Tyra Banks has made history as the most toxic personality in TV entertainment. "She committed crimes against humanity," say contestants.
When the reality show America's Next Top Model burst onto the scene at the start of the millennium, it felt like a revolution. Supermodel Tyra Banks' project was supposed to shake up the fashion industry, break beauty stereotypes, and give a chance to girls who might never have made it into the modeling world otherwise.
But over two decades later, the show has a very different reputation. A new Netflix documentary, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, pulls back the curtain on one of TV history’s most controversial reality shows and raises questions about whether the project was from the start built on systematically using contestants for TV drama.
One thing's for sure, most of the happenings on the show were not only humiliating and unethical, but they literally ruined many girls' lives and worse, had a very negative impact on viewers who began to doubt themselves because of Top Model.
Tyra Banks and the Dream of a New Era in Modeling
Tyra Banks rose to fame as a supermodel, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. At the time she started, the ideal was the so-called “heroin chic,” featuring extremely thin, tall, and predominantly white models. There was much less space for Black models, who were often paid less even when their photos sometimes sold better than those of white models. Tyra wanted to change that system. Her idea was simple: create a TV show demonstrating that beauty comes in many forms.
She reached out to the godfather of reality shows, producer Ken Mock, and together they crafted a clear concept for the show. It was based on putting ten girls in a luxury hotel apartment for eight weeks, where they had to tackle modeling challenges including various photoshoots, with one girl being eliminated by the judges at the end of each episode.
The judging panel included the creative director and mentor Jay Manuel, legendary runway coach Miss J. Alexander, the harsh and uncompromising judge Janice Dickinson, and charming photographer Nigel Barker.
The first TV networks allegedly rejected the project because models were deemed boring. But when the show finally aired, it became an instant hit and the most-watched program on the UPN network. “You only have a magazine, I have a whole TV show,” Tyra used to say, as she became a ubiquitous presence and Top Model transformed into a cultural phenomenon.
Cinderella Story Only on the Surface
For the contestants, the show was supposed to be a Cinderella story. The winner would get a contract with a modeling agency and media exposure that would open doors in the fashion world. Many girls entered the competition hoping to finally get the validation and recognition they had been missing. But it soon became clear that Top Model was more than a modeling competition; it was primarily a reality show.
One of the first moments the show’s dark side started to emerge was during the so-called makeovers. The girls were often mandated to undergo drastic changes in their appearance, from haircuts to radical dental procedures. Many resisted, but they had no choice—they were issued ultimatums. If they didn’t comply, they’d be kicked off. But they lived for moving forward in the competition.
Danielle had a gap between her teeth, and so the judges sent her to a dentist for a perfect smile. She cherished that gap, but the pressure about no agency accepting her was so intense she eventually gave in. The irony? In another season, Tyra had a different girl’s gap enlarged.
All procedures were to be done immediately; the girls had no chance to consult a family member or lawyer. Joanie underwent extensive dental surgery where the dentist extracted four teeth. The result was horrific. To this day, Joanie claims she has bite issues despite several corrective surgeries.
So the show dabbled in areas it had no right to meddle in. Dictating someone’s bodily choices is immoral and unacceptable. Yet, nothing came of this, and the creators continued in the same style.
Humiliation Impacting Even the Audience
The show featured things that didn’t belong on TV, like Brazilian wax hair removal, putting contestants in humiliating situations. The panel harshly critiqued the models' bodies. Eighteen-year-old Giselle was told she had too big of a butt when she was just growing into her body, tormented by it, and then faced rejection from agencies as they didn’t want an “insecure” girl.
Keeneyah was told in her personal life that she was too thin, but for Top Model she was too large. Post-production deliberately edited her as if she had downed three burgers, when it was really just one. Tyra now blames strict standards back then, ironically, as she was often portrayed in the media as having gained some weight, yet did the same fat-shaming to the girls.
Many viewers voiced that these comments led them to develop eating disorders, watching extremely skinny models being called “fat.” The show didn’t take full responsibility for its impact on the audience, negatively affecting many young women and girls.
Ebony was asked on camera about her sexuality and criticized for her skin quality, despite those backstage knowing her skin was fine. The real issue was her shaved head, dark skin, and being a lesbian, which wasn’t popular on TV, leading to a fabricated storyline of the “problematic model.” This was the core of the show—forcing character traits on the girls that weren’t authentic, highlighting it wasn’t about modeling but manufacturing as much drama as possible.
