(S09E12) Tonight's show was a little bit on the dull side if you ask me.
There weren't a lot of laughs, the challenge was completely forgettable, and the photo shoot didn't really do anything for me either, which is surprising considering Tyra was the photographer.
I just realized that a majority of the pleasure I derived from watching the show this cycle vanished the second dear old Heather was handed her walking papers. She was truly the driving force behind most of this cycle's success and I'm bummed that she didn't make it to the final four. It definitely would have made these last two episodes more interesting, don't you agree?
Even if you don't , I'm betting America agrees with me on this one. I mean, Heather has been America's CoverGirl of the week 12 consecutive weeks now. The girl isn't even on show and anymore and she won again last night! How is that even possible? She has to be the most popular girl to ever be on this show and for good reason.
It was really refreshing to have a model like her around. She had an exotic look, a humble attitude and she had this really attractive quirkiness about her that came off less annoying and more endearing. She was an outsider who infiltrated a glitzy modeling world she seemingly deserved no part of, but she ended up being better at some aspects of it than seasoned girls who have been at it for most of their lives.
She was the best example of an underdog I've seen on TV in a long time (unless you count anyone playing the NE Patriots this year) and it was hard not to root for her. Also, she was good for at least two or three solid laughs an episode and not always at her expense. I've always liked people that make me laugh.
Ultimately, she just brought a nice balance to the show, and now that she's gone there's a gaping hole where segments involving her used to reside. What else can I say? I'm having Heather withdrawals and it sucks.
It was really refreshing to have a model like her around. She had an exotic look, a humble attitude and she had this really attractive quirkiness about her that came off less annoying and more endearing. She was an outsider who infiltrated a glitzy modeling world she seemingly deserved no part of, but she ended up being better at some aspects of it than seasoned girls who have been at it for most of their lives.
She was the best example of an underdog I've seen on TV in a long time (unless you count anyone playing the NE Patriots this year) and it was hard not to root for her. Also, she was good for at least two or three solid laughs an episode and not always at her expense. I've always liked people that make me laugh.
Ultimately, she just brought a nice balance to the show, and now that she's gone there's a gaping hole where segments involving her used to reside. What else can I say? I'm having Heather withdrawals and it sucks.
The one satisfying thing to come out of this episode? Karma finally made a much needed appearance and got rid of Bitchy McBaldy. At the very least, watching Bianca get kicked off made this episode a little bit more watchable.
Saleisha Controversy
I guess we should address the Saleisha controversy that's beginning to brew online.
Take a look at this video.
I don't think this is as big of a deal as it may look. In fact, I probably wouldn't even be bringing this up if tonight's episode was better and I had a more things to write about.
Saleisha has known Tyra since T-zone. That was disclosed to us very early in the cycle. That video shows that Tyra has used utilized Saleisha's services as a model on two occasions prior to cycle 9. Once in an earlier cycle and once during an episode of The Tyra Banks show.
Why don't I think this is a big deal? Because Saleisha doesn't appear to have received any preferential treatment that has helped her advance from one week to the next in the competition. She's been in the bottom two several times and she's been at the top of the pack several times. Basically, she's been evaluated on the merits of her work on a weekly basis just like the rest of the girls.
Am I saying this prior relationship between Saleisha and Tyra didn't help Saleisha get on the show? Not at all, but every job I've ever held in my life is the direct result of me knowing somebody at a company and getting my foot in the door. I still had to nail multiple interviews and I still had to perform on a daily basis to show the people who hired me that they made the right decision.
I see this situation as very similar. In life, it's more about who you know then what you know. That said, you generally have to work twice as hard to prove you belong in whatever position you get knowing someone helped you land it. Saleisha has worked twice as hard this season. Long story short, I think this controversy is overblown.
The Challenge
Tonight, the girls were given roughly $200 American dollars to add accessories to an outfit that was similar to one worn by an ancient Chinese figure.
The girls scrambled around a shopping center in Beijing and bought purses and jewelry in the hopes that they could modernize the outfits.
During this sequence Bianca pulled a sneak move on Jenah and told her to go across the street because their were a ton of stores in that direction, only there really weren't.
Jenah had the last laugh because she won the challenge and selected Chantal to accompany on her reward instead of Bianca. This was Karma's first appearance in the show. And that's seriously the only thing interesting that came out of that.
The Photo Shoot
As mentioned, Tyra shot the photos this week. The girls had to pretend like they were on the verge of scaling The Great Wall to invade China.
Chantal looked like a blonde oxen but ultimately took the best photo of the girls.
Jenah looked like a slightly more attractive blonde oxen with less pronounced horns and also took great pictures.
Bianca looked like she was taking a #2 during most of the shoot. She was stiff and uncomfortable looking, and needed constant guidance. Karma, is that you again?
Saleisha pretty much killed the shoot with confident poses similar to the one seen above.
The girls also ended up taking a group photo, but it didn't really prove much because everyone on the panel picked a different girl as looking the best in the shot.
The order of the photos:
Chantal
Saleisha
Jenah
And Karma appeared one last time. The hood rat is gone! Good riddance. She never should have lasted this long in the first place.
Update: Gallery updated.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-06-2007 @ 9:59AM
Jessie said...
Ding Dong, the witch is dead, the wicked witch. the wicked witch. Ding dong, the wicked witch is dead!!!!
I am so glad Bianca is gone. She is so negative on everyone. I would have been completely shocked had they kept her around. Cover Girl and mean just don't jive to me. Imagine if you will Bianca won and was a Cover Girl spokesperson. She arrives at a mall for a meet and greet. I could see her telling the not so pretty girls they aren't so pretty and to give it up and then kicking puppies for good measure. Yikes! Karma is a bitch and she was handed a big ol' plate of it.
