I Was A Fan Of America's Next Top Model, But Now I Question Everything I Loved About It

I regret to say that I watched many early 2000s reality TV shows. Looking back, despite some iconic moments, some were very problematic. It’s fascinating to see what was not only allowed but encouraged in that decade. There were some great shows, but some extremely harmful ones, including America’s Next Top Model.

I loved the series growing up. Though fashion has never been one of my main passions, it has always been one that I find fascinating. Therefore, America’s Next Top Model automatically piqued my interest, then sold me on the concept.

Watching Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model made me see some of the extreme issues with the show that I was too young to recognize at the time.

I Always Enjoyed America's Next Top Model Because It Felt Body Positive. Now I See It Was Just As Judgmental As The Fashion Industry Itself

I grew up as a plus-size teen. Therefore, just by existing, I had been told by the fashion industry that my body type would never be welcomed in that world. I could enjoy seeing high fashion, but know it was never going to become part of my reality. Then, America’s Next Top Model gave young curvy women and men some hope. Curvy women could also have modeling careers.

America’s Next Top Model sold this dream with winners such as Whitney Thompson. I remember seeing her take the crown and being so excited, and following her career for a bit after the show. I loved when I saw her in campaigns. It truly seemed like the show was making the world more open to the idea of plus-size models.

I still think shows like America’s Next Top Model helped open the doors for the industry to become more plus-size friendly, but I don’t think it was as open to the idea of bigger women as models as the show portrayed.

Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model shows how Tyra and crew body-shamed. The producers and editors made segments on models eating too much or not fitting into certain clothes. The judges called people fat.

The show doesn't portray any of these things as bad, but just part of the struggle of the modeling industry. I remember when Tyra was body shamed in gossip magazines. I cheered when she talked about embracing her body. Yet, here she was at the center of a show that was adding to self-esteem issues and encouraging people to strive for thinness.

The body positivity movement was taking leaps forward with celebrities embracing their bodies at all sizes, but I have seen a major fall backwards in recent years. I just hope reality TV shows won’t repeat America’s Next Top Model’s mistakes and promote body positivity while shaming people for their size and eating habits.

I Loved The Quirky Judges, But Now I See How Certain Ones Were Just Mean

I think the early 2000s reality TV shows normalized the mean judge. Instead of loathing them for their cruelty, we cheered for their honesty. Though this may have seemed harmless and fun for viewers, it must have been soul-crushing for the contestants.

Janice Dickinson was always a cruel judge, but it felt more like she was the comedic relief. She would say something outrageous, and it would be mean but funny. It was probably due to the editing, because we never really saw her hurt people’s feelings to the point of devastation. I am sure this happened, but America’s Next Top Model rarely focused on that side of Dickinson’s judgment.

She was the judge you wanted to impress. The models knew they killed a photoshoot when she praised them. Seeing a series of clips from Dickinson on Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model reminded me of the extent of some of her cruel comments.

I don’t watch many reality TV shows that feature judges, but I think that it is for the better that most of them aren’t cruel. They may lack some constructive criticism, however, I appreciate that the era of the mean judge ended. Reality TV shows can already be a traumatic experience. Contestants don’t need to be told they're ugly by a judge.

I Used To Love How Creative The America's Next Top Model Photoshoots Were, But With Context Now Some Seem Problematic

America’s Next Top Model had some iconic photoshoots. For me, much of the appeal of the series was seeing the photoshoots and how they turned out. Photography is also a minor passion of mine. Therefore, I used to excitedly wait for the end of the episodes to see them.

Even at the time, I knew the changing race photoshoot was a huge mistake. However, I wasn’t so savvy when it came to other photoshoots. Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model highlights how problematic and questionable some of the others were as well.

The fact that Tyra made a contestant relive a traumatic moment for a photoshoot is well remembered, but it doesn’t minimize the horror of that decision and act. It’s why some find Tyra’s behavior and response in the docuseries chilling.

It shows how sometimes the lines of reality TV become so blurry that the people involved occasionally fail to see the heinous nature of their behavior.

I Never Thought About The Long Term Damage Of The Show, Now I Can't Stop Thinking About It

Now, I am much more conscious and aware of how much damage reality TV shows can do to people. We now hear so many horror stories about the short and long-term effects of being on reality TV.

There is so much psychological and emotional damage that can happen because of them. Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model also highlights how reality TV can hurt career prospects. It now makes sense why so many of these models never became huge names in the industry.

They were immediately judged and labeled due to their history on reality TV shows. Reality TV has opened the door for many, but I am sure it’s also made certain careers outside the reality TV space harder, including other entertainment careers. Unfortunately, some of these women (and some men) saw the show as a way to open the door to a modeling career. Then it brought pain and damage to their lives.

I Think Tyra Bank's Intentions Were Pure At First But Now It's Making Me Revisit The Production Of Other Reality TV Shows

I wasn’t completely surprised that Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model was a docuseries exploring the negative sides of the show. I was, however, a little shocked by how it made me reevaluate the series completely. I don’t think I could ever watch the show again without thinking about all the damage it caused to the contestants.

I am sure there are many reality TV shows that ended in the early 2000s that have a similar problematic past. There are probably more that are still airing today that have some skeletons. I now want to see this investigation-type docuseries for other shows. Let the contestants finally have a voice.

Stream Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model with a Netflix subscription.