S14.E15: Season 14 Reunion

[yeswedo]

 

This season's designers reunite to discuss the memorable moments from their time on the show.

[slothgirl]

Yowza, that was uncomfortable!

 

And no one really came off all that well on any of the controversies, although I think Edmond did ok with accepting some responsibility for the dust-up with Hanmiao, and Merline was priceless when the subject of her pairing with Joseph came up. Silence was definitely her friend in that conversation!

 

I did get a huge chuckle out of the segment on tears, and they showed an endless steam of guys crying.

 

The whole mean girls vs Ashley thing clearly still provokes a lot of emotion. I would really have liked to have seen Ashley take a high road as the winner of the season and not delve into it. Even though her feelings were obviously hurt (as anyone's would be), I think it would have served her better to be a gracious winner and not belabor the point or argue her victimization. The one thing I've learned in decades of a professional life is that bosses would rather hire less qualified/skilled LOW maintenance people than anyone who is high maintenance or emotionally volatile, no matter how good they are... even in the creative fields that I have worked in most of my career.

 

And YAY Kelly! I wonder if that was always a prize considered, or if they came up with it at the last minute based on the results and the social media backlash? I do wish they had clarified the models' prize though.

Edited November 13, 2015 by slothgirl

[NYGirl]

Very telling how half of the designers walked away when Candice started talking.

 

I'm glad Kelly won some money.  She seems like a nice person.

 

At least we got an explanation for Swapnil although I'm still confused.

[alrightythen]

I love how they ply the designers with booze to get them talking. 

[Ketzel]

The whole mean girls vs Ashley thing clearly still provokes a lot of emotion. I would really have liked to have seen Ashley take a high road as the winner of the season and not delve into it. Even though her feelings were obviously hurt (as anyone's would be), I think it would have served her better to be a gracious winner and not belabor the point or argue her victimization. The one thing I've learned in decades of a professional life is that bosses would rather hire less qualified/skilled LOW maintenance people than anyone who is high maintenance or emotionally volatile, no matter how good they are... even in the creative fields that I have worked in most of my career.

I think Ashley would have had to be more saint than human not to respond to that ridiculous accusation that SHE victimized them. Oh yes, it was perfectly clear that each and every one of them liked and cared about Ashley, and were kind and inclusive of her. All of that trashing of her on the runway was because each of them had their individual, unbiased and completely justified reason to shove her under the bus. So how dare Blake (and Laurie) call them out for being mean girls! Clearly, the real scandal here is that Ashley, who they befriended and cared for, didn't defend them from Blake's outrageous slander!

"We were all under stress, our judgment was skewed; we behaved badly then and feel badly about it now" would have just about covered it for all of them. Instead, they had to go on the attack, again. They're a nasty bunch and I include Kelly, who I previously thought better of.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Ketzel

[slothgirl]

I love how they ply the designers with booze to get them talking. 

No kidding.. I think I would be VERY cautious about drinking before being on a show like this.

[Maya]

Interesting how Swapnil's "coasting" strategy may have cost him the $25,000 prize for winning the most challenges!

[WhoAmIReally]

Ashley's vocal fry at the beginning of the show made me want to stab myself.  It seemed to lessen as the show went on.  Maybe she only does it when she's feeling like the Queen Bee.

 

Congrats to Kelly!  She showed grace and humility throughout the show and is definitely a winner in my book.  (Even though I probably won't wear a fanny pack.)

[PepperMonkey]

Maya, I don't think they would have given that prize if Swapnil had won the most challenges. That prize was created for Kelly.

 

So... Candice looked like she wanted to cut a bitch most of the show. Also, yeah, Kelly was unpleasant when she whined about being called a mean girl. They didn't do themselves any favours by belaboring their individual points of how picked on they were - I guess by Laurie, Ashley and Blake??

 

Thought it was interesting that most of them left the room when Candice starting talking and who was it that said, "that's because whatever she's saying is total bullshit?" Just wow.

 

I actually thought Ashley came off okay on the show. She still seemed kind of full of herself, but she wasn't AS self congratulatory as she was just immediately after her win. Seems like she had calmed down just a bit.

 

I wish someone had told Jake they were sorry about his baby, again, and asked him how he was coping. Everytime I watch that scene and it shows him with the old girl, I burst into fresh tears.

 

Merline was hilarious, as always. LOVED how she didn't buy into Joseph's assumption that they were "edited" to look as if he was trying to control her. I realize she would be a bit much, but being mean to someone like her would be like kicking a puppy over and over and I am NEVER in favour of that. Merline ended up being one of my favourite people of the season.

 

Next stop for about half of them, Ashley included: PR All Stars!! Yay?

[slothgirl]

I think Ashley would have had to be more saint than human not to respond to that ridiculous accusation that SHE victimized them. Oh yes, it was perfectly clear that each and every one of them liked and cared about Ashley, and were kind and inclusive of her. All of that trashing of her on the runway was because each of them had their individual, unbiased and completely justified reason to shove her under the bus.

