>> From the Library of Congress in Washington DC.
>> SPEAKER: GOOD EVENING.
WELCOME TO THE KLUGE AUDITORIUM AT LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
I'M NICHOLAS BROWN, ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF BIBLIODISCOTHEQUE.
WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE YOU THIS EVENING
ON TIM GUNN ON DISCO FASHION.
IT'S BEING BROAD CASTED LIVE ON FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE.
THE LIBRARY'S DISCO SERIES IS AN EXPLORATION OF DISCO DANCE,
MUSIC AND CULTURE IN THE LIBRARY.
POPULAR CULTURE IS RICHLY COLLECTED IN THE LIBRARY'S DEPOSIT
OF HIT SONGS, SHEET MUSIC, AUDIO RECORDINGS,
MANUSCRIPT AND FEATURE FILMS.
WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO BE JOINED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK
BY LEADING SCHOLARS, EXPERTS AND PERFORMERS FOR DISCO DEVELOPMENT,
LEGACY AND A CULTURAL PHENOMENON.
AS YOU PARTICIPATE IN BIBLIODISCOTHEQUE,
WE INVITE YOU TO PARTICIPATE ONLINE HASHTAG LC DISCO.
BE SURE TO VISIT OUR BE DAZZLED DISCO BALL IN FRONT
OF THE THOMAS JEFFERSON BUILDING TO GRAB A PHOTO.
THIS PROGRAM AND ALL OF THE BIBLIODISCOTHEQUE EVENTS ARE MADE
THROUGH SUPPORT OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
AS YOU SPEND YOUR TIME HERE TONIGHT,
WE INVITE YOU TO MAKE A DONATION VIA LOC.GOV/DISCO.
IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKERS THIS EVENING.
ROBERT NEWLEN WHO WILL INTRODUCE MR. GUNN IS THE DEPUTY LIBRARIAN
OF CONGRESS.
HE HAS SERVED AT THE LIBRARY SINCE 1975 INCLUDING CHIEF OF STAFF,
DEPUTY LAW LIBRARIAN, ASSISTANCE KNOWLEDGE SERVICES GROUP
AND DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH SERVICE AND CRS LEGISLATIVE RELATIONS OFFICE.
HOLDS DEGREES FROM AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
IN AMERICA AND BRIDGE WATER COLLEGE.
SERVED ON THE BOARD OF AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
TIM GUNN IS A FASHION HOST ON EMMY PROJECT RUNWAY.
HE HAS HAD STINTS INCLUDING LIZ CLAREBORN OPERATED, PACIFIC
AND CHAIR OF FASHION DESIGN AT PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN.
ALSO AS A DISTINGUISHED WRITER, GUNN HAS SOLD BEST SELLING BOOKS
AND KATHY MCDROTAL PUT TOGETHER A DISPLAY THIS EVENING
AND YOU CAN SEE MR. GUNN'S WORK IN THE LOBBY.
MR. GUNN HAS WRITTEN FOR ELLE, PEOPLE AND NEW YORK MAGAZINE
AND WRITTEN FOR NEW YORK TIMES, MARIE CLAIRE
AND ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY.
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TONIGHT'S INTERVIEW, MR. GUNN WILL SIGN
AT THE PAVILION WHICH IS ON TOP OF THE AUDITORIUM RIGHT UP THE STAIRS.
AUDIENCE, PLEASE WELCOME ROBERT NEWLEN AND TIM GUNN.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE].
THANK YOU.
>> SPEAKER: WELL THANK YOU FOR WOW.
THANK YOU.
>> SPEAKER: WELL THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
OKAY. IT'S TIME TO GO.
>> SPEAKER: WELL TIM, WELCOME TO THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
THANK YOU FOR AGREEING TO KICK OFF OUR WEEK OF BIBLIODISCOTHEQUE.
THIS IS QUITE AN HONOR FOR US.
>> SPEAKER: ROBERT, I HAVE TO BE HONEST,
WHEN I RECEIVED THE INVITATION.
FIRST OF ALL, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, I'M ECSTATIC.
I MEAN THE WHOLE IDEA OF BEING HERE.
AND THEN I THOUGHT DISCO FASHION.
[LAUGHTER].
IT'S -- BUT THEN I FELT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS HAS EVERYTHING.
AND YOU DO.
SO WHY NOT?
>> SPEAKER: IT'S TRUE.
WE DO. WE ARE -- WE ARE GROUND ZERO FOR INFORMATION
ABOUT THE DISCO ERA, MUSIC, FASHION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.
>> SPEAKER: IT TAKES ME BACK.
[LAUGHTER].
>> SPEAKER: IT'S ALSO FUN BECAUSE YOU'RE A FELLOW WASHINGTONIAN.
>> SPEAKER: I AM, GENERATIONS.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE].
>> SPEAKER: AND A GRADUATE OF CORCHRAN CULTURE.
>> SPEAKER: YES.
FOR FIVE YEARS.
>> SPEAKER: SO TELL US HOW DID YOU MORPH FROM CROCHRAN MAJOR.
>> SPEAKER: WELL, HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE.
EVEN GETTING TO THE CORCHRAN WAS A SERENDIPITOUS PATH
AND I HAD AN UNDER GRADUATE DEGREE.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO BE DOING IN LITERATURE.
I STUDIED ARCHITECTURE.
AFTER ONE SEMESTER OF IT, I THOUGHT THIS IS A SURE TRIP
TO AN INSANE ASYLUM.
YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE PULLING INK AND A STYLUS ALONG A STRAIGHT AGE
AND 20 HOURS INTO A DRAWING, THE WHOLE THING BLEEDS.
I GRADUATED FROM CORCHRAN AND I THOUGHT HOW AM I GOING
TO SUPPORT MYSELF AS A STARVING SCULPTOR.
AND I WENT BACK IN WASHINGTON, BUT IN A DIFFERENT FORM OF DEPARTURE.
AND I WAS INVITED TO TEACH AT THE CORCHRAN.
AND IT WAS ANOTHER TRIP TO THE ASYLUM.
FOR A WHILE I THREW UP EVERY MORNING IN THE PARKING LOT.
I HAD A WONDERFUL WOMAN WHO HIRED ME.
A WONDERFUL WOMAN.
AND DURING THE WEEK I KEPT REHEARSNG THE TALK I NEEDED TO HAVE
WITH HER FRIDAY AFTERNOON AFTER CLASS.
I THOUGHT I CAN'T DO THIS.
AND SOMEONE ELSE DECIDED THEY CANNOT RETURN TO TEACH.
AND I HAD THIS WONDERFUL IMPASSIONED SPEECH.
I WASN'T EATING.
I WASN'T SLEEPING.
AND LIFE DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE.
SHE LISTENED TO ME.
SHE SAYS I TRUST THAT THIS WILL EITHER CHANGE YOU OR KILL YOU.
AND I THOUGHT THE LATER.
OH, NO. I GOT TO GO BACK ON MONDAY.
BUT CURED ME IT DID.
I ENDED UP BEING A CAREER ACADEMIC.
29 YEARS IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO I WAS INVITED TO TEACH AT PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN IN NEW YORK.
THIS WAS 1982.
AND I SAID NO, NO, NO.
THANK YOU.
I LOVE WASHINGTON.
HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP.
AND THERE WERE LOTS OF THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING FOR ME.
IT'S VERY INTERESTING HOW MUCH LIFE CAN CHANGE.
AS QUICKLY AS EIGHT OR NINE MONTHS.
THINGS CHANGE QUITE DRAMATICALLY.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE I WAS GOING TO GO OR WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO.
AND THE PHONE RANG IN THE OLDERN DAYS WITH THE RING RING.
AND IT WAS PARSONS SAYING WE ARE TRYING AGAIN.
AND I SAID I WILL COME UP AND INTERVIEW AND WE'LL SEE.
AND TWO WEEKS LATER I WAS LIVING IN NEW YORK.
