Nicole is 'America's Next Top Model': Nice girls can finish first (and second)

Yes, it’s true; I have been pulling for Nicole from the beginning. Proof is in print, people! Give me some Show Tracker love… OK, fine, I’ll take some “like” too.

Everyone should be thrilled at the results of “Le Cycle 13,” since not only did Nicole win, but Laura was in the top two as well. It’s like “Revenge of the Nerds” (except with attractive people). It got a little scary there for a while, as it seemed that the “mean girls” might prevail once more. My hope is that every awkward girl out there realizes that with a little bravery, Barbie toes, a lot of makeup, a tranny runway coach and an eccentric supermodel mentoring them, they too can achieve goals beyond their wildest dreams.

The competition began when Nicole and Laura received a Tyra-mail that included scripts for the next day’s “motion camera” (as Tyra calls it) commercial. Laura instantly went into panic mode, knowing that her dyslexia would make it hard for her to memorize the script. Meanwhile, Nicole seemed a bit too happy that she would have the edge over Laura on that one.

Jay Manuel (whose mother dressed him funny with that green pea coat with its collar popped, ew), and Teyona, Cycle 12’s winner, told the ladies that they would be promoting CoverGirl’s LashBlast mascara. By the way, Teyona proved that one doesn’t need to sound natural or deliver one’s lines smoothly to be a “Top Model,” which seems to be the criticism that the judges keep throwing at both our finalists. I’m just sayin’.

Then, "Top Model" judge Nigel Barker arrives...

Thanks for joining us, Nigel. He ran in breathless, because you know Tyra was blowing up his cell, “The shoot has started, boo!” Turns out he will shoot the still photos with one contestant while Jay directed the other contestant in her commercial. I know, Miss Tyra, it’s a recession, so you have to use everybody who is on that island. I get it.

Nicole is first up with Nigel and rocks it, as usual. Laura has some problems with her “smize” and Nigel asks her what she’s thinking about. Her answer? Milkshakes and kittens. That’s cute, but no gal puts on mascara for a date with her kitten. Nigel wasn’t impressed.

Laura has a hard time with the commercial shoot as well. She’s having difficulties remembering her lines. I’m kind of annoyed that she keeps referencing her dyslexia, because correct me if I’m wrong: Doesn’t dyslexia affect the way one reads letters, not how they say them once they’re “memorized”? Laura is sweet, but I think she’s making excuses.

Nicole doesn’t do much better on her commercial. She also stumbles with the words, but she doesn’t have the “dyslexia” excuse to fall back on. In addition, she doesn’t quite have the pep she showed in her last commercial shoot and Jay thinks she’s sounding “snotty.” Regardless, she finally gets through it.

I’m giving the first challenge to Nicole. They both had problems with their lines, but Laura’s accent is tough to follow. I just don’t think she’ll make a great spokesmodel unless it’s a gig at the county fair. It’s obvious that Nicole did much better in the photo shoot as well.

In the second challenge, Seventeen magazine’s Ann Shoket shows up and announces that the women will be shooting the cover photo for the issue in which the winner appears. Veteran photographer Gilles Bensimon takes the helm on this one. Both girls bring the “smize” and do really well, so I’m calling this one a tie.

It all comes down to the runway show. Again, Tyra saves some money by bringing back Erin, Brittany, Sundai and Jennifer to walk in the show as well. Except for Jennifer, it’s like a “mean girls” reunion! It’s interesting that when they’re asked who they want for the win, most of them said they wanted Laura. I think that was based on her popularity in the house more than anything. It was clear that Nicole wasn’t a house favorite.

The runway show didn’t look easy. Both finalists had to walk through three elements, including wind and rain while wearing a ridiculous amount of glitter on their face. I have to say that Laura killed it. She looked beautiful and she walked like a pro. Nicole? Not so much. Her walk looked hard and I have no idea what her arms and neck were doing. This one obviously went to Laura. By the way, what was up with that Maxim ending, with the wet contestants in bathing suits rubbing up on each other? Uncomfortable! Oh, and no you didn’t OD on your meds, Miss J was indeed wearing a flowered yellow tablecloth as a dress.

