(S01E03) I'm really kind of freaked out by the contestants that we've seen so far this season. No, not because there's a transgendered person in the house; the reason I'm so confused is that there seem to be several girls who are kind of awesome.Of course Hannah is an idiot; she's the small town girl that ends up on the show every season and goes through the competition completely unrepentant in her ignorance. While the other girls in the house usually just go with this, this season they're actually confronting her about her stank behavior, which includes pushing Isis and saying that since she's the "stereotypical white girl," she doesn't come into rooms screaming, (like black people do).
When they have the confrontation, which to me, seems very calm and respectful, Hannah actually likens it to "gang rape," and says it's "like gang violence." She is a ridiculous individual. A ridiculous, horrifying, ugly individual.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Sheena, who has quickly become my surprise favorite. Besides being called "hoochie" by Jay and all of the judges every three freakin' seconds, she is thoughtful and reasonable. Not only has she been an advocate for Isis since the beginning, but she showed some real character at panel. She was completely caught off guard when Paulina asked her if her breasts were real, so she said they were, even though they aren't. What's great though, is that she did something very few other girls would do; instead of just letting the moment go, she stepped up and told the truth. The judges respected her for it and it probably let to her receiving her picture sooner than she would have otherwise.
Analeigh also proved to be pretty cool, as she helped Isis out when she needed to give herself a hormone shot. I also enjoyed Britney's WTF attitude toward the inane things that kept constantly coming out of her mouth.
The first photoshoot this crop of of contestants had was kind of a mess, so I really wasn't expecting very much from this week's. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The majority of the pictures were really good. Usually when you have a photo shoot that involves heights and/or athleticism, you get a lot of crying and flopping around like a dead fish. This one, however, had none of the former and very little of the ladder. Lauren Brie especially, toward whom I've been pretty ambivalent, really made her body do some pretty amazing things, which is why the judges gave her her picture first.
Here is the order in which the models received their pictures.
Lauren Brie
Elina (challenge winner)
Jocelyn
Marjorie
McKey
Samantha
Sheena
Hannah
Clark
Brittney
Analeigh
Isis
Nikeysha, who was the last model given a photo last week, couldn't hang on for another week. She said she learned her lesson about talking too much, but clearly she didn't, because she would not shut up. I did, however, feel badly for her when Tyra asked her about her eating habits. I agree that she looks too skinny, but Tyra should know that Panel isn't exactly the best place to bring up a potential eating disorder. What is she supposed to say? " Yes, Tyra. I live on 500 calories a day; thanks for asking."? Come on. All that question did was pay lip service to the issue and it was annoying.
I agree with Nikeysha's dismissal; she really didn't have the potential that a lot of the other girls have. I am, however, surprised that it came down to her and Isis. Isis definitely didn't have one of the strongest pictures this week, but I didn't think it was bad at all. Both her body and face were okay. Hannah, on the other hand, had a pretty good pose, but her face just made her look like she climbed up onto a hot air balloon because she was stoned.
Again, it was a pretty impressive week, but I'm just looking forward to the makeovers.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
9-10-2008 @ 11:36PM
deebopalula said...
Kona - Give Hannah a break. Remember - She is more accustomed to dealing with moose than with people. Maybe she has been a victim of Moose vs. Stereotypical Alaskan Girl violence. Or perhaps she has been gang raped by a bunch of screaming moose....
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9-10-2008 @ 11:46PM
Disgusted said...
Just because Hannah isn't 'comfortable' being around Isis does that mean she can't express her opinion?
Isis should not be in this competition as long as she's got that "thing" hanging between HIS legs. Isis is still a MAN no matter what anyone says. Get HIM off the show.
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9-10-2008 @ 11:59PM
deebopalula said...
Well technically, it's titled "America's Next Top Model", not "America's Next Top Female Model". I'm just sayin'....
9-11-2008 @ 12:10AM
Disgusted said...
Well, technically, it's called "CoverGIRL," not "Cover-Whatever-Gender-You-Pretend-To-Be." I'm just sayin'...
9-11-2008 @ 1:59AM
marali said...
How hideous are all of you? Grow up and get over yourselves.
Isis rocks and should be given every chance in this competition.
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9-11-2008 @ 7:38AM
Thom said...
"Disgusted said...
