“America’s Next Top Model”: A New Documentary Promises to Uncover the Show’s Dark Side
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A new documentary, “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,” set to debut on Netflix February 16th, is poised to re-examine the cultural phenomenon that was “America’s Next Top Model” and potentially reshape its legacy. The docuseries will feature interviews with former contestants, judges Jay Manuel and Miss Jay, and host Tyra Banks, who is expected to offer unprecedented insight into the show’s inner workings – a revelation that some fans may find unsettling.
For all the entertainment value it provided, “ANTM” was also rife with moments that, in retrospect, cast a harsh light on Banks and the modeling industry. As anticipation builds for the Netflix release, a look back at some of the show’s most outrageous and problematic moments reveals a pattern of questionable practices and harmful messaging.
The Enduring Impact of “I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU”
The elimination of Tiffany Richardson in Cycle 4 remains one of the show’s most infamous moments. The now-iconic phrase, “I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU, WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU!” has permeated pop culture, representing a particularly brutal form of televised rejection. This moment, as one observer noted, “will forever live rent free in our heads.”
Dangerous Challenges and Unnecessary Risks
The show frequently pushed contestants to their physical and emotional limits, sometimes with dangerous consequences. During Cycle 15, model Alexandra suffered a fall on a pendulum runway, leading to her immediate removal from the competition – a harsh outcome for a simple misstep. Similarly, in Cycle 15, Kacey was forced to navigate a four-story pink runway without corrective lenses, a decision widely criticized as both absurd and unsafe.
Questionable Handling of Contestant Wellbeing
The show’s treatment of contestants’ physical and emotional health also drew scrutiny. In Cycle 11, Jocelyn continued a photoshoot despite severe illness, even vomiting on set. While Banks commended her perseverance, her subsequent elimination and the phrasing used felt particularly cruel, according to many viewers.
Body Image and Harmful Standards
“ANTM” often perpetuated unrealistic and damaging beauty standards. Daniele, the winner of Cycle 6, faced criticism for refusing to alter her natural teeth gap, highlighting the pressure to conform to conventional ideals. However, the show later seemed to shift its stance in subsequent cycles.
Perhaps the most egregious examples of this came with contestant Keenyah Hill during Cycle 4. Targeted for being “fat” and “overweight,” she was assigned the “Gluttony” sin during a photoshoot representing the Seven Deadly Sins and later asked to pose as an elephant. This pattern of body shaming, as highlighted in a recent viral post, was deeply problematic.
Instances of Disrespect and Boundary Violations
Beyond body image issues, the show also faced accusations of disrespect and boundary violations. Cassandra, a contestant from Cycle 5, was told to “get over it” after having her hair cut, demonstrating a lack of empathy for her emotional distress. More seriously, Keenyah Hill was groped by a male model during a photoshoot in Cycle 4 and then blamed for not handling the situation “professionally” when she raised concerns.
The Controversial “Race Swap” Challenge
One of the most widely condemned challenges in “ANTM” history involved contestants “swapping races” and posing as different ethnicities during Cycles 4 and 13. The challenge involved the use of blackface, sparking outrage and accusations of racism.
Gaslighting and Dehumanizing Language
The show’s treatment of Winnie Harlow during Cycle 21 also raised concerns. She was referred to as a “panda” and a “cow” by an onsite photographer and subsequently gaslit when she challenged the offensive language.
Other questionable moments included a cockroach photoshoot in Cycle 6 – a fear-inducing challenge that proved too much for some contestants – and Molly O’Connell’s disastrous weave in Cycle 16.
“Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model” promises to offer a critical re-evaluation of the show’s legacy, forcing viewers to confront the problematic aspects that were often glossed over during its original run. The documentary’s release is likely to spark a renewed conversation about the ethics of reality television and the impact of beauty standards on aspiring models.
