Highway robbery!

"Are these space pants? 'Cause my ass is out of this world."

Santino Rice, you've been robbed. I was pulling for you...hoping against all hope. And for what? So your title could be tossed away. You're the champion, brother.

If you find yourself muttering, "what the fuck?", then you are obviously not a fan of Project Runway. You know, that show on Bravo about the fashion designers.

Which brings me to guilty pleasures, skeletons in my TV closet, and how to reconcile seemingly vapid reality shows with one's social conscience. I find it humourous that folks react with such surprise to learn I watch not only Project Runway but Blow Out as well. "Is he insane?" "Does he lack intelligence?" "Is he gay?!"

Hardly. As a writer, musician and wannabe stencil artist, I can appreciate the creative process. What's more, these people's creations serve a greater purpose of enriching the lives of those who receive said creations.

I contend that a new piece of clothing or a kick-ass new coiffe can do as much for a person's self-esteem and general mood as anything. So why dismiss artistic vision and technical ability as worthless just because it's "fashion?"

Art, music, and yes, fashion, are what move us forward culturally. If you're looking to your fellow man to lead you politically to your utopia, you're pining up the wrong tree. In fact--as evidenced by recent legislation in South Dakota--your fellow man is dragging you, your lifestyle, and your sister's uterus back about 50 years.

So we must look to Santino Rice and Jonathan Antin--and every last artist and musician we know--to help push us forward. To help open our collective eyes to the New..to the Next. And, well, to make our asses look tight.

*in my best Santino doing Tim Gunn voice*

Where's Andre?