AND THAT WAS 34 YEARS AGO.
SO ITS BEEN A LONG RIDE.
NOW, I HAD ANOTHER ROLE AT PARSONS OR EVENTUALLY DID.
IN 1990 I WAS APPOINTED ASSOCIATE DEAN.
AND IN THAT CAPACITY I WORKED WITH DEPARTMENTS
WITH CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENTS AND FACULTY HIRING
AND FULL-TIME FACULTY HIRING AND CHAIR HIRINGS.
BUT MOST OF IT WAS CLEAN UP.
PEOPLE CALLED ME MR. FIX-IT.
AND I CALLED MYSELF A POOPER SCOOPER.
AND I WOULD SAY THIS PLACE HAS TO STOP POOPING SO MUCH.
AND IT WAS.
AND THAT'S HOW I LANDED IN THE FASHION DEPARTMENT.
I NEVER -- PEOPLE SAY WHEN DID YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH FASHION?
WELL, IT WAS WITH A BAYNETTE IN MY BACK.
I NEVER INTENDED TO BE PART OF THE FASHION WORLD, IN ANY CAPACITY.
WE HAD A CRISIS OF LEADERSHIP IN OUR FASHION PROGRAM.
WHICH AT THE TIME, WELL, IT STILL IS ARGUABLY THE MOST FAMOUS PROGRAM
AT PARSONS.
WE HAVE A CRISIS OF LEADERSHIP.
I WAS SENT IN TO CONDUCT A SEARCH FOR THE NEW CHAIR.
AND WHEN I STARTED MY EXCAVATION OF ISSUES, I WENT BACK TO THE DEAN
AND SAID THIS IS NOT A QUICK FIX.
AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT AN OUTSIDER CAN DO.
AND HE SAID, WELL I WANT YOU TO GO IN FOR A YEAR.
SO THAT WAS THE DEAL.
I WOULD THERE FOR A YEAR.
AND THE LIMITS TO THE YEAR WERE THE FOLLOWING.
I WENT IN, IN AUGUST.
THE BUDGET SET JULY 1ST.
FACULTY CONTRACTS WERE SET.
ROOM ASSIGNMENTS, I MEAN EVERYTHING WAS LAID
OUT FOR YOU FOR THE COMING YEAR.
THERE IS REALLY NOTHING YOU CAN DO EXCEPT OBSERVE AND PROBE.
I ASKED MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF QUESTIONS.
SO AFTER ABOUT THREE MONTHS THERE, I WROTE A STATE
OF THE UNION OF SORTS TO THE DEAN.
SAYING THIS PLACE IS HEMORRHAGING.
IT'S NOT A QUICK FIX.
IT'S MUCH WORSE THAN I EVER DREAMED.
AND CALLING IT FASHION DESIGN, IT'S A DRESS MAKING SCHOOL.
IT REALLY WAS.
THERE WAS NO TALK ABOUT CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT.
THERE WAS NO FASHION HISTORY.
OH, I ASKED, HOW CAN THIS BE?
WE DON'T WANT THE STUDENTS TO BE INFLUENCED.
CAN YOU IMAGINE?
SO BURY YOURSELF IN A BASEMENT AND PRETEND
THAT FASHION HASN'T BEEN AROUND SINCE MILLENIA.
AND NOTHING IS DIGITAL.
IT'S THE YEAR 2000.
SO I WILL FAST FORWARD.
I ENDED UP BEING APPOINTED CHAIR.
NOTHING THAT I INTENDED TO DO.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU A FUNNY STORY.
A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE FOR MANY YEARS,
IT'S DIANNE VON FOSTENBURG, SHE IS A DOLL.
SHE WAS MY GO-TO PERSON FOR ANY KIND OF DILEMMA.
SHE IS A REAL PROBLEM SOLVER AND KNOWS HOW
TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
AND SHE KNOWS HOW TO DIAGNOSE AND PRESCRIBE.
SO SHE WAS MEETING WITH ME IN MY NEW OFFICE AS CHAIR.
AND I WAS VERY AWARE JUST IN TERMS AURA
THAT SOMETHING WAS VERY DIFFERENT.
AND I LOOKED AT HER.
AND I SAID WHAT'S THE MATTER?
AND SHE LOOKED ME UP AND DOWN.
AND SHE SAID, YOU NEED NEW CLOTHES.
SHE SAID YOU CANNOT BE RUNNING THIS DEPARTMENT LOOKING LIKE THIS.
AND I SAID IT'S THAT BAD?
SHE SAID IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN.
I JUST NEVER HAD A NEED TO TELL YOU.
[LAUGHTER].
>> SPEAKER: WHAT A GREAT PIECE OF ADVICE.
I LIKE IT.
>> SPEAKER: BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU ANOTHER FUNNY STORY HAVING
TO DO WITH DIANNE.
I'M SORRY I'M STRAYING.
I HAVE THIS WAY OF TALKING.
>> SPEAKER: PLEASE GO ON.
I LOVE IT.
>> SPEAKER: AS A CHAIR, THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS I HAD TO DO.
CURRICULUM WAS A HUGE ONE.
FACULTY WAS ANOTHER.
THERE WAS A VERY POWERFUL FACULTY MEMBER WHO --
AND I SAY POWERFUL BECAUSE HE ASSERTED HIMSELF INTO EVERYTHING.
AND DID SO VERY INAPPROPRIATELY.
BUT IT HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS.
AND MANY WAYS, THE PRECEDENT HAD BEEN SET.
AND WHO IS TO SAY TO HIM YOU CANNOT DO THE FOLLOWING THINGS?
AND I THOUGHT, WELL I'M THE ONE WHO IS GOING TO SAY IT.
HIM. I MEAN I COULD HAVE.
I KNEW POLITICALLY IT WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS.
I WAS LIKE OKAY, I NEED TO GET TO GUY TO QUIT.
SO I WROTE HIM A VERY MATTER-FACT LETTER LAYING OUT,
HERE ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND HERE THE THINGS
THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING AND WILL NO LONGER BE DOING.
AND SENT IT.
WAS WAIT FOR THE REPERCUSSIONS AND WITHIN ABOUT 10 DAYS THIS ENORMOUS,
I MEAN ENORMOUS ENVELOPE ARRIVED.
AND IT WAS HARD.
I MEAN, YOU COULDN'T REALLY -- YOU COULDN'T BEND IT.
I THOUGHT, WHAT IS THIS?
WELL, THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS AN EXTREMELY TALENTED ARTIST.
I PULL OUT THIS DOCUMENT THAT LOOKS LIKE A MID EVIL MANUSCRIPT.
I MEAN, IT WAS SPECTACULARLY STUNNING WITH GOLD LEAF AND DRAGONS.
AND I READ IT.
AND IT BEGAN WITH I RECEIVED YOUR MENACNG MISSION.
AND IT CONCLUDED WITH I QUIT.
I WAS THRILLED.
>> SPEAKER: WOW.
>> SPEAKER: SO A FEW WEEKS LATER, DIANNE WAS IN THE OFFICE.
AND I WAS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE MY OWN LITTLE PRIVATE RESTROOM
IN MY OFFICE.
SO I TOOK THIS THING, THIS DOCUMENT,
AND HUNG IT BEHIND THE BATHROOM DOOR, WHICH FACES THE TOILET.
SO DIANNE GOES TO THE BATHROOM AND CALLS OUT,
WHAT'S A MENACING MISSIVE.
>> SPEAKER: DO YOU STILL HAVE IT.
>> SPEAKER: YEAH.
>> SPEAKER: YOU'RE BRAVE.
>> SPEAKER: AND PROJECT RUNWAY CALLED.
AND I MADE -- I WILL SAY THIS MODESTLY, BUT ALSO RATHER --
WHAT'S THE WORD I AM SEARCHING FOR?
I'LL JUST SAY THIS MODESTLY.
