'America's Next Top Model' recap: Freak out!

If drama is the fuel for "America’s Next Top Model," this week had enough of it to power a small city. Not only did Alexandria finally provoke Brittani and the rest of the house into a full-on junior high-level battle, but Tyra revealed a surprising amount about her disagreements with the other judges. This episode proved once and for all that Tyra doesn’t have veto power, and that attitude rarely actually gets you sent home. Plus, somewhere in there, we saw Nigel Barker with hair — and it looked pretty good. 

Alexandria has been deliciously terrible for a while, but for the last two weeks you couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. Monique was the nasty brat last week, and this week the editing made Brittani’s attack on Monique look more villainous than courageous. It’s not the challenges bringing them down, its Alexandria’s psychological warfare. 

The incident that broke the thin veil of politeness holding the women together was, of course, a photo shoot. They arrived home post-panel to find all kinds of swag from Ford’s Warriors in Pink campaign to benefit breast cancer victims. The gist of the ensuing photo shoot was to pose as one of seven symbols that represent breast cancer warriors — a worthy cause, certainly, but it made for a muddled challenge. The symbols seemed to be culled from "Captain Planet" and assorted children’s books: Brittani had “dove,” Kasia got “heart,” and, most confusingly, Mikaela got “war paint.” The trouble started when Brittani seemed to falter at embodying a dove, however you do that, and Nigel asked her what she was thinking. Unlike the rest of the women, who were concentrating on loved ones or, as Jaclyn put it, on “beating the crap out of breast cancer,” Brittani had a much more poetic approach. “I have no words for what I do,” she told Nigel. Wrong answer. As Brittani sulked in the corner, Alexandria won the challenge, nabbing a spot in a national PSA and — here’s the kicker — a new car. 

'America's Next Top Model' recap: 'Oh, the dreckitude of it all!'

We're already halfway through this cycle of "America's Next Top Model," and there's still no clear front-runner for who's going to take the title. Even the position of house brat is up for grabs. You thought Alexandria was bad? This week, Monique not only conspicuously rolled her eyes at the judges and talked smack about other contestants, she threw a full-on hissy fit at the idea of cleaning up. Watch out, Alexandria: Monique's going to nab that Dynasty of Whine away from you if you're not careful. 

Not that Monique was the only pouting model in the house. Oh no, this week's episode kicked off with yet another Molly sour face about her terrible, no good, very bad weave. After the last elimination, Tyra surprised the girls at the house for a quick lesson on how to deal with fame. You know, practice your autograph, set boundaries with your public, be aware that people will hyperventilate and strew roses at your feet or try to get you to talk to their cousin's plumber's niece on their cellphone. Just the basics. Turbaned Molly sat their during the instructions like someone had just stolen her lollipop, and professed to be hungry and itchy. "So this is about a weave and some food?" Tyra asked incredulously. "Remember, it's part of that beauty pain thing." That's model speak for "Suck it up, Molly."

'America's Next Top Model' recap: Where the wild things model

Bratty behavior, an unflattering weave that just wouldn't quit, a famous stylist and a baby jaguar: This week's episode was a classic installment in the "America's Next Top Model" tradition if I've ever seen one. Alexandria continued her reign of attitudinal terror -- the Dynasty of Whine, as it shall henceforth be known -- but the real villain in this episode turned out to be Monique, who led a charge to read Alexandria's diary aloud on camera, only to discover that the stuff in there wasn't about her. Not to mention Monique's revulsion at the baby jaguar, which I'm guessing about 80% of the models wanted to run away with and rename "Mr. Stripeyface." Monique glared at that thing like she wanted to make it into a coat.

