AT ONE point, “America’s Next Top Model”, hosted by Tyra Banks, was one of the highest-rated shows on both UPN and The CW. Its cultural impact can still be seen long after it has ended.
The show aired from 2003 up to 2018 and featured women who wanted to make it in the world of modeling.
Tyra Banks, a long with a team of other judges, would put these girls through different challenges such as photoshoots and runways to prepare them as best as they could for the reality of the fashion industry.
So many people wanted to be a part of the show, practicing their walks and poses, saying that they had what it took to become America’s next top model.
However, a documentary to be released this November 19 may make people wonder why they ever wanted to join in the first place.
A look into the dark side
VICE TV’s series, “Dark Side of Reality TV”, looks at the world of reality television shows that redefined the 21st century. As per TV Everyday, the series looks at the unseen consequences of being on a reality show.
In particular, it answers the question: What happens after the cameras turn off?
In the past, they’ve done episodes on beloved shows such as “Hell’s Kitchen”, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”, “Survivor”, “The Real Housewives”, and “Toddlers and Tiaras”.
Their latest episode, coming next Tuesday at 9 PM ET on Vice TV, will be interviewing former ANTM stars discussing how being on the show affected them and their careers.
Aside from this, they also expose the pressure, drama, and public scrutiny they faced while being on the show, TV Everyday reports.
The trailer for the episode starts off with a tearful testimonial from cycle five contestant, Lisa D’Amato.
“America’s Next Top Model f*cking squashed my dreams,” she exclaims.
“It made everybody around the globe hate me – also made me hate myself for years.”
She added: “They don’t care if you live or die. Afterwards, they don’t care.”
Some other contestants featured are Angelea Preston and Sarah Hartshorne, who also discuss their experiences, both negative and positive, being on the show.
Contestants speaking out
Even before this documentary, however, many contestants have spoken up about the mistreatment they underwent while on the show.
One was former contestant Tiffany Richardson, known as the girl who Tyra yelled at in the show’s unforgettable “We were rooting for you, we were all rooting for you!” moment.
“Honestly, looking back, I was full of shit,” she shared in an interview with Buzzfeed back in 2016.
“I was still the same person. … [I was] playing the fucking role. … I fed into the crap they was telling me and I ran with it.”
She added that when receiving critiques, the judges would just “roast the f*ck out of you.” She constantly felt alienated and targeted by the things happening on the show.
She also stated that the argument on television was a thousand times worse in person, with Tyra telling her: “You can go back to your house and sleep on your mattress on the floor with your baby.”
Former contestant Winnie Harlow also said that while her career is doing extremely well now, it has nothing to do with being on “America’s Next Top Model”.
If anything, she believes that being on it hindered her progress.
Cycle 24 contestant Jeana Turner also opened up about how she was manipulated into talking about how she had posed for Playboy Magazine in the past and was then made to feel bad about it, reports Too Fab.
Other models like Sarah also talked about how they were only given a daily cash stipend of USD 38 for their food expenses, as well as how the production team often kept them confused, hungry, stressed and sleep-deprived because it “made for better TV.”
These are just some of the models who have since spoken out about the show. Viewers are sure to get a more introspective look come Vice TV’s latest episode release on Tuesday.
Tyra’s response
The backlash to former episodes of the show, as well as the treatment of its models, has not gone unnoticed by Tyra.
It can be noted that, in 2020, she did post on social media regarding this issue.
On Twitter, she wrote: “Been seeing the posts about the insensitivity of some past ANTM moments and I agree with you. Looking back, those were some really off choices. Appreciate your honest feedback and am sending so much love and virtual hugs.”
This followed after Danielle Evans, a contestant on the sixth season of the show, spoke up about how she felt when she was told that she would not win the competition if she did not close the gap in her teeth.
She then proceeded to be named the winner of the season following her decision to get her gap closed.
