“America’s Next Top Model” may have had viewers in a chokehold back in the day and be remembered fondly by them, but a new documentary that’s set to explore what it was really like for the aspiring models and the judges just might change that.
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“Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,” set to hit Netflix on Feb. 16 will pull back the veil on the ins, outs, and utter craziness of the show and feature interviews from memorable contestants as well as judges Jay Manuel, Miss Jay and of course host Tyra Banks—who will be opening up like never before about her show. Yet judging by initial fan reactions online, they may not like what she has to say.
And why would they? For all the entertainment that the show brought, it was also a home to many crazy and absurd moments that in hindsight cast a bad light on Banks and the modeling industry as a whole.
So, in anticipation of this new doc, we thought it’d be fitting to take a look at some of the most outrageous and problematic moments on the show that kept us tuned in week after week.
“I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU, WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU!”
Y’all already knew we had to start off strong with Cycle 4’s Tiffany Richardson. There’s a reason why “WE WERE ROOTING FOR YOU, WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU” is considered an ancient text in the books of pop culuture. This moment will forever live rent free in our heads.
The Pendulum Runway
Poor model Alexandra didn’t stand a chance when she came out and fell flat on her behind after taking three steps on her runway during Cycle 15. But things sadly went from bad to worse for her after the pendulum runway booted her off entirely before her actual, eventual elimination off the show.
“And You’ll Be Able to Survive This”
In Cycle 11, contestant Jocelyn became beloved and respected after pushing through a photoshoot where she was severely ill, even to the point to where she was throwing up. The way Banks commended her, you almost would’ve thought that would’ve been enough to keep her, but her elimination and the way Banks worded it was nearly just as harsh to watch as her sickness was.
Danielle and #GapGate
Though Daniele ended up ultimately winning Cycle 6, her road to get there was full “gaps,”—literally. She butted heads with the judges when she refused to get the gap in her teeth closed all the way and expressed pride in her unique look. Banks and co. weren’t impressed though they would later change their tune by the time Cycle 14-15 rolled around.
Keenyah Hill & the Gluttony Photoshoot
During Cycle 4, model Keenyah Hill—who had been targeted for being “fat” and “overweight” participated in a photoshoot that saw the ladies be representations of the Seven Deadly Sins. Naturally, given her criticism, she was given “Gluttony.” Later, during a shoot where the ladies had to pose as different animals, Keenyah was given—yup, you guessed it—an elephant as hers.
Cassandra’s Shocking Haircut
We can definitely understand Cycle 5 contestant Cassandra’s sadness at having to part ways with her signature hair, but let’s be clear. Telling her to “get over it” definitely didn’t help the situation!
Kacey and the Pink High Runway
In a move that could only be described as beyond ridiculous, in Cycle 15, model Kacey was made to walk on a pink-lighted runway that was four stories high—but without her glasses or any corrective lenses. Not only was this absurd, it was insanely dangerous.
Molly & Her Blonde Weave
In Cycle 16, Molly O’Connell went from a basic blonde to a weaved out wonder when the judges had the bright idea to put a blonde, curly sew-in in her hair. And it turned out worse than you think.
The Race Swap Challenge
Perhaps one of the most egregious challenges in “ANTM” history, during Cycles 4 and 13, models were told they were going to swap races and had to take pictures representing the race/ethnicity they changed into. And yes, before you ask, blackface was indeed involved.
Keenyah Hill & Consent
Bringing it back to Keenyah Hill again, during Cycle 4, she was groped by a male model that she was posing with during a shoot which ultimately led to her having some serious issues getting through the rest of it. Once she tried to sound the alarm on what she was going through, she was made to push through in spite of. Things got worse during her photo judging session when she was essentially blamed for not handling things in a professional manner.
Toccara & Body Shaming
During Cycle 3, “plus-sized” model Toccara was made to feel shamed over her body size, despite the fact that she regularly excelled during her photoshoots. Looking back on it, the consistent emphasis on her “bigger size” was just doing way too much.
The Cockroach Shoot
During Cycle 6, contestants had to overcome their fears and get majorly uncomfortable while posing with large, Madagascar, hissing cockroaches. (Author’s note: This would’ve been the moment I would’ve gone home, because ain’t no way!)
Winnie Harlow Being Called Panda
During Cycle 21, model Winnie Harlow ran into some issues with the onsite photographer. In trying to hash out their problems, she was referred to as a “panda” and a “cow” and was gaslit when she called the photog out on it.
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