I am rooting for Jenah. Even though she has crooked teeth. She does take great shots. She is like Julia Roberts. In person she looks OK, but on film, she is beautiful. Just like Jenah. Jenah has gorgeous blue eyes. Didn't realize that until this episode. She rocked out the challenge. I hope she can turn her home sickness around and stick it out to the end.
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12-06-2007 @ 10:20AM
Dara said...
Rami!!! Yeah! He's my pick to win PR4.
I miss Heather. I hope she continues to win CG of the week. Kinda rubs it in Ty-rants face.
I still say Saleshia-Tootie will win, only to confirm Ty-Ty's T-Zone and her quest to be the next Oprah-Jesus.
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12-06-2007 @ 10:21AM
Dani said...
Well since Heather is gone I am torn between Chantel and Salisha.....I like them both, and they both have the personalites that the Cover girls need to have. You know it all comes down to who would be the best Cover Girl that they can market.....Oh and the previews for the new show after ANTM next week looks good.
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12-06-2007 @ 11:01AM
I miss my stars! said...
When I saw Chantal, my first thought was: why on earth did they make her into an ox? Hell, she could have used that 'do' as a battering ram.
Bianca leaving this week was anti-climatic. I was so hoping she would go before Heather. It is so much more satisfying when the underdog gets to see the bitch go down in flames. Bianca's smile was her best feature, but she always came off looking mean and sometimes manly.
I love Heather's looks, but if I had to listen to a season of Cover Girl ads read by her, I would probably gouge my eardrums out with a chopstick. I can't click the mute button quick enough when sock-in-the-throat Jaslene pops up.
I am torn between Saleisha and Chantal. I didn't like seeing the two-face crap she was pulling earlier in the season, but I don't know if I can support Chantal since she seems so shallow. I'm reminded of a golden retriever every time they show her.
I have really enjoyed your reviews, JJ.
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12-06-2007 @ 12:13PM
dana said...
I started my own "official" finale prediction poll, take a look:
http://www.pollsb.com/polls/poll/4370/america-s-next-top-model-your-finale-prediction
Reply
12-06-2007 @ 12:33PM
JJ said...
Thanks stars. I've enjoyed your comments the last 2 cycles. Hope you're around for the next one.
Also, I kind of forgot to include a "who is going to win poll".
Since she went through the trouble, let's go use Dana's:
http://www.pollsb.com/polls/poll/4370/america-s-next-top-model-your-finale-prediction
Chantal - 19%
Saleisha - 50%
Jenah - 31%
I voted for Jenah.
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12-06-2007 @ 3:30PM
Dara said...
Jenah could be the best top model for all the seasons. She could be the one to become possibly a high paying super-model over time. They have all been great--especially my favorite Danielle--but Jenah has the look to make it to the top. I do miss Heather as she was quite exotic and strange in such an interesting way. Big mistake Tyra.
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12-06-2007 @ 2:45PM
tikirob said...
Bianca needed to go awhile ago and her little trick did nothing to help her...I don't think Heather would have won this thing but she should have lasted longer than Bianca
Rob
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12-06-2007 @ 1:37PM
Bach said...
HALLELUJAH!
I liked how all the judges chose a different girl for the group photo but Tyra choose Bianca because she was "manly."
Also, I've sort of come to terms with the Jaslene CoverGirl commercials.....next to the ASSAULT that is the Crowned commercials. Thank you CW for the "special exclusive in-depth preview" yesterday!
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12-06-2007 @ 2:13PM
horsenbuggy said...
It still cracks me up that CoverGirl immediately follows a hideous Jaslene commercial with a Drew Barrymore commercial. It just really shows the difference between someone who can speak naturally and someone who can't.
I haven't watched the whole season, oops, I mean cycle. Not long after I tuned in, Saleisha and Bianca were hideously ugly to Heather over the bed situation in Shanghai. In that case, Saleisha was the ring-leader and just unaccountably rude. I was really glad to see Bianca go last night. But ever since that bed incident, I've been hoping that Saleisha will go, too. Saleisha is almost worse to me than Bianca because she tries to make people think that she's nice. I'm sorry, nice people don't do what she did.
Chantal *is* like a golden retriever, but I don't dislike her for it. I think she's just a) really simple-minded and b) never had to overcome any kind of adversity in life. I can't fault her for that. I don't wish bad circumstances on people, even though I may question how different they would be if they'd experienced them. She's a pretty girl whose personality is just "meh."
In a perfect cycle, the final two would be Heather and Jenah (jacked up teeth and all). By the way, has anyone recommended that she get her teeth fixed? It seems pretty obvious that she should be saving up for that. I'm not sure how she can smile in a CG ad with those teeth. But if Heather and Jenah were in the final two, I would feel good about either winning.
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12-06-2007 @ 3:12PM
MarcDom7 said...
Heather was voted "Cover Girl of the Week" again, dear writer, because the votes are made after watching the previous episode, in which Heather, while ultimately sent off, was in.
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12-06-2007 @ 4:45PM
fireyelectra said...
The only other person to ever win Cover Girl of the Week for the entirety of a season was Cycle 4 winner Naima. Unlike Heather, though, Naima was never ever picked first and still ended up winning the competition. I just wish Heather could have done better on the go-sees to propel her through the remainder of the competition. It would have been great to see another Ultimate Cover Girl claim the prize.
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