I HAD TO MAKE CHANGES IN THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEY WERE VERY CONTROVERSIAL IN THE CASES.
AND MANY PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY ALUMNI HATED ME.
I WAS REALLY UNPOPULAR.
I TOOK THIS PRECIOUS THING.
THIS FASHION DESIGN DEPARTMENT THAT HADN'T CHANGED IN 52 YEARS
AND TURNED IT UPSIDE DOWN.
MY PREDECESSORS WERE KEEPERS OF THE LINE.
AND MY PRODUCER HEARD A LOT ABOUT ME.
YOU SHOULD GO TALK TO HIM.
HE MADE A LOT OF CHANGES.
ENDS WERE VERY GOOD.
AND MAYBE HE CAN HELP YOU WITH THIS PROJECT.
SO THEY CALLED ME.
AND I SAID -- I'LL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT I SAID.
FASHION REALITY?
THIS INDUSTRY HAS ENOUGH TROUBLE WITHOUT THAT.
SO THEY ASKED IF THEY CAN COME MEET WITH ME.
AND OF COURSE, I GOOGLED THEM.
AND I FOUND OUT THEY WERE THE PRODUCERS OF PROJECT GREEN LIGHT
WHICH HAS A LOT OF INTEGRITY AND PURPOSE.
AND THEY MET WITH ME.
AND I BECAME VERY EXCITED.
THEY WANTED TO WORK WITH REAL FASHION DESIGNERS
AND IT SOUNDED INTERESTING.
IT SOUNDED INTERESTING AND FUN.
BUT THEY ASKED ME A QUESTION THAT I KNEW WAS "THE QUESTION" SO TO SPEAK.
AND IT WAS THE FOLLOWING.
HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND IF WE WERE TO TELL YOU THAT WE WANT THE DESIGNERS
TO CREATE A WEDDING DRESS IN TWO DAYS?
COMPARED TO PROJECT RUNWAY TODAY, TWO DAYS SOUNDS LIKE AN ETERNITY.
AND I MEAN, I COME FROM THE ACADEMIC WORLD.
AND WE HAVE ARCHITECTURE WHERE YOU GET A PROJECT ON FRIDAY NIGHT
AND CRITIQUING IT ON SUNDAY.
AND IN FACT, WE'LL HAVE TO CREATE A WEDDING DRESS IN TWO DAYS.
IT CAN BE DONE.
WELL, IT CAN BE DONE.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN OSCAR LAUREN OR A VERA WANG GOWN,
BUT IT WILL BE A SHIP WITHOUT SLEEVES.
ACTUALLY A COLUMN WITHOUT SLEEVES.
AND THEN I DIDN'T HEAR FROM THEM FOR WEEKS.
AND I THOUGHT WELL, THAT WAS INTERESTING.
AND I WAS THEIR CONSULTANT UP UNTIL TWO DAYS BEFORE THE
DESIGNERS ARRIVED.
IN A WAY, I'M STILL THEIR CONSULTANT.
BUT TWO DAYS BEFORE THE DESIGNERS ARRIVED, THEY ASKED ME IF I WOULD GO
INTO THE WORK ROOM AND PUMBLE THE DESIGNERS WITH QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
AND I THOUGHT, THAT'S HOW I SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE.
SURE. I TOLD YOU BACK STAGE, I NEVER DREAMED
OF BEING THE CUT OF THE SHOW.
I THOUGHT AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THE DESIGNERS RESPONDING TO ME,
NO ONE NEEDS TO HEAR MY VOICE.
NO ONE NEEDS TO SEE ME.
AND FOR THAT REASON, I DIDN'T GO TO THE PREMIERE PARTY.
WELL, IF I'M IN THE SHOW.
WHAT WILL I LOOK LIKE AND SOUND LIKE?
AND IF I'M NOT IN THE SHOW, I WILL BE KIND OF HUMILIATED.
SO I WATCHED THE PREMIERE ON TELEVISION.
I WATCHED IT, THE SAME WAY THAT I USED TO WATCH "THE WIZARD OF OZ"
WHERE I WAS IN BED PEEKING OUT FROM BEHIND MY SHEETS.
I HADN'T SEEN ANYTHING IN ADVANCE.
I THOUGHT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SHOW.
MAYBE IT'S SEXUAL ESCAPADES IN THE APARTMENT.
I HAVE NO IDEA.
AND THE FIRST FIVE AS SOON AS OF THE SHOW WE WERE ON BRAVO
AND DURING THE TAPING OF THE FIRST SEASON,
THERE WAS A WOMAN STANDING NEXT TO ME IN THE DARKNESS OF THE BACK
OF THE PARSONS AUDITORIUM WHERE WE FILMED THE RUNWAY SHOW
WITH THE DESIGNERS AND THE JUDGE'S DELIBERATION.
AND WE WERE WATCHING THE JUDGE'S DELIBERATION.
AND THIS PERSON, UNKNOWN TO ME, TURNED TO ME AND ASKED,
WHO IS GOING TO WANT TO WATCH THIS?
AND THE PERSON WAS THE PRESIDENT OF BRAVO.
[LAUGHTER].
SO WHO KNEW?
I MEAN, AND ALSO AT AGE 50, I HAD AN ENTIRELY NEW THRESHOLD TO MY LIFE.
I MEAN, IT WAS PHENOMENAL.
AND I HAD A VERY HAPPY, VERY REWARDING SPIRITUALLY CAREER.
>> SPEAKER: SO OVER THE COURSE OF PROJECT RUNWAY, HOW HAVE YOU CHANGED
AS ONE WHO CRITIQUES DESIGN AS A TEACHER, AS A MENTOR?
>> SPEAKER: THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
WELL, ACTUALLY, BECOMING A MENTOR WAS VERY CHALLENGING.
IN WAYS THAT I DIDN'T THINK THAT IT WOULD.
BECAUSE I BECAME AWARE VERY QUICKLY THAT I HAD
TO TAKE OFF MY TEACHER'S HAT AND ACTUALLY IT HAPPENED, EPISODE 1.
SEASON 1 EPISODE 1.
I WAS IN THE SEWING ROOM THREADING A BOBBIN.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE DESIGNERS WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY DOING IT.
JANE LIPSIT ONE OF THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS IS KNOCKING
BECAUSE SHE HAS A FEED, THERE IS A FEED IN EVERY ROOM.
KNOCKING ON THE SEWING ROOM DOOR.
SAYING TIM, CAN I SPEAK TO YOU IN THE HALLWAY?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
I'M THREADING A BOBBIN.
SHE SAID YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
WHY NOT? BECAUSE IT'S A FAIRNESS ISSUE.
IF YOU THREAD THE BOBBIN FOR THAT DESIGNER,
YOU HAVE TO THREAD THE BOBBIN FOR ALL OF THE DESIGNERS.
AND I SAID I'M OUT OF THE SEWING ROOM AND I'M NOT GOING
TO BECOME THE BOBBING THREADING HAND MAIDEN.
AND I ALSO LEARNED DURING THE CRITIQUES --
AND I HAVE BEEN LIKE THIS.
THE MENTOR YOU SEE IN THE WORK ROOM IS VERY MUCH THE WAY
THAT I EVOLVED AS A TEACHER.
BECAUSE IN THE EARLY DAYS OF TEACHING,
I THINK IT'S SOMEWHAT NATURAL FOR AT LEAST NOVICES TO WANT
TO MAKE SURE STUDENTS INTO LITTLE MINI ME'S.
I WANT YOU TO HAVE THE SAME -- WORK HABITS AND ALL OF THE MYRIAD THINGS
THAT GO WITH THAT, PUCTUALITY AND BREAK TIME AND THE THING
THAT I EVOLVED TO WAS, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?
AND HOW WELL ARE YOU SUCCEEDING AT THIS?
WHAT ISSUES ARE YOU HAVING?
