Throughout the 13th season of Project Runway, contestant Korina Emmerich teetered between snotty and arrogant.
And then she fell deep into the entitlement abyss. I’m aware that I should be embarrassed to write this, but I can’t help taking pleasure in watching an entitled, spoiled, elitist reality TV contestant break down after getting a real dose of reality, exposed for exactly that and for all the world to see.
However, no matter how insufferable Korina was during normal competition, when the times got tougher and things didn’t go her way, the weight of the negative energy got to her. And how did Korina respond? By being even worse; something I didn’t think was possible.
So instead of rolling with the punches that a reality competition will throw at you, Korina instead blamed others, wallowed in her own pain (while lashing out at Char), crossed her arms in a fury, blamed the rules of the game being unfair, and wildly threw out grade-A asshole statements complete with her passive-aggressive smile (patent pending).
Korina couldn’t handle losing to someone that she perceived as less talented than her — which it should be noted, is everyone, but especially Char (and Sandya before that).
After Korina was eliminated, she walks into the waiting room with her perfect passive-aggressive smile and announces how everyone should be as surprised as she is that she was eliminated and then blaming Char for getting the Tim Gunn save five challenges ago. If you’re not familiar with the show, Tim Gunn gets to bring an newly-eliminated contestant back into the show – which everyone on the show is aware of going in.
“Who called that one? Anybody… anybody think I was going home today?” Korina said as she sat down on the couch next to Sean. Char responded to her passive-aggressive insult with a smile and a laugh, which sets Korina off: “You were out! You were eliminated.”
Sheesh. Watch for yourself (starting at 1:20):
Not to be outdone by herself, Korina shows up in the next challenge where the remaining designers pick losing designs to turn into winning designs. Korina, fresh off her elimination, must partner up and assist one of the remaining designers.
Korina’s partner? That designer happened to be Char, whom chose Korina’s look because it had the most fabric (not knowing she would have to work with that eliminated designer).
Of course, Korina doesn’t want to work with an inferior designer, one that beat her in the previous competition. Instead of being a professional, Korina gives us her best Korina impression.
“I don’t really want to do this. I don’t think I would put enough effort into helping her. I am so upset still. And I think that it’s clear that I should not be here.”
“That is perfectly fine,” says Tim Gunn “You may stomp out of the workroom in a hissy fit, Korina.”
And stomp off in a hissy fit she did (Tim didn’t say that last part, but Korina’s fellow peers had this to say about her second meltdown):
Kini: “Korina is kinda looking like a big crybaby to me…You knew that somebody could get eliminated and unfortunately it was you.”
Sean: “She’s so bitter and she has this very dark side to her and she’s obviously showing her true colors of how she feels now that she’s out.”
Amanda: “Getting eliminated sucks for everyone. It’s not any more painful for her. I’ve been eliminated. I know.”
The worst part of this? It’s telling of Korina’s character that Char and Korina never had any bad blood between them (at least not on what was shown); that they got along just fine.
All these bad feelings that Korina has for Char is not based on anything that Char did to Korina. All Char did was what she was supposed to. Tim Gunn saved her, so that’s not her fault, but somehow in Korina’s twisted version of how things should go, it’s Char’s fault for being saved by Tim.
This drama is all because Korina couldn’t stand losing to Char within the guidelines that she was well aware of going into Project Runway. I mean, this is the 13th season after all and I am sure the contestants are more than prepped about all the rules.
I try to avoid saying “grow up” but “grow the fuck up!” In the real world, you can’t win them all. In the real world, you sometimes have to work in uncomfortable situations. In the real world, you sometimes have to look past your own selfish needs. In sum, reality TV is too real for some people and that’s unfortunate, but sometimes… when the spoiled prick gets pie on their face, it sure is fun to watch.
