America's Next Top Model

America's Next Top Model (often shortened to Top Model or abbreviated as ANTM) is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry.

The show was created and is hosted by talk-show host and model Tyra Banks, who also serves as the head judge and executive producer of the show. The first "cycle" premiered in May 2003 and was one of UPN's highest rated shows. The show's seventh cycle was the first of the shows among regular programming on UPN's successor network, The CW, and thus far is the network's highest rated series.The opening theme is performed by Tyra Banks and is produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins. Banks co-produces the show with Ken Mok and Anthony Dominici for 10 by 10 Entertainment and Bankable Productions, syndicated internationally by KingWorld (and its successor CBS Television Distribution), and domestically as a "presentation" of VH1. For the 2006–2007, 2007–2008 and 2008–2009 television seasons, ANTM was the #1 show in average viewers on The CW.

On February 16, 2010, The CW renewed the show for a 15th and 16th cycle

Show format

Each season of America's Next Top Model has from 9–13 episodes and starts with 10-14 contestants. Each episode, one contestant is eliminated, though in rare cases a double elimination or no elimination was given by consensus of the judging panel. Makeovers are administered to contestants early in the season (usually after the first or second elimination in the finals), and a trip to an international destination is scheduled at about two-thirds of the way through the season (usually with five or six contestants remaining).

For details about the main formats of the show, including examples from the American version, see Top Model series#Format.

Judges

As of the fourteenth cycle, the current judging panel includes Vogue editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley, and fashion photographer Nigel Barker. Previous judges included fashion icon Twiggy, models Janice Dickinson and Paulina Porizkova, fashion stylist Nolé Marin, runway coach J. Alexander, designer Kimora Lee Simmons (Kimora was scheduled to be a permanent judge for Cycle 14 and changed her plans for not returning the show) and fashion editors Beau Quillian and Eric Nicholson. Photo shoot director Jay Manuel, though not a permanent judge, is featured every episode. Usually, an additional guest judge will sit in on the panel every week.

ANTM with The CW

It was announced on January 24, 2006, that Top Model would be part of the new The CW network, a merger between UPN and The WB, when the next cycle started in September airing on Wednesdays. Prior to the announcement of merging with The CW, UPN had committed to renewing the series through its ninth cycle on January 20, 2006, for which casting was conducted throughout mid-2006.

To celebrate its tenth cycle, ANTM aired a special installment called America's Next Top Model: Exposed in two parts on the CW on Wednesday, February 6 & 13, 2008. It reviewed the best cat fights, mishaps and most memorable photoshoots, personalities, defining moments and contained other segments about the show since Cycle 1 to Cycle 9, and featured a special opening fusing all three openings together. Camille McDonald (Cycle 2), Toccara Jones (Cycle 3), Eva Pigford (Cycle 3 winner), Bre Scullark (Cycle 5), Cassandra Whitehead (Cycle 5), Joanie Dodds (Cycle 6), Jael Strauss (Cycle 8), Dionne Walters (Cycle 8), Heather Kuzmich (Cycle 9), and Bianca Golden (Cycle 9) all returned to comment on events that happened in their or other cycles.

The Tyra Banks Show

America's Next Top Model is also very connected with Tyra Banks' talk show: several contestants have made appearances on it, most notably Natasha Galkina (Cycle 8) who worked as a correspondent for the show. The show's stage was also used for the Cycle 5 reunion show.

The Fiercee Awards had categories as follows. Bold names indicate the category winners.

Biggest Makeover Meltdown (presented by CariDee English (Cycle 7) and Saleisha Stowers (Cycle 9)):

Jade Cole (Cycle 6)

Jaeda Young (Cycle 7)

Bianca Golden (Cycle 9)

Craziest Phone Call (presented by Jaslene Gonzalez (Cycle 8) and Nicole Linkletter (Cycle 5)):

Shandi Sullivan (Cycle 2)

Natasha Galkina (Cycle 8)

Lifetime Achievement (presented by Tyra Banks):

Toccara Jones (Cycle 3)

Worst Walks & Wipe Outs (presented by April Wilkner (Cycle 2) and Heather Kuzmich (Cycle 9)):

Norelle Van Herk (Cycle 3)

Rebecca Epley (Cycle 4)

Jael Strauss (Cycle 8)

Most Dramatic Exit (presented by Camille McDonald (Cycle 2) and Diana Zalewski (Cycle 8)):

Jade Cole (Cycle 6)

Ebony Morgan (Cycle 9)

Kimberly Rydzewski (Cycle 10)

Ugliest Cry (presented by Jenah Doucette (Cycle 9) and Keenyah Hill (Cycle 4)):

Shandi Sullivan (Cycle 2)

Joanie Dodds (Cycle 6)

Jael Strauss (Cycle 8)

Biggest Change (presented by Tyra Banks):

Shandi Sullivan (Cycle 2)

This ceremony was preceded by red carpet interviews of Toccara Jones, CariDee English, Jaslene Gonzalez, Camille McDonald, Keenyah Hill, Carol Alt, Quiana Grant, Melissa Baker and Tyra Banks, followed by an online fashion review by Toccara Jones and Jay Manuel. Amongst Jay's favourites were Jones herself, together with McDonald, while Jones liked Gonzalez. They agreed that Saleisha Stowers, Norelle Van Herk and Banks were amongst the best dressed while English was amongst the worst.

