped out of the photo shoot for a Persky-Cohen lunch, which really was an election summit held at Antonucci's on the Upper East side. Who ISN'T obsessed with this freaking election? When my Mom got back to the InterContinental, she discovered that Sarah Palin was also staying there. That's what ya get for stayin' at the InterContinental!

READ MORE > >

Bendels Doesn't Care About You

October 17, 2008

Can you imagine trying to shop for something, being blocked by security and told you can't because a "celebrity" is inside shopping?

Have you heard of this thing?

Stores are shutting down quickly during the day and department stores are blocking off sections so that "celebrities" can shop? Apparently stores on Robertson Blvd are constantly throwing a velvet rope up and closing for 20 minutes so that Misha or Nicole or whatever loser can shop in peace. I get it and anyone who goes shopping on Robertson is clearly looking for some kind of humiliation, but now the madness is infecting NYC.

"First Class All the Way" star Sara Duffy was in my office the other day having just been stopped by security and shut out of two sections of Bendels so that LINDSAY LOHAN COULD SHOP. I would freak. What about normal Joe Plumbers like me and Sarah Palin? I guess we have to wait for Lindsay's bump to wear off in the accessories department before trying to lay down some green?

READ MORE > >

Everybody's A Winner

October 16, 2008

Last night was a lot…

Leanne and Kenley joined me on the after-show, with Tim Gunn and Fan Favorite Korto calling in from Smell A. (Watch it HERE.)

The 6th floor of 30 Rock was a pop culture melting pot last night. Conan O'Brien was taping his show (Friday's?) with Ed Norton, some random pundits wandering around waiting to go into a flash studio to analyze the debate, Kenley and her friends (including sweet Daniel Feld) were watching "Runway" in a greenroom, Leanne and her beau Nathan were behind closed doors watching her win in another room, and I was standing in the hallway watching that fidgety old man attack Barack.

From what I saw of the debate I thought the mean old man won, but everyone says smoothie did. What do I know? I'm just a Joe Sixpack.

READ MORE > >

Backstage Five Seasons of Fab

October 15, 2008

This is it. Tonight Bravo puts a bow around five great seasons of our beloved "Project Runway". I will be live taking your questions with the winner and the other girls tonight at Bravotv.com after the show. Check it out and help us celebrate!

Andy's Blog is all about personal meanderings of my Bravo life and my outside life, and it started almost three years ago largely as way to interact directly with you, our loyal BravoLovers, about our shows. I started blogging at the beginning of "Runway's" second season, and the blogs quickly turned into an explanation of what the hell the judges were thinking keeping Santino in the game. I used to call Nina at Elle pretty much every Thursday to get some quotes to feed people posting below the blog. (This was before we had a ton of other blogs...)

I love taking pictures, and I think today's a great day to share some of my favorite behind the scenes memories of the last five years.

Season 1 finalists Jay, Kara, and Wendy wait to find out who won! (Um, it was Jay.)

READ MORE > >

One More Day

October 14, 2008

Tonight's finale of Rachel Zoe is packed with enough drama and glitter for an entire season... We should've made this episode a two-parter! Be sure to park it in front of the TV at 9 PM EST for a brand new episode of the Atlanta Housewives, featuring an unforgettable kid's birthday party. Please tell me you heard Anderson Cooper talking about the Atlanta ladies on "Regis and Kelly" this morning...

We are one day away from wrapping up Bravo's five seasons of Fabulousity, and to celebrate I give you part two of my look back with "Runway" producers (and Magical Elves co-founders) Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz.

Before you send any emails, yes I know I have moobs in this and my shirt is too tight and I am bloated in general.

Viewer Mail

October 13, 2008

I'm too depressed about the state of the world to do anything but post this viewer mail segment...

Anthony Strikes Back!

October 09, 2008

Remember last week when I somehow thought it was a good idea to publicly ridicule my assistant's fashion sense via his choice of hoodie? (if you forgot - watch HERE.) Well I was in for a big surprise last Friday when I arrived at work to face a panel of judges, including my best pal Bruce, who were ready to critique my outfit... Thanks, Anthony!

