From The Hollywood Reporter: Sources tell THR that Weinstein's Board of Director's will meet December 11 in New York for a frank discussion of the company's future.It's the first get-together of the boats since the Weinsteins and Glasser instituted cost-cutting measures (including about 50 layoffs) and put together a new business plan for the veteran indie studio. As rumors of a possible sale of some or all of its assets continue to swirl, the board will discuss several key issues including the company's financial situation....and how to carve out individual TV assets if the entire division can't be unloaded for the right price (a rich deal with ITV fell apart earlier this year). Sources say the Project Runway franchise, in particular, has several bidders interested. Project Runway has always been an asset of personal interest for Harvey Weinstein. His wife Georgina Chapman has been directly involved with Project Runway All Stars and he has used the franchise as a vehicle to get some of his screen stars extra publicity. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Joanna Coles, Harvey Weinstein and Andrea Wong hosted a "Fall Fashion Week Celebration" and viewing party last night. Many of the Season Six designers and models were there.
Daniel Vosovic also received his $100,000 All-Star check - congratulations Daniel!
Tim Gunn and Michael Kors were unable to attend. Click here for the photo gallery from WireImage.
The stunning fuchsia suit that Heidi Klum wore at the Season Six Finale Show was designed by Matthew Williamson. Click here for more details.
Click here to see Christian Siriano's shoe collection for Payless. These were featured in his Fall '09 Fashion show.
While we were watching the Season Six Finale at Bryant Park, Harvey Weinstein was in Los Angeles on Ryan Seacrest's radio show. Click here for the KIISFM website and then click on the link to listen to the interview. At about 9.5 minutes in you'll hear Ryan and Harvey discuss the future of Project Runway.
More juicy details have emerged from the ongoing legal battle between NBC Universal and the Weinstein Company over the Project Runway franchise. Get this:
In testimony in N.Y. State Supreme Court this month, movie/TV mogul Harvey Weinstein told the judge that the fashion mentor (Tim Gunn)wasn't paid anything in the show's first season.
Thats right, Tim worked for Harvey free of charge! Season 2 may have brought him fame, but not much fortune:
The second season wasn't much better for Gunn: He got only $2,500 per episode, according to testimony in the court battle, which pits NBC/Universal against the Weinstein Co., which owns "Project Runway," over taking Heidi Klum's popular show from NBC's Bravo to Lifetime.
The Weinstein Company got Tim on the cheap. But wait, there's more...
NBC/Universal president/CEO Jeff Zucker also took the stand in the court session. Zucker, who is supposedly friends with Weinstein and attended his wedding to Marchese designer Georgina Chapman, was questioned under oath about an e-mail he'd sent telling Bravo execs to show marathon reruns of "Project Runway" in the same time slot that Lifetime plans to air the new show's season in November. He was proud of the plan, explaining, "I'm a competitive guy." Ahh - the ruthless business of broadcasting. One day you're toasting the groom, the next you're planning his ratings demise. The bright side: we'll have plenty of Runway to choose from come November! Of course Harvey had to go and get personal:
Weinstein also testified that he "disliked Bravo management." That would surely mean Bravo/Oxygen/iVillage chief Lauren Zalaznick. More than one source used the H word in describing the relationship: "They hate each other."
Now, we've never met Harvey Weinstein and are pretty sure that we would cower and run if it did occur, but we have met Bravo's Lauren Zalaznick and can only state that she has been nothing but kind and supportive to the BPR community. How can you hate her?
Will NBC be successful in their lawsuit? Stay tuned for the next episode of Project Courtroom...
Heidi Klum has been tapped to co-host the Emmy Awards on September 21 with fellow "Best Reality Show Host" nominees Ryan Seacrest, Jeff Probst, Tom Bergeron and Howie Mandel. Our big question: who will Heidi wear?
Here's an excellent article about Magical Elves founders Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth that talks about the genesis of Project Runway, with insight from Tim Gunn...
Last but not least: We're either crazy, nuts or both but we're planning to cover Season 2 of Top Design and resurrecting our long forgotten step-blog Blogging Top Design. The best news is that we've recruited the fabulous interior designer/blogger/BPR party animal Linda Merrill from ::Surroundings:: to lead the charge. Season 2 shows great promise with the Elves at the helm and an intriguing, experienced cast (including Mrs. Ricky Schroder). Season 2 debuts on September 3 at 10:00 p.m., filling the slot after Shear Genius ends. Stop by and say hello!
Harvey may be in need of some computer skills. Someone has printed out his e-mails, like one involving details of the new Project Runway, which, after its fifth season on Bravo (starting July 16), Harvey is moving to Lifetime for season six, which will partly be filmed in California. The wags have it that Harvey's ego was offended that Bravo was getting so much credit for the success of the show, so he moved it to the more cautious, less gay Lifetime out of spite.
Longtime fans predict doom. But the e-mails suggest that whether or not Runway wanes, Harvey is a hands-on details guy: He seemed to peruse a series of e-mails regarding the show's makeup and "hair category.” A crucial one was sent May 26 to several people at L'Oreal by Lori Sale, a former Weinstein Company employee now at the Paradigm agency...
And the pricetag to have the honored banner atop the Project Runway hair and makeup room? How does $8 million sound! With that kind of lucre, don't you think the ante could upped just a smidgen for the Project Runway winner?
