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Finalewatch: 'America's Next Top Model'
Well, ladies (and Gus), the time is nigh. The time when the heavens open up, choirs of angels sing, a plume of white smoke rises and the voice of God - you thought God would sound more like Charlton Heston than Tyra Banks? silly of you - proclaims 'America's Next Top Model'. And if it's not Anya, so help me Tyra...
Viva Roma, and all that, and our three ladies traipse along the cobblestones. Anya, wearing that same rabbity eye makeup as last week, says that she is a lot more confident than she was when the competition began. Personally, I think it's the hair. Mona Tyra gives the girls their lines early so she won't have to put them "on blast." So relevant with the lingo! Is it eight years ago already? Sigh. Everyone is completely thrilled that this commercial will be in English.
The next morning, Mr. Jay and Brent Poer (they're like a box set of pocket gays!) reveal that the girls will be shooting both a tv commercial and a print ad for Cover Girl, and that the winner's ad will adorn a billboard in Times Square. Ok, that's pretty cool. Even cooler, Tootie's here! Oh, no, it's just Saleisha. Saleisha reveals that, when she was in the top three, she was both - wait for it - nervous and excited! You don't say! While in hair and makeup, darling little Anya starts crying, concerning both her friend Whitney and Saleisha. Whitney seems unsympathetic but is actually just stunned - Anya is always so optimistic, this is really uncharacteristic of her. If she pulls a Marvita, I will be so, so disappointed in her incomprehensible little butt.
Fatima is up first to film her commercial, and she has the words memorized, but she just shoots right through the lines. You know how she can't stop at the end of the runway? How she plows right through that pause? This is essentially that, in verbal form. Whitney (unforgivably sleeveless) has more trouble with the lines but is a born pitchwoman. Anya can't pronounce words. Period. But she's so bubbly and happy and adorable. She is so fricking excited about this mascara, it's amazing. The photo shoots are next. Whitney and Anya rock their shoots, while Fatima borrows from Stacy-Ann's old Modeling 101 playbook.
Back at the flat, Mona Tyra tells her girls that tomorrow is panel. Wait, we're only 20 minutes into the episode! At panel, Anya is wearing a sweater dress I would kill for. Whitney's commercial is up first, and she clearly stumbles over a few words, and does that thing where she shakes her head like a horse. Paulina thinks it's incredibly pageant, which of course, it is. Whitney's print ad is amazing. Absolutely amazing. I would buy mascara from that woman, as long as she was in a still photo. Up next is Fatima, who completely flubs the lines and just says words, without meaning behind them. Her picture is pretty but her eyes are focused too high, which - praise the Lord - Tyra uses as an opportunity to demonstrate smiling with her eyes. YES!!! I live for this crap. Anya's commercial is so freaking cute, but she's impossible to understand, and she doesn't know her lines. Tyra says, rightly, that it was A. a total train wreck and B. the best commercial of the three. Interestingly, there's one camera on Nigel watching the commercial, and he's beaming and blushing and looking like a 14-year-old boy. Yep. He even admits that Anya's charming. Her print ad is lovely but Paulina thinks Anya looks stupid in it. Tyra disagrees. And girlfriend clearly knows from dumb. Oh, so we're just eliminating one girl for now and...oh my holy crap there's a runway challenge, and Donatella Versace is involved, and I really want to be her when I grow up, and I just had a teeny tiny heart attack. Donatella PLUS eye-smiling? Amazing. J'adore. Anya is called first - no surprise there. And then Whitney, which...you know my Donatella was not pleased about this, ah, sizable development.
So, America's Next Top Model will be a blonde! Anya thinks that it was beautiful when Whitney cried, and you know that all Anya wanted to do was hug her and tell her she hopes Whitney wins, which in an odd way she genuinely does. The girls arrive at the studio for their Seventeen photo shoots with Ann Shoket (hi Ann!) and, notably, Nigel Barker. Wow, has Anya lost weight or was she always this thin? Her legs don't look like they should hold her up. Les Jays meet the girls at the runway site, where they learn that they will be walking with real models. And Saleisha! Who was plucked from her day job at the Cover Girl factory. The male models are in speedos, painted with gold leaf. I really, really want to see Mr. Jay sitting next to Donatella. Who is oranger? Who is blonder? Who can tell? The judges make their way down the runway, and then the models go: Saleisha leads out in an incredible glittery gold column with a ruched taffeta bodice. Anya has a little skip to her step, but her posing at the end of the runway is awesome, and she rocks her train. Whitney stomps down the runway - girlfriend gives good walk - and doesn't flinch when her strap slides off her arm. Her second walk is equally good, even though her dress keeps flowing into her shoes. Anya's second dress is very difficult to walk in, and looks it. She's a little bit Lauren, actually. Both girls have an appropriate amount of wiggle to their final walk, and they both look gorgeous. Wait, where was Donatella?
