Photo: Jane Dagmi

I sat down recently with Mark Diaz, the second runner-up in HGTV’s recently concluded “Design Star.” After watching Season 6, I was eager to meet the talented man who always looks so very ‘GQ’ on the show, sporting his signature ski cap, Wellies, and tool belt. Naturally, I wanted some juicy gossip, but Mark is still under contract and could not dish. Still, he had plenty of good things to say about his first major cable television experience.

Auditioning for “Design Star” wasn’t exactly Mark’s idea, but after several friends coaxed him, Mark drove 14 hours from Miami to reach the casting call in Atlanta. Pressed for time, Mark completed the application by copying in transcripts from assorted phone conversations that his girlfriend helped to transcribe. By the time Mark arrived for the audition, it was almost too late, but with a smile and gentle plea, he managed to charm the receptionist.

Though a tad disappointed by the final results, placing third did not dampen Mark’s winning spirit. With “Design Star” host Tanika Ray’s words, “Sorry, Mark, we will not be producing your show” fading into memory, Mark is confident he will have a show down the road, that he will build his own home, and that he will launch a community program that engages at-risk youth in the world of design.

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