Tyra Banks Admits Those Resurfaced America's Next Top Model Moments Didn't Age Well
After controversial clips from America's Next Top Model began to resurface on the internet this week, Tyra Banks is speaking out about her past mistakes. Agreeing with her critics, the former supermodel admits that her choices on the show — including the production of a blackface photoshoot and pressuring some contestants to get cosmetic surgery — didn't age well in the decades since its premiere in 2003.
On Friday, Banks took to Twitter to address her poor judgement as executive producer and host. "Been seeing the posts about the insensitivity of some past ANTM moments and I agree with you," she wrote, without going into specifics. "Looking back, those were some really off choices. Appreciate your honest feedback and am sending so much love and virtual hugs.”
Been seeing the posts about the insensitivity of some past ANTM moments and I agree with you. Looking back, those were some really off choices. Appreciate your honest feedback and am sending so much love and virtual hugs. ❤️
— Tyra Banks (@tyrabanks) May 9, 2020
Not so surprisingly, many of her followers were not satisfied with her response. "Girl...where's the apology?" wrote one user, while another urged Banks to go into more detail about what exactly she's sorry for, writing: "Which choices were off? What was off about them? Mere acknowledgment and genuine apology are not the same thing."
Girl.. where’s the apology? This sounds like a corporation who sent out the wrong order.
— Midnight Cocoa Bean (@Just_Ke21) May 9, 2020
Say more about this. Which choices were off? What was off about them? Mere acknowledgement and genuine apology are not the same thing
— Nabiha Ali (@nabstacks) May 9, 2020
Others defended Tyra, pointing out that when the show first aired the industry was vastly different than from what it is today. However, earlier this week, everyone appeared to agree that Banks crossed the line when she confronted season six contestant Dani Evans over refusing to fix the gap in her teeth in one of the clips that went viral.
"So, Danielle, you went to the dentist but you refused to have your gap closed. Do you really think you can have a CoverGirl contract with a gap in your mouth?" she asked, to which Evans replied: "Yes, why not?"
Why was this allowed to air wtf Tyra banks is going to straight hell pic.twitter.com/xtiWl3srKJ
— Aisha Oladapo (@OladapoAisha) May 5, 2020
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"This is all people see. It's easy, breezy, beautiful CoverGirl," Banks said. "It's not marketable."
Evans — who went on to win the season — addressed the controversy on Instagram, revealing why she eventually decided to partially close the gap. "Nothing or no one was going to stand in my way," she said of avoiding elimination. "And it wasn't about copping out, it was about understanding what really carries weight and holds value in my life — and teeth wasn't one of them."
Thinking about how Tyra banks made a girl on ANTM do a photoshoot in a graveyard the day after her childhood best friend died
— NIAMH (@angelthott) May 4, 2020
