'America's Next Top Model': Dive deeper, aim higher

When I think of the word "model" I don't think of a girl jumping to her potential death. Yet that was part of a challenge on this week's "America's Next Top Model."

I mean, it's television, so of course no one would really drown. I'm still pondering what jumping off a cliff into the ocean has to do with being a model, but it does seem that Tyra often puts these girls into the most terrifying situations.

I wonder if while casting the girls, they were asked, "What scares the crap out of you?" And then the team created the photo-challenges based on these things.

During this Dive Deeper Episode, the final five are Jennifer, Laura, Erin, Nicole and Sundai, and all seemed rightfully there but one. Erin. Despite her believing she is the judges' "golden child," she is more uninspiring to watch than ever. The moment I see her cabbage patch pout I'm like "get off this show, please."

Tyra Mail! "You never know what can come ashore, I hope you look appropriate."

The girls ponder the deeper meaning and portraying dead savages with seaweed, mermaids and going fishing come up. Before the girls leave for the challenge, Sundai tells camera that there is nothing else for her out there, and modeling is all she has.

I need to share a side note about why it is important to have more than one interest in life. Modeling is not a stable life. It's a challenging pursuit and it takes a very ambitious and upbeat, positive, determined person to get ahead. Especially for a shorter girl, it is not just about being pretty or a certain height most of the time; it is about your will to market what you do have. When Sundai mentioned nothing more was out there for her, I felt sad.  Again, the show has not been sharing enough of the real skills a shorter girl needs to have to excel at any level.

Thankfully it was Laura's birthday to uplift the mood but there is not much time to party plan, the girls are now headed to a deserted beach in Hawaii for the next challenge.

The girls are in bikinis and look disheveled, and even a bit awkward in their bathing suits as they casually walking on the sand. I think a bikini label should have donated the suits they wore and had the girls shoot for their campaign or the winner of the challenge would have gotten that prize. Anyone with me?

In the distance they see something: a canoe with bunch of buff men rowing a princess to shore. Except it isn't a princess, it is something better: supermodel and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Marisa Miller.

Marisa is there to teach. At last a guest judge will be teaching the girls something potentially important. She is hot in her bikini and at thirty-one looks better than any of the pint-size youthful model hopefuls.
 
She tries to impress the girls by saying her is a Supermodel and that she is "only 5'8"!"

I don't feel the exclamation point however because to me, 5'8" is really tall. I am not even 5'8" in high heels. 5'8" is not petite in my eyes.

Well, anyways, she tells the girls to get all wet in the water, and when Sundai doesn't want to get her hair wet I worry for her; in modeling you have to put all that sensitivity aside and sometimes just cannon ball into the experience. With the girls soaked wet, they are asked to roll in the sand like seals. Laura shares how much her burnt raw skin hates this.

Now the girls are learning about posture and pointing their Barbie toe and how to lengthen their bodies and work what they've got to create a sensual swimwear photo.

The girls are obviously glad someone is walking them through a lesson on posing.

Under a man-made plastic pipe waterfall stand, Laura is the first to go. With Marisa guiding her, she does pull off flaunting her nice curves in a Sports Illustrated style, however Marisa tells her not to grab her boobs. I agree touching yourself too much during a swimwear shoot under a waterfall can begin to look porn-ish quickly.

The water flows out harder for some reason when it is Jennifer's turn. Jennifer sticks out her bottom and gives herself more curve, but the water is pounding so hard on her she doesn't look very sensual. The water also pounds on Sundai and she looks like she is drowning under it, and laughs too much to really get the job done successfully. Each girl gets her chance under the water but this is just the warm up.

In sneakers and bikinis the girls hike up an ocean cliffside. At the top they find Nigel and the gorgeous ocean view and see the rocks below.

Walk the Plank Half Pint

The task is jumping into the water in a graceful and sexy way. The catch is that they girls get only one shot to accomplish this.

Marisa Miller announces the winner will get a chocolate pearl necklace. I am puzzled to if it is edible. Again I think an opportunity to pose for a swimwear brand would have been a better prize.

Nigel chimes in saying the girl who had the best cliff jumping photos gets more frames -- extra film shots-- during the forthcoming photo shoot. This would mean more opportunity to get a better shot when the time comes. Then the winner also gets to pick a friend who gets a little less extra shots and then that girl got to pick a friend who gets a few less shots, then that friend until one girl was left, with a lot less film than the others.

One by one they all take their jump off the cliff and fly in the air. Laura offers to go first again and survives the fall into the rocky waters below. It isn't a pretty jump but she at least makes it. Jennifer has her arm up and hand in her hair while she jumps, Nicole jumps with a side profile commenting on how she remembered what Marisa had said about the side profile shows curves. Sundai falls straight down off the plank but it ends up looking kind of pretty. Erin tells us she loves jumping and that she will jump off of anything.

