The Opinions Was Tyra Banks the Villain? Or Were We?
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Mar 8, 2026 Kendall Werts, former modeling agent and brand strategist, and Jessica Grose, culture and opinion writer, unpack a Netflix doc about America's Next Top Model. They revisit youthful fandom, industry staging and makeovers, exploitation of young models, race and blackface controversies, social media’s harms, and whether Tyra Banks was the mastermind or part of a larger problem.
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Fan Turned Insider Saw Worse Industry Reality
- Kendall Werts describes ANTM as part reality TV fantasy that inspired her to join the fashion world and work at a modeling agency.
- After joining agencies she realized the industry's trauma was worse than the show's dramatized version.
Makeovers Were TV Drama Not Industry Rule
- Kendall explains the show staged cosmetic fixes like closing Danny's gap, but agencies often saw such traits as assets.
- Real agencies sometimes encouraged uniqueness; the show manipulated makeovers for TV drama.
Onscreen Weigh-Ins Drove Real Eating Disorders
- Jessica highlights the show's weight-pressure arc: models weighed in and were pushed to dangerous lows, producing eating disorders.
- She cites Shannon's drop from ~130 to 114 pounds and a contestant developing an eating disorder.