With an ALL STARS season of AMERiCA’S NEXT TOP MODEL coming out this Fall – one should take a few moments to reflect on all things ANTM: hair, make-overs, cat-fights, ‘smizing’, TYRA BANKS, MiSS JAY, judging panel, cat-walks – and eliminations. Personally I love ANTM – it’s always been a guilty pleasure if ever there was one.
Although I won’t deny there is a lot to criticize about reality television in general, the social worker and artist (and Aquarius) in me just loves watching ‘real’ people in any kind of competition that requires social skills. When you add in that the subjects are pretty moving dolls wearing pretty clothes and getting all sorts of stylish hair-dos – I’m like – SiGN ME UP BABY i”M iN!
ANTM in particular, appeals to that part of my brain that enjoys shiny things and the art of TRANSFORMATiON – and I get to feast on it: You get a gaggle of girls of all types and shades of beauty – and then make them over entirely. Like Cinderella for the ball!! For example you might expect to see a ballerina type brunette be chopped down into a white-blonde MiA FARRROW/ROSEMARY’S BABY cut. Of course she then freaks out and whines the entire season over it. (Through sobs) “My haaaiiir was my security blanket! “ or “How can I model this – I look like a man!” .. So much to enjoy and so much to criticize.
Photo shoots are an added bonus because if the producers are clever enough – the themes or what have you’s can provide for often really striking images – again, of pretty dolls/models. Of course it was through this show I learned what ‘smizing’ is and even how to do it! The bad photo shoots (floating in a air-duct??, Fabio??) are tolerable but I always hated the commercial episodes because of course there was never a photo to look at = boring.
Below I’ve selected just a sample of some of my more favorite (or at least memorable to me) – and if anything they are a great study in photography – reality show or not. Of course I’ve got my FAVORiTE GiRLS every Cycle – here are some of the names I remember loving :JADE, NAiMA, JASLENE, FURONDA, DOMiNiQUE. I also loved ANGELEA and many other alleged bitches and ego maniacs like ALEXANDRiA, CELiA and MELROSE…. Of course I rooted for iSiS back in Cycle 10 but she is apparently back this ALL STARS so we’ll have to see if she is a stronger model post surgery. They usually are the best~ That’s my TRiBUTE!
