Project Runway 4 - Episode 3 - Tiki Barber menswear challenge

The show start includes a shot of half-naked, tattooed male designers in the bathroom at the start of their day. The theme for this episode is set. MEN! The challenge is to design and create an outfit for NY Giants running back and Today Show correspondent Tiki Barber. And, in a first for Project Runway, MALE MODELS were used for the runway show. Beautiful, hot, sculpted male models...finally.

When Tiki Barber was introduced, Kevin Christiana was the only male designer in the group who recognized him. Kevin reminded us again this episode that he's also the only straight man among the designers.

Any pro football player would be a challenge to fit into a suit. Tiki Barber admitted his own peculiarities are his big neck, big butt, and skinny waist. But the fact that almost all of the designers had no experience with menswear was the true nature of this challenge.

Freelance designer Sweet P, who's been receiving plenty of screen time for the third episode in a row, has never done men's clothing and yet she tried to make a suit. Her shirt's collar couldn't stand up and she never got to make a jacket.


Former model Carmen Webber was worse off. She had no shirt for her model and draped a piece of cloth around his neck to cover his nakedness.


Lingerie designer Ricky Lizalde made a three-piece suit, but ran out of time to sew the jacket. It was held together with pins.



There was a funny bit where Elisa Jimenez played demure and averted her eyes when her model disrobed in the room to try on the outfit. Ha ha, Elisa!

All in all this episode wasn't as funny as last week's. The designers were freaked out and it was a little agonizing to watch. The male models, however, were a nice visual relief. (Don't look, Elisa!)

Jack Mackenroth wins and Tiki says he'll wear the design on the Today show. Hetero Kevin Christiana comes in second.

My favorite quotes:

• "After almost being eliminated, I'm not as confident as I was before..." - Christian Siriano
  
• "The menswear has brought forth the claws." - Kit Scarbo on the tensions in the workroom
  
• "What was it that they had on the Titanic before it sank? Oh, yeah, PANIC!" - Steve
• "If that wasn't a navy fleece, like, give me a Xanax and I'm asleep." - Michael Kors about Kit's jacket
• "I can't be on the air looking like an idiot." - Tiki Barber

I'm a little confused about one thing. Last week the preview for today's episode showed Tim Gunn saying that Jack had an announcement and the other designers were crying. I didn't imagine this. I thought tonight's out-of-the-blue talking head soundbite from Jack who revealed he's been HIV-positive for the last 17 years would have something to do with this. But there was none of it tonight.

Some websurfing provides some clues, or rather spoilers. You don't want me to skip too far ahead so I'll stop here.