“project runway gretchen jones bitch”
Gretchen Jones
Above is one of the terms entered on a search engine that got a reader to us here yesterday at DOD. I saw the search term before I watched Episode 3 of this season of Project Runway. In other words, I didn’t yet understand why someone would use that final word to describe Ms. Jones, the two-time challenge winner. Now I’ve seen Episode 3. I get it. While I would probably not use that particular epithet, I can understand why someone else would. Gretchen Jones is odious. Not only has she let her two challenges go directly to her head, but she cannot stop talking about herself and others. She takes herself way too seriously and, as the other designers made quite clear last night, inserts herself into conversations and design consultations where she is simply unwanted. This is not just a matter of talking big to psych out the competition (though she also does that); many of her most egregious boasts come in the one-on-one-with-the-camera interviews. She’s starting to remind me a little bit of last season’s Egomilio Sosa. In short, she needs to get a grip. She may be good but she will soon become Enemy #1 if she doesn’t watch herself.
So while I would have preferred to see the win go to Valerie (the Susan Lucci of Project Runway, as she amusingly put it) because I liked her dress the best, I was pleased that Andy nabbed the top honors away from Gretchen. His dress was innovative and stylish, if a little ill-fitting on the upper half. Was Sarah’s dress the worst? Probably so. Am I going to miss her wry and down to earth demeanor? Absolutely. Casanova has been so consistently tasteless that I feel like giving Sarah another shot might have resulted in something interesting in a future episode, whereas Casanova is always going to deliver more of the same. Stay tuned, kids. This season is gonna get ugly…
Update 8/27: And indeed it did. See a more recent post on Gretchen’s shenanigans.
See our Season Finale Wrap-up Here.
Tim Gunn to Peach: “You design like you’ve got a lump of coal up your butt! You’ve got to turn this into a diamond and make it work!”
Or something like that. The best PR line EVAH! (Finally got to watching it after a very full week.)
And yes, Gretchen is an absolute nightmare! At first, I thought it might be creative editing or leading questions from behind the camera in the individual interview, but it soon became clear that she really is that obnoxious. That final scene in the back stage area was just astonishing! She needs to crash and burn pronto! (And her onesie last week was ugly anyway…. though I will agree that this week she did well.)
I am coming to like Michael from Palm Springs. His designs aren’t always great (though this week I thought he did pretty well), but he makes great, expressive faces.
I was just talking with friends about how that Michael was totally growing on us as well. I liked his dress this time around; I’m glad to see he’s pulling it together.
And yes, no amount of creative editing could make Gretchen be as horrible as she seems to be. Ugh ugh ugh.
I just typed ‘Gretchen Jones designer bitch’ into google’s search engine and voila, it led me right here. Okay, please pardon my political incorrectness; odious is a much more “fitting” term. How about evil? Well, that’s a bit much, but it’s borderline. A straight guy, I loved Gretchen right from the start. She’s tall, beautiful, smart, very, very talented, and eco-centric—but, sad to say, also horribly egocentric, which obscures her good side. She’s a total nightmare. Way too competitive. And it’s a bummer that she’s probably going to win. The only one, IMO, who can give her a run for her money is Valerie.
Ah, Valerie. Now she’s cool. Must have something to do with the fact that she’s from Cleveland—a great city packed with hip people who are anything but hipsters. What a prescient counterpoint to villainous Gretchen!
BTW, great blog.
You are not alone, Joe. We seem to be getting more traffic just because of the odious Ms. Jones.
And I’m with you: I think Valerie is her main competition. Occasionally one or another of them shines through with something interesting, but otherwise they are remarkably inconsistent. And aside from the episode on 8/26 (and the day of Gretchen’s greatest bitchiness) she has been pretty consistently good. Sigh…
Now off to post on last night’s nastiness — your analysis has inspired me.
[...] April may have summed it up best, and it is from her that I take this post’s title, though even she had no idea what was in store for Team Luxe when she asked the question above. Hitler as a point of reference is undoubtedly extreme, but Gretchen proved herself the ultimate Project Runway villain last night. And clearly she had already been practicing. [...]
I also found this website by googling “gretchen jones is a bitch”. I pray to all things holy that they kick her ass off the show in fourth place – just close enough to Fashion Week to make it all the more disappointing. The world is full of brilliant, talented designers. In order to actually WORK in the fashion industry, (or any industry for that matter) you also have to have common sense, a likeable personality and at least a shread of common decency – she obviously has none of the above.
Welcome to the world of Gretchen anti-fans, Michael! I share your hopes for a fourth place finish; that would indeed be the ultimate send-up. Fingers crossed!
