[PlatypusBen]

Want to Be a Hilton, Episode 4: Shady Fashion
by Angela Dalecki -- 07/14/2005



This week, there’s a reshuffling of the teams, the contestants receive makeovers, and they compete in a themed fashion show. But is one team’s theme too “deep” for the audience to understand? It all ends with another double elimination for the losing team. Read on for the details!


In the Park suite of the Madison hotel after the elimination dinner, Brenden and Vanessa are arguing. Brenden tells her that she needs to “chill out a little.” Rashad says in an interview that he feels there’s a “definite power struggle going on between Vanessa and Brenden,” and that it’s negatively affecting the team. In her own interview, Vanessa says that she thinks Brenden is “a very insecure man who always has to steal people’s ideas.” Brenden flat-out states that he can’t stand Vanessa.

Over at Team Madison’s suite, the three remaining members (Latricia, Jackaay, and Jabe) are bemoaning their losses. “There was seven of us, y’all,” Latricia says unhappily. But Jabe points out that the three remaining members are “the most sane,” and probably better off at this point than Team Park. Latricia interviews that she and her remaining teammates are survivors. Jackaay tells her teammates that she hopes the other team will be a little intimidated by Madison’s camaraderie, and that will push Madison to its first win.

Voiceover Guy tells us that the contestants have been invited to meet Kathy at an exclusive restaurant called Chanterelle for lunch. Also attending are supermodel Frederique Van Der Wal, fashion designer Cynthia Rowley, and Marie Claire fashion director Tracy Taylor. Tracy says that she’s brought along “timeless classics” in fashion for the contestants to try on. Niki excitedly interviews that fashion is her life. “I’d rather buy a pair of shoes than eat,” she says.

Kathy tells the contestants that they’re going to have to mix the teams up before they can get started on their next challenge. Team Park will have to vote one person over to the poor, shrunken Team Madison, and then Team Madison will get to choose an additional candidate from Team Park, which will even the teams out at five members each. Kathy begins with the Team Park vote, and asks each member of Team Park to write down the name of one team member they’d like to get rid of. Niki chooses Brenden. Jules chooses Vanessa. Rashad chooses Brenden. JW chooses Vanessa. Hmmm, Team Park doesn’t seem to be loving the power struggle. Brenden chooses Vanessa. Jaret chooses Brenden. The deciding vote is left to Vanessa. I guess that means Brenden will be going to Team Madis… oh no, wait—Vanessa chose herself! Can she do that? Why would she want to do that? Vanessa whines/explains in an interview that since Brenden “steals all of [her] ideas,” she felt that she’d “benefit” the Madison team more than she would by staying on the same team as Brenden. Okay, then.

Brenden excitedly interviews that there’s no way Team Madison is going to put up with Vanessa’s bossiness. “Latricia’s not going to put up with it; Jabe’s not going to put up with it. They have trimmed the fat on their team and they’re ready to win.”

Kathy asks Team Madison who they’d like to pick from Team Madison. They choose Rashad. “We felt that he could be a good asset to help us win,” Jabe says. Rashad interviews that he feels his pick happened for a reason. “We’ve got five strong players that are going to dominate the rest of this game,” he says.

After the new teams are set, Kathy gives them their next challenge. They’re going to put on a fashion show the following night, and each member will model two outfits for a New York audience and a panel of fashion experts. They will be judged on modeling, presentation, attitude, and style. The fashion show will consist of two parts: evening wear, and an “entertaining theme” using their own clothing and items found in the suite. For the evening wear, Kathy is sending them to a vintage clothing store called “Alice Underground.” She instructs them to select something dramatic. She also advises them to be creative and use their imaginations when putting together their themes. Kathy then tells them that there is another double elimination in store for the losing team this week.

Voiceover Guy tells us that the contestants get only 30 minutes at Alice Underground to shop for their evening attire (the time limit is supposed to test their teamwork skills). Jabe struggles into a pair of pants, and interviews that he doesn’t know anything about fashion. Rashad helps him out a bit by picking out shirts for him to try on. Vanessa immediately assumes the role of leader, picking out clothes left and right for Jackaay and Latricia to try on. Neither Latricia or Jackaay is happy about this, and I don’t really blame them. It can be really annoying when you’ve got a certain way of going about things, and then someone like Vanessa comes in and starts throwing their weight around and telling you what to do. But then again, they’ve lost the last three tasks, so maybe they need Vanessa to boss them around a little. Brenden interviews that he’s noticed Vanessa offending Latricia by making some comments about her weight. “[Vanessa] is really bossy,” Latricia states in an interview. “What she says is pretty much what goes, and that bothers me.”

Later that night, Team Madison is in their suite, working hard to put together their theme. Jackaay tries on some tight pants, but Jabe and Latricia tell her to nix it. “I just hope we’re not counted against for body size,” Jackaay says. Latricia tells her, “We shouldn’t be, because I’m working this.” Ha! Vanessa says that if she could design clothes, at this point she’d pull the drapes off of the windows and make something out of them. Oh, and they could be the Von Trapp Madison Team! How cute. Will they sing “Do-Re-Mi” on the model runway, too?