America’s Next Top Model: Meat Market

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This cycle of ‘Top Model’ seems to feature a more rough-and-tumble crowd than usual. No episode can go by this season without some form of acrimony among the girls -- tonight alone brought Fatima complaining about Amis, the girls ganging up on Aimee and then on Whitney for sticking up for her. Even former ANTM’er Jaslene Gonzalez got into the act as she insulted Lauren, for appearing like she didn’t want to be at the fashion show. There has already been gossip about the girls trashing their apartment so can physical violence be far away?

The episode featured complimentary butch activities: the girls got their runway lesson from Jay Alexander in a firehouse as they wore slutty firefighter costumes. Then, the girls posed while wearing meat for their fashion shoot--what it was supposed to be teaching them or advertising was unclear but for seasoned viewers of the show, it did seem surprising that not one staunch vegetarian cried on-set and had to be coaxed into her beef panties (doesn’t that sound dirty?)

What was not surprising, however, to seasoned cynical viewers of the show, was that Amis was sent home instead of Fatima. It could be hypothetically argued that Tyra was less inclined to send home a contestant who had withstood the trauma of a vaginal circumcision, simply because the tragic tale is too good to give away so early. If however Fatima truly can’t produce good photos, however, there are still a handful of other girls on the show who have other tragic tales to step in.

Incidentally, Amis should earn an honorable mention for the classiest, most positive ANTM exit by a contestant. She had terrible choice in headwear but she was a positive gal.

--Claire Zulkey