I disagree that she would have to be saintly. We all have to just walk away from unpleasantness at various points in our life. It isn't easy, but it's a skill worth developing, and one that people NEED to develop to survive in the real world. She got her comeuppance in the form of the win. She didn't need to "win" this battle too. I think a more mature individual wouldn't have bothered with arguing about it on the reunion show. (see: Edmond)

 

You know this subject is going to come up, and it's going to get re-hashed for maximum drama. So you rehearse this little speech until it becomes automatic; "I was hurt at the time, and maybe I could have done things differently too, but I want to put it behind us all and focus on the future". Rinse and Repeat.

 

If Ashley hadn't won (and if she hadn't been smug in her talking heads when others weren't around) I might say that I understood. But she's the winner. The only thing worse than a sore loser is a sore winner. It would behoove her to let it go..

 

Although I do agree that the others didn't come off very good either. But (at the risk of rehashing all the arguments from that episode) I also don't agree that they "trashed" her on the runway in the first place. They were asked who should go home and they said "Ashley". That's a far cry from everyone "trashing" her. Given the extreme difference in their personal styles, I can buy Kelly thinking Ashley was the weakest link.

Edited November 13, 2015 by slothgirl

[Straycat80]

Watching the reunion right now. Is that a button sewn or tacked onto Swapnil's upper ear and attached to his head? I can't keep staring at it everytime they show him.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Straycat80

[scarlettudor]

Tim went out of his way to say the edits were not to make people look better/worse and that the button choices were completely legit.  The fact that he addressed those suspicions makes me more suspicious.

 

Someone in the thread 'Finale Part 2' said Kelly looked gutted when she lost to Ashley (although she did congratulate her and praised her later.)  As I re-watched that ending between the two, I felt Kelly looked gutted before the winner was announced, as if she knew what was coming.  On the other hand, Ashley looked smug, as if she was not only confident, but expecting the win.

 

I don't want to pile on the criticisms of Ashley's win.  But social media, at least what I've read (mainly here), was shocked at her win.  I was shocked at Swapnil saying her collection was great and would have won shown on plus size or regular sized models.  I was surprised she did not in any way address the avalanche of criticism leveled at her by the viewing public.

 

Straycat, I was mesmerized by Swapnil's ear decoration too. It would be kind of neat if it was a button, but I thought it was just a new kind of man's earring, on the upper part of the ear.

[sweet201]

Nothing like a reunion show to make me wonder why exactly I watched this entire season. What an unlikable bunch!

[sinkwriter]

Blake is still annoying and not at all as cute as he thinks he is, but I still appreciate him sticking up for Ashley back during that challenge and again in this special.

 

And watching him and Hanmiao get drunk was pretty hilarious.

 

Joseph's still full of shit - I notice Merline did not actually agree with him and his assessment that they "made it look like" he was being controlling. No, Joseph, you were being controlling. She just didn't stand up for herself, as she admitted.

[Straycat80]

I'm wondering when they filmed this reunion? It would make sense that it was the day after the fashion show because everyone had maybe come to NYC to see the show.

So maybe Ashley hadn't heard yet of all the negative press she was getting and that's why it wasn't brought up.

Everyone did seem to be drinking a lot of Champagne. Hanmaio seemed wasted, she was hanging on Blake. I thought it was funny that Tim told them to get a room.

The whole incident with Ashley and the mean girls was uncomfortable to watch. I don't remember that much about that episode but I think everyone was stressed and fustrated and these team challenges never ever go well and one person or more always gets hurt or pissed off.

I hope next season is better that this one and if I even suspect the judges have already chosen a winner right from the beginning, like this time with Ashley, I'll be done with this show for sure.

[kleebee]

Shut up, Amanda.

[sinkwriter]

 

Shut up, Amanda.

 

She's the one I believed the LEAST. I could buy Kelly choosing Ashley because she went first in choosing who to go home and maybe their design choices are completely different and she thought Ashley's was the least interesting of the group (which is interesting to me because I remember hating Kelly's from that challenge), but the rest just fell in line and Amanda seemed the biggest liar about it. When I watched it then and again tonight I felt she was such an actress about it, like she was pretending to be thoughtful and look over all the designs and then happen to choose Ashley like everyone else.

 

And then she tried to be a big victim about it tonight, like she was soooooo nice to Ashley and she can't understand where this is all coming from. Oh, please.

 

As kleebee said so succinctly: Shut up, Amanda.

[Kenz]

I wish that Kelly and Candice had taken note of how much better they looked on some of their episodes without all that makeup. Kelly looks about ten years younger with a softer look, and Candice doesn't look so harsh. Then again, I guess Candice likes the harsh look.

 

I pretty much zoned out on the mean girl discussion. Enough already! And yes Ashley, you won, so I would get over it if I were you, although they of course brought the subject up for drama, and they got it.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Kenz

[breezy424]

Whoa.  Loved the part when the people in the 'green' room got up when Candice was talking.  Very revealing and reinforced my opinion on her.

