The sixth season of Project Runway, which will be moving from Bravo to Lifetime TV, has a tentative debut date of January 20, 2009 and has already secured the first celebrity guest judge — Lindsay Lohan. I gotta say, I kinda love it … and I’m encouraged that the move to Lifetime may not be so terrible after all:

Jennifer Lopez might have been forced to skip “Project Runway’s” season five finale due to a foot injury, but the hit reality design show will return in 2009 on Lifetime with Lindsay Lohan sitting in the guest judge’s chair for the season premiere. Access Hollywood has learned that the actress will help the judges decide whose fashion is fiercest for the show’s first episode on its new network. The 22-year-old actress, who has been in New York recently shooting episodes of “Ugly Betty,” filmed the premiere episode on Thursday. A source told Access the tentative premiere date for “Runway” on Lifetime is January 20, while the season five finale airs October 15 on Bravo.

IEEEE! While I still may have concerns over the new incarnation of the show that I love so dearly, I am really excited by this news. I knew that the contestants for season 6 had already been cast and I heard that filming was already underway but this is the first concrete news that we’ve gotten thus far. It’s interesting that the the premiere ep of season 6 for Lifetime was filmed one day before the season 5 finale ep for Bravo was filmed. Even tho there has been much talk about the new version of Project Runway moving to LA, I’m comforted by the fact that the season 6 premiere ep was filmed here in NYC. It’s still too early to make any judgments … but I’m pleased with this development and am really looking forward to seeing Linds as guest judge next season.

UPDATE: Pink reader Drew gives me the head’s up that Project Runway has begin filming in LA this week, the show has taken over the third floor of one of the buildings at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, he writes:

The rumors about Project Runway filming in LA aren’t rumors anymore. They’re
filming as we speak over at FIDM in downtown LA. They’ve taken over the 3 story in one of FIDM’s buildings. It’s exciting, but students are already passing around a petition stating how irritated they are. PR took over the newest addition to the school and have prevented the students from using the good equipment and supplies. They’re now stuck with hand-me down mannequins and machines and they are PISSED! Good public relations for FIDM, bad news for the students who are paying $25k a year to go there.

Interesting. It should be noted that The Hills also films at FIDM in LA … I wonder how they actually go about with all the teaching with all that filming going on. Also interesting, former Project Runway contestant Nick Verreos is now an instructor at FIDM … small world.

[Source]

Yesterday I reported that Lifetime TV is airing a 10-episode marathon of Sophia Petrillo-centric episodes of The Golden Girls tomorrow afternoon from 12PM - 5PM in honor of the passing of Estelle Getty but the network has added one more extra little tribute to her memory. Lifetime has been showing a brief memorial to Estelle at the end of each re-run episode of the show that they’ve been airing since her passing:

Yeah, it’s nothing fancy or elaborate but it’s a nice tribute to the amazing Estelle Getty, especially since the network airs eps of The Golden Girls 6 times per day (9, 9:30AM, 4, 4:30PM and 1, 1:30AM).

[Source]

Pink reader Cindy gave me the head’s up that Lifetime TV, the network which currently owns the syndication rights to The Golden Girls, has announced that they are planning a 10 episode tribute marathon in memory of the late Estelle Getty. Starting at 12PM this Friday afternoon, Lifetime will air a series of 10 Sophia Petrillo-centric episodes in her memory … and they are asking that fans vote for the 10th ep to end the marathon tribute:

Friday, July 25, from 12 noon to 5 pm et/pt, see a special on-air tribute to Estelle Getty, who played the cantankerous Sophia Petrillo on “The Golden Girls.” Ms. Getty passed away on Tuesday, July 22, at age 84. We’ll air 10 episodes showcasing the actress’s character, Sophia, in all her blustering, sarcastic splendor. The final episode shown will be one picked by the fans, so vote for your favorite Sophia moment now.

Click HERE to cast your vote, my pick is for the episode entitled Old Friends … I think that ep would be the most poignant episode to end the marathon (additionally, Old Friends is on my Best Of list of Golden Girls eps). I’m actually surprised that NBC (the network that originated The Golden Girls) hasn’t offered any public tributes to Estelle, at least, none that I could find (not even a mention on their website). The Golden Girls formed the foundation of their Must See TV line-up in the mid-80’s and did much to help the network soar to success. I think it would’ve been nice if they offered some sort of tribute to her.

PS: I don’t know if this t-shirt by Glen Hanson is still available but HERE is info from his site about the shirt.

[Source, thanks Cindy]