So here we are at the end of the show and in my mind, it’s a dead heat. I believe that the judges ultimately picked Nicole because she could do high fashion as well as commercial campaigns. The judges just seemed to think that while America may love Laura, the world would embrace Nicole. I, for one, think all is right in the world.

What about you? Are you embracing Nicole or do you think the judges made a huge mistake?

Later: Check back here for my interview with Nicole, the first petite winner of “America’s Next Top Model.”

 – Jethro Nededog (Follow me on Twitter @TheRealJethro)
 

Related:

‘America’s Next Top Model’: Has Miss J been demoted?

Countdown to ‘America’s Next Top Model’: Four, three, two…

Full ‘America’s Next Top Model’ coverage on Show Tracker

Photos, from top: “America’s Next Top Model’s” first petite winner, Nicole. Credit: Nigel Barker / Pottle Productions Inc; Nicole and Laura in their CoverGirl commercial shoot. Credit: the CW; Laura kills in the final runway challenge on "America's Next Top Model." Credit: The CW

Comments

[Robert]

Totally with you on the pea coat, but including Sundai in the mean girls? I thought she had the best personality of the entire cast!

[Stephy]

I really didn't mind who won, though I do think it's unfair to get at Laura for using dyslexia as an excuse. I have friends who are dyslexic and they do struggle to memorise things. Although I find her accent quite strong, I could understand what she was saying perfectly and I don't think an accent should get in the way of your career. I think it's nice to allow models to represent their small towns for once. I'm from the UK by the way, and I disagree with the judges saying that Laura wouldn't be loved by the world as she was my favourite.

I am a Nicole supporter as well though. I and my friend were celebrating when Nicole and Laura became the two finalists as we have both supported them from the beginning. We were both very happy then and decided that we were happy for either of them to win as they were both lovely people. Another reason to celebrate was that Erin had finally gone. I think it unfair to class it as a 'mean girls' reunion, and to include Sundai in that. If anything, Jennifer was worse than Sundai for being mean to people. Ultimately though it was Erin who was the nasty one of the group, what was it she said again in that last show? "Apart from ME, I think Laura would be the perfect ANTM." That line screams that she's selfish and needs to grow up. I really cannot understand what the judges were thinking letting Sundai go before her. She obviously didn't have potential when she was in the bottom two 3 weeks in a row.

I am very happy for Nicole and I hope that she has every success in her modelling career. It will be nice to see her come out of her shell at last as well.

I also hope that Laura becomes a successful model as well, I think she took some stunning photos and there is no denying that she nailed that catwalk. Was Nicole even there?

[Oh Great...]

Hey, LA Times, in today's age not everyone had a chance to watch the show last night, and recorded it on the DVR for later viewing. Would it have killed you to put a picture of BOTH finalists on the headline, and the reader would have to click through the link to see who actually won?

[Susan]

I loved the coat! Jay is fab. No one does Laura any favors by encouraging the hillbilly 'tude. She's one smart cookie and if she's willing to work on her communication skills there's no stopping her.

[Ashley]

I actually thought Laura's still photo looked very Covergirl-esque; I wasn't feeling Nicole's as much. I'm not surprised that Nicole won, but honestly, I thought Laura took the Covergirl challenge and the runway. She rocked both of them! And I totally agree about Teyona. She could barely spit out her words!

[Cindy]

Laura should have won...from watching from the very beginning, she was the most consistant and her pics were breath taking. Sometimes I wonder what Tyra is thinking or if she is at all.

[Alex]

I'm with Robert! The ONLY mean girl brought back was Erin. I'm so happy Nicole won! I really hope we'll see her flower in to a Super Top Model!

[Sunni]

Nicole absolutely was the right person to win this season. She was definitely the diamond in the rough and advanced the farthest. She still retains enough innocence to make her adorable while learning enough of the tricks of the trade to become an elite. I was pleasantly surprised though when she won because she did seem to be a winner from the very beginning and usually who I root for gets to the end and "poof". Glad she won especially since it goes to prove someone's "weirdo" is another one's "Top Model".

[what's unnatural about sex with goats?]