Modelville

Tyra Banks has decided to launch a new reality show, inside her Tyra Show, called Modelville which featured Renee Alway, Bianca Golden, Dominique Reighard, Fatima Siad and Lauren Utter vying for a $50,000 contract. Dominique won and received a contract from Carol's Daughter.

ANTM Writers' Labor Dispute

On July 21, 2006, the writers of America's Next Top Model went on strike while working on Cycle 7, set to premiere on the new CW Network in September 2006. The writers sought representation through the Writers Guild of America, west, which would allow them regulated wages, access to portable health insurance, and pension benefits. These benefits would be similar to those given to writers on scripted shows. The strike was the focus of a large rally of Hollywood writers coinciding with the premiere of the new network on September 20, 2006. The dispute was chronicled in a July 24 interview on the website Television Without Pity with Daniel J. Blau, a former TWoP recapper who covered the series, and at the time was an ANTM show producer. In November 2006, the writers on strike were taken off payroll.

Criticism

Yahoo's "Shine" lifestyle website blasted the show's cruelty and elements of humiliation, saying that some of the girls' critiques from the "cruel and unusual" judges are "really cruel and cringe-inducing," and that the show "humiliates and degrades young women."They created a list called "10 reasons why 'America's Next Top Model' is bad for women, humans," citing such things as giving an unrealistic vision to girls (both on the show, and watching) about what life as a model is like, and "always espousing empowerment and female strength and then forcing the contestants into embarrassing scenarios far outside the realm of real-life modeling." One such scenario highlighted was when two final contestants "were made to wear bikinis so skimpy that the producers had to blur out Allison's butt cheeks," and performed a "creepily sexual mud fight," after which the contestant Teyona Anderson was "commended for taking her weave in her hand and whipping it around on the runway like a sexy feather boa."

Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, commenting on ANTM and Project Runway in the September 2006 issue of Harper's Bazaar, slammed it as "trash that is funny for five minutes if you're with other people. If you're alone, it's not funny. Those girls will never be the next Gemma Ward. There is no justice in the fashion business." Ward was discovered in the similarly-themed Australian reality show Search for a Supermodel, before ANTM aired in Australia in early 2003. Lagerfeld served as a photographer for the French version of ANTM.

Allure magazine criticized the show in its October 2006 issue, saying that ANTM "hasn't exactly produced any actual supermodels."

Ken Mok and Tyra Banks noticed that most of Cycle 8's girls were unusually heavy smokers. "Tyra and I understand the influence 'Top Model' has on a generation of young people, and we want to make sure we get the right message to our audience," Mok said, which then prompted the "green" theme of Cycle 9.

The winner of Cycle 9, Saleisha Stowers, was discovered to have been in a Wendy's commercial, on a catwalk in the Cycle 6 show and an episode of Tyra Banks Show prior to the Cycle 9 event. The CW network said she had revealed her role in the Wendy's commercial, and "after reviewing the commercial, it was determined that her appearance did not amount to 'modeling' experience, and therefore did not exclude her from participating in the show."

After filming Cycle 10, the producers of America's Next Top Model were served with a lawsuit from Michael Marvisi who owns the loft used as the Top Model house. The lawsuit claims that the contestants as well as the production crew caused an estimated $500,000 in damages to the loft. Marvisi claims the contestants engaged in food fights, made holes in the walls, caused water damage to the bathroom, damaged a $15,000 chandelier beyond repair, and caused $90,000 worth of damage to an electrical store. Also, the production crew has been accused of damaging the flooring and making holes in the ceiling for lighting equipment.

Partnership with Walmart

The America's Next Top Model franchise has released a clothing and accessories line based on the television show. The line is sold at most Walmart stores. The line ranges from cosmetic products to handbags.