Too bad Gretchen is from Portland. She gives us a bad name. I can’t stand stuck up bitches like that. It’s so funny how she says she’ll support her team (including Michael C) and then she throws them all under the bus, to save her sorry ass and her ugly collection. Michael C may not be the best seamstress, but he is a good designer. There you have it. I hope Gretchen goes home soon. From what apparently was written in the Portland Mercury newspaper, I think she does.
Monica,
Thanks for the Portland inside scoop! We here in D-town had no idea about these rumors of Gretchen being gone soon. And I agree with you: she talks a good game about being supportive and cooperative, but when push comes to shove…
i can see that she’s talented but wholey crap is she one conniving bitch! confidence is a good thing but she blows passed the line and enters the world of ‘egocentria’. maybe her intentions are good but, god, she needs to learn how to tone it down a little. the way she projects herself is overbearing. i thought emilio sosa was bad but i’d choose him over gretchen any day.
I’m with you, Cathy. And I’m very curious to see what happens to tonight! I also thought that Emilio was bad but maybe just not from the first moment the way Gretchen has been. Ugh.
Gretchen is NOT beautiful on the outside. I find her rather homely with a self inflated ego. She is NOT the best designer on the show and I find her little “insights” about the others and their talent and skills rather annoying. I think she needs to be told off more by Tim.
As for Michael C, well he must be doing something right if celebrities wear HIS clothes.
I agree about the ego, but I don’t actually think she’s that homely, Sue. And she’s tall and willowy, which most people find attractive. Her insights, however: definitely irritating.
I think if she got told off one more time by Tim, she’s going to manipulate those pathetic followers of her to go and hate Tim, I’d say she needs to get the boot soon! Can’t wait!
She is devious! Maybe she could pull it off.
Ophelia, It’s my honest opinion that if Tim Gunn spoke up to Gretchen again, she would absolutely leave the show. She may be egocentric, but she don’t have balls. But, again, that’s just my opinion. Watch what happens.
I just finished watching the latest episode and am in complete shock! I just cant believe that people can be THAT catty. Is that for real or am I missing something?
Why does everyone hate Michael so much? He is the most humble, loveable guy on there. He takes their bullshit with such grace and doesnt have a bad word to say about anyone.
It was so obvious that Amy made up that crap in a fit of parnoia that he said she was the bitch of the show. Although totally true, it was clear that he did not say that. She is seriously delusional.
I hope Heidi gives them hell!
Hey Vic — It is strange about their attitude toward Michael C, isn’t it? Clearly he is a sweet guy and yet they continue to be awful to him. That’s why I was so heartened when Mondo apologized to him and said that he had been wrong about evaluating his sewing skills so being so bad: http://downandoutindenver.com/2010/09/10/we-♥-mondo-guerra/
Yeah same hear google Gretchen Jones Bitch. What really makes me laugh is people calling her beautiful. Not even with yours and someone else pushing!
Anyway I have never seen someone that cares more about other designers than her own design. She obviously does not think highly of herself and covers it up by being a bitch.
Really think she needs to take the stick out of her ass. Seriously wish she gets eliminated before Mike C.
Really big BITCH!
I love gretchen and her designs.
Are you kidding me??? Gretchen’s design are horrible!!! Her lack of taste is overwhelming! I mean, really. Look at what she wears-she can’t even dress nice. It is not about money, either. You can find nice clothes for cheap. You can make nice clothes for cheap and NOT have them look like they came out of a 1990′s bargain bin. She is so critical of everyone else but needs to take a serious look at herself as a designer and as a person. Its clear that her insecurities are an issue as she continues to tear other great designers down to shreds. And for what? You’re not fooling us, Gretchen Jones. You can have your poor attempt at art deco. The rest of the world is living in the modern world. Oh, and by the way you forgot your birkenstocks.
I think you make some good points, Steph. But bear in mind that we wrote this post in the early days of this season, so we hadn’t yet seen all of the bad stuff, particularly the stuff that she sent down the runway to qualify for fashion week. It’s gotten worse, not better, over the season.
She won!
She did indeed. We confess that we are none too happy about it.
I think Gretchen’s clothes are lovely. People are always hateful about assertive, out-spoken women.
We tend to think they’re a little bit boring and blousy.
And we should be clear: we’re actually very much in favor of outspoken women, as many of our posts here will demonstrate. What we are not in favor of is people who consistently say nasty things about others and their work in self-aggrandizing and arrogant ways. We don’t like that in either sex. Which is precisely why we objected to Gretchen but also why we so disliked Emilio (a man) on last season.
[...] Above photo via: Down and Out in Denver [...]
[...] are attractive characteristics in a woman OR a man. And throughout this season, Gretchen has demonstrated all three in spades. We think this is nasty in a man, too, and we posted about it regarding last season’s [...]
Watchin reruns on a lifetime marathon right now. I would have to say I despise her as well. Sad to see she wins in the end. What an ugly person. I’m sure success will only make her worse. Karma is waiting though….