Final panel, which apparently means that Morticia Addams did Tyra's makeup, and there was an industrial-strength flatiron applied to that weave. Miss Jay feels that Anya's walk wasn't as strong as it could have been, but Paulina really stands up for her - her dresses were far more difficult to move in. Whitney looked so good she reminded Tyra of Tyra. We go into a side-by-side retrospective of each week's photo shoots. The panel deliberates. Paulina really hits the nail on the head, to me, when she says that Whitney's the girl you want in the bedroom, but Anya's the girl you buy a dress from. The models enter in their Versace dresses. America's Next Top Model is....Whitney. Shut UP! Oh, Tyra really really wanted this. You know she wanted this. Anya is going to go home and cry, but she is proud of herself and she really should be. And, honestly, Whitney better represents an American woman, an American beauty, than Anya. So congratulations. And thank you, Whitney, for taking Saleisha off my freaking television screen forever.
Check out Whitney's America's Next Top Model Portfolio.
Thoughts? Complaints? "Anya was robbed"s? No matter how we all feel about the results, there is comfort in knowing that there are approximately seven cycles of this show a year...so nobody's on top for long...
i'm actually very pleased with the decision, and was more so pleased after hearing whitney's closing words - absolutely she represents the "real" girl, and will give encouragement to all those girls out there with the beautiful faces and the full-figured bodies - to feel confident and know that they can do anything they set their mind to...way to go whitney!!
Kelley | May 14, 2008 9:30:37 PM | #i love love loved that final pink dress that whitney wore. i honestly thought anya was going to win....until this episode. she just fell apart. i am really glad that whitney won. and i dont think she was advanced to the finale without earning it. she has been consistent all season...and the potential is there. her walk was so good. anya just needed more personality.
s | May 14, 2008 9:35:35 PM | #I'm pretty pleased with the outcome. While sure, there were some things about Whitney that could definitely use some training, she really did have what it takes to be a successful model...looks, enthusiasm, personality, ability to take critique and direction, and well, (that make-up guy said it best) "the first juicy booty on the runway". Yeay! I'm sure Tyra did have an agenda from the beginning - she wanted a plus size girl to win - but Whitney brought her A game and that's what got her the prize. And, like Kelley, I was very impressed with Whitney's closing words.
Anya, I do feel sad for you because I know how much you wanted it. You gave it your very best. There...now I can be bitchy. Anya, you were driving me crazy with that nasal, monotone voice!!! (Hearing her drag out the end of the word "competition"...arghhh!) Also, after watching her the whole season, I JUST realized that she never, ever shows her bottom teeth. Even when she speaks or smiles. Something was strange about her look to me and I couldn't put my finger on it until almost the very end. She shows upper teeth all the time...her upper lip doesn't move, just the bottom. (Like a muppet!!) That said, I'm not too worried about her, though. She will certainly get picked up by an agency and will get plenty of work.
Fatima, on the other hand, I don't think will get work in the industry. Too much going on there. And she needs to put on at least SOME weight. She's just not healthy.
So, bravo to Whitney!! Her commercials next season will be SO MUCH BETTER than Saleisha's boring prattle.
Bye!
ShameAboutRaisins | May 14, 2008 9:58:57 PM | #Whitney didn't deserve the title. The constant reference of skinny woman not being real woman upsets me. Being full figured doesn't mean you are a real woman in my book. Fatima and Anya will be signed to an agency in a matter of time. But seriously do they think Whitney will ever get another major campaign besides this cover girl contract she will be lucky if even gets book for a job from a serious fashion designer. The fashion industry won't change because Tyra now wants to make a statemnet that will be forgotten in the coming weeks.
Whitney will never make it.
Nope I don't think they got it right this time!! Anya was never in the bottom two, we lost count of the times Whitney ended there! To take that final walk as the test that sinched the win is ridiculous. How many challenges did Anya win & wasn't one of them a walk in a desighner dress that she got to keep. Way to go Anya!! You rock girl!!!
