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In This Show, There Will Only Be One Winner On the season finale of the latest installment of the hit reality show “Top Model”, Tyra Banks in her best Oprah-like impression says that it’s time to bring back the 90s golden era of the American supermodels. They were glamorous, well known women whose instantly recognizable faces were enough to successfully sell millions of magazines. The Cindys and Christies need to be resurrected, Tyra says, and looking pointedly at the final two contestants, she lets them know that it is up to them to help set this in motion. I love the show, but am I going to kid myself into thinking that Eva or Adrienne will be catwalking in Milan or Paris, let alone ushering in the return of the American supermodel? The poor girls get a “Cover Girl” contract, their pictures taken at some benefit or party they’ve glammed up for, and maybe an acting gig on a soon to be shortlived UPN show or a slew of vapid reality shows. At best, they become D-listed celebrities, and at worst they return to their little home town content with 15 short minutes of fame. Have we even heard anything about Naima since her victory last season? And pasty little Nicole is, I’m sure, destined to follow that same anonymous route. The truth of the matter is that most of these contestants are too old to be considering a career in modeling. When 15 and 16 year old girls are being discovered at the mall or lining up outside a magazine’s door in the hopes of appearing in it’s pages, there is no room for someone hovering in their 20s. And while most of us would kill to be a size 2 or 4, in the modeling world that kind of weight is just too much. Take a look at Eva or Nicole. These girls are simply not thin enough to be models. The industry, furthermore, is one that is heavy on trends. The Americans were big in the 90s. Then along came the the Brazilians, with famous names like Giselle sashaying down the runways. Right now it appears as if the Russians have taken the helm. The spring fashion shows a few months ago featured an overwhelming bevy of identical looking Slavic beauties. The Americans are not in demand right now, and it’s difficult to foresee what will be the next big thing. Perhaps the Canadians. Perhaps the Chinese. A guilty pleasure reality show that eliminates contestants on inane standards such as confidence and personality is not the trick to getting Prada and Chanel to sign up American girls for their shows. The only person on this show to have turned into a household name is Ms. Tyra herself. No longer known to the rest of the world merely as a Victoria’s Secret Angel, she has used her high rated show as a vehicle for her own success. The women’s quit modeling. She has a talk show, albeit a struggling one for which she goes to great lengths to keep afloat. It looks like Tyra’s well on her way to creating an empire. Movie deals must be in the works, as well as some heavy endorsement deals. And I can’t wait for the clothing line to come out.
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