At least Atlantans will have a local contestant to root for when Bravo unveils a knock-off of its former signature hit, “Project Runway” tonight at 10 p.m.

When Bravo fans flip over to “Fashion Show” tonight, they’ll see a reality TV series featuring 15 fashion designers battling for money and fame, having to create clothing in ridiculously short amounts of time.

But this is not “Project Runway.” Tim Gunn isn’t making it work. Heidi Klum’s isn’t uttering “Auf wiedersehen.” Instead, we hear catty comments from the mouths of designer Isaac Mitzhari and former Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland.

The alternative-universe copycat show is the result bad blood between the makers of “Project” and NBC, which owns Bravo. The Weinstein Co., which created “Project,” a year ago said it was moving the show to Lifetime. NBC sued. Weinstein Co. sued back. “Project” sat in limbo while the cases wended their way through the courts.

The litigation was recently settled out of court, allowing Lifetime to finally unveil “Project” in August.

In the meantime, Bravo is pushing “Fashion Show” down the catwalk as a replacement, hoping “Project” aficionados will find some level of satisfaction drinking Pepsi instead of Coke.

“Fashion Show’s” prize is having the winner’s designs sold into the retail market (plus a cash prize of$125,000. That’s $25,000 more than “Runway.”) And the public will vote for the winner. On “Project,” there are no guarantees the winner’s clothing line will make it to market.

Judging from our sneak peek, “Fashion Show” cast its first season well.

One of those contestants is former Atlantan Anna McCraney who admits to us she was a bit out of sorts during the first challenge, creating a little black dress in one hour.

“I didn’t have my bearings,” said McCraney, who now lives in New York. “I was disoriented.” She considers herself more of a “sit-back-and-take-notes” type of persona than an in-your-face gal.

McCraney grew up in Atlanta, graduating Woodward Academy in 1996. She credits Woodward’s strong arts program for her interest in design and her decision to go to the Rhode Island School of Design. “I used to make clothes and sell them to a store in Little Five Points,” she said. After college, she did retail in SoHo in New York City, worked for a clothing line and most recently taught fashion merchandising. She actually tried out for “Project Runway” its first year in 2004.

“I’m glad I didn’t get on then,” she said. “What I’ve done since then prepared me for this show.”

She considers her design aesthetic as “really happy. I like colors and prints.”

Being on a reality show like this, “I’ve never sewn so much in my life.”

Overscene

Stand-up comics and former “Everybody Loves Raymond” co-stars Ray Romano and Brad Garrett, along with three friends dining at South City Kitchen in Midtown. We’re told the table split the fried catfish and buttermilk fried chicken along with some appetizers including fried green tomatoes, oysters and sea scallops. They enjoyed the meal so much they ordered up a to-go order Wednesday to take on the plane with them.

At looong last, “Grey’s Anatomy” star Katherine Heigl has at last been spotted in our fair city (not that we were overly anxious or anything…). The now-big screen star (who’s in town shooting “Five Killers” with Ashton Kutcher) lunched with a female companion in a corner booth at Buckhead Diner. Our server spies tell us the statuesque actress arrived dressed “fashionably casual.” Veteran Diner server Jim Metts promptly delivered a sampling of the restaurant’s famous blue cheese potato chips and Thai chili calamari courtesy of Diner general manager Maureen Baker. The ladies expressed a curiosity about the eatery’s dressed up Southern dishes. On the way out, the “delightful” actress even posed for a photo with the staff.

A two-minute video that took a weekend to shoot and another week to edit has netted an Atlanta couple a Toyota Prius, courtesy of Ted’s Montana Grill.

On a lark, Josh and Leslie Borger entered the Atlanta-based restaurant’s contest in which fans made videos espousing their love for Ted’s burgers. The Borgers did it partly out of their taste for Ted’s but also because of Leslie’s desire for the hybrid car.

The couple’s video spoofed their own energy- and money-saving habits and bested more than 6,500 entrants. The only other thing Josh has ever won, he said, was a CD when he called in to a radio station in high school.

“We didn’t think we stood a prayer,” said Josh, 30. “To have it actually come true is a complete miracle and a happy accident.”

Coming in third, and winning free food for a year at Ted’s, were locals Daniel Baily and Brandon Swafford. Georgia Tech folks may know them as “the GTG’s,” the Tech alums who made a rap video ode to the Jackets football team last season.

Both videos can be found on the restaurant’s Website: tedsmontanagrill.com.

Spirit to the Rescue

If tweeting smart-aleck NBA mascots could win you playoff games, the Atlanta Hawks would currently be having no problems against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The freshly molted celeb Spirit the Hawk was up to his usual hilarious pranks on Twitter Wednesday after his team lost their opening game up in Cleveland to Cavalier LeBron James and teammates.

Among Spirit’s talon-baring observations on Twitter: “LeBron wouldn’t let me perch on his arm because the leather glove wasn’t made by Nike. Rude.”, “It’s been said Cleveland is why birds fly south…” and finally “OK, making flight plans…Spirit needed up north. Keep it goin here…”

Celebrity Birthdays

Singer Jimmy Ruffin is 70. Actress Robin Strasser (”One Life to Live”) is 64. Singer Thelma Houston is 63. Actor Michael E. Knight (”All My Children“) is 50. Guitarist Phil Campbell of Motorhead is 48. Actress Traci Lords is 40. Actor Breckin Meyer (”Road Trip”) is 35.

Contributing: Rodney Ho, Ken Sugiura and news services.

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