What Happened To Santino From Project Runway
Okay, let’s be real. We need to talk about Santino Rice. You remember him, right? The guy with the hair, the attitude, and the audacity to call Tim Gunn “Mom.” Project Runway...
Okay, let’s be real. We need to talk about Santino Rice. You remember him, right? The guy with the hair, the attitude, and the audacity to call Tim Gunn “Mom.” Project Runway Season 2 was a wild ride, and Santino was the chaotic center of it all.
He was the villain we loved to hate. Or maybe hated to love? Either way, he made fantastic television. His feud with Daniel Vosovic? Iconic. His impression of Tim Gunn? Spot on. And that “hot tranny mess” comment? Yikes. But wow, did he ever own the screen.
So, where did he go after the runway?
After the finale (where he famously lost to Chloe Dao), Santino didn’t exactly fade into obscurity. He stayed busy. He designed a clothing line. He did some consulting. He even popped up on other reality shows, like Fashion Star. It felt like he was always just off the radar.
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But something shifted. A lot of fans started noticing he was missing from the fashion scene. And then, the whispers got louder. Social media posts got weirder. People started asking: Is Santino okay?
The conspiracy rabbit hole
Here’s where it gets a little… intense. Santino dove headfirst into conspiracy theories. We’re talking QAnon. We’re talking flat earth. We’re talking lizard people. It wasn’t a subtle dip; it was a cannonball into the deep end of the crazy pool.
His Instagram became a firehose of wild claims. He posted about “the cabal.” He talked about “the matrix.” He even claimed that Tim Gunn was part of a mind-control operation. Yes, really. That same Tim Gunn who taught him how to sew a waistband.
From designer to… prophet?
Santino started calling himself a “truth seeker.” He stopped identifying as a fashion designer. In interviews, he sounded serious. He talked about “waking up” and “shedding the programming.” It was jarring to see the witty, sarcastic Santino replaced by someone reciting internet conspiracies.
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You have to ask: Was fame too much for him? Or did he just find a new kind of spotlight? The guy who thrived on attention found the ultimate attention machine: being a provocateur. Except this time, it wasn’t about a bias-cut gown.
The turning point: leaving it all behind
Around 2020, Santino basically disappeared from the fashion world entirely. He moved to Montana. He started a podcast where he ranted about, well, everything. He sold survival gear. He even promoted cryptocurrency scams. It was a full pivot from “make it work” to “manufacturing outrage.”
Some fans were heartbroken. Others thought it was a bit. You know, is this just a performance? But nope. He doubled down. He brushed off any criticism with a wave and a smirk, just like he did on the show.
Where is he now in 2024?
Last we saw, Santino is still in Montana. He’s still posting. He’s still preaching about “freedom” and “awakening.” He’s not making clothes. He’s not on television. He’s built a small, loyal audience of people who agree with his worldview.
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It’s a weird, sad little echo chamber. Gone is the designer who could cut a dress in ten minutes. Here is a man who spends his days ranting about weather-control satellites. It’s a transformation so extreme it feels like a bad reality show plot twist.
The legacy question
So, what happened to Santino? He chose a different life. He traded the runway for a conspiracy forum. He traded fabric swatches for freedom flags. It’s his right, sure. But it’s also a massive loss for anyone who loved the drama of early Project Runway.
Maybe he was always a performer. Maybe the conspiracies are just his new costume. But the Santino who made us gasp with his sheer nerve? That guy is gone. Poof. Replaced by a man selling doomsday supplies and distrust of vaccines.
It’s okay to mourn that. It’s okay to laugh at the absurdity of it. And it’s absolutely okay to rewatch Season 2 and marvel at a time when his biggest controversy was a shoddy beaded collar. We miss you, Santino. But maybe not this version of you.
