‘America’s Next Top Model’: Pretty and Prince in New Zealand

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In this episode of “America’s Next Top Model,” the women are spirited away to gorgeous New Zealand and directly into a go-see challenge. Tyra Banks don’t play. Time is money. Then, this week’s photo challenge included Nigel Barker and a sheep named Prince in a field. That sounds dirty, doesn’t it?

On the 22-hour flight over, Angelea and Krista made themselves comfortable in first class, while the cameras caught the gals looking in at them from coach. Sorry suckas, thought Angelea.

Once on the ground in New Zealand, they were whisked off to a cultural dance by Maori men. Meanwhile, Jessica wondered why it took so long to fly across Canada and noticed that the men were wearing “butt flaps.” Doesn’t she just make you proud to be an American?

Go-sees, go now!
Then Miss Jay and Colin Mathura-Jeffree, a judge from “New Zealand’s Top Model,” told them they were moving right into the go-see challenge. Six cabs waited to take the women to as many of the six model castings they could make in a little over four hours. That’s intense. The women basically had to make do with what they were wearing and go.
It was interesting to see how the real world of modeling reacted to some of the women. Angelea was able to make all six locations and she was confident at all of them. I think that Angelea has the unique talent of delivering model when she needs to, but doesn’t always look like a model. Raina’s face impressed everyone, but her body and runway walk didn’t do her any favors. The designers found Jessica too commercial.

In the end, both Raina and Alasia were late and were disqualified. Angelea blew everyone out of the water by booking all six go-sees!

Separate yourself from the herd
The next day, New Zealand welcomed the gals with a rainbow. Later, Jay Manuel and Nigel welcomed them from a tractor. Question: If a tractor can’t butch Jay up, what can? In this week’s photo challenge, Nigel was shooting the women as they posed in the same dress (which doubled as black-out curtains) and with the sheep called Prince. I’m going to leave that one alone.

In the shoot, Angelea somehow lost her swagger from the go-see challenge. The parachute they called a dress just overpowered her. Alasia showed up to set and had no idea how to deal with being dressed like Elvira in a field next to a sheep. That’s a normal reaction for you and me, but for a model? That’s called work, Alasia. Krista killed it, even though she was scared of the livestock. I really think she found herself last week when she realized that channeling Grace Jones worked for her. Jessica’s catalog look just didn’t translate into gothic princess with Prince. Alexandra climbed out of her rut from last week and she was totally cool with posing with Prince, which was to her advantage.

In the elimination, “New Zealand’s Top Model” host Sara Tetro joined the panel. Before I get to the results, I have to point out the most baffling parts of the elimination ceremony. After Tyra told her that her dress was more appropriate for the club, Angelea decided to demonstrate her club walk. Awkward! Then, when Tyra began calling out the photos, Angelea just kept on giving. What was that submissive and strange head down, eyes closed position she was taking? That girl ain’t right.

Krista ended up taking first place (for the second week in a row). The best part for me was that Alexandra took second, which hopefully will keep her energy up for a while. I worry about the plus-sized girls. In the bottom two stood commercial Jessica (a shocker for the competition as a whole, but not after this episode) and unfocused Alasia. The panel must be hoping Jessica finds some edge, because they sent Alasia home.

OK, so even though Angelea creeped me out this week, I’m going to keep her on my top-three list alongside Krista and Raina.

Do you think Jessica will find her edge before she’s out too?

-- Jethro Nededog (follow me on Twitter @TheRealJethro)

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