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By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices
The competition for the latest 'America's Next Top Model' will officially be on and popping when Tyra Banks' wildly popular show debuts its eight cycle Feb. 28 on The CW network.
According to a spokesperson, this finalists for this season will face tougher challenges and photo shoots ranging from the very glamorous to high-tech to controversial, all while living under one roof in a posh Los Angeles mansion.
Some of this cycle's participants will include Britney, a 21 year old bartender from Savannah; Cassandra, a 24 year old college student hailing from Seattle, Jaslin, a 20 year old Chicago native who's an online college admission advisor; a 22 year old band manager from Detroit named Jael; Brooklyn-based hairstylist Kathleen; and Renee, a 20 year old stay-at-home mom from Maui.
Sounds like a bunch of drama already.
As with seasons before, Banks and her fashionista cohorts -- art director of photo shoots Jay Manuel, and runway guru J. Alexander -- will mentor the participants, while former fashion icon Twiggy and famed fashion photographer Nigel Barker join in on the judging. The grand prize winner will be managed by Elite Model Management. She also receives a $100,000 contract with cosmetics giant CoverGirl and will appear on the cover and six-page fashion spread in 'Seventeen 'magazine.
If she's black, she may wind up hosting her own fashion competition on BET J, like Eva Marcelle (The America's Next Top Model Winner Formely Known As Eva Pigford).
Ain't no telling how long this show will go on but if last fall's successful season (which helped launch the new network) is any indication, it is showing no signs of slowing down.
So maybe we'll be talking about Cycle 10 in the near future.
Comments: (46)
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By: ann on 2/04/2007 11:53AM
"""But the plus size modles rarely seem to make it ver far."""
in the past, the plus size ladies don't go extremely far...but with this recent attack on tyra's weight-gain...she may want to prove a new point. afterall..she does get the final word.
great looking crew!
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By: Tia on 2/05/2007 9:13AM
I applaud what Tyra is trying to in terms of helping average girls feel pretty too. However, it does come across wrong on her show. She lets in a token "fat" girl and then everyone complains about her weight. I would rather she do an ANTM searching for the next Victoria's Secret or Sports Illustrated girl which would give bigger women/girls a chance at least. Everyone knows the fasion industry prefers toothpicks. Hopefully that will change SOON. In the meantime, she's not helping by adding one "fat" girl that everyone knows will never make it. Well unless your name is Tocara! Girlfriend has taken "ex-ANTM contestant" to another level!
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By: CNTM Series on 2/05/2007 5:17PM
www.ChicagosNextTopModelSeries.org For male and female models/actors of all sizes; ages 16 to 35. CNTM Series is poised to be the hit t.v. show of the midwest.
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By: De'Asia on 2/05/2007 6:59PM
I think that the show will go well I really like this show because yes there is drama but their's a story behind it. Every girl that has ever won america's next top model had something that was hard to get through in their life and they came to americas next top model not to get public attention but to let people know that they have struggles, but hey they can still strive for their dreams.thats why I like this show!
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By: desiree on 2/05/2007 7:21PM
hi tyra .when you are going to start big girl.s top model.s show big girl.s are people .god bless you .tyra give big girls love to tyra . ..by i am big giri to .desiree
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By: Lakisha on 2/05/2007 7:50PM
Your comments: Big shout out to Tyra. I think she is doing a wonderful job with reperesenting sistas wether they are big small or in between. I am a big girl too and it is nice to see full figured wommen on shows such
as Tyras, because there are plenty of beautiful big women (me being one of them)*-) And even if they don't get very far just being on the show gives you a chance to be discoved by someone else. Much luv my
beautiful black sistas and beautiful black brothas.
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By: Yanaira on 2/05/2007 10:09PM
I've been watching the show from the beginning, however I have decided not to watch it anymore because there is too much drama now. The show has stop being a model search and became a cat fight show which is just tasteless. Plus I do not like the fact that the plus size models always are the first ones to go. Big people need to be given more respect seeing how the average size is 14 not 2.
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By: Yvette Simpson on 2/11/2007 7:30PM
Tyra needs to consider more plus size models. After all she is plus size now. I love Tyra and I think she is great and represents young people well. I don't care what people say about her she is going to be around and successful for decades to come. She will always find something interesting to do.
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By: slmgdy on 2/05/2007 11:14PM
I am 54 years old and I love ANTM. I lived in KCMO for 3 years and got hooked on it and when I moved back to my hometown the local stations did not air it. In KC it showed on UPN-now because of the success of the show it is now shown where I now live. As a 6ft 112 lb teen I modeled in NY for a short time and know how hard it is. What these young ladies need to understand is that professional modeling is a job, in this case, yes it is a competion but it is by no means a game. As for the Tyra, I think she is a role-model for all young ladies. No-she is not fat, yes she has curves. I was disappointed in Beyonce when she felt she had to loose weight but I am glad she added a few pounds. Our young black female need to know thin is not in, but being healthe will make you fit.
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By: Kimberly on 2/06/2007 1:37AM
Hey Tyra, the show is off the chizzle! I love your show and I love to see the girls go through amazing transformation at the end of the show. What I love to see most are the rags to riches sort contestants win. Reminds me of growing up in the tough neighborhoods of New York full of dreams! Just some ideas: What about a competition for models under the typical 5'9 or so? If not for runway, what about face ads? Anyone can do that - body type would not matter at all. There are some very beautiful women who may not have the most desirable body but they have beautiful faces that are very photographical and have a wholesome appeal. Also what about a spin off show for the over 40 - 50 crowd. Some beautiful people there too - moms and grandmoms who have somehow managed to keep it together and don't look their age and can still strut their stuff without the help of cosmetic surgery. To any avail,keep up the good work, Tyra. Don't worry about the critics honey, they are hating that's all. When you showed up on the modeling scene I was glad to see you. Finally a model that looks like a real sized woman who looks healthy (baby you got back) - not starved until you can almost see their ribs. Honey trust, I was always a thin girl when growing up but not by choice, I hated it. In our "culture" (yes, I'm a sister) if you were thin you got teased and you got "O" dates okay. The girls with the meat got all the dates! And don't go down south to visit relatives - I had one tried to feed me until I puked and they made comments like "girl I'd like to pour gravy down your throat" and "you need cornbread". So the heck with these people, where I come from you are considered HOT - men like meat honey, save the bones for the dogs. Peace
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