Janice Dickinson blasted as body-shaming 'AMNT' clips resurface
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Tyra Banks’ “America’s Next Top Model” past keeps coming back to haunt her.
Controversial moments from the 2000s-era reality show staple — involving Banks, 48, and former judge Janice Dickinson, 67, and their treatment of modeling participants — have resurfaced on Twitter.
A segment from the third season has reappeared and shows New York contestant Kelle Jacob — who is black — being criticized in a “horrendous” fashion because of her darker complexion.
“The way they treated Kelle was horrendous. I thought she was so beautiful and her complexion was amazing. But they broke her down. Tyra definitely owes her an apology,” the viral tweet said.
The clip showed both retouched and untouched shots of Jacob, with Dickinson, 67, talking about the difference between the images while making “monkey sounds,” according to some tweeters. When the wannabe model told Banks that other people told her she has “beautiful skin” and suggested the problem was the photos themselves, Banks slammed her for placing blame elsewhere, rather than herself and how she posed.
Users blasted “Life-Size” star Banks for her approach to Jacob, with one tweeting: “The fact that Tyra has gone unscathed from these horrific attacks on these young women will always baffle me.”
The way they treated Kelle was horrendous. I thought she was so beautiful and her complexion was amazing. But they broke her down. Tyra definitely owes her an apology pic.twitter.com/e0m0l80PFu
— d n t u n v m e 2 (@dntunvme2) August 8, 2022“This episode made me, a young girl with acne, cry. My skin STILL ain’t half as flawless as Kelle’s. Tyra made many girls lives hell,” one fan noted.
Another user chimed in: “Glad people are calling ANTM finally. There was nothing wrong with an untouched photo of a woman looking normal. Tyra basically reinforced and validated the industries bullying culture for the sake of ratings. But tell us again how Naomi [Campbell] was mean.”
A separate clip about “ANTM” has also re-emerged from when the first season aired in 2003.
“The 2000s were something else. This woman’s body was sickening,” the user tweeted alongside a TikTok summarizing the contentious conduct Banks and her co-judges inflicted on contestant Robin Manning.
Manning was 26 years old at the time of airing and was deemed by judges as “too old” and “too fat” to be a model.
The judging panel consisted of Banks, Dickinson, Kimora Lee Simmons and Beau Quillian for the first season of the modeling series. The panelists at the time also claimed Manning was “plus-sized,” with bigger hips and thighs, and a smaller stomach and chest.
“Robin is out, as far as I’m concerned, for being a supermodel,” Dickinson said in the video. However, Lee and Banks at the time disagreed with the “No Lifeguard on Duty” author.
“I think the next America’s top model should not be a plus-sized model. I’m sorry,” the “Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency” star continued.
Elsewhere in the clip, Banks asked Manning why she had to cover up all the time. Manning broke down in tears and noted that she felt “uncomfortable” showing off her body.
“It’s clear that Robin doesn’t have the personality to be a top model,” Dickinson said.
Viewers further commented on rewatching the scenes from the series and virtually shook their heads at Banks’ show. “Whole damn show was a hate crime against women’s bodies. Specially black women they clowned everything about us and Tyra was there to okay it all smh,” someone scribed.
Someone else wrote: “Tyra needs to answer at to why she even had Janice Dickenson racist a– on the f–king show,” while another interjected: “Janice Dickinson may have been a supermodel in the 70’s or whatever but boy was she a DISGRACE on ANTM. Racist, methy, tacky as hell.”
However, one person argued that the show was simply a product of its time.
“Yall need to get over it with this body sh-t ready it was a different era n time. Plus, If yall was comfortable with the way yall looked truly, yall wouldn’t be this vex 😂😂,” they wrote.
“It’s still wrong don’t matter if it was a ‘different time.’ Now we know it’s wrong so we gonna call it out,” one commenter added.
Some users called out Dickinson for her words and wanted others to stop blaming Banks. “Don’t come for Tyra again. Go for Janice d–khead,” a viewer stated.
Another fan, meanwhile, penned a pointed summation of what the contestants endure.
“They poked and prodded at this woman’s body and then wondered why she didn’t wanna do a nude shoot,” they offered. “The gaslighting.”
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