“Ridiculous”
What happened to America’s Next Top Model (ANTM)? During New York Fashion Week (NYFW) Fall 2012, I bumped into Ms. J and Nigel Barker, and I chased them down for interviews like any self-respecting fashion blogger, for dirt on the show of course. All of my requests were denied. They simply basked in the glory of their reality fame, posing for photo opts, and sitting front row. Well, who knew that only days after NYFW ended, ANTM would announce their dismissal from the show? I can see why they stopped talking, who wants to talk about the ex.
ANTM Cycle 19
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The Blonds – Front Row – Fall 2012 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Tyra Banks would be the only remaining staple in the show. I have avoided writing about this show because; I really had nothing to say—until now! How do you take a show that gave us all a peek inside the world of a working model, exciting photo shoot locations, gay gold judgment about fashion, and make it crap? Ask Ms. Banks; she can give you the recipe.
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Tyra Banks & Rob Evans – ANTM season 19 Photo Promotional 1
I didn’t really watch season one of ANTM for one reason, Tyra Banks. As a kid, I watched her on “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” and I realized why some models should just look pretty, please don’t talk. I was only a kid when I first saw Tyra, she graced every wall in my room, next to Naomi of course, yes Tyra was stunning. As a black kid growing up in small town Alberta, Tyra made fashion accessible to me. I watched her glide down runways, and grace every fashion cover. I collected everything, like crack to a strung-out-hooker, and Tyra was my drug. Then she played a guest role on my fantasy husband’s show, looking like a strung-out-hooker, yet still fabulous, and spoke… “No, you ruined everything.” After that, I never wanted to hear Tyra speak again. Who knew that on May 20, 2003, I would be eating my own words—ANTM debut.
antm-cycle-19-college-edition photo shoot
antm-cycle-19-college-edition photo shoot
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Everyone in school was talking about one show—the drama, the photo shoots, and yes backstabbing—the perfect show about modeling. Deny if you will, but we all know by season two we were hooked like that hooker on her pipe. We knew their names, invested in their story, and got pissed to see our personal pick go home. However, we watched to see the transformation of one girl plucked from obscurity, and into a runway star. Well that never happened, but we still watched to see if one of Tyra’s girls would become a “Top Model.” In the end we overlooked the minor success of a handful of girls, because the show was at least entertaining and informative about modeling 101.
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Okay, so what is my conclusion? Lets use comparison. Tyra is like mother who has a baby, takes time off to raise her new child, and heads back to work: “The Tyra Show.” With talk show duties, her child, ANTM, was able to develop some independence outside of her watchful eye, but for some reason as baby grew mommy wanted to quit her job and come back home to watch over baby again: “Hello mommy, I am already in middle school now. I’ve experienced drugs and gotten to third base, a little late for rules now.”
antm-cycle-19-college-edition photo shoot
antm-cycle-19-college-edition photo shoot
antm-cycle-19-college-edition photo shoot
First, the show never produced a “Top Model,” fine that is okay. Second, Tyra became the centerpiece. Third, in the words of my favorite judge, the original Ms. J, Judge Judy, the show became “Ridiculous.” What made ANTM fun was that it respected fashion and the modeling industry. With cycle 19, I feel like I am watching that strung-out-hooker hit rock bottom, and it is not pretty. A scoring system, WTF, is this ANTM or Ms. Universe?
ANTM Cycle 19
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30-Finalists-ANTM-Cycle-19-College-Edition-americas-next-top-model
Tyra interjected too much of herself into the show, forgetting that these girls want to be models, not your puppet. The show never produced a major talent in the industry, so I guess you want to remind us that you were once a “Top Model.” Therefore, ANTM has become your mouth piece, just when I wanted to hear what you had to say, now like your guest spot on “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” I just want you to shut up again.
What do you think of cycle 19? Please leave your comments below.
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