 

Yeah, come on girls.  You were being 'mean' girls with Ashley on that challenge.  As someone else stated, you could have done a better job of smoothing that over.

 

I don't think Ashley was being smug.  OK.  Maybe a little but she won.  That does give her a little bit of a  'right' especially given how she was treated sometimes by the other women.  Was she one of the best designers ever to compete on PR?  No.  But she did have a right to a FU, especially to Candice.  

 

I can't help but conclude that Swapnil was acting a bit about his insecurities at the reunion.  To me, he wasn't displaying any of that during filming.  He got read and was doing damage control. 

[mindfultvcritic]

The thing is Ashley had so many chances to overcome her confidence issues and handle it differently than crying with whomever she perceived was picking on her. Even after winning the whole deal instead of boosting her confidence she went right back to being a victim from the challenge in the reunion. When will she learn? Good for her that she won, but the swinging from being smug to victim is too much.

 

I wished Tim would have asked Candice if she regretted changing her collection and whether she would have won if she stuck to it. 

 

Also Tim seemed to be back pedaling with Swapnil. Swapnil had a terrible strategy and the minute he said he was coasting I knew it was over,  but Tim went for him more than anyone in previous seasons. 

[sinkwriter]

 

The thing is Ashley had so many chances to overcome her confidence issues and handle it differently than crying with whomever she perceived was picking on her. Even after winning the whole deal instead of boosting her confidence she went right back to being a victim from the challenge in the reunion. When will she learn? Good for her that she won, but the swinging from being smug to victim is too much.

 

Did she cry in tonight's reunion though? I thought she finally stood up for herself and actually allowed herself to get mad about it instead of crying and acting like a victim. Maybe she could have gone "high road" and not argued at all, but I saw progress. She didn't allow them to guilt her into backing down and crying; this time she said no, you treated me lousy, and Laurie and Blake saw it, the end.

[millennium]

If Ashley hadn't won (and if she hadn't been smug in her talking heads when others weren't around) I might say that I understood. But she's the winner. The only thing worse than a sore loser is a sore winner. It would behoove her to let it go..

 

 

If I disliked Ashley before, I really dislike her now.    The only time she looked content is when praise was being heaped upon her.  Otherwise she put on that sneering victim face and acted as though she had been cheated out of the win.   Get in your Lexus and STFU, Ashley.

Edited November 13, 2015 by millennium

[Knuckles]

Breezy, agreed on Swapnil. He's a fairly shrewd player, and apparently has a successful business in India...no need for bad PR...be gracious and let it go...he's smart enough not to indulge himself in reciting any grievances. Perfect damage control. But declaring that Ashley deserved the win was too freaking much...that verged on the obsequious.

Not surprised the room emptied when Candice started...she would wear on your nerves.

And Ashley was still as smug as ever, playing the professional victim. IF she had a clue, she'd have been low-key and gracious, not that either is in her wheelhouse.

I am guessing that this was filmed soon after the Fashion Week shows...the avalanche of reaction to her win is nowhere evident. 

[breezy424]

Breezy, agreed on Swapnil. He's a fairly shrewd player, and apparently has a successful business in India...no need for bad PR...be gracious and let it go...he's smart enough not to indulge himself in reciting any grievances. Perfect damage control. But declaring that Ashley deserved the win was too freaking much...that verged on the obsequious.

Not surprised the room emptied when Candice started...she would wear on your nerves.

And Ashley was still as smug as ever, playing the professional victim. IF she had a clue, she'd have been low-key and gracious, not that either is in her wheelhouse.

I am guessing that this was filmed soon after the Fashion Week shows...the avalanche of reaction to her win is nowhere evident. 

I understand the debate on Ashley being given the win because I wouldn't consider her one of the top designers to ever appear on PR.  But given the competition, I would give it to her.  I can understand you disagreeing but Kelly's collection wasn't a wow  to me in any sense.  OK.  Neither was Ashley's but it was much more original IMO. 

 

I think Ashley had a right to be somewhat smug under the circumstances.  And I don't even like Ashley all that much - can't put my finger on why.   I also haven't seen this disagreement from blogs, etc. about her not deserving it.  From my google, it seems that it was overwhelming deserved.  And I get that some of the responses would be about PCness. 

[The Hound Lives]

The whole "mean girl" thing bugs the hell out of me but not because they piled on Ashley but because posing the question in the first place (Who should go home?) isn't asked to sway the judges, it's asked to amp up drama. 
As if Nine or Heidi or Kelly Osborne gives a rats ass what the designers think in that moment. Yes, it's competition but this isn't Survivor, where you pretty much need to lie and align with people to move your game forward. This show is based on individual talents, so this serious television moment where Kelly Osborne is going to call out a "bitch fest" and people attacking poor victim Ashley is nothing more than scripted shit. Not saying the attack on Ashley was justified at all, all of their looks sucked something terrible, but the question delivered was done so in the meanest spirit possible by Heidi. And of course, done with a smile as if she doesn't know that that is not only unnecessary, but hurtful. 

