Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model
Trigger Warnings: Eating Disorders, Sexual assault, body shaming, and racism are discussed. Please be advised
The documentary is eye opening for any fans of the show. While we see Tyra attempt to get her say in how the show changed and pivoted her career, we also see the lasting damage it has had on multiple contestants, both the winners and eliminated, It’s heartbreaking but unfortunately not uncommon in the fashion industry.
Despite never watching the show myself, I have seen clips and trust me, it is a product of the times back in the early 2000s and how women were basically doing everything they could to make themselves “attractive” even if it was degrading or life threatening. (E.g. the bikini wax scene and the race swap challenge). I mean, seriously what was Tyra, Ken, and the team thinking when they were making models switch races. Not only is it offensive but unsettling to see how people with different races would be portrayed as. It didn’t work then and it sure wouldn’t work today. Just…no. Anyway, the bikini wax, as the models in season one were being waxed down there, it was unsettling to see and the models (e.g. Shannon, Ebony, and Giselle) mentioned it was uncomfortable and hard to watch when it was aired. I couldn’t imagine ever having that aired or going through that in order win, it just doesn’t feel worth it and an invasion of privacy.
Speaking of privacy, my heart broke for Shandi when she opened up about her trip to Italy and was basically assaulted. Seeing those clips, no one in the production ever stopped it, despite having cameras around and production being on the clock. It never made sense and I wish someone would’ve stopped it and saved her from one of the most devastating moments in her life. What makes her story worst is instead of the camera crew giving her the privacy and respect that she needed, they edited it as a cheating story and filmed her making the call to her boyfriend. It’s both unsettling and tragic to watch as this all could’ve been prevented and even the camera crew apologized for filming the call as Shandi recalls to the interviewers. It’s such a devastating and heartbreaking section in the documentary and highly recommend watching episode 2 with someone you trust.
While I’m glad the interviewers gave the models the care and respect they deserved, unlike America’s Next Top Model, I do wish that Tyra had taken more responsibility in the role she and her team had. I mean, you had the choice to make these girls shine and instead of having them shine, she made them either villains/heroes when at the end of the day, these were impressionable young women wanting to change there life. Making them close a gap in they’re teeth without permission or criticizing them for they’re weight, when they were healthy is absurd and I wish Ken and Tyra took responsibility for that.
I would never watch America’s Next Top Model as it’s damaging and even Nigel, Nole, and J. Alexander had a part to play in the damage. However, I will say the fact that they were fired and were basically backstabbed by Tyra was low and I do hope they learn from this and grow in not only there careers but in future friendship/professional relationships as well.
If you watched America’s Next Top Model, this documentary will shock you and a must watch! It is a tough watch and don’t recommend watching this with young children or teenagers.