I DEVELOPED A VERY SOCRATIC APPROACH TO TEACHING.
HUMBLING PEOPLE WITH QUESTIONS.
AND I WILL SAY THIS FOR ANY TEACHERS OR WOULD-BE TEACHERS IN THIS ROOM.
AND ANOTHER THING THAT I RID MYSELF UP.
THE DEBILITATING THROWING UP PART OF IT, FEELING THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR EVERY KERNEL OF INFORMATION.
THAT I HAD TO BE THIS VUNDER KENT ANSWER MAN.
AND IT WAS JUST DEBILITATING.
SO WHAT I EVOLVED TO, IF SOMEONE WERE TO ASK A QUESTION,
IF A STUDENT WERE TO ASK A QUESTION.
I WOULD SAY, INTERESTING QUESTION.
FOR THE NEXT CLASS, I WANT ALL OF YOU TO RESEARCH THIS QUESTION.
AND COME IN WITH AN ANSWER THAT YOU DON'T THINK ANYONE ELSE WOULD
HAVE FOUND.
SO THEY HAD TO DIG DEEP.
AND THEN WE WOULD SHARE IT ALL.
AND IT WAS FANTASTIC.
BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION THAT WOULD EVOLVE
FROM THAT ONE QUESTION WOULD BE A CATALYST FOR A MILLION OTHER THINGS
AND WOULD TAKE US INTO A DIRECTION OF A MILLION OTHER THINGS,
AND WAS A HUGE ENHANCEMENT FOR THE COURSE SYLLABUS AND FOR ME TO MOVE
INTO THE MENTOR POSITION ON RUNWAY.
I WON'T SAY IT WAS EASY.
I WAS A NERVOUS WRECK.
I WAS ESPECIALLY A NERVOUS WRECK IF HEIDI WAS EVER AROUND.
MY PALMS WOULD SWEAT.
SHE IS VERY -- I MEAN SHE IS A LOVELY FANTASTIC PERSON
WHO I LOVE DEARLY.
BUT SHE IS HEIDI KLUM.
>> SPEAKER: YEAH.
THAT CAN BE VERY INTIMIDATNG I'M SURE.
>> SPEAKER: BUT IT WAS A JOURNEY.
>> SPEAKER: RIGHT.
>> SPEAKER: AND ONE THAT I REALLY LOVED.
>> SPEAKER: SO WHAT IS IT LIKE ACTUALLY DOING PROJECT RUNWAY?
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO DO IT?
>> SPEAKER: WELL WE DO THE BULK OF IT WHICH CONSISTS
OF 12 CHALLENGES IN 31 DAYS.
WE HAVE NO BREAKS.
SOMETIMES 18 HOUR, SOMETIMES 20 HOUR DAYS.
I LOVE PROJECT RUNWAY JUNIOR.
WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE CHILD LABOR LAWS.
IT'S LIKE A VACATION.
IT'S SO WONDERFUL.
THE DAY ENDS AND EVERYONE IS OFF THE CLOCK.
FOR RUNWAY, IF IT'S DECIDED THAT THE WORK ROOM IS GOING TO NOT CLOSE AT
AND WE STAY OPEN UNTIL , WE SHARE IT WITH THE AUDIENCE.
WE NEVER MISREPRESENT THINGS.
AND THEN I'M THERE UNTIL .
IT'S FINE.
IT'S A HIGH CLASS PROBLEM.
THE LONG DAYS.
AND I WILL SAY, IT GETS TO ALL OF US.
I MEAN, IT'S A CUMULATIVE EXHAUSTION.
MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, CREATIVELY.
IT GETS TO US.
BUT I WOULDN'T NOT DO IT.
AND IT'S FOR BUDGET REASONS THAT WE DO IT
IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THERE IS A HIATUS.
AND I DO THE HOME VISIT WHICH IS 10 DAYS INCLUDING TRAVEL.
AND THEN THERE IS ANOTHER VERY SMALL HIATUS
AND THEN WE HAVE FASHION WEEK.
WHICH TAKES US FIVE DAYS BEGINNING TO END.
>> SPEAKER: WONDERFUL.
WELL, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'RE HERE IS TO CELEBRATE DISCO.
THE WHOLE DISCO ERA AND WE'RE BOTH PRODUCTS OF THAT ERA.
>> SPEAKER: REGRETTABLY.
>> SPEAKER: WHAT DO YOU THINK DEFINES DISCO IN TERMS OF FASHION?
>> SPEAKER: WELL, I WANT TO GIVE IT A BIT OF A CONTEXT.
WE'RE COMING OUT OF THE 1960S, WHICH WAS IN MY VIEW,
THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY DECADE IN FASHION EVER.
I MEAN, WE USHERED IN WITH MAD MEN PRIMNUS AND BUTTONED UPNESS FOR MEN.
AND WE USHER IT OUT WITH HIPPIES.
AND WE HAVE THE CLEAR VINYL DRESS COURTESY OF YSL.
WE HAVE THE PAPER DRESS.
THAT'S WHY TODAY, ESPECIALLY THOSE, OH,
GOD THOSE HORRIBLE KARDASHIANS RUNNING AROUND.
[LAUGHTER].
I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.
THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES ME RISE MORE IS WHAT'S GOING
ON IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE].
BUT TRULY, AFTER THE '60S, FASHION WISE, I'M PRETTY UNSHOCKABLE.
SO WE HAVE THIS TERM OIL.
WE ENTER INTO THE '70S AND THERE ARE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF IT BROAD MEN.
WE HAD A PEACOCK MOMENT OF MEN IN THE '60S WITH EXTRAVAGANT DRESS
AND MELTED BEAUTIFULLY INTO THE WHOLE DISCO MOVEMENT.
WE HAD A KIND OF BODY AWARENESS WITH WOMEN.
WHERE VERY LITTLE WAS LEFT TO THE IMAGINATION.
AND THAT CERTAINLY SEGUED VERY BEAUTIFULLY INTO DISCO.
IT WAS A TIME OF FLAMBOYANCE.
IT WAS A TIME OF DIFFERENTIATION AND EVERYONE WANTED TO STAND OUT.
I AM ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE CLOTHES,
THE CLOTHES WE WEAR SEND A MESSAGE ABOUT HOW THE WORLD PERCEIVES US.
YOU WANTED TO BE DISTINCTIVE AND DIFFERENT ON THAT DISCO DANCE FLOOR.
IT WAS REALLY A GIANT RUNWAY OF SORTS.
AND IT WAS SEXUALLY CHARGED.
SOCIOLOGICALLY CHARGED.
IDENTITY CHARGED.
THERE WERE GENDER-BENDING ASPECTS TO DISCO CULTURE.
AND WE SEE THE RISE OF CERTAIN DESIGNERS IN THAT PERIOD
WHO ALSO WERE INEXTRICABLE FROM THE MOVEMENT.
HOLTSTON BEING THE MOST PROMINENT,
WORKING WITH JERSEY WHO HAD STRETCHED.
HOW CRAZY WOULD IT BE WEARING HOLTSTON ON THE DANCE FLOOR.
DIANNE VON FURSTENBURG ANOTHER, NORMA CANOLLI, ICONIC IN THE '70S
AND ENTRENCHED IN DISCO CULTURE.
IT WAS A PHENOMENAL TIME.
AND IT'S DEBATABLE, AND ARGUABLE.
BUT MANY PEOPLE SAY THAT DISCO CULTURE CAME
OUT OF A GAY SUBCULTURE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT.
IN MANY WAYS IT DID.
AND COINCIDENTALLY, I AM SURE MANY OF YOU ARE ENTIRELY TOO YOUNG
TO HAVE ANY AWARENESS OF THIS.
IN SOME WAYS I THINK YOU SHOULD.
IN 1973 HOMO SEXUALITY WAS REMOVED FROM THE LIST
OF PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS BY THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.
SO SUDDENLY YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING OUT.
