design star melt down

note: these are continued from comments on Linda Merrill's Surrounding's Blog

At this point we watch the show the way you rubberneck a crash on the freeway. We watch to see how they are going to top themselves this week. You think it can't get worse but then it does.

THE THRILL IS GONE
Sparkle Josh is gone. The life has been sucked out of Will, the most professional designer on the show. The atmosphere is ugly and the design challenges are ugly. The judges are drooling over a couple of blowhard jerks and putting the two most talented and professional designers -- Will and Josh -- up on the chopping block. Remember the first episode? I still like the idea of the "Will and Josh / Ebony and Ivory" show.

WILL & JOSH: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
I think that the judges created a situation that made it impossible for Josh and Will to succeed. The dynamic of the personalities drained the life from Josh and Will. The macho bullying of Todd and Robb was taking its toll. It actually seemed like Josh was relieved to get out of there. I can't blame him. I suspect Will would have been glad to get out of there as well.

The stars of the show are a couple of dickheads that enjoy crowing and bellowing and high-fiving and chest thumping and circle jerking around the set. However, the judges find them charming. WTF? All I can say is, "eewwww." Not. My. Type. They should have gotten rid of Robb the first week -- and Todd soon after. He's better for Mtv Road Rules.

MAJOR TOOLS
(or over-compensating is just another way of saying how much you care. did I say care? I meant fear. fear and loathing. and sexual panic.)
Todd and Robb are repugnant, especially Robb. (My husband even said that he seems like someone who is abusive.) Todd? He has strong carpentry and art skills but he honestly seems like he might be a bit retarded. He needs to start wearing a helmet and taking his ritalin.

Here's the thing: at a certain age, and with a certain level of aggression, boyish enthusiasm converts into macho thuggery. It's called growing up. Being civilized. Acting a certain way -- off of the rugby playing field -- is just being a lout.

And not for nothing but this all REEKS of homophobia.

HGTV: DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR AUDIENCE IS?
Who does HGTV think is watching? I don't want to watch a tv show that shows testosterone-addled morons constanting beating down two more sensitive, talented adult professional men. Who would hire these guys who speak and behave like pre-pubescent boys? Are they seriously going to give Robb his own show? Is the douchebag audience for HGTV that substantial? If Todd wins then they will have picked two designers in a row who go around shirtless. Next season why don't we just call it "Beafcake Design Star"?

Note: David's personality could not be more different from Todd's. He listens. He is warm. He has a rapport with women. He is secure enough who he is that he doesn't need macho posturing. He is an adult. He is a professional. Although it is more professional to keep one's shirt on.

DESIGN STAR DRINKING GAME
Here's an idea for a drinking game: every scene when Todd doesn't have his shirt on, take a shot.

MOST HILARIOUS MOMENTS: OR WHY SOME MEN ARE SINGLE
For physical comedy obviously we had the moment when that table flipped over on Todd. I was hoping it would hit him in the head. Or the nuts. For sheer irony we had Robb lecturing Christina on what weddings should be like. That was priceless. So what if his [tacky not-to-scale boa-festooned] design won, when it comes to women, that dude is CLUELESS!!!

IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE TO HAVE A WINNER?
Linda Merrill's blog has a poll that shows that at this point most people think that nobody should win Design Star. Will is the most talented and professional. But that fact seems to have escaped the notice of all of the judges who are too impressed with the Major Tools. But Will has really been worn down by the ugliness of Todd and Robb. They have been beating up on him from the second episode. Of course once he has escaped the bullies and has his own show I would imagine he's be back to his smiling upbeat self. (With his lovely assistant Sparkle Josh??!! PleasePleasePlease!!!)

KIM-POSSIBLE?
One woman is left, god love her. Kim -- the most upbeat woman in the world --is hanging in there. Maybe she can hold on until the end. But I'm not optimistic.I think that Kim could be the one person who could redeem the show. She's the HGTV viewer: the woman who has learned how to be a designer from watching HGTV.