Cycles

Cycle Premiere date Location Winner Runner-up Other contestants in order of elimination Number of contestants Destination

1 May 20, 2003 New York City

(NYC) Adrianne Curry Shannon Stewart Tessa Carlson, Katie Cleary, Nicole Panattoni, Ebony Haith, Giselle Samson, Kesse Wallace, Robin Manning, Elyse Sewell 10

Paris

2 January 13, 2004 NYC Yoanna House Mercedes Scelba-Shorte Anna Bradfield, Bethany Harrison, Heather Blumberg, Jenascia Chakos, Xiomara Frans, Catie Anderson, Sara Racey-Tabrizi, Camille McDonald, April Wilkner, Shandi Sullivan 12

Milan

3 September 22, 2004 NYC Eva Pigford Yaya DaCosta Magdalena Rivas, Leah Darrow, Julie Titus, Kristi Grommet, Jennipher Frost, Kelle Jacob, Cassie Grisham, Toccara Jones, Nicole Borud, Norelle Van Herk, Ann Markley, Amanda Swafford 14

Tokyo

4 March 2, 2005 Los Angeles (LA) Naima Mora Kahlen Rondot Brita Petersons, Sarah Dankleman, Brandy Rusher, Noelle Staggers, Lluvy Gomez, Rebecca Epley, Tiffany Richardson, Tatiana Dante, Michelle Deighton, Christina Murphy, Brittany Brower, Keenyah Hill 14

Cape Town

5 September 21, 2005 LA Nicole Linkletter Nik Pace Ashley Black, Ebony Taylor, Cassandra Whitehead, Sarah Rhoades, Diane Hernández, Coryn Woitel, Kyle Kavanagh, Lisa D'Amato, Kim Stolz, Jayla Rubinelli, Bre Scullark 13

London

6 March 8, 2006 LA Danielle Evans Joanie Dodds Kathy Hoxit, Wendy Wiltz, Kari Schmidt, Gina Choe, Mollie Sue Steenis-Gondi, Leslie Mancia, Brooke Staricha, Nnenna Agba, Furonda Brasfield, Sara Albert, Jade Cole 13

Bangkok

7 September 20, 2006 LA CariDee English Melrose Bickerstaff Christian Evans, Megan Morris, Monique Calhoun, Megg Morales, AJ Stewart, Brooke Miller, Anchal Joseph, Jaeda Young, Michelle Babin, Amanda Babin, Eugena Washington 13

Barcelona

8 February 28, 2007 LA Jaslene Gonzalez Natasha Galkina Kathleen DuJour, Samantha Francis, Cassandra Watson, Felicia Provost, Diana Zalewski, Sarah VonderHaar, Whitney Cunningham, Jael Strauss, Brittany Hatch, Dionne Walters, Renee Alway 13

Sydney

9 September 19, 2007 LA Saleisha Stowers Chantal Jones Mila Bouzinova, Kimberly Leemans, Victoria Marshman, Janet Mills, Ebony Morgan, Sarah Hartshorne, Ambreal Williams, Lisa Jackson, Heather Kuzmich, Bianca Golden, Jenah Doucette 13

Shanghai & Beijing

10 February 20, 2008 NYC Whitney Thompson Anya Kop Kimberly Rydzewski, Atalya Slater, Allison Kuehn, Amis Jenkins, Marvita Washington, Aimee Wright, Claire Unabia, Stacy Ann Fequiere, Lauren Utter, Katarzyna Dolinska, Dominique Reighard, Fatima Siad 14

Rome

11 September 3, 2008 LA McKey Sullivan Samantha Potter ShaRaun Brown, Nikeysha Clarke, Brittany Rubalcaba, Hannah White, Isis King, Clark Gilmer, Lauren Brie Harding, Joslyn Pennywell, Sheena Satana, Elina Ivanova, Marjorie Conrad, Analeigh Tipton 14

Amsterdam

12 March 4, 2009 NYC Teyona Anderson Allison Harvard Isabella Falk, Jessica Santiago, Nijah Harris, Kortnie Coles, Sandra Nyanchoka, Tahlia Brookins, London Levi-Nance, Natalie Pack, Fo Porter, Celia Ammerman, Aminat Ayinde 13

São Paulo

13 September 9, 2009 LA Nicole Fox Laura Kirkpatrick Lisa Ramos, Rachel Echelberger, Courtney Davies, Lulu Braithwaite, Bianca Richardson, Ashley Howard, Kara Vincent, Rae Weisz, Brittany Markert, Sundai Love, Jennifer An, Erin Wagner 14

Maui

14 March 10, 2010 NYC Krista White Raina Hein Gabrielle Kniery, Naduah Rugley, Ren Vokes, Simone Lewis, Tatianna Kern, Brenda Arens, Anslee Payne-Franklin, Alasia Ballard, Jessica Serfaty, Angelea Preston, Alexandra Underwood 13

Auckland

U.S. Television Ratings

Cycle Timeslot (ET/PT) Season Premiere Season Finale Season Rank Viewers

(in millions)