 

And I have said it once, I'll say it again, Swapnil is my Season 14 winner. Viewed his collection again and damn, I would love to hear the other contestants reaction to it. 

[Calamity Jane]

The reunion reinforced my feeling that Swapnil is a sweet-natured and extremely courteous person.  I hope Tim was sincere when he said he only yelled because he believed so much in Swapnil, but....dunno, I still can't quite make myself believe it.  It seemed too over the top and so personal, both what he said and what Zac said to him. 

 

Ashley was still way too smug - and yes, sore winners are harder to take than sore losers, so all that rehashing of the paintball episode rang all kinds of wrong. 

 

I was happy Kelly got the $25,000.  Of all of them, I think she will use what she gets the best. 

 

I too would have liked just a little follow-up on Jake about losing his beloved pet. 

 

Intersting, if somewhat uncomfortable, reunion.  I can't make myself watch Junior yet, felt like I spent too much time with that show last week.

Edited November 14, 2015 by Calamity Jane

[LotusFlower]

I'm really pissed off at the Ashley vs. the Mean Girls narrative. First of all, if I were one of the women, I would have been offended at Kelly Osborne for saying she saw them as "blaming one person instead of all of you." That's what they were asked to do! The judges asked each one to pick a designer who is most to blame for the losing look, and they weren't given the option to name a few. So they do, and they then get criticized for it? It's like the judges set them up. How is that fair?

Secondly, this whole thing feels sexist to me. We've seen plenty of times when male designers are paired up together and don't get along, but they're never labeled as "mean boys." Instead, it's just two or more designers who didn't get along. With the women, it's necessarily assumed that they're all ganging up on the one outsider, and get called bitches by one of the judges. Compounding the issue, the one allegedly ganged up on is overweight, plays the pity card, and cries a lot - totally fitting the stereotype of a victim of bullying. So they throw out the label, and it sticks, completely invalidating the possibility that Ashley was difficult to work with. But I guess I'm a bitch for saying that.

[ichbin]

So it appears that Laurie was engaging in a bit of shit stirring when she advised Ashley that the others were planning to throw her under the bus since she admitted that she hadn't actually overheard any plotting.  

[Miss Ruth]

I was very disappointed in Laurie when she made that admission.  This whole "bullying poor, put-upon Ashley"  started when big mouth Heidi brought up that Ashley was the last one picked for the team.  If she had kept her pie hole shut, I don't think it would have gone past Ashley's usual bawling.

[Jodithgrace]

Tim seems to have forgotten to mention how much he hated this season, which he has stated in a few interviews. This must have been taped shortly after Fashion Week, since nobody seems to have read those interviews either. I wonder if they would have called him out about them, if they had.

When he conceded with his usual, "I love you all," schtick, I just rolled my eyes.

[SnarkKitty]

If I disliked Ashley before, I really dislike her now.    The only time she looked content is when praise was being heaped upon her.  Otherwise she put on that sneering victim face and acted as though she had been cheated out of the win.   Get in your Lexus and STFU, Ashley.

 

 

I'm really pissed off at the Ashley vs. the Mean Girls narrative. First of all, if I were one of the women, I would have been offended at Kelly Osborne for saying she saw them as "blaming one person instead of all of you." That's what they were asked to do! The judges asked each one to pick a designer who is most to blame for the losing look, and they weren't given the option to name a few. So they do, and they then get criticized for it? It's like the judges set them up. How is that fair?

Secondly, this whole thing feels sexist to me. We've seen plenty of times when male designers are paired up together and don't get along, but they're never labeled as "mean boys." Instead, it's just two or more designers who didn't get along. With the women, it's necessarily assumed that they're all ganging up on the one outsider, and get called bitches by one of the judges. Compounding the issue, the one allegedly ganged up on is overweight, plays the pity card, and cries a lot - totally fitting the stereotype of a victim of bullying. So they throw out the label, and it sticks, completely invalidating the possibility that Ashley was difficult to work with. But I guess I'm a bitch for saying that.

 

If you are, then I am too, because I totally cosign ALL this.

 

The only thing I hate more on these reality shows than the "she's a bully" (it's never a guy) is the "you're/they're (a) mean girl(s)." I can't even take grown ass people seriously crying about some shit like that. Someone wasn't as nice to you as you wanted? They didn't kiss your ass and maybe spoke harshly? Boo-fucking-hoo! Where do these special snowflakes come from anyway? I was surprised to hear Laurie promote that BS, 'cause I promise you in my entire black life nobody I know has even been all "you're such a mean girl" behind some nothing-ass shade!