Well, technically, it's called "CoverGIRL," not "Cover-Whatever-Gender-You-Pretend-To-Be." I'm just sayin'..."
Yes, and what you are "just sayin'" is absolute crap. People like Isis don't "pretend" to a gender. It is their identity. It is not a character. It is who they are - so yes, people like you and Hannah are bigoted, narrow-minded individuals for saying such idiotic drivel.
By the way, you are also ineptly confusing sex and gender. Sex is determined by biology, while gender isn't. Perhaps you should read a simple, introductory psychology or human anatomy text before making yourself look like a complete and utter fool.
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9-11-2008 @ 11:27AM
amanda said...
I thought the group of girls that banded together was the stupidest thing I have ever seen. It may have been a disagreement between hannah and the other girls, but the way they went about it was childish and immature. Hannah had the conversation with the two girls (that I saw) not all of them, so the other girls had no buisness in the conversation, they were just there to add fuel to the fire.They only wanted something to create drama over and in my case they made a bigger stink out of it than it should have been. And if Hannah is uncomfortable with Isis, then she has a right to be, how can you become INSTANTLY comfortable with someone who has a situation like isis does if you have never met someone like that? And sheena dosnt have my respect at all, she is trampy and childish (I like how she was all upset over the hannah thing and then when they confronted her she put her head down). Also... if sheena had been honest about her implants to begin with, I might would have had a different opinion of her, I could care less if she thought about it and decided well..... maybe I will tell the truth after all since tyra banks knows im lieing. She didnt tell the truth to make herself look like a better person, she knew tyra banks knew different. I wish they would stop making the racial issue a one sided issue
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9-11-2008 @ 8:06AM
slutty_whore said...
Thom- while I tend to agree with you on your points, there are plenty of people like Disgusted or Hannah in the world who feel that Isis should not participate because she was born biologically male. And, if she were not a transgendered person, she would not be on the show due to typical stunt casting. But Disgusted's points are as valid as yours. If you were one of the thirteen girls who were ambushed by the stunt casting of the season and caught off guard, you should be allowed to react, without being called a bigot or homophobic or gender-phobic or whatever. Also, I can understand Hannah not wanting people in her personal space, but a huger deal was made because she pushed the "stunt cast." Hannah may be a bigot, however, she is 18 years old and this is her first time outside of her small community. Be realistic. How open-minded were we at that age?
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9-11-2008 @ 8:18AM
Thom said...
Excuses, excuses...
9-11-2008 @ 5:07PM
Carissa said...
I have to agree with the stunt casting. Not because a tranny is in the competition, but because of this particular one. Isis is not model material. She has two of the most awkward legs I have ever seen. On the premiere episode, they actually highlighted her walk on the model computer thingy, and it looked like a neanderthal was walking. I watched it several times to see if I was missing something.
That said, there are so many very gorgeous transgendered young women (or men) who would easily fit this role. There is a lot more to this particular casting session, and it's obviously it's only an agenda, rather than truly believing this person has the potential to be the next supermodel. THAT'S what pisses me off about her inclusion. If you want to include someone like that, then do it without making it the main point of their existence on the show. Skip the reveal. It would be far more interesting, and more true to the idea of the being a top model.
Just sayin'.
9-11-2008 @ 5:27PM
deebopalula said...
Carissa - I acknowledge your point, but I also remember the shoot last season where the judges noticed this one particular background model in the homeless shoot who was so intriguing that she outshone most of the ANTModels who were supposed to be the primary focus of the shoot. That background model was Isis and that's probably where the seeds of including her in a future season formulated.
9-11-2008 @ 8:30AM
fowak said...
I think Hannah is just completely out of her comfort zone. I'm not sure she's handling it all that well, but I understand where she's coming from. I'd be a little freaked out by girls kissing and hanging all over each other and sharing a hot tub with a transgender also.
I think the reason Isis was in the bottom was mostly so that maybe it would cause her to try a little harder next week. More that than because her picture wasn't the best.
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9-11-2008 @ 8:50AM
Thom said...
I am sick and tired of hearing that someone growing up in a small town in this day and age would be completely out of their comfort zone or are justified in acting in a blatantly discriminatory manner. Not only is it insulting to people who came from small towns (like me), it's insulting to the targets of prejudice as it's an empty excuse with very little actual substance. An excuse like that actually has the potential to demean everyone involved.