BECAUSE PRIOR TO THAT, TO YOU CAN BE LOCKED UP.
I MEAN, LEGALLY.
SO THIS SUBCULTURE COULD EMERGE AND BECOME --
I DON'T WANT TO SAY MAIN STREAM.
BUT ACTUALLY EMBRACED BY THE MAIN STREAM.
I MEAN, THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT DISCO CULTURE, IT WAS ALL INCLUSIVE.
IT DIDN'T CARE WHERE YOU CAME FROM, WHO YOU WERE,
WHAT YOUR IDENTITY WAS, WHAT RACE YOU WERE.
IT EMBRACED EVERYBODY.
AND IT WAS -- ACTUALLY I DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH
IN IF ANTICIPATION OF OUR INTERVIEW.
I THOUGHT, WHAT DO I REALLY KNOW ABOUT THIS?
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT BY 1978 IN THIS COUNTRY ALONE,
THERE WERE ,000 DISCO TECHS.
>> SPEAKER: OH, I HAD NO IDEA.
>> SPEAKER: THAT'S A STAGGERING NUMBER.
>> SPEAKER: IT IS.
>> SPEAKER: AND OF COURSE THE GRAND PUBA OF THEM ALL WAS STUDIO 54.
>> SPEAKER: YEAH.
AMAZING. SO FROM THIS PERIOD, DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND
OF YOUR OWN FASHION RECOLLECTION?
THINGS THAT YOU WERE WEARING?
IS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR CLOSET THAT YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT?
[LAUGHTER].
>> SPEAKER: YOU KNOW, I HAVE THIS THEORY CALLED THE MONKEY HOUSE
AT THE ZOO.
AND IT IS THE FOLLOWING.
WHEN YOU FIRST WALK INTO THE MONKEY HOUSE, YOU SHRIEK THIS PLACE STINKS.
AND AFTER 20 MINUTES YOU SAY, THIS DOESN'T SMELL SO BAD.
AND AFTER 30 MINUTES, YOU THINK, WHAT SMELL?
BUT ANYONE NEW WALKING IN SAYS THIS PLACE STINKS.
THAT WAS MY '70S FASHION.
I PUT ON THE POLYESTER PANTS AND THE FLORAL SHIRT
AND I THOUGHT THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND ATROCIOUS.
AND AFTER 20 MINUTES, I THOUGHT YOU KNOW, I LOOK KIND OF HIP.
AND AFTER 30 MINUTES, I THOUGHT, OKAY, I CAN LEAVE MY APARTMENT NOW.
BUT LOOKING BACK AT IT, WHAT WERE WE THINKING?
>> SPEAKER: RIGHT.
WELL, TIM, I WENT INTO MY CLOSET.
>> SPEAKER: WHAT DID YOU FIND?
>> SPEAKER: [LAUGHTER].
>> SPEAKER: ROBERT YOU STILL HAVE THEM?
ARE YOU WAITING FOR THE RETURN?
>> SPEAKER: I WISH I CAN GET MY FOOT IN THEM.
1977, I BOUGHT THESE IN PARIS.
I WAS STUDYING IN FRANCE.
YES, I THOUGHT I WAS THE COOLEST THING THAT EVER HIT THE EARTH.
>> SPEAKER: WELL, YOU WERE.
>> SPEAKER: SO WHY DO I STILL HAVE THESE?
>> SPEAKER: WHY DO YOU?
>> SPEAKER: I HAVE NO IDEA.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE].
>> SPEAKER: THAT IS HILARIOUS.
ALL I CAN SAY IS THANK GOD FOR TINY NEW YORK APARTMENTS.
BECAUSE UNLESS I RESIGN MYSELF
TO BEING A HOARDER, I GET RID OF THINGS.
THAT'S EXTRAORDINARY.
>> SPEAKER: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WERE TELLING ME BACK STAGE,
BACK IN YOUR CAREER THAT SURPRISED ME WAS THAT YOU HAVE
TO HAVE YOUR OWN WARDROBE.
>> SPEAKER: OH, I DO.
I SUPPLY EVERYTHING.
>> SPEAKER: I THOUGHT YOU WERE JUST SITTING BACK,
AND PEOPLE WERE HOLDING UP OUTFITS.
>> SPEAKER: NO.
BUT YOU JUST TRIGGERED A STORY THOUGH THAT HAS LEFT MY MIND.
YEAR ONE OF PROJECT RUNWAY, IT'S 2004, BANANA REPUBLIC WAS ONE
OF THE SPONSORS OF THE SHOW.
IN FACT, WE HAD THE BANANA REPUBLIC CHALLENGE FIRST TWO YEARS.
AND THEY WERE GOING TO WARDROBE ME.
OUTFIT ME.
AND COINCIDENTALLY, I WAS A BIG BANANA REPUBLIC FAN.
AND DIANNE VON FURSTENBURG SAID ARE YOU GOING
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
I WENT TO SAKS AND FOUND A BLAZER THAT I TRULY LOVED.
IT WAS EXPENSIVE.
AND THEN I WALKED ACROSS THE STREET TO THE BANANA REPUBLIC OF FLAGSHIP
ACROSS THE STREET BY ROCKEFELLER CENTER.
I REMEMBER BANANA REPUBLIC BEING KHAKIS, AND GOING INTO THE AMAZON.
AND I FOUND THE IDENTICAL JACKET MORE OR LESS
FOR 25 -- FOR 75 PERCENT LESS.
IT WAS A MERE 25 PERCENT OF THE PRICE.
I BOUGHT IT.
AND TOOK THE JACKET BACK TO SAKS.
AND I DISCOVERED THE WORLD OF BANANA REPUBLIC.
AND I HAD A LOT OF THE CLOTHES.
AND I WAS THRILLED.
I WAS GOING TO GET NEW STUFF AND THEY WERE ANTICIPATING
WHEN THE STUFF WOULD BE AIRED, IT WOULD BE NEW FALL CLOTHES.
AT ANY RATE, NOTHING CAME.
NOTHING CAME.
NOTHING CAME.
SO THEN, SOME CALLS WERE MADE, AND CLOTHES DID ARRIVE TAPED
TO A BICYCLE MESSENGER'S BIKE, A BAG OF BANANA REPUBLIC CLOTHES.
I WAS WEARING BANANA REPUBLIC CLOTHES EVERY DAY.
BUT IT WAS MY BANANA REPUBLIC CLOTHES.
NOT THEIRS.
SO I GOT A STEAMER.
AND WORKED ITSELF OUT.
AND AT THE END OF THE SEASON,
THEY WANTED EVERYTHING BACK INCLUDING THE SOCKS.
SO I DRY CLEANED EVERYTHING.
AND I HAD MADE CERTAIN ALL OF THE SOCKS WERE LAUNDERED
AND I WAS THEN LATER ASKED,
THIS IS GETTING REALLY TEDIOUS, I'M SORRY EVERYONE.
I WAS ASKED, LAUREN DAVID PENEN WROTE FOR WOMEN'S DAILY
AND HAD A REGULAR FEATURE OF GIVING SOMEONE 100 DOLLARS
AND WHAT WOULD YOU BUY?
OH, THERE IS A RAIN COAT ON SALE AT BANANA REPUBLIC
AND IT'S 100 DOLLARS AND I WILL PAY THE TAX.
AND TALKING ABOUT TAKING THE CLOTHES BACK.
ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.
DON'T TAKE THEM BACK IF YOU DON'T WANT
TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM.
I WAS FLABBERGASTED.
SEASON TWO, BANANA REPUBLIC IS BACK.
AND I AM STILL WEARING BANANA REPUBLIC.
I'M WEARING THEIR CLOTHES BUT I'M TURNED OFF BY THE PUBLIC RELATIONS.
AND THE PEOPLE WITH THE SPONSORS SAY TO ME, WE NEED AN INVENTORY
OF EVERYTHING YOU WORE THIS SEASON.