 

Ashley in particular. It was so clear after seeing how babied and doted on she was by her family that she is one entitled little bitch. Yeah, I said that because I think she acted as badly as anyone else, except she thought she was totally justified in her victim status. Like, someone had to be picked last, but not her? GTFOH. And she doesn't even see where there's anything wrong with that. I agree Heidi made it okay for her to wallow in the pool of victim-ness. Coming off two wins or not, if the others weren't seeing the "talent" the judges were, maybe they didn't want to work with her aesthetic. Or, maybe all the crying and whiny petulant bullshit made them not want to work with her. I'm cool and friendly with plenty of people I would NOT choose to have on my projects. She certainly didn't prove anyone wrong by going in all pissy about someone else not being picked last.

 

I don't hold Laurie's word any higher than any of the other women on the team. Everyone sees things as they want to. By her own admission she made assumptions then carried the tale. Lord knows it's not like people can't accuse you of something that isn't even true, but if you defend yourself you're in denial. Good for Kelly for not laying down for her bullshit. And STFU Blake, who are YOU to call anyone out after what you said to Swapnil??

 

Aside from the fact that I didn't think anything she made was worthy of the win, I hate that she won because it made her even more convinced of her special snowflake status. And leads to my third most hated reality show canon: "they're just jelus haterz"

[eurekagirl mOo]

Yes,yes,yes to the "not mean girl" posts. How the hell are they mean girls??? Somebody had to be last in a schoolyard pick. That's how it works. I don't see the people on Survivor being all butt hurt and crying when there picked last. . Just not you easter egg? Get over yourself. She's a shit designer and a worse seamstress who thinks she's queen of the world and a special snowflake. Can Not Stand Her......I loved the last show where Kelly was glittering her shoes and the easter egg says"It's just to much". I laughed so hard the cat ran out of the room. "Just to much" said by a woman in purple hair with a giant yellow skirt on that's more fitted to a circus clown and wearing 5 layers of pancake on her face!!! UGH 

Overwhelmed? We all get that way. Grown ups go to the ladies room and cry in the stall. Then they wipe there faces and come out acting like..grown ups...they don't cry constantly to get attention and "poor you's" like the smug egg does.

[theatremouse]

The thing I thought was most interesting was Joseph seemed to start saying "well, editing, you know" it somehow, sort of naturally and without much steering from Tim turned into everyone else basically agreeing the editing was fair. I mean, I know as soon as Joseph said it Tim asked everyone how they felt about editing (then again maybe this was edited) but it seemed to jump right into everyone pretty much right away saying, no, nothing was super skewed, if anything they could've made (them) look worse and didn't. So from that sort of mutual reaction, I'm assuming nobody's crying foul on a mean-edit in general. Even if maybe they disagreed about the editing of that one particular incident, but even then, they didn't seem to be claiming it was in the editing. They did get called out in the paintball episode, and clearly disagreed with that happening in the first place and the accusations therein, but still nobody argued they were painted in an unfair way, really. Even Candace gave her version of the line that echoes for all reality show contestants everywhere, that that person from the first Real World said: they can't air what you didn't say, or something to that effect.

Nobody, except perhaps Lori (Laurie?) came off very good in this one, but they also didn't seem to notice or object to the cases when they came off badly in the rehashing. They seemed for the most part pretty chill with their awful selves.

Also it was nice and extra awkward when Tim had Kelly and Ashley describe their takeaway from the season and they used, like...3 words each, and then he asked Amanda and she was all queen of run-on-sentence-clearly-trying-to-get-more-airtime-instead-of-being-similarly-brief-and-shut-the-hell-up-no-one-asked-for-a-soliloquy.

[RemoteControlFreak]

Ashley and Laurie are prime examples of our current victim-culture which dictates that if you are uncomfortable in a situation, it must be because someone else acted inappropriately.

 

Wrong. Sometimes you're just uncomfortable and it has nothing to do with anyone else.

 

Ashley refuses to take any responsibility for her actions.  Listening to the debate about "mean girls," it's more clear that the team all suggested that Ashley be eliminated because she contributed the least to the team. She checked out starting with the initial design consultation and then dissolved into tears that everyone was mean to her.   When the team failed, they logically looked for the person who contributed the least.  This was Ashley.  There's nothing mean or unfair about this.

[backgroundnoise]

The reunion reinforced my feeling that Swapnil is a sweet-natured and extremely courteous person.  I hope Tim was sincere when he said he only yelled because he believed so much in Swapnil, but....dunno, I still can't quite make myself believe it.  It seemed to over the top and so personal, both what he said and what Zac said to him.

I still feel that if Swapnil did have a strategy to hold himself back, SO WHAT!?!  Until it showed up on the runway and was reflected in the judges' decision, uncorrupted by Tim's interference, it's not relevant to a results-based competition.  Tim can personally dislike his work ethic all he wants, but going to the judges was out of line, IMO.

