'Project Runway': Mother's Day, With Bonus Bitchfest

Pictured: Mama-drama instigator Angela's mother (left) in a design by Jeffrey,
and Vincent's sister wearing Robert Best, who was the worst.


You should never call any friend's mother a bitch -- unless you mean it in a loving way.

But that's what someone did on this week's 'Project Runway.' (Not in a loving way.) It may have been the best episode of the season so far.

The challenge for Episode 7 was to design a look for the everyday woman. The catch? The everyday women were the mothers -- and a couple sisters -- of the contestants. And guess what? They, like most everyday women, are hardly candidates for size 2 couture.

For the most part, the designers failed miserably. Only three of the eight designs were any good, the rest looked like donated Lane Bryant outfits in the sale bin at the Salvation Army. And that isn't even really a joke.

The weekly challenges are meant to distinguish the very talented from the less-so, and this week was a true test of versatility. Turns out, this cast needs some versatility training.

The best work came from Uli (she should have won), Michael (he just couldn't have won three times consecutively) and Vincent -- who was the official winner. His design is pictured, right.  Both Michael's and Vincent's models (Robert's sister and Uli's mom, respectively) were among the three or four guest models who would traditionally be considered to have "nice figures."

Uli, on the other hand, made a quite pretty and appropriate pant outfit with a flowing top for Kayne's mother, who is lovely but a bit more plus-size than the other two. For that reason, I think Uli should have won.

It was fascinating to see how the moms matched up personality-wise with their children. If you really want to know someone, get to know their mother, right? Laura especially seems like she's a chip off the ol' block. Michael Kors, too, whose mother was a guest judge.

As with all family get togethers, there was quite a bit of drama going on, including one incredible train wreck involving Angela's mother and Jeffrey. During a mid-design check-in, Angela's mom tells Jeffrey that she thinks his design is too matronly for her, and from there a display of tears, anger and disrespect gave the evening the sort of bumpy ride that Bette Davis would have loved.

Jeffrey, who was mean to Mom and disrespectful and called her a bitch, wasn't a very good boy to say the least. It's unanimous among everyone I've talked to since the show: People pretty much hate him for it.

I already hated him. However -- and I'm probably going to get hate mail for saying this -- he's not entirely at fault in this mama-drama. Angela's mom, who at first blush seems nice (which is in and of itself kind of surprising considering she's Angela's mom) could have been a little more giving in her exchange with Jeffrey and, in fact, was a little out of line. He's the designer. This is his future he's sewing, not hers. As a guest on the show, she should have kept her opinions to herself and walked the runway graciously in whatever was designed for her.

Should Jeffrey have called her a bitch? No. Did she kind of deserve it? No.
Was the dress hideous? Yes. Did she kind of deserve it? Yes.

Then there's Robert. Robert, Robert, Robert. We had such high hopes for this WeHo boy with the big biceps who has that job at Mattel that legions of gay men would kill for. But really, is it any surprise that the man who designs fab outfits for Barbie, the archenemy of all plus-size and everyday women, would fail wholly and utterly when faced with designing something fashion-forward for Vincent's lovely (but let's face it, large-ish) sister?  He himself confessed on the air, "I don't understand proportion on this kind of body."

I am sad to see Robert go, mostly because I will miss the girl talk he shared with best-girlfriend-Kayne. Now there are only two gay boys left on the show, and the other one is way less obvious (but you know who it is, right?). By the way, what was with Jeffrey's crybaby angst at Robert's goodbye moment?

Robert spills his guts about getting kicked off in his exit interview with Entertainment Weekly -- a good read if only to hear what he has to say about Laura's sex life.

Finally, 'Project Runway' is the cover story in this week's EW. Find out why this show is  such a hit, what makes it work, and why Tim Gunn is quickly becoming the most beloved gay man in America.

Click to Read: 'Sew Addictive'