Touché, Jeffrey

Jeffrey, you and I have had our differences, and now you have won Project Runway. While my initial reaction was a huge groan followed by several loud expletives, over the past nine hours or so, I have made peace with the judges' decision. Your sewing, by all accounts, was phenomenal (note to cameramen and/or editors: it would have been nice to see a closeup of the much-raved-and-speculated-about topstitching), and, while you and I have wildly-different aesthetics, I understand the reasons for your win. It's that whole mismatched, part-80's rock-and-roll thing that so in vogue right now. You're cutting edge. It's not a style that particularly flatters or appeals to me, and, frankly, I'm contentedly wearing simple, low-end maternity pants while just trying to ride it out until fashion conditions improve and I can once again wander into a trendy French-style coffee shop in Manhattan without being waited on by one of the Bangles, but I'll say this: at the very least, you've got charisma, kid. You were a good character and you gave us a good show all along, even when you were a jerk. Plus, we've got the Italian connection. I can't discredit that.

And I think Marilinda, your model, deserved her win. That girl's got attitude and a beautiful, non-cookie-cutter look. She rocked that yellow dress, even if said dress made me want to adjust the color and picture on my TV.

I admired Michael's and Laura's skills all along, and I think Uli's runway show was simply beautiful. Quite possibly the best of the four.

But...

For me, the real hero of the show was Tim Gunn. Tim Gunn, articulately-voiced group mentor extraordinaire, liaison between the contestants and the judges, and attractive silver-haired, bespectacled fashion plate. Stern taskmaster with a heart of gold. Soothing in his coolness. I don't think it's overreaching to consider him part of a grand, classical tradition of minor characters with major impact, weaving through the story like fine metallic thread, affecting the lives of the major characters in ways both subtle and straightforward. Like, perhaps, the Nurse from Romeo and Juliet.

Or, as Ty said, Spottswoode from Team America.

Okay, so maybe not "classical." But grand, nonetheless.