2.5 million watched Runway finale.
At the climax of Bravo’s Project Runway, 2.5 million people were watching. That helped the show earn “the network’s highest ratings results ever in the Wednesday 8-11 p.m. time period. With 500% growth over its total-viewer and key demographic premiere numbers in December, cable’s hottest show delivered the highest numbers for any Bravo telecast for the 2004-05 season to date.” The press release from parent company NBC Universal has a bunch of numbers and stuff, but the lowdown is that a crapload of people watched. Over its season, viewership grew by 400 to 500 percent, depending upon the demographic. Additionally, the release says “Project Runway is also the youngest program 34.4 (median age) in network history.” Over on its web site, Bravo is airing the “decoy” runway show put on by fourth-place finisher Austin Scarlett. He presented a collection at Fashion Week, since his elimination episode aired the week after Fashion Week, thereby preventing spoilers.
+ also: Donny Deutsch says Jay should “take that first 100 grand and spend it all on publicists. I mean that–just lure, press, hype.”