WHY? WE NEED TO CREDIT BANANA REPUBLIC WITH IT.
I SAID, WELL I'M WEARING BANANA REPUBLIC BUT IT'S ALL MINE.
THE CLOTHES NEVER CAME.
AND THEY DIDN'T.
ONCE AGAIN, ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.
I MEAN, I LOVE BEING I A TRUTH TELLER.
BUT IT DOES CAUSE SOME PROBLEMS.
I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY WARDROBE.
AND I TAKE THAT ROLE VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND IT MEANS THAT I NEED TO GET NEW THINGS EVERY YEAR.
AND I TAKE A LOT OF THINGS TO GOOD WILL AND HOUSING WORKS
BECAUSE I HAVE SMALL NEW YORK CLOSETS AND IF ANYONE IS WONDERING,
NO, YOU CAN'T WRITE THEM OFF IN YOUR TAXES.
ONCE ANYTHING LEAVES THE STUDIO,
OF COURSE I'M ON THE SUBWAY EVERY DAY, SO IT LEAVES THE STUDIO.
I DON'T HAVE A DRESSING ROOM.
I DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO CHANGE.
SO IT'S MINE.
BUT THAT ALSO MEANS I CAN DO WHAT I WANT WITH IT.
>> SPEAKER: THAT'S GREAT.
WELL, TIM WE'RE GOING TO TURN IN A MOMENT JUST
TO SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
>> SPEAKER: OH, THRILLING.
>> SPEAKER: IT WILL BE FUN.
BUT I HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS THAT EVERYBODY REALLY WANTS TO KNOW.
AND I MUST GIVE THEM TO YOU NOW.
>> SPEAKER: UH-OH.
>> SPEAKER: THE FIRST IS, DO YOU HAVE A TATTOO?
>> SPEAKER: YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING I FANTASIZE ABOUT.
AND AT THE MOMENT, NO.
BECAUSE I HAVE A SERIOUS ADVERSION TO PAIN.
BUT IF I WAS TO EVER GET A TATTOO, AND HONEST TRUTH,
I HAVE SAID THIS MANY TIMES, IT WOULD BE MY LIBRARY
OF CONGRESS CATALOG NUMBER.
ONE OF THEM.
>> SPEAKER: BRAVO.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE].
ALSO, IN A WAY, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TATTOOS, AND I MEAN THIS
WITH ALL RESPECT, DON'T YOU THINK IT'S AN ANTEDOTE.
THIS IS GREAT.
>> SPEAKER: IT'S WONDERFUL.
WE'RE GOING TO GO PLACES WITH THAT.
I'M NOT SURE HOW YET.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO GO THERE.
ACTUALLY JUST TWO MORE THINGS.
COULD YOU GIVE US ANY DISH ON YOUR CO-STARS?
>> SPEAKER: COULD I?
LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY.
HEIDI IS A DOLL.
THERE ISN'T A DEVIOUS BONE IN HER BODY.
AND ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THAT CREW MEMBERS ADORE HER.
THEY DO NOT SEPARATE.
AND THEN THERE ARE THE OTHER TWO.
I HAVE TO INTERACT WITH THEM SINCE SEASON 12.
I HAVE HAD TO SIT WITH THEM FOR THE RUNWAY SHOW.
I'M TELLING YOU, COMING DOWN THE RUNWAY.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING AT IT.
AND FOR ME, YOU CAN SAY, YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE WORK IS.
NO, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT WALK.
I HAVEN'T SEEN IT ON MODELS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN HOW THE PROPORTIONS WORK
WITH THE PROPORTIONS OF THE BODY.
I HAVEN'T SEEN IT WALK.
AND THE JUDGES HAVEN'T SEEN IT AT ALL.
AT LEAST I SAW IT IN THE WORK ROOM.
I WILL BE SITTING THERE STUDYING THE SHOW AND NINA WILL LEAN OVER
AND ASK, SO HOW IS YOUR SUMMER?
LOOK AT THE SHOW.
I USED TO SAY, BEFORE I INTERACTED WITH THEM, THAT I WOULD SAY HELLO
TO THE JUDGES WHEN THEY ARRIVED.
BUT I FREQUENTLY DIDN'T SAY GOOD BYE BECAUSE I WAS MAD.
SO I STILL DON'T SAY GOOD BYE.
BUT I DO SAY HELLO.
>> SPEAKER: THAT'S GOOD.
WELL MY LAST QUESTION IS REALLY ON THE SERIOUS SIDE.
MANY OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR VERY MOVING VIDEO
ON THE IT GETS BETTER PROJECT.
>> SPEAKER: THANK YOU.
>> SPEAKER: BEAUTIFUL.
[APPLAUSE].
AND YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH WORK CHANTING PREVENTION OF TEEN SUICIDE.
AND HOW DO YOU MANAGE ALL OF THE CHARITABLE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING
WITH THIS VERY DEMANDING PROFESSION?
>> SPEAKER: WELL, I CONSIDER IT A RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU JUST HAVE TO MAKE TIME FOR IT.
IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO GIVE BACK.
AND HAVING SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE, WELL ALL OF MY LIFE REALLY
WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, WITH ESPECIALLY STUDENTS
AND KNOWING HOW PAINFUL NAVIGATING THE WORLD CAN BE.
AND GROWING UP CAN BE.
I'M A SQUISH.
I MEAN, I HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR THAT KIND OF PAIN AND ANGUISH.
I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER BE DELIVERED FROM IT.
AND TO BE ABLE TO SAY TO PEOPLE, INDIVIDUALS,
IT REALLY DOES GET BETTER.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS TOO TO EVERYONE.
LIFE IS A COLLABORATION.
WE DO NOT DO THINGS ALONE.
AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T GET BETTER ALONE.
AND I HAD -- I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE --
I DIDN'T THINK I WAS LUCKY AT THE TIME.
I THOUGHT IT WAS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE.
I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE AN INTERVENTION BY AN INCREDIBLE DOCTOR
WHO WOULDN'T PUT UP WITH MY NONSENSE.
HE SAVED ME.
AND STOOD BY ME.
I'M FOREVER GRATEFUL.
>> SPEAKER: THANK GOD.
SO THANK YOU.
I THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO TURN TO SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
>> SPEAKER: I LOVE IT.
>> SPEAKER: OUR STAFF HAS MICROPHONES
AND IT'S KIND OF BRIGHT UP HERE.
ANY QUESTIONS, COME UP.
HERE WE GO.
READY FOR OUR CLOSE UPS.
WE HAVE A QUESTION.
>> SPEAKER: I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU'RE A FABULOUS LOOKING AUDIENCE.
[APPLAUSE].
I AM SO GLAD THE LIGHTS WENT UP.
WHERE IS OUR QUESTION?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: HI.
YOU HAVE I THINK THE BEST WASHINGTON,
D.C. STORY I HAVE EVER HEARD.
I WAS WONDERING IF YOU CAN TELL US AGAIN ABOUT VIVIAN VINCE.
>> SPEAKER: YES, MY FATHER WAS AN FBI AGENT FOR 26 YEARS.
AND HE WAS IN A FIELD OFFICE IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY OF ALL PLACES
FOR THREE OF THOSE YEARS AND THEN WAS MOVED TO HEADQUARTERS.
AND MY FATHER WAS A VERY TALENTED WRITER AND ENDED
UP BEING HOOVER'S GHOST WRITER AND SPEECH WRITER AND TOOK CARE OF ALL
OF THE CORRESPONDENTS AND MY SISTER
AND I WOULD FIST THE FBI HEADQUARTERS ONCE A YEAR
AND TAKE THE FBI TOUR.
IT'S A REAL THRILL.
AND IT PROBABLY STILL IS.
AND REMEMBER, THIS IS THE OLD ER DAYS OF HUBERT.
IT WAS NOT A PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENT.
