SUSAN PIERCE: For the fourth consecutive week, Christopher Straub was in "Project Runway's" bottom two and evaded being "aufed," even though he deserved to be cut loose far more than Nicolas Putvinski, who got the judges' boot.
Christopher has eluded more tight spots lately than Houdini. What has he got on the judges? Did he catch Heidi shopping for Jaclyn Smith clothes in a Kmart and exchange his silence for immunity?
LISA DENTON: I've been wondering that myself. Last night he acknowledged his recent troubles but said most of his designs had been strong. But the six designs in the retrospective showed three contenders and three duds. So counting last night's creation, his downhill slide is picking up steam. Oh, except with the judges.
SUSAN : Christopher was my early favorite, and I even went out on a limb and named him among my favorites to make it to the final four. But since winning the first challenge, his work has continued to decline.
Yet, Christopher stayed and Shirin Askari got cut in the Christina Aguilera challenge, when Shirin had just been in the top three the week before and had never been in the bottom three.
This week the judges chose Christopher over Nicolas, who had just been in the top three and who won the movie challenge for his ice queen gown. There has to be some off-screen explanation for why they continue to give Christopher a second, third, fourth and now fifth chance.
LISA : I've noticed that trend too. Apparently consistency counts for nothing with the judges. It seems like they're judging each contestant's weekly design on its own merits, without consideration for how well the contestants have done previously. There's really no margin for error. The contestants have to wow the judges every week.
Too bad Christopher can't use Logan Neitzel's edge. One of the guest judges actually said his design didn't measure up one week, but he was just so handsome, apparently too handsome to vote off. That should be even more of an affront to the other contestants than Christopher's staying power.
Lisa Denton is deputy features editor and content editor of Current. She previously was a lifestyle, entertainment and region reporter/pod leader for The Chattanooga Times, which she joined in 1983. Lisa is from Sale Creek and holds an associate’s degree in journalism from Chattanooga State Community College. Contact Lisa at 423-757-6281 or ldenton@timesfreepress.com.
Susan Palmer Pierce is a reporter and columnist in the Life department. She began her journalism career as a summer employee 1972 for the News Free Press, typing bridal announcements and photo captions. She became a full-time employee in 1980, working her way up to feature writer, then special sections editor, then Lifestyle editor in 1995 until the merge of the NFP and Times in 1999. She was honored with the 2007 Chattanooga Woman of ...
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