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RSS'America's Next Top Model': Bird is the word
It's a house divided in Brazil on "America's Next Top Model." Four modeling moppets, two against two, and the only way to solve the problem is ... a dance off. Samba, everyone! The Bones
Teyona brags she is "no longer the silent threat," which would be sort of annoying ... if we didn't get to contrast that with Celia picking apart her winning photo one minute later.
(Celia, here's a hint: when someone out-models you, it's not because "her set up was easier." It's because she was better than you. Just saying.)
The girls have divided along skin color lines -- Aminat and Teyona vs Allison and Celia. Just for one cycle I would like them to divide up along other lines: straight hair vs curly, earth signs vs water signs, North vs South. Oh well. They at least seem to be tolerating each other fairly well in-person, though the knives come out in confessional; Allison is the only person not actively dissing someone else.
The models get a samba lesson with Paulina as well as some of her Jedi wisdom: like the samba, modeling is about looking good and faking it. Or something. Okay, Paulina, if you insist. Aminat dances very well, earning kudos, while Celia looks good but "desperate." Paulina confesses she was very scared for Allison, not for naught: Allison and Aminat share four left feet between them.
The challenge the next day is to samba at "photographer" Paulina, giving her fierceness and freshness. Here's the catch: there is no actual camera, except for the tiny, imaginary one in Paulina's mind. Clearly some of the girls were better at this challenge than others, but it seems only fair there be actual photos instead of "Paulina just knowing who would've had the best shot."
Our imaginary photographer picks the much-improved Celia, who twirled her way around the set like a pro. Runner up Aminat is a little pouty that she isn't chosen to join Celia in picking out some jewelry (that would be Allison), but in a refreshing show of constraint doesn't have a complete hissy fit.
Our next shoot is also for a model -- alas, this time it's for Tyra herself. Whatever Tyra wants, Tyra gets ... and Tyra wants the girls to be transformed into birds. Ten pounds of ratted hairpieces and feathers later, Tyra gets her wish. The girls take turn posing inside a nest; seriously: if you haven't seen it, I know this is hard to believe. But it all works beautifully, so props to The Almighty Ms. Banks for pulling off an ambitious shoot. She took some spectacular photos, and finally had a chance to interact on-set with her little proteges.
Plus, in what was probably my favorite moment this season, a very excited and geeked out Allison gives Tyra a hug after her shoot and sort of whispers/blurts out, "You're pretty." Wait, what? Allison is clearly sort of mortified with herself, and you can tell Tyra is amused. It's sweet.
Panel is subdued. The girls are good enough that no one stands out as especially bad, and their photos were all pretty fabulous. Allison's in particular looks like it was torn out of last month's Vogue. Aminat's and Teyona's photos, while nice, weren't inspirational ... yet they are enough to keep them in the contest.
Celia just ultimately looked "too old" according to the judges. I mean, if twenty-whatever is too old for modeling, why accept her at all? Silly question. Celia, you went far and your exit was a class act. Best of luck.
The Pretty
I may be alone in this, but I love the Tyra shoots. It's nice to finally have the head judge working with the girls on a shoot, and she almost always brings out the best in them; plus, she takes amazing pictures. Outside-of-panel Tyra is -- dare I say? -- even likable. That moth attacking her was must see TV ("It's a bat! It landed on my head!"); I rewound that, like, 3 times.
The Ugly
Every week I forget to mention the elephant in the living room: ALLISON'S WEAVE. Holy smokes, what does that girl have on her head, and what has she done to deserve it?
Poll Dancing
Wow -- 68% of you thought Allison killed it in the swimsuit shoot. She was followed by Teyona (18%), an Aminat/Celia tie (5% each, hey, something they agree on!) and Fo (4%).
It's the moment of truth ... who do you think is going to take the ANTM crown?
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Tyra always does black and white shoots because it makes her pictures "artsy".
Teyona had a bad shoot, and Tyra just made excuses for her. Did you see Tyras face when Teyona started welling up because she thought she would be in the bottom? Tyra was all, "Why are you crying? You know I've stacked the competition in your favor right? Helping out a sistah!"
And it's totally obvious, Tyra is trying to ensure that a black girl wins this cycle. Aminat was definitely the one who should have gone this time. Celia deserved to stay, she won the samba lesson and she definitely had a great shoot. Tyra was raving about how great the shoot went, but Tyra is still mad at her for the whole talking back at panel thing!
Teyona deserved to be in the bottom, but she deserved to stay over Aminat. Aminat was just horrible, her face is useless and she needs to get that gap closed and fix her *****y attitude.
Also, Tyra needs to get rid of the cheesy skits already, it needs to be flushed along with the "Rules for Owning you Inner Fierceness". Ms. Jay needs to go too, replace her with Mr. Jay who always has good insight.
Celia deserved the win but she got screwed.
I loved how Teyona said Final 3 should be her, Allison and someone else.
She is aware of her competition.
Celia, I will miss you. It should have been you...
I am bummed, as well, that Celia was eliminated. I wonder, if the magazine spread was in Elle, as it was several cycles ago, rather than Seventeen, would Celia's age and "mature" look have been such an issue?
Celia is the most top fashion contestant ever on ANTM. She would be one fierce editor/stylist. I believe she'll have a successful long-term career in the industry that all of the other ANTM contestants over the years can only dream about.
I have to say that I thought that calling Celia "desperate" was totally ridiculous. Aminat's was "determined" and that was cool, but Celia's determination was desperation? Unreal. She never looked too "mature" to me, to begin with - but, then, I have a son who is 25, so I guess it's all relative, but still...
Hey, Paulina, you really do know about faking it: it was obvious that the flashier parts of your samba were performed by a body double.
AminatSux & Bostonfan: put the crack pipes down! Celia never had a shot of winning because she has old eyes. And Allison becoming the next ANTM is bananas!!! She can't even walk and didn't book not a one go see last week!!!
So Aminatsux, Tyra wants a black girl to win?? You are stupid!!
I agree with Lisa that if a mature-looking (substitute too old) contestant is obviously not going to make it in the modeling world, why:
a) mention it in virtually every episode
b) bother to select when she won't go the distance by virtue of the industry.
It's a waste of time.
Allison is the nicest contestant but as noted above, no one will book her until she gains some maturity and "presence" in interviews.
I like Allison better but SHE CANNOT WALK..I cannot imagine her winning when the final challenge is always a runway shot..and then they go back over all the pics from the entire season and Teyona has the stronger portfolio...although in person she still looks like an alien!