F06 :: Feminist Film Studies

America’s Next Humiliated Young Model
By Lara Healy

< For over an hour I sat and watched as Ms. Tyra Banks picked, poked, chided, and eliminated young American girls. They wanted to be the next top model in America, and they had all decided that being on the reality show was the way to make their dreams become a reality.
I had seen the show before, or had it on in the background while I studied or cooked, however, I had never sat down with an intentionally critical eye and watched each second. I was disappointed with myself for not having noticed previously how the women were treated and ultimately humiliated. They were promised “The Dream�, but in order to achieve it they needed to have: the eyes, the hair, the face, the body, the desire, the knowledge of the industry, an edge (but not too much), something that sets them apart, a ‘non-commercial’ face (whatever that means), and numerous other ‘requirements’ that Tyra spouts off throughout the episode.
When these women sign up for America’s Next Top Model they have stars in their eyes, and dreams of becoming famous, but the reality of reality TV is not so dreamy. They are channeled through a grueling selection phase just to become a participant. Where the judges project their gaze on the women and select the ‘best for the job’ through a disgustingly organized scaling of bodies.
On the episode that I saw (which was one of the later ones in the season) Tyra showed the camera an evaluation card from the initial judging period for the season. Next to the girl’s name all she had written was a big red “NO�. Obviously the show wouldn’t survive without the competition aspect, but to see the leader of the show so blatantly disregarding the same types of women she is trying to empower makes a very clear statement. “You should only be confident and strong if Tyra Banks believes that you should be!� Wouldn’t it be refreshing to live in a community where programs were made according to Avishai Margalit’s point of view? “An ideal of universal human rights independent of individual achievement or status, a society where the “dignity� of individuals relies only on the fact that they’re human beings� (Mendible pg. 335)

“Myra Mendible, considers the usefulness of the concept of humiliation in the game show as genre, arguing that our interest in watching other being humiliated is an essential aspect of the success of sub-genre “survival� shows…[she]…asks whether, for women in particular, participation should be seen as a voluntary mode of sanctioned humiliation which they regard as a necessary part of becoming famous for 15 minutes, regardless of the fact that they receive highly critical attention to their bodies and their attitudes towards men and money� (Intro in Course Packet Pg. 1).

Humiliation is the name of the game on this reality monster. To further injure the young women’s self-esteem the challenges they are asked to participate in force decisions between reaching the goal of America’s Next Top Model or holding on to morals. The show is continuously asking the women to strip completely bare in front of the camera, or seductingly embrace a strange man or fellow model while being naked. For many of the women this request puts them in a very difficult position. On the episode that I watched there were four women left, and the nude photo was the next challenge. Two out of the four girls decided not to participate in the photo shoot because it went against their beliefs. However, only one of the two was eliminated that week, and it was the African American woman. The all American blonde haired woman was able to stay in the competition for another week although she too did not have a nude photo shoot.

Fredric Schick says that the “defining characteristic of the process is that the victim is made passive and conscious of the humiliating act…and the perpetrator must be willfully exercising…power� (Mendible pg. 336).

These same women that were told to walk with their heads held high, to show the world that they are important, strong, and confident were cut-down by the people who were previously lifting them up. The people in charge, like Tyra, were and are subjecting these women, and when they are non-compliant they are voted off.

My final vote:

Humiliation + Hypocrisy = America’s Next Top Model

P.S. I found this great web-site...it is kinda a Top Model Bashing Site, but it does drive the point home...give it a look!

http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/articles/category_1186.html >