IN FACT, I HAVE A WHOLE CONSPIRACY THEORY ABOUT HIS DEATH.
SO THIS ONE PARTICULAR DAY MY FATHER SAID TO MY SISTER AND ME,
VIVIAN VANCE IS VISITING MR. HOOVER.
AND I WAS A HUGE "I LOVE LUCY" FAN AND I AM A HUGE "I LOVE LUCY" FAN
AND WAS LIKE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET HER?
OF COURSE.
WHO WOULDN'T.
IT WAS THRILLING.
IT WAS BEFORE SELFIES AND LITTLE PORTABLE PHONES
AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.
SO THERE WAS NO DOCUMENTATION.
WE MET VIVIAN VANCE.
IT WAS GREAT.
YEARS LATER, MY FATHER HAS PASSED.
ALL OF THE STUFF COMES OUT ABOUT HOOVER BEING A CROSS DRESSER.
AND IT WAS THANKSGIVING DINNER AND I TURN TO MY SISTER.
AND I SAID REMEMBER THE VISIT TO MR. MR. HOOVER'S OFFICE
WHERE WE MET VIVIAN VANCE.
AND I SAID, DO YOU THINK IT WAS ODD
THAT MR. HOOVER WASN'T IN THE OFFICE?
PUT A CURLY FRIGHT WIG ON MR. HOOVER, IT'S MR. MERTZ.
WOW. SO I WROTE ABOUT THIS.
I THINK IT WAS IN RULES.
AND THE CHECKER HAD TO GO THROUGH EVERYTHING.
AND WHEN I GOT TO THE STORY.
THEY CONTACTED VIVIAN VANCE'S TWO BIOGRAPHERS AND THEY KNEW NOTHING
ABOUT A VISIT TO THE FBI.
AND THEN THEY CHECKED THE VISITOR LOGS OF THE FBI.
>> SPEAKER: OH, MY GOSH.
THAT IS SOME WASHINGTON FOOTNOTE.
WOW.
>> SPEAKER: BUT IF VIVIAN VANCE WERE STILL ALIVE AND WERE
TO VISIT THE WHITE HOUSE, THERE WOULD STILL BE NO RECORD.
[APPLAUSE].
>> SPEAKER: OH, WE HAVE A QUESTION RIGHT HERE.
>> SPEAKER: HI.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: HI.
I'M JENNIFER.
OF ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE CELEBRITIES
THAT ARE JUST PEOPLE TODAY, THAT WE WEAR,
THAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE TREND?
>> SPEAKER: WHAT IS MY LEAST FAVORITE?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: TREND.
TREND TODAY.
>> SPEAKER: OH, MY GOD.
I'M GOING TO OFFEND SOME PEOPLE.
CAN I ASK THIS QUESTION?
WHEN DID THE LEGGING BECOME A PANT?
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE].
WHEN DID IT HAPPEN?
YOU KNOW IT'S A CLASSIC MONKEY HOUSE ITEM.
YOU KNOW IT IS.
I CAN'T GO OUT WEARING THESE.
AND 30 MINUTES LATER, I LOOK HOT.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
IT'S A FORM OF UNDER GARMENT.
WEAR IT UNDER A TUNIC OR A PAIR OF SHORTS OR A DRESS.
IT'S NOT A PANT.
>> SPEAKER: YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST WASHINGTON, D.C.
>> SPEAKER: REALLY.
>> SPEAKER: OKAY WE HAVE ONE RIGHT UP HERE.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: HI.
SO MANY OF THE CHALLENGES ON PROJECT RUNWAY SEEM
TO BE RUN BY THE SPONSORS.
>> SPEAKER: OH, THEY ARE.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN ONE
THAT YOU WERE JUST DISGUSTED BY?
>> SPEAKER: YES, BUT FORTUNATELY WE -- THE SPONSOR GOES AWAY.
BECAUSE HEIDI AND I SAY WE WON'T DO IT.
WE WON'T DO IT.
IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT, THE ONES THAT YOU DO SEE ARE MODIFIED
AND MITIGATED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY ACTUALLY AT LEAST,
FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, WORK.
ALTHOUGH THERE IS SOME EXCEPTIONS.
YEAH. I MEAN THERE ARE TIMES WHEN HEIDI AND I WERE SUPPOSED TO DRESS
UP AS DETERGENT BOTTLES AND PRESENT A CHALLENGE.
IF WE DO IT, DO IT IN LA AND WE'LL GO
ON "LET'S MAKE A DEAL" OR DO IT ON HALLOWEEN.
WE COULDN'T DO THE SHOWS WITHOUT THE SPONSORS.
WE HAVE SUCH A SLIM BUDGET.
THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW.
WE DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH IT.
>> SPEAKER: GREAT.
A QUESTION RIGHT HERE.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: HI, TIM GUNN.
I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
I'M SORRY.
I WANT TO KNOW WHO YOUR FAVORITE LOOK WAS AT THE MET GALA LAST NIGHT.
AND WHAT YOUR FAVORITE BAR IN D.C. IS?
>> SPEAKER: LAST NIGHT.
WELL, I MEAN, HONORING IT'S REALLY A LICENSE TO WEAR HALLOWEEN COSTUMES.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DID.
I TENDED -- I MEAN, PERSONALLY.
I'M AN OLD DUDDY.
I LIKE THE LOOKS.
I THOUGHT JENNIFER LOPEZ LOOKED FANTASTIC.
BUT WAS SHE OUT OF STEP WITH THE THEME OF WHAT THE SHOW WAS?
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT PERMITTED TO ATTEND THE GALA.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.
BECAUSE THE HOSTESS AND I ARE ARCH ENEMIES.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE].
OH, MY GOODNESS.
DO YOU NOT KNOW THIS STORY?
IT WAS AN OUTCOME OF TRUTH TELLING.
>> SPEAKER: OH, MY GOSH.
>> SPEAKER: DO YOU WANT TO HEAR IT?
>> SPEAKER: IT'S JUST YOU AND ME, DEAR.
YES.
>> SPEAKER: I WAS BEING INTERVIEWED BY ROBERT YORK AT THE NEW YORK POST
FOR A COVER STORY THEY WERE DOING CORRESPONDING TO A PREMIERE
OF PROJECT RUNWAY, A NEW SEASON OF PROJECT RUNWAY.
AND HE ASKED ME, WHAT IS THE MOST UNFORGETTABLE THING
THAT YOU HAVE EVER SEEN IN FASHION.
AND HE SAID, I DON'T MEAN AN ARTICLE OF CLOTHING.
BUT SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED.
AND I SAID OH, THAT'S EASY.
I SAID I WAS WATCHING ANNA WINTOR BEING CARRIED DOWN FIVE FLIGHTS
OF STAIRS FROM HER FASHION SHOW.
JUST THE FACTS.
NO EDITORIALIZING.
JUST THE FACTS.
CAME OUT ON SUNDAY OF COURSE.
AND IT WAS A LITTLE BOX.
AND I WAS TEACHING THE FOLLOWING MONDAY MORNING.
I GET BACK TO MY OFFICE.
SO THIS IS PARSON'S OF COURSE.
AND I WISH I CAN RECREATE MY EXPRESSION AND MOVEMENTS.
THERE WAS A WHILE YOU WERE OUT LITTLE POST-IT THING
THAT WAS ALSO LIKE OLD DINOSAURS.
ANNA WINTOR'S OFFICE CALLED.
PLEASE RETURN.
WELL, I WAS -- I THINK EVERYTHING OPENED.
SO I CALLED.
ACTUALLY I DIDN'T CALL RIGHT AWAY.
I THOUGHT, WHEN WILL SHE PROBABLY BE AT LUNCH?
YEAH, SO INTUITIVELY, I THOUGHT .
SO I CALLED.
AND SHE WAS AT LUNCH.
SO I THOUGHT OKAY.
