Project Runway Season 2 Fashiontestant Nick Verreos filled in for our deliciously orange Michael Kors this week - and I thought he did a great job. CERTAINLY better than some of the other "judges" they've used this season.
But poor Uncle Nick has been getting HAMMERED on his blog about his comment regarding Gordana's look...
Nick said it looked like an "Office worker in Warsaw, Poland" - and Polish-Americans have been FREAKING OUT.
As I commented on Nick's BLOG, it's not like French people freak out when Michael Kor(ange)s says an outfit looks like something a "French Maid" would wear. And if all the Mothers of all the Brides stopped watching Project Runway every time Michael used that little diss, Lifetime wouldn't have any viewers at all.
What do you think - was it offensive? I say: lighten up, it's only fashion!
Hat tip to BPR for the story.
But poor Uncle Nick has been getting HAMMERED on his blog about his comment regarding Gordana's look...
Nick said it looked like an "Office worker in Warsaw, Poland" - and Polish-Americans have been FREAKING OUT.
As I commented on Nick's BLOG, it's not like French people freak out when Michael Kor(ange)s says an outfit looks like something a "French Maid" would wear. And if all the Mothers of all the Brides stopped watching Project Runway every time Michael used that little diss, Lifetime wouldn't have any viewers at all.
What do you think - was it offensive? I say: lighten up, it's only fashion!
Hat tip to BPR for the story.
had he been more specific, ie wwII warsaw, concentration camp, ect i might be able to see where the critics were coming from, however i think just plain dowdy would of described it to a 't' without ruffling as many feathers.
ReplyDeleteit seems that in this day and age people care too much about trying to read things into what others say but not enough to the hate coming out of their own mouths.
xxalainaxx
Wow, to think people have become so sensitive that you can't call someone a secretary from Warsaw, Poland?
ReplyDeleteStoo--followed quickly by--pid.
On my blog I called it a "little Prague schoolteacher" outfit and then compared it to Ruth Buzzi from Laugh-In, and yet I didn't get one nasty comment.
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was it offensive?
ReplyDeleteGiven that context is everything, and Poland is routinely used in the USA when a stereotype of a cultural wasteland is needed in the sentence, I'm not surprised he's catching flack.
I personally was thinking "runway show show in Moscow" so I wasn't too far off his mark! Do I think he comment was spot on hilarious? Yes! Am I surprised that people are all twitterpated about it? No! I'm so fucking sick of political correctness! The world has lost it's sense of humor!
ReplyDeleteThought it was rather appropriate - had two nieces be exchange students in Eastern Europe and things are rough. Who is left to insult?!
ReplyDeleteI'm tired of political correctness, too. People need to lighten up. While I'm at it, I hate it when people who don't know me call me "sweetie" or "honey" and names like that. And "young lady" ... how condescending! OK, I'll stop now. What was your question?
ReplyDeleteOh DD, have you never been to Chi-town?
ReplyDeletePoles are fierce, and are always very sensitive to notions that they are 'less than' in material goods, smarts, etc. I also made the mistake of speaking Russian to a Pole once, and will not make the same mistake twice.
As for Nick's comment, I just thought it was pretty thoughtless, because with the exception of the unfinished edges on her jacket, her colors and design remind me of the big ball of blah I usually see coming out of Armani.
Because Gordana is from the former Yugoslavia, the "Polish office worker" comment might have seemed appropriate to Nick, but it was just catty BS meant to play for the cameras and audience at home. If he would have said "Moscow office worker", I'm pretty sure Irina would have taken offense. But you can't say that now, not really since Moscow is now the new market for all the high-end labels. (Thanks, oligarchs!) So 'Polish' it is. Would we have the same controversy if the designer was not from the former Eastern Bloc? I don't know....