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May 26, 2012

America's Next Top Model: The Girl Who Becomes America's Next Top Model (season finale)

by JJ Hawkins, posted Dec 13th 2007 9:17AM
The final three.

(S09E13) If I were going to pick one word to express my feelings about the season finale of America's Next Top Model I'd probably have to go with "disappointed".

For starters, Heather is arguably one of the most popular contestants to participate in one of these modeling competitions. I think it's a travesty that she didn't make it to the final three based solely on this popularity.

I'm convinced there needs to be some sort of fan element to this contest that extends beyond the generic "America's CoverGirl of the week" shtick we see every week that doesn't really amount to anything more than a pat on the back.

The title of the show is America's Next Top Model after all. I think it'd be great if America actually had some influence on who won the competition. This would also add some much needed life to the competition, which for the first time has started to show signs of age with me.

The girls get ready for a CoverGirl shoot.
Secondly, I wasn't all that impressed with the finalists save Jenah, and I was pretty confident that she wasn't going to win this thing.

Although she was distractingly stunning in her photos, her sarcastic personality was equally as distracting to the judges and their comments paid notice to this all season. There was no way they were going to let her walk away with this thing - which I find bizarre considering Tyra said that she "took photos that rivaled models working today."

That left us with Tootie from The Facts of Life and Chantal from Austin, TX. While they are both beautiful in their own rights, I found both their personalities and their looks to be too safe and too blasé. I found it difficult rooting for either of these two because I just don't see anything extraordinarily unique about them.

With those two points in mind, I went into this finale prepared to be unimpressed, and with the exception of a chuckle here and there, I got what I was expecting.

Am I way off base here? If you disagree I'd really like to hear why in the comments.

As far as the episode goes, it was pretty standard fare. The most interesting thing occurred during the elimination when Jenah was sent home. Tyra asked the girls, "Who has the most potential and who has the least." All of the girls did the obvious thing and selected themselves as having the most potential.

I drew up a little illustration of what happened when Saleisha and Chantal answered the "who has the least potential" portion of the question:

Saleisha and Chantal toss Jenah under the bus.

It's always brutal watching these girls that have become "such good friends" verbally slice each other's throats open the second Tyra tosses this question out at the end of each cycle. Jenah took it extra hard which led to a short psychotherapy session where she broke down and Tyra did her best Oprah impression.

Jenah loses it.

Sadly, Jenah went home and we moved on to a couture runway showdown between Saleisha and Chantal, only before the showdown took place we got to witness a ridiculously long sequence where Tyra slowly walked down the runway and took a seat atop a throne to watch the show. It was completely over the top, but I wouldn't expect any less from queen Tyra.

Tyra Banks is overdramatic.

The highlight of the actual show arrived when Chantal walked down the runway sporting an incredibly long train and it caused one of the men on stilts to fall and bust his knee on the concrete. Chantal broke character for a split second and I think this caused Chantal to lose her concentration. She really looked stiffed most of the time and lacked confidence.

Chantal nearly kills someone.
On the other hand, Saleisha had a strong runway presence and she just appeared to be having a much better time than Chantal. There wasn't much to anticipate during this finale. It was pretty evident who was going to win.

And shortly afterwards Tyra crowned her protégé the cycle 9 winner of America's Next Top Model. No frills and very few thrills.

Of course, as down as I am on this finale, I'll be the first one setting a season pass on my TiVo when cycle 10 is on the verge of starting. I just hope Tyra and company make an effort to step up their game.

See you all in a few months.

Saleish is America's Next Top Model.

How'd you like the cycle 9 finale?
It was great. Everything I expected and more.97 (13.5%)
Atrocious. It was one of the worst finales ever.321 (44.5%)
It wasn't good. It wasn't bad. It was simply, meh.303 (42.0%)

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27 Comments

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Chris

I agree that the outcome was disappointing and that both Saleisha and Chantel were too commercial to win. However, I completely disagree about Jenah. I do not see her appeal. She is BORING. Even Tyra said that after shooting her, minutes later she couldn't remember anything about the shoot. A fashion model should be memorable and Jenah is NOT. Yes, she took nice pics but if it was all it took, then Heather should have won (and there is no way Heather should have been cut before Jenah).
I also disagree that fans should be able to vote. Then it become nothing but a popularity contests and not about modeling potential. You are taking the title of the show too literally.

