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[Images via Bravo]
Last night's Project Runway was easily the best of the year. Each designers was paired with a drag luminary like Hedda Lettuce or Miss Understood and challenged to create an outfit that reflected her specific persona. Given that Kelli was booted last week for her insufficient "taste level," this challenge seemed like a minefield—how do you make a drag queen look good without offending Nina Garcia's high-fashion sensibilities? Well, it helps to have RuPaul as a guest judge. Here's how everything went down:
Biggest surprise: That would have to be the visitation from beyond the grave. Suede informs us that the spirit of his grandfather, a gardener, came to him and said "Suede, you need some seeds on your dress." Since Suede's client is Hedda Lettuce, this would seem appropriate, but it turns out Hedda and the ghost of Suede's grandfather don't share the same fashion sense.
Worst attempted catchprase: This category has fully morphed into "Which did Blayne say more this week, 'licious' or 'Holla at your boy'?" Given this week's "licious" montage, "Holla" didn't stand a chance.
Feud of the week: High-maintenance Hedda tells Suede that she feels like Godzilla in her dress, then asks him if he made gloves because he was too lazy to make sleeves, prompting Suede to call her "soggy lettuce" behind her back. Then Tim Gunn opines that Hedda is "mean." Tim Gunn has so much moral authority, he should probably run for president.
Most annoying contestant: Nobody seemed particularly irksome this week. Seriously, drag queens make everything OK.
Best smackdown: Tim tells Blayne his outfit looks like a pterodactyl out of a gay Jurassic Park. Blayne says "Tim has given me the greatest complement I think he could give."
This week's loser: Daniel, who got too worried about "taste level" and delivered a gorgeous but thoroughly un-draggy neon sherbet-colored evening gown.
This week's winner: Joe, whose pink sequined sailor suit for "Southern Ann Margaret on steroids" Varla Jean Merman really "showed off her assets," as Nina put it.
Designers who cried: Daniel. (Life goes on: A tipster spotted him on Monday in a Williamsburg coffee shop carrying a Mood bag.)
Designers who were robbed: Nobody. Korto assembled a corseted sequined gown for her girlie client Sweetie, and Terri created a striking kimono for androgynous '80s glamazon Acid Betty, but the former was too on-the-nose and the latter wasn't quite drag enough. Joe might be boring, but the man knows what he's doing.
· Project Runway Sneak Peek: Drag Queens! Chris March! Best Challenge Yet! [Racked]
· Project Runway User's Guide: Welcome to the Lipstick Jungle [Racked]
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