My Friends

October 08, 2008

It's a really dramatic "Runway" tonight. I can't believe we're wrapping up our fifth season. I'm a nostalgic guy. Thanks to Christian Siriano for hosting tonight's after-show while I am in Temple atoning for my (short list of) sins.

The election. Is getting upsetting, crazy, and dangerous. I was glad that after the last few days of that mudslinging Hockey Mom, the debate was actually mellow. Here's what, "my friends". McCain just seemed like a really old man to me. And the format was like a "Watch What Happens" special in old fogey slomo.

And as far as I can tell everyone I know wound up playing the "my friends" drinking game, making them drunk halfway through.

READ MORE > >

Like A Prayer

October 07, 2008

Tonight is big. New "Rachel Zoe" plus the premiere of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta". And the debate. How do people not know for whom they're voting?

It's interesting reading this morning's reviews of "Real Housewives of Atlanta". The critics either call the ladies the end of Western Civilization or go very deep about the show as a reflection of modern society. Either way - it is a blast.

It's almost as fun as last night's opening of Madonna at Madison Square Garden! Here's Bruce's nephew Lukas with Tabatha. He's 15 and loves Madge and Tabs!

READ MORE > >

Madonna Monday

October 06, 2008

Tonight is opening night of Madonna at Madison Square Garden. She's playing all week so it's nice to know she's a few blocks away singing and dancing. We got great seats for tonight and I believe we are a few rows away from Tabatha, so that's very Bravo. There's a review in the Times today that looks bad, but I'm not reading it until tomorrow.

One of the two (within a block of each other) West Village fancy chocolate places closed recently and here's what's in the window:

It's a poster of Barack, and one of "Eight is Enough" cutie Adam Rich. Ummmmm... I don't completely get the connection, but I love it! Side Note: who didn't want to be Adam Rich and have all those amazing older siblings?

READ MORE > >

Folksy Friday

October 03, 2008

I was glued to the debate last night. It was pretty damn exciting.

Sarah P. has been studying her books and she passed the test. I thought Joe B. was kind of drifting there for the first half hour or so but man he caught a wind and kicked into high gear. I thought he did what McCain did in the first debate, which was remain on the offensive and basically kick butt.

I am not into the folksy Joe SixPack talk, especially when it is delivered in the Fargo accent. I guess it's not a surprise that I find 'leavin' the 'g' off the end of every '-ing' word unappealing and stupid. I don't care about 'doggone' and 'you betcha'. Call me old fashioned, but I want my elected officials to sound smarter than me, but people loved George W's stoopid talk too. It would be nice to respect the English language.

READ MORE > >

The World According to Kenley

October 02, 2008

Before I get into last night, let me remind you that there's a new episode of "Tabatha" followed by the premiere of "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style"... Tim's show is phenomenal - we took everything you loved from last season and built on it. Tim has a new fashion accomplice, Gretta Monahan, with whom you're going to fall in love. Let me know what you think of the show!

We had a really great after show last night (watch the whole thingHERE) breaking down that incredibly intense "Runway" episode with Daniel V and Jack Mackenroth. Kenley called into the show and was a total sport for 10 minutes of questions and analysis about everything from her feelings for Tim to her disrespect of the judges.

Here's a taste of the first couple minutes of Kenley's phone call...

Tuesday Is For Lovers

October 01, 2008

It's two hours of power tonight with a new "Runway"/"Top Design" stack starting at 9 P EST. Put your 'pooter on your lap and log onto the After-show at 10 P EST. We’ve got Daniel V, a special guest, and someone from this season that will knock you out.

Wasn’t Anthony a good sport on yesterday's blog?

Last night I celebrated the Jewish New Year with Tabatha Coffey, Rene Fris and a gaggle of gays at Beige at B Bar. I hadn't been in forever and it was great to be back. That place is always packed and it is packed with a lot of people you don't really see anywhere else.

To say that the gays love Tabs is an understatement of epic proportion, kinda like saying America is screwed right now. She was like the People's Princess last night. I've not seen anything like it.

READ MORE > >