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9-11-2008 @ 9:30AM
Disgusted said...
Oh, I get it now. We're all supposed to be so "open-minded" that no one can have their own opinions of right and wrong and have their own standards! Jeez, that's BRILLIANT. *rolls eyes*
Let's go out and hang everyone that wants to have morals that are opposite of our own, and let's label them as bigots and narrow-minded while we're at it! That's a great way to run society.
I still don't think someone "born male" should be a CoverGIRL. I'm tired of Tyra playing the sympathy card and "Look how open minded and free spirited I am!" BS. That's all it is. BS.
9-11-2008 @ 10:01AM
Erin said...
Thom: Regardless of whether you are from a small town or not, I think most people agree that stereotypes of small towns are usually pretty spot on. I don't think there is anything "narrow-minded" about it at all. I don't know what type of small town you come from, but mine (population 1,000) does not have transgenders walking around town in a bathing suit. If I were in her situation, I probably would have done the same thing. And she didn't "push" anyone. She held her hands out so she didn't back into her. She could have handled it a little better by saying something other than "I'm a stereotypical white girl" but she's 18. Give her a break. I understand where she's coming from.
Disgusted: I'm with you all the way. I don't even want to elaborate on anything else you said.
This is going to ruffle a lot of feathers, but I'm tired of minorities taking the "holier-than' thou" attitude because of their race. Get over it. We're probably going to have a black president. I think it's time to move on from the "You better watch yourself" talk. America has obviously gotten over the minority BS by nominating and African American with a Muslim name. No one cares any more.
If Hannah wants to say that then let her. They completely ganged up on her for no reason. And I don't even like Hannah that much. This episode pissed me off more than anything. And Sheena is actually still my favorite. I just thought it was really unfair.
Also, l don't really have an issue with Isis. But I just don't see her making it far. Her body is "male awkward" when she's posing. She definitely looked transgender hanging on that ladder.
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9-11-2008 @ 12:21PM
Netra said...
Girls like her always get a break. Their prejudice is excused daily while they speak badly about other people and cultures which they know nothing of other than what they see on TV or have heard their relatives speak. And the "Holier than thou" You obviously have never experienced racism. I love how individuals try and speak on someones life experience. If you havent walked a mile in my shoes dont go generalizing the entire race.
9-11-2008 @ 10:09AM
khia213 said...
So let me get this straight? Hannah can let whatever nonsense she wants fall out her mouth and no one can call her on it? Isn't that denying other people the right to their opinion? If there's freedom to an opinion for her, shouldn't be true for everyone else? Or is what's being advocated here is the right to have a bigoted opinion without the corresponding right to call BS on someone?
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9-11-2008 @ 10:31AM
Erin said...
Of course everyone has a right to his or her opinion. I'm am trying my best not to make excuses for her, but really. The girl is 18. How is anyone supposed to react when thrown into a mix with a transgender? She probably has no idea how to react other than to act uncomfortable which is NOT rude! And by her being uncomfortable, Britney and Sheena put words in her mouth and called her a racist. Now come on. That's a little extreme. I don't know how anyone can argue against that.
Also, Britney is from VEGAS! And Sheena has some kind of Bronx/New York accent. Of course they're going to be more accepting transgenders, homosexuals, etc.
I just can't wrap my head around what Thom said about small towns. I live in a major city now and have a few lesbian friends. I have been with my hair guy for 5 years now and he's gay. I love his all the stories he has every time I get my hair done. But I do remember moving away from home and being around all these new things. It was so foreign to me. There is definitely a culture shock involved and a transition period of getting used to it. Just like Isis and her transition. It's takes getting used to. In Hannah's defense, probably more than a day or week or whatever.
9-11-2008 @ 10:08AM
Thom said...
I am still waiting to see the morality rule or clause which has stated that only biological females are eligible contestant on ANTM.
Considering the 1.1 million transgendered individuals in the US, I think it would be fitting to show 1 such individual in the thousands of of shows that grace our TV screens.
In short: You can have whatever universe of morality you want - and talk about it. I can do the same. That's the beauty of the idea behind the First Amendment. Deal with it.
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9-11-2008 @ 12:46PM
Kona Gallagher said...
Unless I'm mistaken, there was actually a rule that contestants had to be "born female." However, it's Tyra's show and she obviously decided to change that rule, so here we are.