Oct. 23, 2006

Fashion Forward

Designer Michael Knight, 28, may not have won 'Project Runway,' but the Atlanta resident won over millions of viewers as the first African-American male to compete on Heidi Klum's hit reality show. "It's pretty damn cool," Knight told me, from his Atlanta home. "My goal in coming on the show was not to be this character or really be this standout star or a TV star and all of that kind of stuff. I really came to do some really good work. I was just being me. For people to like who I am as a person or to like what I do as far as a designer, it's really great and I'm very appreciative of it."

Knight defied the negative stereotypes usually depicted by many African-American males on reality TV, something the Nuremberg, Germany-born, Montgomery, Ala.-raised designer said never crossed his mind while taping 'Project Runway.' "I didn't do anything consciously," he confessed. "Like I said, I was just being myself. But I'm glad I've been received well, and I'm glad I could be a positive personality on TV and really kind of represent us as being really good people, which we know that anyway. I guess I don't think so hard about-I'm really slightly a blonde-so I don't think about stuff like that."

A stereotype that Knight hopes to change, however, is that all black men in the fashion world have to be gay. Obviously frustrated by all of the Internet chatter surrounding his sexuality, Knight dismissed the matter when it came up during our interview. "It's been said. You know what it is. Everybody knows what it is, so there's no need to even go there. I'm trying to establish myself as a designer. I'm not trying to establish my personal life and who I am and all that kind of stuff to people. My family knows, my friends know and whoever I am dating knows," he said.

In an online interview with Andy Cohen, Bravo's Vice President of Production and Programming, for his blog, Andy's Blog, Knight was straightforward about the gay issue. When Cohen inquired about the interest in Knight's sexuality, he vented: "It's stupid and rude, and I don't get why it makes a difference either way. The 'hood side of me wants to say, 'Why-are you trying to screw me, is that why you're asking?' But that's what I want to say. But, yes I am straight, and no I am not dating anybody. Wow, I can't believe we are really discussing this!" Two weeks ago there was a report in Star magazine reporting that Knight was dating R&B singer Brandy. Knight is coy about the rumored romance. "Headlines are headlines. I don't care about that. I want to dress Brandy, that's what I want to happen. So Brandy, if you are ever reading this, I want to dress you. She needs to be wearing some Michael Knight," he exclaimed.

So you want to dress Brandy. Understood! But are you also undressing Brandy?

"I want her to wear one of my outfits, that's what I am saying. I want her to wear one of my garments," he shot back.

So you're not going to confirm or deny this report?

"I don't care about the dating stuff. I'm really on the rise of my career. That's what I am focused on! That's what I am looking for in the headlines: 'Brandy wears Michael Knight on the red carpet of something.' That's my focus," he said, indicating he was ready to move on.

Okay Michael! In the words of 'Project Runway' judge Tim Gunn, I'll "carry on!"

Knight has already dressed such recording artists as Jagged Edge, Ciara and 112, but now he's ready for those who've supported him on 'Project Runway' to wear his clothes. "I love having fans, and I love them back. They are the people who will be future customers of mine," he raved.

The Georgia Southern University graduate-he has a degree in Apparel Design and Merchandising-also made clear that he was kidding when he said on 'The View' that he'd "taken a page from Michael Kors" and decided to buy a watch with his $10,000 prize for winning the fan favorite contest. "That was just me talking s&@#," he said, laughing. "I don't know what I am going to do with the money. I'm not that frivolous with my money. I don't even wear watches, to be honest. I don't even wear jewelry. When I figure it out, I'll do something."

Fear Factor

S. Epatha Merkerson ('Law & Order') has terrible ophidiophobia. (That's a fear of snakes for those who don't know.) The actress, who won an Emmy, Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globe and NAACP Image Award for her role in 'Lackawanna Blues', refused to star opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Justin Timberlake in the upcoming film 'Black Snake Moan' until she was certain there was no snake in the flick.

"I won't even read a script with a snake in it," said Merkerson, during a recent appearance on 'Rachael Ray.' "That's the first thing I asked when they sent [the script] over. I don't think even the President could order me to do that."

The 54-year-old actress had a near-panic attack recently while watching the Sci Fi Channel series 'Battlestar Galactica' when snakes appeared on an episode. "I was running around the apartment. I closed my eyes when I heard them. Then I heard the woman say, 'How many did you see?' She said, 'A dozen,' and I just lifted up," the actress admitted.