And, of course, no "ANTM" would be complete without an extended product-placement challenge for Covergirl. In this one, the women had to split up into teams of three and each claim director, writer or talent duties for a webisode promoting Covergirls' new line of "silk-infused" products. Despite Mikaela's prolific obscenities and Alexandria's mean-queen talent antics, the whole challenge was pretty boring. We already saw people flop on camera last week; two episodes in a row stretches the importance of models-as-actors a bit too thin, methinks. (Though sometime, Tyra is really going to have to break out her "Coyote Ugly" tape to show the girls what's what.) The best part of the whole challenge -- in which Kasia, Brittani and Mikaela eked out a win -- was Jay Manuel's exasperation with the middle-school-skit level acting the women were throwing out on camera. "I have to cut you before you can cut her," he hissed to one director-talent team.

'America's Next Top Model' recap: Models flambé

Yegads, Tyra! ‘America’s Next Top Model’ has never been a show that’s cautious about its contestants' comfort level, but literally setting the models on fire? It seems like those Tyra Mails have gotten less figurative and more literal every week. Poor Jackly thought that someone’s career “going up in flames” meant that she might get to pose with firefighters. No such luck, ladies. 

Of course, it wasn’t just Tyra letting loose her inner arsonist. No, no, there was an excuse for all that hazardous behavior. You see, the runway was for Lady Gaga’s designer sweetheart, Geoffrey Mac, so things had to get a little absurd. (We should count ourselves lucky that the challenge wasn’t to model meat tuxedos.) And, yes, the fire was contained to their hands—gloves, in fact—which were coated with a fire-containing material of some kind. But when the (metal!) runway beneath them was set alight, it still seemed like some folks were about to get sautéed. As Sara winningly put it, “What if I want to be a hand model someday?”

‘America’s Next Top Model’ recap: Weave-tastrophe

In every makeover episode of "America's Next Top Model," there are clear winners and clear losers. This week, Molly was definitely the one who got the short end of the fabulous stick. One look at her poorly done Dolly Parton ringlets -- which really did look like a cheap Rapunzel wig that someone had glued to her head -- and Tyra declared the situation a "weave malfunction." Considering the usual tears, whining and various complaints that the makeovers usually produce, getting a look redone means that the Molly situation was basically the Hindenburg of hair extensions.

Truthfully, the makeovers this season were pretty tame. No shaved heads, no increased tooth gap, not even many dye jobs. It seemed that the principle was basically all for weaves and weaves for all. But, of course, it didn't mean that everyone was happy about it. Alexandria is turning out to be a serious whiner, taking it upon herself to school the hairstylist on how to do her extensions.

Meanwhile Sara -- who was really pulling for a super-long weave -- ended up getting "manly short, brown spikes." Despite Sara’s disgruntlement, I thought her new haircut looked fantastic. Brittani was another winner, getting a short, black Louise Brooks bob that instantly transformed her face from plain to sculptured.

Though Molly was the only clear hair disaster, most of the other models didn't get anything new to work with -- Jacklyn's hair got curlier, Hannah's got longer, and Kasia's got crimped -- which might be a disadvantage in the long run. Even the most bizarre fashion makeovers made the girls stand out. This season, they're still blending together.

'America's Next Top Model' recap: Bugging out

After last week’s unorthodox beginning, “America’s Next Top Model” settled into its old habits this week.

Those weepy back stories we didn’t get last week started seeping out, and the intra-housemate bickering began. But rather than simply leading to the normal model confessional breakdowns, the heart-wrenching personal background of one model led to a somewhat unusual, if not all that interesting, elimination.

We began in the house, where some needless fighting was already stewing over the proper way to store raw chicken. Tyra appeared sporting a chef's hat and an unconvincing French accent to introduce the ladies to her personal nutritionist and run down some healthy eating guidelines. It’s pretty unusual for her to do a non-challenge-related visit to the girls so early in the season, and I suspect that concerns raised about the skeletal physique of last cycle’s winner had something to do with it.

