However, the reality TV show is not without its controversy.
Wanna be on top?
Let’s dive in.
“There was such a stigma in Hollywood, and people don’t realize that,” she explained.
She added, “You didn’t talk about it.
It wasn’t on your resume.”
Being on the show definitely doesn’t equal instant fame, though it might seem like it.
She went on, “The fight continues to show you that you are beautiful.”
“I had what we called at the time a plus-size girl,” she said.
“Now they’re calling them curvy girls.
I’ve had transgender girls.
All these things that weren’t necessarily cool or in the mainstream when we did it.”
However, asMicpointed out, that promise of inclusivity has been a lie.
That didn’t exactly encourage inclusivity.
ThoughANTMmight be getting better at being inclusive, it definitely wasn’t always that way.
In an interview withBuzzFeed,former contestant Tiffany Richardson explained that the show was really hard for her.
I felt like we were just there to be humiliated," she said.
But onAmerica’s Next Top Model,there was definitely no script.
When asked ifAmerica’s Next Top Modelwas scripted, Hartshorne toldBustle,“No.
They didn’t need a script because they knew what we were going to do before we did.
And that was drama enough.”
She continued, “Everybody’s a b***h sometimes.
Now imagine the second you feel less than awesome there’s a camera two inches from your face.”
Basically, since the cameras were there all the time, there was no need for a script.
I thinkTop Modelhas a lot to do that, and I think it’s worldwide."
But in an interview withBuzzFeed News,Banks said that in the moment all she felt was love.
“It was such an emotional, visceral moment for me,” Banks explained.
“I had so much love for this girl.”
“It can be very harsh, but the real industry is harsher,” she added.
“Many years ago, I was stressed with starting new businesses,” she explained.
Banks continued that her lawyer steered her clear of that decision, but it wasn’t easy.
“But, I was so tired.
I was like, fine, fine, I’ll just continue.”
In fact, just the opposite is true in some cases.
That’s part of why people love reality shows because the people on them behave terribly.
However, onAmerica’s Next Top Model,bad behavior took on a whole new meaning.
While you might think that the contestants would bemodelcitizens, that hasn’t always been the case.
Being on TV doesn’t mean you might trash rooms like rock stars.
The way the publication put it definitely made it sound like there was drama behind the decision.
However, that doesn’t seem to actually be the case.
As J. Alexander told Perez Hiltonin an interview, all was not how it appeared.
“I was never fired, get the record straight,” he explained.
“My contract was just not renewed.”
Alexander went on to add that he wasnotafraid of Tyra, as Hilton had suggested he was.
In short, they weren’t fired without reason.
Simply put, their contracts expired and weren’t renewed.
According toThe Establishment,America’s Next Top Modelhas actually reinforced harmful behaviors and eating disorders.
“The Establishmentnoted, “Then, the (still-svelte!)
eighteen-year-old was eliminated.”
Basically, the show hasn’t exactly been sensitive to the eating disorders with which the contestants have dealt.
But really, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
He continued, “We’d get up at five in the morning, get home at midnight.”
Additionally, shooting the scenes of the judges' panel was reportedly also difficult.
“We’re up there all day,” Benjamin explained.
“It’s freezing in there.
America’s Next Top Modelmay be a show, but it’s not easy.
In fact, the contestants had to do a confessional every night, according to two former contestants.
But, of course, the show didn’t air every confessional.
“They hardly used any of that footage,” Benjamin’s castmate Mike Scocozza explained.
“I’m sure there’s some really good stuff on there.”
“I get drunk and fall asleep,” Scocozza said of some of his confessionals.
“That’s what happens.”
With no choice but to shoot the confessional every night, it’s no wonder the contestants were exhausted.
