I'm Asking The Tough Questions...

Hi Tim,

Thanks again for your e-mail. You've given my blog a lot of credibility.

I have a concern for you. It's kind of hard to articulate, so please bear with me.

There are some things revealed in your podcasts that we would not otherwise know about. The first one was that Santino argued with the judges for 90 minutes after the lingerie episode. Another was that you pleaded with Marla not to take the Nicky Hilton dossier into Mood. Another was that you told Santino that he was choosing the exact fabric that Austin used for the Grammy challenge.

(By the way, I posted elsewhere that I'm sure Santino was thinking "I - the Great Santino, will REDEEM the ombre chiffon!")

Anyway, since these revelations in the podcasts completely flavor the listener's peceptions of the various designers, it would be nice if we had SOME sort of verification in the show.

It would have been nice to show, for instance, Santino standing before the judges - and then a brief glimpse of the clock - Santino, still arguing - another glimpse of the clock.... Or a clip of you asking Marla not to bring the dossier, a clip of Marla slipping it into her purse...

A clip of you discussing the "Austin fabric" with Santino would have been great - because of course, on the runway, Santino behaves as if he is surprised to learn that he has used the same fabric. Now wait? Is Santino dishonest? No way!

Marla says in an interview that she doesn't recall you insisting that she leave the dossier behind.

Now I know that it is impossible for the cameras to capture every single thing that goes on. I realize that a lot of editing has to be done in order to create a one-hour show. But it would be nice, if you are going to present something really surprising in your blog or podcast, if there was a little hint of it in the show.

Yes, it's too late to go in and change things now. Also, my readers are not the average typical viewers. We are pretty much obsessed with every detail.

So it's interesting to see how much our perceptions are changed after listening to the podcast. It's almost as if - the program presents things one way - (that Santino didn't know about the fabric) and the podcast presents it completely differently (that he did.) I wish there was a little more congruity.

Anyway, It would be wonderful to see some of these scenes as "bonus footage" in the DVD of Season Two. I have readers who are very very curious about the 90-minute argument. : )

Take care, Tim. Thanks for listening.

Sincerely,
Laura Kluvo



Hi Laura,

I am sincerely appreciative to you for your thoughts. Furthermore, I understand precisely what you mean. My conflict is the following: my podcasts are intended to reveal some of the content that is missing from the show. Santino's 90-minute diatribe, Marla and the dossier, and Santino at MOOD are all on camera. However, those scenes were edited, as were dozens and dozens of others. I could babble on for an hour or more about what's not seen in a single show. There is so much material for each and every show, that the editing process is incredibly
daunting. The producers make calculated decisions about what's in and what's out.

I have no interest in making up scenarios. If viewers feel a need for corroboration of what I've said, then I'm at a loss for how to respond. As you suggest, perhaps the out-takes on the season two DVD will reveal some of this. I haven't seen the "surprise" footage that will be used during the Reunion Show, but these matters may be among them. too.

I'm reminded of some runway dialogue in the "Inspiration" episode. It was Kara. Michael Kors and Heidi, too, I believe, make reference to Kara's 45-minute explanation. However, we don't hear it on the show(thankfully!). I believe that if the show revealed Santino's 90-minute diatribe, or even made mere reference to it, the audience would have freaked even more severely, which would beg the question, "Why is he still here?" I know that that question is out there anyway, but it would be much more pronounced. Marla? Who knows. She seems to live in
Denial Land. My conversation with Santino about Austin's fabric? I believe that the producers wanted that connection to be made by Jay, because he worked next to Austin on that challenge and Austin was voted OUT. Jay's remark had more impact that my own and it would have been diluted had we heard the earlier dialogue. This is just speculation on my part, since I have no role in editing the show, but it's carefully considered speculation.

Laura, please feel free to share my response. I have the greatest respect for you and your collaborators. And I have the greatest respect for your readers.

Sincere regards,

Tim XX