Keldie | May 14, 2008 11:27:51 PM | #Anya looks great- can't talk, 'nough said
Monica | May 15, 2008 12:12:59 AM | #First of all, Whitney's pink dress was AMAZING.
Second, it seems obvious that Tyra was trying to make a statement by letting the full figured model with merely mediocre pictures walk away with the title, but I'm okay with that. I just wish Tyra would actually look at all of the pictures from the season when she makes that final decision. Paulina is a voice of reason on the panel, but Tyra doesn't really care. That's a little depressing.
Both Anya and Whitney should be proud of themselves, though. I hope they both prove to be successful!
Cat | May 15, 2008 12:38:09 AM | #I actually gasped when they called Whitney! I am so excited! GO WHITNEY! She was real on this show. She rocked her pictures and took the judges advice on everything. She never cracked under the pressure either. She is awesome and will be a great covergirl! It is crazy to think she won't get booked either. Toccara (sp) is a very successful model after her stink on Top Model so there is no reason that Whitney can't be either.
YES! | May 15, 2008 4:39:55 AM | #Loved that Whitney won! That pink dress was gorgeous. Going down the runway in it made me think of the Victoria's Secret runway shows. And, yes, Jewel, skinny girls are real women too but Whitney's figure is the one people see walking down the streets everyday.
tupperkenn | May 15, 2008 5:46:03 AM | #I agree with YES! Whitney didn't crack under the pressure that ruined the other larger girls' chances. Going into it, she knew who she was and what she wanted, and kept her focus in the right place. Even when the other girls gave her sh*t about it, she kept her cool. (Remember when Stacy outright called her fat? Ummmm, where is Stacy now?)
BTW, for anyone to complain that skinny women are treated unfairly here - that's just ridiculous. "Being full figured doesn't mean you are a real woman in my book."??? There are so many different shapes and sizes of women in this world, and they can ALL be beautiful. This show has had some of the skinniest, least-curvy women I've ever seen, and they've done quite well. There's no reason why a woman with some shape to her figure can't reach those same levels of success in the industry.
Hooray for Whitney. I fully expected Anya to win and was okay with it, but this was an excellent surprise. I think the panel has wanted a full figured girl to win for quite a while, but could never find one that could hold it together until the end. Whitney never cracked under the pressure and that only makes her a role model!
Mandy | May 15, 2008 6:47:43 AM | #I think it's a crazy result, done more for political correctness than modeling. Anya is clearly the real up-and-coming high fashion model. Yeah, Whitney will get to model clothes that fit "real women", in other words, those who are overweight and don't care about their appearance.
Tony | May 15, 2008 7:19:04 AM | #Gus isn't the only guy on this blog. *cough*
"A box set of pocket gays"..."Whitney looked so good she reminded Tyra of Tyra"...I love your recaps.
Anya is officially the second coming of Joanie Dodds from cycle 6, except more absent-minded and enigmatically accented.
And the pattern from the opening credits still works! Anya comes in second, and she's featured first, just like Joanie-Melrose-Natasha-Chantal before her (and Shannon too). How about that?
Anya did look a wee bit brainless in her shot, but also very striking. That's why she's so sweet! I thought her runway walk was a lot better than Whitney's, but she did really forget about her face.
Fatima's CoverGirl shot reminded me a lot of Eugena's final three shot from cycle 7. The eyes are very similar. (And, OF COURSE, Tyra HAD to do the "smiling with your eyes" thing, which is really just squinting seductively. Duh.)
YAAAAAAAY WHITNEY! While Paulina is my new favorite judge (it was Ms. J before her, and Janice before him/her), I completely disagree with what she said about Whitney's commercial; I didn't see any pageant-ness (pageantry?) in it at all. I liked her walk, but it was very left-arm-swingy. And I noticed the strap falling too!
I agree with Paulina about the fact that people would buy dresses from Anya, but would want Whitney in the bedroom.
I think Anya deserved to win a bit more, but I'm not at all displeased that Whitney did. Whitney's...well, not as sweet as Anya, the blissful "blond," but still sweet. She's also more relatable. People can look at Whitney and think, "Wow. She's awesome!" That doesn't work quite so well with Anya. Mazel tov, sweet pea. *snicker* "Sweet pea."
All in all, I really liked this cycle; I can't understand how other people hated it. My favorite is still cycle 7, but this one was really good too.
In order of favorites: 7, 4, 8, 10, 5, 9, 6, 2, 3, 1.