 

Re Ashley and the mean girls, I think Ashley needs to take her share of the blame.  They were all at fault for the terrible collection.  I think Ashley went into it with a huge chip on her shoulder, and who likes to work with someone with a wounded air trying to make you feel guilty?  Given the small margin of difference in the awfulness of all the garments, Ashley's was an acceptable choice as the worse.   Kelly Osborne and Heidi were out of line, too, with the egging on.  Everyone needs to grow up.  YMMV.

 

Gee, this reunion didn't change my opinion one iota, just stirred up all the nastiness.  I guess that's what reunions are for.

[alrightythen]

Ashley's vocal fry at the beginning of the show made me want to stab myself.  It seemed to lessen as the show went on.  Maybe she only does it when she's feeling like the Queen Bee.

 

 

God yes, the vocal fry.  I hate when girls croak like this.

 

I wish someone had told Jake they were sorry about his baby, again, and asked him how he was coping. Everytime I watch that scene and it shows him with the old girl, I burst into fresh tears.

 

I kept waiting for this to happen.  Guess since there was no (contrived) controversy it wasn't worth addressing.

 

Shut up, Amanda.

 

Every time I see her I think of Laura from whatever season that was.  Same look, same full-of-herself attitude.  She'll be on All Stars for sure.

[Wings]

About the mean girl challenge.  We teach people how to treat us.  Ashley has been a victim her entire life, fat kids usually are and she presented that position the entire show.   She was chosen last and came onto that team with this victim attitude.  She did not fully participate because she was convinced they didn't want her collaboration.  She created her place on that team all by herself.   

 

Kelly Osborne, who I love, was out of line calling it a bitch fest.  They were asked who the weakest link was and all answered truthfully.  Ashley was that link!  She did it to herself.  

 

Horrible cast other than Kelly.  I am so glad she got that money.  I think they nixed the favorite vote and created this win for Kelly.  Certainly many on production thought she deserved that win.  I think she would have won favorite, too. 

Edited November 13, 2015 by wings707

[Scorpiosunshine]

The whole "mean girl" thing bugs the hell out of me but not because they piled on Ashley but because posing the question in the first place (Who should go home?) isn't asked to sway the judges, it's asked to amp up drama. 

As if Nine or Heidi or Kelly Osborne gives a rats ass what the designers think in that moment. Yes, it's competition but this isn't Survivor, where you pretty much need to lie and align with people to move your game forward. This show is based on individual talents, so this serious television moment where Kelly Osborne is going to call out a "bitch fest" and people attacking poor victim Ashley is nothing more than scripted shit. Not saying the attack on Ashley was justified at all, all of their looks sucked something terrible, but the question delivered was done so in the meanest spirit possible by Heidi. And of course, done with a smile as if she doesn't know that that is not only unnecessary, but hurtful. 

 

[\b]And I have said it once, I'll say it again, Swapnil is my Season 14 winner. Viewed his collection again and damn, I would love to hear the other contestants reaction to it.[\b]

I had Swapnil pegged for the win from the beginning, rooted for him the whole time , and was disappointed at his slacker arc and subsequent aufing.

I loved his dummy collection ( and his other collections I checked out) ! THAT was a winning collection, IMO. He could have blown them all out of the competition!

IMO, his talent and eye far surpasses any other designer this season.

(Side note: I have a piece by Dmitry and would pay good money to have a Swapnil design.)

[Julia]

Oh, Candice. For the lack of a better word, had the balls to do it? Maybe Blake can walk you through the names of some lady bits you could use symbolically to represent strength.

 

Amanda, shut up. Laurie, also shut up. You didn't say you had the impression they were plotting to throw Ashley under the bus. You said you heard them saying so. You lied so Ashley would be your ally when the bus came down the runway. And Blake, also shut up. Kelly, you win this in every way that matters. Let it go. Lindsey, shut up. Han Miao, that was passive-aggressive crap and you look terrible. Shut up. Ashley,...

 

You know, now that I write it down, Swapnil, Edmond and Merline can talk. Everyone else just really needs to disappear.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Julia

[jrlr]

Amanda still makes me clench my teeth and want to slap her.  Loved (not) how quiet and thoughtful she was trying to look at the reunion until they gave her the chance to talk and out came that self-aggrandizing, cover-up-for-NO-talent, never take a breath run-on bullshit.  They "didn't like" her designs?  WHAT designs? Those potato sacks?  Even in a generation that has made being entitled a deeply rooted psychological condition for which there is no apparent cure, she stands out as the specialist snowflake ever. 

[Primetimer]

It's Ashley who said it on the Runway reunion, but Swapnil's clearly drinki-- er, thinking it. Should you bother watching?

Read the story

[DasFlavorPup]

Candice is like a character Parker Posey would play in a Christopher Guest mockumentary about the fashion industry.  Hilarious as movie character, insufferable PITA in real life.

Edited November 13, 2015 by DasFlavorPup

[Mumbles]

Ashley's vocal fry at the beginning of the show made me want to stab myself.