Keeneyah faced sexual harassment during a photoshoot and, despite complaining, received no protection. Tyra now claims to have acted as best she could, simultaneously noting things today are different from back then. In other words, she doesn’t take responsibility, showing no self-reflection.
A well-known scene was Tyra’s emotional outburst during contestant Tiffany's elimination, yelling: “I have never in my life yelled at a girl like this.” Tyra claimed to see a future supermodel in Tiffany. However, Tiffany later remarked that if Tyra truly cared for her, she’d never have humiliated her publicly like that.
A Moment That Ruined a Life
One of the most controversial storylines involved contestant Shandi, who had an affair in Milan, even though she had a boyfriend. The men were allegedly planted by producers. Many models were inebriated; Shandi mentioned having a blackout and being unaware of herself. She vaguely recalls being involved in intercourse but didn’t feel anything.
This led to a public confession in front of cameras, with Tyra Banks “coincidentally” bringing up infidelity, tipped off by production. Shandi was forced to call her boyfriend and confess, all while being filmed and broadcast on TV.
Staff later apologized for filming that scene. Producers claimed the girls knew cameras rolled 24/7, further arguing the situation was toned down in post-production.
No Boundaries Existed
With Top Model becoming a cultural phenomenon and ratings soaring, creators felt emboldened to push further. This resulted in photoshoots featuring models with tarantulas, cockroaches, pigeons, wearing raw meat, walking in 10-inch heels, pretending to be homeless, depicting drug addiction, or playing murder victims.
In one shoot, a girl acted as though her organs were stolen; another appeared pushed off a building. Contestant Dionne portrayed someone shot in the head, despite her mother actually being shot and paralyzed. The model believes they anticipated her having a breakdown. Producer Ken Mock later admitted it was a mistake.
Regardless, it was always excused with: “Good television is good television,” a clear and absurd admission that it wasn’t about real modeling. The girls were practically applauded for sidelining their health. Nobody cared if they vomited, fainted, or looked nearly dead because they starved themselves to avoid bloating. They knew they exceeded their limits, doing anything to advance to the next round. They were practically puppets moved in whichever direction needed.
One of the most criticized shoots involved models changing races with makeup and styling. Public reaction was immediate, with many labeling it racist, puzzled at how it even aired. Tyra Banks initially claimed the goal was showcasing the beauty of various cultures. She admits today she wouldn’t do such a shoot again.
What Happened to the Winners and the Fate of the Show
Despite the show promising a modeling career, reality was often different. For example, plus-size winner Whitney received a contract with Elite Model Management, which didn’t have a plus-size division. Danielle describes the aftermath as being thrown to the wolves. No one in the agency cared, she didn’t attend auditions, learning later it was due to her show participation. Contestants were seen as reality TV stars, and designers didn’t want the spotlight on them instead of their collections.
Top Model had a huge stigma. People didn’t knock on the doors of winning girls, wanting them for their shows. It never turned out as promised; in the modeling world, they simply didn’t matter.
And Tyra knew it all along. She admitted it to Danielle, who, like others, struggled to comprehend how producers created an empire at the expense of the dreams of all the girls who joined the show, dreams that never came true. Worse, many ended up worse off than when they entered the competition.
Eventually, even behind-the-scenes staff began exiting the project. Jay Manuel described working on the show as psychologically draining and confirmed production’s substantial role in crafting dramatic stories far from reality. Ultimately, along with Miss J. and Nigel, they experienced the same treatment inflicted on the models and were publicly fired, allegedly due to declining viewership.
Ratings then plummeted sharply, Tyra was replaced by Rita Ora as host, but it didn’t catch on, and the show concluded after 24 cycles.
A Phenomenon That Redefined Reality TV
America’s Next Top Model etched itself into history like few other shows. Initially, it helped spark a discussion on diversity in modeling, but ultimately created a system where drama and ratings eclipsed everything, including contestants’ health and dreams. It negatively impacted many viewers.
As many participants summarize, it’s a show that completely reshaped the reality TV landscape, knowingly undermining those who invested their all into it. In the end, it sparked a public conversation about what it meant to approach people entirely unethically and how this was allowed to persist for so long.
