Americas Next Top Model - another nail in the coffin for tasteful television?

American culture has been responsible for a lot of different rises and falls in the perception of human decency. Some things are more respectable than others, and some even evolve into decent, interesting mediums eventually. Television is a great example of a medium that has seen its ups and downs over the years, complete with the meaningless self indulgence of reality shows in the last decade and the developing boom of new, intellectually written shows in the last three years.

But, one industry that’s only barely managed to produce anything of halfway respectable intellectual value is the modeling industry. For too many years it was about women, finding more and more ways to lose weight that didn’t involve exercise, with a public image completely devoted to their appearance and minimally to anything beyond the superficial.

To say that the industry tried to overcome that image is a bit far fetched. Attempts were minimal, and though some models went out of their way, starting their own clothing lines, writing books, and coaching young girls about the depth of beauty and self-respect, many more spent their time eating less and hopping about clubs in Europe, and the mystique of the exotic supermodel only grew, the lifestyle of the rich and famous available for any young girl willing to starve herself and walk down a runway flawlessly.

For years, these values have plagued the young women of the world and have remained ample targets for dozens of activists, magazines, and anyone with a shred of self respect. But, it doesn’t stop the growth and airing of dribble like America’s Next Top Model. Born as the love child of Tyra Banks stepping beyond her own modeling career and television producers eager to put her on TV in as many outlets as possible, the year round reality offering has pushed the limits of the demeaning superficial creations of appearance-centric Hollywood mentalities.

Basically, the show does the circuit of American cities, picks out a dozen or so of the most beautiful and “unique” individuals from around the country and put them through the reality show rigors of an elimination competition to become the next model on American runways. The show isn’t much different than standard Reality Show fare, save the constant picking and prodding of men and women with no regard for anything beyond the superficial realities of these girls’ outward appearance.

Truthfully, the show tries to create an atmosphere of respectability by putting the girls through the “challenges” of runway walking and ridiculous hair dos and photo designs. But, underneath it all is the poking and prodding of these girls’ self esteem, taking them apart piece by piece over the course of 10 weeks until only the strongest remains standing.

While the show might kick them away after their failures, it rarely does so with a pat on the back and a wink to the audience. These girls become vicious with each other as well in the process, reacting to the show’s premise, unwieldy to the criticism such an industry has withstood for decades.

I’m not against the prospect of shows that are intellectually bound to their premises. If this was a manner of showing intelligent, talented women, competing along with their beauty, for a position as a model, I might not have such a problem with it. However, no matter what the show’s producers try to show, this is a show grounded in the modeling industry, one with limited respect for the young women who make it go round.

As catwalks in some European cities start to ban models deemed “too skinny” the industry will probably work to adapt, and truthfully America’s Next Top Model has made the offer occasionally to feature women who don’t immediately meet the criteria of the show, as tiny, birdlike figures. Regardless, when Tyra Banks, a fashion designer, and a washed up ex-model try to emulate the horrific methods of an Englishman with horrible taste in music by deconstructing the self-esteem of not only these girls but millions more around the world, what are we allowing except a culturally destructive enterprise that has almost no redeeming qualities.

When shows like America’s Next Top Model air half of the year, constantly reminding the nation of how much respect women like Tyra Banks have for the young women of the nation, and with so many of them eating it up, eager to see regular girls like them making it big for their looks, it is just another nail in the coffin of tasteful television and respectful pop culture.

[ Back to top ]

About The Author

I'm a self avowed unemployed writer, working on semi-constant basis to try and overcome the need to go and work a real job. I've written more than 200 articles and reviews and am constantly scouring the internet for any and all excuses and methods to make myself less dependent on corporate pay days. Visit my website at TheChatfield.com

'Entertainment.WebWorlds-One.com' is the name, - what's the game?

- welcome to Entertainment.WebWorlds-One.com, - an exciting new initiative in info-mercial marketing on the internet.

This is where we bring you(r) postings about Entertainment news and trends in all their various guises . . .

[ Back to top ]

Additional information:

[ Back to top ]

Accent on Entertainment!
Stage, screen, music and more.