These girls were walking the runway in Maui - that well-known arena of high fashion - for a totally unknown designer, the other models including discarded ANTM contestants and Eddie Murphy's model-wannabee daughter.
How glamorous is that, dahling?

Next season prepare for a finale in Alaska featuring Bristol Palin and Miz Jay in moose antlers.

[bingostarr]

I like Nicole but the charm of Laura would win over anyone she worked with. Laura had a look unlike anyone else. I applaud Nicole for coming out of her shell and showing how people can change when they really want to.

[Becky]

I will correct you, I have a severely dyslexic friend and she does have a problem with the words even if 'memorised' which become jumbled anyway regardless of practise. Dyslexia isn’t just the way you read, it is the way things are read, the way arguments are formed and coherence.

[Darla Smith]

I love this show and watch it every year !
I think that Nicole was a good choice for winning this year.
I love Tyra shes my favorite model of all time !
Please keep Americas next top model going forever !
I hope to one day be on the show, even though im from Canada. It's just not the same without Tyra and Mrs.J.

Sincerely ;) ... Canadas next top model !

[Sue]

I surf and watch this show off and on during each hour, but I watched more of it last night and as Jethro wrote, Laura killed it and so what the heck happened?

None of us know exactly how her dyslexia affects her, so I am letting that one go.

A girl who walks like a longshoreman gets the title?

Nicole was clearly not as photogenic as Laura!

There some funny money talking here?

[Sarah]

Ah man, spoiled it.

[Lauren]

Hey L.A. Times and anyone else who'll actually read this and listen, maybe next time you watch one of these shows you could try not to fall victim to the severe editing process that goes on. Erin is not, and has never been a MEAN GIRL. Out of the 6 weeks of 24 hour a day taping, you get to see maybe 45 minutes of each girl, if they stick around for the whole cycle. The producers decide who you should like and who you shouldn't and edit them that way. I'm not saying that any of them didn't do and say all the things you saw, but as they say "what you see, is not necessarily what you get." Actually what you see is what the producers (read TYRA) want you to see, so she can justify her decisions in her tiny little mind.

[great idea]

Regarding Oh Great...

And LAT, please do the same for the Oscars and presidential elections. Some of us can do without the spoilers.

Thanks,

[Meghan]

Also glad Nicole won, but your attack on the dyslexia 'excuse' is incorrect and offensive. It is a common misunderstanding that dyslexia only affecting one's abilities to read individual letters. In fact, it's a genetic disorder that is pervasive across all elements of literacy, affecting one's ability to understand some aspects of language, to read quickly and fluently, to read with comprehension, and to write. Just saying...If you don't know about the disorder, don't make offensive claims about it.

[Lana]

I don't really appreciate your criticism of dyslexic people, it is not only about reading. Dyslexia is has many different forms and differs in each person. I'm dyslexic and I can memorize fine but I can't spell and have a very hard time pronouncing words. We dyslexic people are constantly fighting the stereotype that we are "stupid" and it's unfair that an ignorant columnist would print such untrue facts without more research. Next time please be more responsible with your reporting.

[Jethro Nededog]

Dear Readers,
RE: Spoilers. I write for a newspaper website. We report the news, entertainment or otherwise, in a timely fashion. That's my job. I fully understand that the DVR world complicates the situation for you and I'm sorry about that. That doesn't change the nature of my job or the news industry, though. As far as I'm concerned, as soon as a show has aired on both coasts, it's fair game.

RE: Dyslexia. I'd like to thank those of you who have set me straight. Obviously, I wasn't sure, which is why I asked you to correct me if I'm wrong. Did not intend to offend those with dyslexia and I apologize to those who took offense to my comments.

Regardless, I was very passionate about this Cycle and I'm glad to see you were, too!

[Teri]

First, thank you for mentioning the dyslexia comments. I really got sick and tired of hearing it used to gain admiration or acceptance. We get it...
The side comments really showed the true person in this episode. Laura's comments turned me off to her "bubbly personality" One can smile and appear sweet and be horribly mean spirited inside.
That aside, Nicole seems to be genuine and beautiful. I was very happy with the results.