Tyra traipses away and leaves the girls to discuss amongst themselves. Right off the bat we learned that Molly’s big issue is her adoption, and that Ondrei’s brother was recently murdered. Ondrei stumbles through the episode, but it’s clear that her heart isn’t in it. In one of the more emotionally healthy decisions in the history of the show, Ondrei tells the judges that she needs to leave to be with her family. Tyra, after expressing her condolences, throws in a wild card: If Ondrei’s photo was the worst this week, no one else will be eliminated. But if it’s not, someone’s going home.

'America's Next Top Model' recap: Tyra Banks goes rogue

After 15 cycles of temper tantrums, hair extensions, nervous tears, and haphazard modeling-related neologisms, gearing up for the new cycle premiere feels a little bit like going to orientation for your senior year of high school. Basically, we know the drill already: prolonged casting session with sniping comments about bikini choices followed by thinning of the herd via some contrived mechanism involving a Covergirl product placement. Then the Jays walk out in the surprise episode theme, which roughly corresponds to the kinds of birthday parties you might want in elementary school: cowboys, pirates, futuristic aliens, fairytale princesses. And ... scene. 

But just as I was all folding my arms and rolling my eyes, Tyra Banks unleashed the most serious surprise of all: the theme of this cycle is postmodernism. Or so it would seem according to the opening, in which Tyra spoofed the different kinds of models we usually see at the casting call: the blond beauty queen, the terrified girl, the artsy goth-leaning girl who doesn’t even want to be there. (“I’m not a cookie cutter. I cut the cookies. And I will cut you,” she hissed.) Not that this cycle’s batch avoids those stereotypes, but the episode’s format did. At least, at first.

Tweeter's Digest: A roundup of the week in TV tweets

In Tweeter's Digest, we look at the events of the week as seen through the eyes -- or rather, the Twitter feeds -- of TV personalities.

This week, "Glee" stars Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison tweeted from the Grammys, Tyra Banks and Joel McHale offered V-Day advice, "Lost" creator Damon Lindelof and "How I Met Your Mother" creator Carter Bays worried about the Watson computer on "Jeopardy," Stephen Colbert kept an eye on the Spider-Man musical, and reality TV villain Spencer Pratt kept an eye on James Franco. Meanwhile, TV legend Cloris Leachman just tweets ... because she can. 

See these and other celebs tweet after the jump.

How do producers cast reality shows when everyone wants to be the next Snooki?

Reality TV is populated by an ever-increasing number of fame-seekers and would-be actors,  forcing casting agents to work much harder to find "real" people.

"Everyone acts as if there's a camera watching," says Sally Ann Salsano of 495 Productions ("Jersey Shore").  "To find someone who is being truly genuine is like finding a needle in a haystack."

Finding the right cast for shows like "The Bachelor," "Survivor" and "America's Next Top Model" used to be a matter of getting word out and watching the audition tapes that arrived in response. But increasingly, networks are relying on reality recruiters to search untapped corners of the country (and the mall) in search of authentic folks.

"I always feel like Target is a gold mine," says "America's Next Top Model" casting director Michelle Mock-Falcon.

Read more in this feature about the art of reality TV casting.

-- Joy Press

Photo: Casting agent Robyn Kass. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

 

TCA Press Tour 2011: CW president Dawn Ostroff has not made a decision about departing the network

Vampires. Tech-savvy Upper East Siders.  A butt-kicking (and hot) rogue spy. And teens living in one of wealthiest ZIP codes in the U.S.

As the CW prepares to celebrate five years in the TV landscape, Dawn Ostroff, the network’s entertainment president, cited the “creative strength” of its lineup — which includes “Gossip Girl,” “Vampire Diaries” and “America’s Next Top Model” — for the network’s success; the network is up 8% in total viewers this year.

But the baby network Ostroff helped nurture since its formation in 2006, might be without its mother soon. Rumors have swirled that Ostroff plans to leave the network at the end of her contract in June to relocate to New York with her family.  

“It is a really personal decision that my husband and I have been grappling with and discussing with our family, but we have not made any decision,” Ostroff told Show Tracker Friday after a brief introduction at the TCA press tour. “Right now, I’m just totally focused on our pilots; I’m knee-deep in them. I’m going home tonight to read all the scripts. I’m concentrating on work.”