1 Tuesday 9:00 pm May 20, 2003 July 15, 2003 2003 N/A

2 January 13, 2004 March 23, 2004 2003–04 #122 6.13

3 Wednesday 8:00 pm September 22, 2004 December 15, 2004 2004–05 #108 5.0

4 March 2, 2005 May 18, 2005 #106 5.1

5 September 21, 2005 December 7, 2005 2005–06 #113  5.0

6 March 8, 2006 May 17, 2006 #113 5.0

7 September 20, 2006 December 6, 2006 2006–07 #112  5.4

8 February 28, 2007 May 16, 2007 #112 5.4

9 September 19, 2007 December 12, 2007 2007–08 #148  5.12

10 February 20, 2008 May 14, 2008 #168 4.23

11 September 3, 2008 November 19, 2008 2008–09 #140

12 March 4, 2009 May 13, 2009 #142  4.35

13 September 9, 2009 November 18, 2009 2009–10 TBA 3.22

14 March 10, 2010 May 19, 2010[b] TBA TBA

^[a] America's Next Top Model, Cycle 1 does not have a ranking for the 2003 season because it aired in the summer of 2003 and not within the official 2002–2003 U.S. television season.

^[b] The finale for Cycle 14 will be actually on May 12, 2010. The recap will be a week after the actual finale.

Contestants

Crossover Appearances

In Cycle 3, Taye Diggs from Kevin Hill appeared in the acting challenge, which was won by Yaya DaCosta but it was the cycle's winner Eva Pigford who guest-starred on the show, she later starred on other UPN/CW show such as Smallville.

The winner of the following cycle Naima Mora also got to guest-star on a show, Veronica Mars.

Kim Stolz (Cycle 5) and Furonda Brasfield (Cycle 6) were given small guest-starring roles on episodes of Veronica Mars. Kim and Furonda's roles were cameos in the same series.

CariDee English (Cycle 7), who won the acting challenge in Episode 9, guest-starred in an episode of the series One Tree Hill. More recently, she had a cameo appearance in an episode of Gossip Girl.

For Cycle 8, the acting-themed episode had Tia Mowry of CW's The Game give the girls a crash course in acting, although the "crossover" was limited to Mowry's appearance, as the challenge winner was not given a guest role as a prize. Instead, Renee Alway, who won the challenge, got a surprise visit from her husband and son in which she shared with Dionne Walters, whose family also showed up for a surprise visit.

Also several contestants (winners or not) have landed roles in shows by UPN or the CW, such as Mercedes Scelba-Shorte, Ann Markley, Toccara Jones and Cassandra Whitehead.

Analeigh Tipton and Samantha Potter (both Cycle 11) were featured in an episode of The Big Bang Theory which featured the main characters locating the top model house.

At the E! News preshow for the 81st Academy Awards five contestants were featured modeling Oscar gowns: Ambreal Williams, and Saleisha Stowers (both Cycle 9), Samantha Potter (cycle 11), Nijah Harris and Natalie Pack (both Cycle 12)

On May 12, 2010, Angela Preston, Jessica Serfaty, and Simone Lewis from Cycle 14 appeared on a Jay Walking All-Stars segment on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Influence on pop culture

The show has been referred to in many series, such as ABC Family's GREEK and The Big Bang Theory and Fox's Family Guy. It also had its own E! True Hollywood Story episode, featuring past contestants Ebony Haith, Giselle Samson, Elyse Sewell, Adrianne Curry, Camille McDonald, April Wilkner, Mercedes Scelba - Shorte, Toccara Jones, Ann Markley, Amanda Swafford, Eva Pigford, Michelle Deighton, Brittany Brower, Naima Mora, Ebony Taylor, Lisa D'Amato, Kim Stolz and Bre Scullark as well as judges & personals Janice Dickinson, Tyra Banks, Nigel Barker, J. Alexander, Jay Manuel, Ken Mok and Michelle Mock-Falcon. It covered the first five cycles and recently reaired with a few added minutes of footage which cover cycles 6 to 10 and Stylista.

Oxygen Network, which has acquired the cable rights of ANTM, is going to air a series of documentary called Top Model Obsessed, featuring past contestants Lisa D'Amato, CariDee English and Bianca Golden.

International broadcasts

ANTM is currently shown on TV internationally in 170 countries and regions, namely: Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and the whole Southeast Asia (except Myanmar and Timor-Leste). The following table shows countries and regions that have aired this show:

Country Channel First aired Last aired Cycle(s) Episodes

Latin America SET 2004 TBA 1–10 124

Southeast Asia Channel V 2005 April 5, 2009 3–11 78

Australia Fox8 2004 TBA 1–13 137

(source:wikipedia