It may just be Brad Goreski’s world, but that may be okay with me. I may not always love the clothes or his poindexter chic personal look, but in many ways Goreski seems perfect for reality TV. While Rachel Zoe may have made him, she could stand to turn the tables and take a few pointers from her former assistant stylist. In the second season of his show, Goreski is funny and personable where Zoe is cold and focused. I may want to hire the ever-precise Zoe as my stylist, but I’d prefer to hang out with Goreski. In the realm of reality TV, that seems like the bigger win.
In the season finale, Goreski and his significant other Gary Janetti gather their families together for a chicken dinner. It’s not high drama or even all that exciting, but it serves to underscore the connection these two have to one another. It’s one that will likely be tested when Gary leaves for London for two-and-a-half months, but, as Brad says, it’s now his turn to be “a really, really solid wife.”
I’d like to think Brad will fill the void left by his partner’s absence with more than just work, though he’s surrounded himself with some friendly (and TV-ready) folk in any case. His styling assistant Thomas seems to share his sense of humor. As they pull dresses for Stacy Keibler, one gown is dismissed as “John Travolta in ‘Hairspray.'” Another is too Lindsay Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor in “Cleopatra.” These two stylists would probably never get a stand-up slot on a late night show, but their sense of humor is a good counterpoint to the sometimes dry process of picking out a dress.
A lot of the so-called drama supposedly on deck for the season finale never really materializes. A dearth of product due to Hurricane Sandy becomes a non-issue (I suspect that dressing a leggy knockout like Stacy Keibler means, in a pinch, Goreski could have picked up something from Target and made it work). Fears over what the families will think of Brad and Gary’s new house are dead on arrival. It’s not nailbiting in any way, but that’s alright. What makes “It’s A Brad, Brad World” work is that it can wrap up a season which has had its share of excitement with a sweet little episode that reminds us of what we draws us in: Brad Goreski and the people who surround him.
When Goreski does a hands-in with his team, it’s perhaps a scripted moment but one that reads true. Goreski doesn’t seem to have much of a filter, and isn’t shy about crying or jumping up and down or simply acting like a bit of a doofus when he’s in the moment. As important as it is for him and his clients to look right, he doesn’t seem to be as protective of his image beneath the surface. By sometimes letting down his guard, he invites us into his “Brad, Brad world” in a way that even anti-fashionistas should be able to grasp. Because, as important as the clothes might be, he seems to understand that they really aren’t everything after all.
Did you watch the season finale? Do you think it’s Brad Goreski’s world?