7 Things You Didn’t Know About the Judges of ‘Project Runway’

By Jessica Bennett

I’m obsessed with Tim Gunn. I’ve interviewed him three times, and each time, I hang up the phone thinking he’s even more amazing than the last time. He’s smart, he’s sassy, he’s down to earth—he obviously has the best impersonation voice ever—and every time Heidi, Michael, and Nina veered off topic during our Project Runway roundtable last month (which, um, was like every five minutes), Tim, like the pro that he is, would rein them all back in. But there were some things that were beyond even Tim’s control: Heidi’s constant sexual innuendos about her husband, Seal; Michael Kors’s over-sharing about his boxer-briefs (“they give me a nice line”); and Nina’s complaints about how utterly freezing our studio was (though she was right; it was extremely cold). Here are our seven favorite behind-the-scenes moments from our Runway roundtable. (And check out the full interview here!)

1. Tim Gunn Comes Prepared

Ramin (my co-host) walks into the studio with a huge glob of concealer on his white collar. He’s mortified. Should he take a cab to Bloomingdales? Should he try to wash it out? I am helpless, and laughing hysterically, when Tim swoops in to the rescue. He opens up his satchel and—voilà! Tide stain stick. He carries it around with him at all times. When he’s finished blotting Ramin’s stain—which, for the record, did not come out—he pulls out a powder compact and dabs his forehead. (Gotta hide the shine!)

2. Heidi Klum Eats!

And she eats doughnuts! I’d gone to great lengths to make sure our kitchen crew provided some healthy, low-fat options for our fabulous guests—non-fat Greek yogurt, grapefruit juice, and a fruit plate, to be exact. But they brought up a few pastries just in case—along with some mini-bagels and non-fat cream cheese. I assumed us NEWSWEEK fatties would stuff our faces once the Runway skinnies left. But as soon as the interview was over, Heidi was mowing. She even, amazingly, wrapped the extras in napkins and stuffed them into her purse for the road.

3. Michael Kors Loves to Talk

And talk…and talk. He was first on set, and gloriously bronzed from a weekend in the Hamptons. He chatted with his makeup artist, who bronzed him further, he chatted with Nina, and with our staff. And once the cameras started rolling, he was the man of the hour—with an opinion on, well, everything. He’s fantastic, but give Tim Gunn a turn!

4. Nina Garcia Is Tiny

Even in four-inch heels.

5. Heidi and Seal Are Hot—For Each Other

And she cannot stop talking about him. Like, really, she cannot stop talking about him. “I don’t look at other men,” she responded to a question about men’s fashion mistakes. “I only look at my husband, and he looks fabulous.” For the record, Heidi also looks fabulous—as gorgeous in person as she is on the show.

6. Tim Gunn Blushes

When we asked him about his boyfriend status. (He’s single, but not looking.)

7. Newsweek Is Fashionable

Tim Gunn said so! He complimented my outfit (hallelujah!), which I proceeded to relay to everyone on Twitter.