Friday, May 19, 2006

Top Model

My how a week flies? Seems like I just posted two days ago.

Its season finale time in tv land these days which makes for quite the interesting watching. Cliffhangers and edge of your seat excitement abounds as shows attempt to pull in those ratings and maintain those fans for next season. Add to that the NBA playoffs where my Pistons and Spurs both sit on the precipice of total defeat and there is a lot of must see TV for me these days.

Well Wednesday was the finale for Tyra Bank's America's Top model. Yea what can I say a brother still watches that show although I'm not blogging on it like I did a couple of seasons ago. Why not watch it though? Its all good clean fun and by fun I mean hot model type women on the tele every week competing and taking themselves with the most seriousness as they compete for a modeling contract while being nice on the eyes and providing hilarity with their antics. What's not to like? Wunnah expect me to watch a bunch a serious ugly people all the time? No star it nuh go so.

Anyway in the finale on Wednesday to my utter surprise homegirl Danielle from Little Rock Arkansas won. The final three were Danielle, Jade and Joanie and after Jade, the self-proclaimed "undiscovered supermodel" a girl who complained everyone mistook her confidence for arrogance (maybe because it was) was knocked off to leave the final two I was sure that Joanie was going to walk away with it.

Why? Well before I get to that let me say that this season's ANTM was actually pretty fun watching. From watching Nnenna struggle with her clingy boyfriend to the clueless Gina and the Fabulous Furonda it was quite the cast of characters. Add Tyra who justified choosing a few girls who definitely weren't the best looking by proclaiming them "unique beauties" to the mix and while not must see TV ANTM sure was interesting. Unique beauty hmmm I'll have to add that to my vocabulary as a synonym for ugly or not quite good looking in future. See what can I say the show was educational.

So back to the results. Well yea I was backing Danielle and the fabulous Furonda from day one but there was no way I thought Danielle was going to win it all. Just absolutely no way!

don't get me wrong. Yes she deserved to win because we watched her improve from week to week, yes she took excellent photos, yes she had presence, yes she was fine on the eyes, yes she let them fix her one big flaw in terms of looks in the modeling world that being the gap in her front teeth, yes she fought through illness, falls and other adversity to compete week after week, yes she was nice on the catwalk BUT week after week the judges in particular Tyra kept harping on her southern accent.

What's a lil southern drawl got to do with this show? Well according to the judges from what I can gather of their deliberations every week this drawl was a Grand Canyon sized flaw which negated every positive about Danielle. No way could she be a top model sounding like Forrest Gump, how was she going to sell Cover girl and a range of other products with that accent?

To be honest it got a bit annoying to me to hear the judges especially Tyra go on about the southern accent. It almost felt like they were pulling down homegirl unnecessarily. I mean its actually a bit classist in my opinion because why can thick European accents be used to sell all sorts of products but a southern drawl couldn't? Its not like Twiggy with her working class British accent was that much more decipherable than Danielle at times so why constantly pick on a sister week after week. Ok we get it she sounds like she's from the south which she is. Its not going to change overnight so accept it and move on.

It came off almost like bullying in a sense. Top Model as a case study for classism in the US. You may be as good looking, as smart as hard working as the others but sorry you're from south of the Mason-Dixon line and don't sound like some of the others so lets pick on you. (Cant wait for Canadian's version of Top model to see if anyone with a Newfie accent gets picked on. p.s I probably wont watch that show and damn sure wont be blogging on it even if I do.)

The accent argument while probably a bit valid was harped on way too much because how silly was it all as when you think of it can you actually remember what most models sound like? Nope its basically all about the looks and presence and in those departments Danielle more than held her own.

Luckily in the end it seems like the judges realized that. Congrats Danielle.

12 comments:

Mad Bull said...

Congratz Danielle. Never watched ANTM. Seen bits and pieces. Tyra comes off like a spoilt kid who must have her way. Turned me off. Plenty of other shows around with good looking women...

Scratchie said...

I never watch that but let me at least add my congrats to Danielle.

Miz JJ said...

I love Danielle. She is the most beautiful woman they've ever picked to be America's Next Top Model. Tyra's an idiot. I had a feeling Danielle would win because of Joanie's stripper past. I didn't think that screamed Cover Girl. Heh.

inciquay said...

Tyra pissed me off to my highest level of pissivity regarding Danielle. She practically forced home girl to close her gap and then kept harpin gon her accent as if anyone knew Tyra wasn't a mute for the first 5 years of her career. Tyra has it twisted, being a top model in the rest of the world's eyes doesn't mean speaking. Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista barely spoke in ads for years and they are part of the few true "supermodels".

I found it interesting on Entertainment Tonight, last night, that Danielle sounded like Eliza Doolittle since Tyra's taken her under her wing. So much for maintaining at least a little bit of Danielle's original essence.

SP said...

I am with you. I was hoping Danielle would win, but I didn't think she would. This morning Joanie and Jade were on the radio. It was amazing how Jade was still Cockey and making up words. This morning it was negativeness.

brooklyn babe said...

don't really watch top model... lil reality TV'd out.

the damn boy said...

"Unique beauty... hmmm... I'll have to add that to my vocabulary as a synonym for ugly or not quite good looking in future. " - LOL!!! Same here!!

I haven't been watching it. I usually wait unitl VH1 has their marathon of the whole season one the weekend before the finale. And that's what I did last week, and caught up. I was rooting for Danielle. Jade's 'confidence mistaken for arrogance'...yea yea. Just like the sky is mistaken for the sea. Anyway, I was kinda ambivalent that Danielle would win, given her struggle with her accent. As if I'll be trying to make sure that I can understand the model in a magazine when she comes to life and starts talking to me. Hey...wait...that wouldn't be so bad after all. But, yup, she pulled through. Joanie was good too. Tyra is getting real banal on her show now. They need someone else. Janice Dickinson was pretty cool.

Anyway, I'm starting to talk too much.

Lata!

Abeni said...

Tyra irritates me mucho on the show.Didn't watch any this season so I have no idea who was deserving.Is a gap in teeth so bad though? Having a gap didnt make Lauren Hutton less of a model

Campfyah said...

Well ANTM was not my show of choice for finals week. The small bit of it I did see didn't interest me as I wasn't found of Tyra's diva attitude on the show. However I do like her talk show. Dongrats to the winner.

I admit I'm hooked on Idol and was able to vote for the first time this week. I'm rooting all the way for grey hair Taylor.

Unknown said...

I'm a big fan of the show, but I'm far too busy nowadays to watch it.

Gela said...

I like that show too. And I know that men watch quite a few shows that us women love. I know for instance that several men love sex and the city as much as the females. Nothing wrong with that.

Anonymous said...

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