The E! True Hollywood Story: America’s Next Top Model Press Release
“AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL”: THE E! TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY PREMIERES ON E! ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION
SUNDAY, MARCH 26TH AT 8:00 PM ET/PT
Contestants, Winners & Judges Sit Down to Dish About All the Behind-the-Scenes Drama
Los Angeles, February 2006 – Supermodel Tyra Banks may have worked the catwalk for the last time but that doesn’t mean she has turned her back on the world of high fashion. In fact, Banks sparked a surge of interest in the life of a model through her smash hit television show “America’s Next Top Model.” The show that made Janice Dickinson a household name and exposed viewers to another side of modeling is set to premiere its sixth season in March 2006 and has remained the highest rated show to ever air on UPN. The camera’s were there to catch everything from extreme photo shoots to catfights to eating disorders to sexual escapades but it’s what you didn’t see that makes this installment of “THS” a must watch. From near shark attacks to contestants being detained in a foreign country and even accusations of “Top Model” fraud, E! uncovers the inside scoop of this hit show. Tune in to this 90 minute episode packed with exclusive interviews including “Top Model” Judges Nigel Barker, Janice Dickinson, Nole Marin, Jay Manuel, J. Alexander. Also in this incredible line up are interviews with 19 contestants including past winners Adrienne Curry, Eva Pigford and Naima Mora. “America’s Next Top Model: The E! True Hollywood Story” premiering Sunday, March 26th at 8:00 Pm ET/PT. In this episode:
Judge and Photographer Nigel Barker on the show’s appeal – “You watch it and you hate it, you love it, it makes you cry, it makes you cringe you know, you watch it and you look away. America’s Next Top Model is that perfect recipe.”
Cycle 1 contestant Elyse Sewell on the reality of reality television – “People ask me a lot, “Is America’s Next Top Model real?’ And the answer is yes, it’s real. But, it’s real people in a really, really unnatural environment.”
Tyra Banks on casting top model contestants – “We’re looking for eight to nine girls and, and different types of bodies. We’re looking for a full figured model as well as the super model as well as waif type models. And it’s for real. It’s quality control. She’s gonna go from being nobody to being the star in eight weeks.”
Top Model judge and former supermodel Janice Dickinson on her honesty – “They asked me if I would be critical and I said absolutely because if, as a judge and as an authority in the industry, if those girls don’t hear from me, Janice Dickinson, that A) you’re too short B) you’re too fat C) your skin isn’t good enough D) your walk isn’t correct, then you are certainly going to hear it from agents.”
Executive Producer Ken Mok on production woes – “We were incredibly under funded. They didn’t give us enough money. By the end of the third day we had our entire camera crew kind of assemble and they almost mutinied, they almost walked off the show because they didn’t have enough support and they were working, basically 18-hour days. It was brutal.”
Banks on Janice Dickinson – “I had no idea she was going to be as honest, and as tell it like it is, as she is, but you know, it works for television, and with me being a producer I had to have her because people love to hate Janice. And some people love everything that comes out of her mouth. “
Casting Director Michelle Mock on cycle 1 winner Adrienne Curry – “People were so excited because this was a girl who came from nothing and all of a sudden made her dream come true. One of the first things that she says is, ‘Mom, we have money to pay the rent.’”
Cycle 2 contestant Camille McDonald – “I did feel that it was edited to highlight the drama, which is great for ratings. Every show has to have a villain, and I just ended up being that person.
Cycle 2 contestant, Mercedes Yvette on the so called Milan orgy – “Did we all have sex with each other? Hell no. Come on now, you know. We just all had a good time. Granted some people on our show had sex but it wasn’t together.”
Stylist Nole Marin on the show’s extreme photo shoots – “It was almost like fear factor fashion that I was doing I mean. I have never in the 12 years dunk a gown or 12 girls into water. And with, at the time they did not realize that there was supposed to be a live shark in there.”
Banks on cycle 2 winner Yoanna House – “I’m really proud of her. Yoanna has more structure than I’ve seen in a long time, you know, in modeling. We’re bringing back that classic, glamour with a face, you know, she’s absolutely beautiful.”
Runway coach Jay Alexander on cycle 3 winner Eva Pigford – “When she came in and said, ‘I am not like everybody else. She made it very, very clear, ‘I’m about me and it’s all about me and its going to be me.’”
Cycle 4 contestant Brittany Brower on the shows closing living quarters – “It’s like a woman’s penitentiary. With women all day long. I close my eyes at night, and I see my roommate in the room, Keenyah. I open my eyes up, I see Keenyah. Oh my gosh, it’s like, let me have five minutes away from these girls.”
Marin on cycle 4 winner Naima Mora – “That was a flawless fashion show. The girls stomping in water. That’s when Naima really took precedence, when she walked out, I thought she was a top model.”
Cyle 4 contestant Michelle Deighton on coming out – “I never planned on coming out ever. So when I did come out on the show, it was just as a surprise to me as it was to everybody else. I was just going crazy, so I started talking to the girls. Finally, I was like, “Yeah, well, I’m bi”. And then I realized, “Ugh, there’s a camera there. Might as well keep talking.”
Cycle 3 contestant Toccara Jones on being called a plus size model – “I never really looked at is as being like, you know, plus size or me competing against you know skinny girls. I’m a woman. I’m a model. That’s my occupation. And I’m normal. I represent the majority of the women in America, and I’m comfortable with me. I love me. I’m comfortable in my skin.”
Mok on reality hitting the set of “America’s Next Top Model” – “We were in London the day the terrorist attacks happened and it was on judging day and literally, as we were about to go into judging, bombs were going off, within a couple of miles of us, like in three or four different locations.”
Curry on the post Top Model–“ After I won the show, I was flown out to New York; did all this publicity. Flew back home, packed my bags, moved to New York City. Signed with Wilhelmina and waited. After 5 months, I’m kind of like, “Ugh, what’s going on?” After it 3 more months, I was really starting to wonder what’s going on.”
Cycle 5 contestant Kim Stoltz on kissing a housemate, – “Oh my God. Kim and Sarah are hooking up in the limo’ and it was like, ‘Yeah, okay. She jumped over a few people. We kissed for 8 seconds, like crazy, out of it. I was kind of drunk. We’re just whoa.’ It really wasn’t that big of a deal, but the producers loved it, obviously. Whatever makes for good TV.”
Banks on eliminations – “They all love me when I’m saying you know, you’re going to be the 14. And then when I send them home, they start hating me.”
About E! Networks
Based in Los Angeles, E! Networks is the world’s largest producer and distributor of entertainment news and lifestyle-related programming. The company operates E! Entertainment Television, the 24-hour network with programming dedicated to the world of entertainment, as well as The Style Network and E! Online located at www.eonline.com. E! is currently available to 86 million cable and direct broadcast satellite subscribers in the U.S. Style currently counts 42 million subscribers. Internationally, E! programming can be seen in more than 120 countries worldwide reaching 400 million homes. In addition to its ventures for locally programmed E! branded channels outside the U.S., the company operates the E! International Network, a 24-hour English language global entertainment channel available via satellite in Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.
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