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Run Through

4/ 9/08

10:30 AM

The Real ‘Project Runway’ Drama Between Weinstein and NBC

Last laugh or wishful thinking?Photo: Wire Image

On Monday it was abruptly announced that Project Runway would be departing Bravo for Lifetime, and the shake-up thickens today! The New York Post reports the Weinstein Co. and NBC (which owns Bravo) had been feuding for some time, and Weinstein sold the series to Lifetime because of "the same two factors that conspire to destroy every successful entertainment-industry relationship: money and ego." We smell drama! Apparently Weinstein wanted to screw over NBC because the network underpaid for the show and no one ever got along anyway. In short, picture America's Next Top Model but with men in offices behind desks full of papers with a smattering of secret meetings. Here are some of the purported dramas:

• Harvey Weinstein felt Bravo took all of the credit for the show's success. Others argue Bravo are reality TV geniuses (exhibits A and B: Top Chef and Real Housewives of New York) and that the network was what made the show awesome.

• Harvey hates Bravo because they didn't pay him enough. Each episode cost them just $600,000 (less during the first three seasons), while Lifetime will pay $1 million per episode.

• Because he was so "underpaid," Harvey tried to make extra money by making product-placement deals without consulting NBC. Such a deal with one cosmetic company would prevent NBC from racking up other beauty advertisers.

• Macy's stopped sponsoring the show when Harvey insisted an executive from Wal-Mart, a retailer with whom he had a DVD deal, appear in the season-three finale. A Wal-Mart exec appearing next to Heidi Klum? Now that is offensive.

Tyra Banks's girls never seemed so tame.

IT'S MY PROJECT! [NYP]
Related: Next ‘Project Runway’ Challenge: A Lawsuit! (Pun Intended)
Breaking: ‘Project Runway’ Moves From Bravo to Lifetime

More: Run Through   »Tags: bravo, harvey weinstein, nbc, project runway, television
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