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 The cover story of this week's New York magazine is fascinating: the magazine traces the lives of Bravo reality tv "stars" after the cameras stopped rolling. For instance, remember Jay, from Project Runway, season one? He's homeless:
But bedding itself is missing from this studio, as is a kitchen and
a shower, which matters more in this case than it ordinarily would:
Though he’s the first- season winner of Project Runway, Jay, 32, is still homeless in New York.
“I haven’t been living anywhere for two years,” he says. “I sleep at other people’s houses. I sleep here if I’m drunk.”
Most people have fared better than him - Austin Scarlett, also from season one, is the creative director of a bridal line; Harold Dieterle of Top Chef, season one, has his own restaurant; Jeffrey Sebelia kept expanding Cosa Nostra. And at least Andrae Gonzalo isn't homeless:
When [Gonazlo] auditioned for Project Runway, he was waiting tables
at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, because his boutique wasn’t making
enough money. After he was eliminated, the Walt Disney Concert Hall is
exactly where he returned. “I was still working there while it was
airing,” he tells me over lunch. “Boy, was that surreal. The guests were freaking out. They were like, ‘I can’t believe it’s you! You have to take a picture!’
The article goes further than the participants' individual fates and analayzes the cottage industry of Bravo reality TV, from Queer Eye to the umpteenth competition show spinoff, and how the execs behind it all have gotten it down to an exact science.
[Bravo exec Lauren Zalaznick] says that what crystallized Bravo’s programming philosophy for her wasn’t Project Runway so much as Bravo’s previous smash hit, Queer Eye. “We had to define what pop culture meant on Bravo,” says Zalaznick. “And
what pop culture, as defined by us, has come to mean is five affinity
groups: fashion, food, beauty, design, and pop. It’s not coincidental
that the five guys in Queer Eye each represented one of those things.”
Nor is it coincidental that four out of five of Bravo’s competition reality shows each represent one of those things.
It's a great read. We're just upset they didn't include an interview with hunky out Bravo VP Andy Cohen...
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written by Daughter Of The Revolution on August 08, 2007
Austin Scarlet is a wicked little tart!!!
written by JRP on August 08, 2007
It's really sad to hear that Ja is homeless -what did he do with his prize money?
written by Alex on August 09, 2007
that's an interesting topic - on PR's first season, there was a stipulation that if you accepted the prize money, The Weinstein Company (the producers of the first season) would own a 10% share of your brand, indefinitely. Jay forfeited the money instead.
written by JRP on August 09, 2007
really! That really interesting and also paints he producers as predatory - in taking advantage of the contestants.
written by Alex on August 09, 2007
totally. they dropped that clause after the first season, and Bravo just announced a partnership with a talent agency that will hopefully promote the careers of any winners and finalists, which will make everyone look better in the long run
written by Becky on September 18, 2007
so, how come jay isn't doing anything else?? With his talent he could be making tons of money on his own. I wish that there was a designer that made plus size beautiful clothes for a fraction of the cost of top designer prices.