DEED DONE.
HOWEVER, SOMEONE ELSE PICKED UP THE PHONE AFTER BEING
ON HOLD FOR A FEW SECONDS.
NAMED PATRICK MCCONNEL.
HE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR VOGUE.
AND HE SAID MS. WINTOR DEMANDS A RETRACTION.
OF WHAT, I ASKED.
SHE DEMANDS THAT YOU CALL THE POST AND HAVE THEM PRINT A RETRACTION.
AND I SAID, THAT WOULD IMPLY IT'S NOT TRUE.
I SAID IT IS TRUE.
AND THIS HAPPENED.
AND I KEEP A DIARY.
IT WAS SEPTEMBER 12TH.
THE METROPOLITAN FIDDLING.
I WAS ON THE FLOOR.
AND THE METROPOLITAN IS AN OLD INDUSTRIAL BUILDING.
IT'S ONE BIG FREIGHT ELEVATOR.
AND MS. WINTOR WILL NOT RIDE IN AN ELEVATOR AND ALONE
WITH HER SECURITY DETAIL.
SO WE WERE -- MY COLLEAGUES AND I WERE GOING TO THE SHOW
AND SPECULATING NOT HOW SHE WOULD ARRIVE,
THAT CAN BE EASY FACILITATED.
GET HER IN ALONE.
GET HER OUT.
BUT HOW SHE WOULD DESCEND.
BECAUSE IT'S A FRANTIC MAD RUSH.
YOU GOT TO LEAVE THAT LOCATION.
AND GET TO THE NEXT LOCATION FOR THE NEXT SHOW.
SO WE WERE STANDING.
ALWAYS HAPPY TO STAND AT A FASHION SHOW.
OR WE WERE DIRECTLY OPPOSITE ANNA WINTOR
AND HAD TWO HUGE BODY GUARDS INSIDE OF HER.
AND THOUGHT, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THE LIGHTS COME ON.
WELL, WE RAN OUT BEHIND THEM.
AND THERE WAS A BIG GIANT OPEN STAIRCASE.
AGAIN, A BIG INDUSTRIAL BUILDING.
AND THE TWO SECURITY PEOPLE MADE A FIRE MAN'S LOCK.
AND SHE SAT IN IT.
AND THEY WOOSHED HER DOWN THE STAIRS.
SO I RAN TO THE WINDOW, TO SEE WHETHER THEY WOULD PUT HER
DOWN ON THE SIDEWALK OR TAKE HER TO THE CAR.
THEY TOOK HER TO THE CAR.
DOWN 18TH STREET THEY WENT.
I DIDN'T SAY ANY OF THAT.
HAD IT IN MY DIARY, ALL OF THE INFORMATION
THAT I GAVE WITH PATRICK MCCONNEL.
OH, DEAR, OH, DEAR, OH, DEAR.
SO GOOD DAY, PATRICK.
[LAUGHTER].
TUESDAY HE CALLS.
HE CALLS. AND HE SAID, YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE THIS.
HE SAID, I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW MS. WINTOR KNOWS HOW TO WORK A MANOLO.
WHAT? SHE COULD TAKE THOSE STAIRS.
LOOK, I KNOW MS. WINTOR KNOWS HOW TO WORK A MANOLO.
IT WASN'T WHETHER SHE CAN WALK DOWN THE STAIRS.
IT'S ABOUT SPEED.
THESE GUYS AND THEIR FLAT SECURITY SHOES WERE BEING MUCH FASTER
THAN SHE WOULD HAVE EVER GONE IN THE MANOLOS.
ONCE AGAIN, OH, DEAR.
OH, DEAR. SO THE FOLLOWING DAY, HE CALLS AND HE SAYS ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE TO GET THE LAWYERS INVOLVED.
AND I SAID, GOOD.
BECAUSE THIS MEANS WE CAN'T TALK ANYMORE.
SO THEN, YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE THIS PART EVEN MORE.
A COLLEAGUE OF MINE WHO I HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH IN MY OFFICE,
CAME AND LOOKED AT ME AND SAID YOU LOOK HORRIBLE.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
AND SO I TOLD HIM THE STORY.
AND HE SAID, I WAS THERE.
I SAW IT. HE PICKED UP THE PHONE.
HE CALLED PATRICK AND HE SAID IT'S SO AND SO.
AND HERE IS THE PART THAT YOU WON'T BELIEVE.
I CAN'T SAY SO AND SO'S NAME ANYMORE.
BECAUSE BY AN ATTORNEY, ANNA WINTOR THREATENED HIS JOB
BECAUSE OF THIS ASSOCIATION WITH ME.
BUT ANYWAY, HE SAVED ME.
SO HE SAID, I WAS THERE.
I SAW IT. AND OF COURSES THERE WERE PROBABLY 100 PEOPLE
WHO -- WELL PROBABLY NOT.
THERE WERE PROBABLY 50 OF US GATHERED AROUND THE STAIRWELL.
BUT SHE INSTILLED SUCH FEAR IN PEOPLE
THAT NO ONE WOULD SAY ANYTHING.
WELL YES, SHE DOES SCARE ME.
SO I DECIDED TO TAKE THE HIGH ROAD.
I CALLED THE FLOREST THAT I USED.
AND I SAID I WANT AN ENORMOUSLY STAGGERING BEAUTIFUL ALL WHITE
ARRANGEMENT SENT TO MS. WINTOR.
AND I WROTE MY OWN NOTE.
TOOK IT TO THE FLORIST TO ACCOMPANY THIS.
AND THOUGHT, OKAY.
THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
HOWEVER, I HAD A SECRET EMBEDDED MESSAGE IN THE WHITE FLOWERS.
HERE IN WESTERN CULTURE IT MEANS PEACE.
BUT IN ASIAN CULTURES IT MEANS DEATH.
[LAUGHTER].
GOT IT. HOW DID WE GET OFF ON THIS TANGENT?
ANYWAY --
>> SPEAKER: I DON'T THINK WE WILL TOP THAT.
>> SPEAKER: OH, THE GALA.
I WAS INVITED.
WHEN LIZ CLAIREBORNE, MY BOSS OR CEO INVITED ME.
THE FIRST YEAR, YOU'RE COMING WITH ME.
DON'T BE RIDICULOUS.
I BUY A TABLE EVERY YEAR.
AND COME WITH ME.
WITH HIS TAIL BETWEEN HIS LEGS HE CAME TO ME
AND SAID SORRY YOU HAVE BEEN UNINVITED.
AND SHE GOES THROUGH THAT LIST.
AND I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THAT THING ANYWAY.
WHAT WAS YOUR SECOND QUESTION?
>> SPEAKER: WE HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: HI, WOW, THAT'S LOUD.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CHALLENGE ON PROJECT RUNWAY?
>> SPEAKER: I HAVE TO SAY IT'S VERY SENTIMENTAL FOR ME.
SEASON 1 CHALLENGE 1 WHEN WE HAD TO GO TO THE HIGH END FABRIC STORE
AND WE TOOK THEM TO A GROCERY STORE.
AND WE SAID OKAY.
HERE IS YOUR MONEY.
SHOP FOR ALL OF THESE UNCONVENTIONAL MATERIALS.
IT DOESN'T APPEAR IN THE SHOW.
BUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOMENTS WITH AUSTIN SCARLET WHO WON
THAT CHALLENGE WITH THE INCREDIBLE CORN HUSK DRESS.
IT WAS STAGGERING.
HE HAD A SHOPPING CART FILLED WITH CORN.
AND ON TOP OF IT WERE ALL OF THESE BAGS OF POTATO CHIPS.
I SAID, I UNDERSTAND THE CORN.
BUT WHAT ARE THE POTATO CHIPS FOR?
AND HE SAID FOR THE BUS RIDE HOME.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE].
ARE FABULOUS.
>> SPEAKER: THANK YOU.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE].
AUDIENCE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE].
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