That includes production on the pilot “Danni Lowinski” a comedic drama created by Jennie Snyder Urman (co-executive producer on “90210”), about a young woman who swaps careers, ditching being a hairdresser to become a lawyer, which began production on Friday.

Ostroff is also promoting the network’s upcoming reality series "Shedding for the Wedding," in which nine overweight couples compete to lose weight and win the wedding of their dreams.  

Executive producer Dave Broome, who appeared on a panel at the press tour Friday, said the series is about "losing weight for couples the right way and trying to get their life started."

Asked what he thinks of the series "Bridalplasty," which pits brides-to-be against each other to win extreme physical makeovers, Broome said: "I despise 'Bridalplasty.' I would never make a show like that." (Brome is also an executive producer on “The Biggest Loser.”)

“Shedding” is hosted by Sara Rue ("Less Than Perfect") who lost weight through Jenny Craig in real life and is planning her wedding for this spring. It premieres Feb. 23 at 9 p.m.

-- Yvonne Villarreal

twitter.com/villarrealy

Photo: CW President Dawn Ostroff in Beverly Hills in October. Credit: Fred Prouser/Reuters

'America's Next Top Model' winner Ann: 'One year you're in high school and the next you're famous'

Ann Ward, the 19-year-old Texas native and newest "Top Model" winner, was stirring up controversy before the show even aired. When promotional clips of the show began circulating, critics zoomed in on one segment in particular: judge Miss J Alexander holding Ward's teeny, Victorian-corseted waist between his two hands. Outrage over the clip ensued. What, after all, did this say about healthy body image to the women — many of them still in their teens — who watch the show? Tyra Banks apologized and removed the clip. One of the earlier contestants, Anamaria Mitdita, got booted for her unhealthy body weight. But Ward stayed. 

"People just didn't know who I was yet," Ward said in a phone interview on the subject. "I was confident that once the show started and people knew what I’d been going through — getting teased for my height and how I looked my whole life — they would get it." And indeed, as the show progressed, a better picture of Ann emerged: a lovable anime nerd, fond of baggy black clothing and mythology, who made fried oreos for the house and chowed down on bacon sandwiches. Though the question of whether a physique like Ann's should be promoted as the ideal for a model remains open — by all accounts, Ann comes by it naturally, though others of her stature and diminutive size achieve it at the expense of their health and often their sanity — Tyra and the judges never raised the "too skinny" alarm for the winner. And so Ann went on to nail challenge after challenge, sweeping her way into the final two and ultimately to the top. 

Ann, famous for her shyness, seemed to have received some media training since she left the show. On the phone she was composed and cheerful, chatting with Show Tracker about what it was like to rewatch her final moments, what living in the house was like and her ambitions for voice acting, despite what you might have heard in that Covergirl commercial. 

'America's Next Top Model' finale: And the winner is...

 
"Do you understand how serious this is?" Tyra asked at the beginning of the final judging panel. "This is Top Model elevated!" And, indeed, in case the name Vogue Italia had lost its weightiness from sheer repetition, the judges did their best to impress upon them that one of the two final contestants would have their lives changed forever. Andre Leon Talley wore a sequin cape! Roberto Cavalli, in all his leather-skinned glory, was the guest judge! Jay Manuel wore a bow-tie!(But where, oh where, was Ms. J?)

And yet, we all knew what was coming. As much as the show worked up the suspense — and it did seem for most of the show that the girls were neck and neck — it was a lopsided competition from the beginning. The really interesting choice here wasn’t between freckle-faced, savvy Chelsey and the ethereally gawky, disturbingly-thin Ann. It was between concepts: commercial or haute couture? Girl next door or girl from another planet? Personable or purely photogenic? In other words, would it be the same ANTM style we’ve come to know over 14 seasons, or would the judges really reach for something different?