Knowing Who Your Friends Are

With her side profile angelic jump, Nicole wins the challenge. She picks Sundai first. Sundai picks Laura, and Laura picks Jennifer and Erin is at a disadvantage. She obviously doesn't have any friends here.

Erin blows this off and acts like it is no big deal expressing that if her photos are amazing it will make her stand out that she accomplished that with less shots  that the other girls.

A few seconds later however, at Laura's birthday, Erin is frustrated over putting frosting on the cupcakes and even hisses at the birthday girl. In the diary room, she admits to being upset about having not as many frames for the photo shoot and is worried it will get the best of her.

Tyra Mail! "Tomorrow you'll be getting friendly with the local Natives."

They all think they will be posing with an animal. I'm guessing a dolphin.

A Whole New World

Feeling like Ariel from the "Little Mermaid," the girls are about to experience an underwater photo-shoot experience. Sundai is nauseous on the boat and worries about her asthma. Laura is scared because she can't swim but offers to go first, again.

The scarves are back and this time they are a prop for shooting this underwater fashion ballerina shoot. Jay is there to calm and help the girls while they are in the water, but really he just looks at the computer screen and watches from the dock.

Laura gets nervous about the underwater breathing device. For a moment I think she is going to have to come up for air in a panic. But she hangs in there and inhales deeper and holds her oxygen to get a fabulous shot with her yellow scarf and legs bent to give her more length.

Nicole has a blue scarf and is the most natural of the group underwater, a born mermaid. She hopes Erin will freak out when it is her turn.
 
Jennifer is in a very cute white one-piece bathing suit and has a red scarf. She struggles to get in the groove underwater and comes up to talk to Jay and then goes back under to try again. With straight legs and pointed toes give a simple but beautiful shot.

Sundai is worried about the water and her asthma, Jay tells her that divers have asthma but it is less inspiring and more like being yelled at. Poor Sundai. No sympathy is coming her way.

Erin, self-appointed "Top Model" golden child, wants to do well because she believes the judges are rooting for her. In the end however she blows her opportunity and her shot ends up closer to the surface than underwater.

Little Girl Gone

Tyra is a rude snot and makes Laura take off her sweater that her grandmother gave her for her birthday and right then and there I want to smack Tyra. How dare she take away Laura's sweet birthday present just because it isn't as stylish as Tyra would want at panel? Laura's photo is beautiful though and there isn't much to complain about.

The judges like Sundai's long legs and say she looks like an underwater fairy, but her face got lost. Since she was too nervous to go deeper in the water and with the hair extensions in, her hair is in her face. Tyra makes fun of Sundai's voice as well and then scorns her for being scared and her asthma excuses. I want to smack Tyra again for the teases.

At least she  admits to having flat feet and I think it is good that she, for once, admits Tyra isn't perfect.

Nigel likes Jennifer's shot but Marisa thinks her legs are too straight and she should have bent a knee a little to create not such an obvious shot.

Marisa says Nicole looks like a dancer and that the pose is an unexpected position and compliments her for it.

Erin's shot leaves her un-recognizable and blurred since she is so close to the surface there is not enough light to capture her face. Tyra makes a point of saying how when a model is hired and gets paid a lot of money for the job if you can't she the model's face in the shot then they could have gotten someone else to do the job for cheaper.

The best picture is Jennifer and I do think she will win this cycle.

Sundai and Erin are the last at panel and Erin grabs Sundai's arm for comfort, showing her insecurity. You can tell Sundai doesn't like the arm link and she twiddles her fingers against her thigh waiting to hear who's going home.

I am sad to share that it's our little Sundai. It actually makes me very mad. Especially since she was against Erin, who if she is crowned "America's Next Top Model" will prove this show is crazy.

If you review Sundai's photos she did improve. Although the show didn't focus on her assets enough or allow her to really show how the shortest one of the group can model well, I am glad Tyra let Sundai stay on until the last five.

Please tell my why Erin should win this cycle? Thanks. Rooting for Jennifer, at 5'5", she is the shortest one left now.

Isobella Jade is known as one of the tiniest working models out there. She is also the author of "Almost 5'4"," her modeling memoir. This fall her graphic novel "Model Life: The Journey of a Pint Size Fashion Warrior" will be released. Daily, Isobella gives modeling insight and advice on being a shorter-than-average model on her blog, Petite Modeling Tips. Despite her height she has modeled for Marshalls, Victoria's Secret, Easy Spirit, Macy's, Bon Appetit, Time Magazine, TLC, Women's World, and many others. You can find her at www.isobelladreams.com and follow her on Twitter.


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