I think I'm the only person who actually thought Saleisha had what it took to win cycle 9. Heather was cooler, and Lisa was nicer, and Jenah took better photos, but Saleisha had the complete package. I liked her. So shoot me.
Oh, Kelley, s, ShameAboutRaisins, Monica, Cat, YES!, MT, and Mandy - I agree with all of you.
I can't wait for the recaps for cycle 11!
Jhg812 | May 15, 2008 7:25:39 AM | #"I just wish Tyra would actually look at all of the pictures from the season when she makes that final decision."
I think it's just editing. I'm sure they atully do go over all of it but because the finale is oly an hour (didn't it used to be two??) they don't have time to show all the intricate discussion.
What ever happene to the panel challenges they used to do?
I am very happy with Whitney winning, honestly. I also think Anya was wonderful-the girls were my two favorites of this season. I agree that I think Anya was the obvious choice to win, but I think Tyra decded to give the bigger girl a shot. In the end, Anya will probably end up being signed to Elite or Ford anyway now that the show has aired.
Mal | May 15, 2008 8:01:07 AM | #I think Anya was robbed. I've wanted a plus size model to win for many cycles, but I'm sorry Whitney was not that great to win. They always went on and on about her taking great pictures, but she always looked the same- with her mouth open.
I think Anya's portfolio was much stronger than Whitney's. Using the runway walk to determine that Whitney was better, was a total excuse to have her win.
I think Whitney was bitchy and so full of herself. She was not very nice at all, and I am so tired of Tyra always picking out the bitchiest girls as winners.
Remember they were questioning whether Anya was really that nice- yes, she was....and what was wrong with that. Just like Tyra doesn't seem to like the girls who are intelligent- Kat.
I should have known after Saleisha won last cycle that this cycle would suck. I think Whitney now replaces Saleisha as the worst winner.
I just think Tyra had an agenda to have a plus size model win.
Anya- Here's hoping that you've already been signed by one of the top modeling agencies.
Raquel | May 15, 2008 8:22:20 AM | #I don't have a problem with Whitney winning the crown, but Anya, Fatima and Katarzyna will get much more modeling work than Whitney. Anya is an absolute doll, and she looked beautiful and ethereal in that brown Versace dress. She's still a winner.
Whitney's problem is STILL her fakeness. And we'll get heaping helpings of it next cycle. I hope at least that she gets better hair, like Saliesha did. They Wynonna Judd hair NEVER worked for me.
Siansonea | May 15, 2008 8:31:38 AM | #This was a very blah season. No one was specular. I said to a friend early on that this would probably be the season where the plus sized model would win because there wasn't anyone that really stood out. Whitney was a good (not great) model who I think won because Tyra realized that she's been talking about plus sized models since the beginning and they haven't had one win. I honestly didn't care if either Anya or Whitney won. Like I said, it was a pretty blah season as far as talent is concerned.
Elena | May 15, 2008 10:08:59 AM | #jordan, you rock! the recap had me in stitches. what we saw last nite was not a real fashion show staged for fashion week; hence no donatella. it looked more like a fashion show staged just for ANTM and donatella kindly lent her clothes.
i had a feeling last nite that whitney would be the annointed one but in the end, does it really matter who wins? they all seem to fade into obscurity. have you seen any of the prior winners (or even finalists) in major magazines, runway shows and commercials?
tc | May 15, 2008 10:19:06 AM | #Um, yeah, another guy here...
I was a teensy tiny bit suprised when Whitney won, because, I too, thought Anya would win it all. But as was mentioned earlier, Whitney did bring it for the finale and Anya faltered slightly. The judges even agreed, Whitney does take the more purely pretty pictures.
I think that off camera, they probably do go through all the pictures, but it'd be cool if the just flashed all of them side-by-side in a slide show fashion so the audience could see.
Personally, I really liked Whitney; after Claire and Lauren, she was next for me. And as they were eliminated, she definitely moved to my fave spot.
I think that "fakeness" the judges kept refering to was the fact that she really was somewhat "hiding" her true funny, flippant, saucy (and sometimes bitchy) personality - the one we saw in her confessionals.
But to me, that was the major reason she was so relatable. She seemed smart and aware of the "game" and her place in it... a deserving winner in my book.
That being said, I agree with ShameAboutRaisins - Tyra certainly had an agenda. But Whitney delivered as well. I think she'll get even better after having won this competition, she'll be free to show more of her real self. Maybe she'll learn how to take a nice picture with her mouth closed (someday...!)