Oh gawd yes. Throughout the season, especially toward the end, I would wince when I saw her talking head seg come up because I knew her voice would drive me crazy. Also she would just repeat the same boring stuff. "This is amazing...." "This is surreal..." "I'm so glad I finally decided to believe in myself...." Blah blah blah. Compare to Kelly, who was funny and self-deprecating and insightful throughout the series.

Kelly may be my favorite contestant ever and I say that as someone who would probably never wear her designs (simply because they're not my aesthetic.) She was plucky. She had a vision and a point of view and was true to it. Her skills were great. She got a lot of criticism from Nina early on (but I will add, a lot of positive feedback from Heidi and Zac) but rather than crying (as Ashley would have) she just pulled herself up and dusted herself off. And I can't point to one moment in the series where she came off as phony.

As for the mean girls stuff - oy. So much to unpack. I will say that a classic mean girls defense is to say, "Oh gosh (victim) we *try* to be nice to you but you're so (weird/different/quiet/moody)...." Usually done tearfully because they've been called out. And there was some of that there. It's hard to know what went on here and I'm biased by my mild dislike of Ashley (who I thought came off as self-pitying in general on this show) as well as my view that Candace could venture into Gretchen-ness.

[pasdetrois]

Viewed individually, all the little dramas seem to have their own story. But I think that Swapnil's behavior, and the "mean girls" behavior, was based on them figuring out that Ashley was targeted for the win. Swapnil figured it out and essentially gave up, and the women tried the one opportunity they had to get Ashley out. No one's going to say that on TV.

 

 

I can't help but conclude that Swapnil was acting a bit about his insecurities at the reunion.  To me, he wasn't displaying any of that during filming.  He got read and was doing damage control.

 Yeah, I didn't  buy the insecurity BS either. Swapnil is supremely confident, possibly entitled.

 

Secondly, this whole thing feels sexist to me. We've seen plenty of times when male designers are paired up together and don't get along, but they're never labeled as "mean boys."

 

 

She was chosen last and came onto that team with this victim attitude.  She did not fully participate because she was convinced they didn't want her collaboration.  She created her place on that team all by herself.

 

Completely agree. The entire storyline is extremely offensive. I don't think anyone targeted Ashley because they disliked her, I think they viewed her as production's pet. Ashley is so insecure that she allowed herself to be manipulated by production into the storyline. And I hate her victim act. In the end, she has a long road to travel and she's the only one who can grow up and deal with it.

 

Glad they called out Laurie. I don't completely buy her defense of poor Ashley. I think she was gunning for the other women, not protecting Ashley.

 

Interesting that fluttery, bashful, blushing Blake can turn on a dime and skillfully skewer the women. Methinks the fluttering is an act.

 

Glad Kelly got the money. I hope Edmond and Merline get something out of this. They are both earnest and determined.

[Julia]

Ashley contributed to that mess. She was there to be a designer and a team member in that challenge, not anybody's BFF. Candice didn't help with her lack of leadership and her airy-fairy not-plan to let everyone skip through the woods scattering rosebuds which would somehow magically make a collection appear at the end, but in the end, the other designers weren't there to coax input out of Ashley. She was the one who responded to what she perceived as being unwanted by withdrawing.

 

Which, fine, don't hang out with those women in your leisure time, because any group which sees Amanda and Lindsey as members in good standing is not really a group you want to be a member of. But FFS, nad* up and do your job. They're not allowed to beat you up in the bathroom. The only power they have in this situation is what you give them.

 

*yes, Candice, that would be the word you were looking for

Edited November 13, 2015 by Julia

[stanleyk]

Let me say for this for anyone on the fence about stopping with PR. I'd seen every season since S1, but half-way through this season I decided to cut the cord (to all cable, not PR in particular). I sort of thought PR was on Hulu, but didn't check enough to see that it's not the current season, so soon realized I wouldn't be able to watch the rest of this season. And it was a RELIEF. It is such a pale shadow of its earlier self that it was too irksome. The sad, awkward product placements, the stale challenges, the self-important Tim Gunn, the medicore designers. I checked back to see who won, but...so happy to be done with PR.

[leighdear]

Well, I watched long enough to see the button, or whatever was, in Swapnil's ear, and some of the contestants walk away from watching Candice, and then I decided life is too short to spend any more time with these people. I can't see being critical about Ashley feeling proud of herself---she won, after all.  If she did anything but praise herself, she would be accused of being falsely humble.  One cannot win on social media.  I admit I cringed when Ashley said "...its tooken me this far...." 

That is precisely the moment I changed the channel and didn't go back until the last 2 minutes.  I don't watch the "reunions" as a rule.  I can't stand the revisionist history, the scrambling to justify and the fake "but we all really love each other" crap.  

 

But since they do usually have some sort of fan favorite or in this case, "Reward the person who should have won" prize, I knew they would make some gesture to Kelly.  And I was happy they did. 

 

And for what it's worth, Tim G. was exhibiting his charming and helpful self on the Junior version afterwards.   As somebody on that board pointed out, the kids seem more in need of and receptive to a mentor, so maybe Tim's personality decline has been because the "grownups" on the original version don't seem to need him.  Just a theory.  