Buzzworthy

Ever wonder who you're really sitting across from in a restaurant? How's this for a chance encounter? Rev. Jesse Jackson recently dined at Roscoe's House of Chicken' N Waffles on Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles with his pal, Judge Greg Mathis. Just across the aisle at another table was the African-American female reporter from the National Enquirer who made international headlines by breaking news in 2001 about Jackson's secret love child. She sat there with several girlfriends, never once greeting the civil rights leader and television judge. If only the "Keep Hope Alive" preacher had a clue!

Looks like Vivica A. Fox is trotting on over to HBO. I hear the actress, fresh off her stint on ABC's 'Dancing With The Stars,' is joining the cast of Larry David's improvisational series 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' in a recurring role as a Hurricane Katrina survivor that David takes in. Fox's next film 'The Salon' has been pushed back to early next year and the actress has worked on almost seven movies in the last year, including 'Caught on Tape,' 'Citizen Duane' and 'Marble City.'

Teddy Riley's marriage to aspiring singer Melinda Santiago is just about over. The 39-year-old singer/producer of Blackstreet and Guy filed for divorce from Santiago after being married apparently less than two months. The couple met on MySpace-yes I did a 'Can't Say Names' about him a couple of months ago-and after a brief courtship got hitched. Santiago previously dated singer Usher-she was also signed to his production company-and had a short fling with Tyrese, who according to the New York Daily News ended a sexual encounter with the singer after realizing Usher's name was tattooed on her hip.

In other Riley news, I'm told that he is forming another version of Blackstreet that will exclude singers Mark Middleton and Eric Williams. Those two had been working in Riley's latest revival of the group, but rumor has it that Riley accused Middleton of coming on to his wife during a concert in Jamaica, thus causing the group to disband. In addition, Riley is also feuding with Guy singers Aaron and Damian Hall. The trio supposedly fell out over money.

Can't Say Names…

Talk about things coming full circle. So a veteran R&B/dance diva-one not keen on (1) being labeled by her musical genres; (2) having her former band referenced by the media; and (3) hates for you to talk about that TV show on which she once danced-had a terrible falling out with a colleague of mine who happened to be a huge fan of hers. After he wrote a flattering article about her, she sent him an email voicing her displeasure with the piece. She then told her rep not to send him her latest comeback CD and refused to grant him tickets for a concert performance. The resourceful reporter in turn got tickets from the venue and went backstage to greet the singer, hoping that getting reacquainted with someone he knew casually would help mend things. Not exactly! That encounter wasn't good for him and his detailing the incident in his blog surely wasn't good for her. She in turn blasted him on a MySpace blog and sicced her fans on him. He sent a scathing email to her private email account that she read (AOL users can tell when mail is read by fellow AOL users) but never responded. She then blocked his email address and apparently fired her former flack. It's been less than two months since it all went down, but said singer's new publicist sent, to of all people, my same colleague a pitch to interview the singer again. Clearly, someone should send the publicist that Patti LaBelle song, "If Only You Knew!"

BV Scene

Rapper Fat Joe getting his grub on at the International House of Pancakes in Capitol Heights, Md. The IHOP location is owned by and is steps away from my church, The Sanctuary at Kingdom Square… Nicole Murphy with her five kids in tow, Ricky Bell of New Edition, Karrine Steffans and actor Andy Garcia ('Ocean's Eleven') all shopping, separately of course, at the Westfield Fashion Square Mall in Sherman Oaks, Calif… Rapper Ludacris dined at Spice in Midtown Atlanta with friends… Former rapper-turned-music producer Kwame and Prince protégé Tamar walking down 56th Street in New York City following a showcase for newcomer Suai held by Universal-Motown Records in the Lobby Performance Hall of 1755 Broadway… Kirk Franklin, Judith Christie McAllister and a host of gospel executives on hand at The Club at Gaylord Springs in Nashville for the press conference announcing the nominations for the 22nd Annual Stellar Awards… Los Angeles Lakers star, Kobe Bryant, dined at Japonais at The Mirage in Las Vegas… Rapper Foxy Brown raising hell with a saleswoman in the Fendi department store at Bloomingdales (59th & Lexington) in New York City.