Anya is a sweetheart and will get work - her book will have fabulous shots in it. I think Fatima will work too. At least initially, because of the whole looking-like-Iman thing.
Whitney will definitely work - she has a truly beautiful face and as Tyra said (I thought some really astute things kept coming out of all the judges mouths this show), she is "the hot chic on the street" and NORMAL sized. Sure, she was sort of given this platform, but I think she can run with it... can you think of any other "full-figured" model to make a name for herself beside Emme? And God, that was a million years ago (and I'm really dating myself, huh?).
I sorta miss the panel challenges, but when they were happening, I mostly thought they were time-wasters, because they either weren't very challenging, or the girls did so badly at them. But what they did do was allow a little more of the girls' real peronalities to show to the judges and allowed us to see how quickly they think on their feet.
I also miss Miss Tyra coming to counsel the girls occasionally. If there was extra tension, she might even come more than once... I feel Tyra probably gets enough of that on her daytime talk show, but I wish they'd bring that back to the show.
Sorry Jhg812, Saleisha is just lame... more lame than Jaslene (who took AMAZING pictures, but could do nothing else). Saleisha didn't even take awesome photos.
Varris | May 15, 2008 10:32:55 AM | #Hey Tony just because a woman is overweight it does not mean she doesn't care about her appearance! I've seen plenty of larger woman who look absolutely gorgeous, and Whitney is one of them and deserved the win!
Jo | May 15, 2008 10:55:32 AM | #i think they probably figured that anya would be successful regardless of the outcome (which i believe to be true), but whitney will have some barriers because she is full figured. at least with the ANTM title, she will have the resume to get taken seriously.
s | May 15, 2008 11:42:08 AM | #GO WHITNEY!!! I was thrilled she won. If ANTM was trying to make a "statement" (as some of Whitney's detractors here are trying to claim) then so be it.
In a country where women are bombarded with images of emaciated models, Whitney is indeed a role model. It's nice to see a woman with a brain, wit and real beauty walk away with the title. It's also important to show ALL viewers that you can eat a normal diet and be beautiful. Whitney is neither too fat nor too thin. As far as I am concerned, she is just right. Besides, did you see her rock the runway in that amazing pink Versace dress. WOW!
To those here who resort to cheap insults and rudeness (TONY for one) I'd like to see what you like...in the real world, outside of the safe anonymity of your computer screen. Your nasty comment is exactly why it is important for people to see someone like Whitney win this title.
JEWEL, you obviously have not been paying attention if you think Whitney will not work beyond the Cover Girl campaign. She will indeed be in demand. Heck, Dove has revamed their entire company to focus ALL marketing efforts on "real" women. Whitney can do more than just look amazing. She can also be a spokesperson. She has a long and lucrative career ahead of her.
I also loved Anya. It is equally gratifying that the runner up was a sweet, genuine girl who never once resorted to back stabbing or insults to advance through the ranks. With that said, every time she opened her mouth I would cringe. She takes a great picture but, as she proved in the finale, there is no way she is ready to hit the runway or shoot a television commercial. The winner of ANTM must be able to do print, video and runway work and Anya is not yet well-rounded enough to do all three. With a good speech coach and some runway work, Anya will have an amazing career ahead of her.
What Anya and Whitney did make glaringly obvious is how BORING Saleisha is. Those Cover Girl ads of hers are snoozers and she disappeared behind the amazing gown she wore in the Versace. I agree that we'll never see her or her multiple crappy hairstyles again.
Ron H. | May 15, 2008 12:08:46 PM | #My comment to TONY was supposed to say "I'd like to see what you LOOK like...in the real world, outside of the safe anonymity of your computer screen."
Ron H. | May 15, 2008 12:11:31 PM | #No problem with Whitney winning, she's a beautiful girl... but lets face it, once she made it to final three there was no way she was going to lose.
"Now let's see, who will be America's Next Top Model? The ultra-sweet girl who looks like a high-fashion model and will probably get signed anyway, or the first plus-sized model to make it this far?"
No way Tyra would go for a "normal" winner if she had the chance of going plus-sized, irrespective of real-world considerations.
Personally, I'm ok with it.
i personally didn't care for Whitney's personality but whatever.
This decision disappointed me. I really think Anya deserved to win.
Actually, I think Claire should have won....but maybe that's just me.....
courtknee | May 16, 2008 6:59:09 AM | #
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