[BananaRama]

I disagree that she would have to be saintly. We all have to just walk away from unpleasantness at various points in our life. It isn't easy, but it's a skill worth developing, and one that people NEED to develop to survive in the real world. She got her comeuppance in the form of the win. She didn't need to "win" this battle too. I think a more mature individual wouldn't have bothered with arguing about it on the reunion show. (see: Edmond)

 

You know this subject is going to come up, and it's going to get re-hashed for maximum drama. So you rehearse this little speech until it becomes automatic; "I was hurt at the time, and maybe I could have done things differently too, but I want to put it behind us all and focus on the future". Rinse and Repeat.

 

If Ashley hadn't won (and if she hadn't been smug in her talking heads when others weren't around) I might say that I understood. But she's the winner. The only thing worse than a sore loser is a sore winner. It would behoove her to let it go..

 

Although I do agree that the others didn't come off very good either. But (at the risk of rehashing all the arguments from that episode) I also don't agree that they "trashed" her on the runway in the first place. They were asked who should go home and they said "Ashley". That's a far cry from everyone "trashing" her. Given the extreme difference in their personal styles, I can buy Kelly thinking Ashley was the weakest link.

You make good points, however, Ashley is just 23 years old and she is immature. And though her immature behavior was repulsive (oh the tears! THE TEARS! Enough with the tears!) it is common for a 23 year-old to be overly-sensitive. We have watched Ashley for a whole season act immaturely so if she suddenly takes the high road in the reunion, it would have been fake and insincere. And the opposite holds true too - if Ashley was say 45 years old and acted immature and whined and pouted about their mean girl behavior then that would be disgusting too. A lot will happen to her in 20 years to toughen her up - such as, having her heart broken, getting passed up for a promotion, getting fired, friends and family dying, etc.

Plus, screw those bitches. The whole team lost and Ashley's design wasn't the only reason that they lost. They didn't do their best work and anyone of them could have been kicked off. I'm glad that Laurie was sharp enough to point out that they had the gall to be offended that their "friend" Ashley wasn't defending THEM against their mean girl behavior.

[BananaRama]

The whole "mean girl" thing bugs the hell out of me but not because they piled on Ashley but because posing the question in the first place (Who should go home?) isn't asked to sway the judges, it's asked to amp up drama. 

As if Nine or Heidi or Kelly Osborne gives a rats ass what the designers think in that moment. Yes, it's competition but this isn't Survivor, where you pretty much need to lie and align with people to move your game forward. This show is based on individual talents, so this serious television moment where Kelly Osborne is going to call out a "bitch fest" and people attacking poor victim Ashley is nothing more than scripted shit. Not saying the attack on Ashley was justified at all, all of their looks sucked something terrible, but the question delivered was done so in the meanest spirit possible by Heidi. And of course, done with a smile as if she doesn't know that that is not only unnecessary, but hurtful. 

 

I agree. It is the "judges's" job to judge. It is just plain mean for them to ask who should go home. If you say a fellow competitor should go then you look spiteful and the judges are going kick off whom ever they want anyways. BUT if you try to look kind and humble and say "I could have done better work" then you give the judges a reason to get rid of you. "We are getting rid of you because though your design was the best - you have a weak attitude so goodbye!"

[sinkwriter]

 

About the mean girl challenge.  We teach people how to treat us.  Ashley has been a victim her entire life, fat kids usually are and she presented that position the entire show.   She was chosen last and came onto that team with this victim attitude.  She did not fully participate because she was convinced they didn't want her collaboration.  She created her place on that team all by herself.

 

It didn't all come from her past or her own personal self esteem or weight issues. She was convinced they didn't want her collaboration because she was chosen last even though she'd already won TWO CHALLENGES. I think Ashley fully expected to be chosen early on, given how well she'd done thus far, so it flattened her when she wasn't. Unfortunately, she didn't have the maturity to push it aside and stand up for herself and make them get more focused throughout the rest of the challenge. But I don't blame her for being thrown. I'd be hurt by that too, no matter what my size. I don't think it's as much victim attitude as it is legitimate surprise and hurt that people she thought she'd connected with suddenly ignored and/or turned on her. Add to that years of feeling like crap about yourself, and not knowing how to stand up for yourself, and you've got this whole mess. But those other women were ridiculous (especially Amanda and Candice) and they did pile on Ashley. I don't believe for a second that every single one of them thought Ashley's outfit was the worst and that she contributed the least. I saw plenty of scenes where they ignored or dismissed her even trying to suggest anything or ask questions. Candice was especially guilty of that.

 

And they continue to perpetuate the mean girl persona in how they reacted to the whole question on last night's show. There wasn't one person who admitted, maybe I could have handled things better. Instead they all got defensive. I think that's pretty telling.

Edited November 13, 2015 by sinkwriter