December 15 2007 at 4:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Devin

OMG, Am I the only one that feels that Saleshia is ah bomb shell, she's hot, sexy, but cute at the same time and definatley knows how to work a runway. I loved her from the begining, and she wasnt the only girl picking on Heather, she was just doing wat girls do, which is to follow after each other, she's just one of the one's who got caught doing it on camera!

December 15 2007 at 1:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
be be

For your information Dani has been seen since being crowned the winner of top model. She was the only top model winner to ever get her cover girl contract renewed. I see her photos in several magazines especially African American magazines. I almost forgot that cover girl commercial she did with Queen Latifah. As far as Selisha is concerned the African American community will support her and I positive she will go very far with her new career

December 14 2007 at 11:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Vincent J. Murphy

No one could have known that Heather was going to be so popular: the show isn't filmed in real time. By the time Heather became popular, it was too late for the show (which had likely already finished the season).

That being said, I wish they would have a model win that could string two words together on film without sounding like an alien or a robot. Saliesha's commercial was awful.

December 14 2007 at 9:25 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
laura

I love how after Tyra made Jenah Cry, she was all "i think we changed her life" or "a big change just occured"
Does she really think she is a frikkin therapist and she just made jenah have a major breakthrough on her life? Maybe Jenah was crying because she was confused! They tell her she took the best pictures, than tell her to reign her attitude in, than ask her about her family, than tell her she has the best pictures and so on and so forth. With 100,000 on the line and the pressure, who wouldnt break down?

I agree that ANTM is in need for some changes, Mainly that Tyra needs to go, she can visit and "counsel" and show her gigantic forehead every once and awhile, but this competition needs some fresh faces (and yes i know twiggy-icon is not going to be there next time but Paulina isnt exactly fresh) I think Mr and Ms Jay should be in the forefront after all they are what i watch this show for anymore. Mr Jay has more presense than Tyra ever will, and he is way way way more insightful into the modeling industry.

December 14 2007 at 9:19 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
suppressedmadness

sucks.

on the bright side, with the exception of eva, the winners disappear into obscurity almost immediately. naima? caridee?nicole?dani? jaslene...i'm withholding judgement, i still think she's got a future still.

i am kinda hopeful that the whole saliesha/tyred connection will be exposed. really, saliesha was horrible in the beginning and got many a pass from tyred.

hope next cycle is an improvement. how could it not be?

December 13 2007 at 6:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
lylekira

I haven't commented but a few weeks this cycle cause I've been watching on Tivo a few days later, so it seemed kinda pointless to post on Saturday.

I picked Chantal from day one to win. I was close, but no cigar. I should have known Tootie would win (I think I nicknamed her that the MINUTE they cut her hair that way).

Sorry JJ and all the "supposed" rest of America... if Heather had one, I would have been outta here. I could barely stand Heather. Not that I didn't admire her, but I thought she was an average model and a terrible spokesmodel. I hated that Bianca and Saleisha found it sport to make fun of Heather, but her I found nothing engaging with her personality. I was thrilled when she was booted, but it would have been nice if her tormenters went first just for Karma sake.

I liked Jenah too, and didn't mind her laid back saracasm. What I didn't like was her "full of herself" attitude she had a lot of the time.

BTW, "unstable" Caridee was my favorite contestant ever... and I personally didn't find anything "unstable" about her. *shrug*

Oh, well... until Cycle 10

December 13 2007 at 4:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bach

Dang it! Hopefully when I'm being blasted with Saleisha CoverGirl commercials next season the hair will be different.

December 13 2007 at 4:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
metajerk

I will say, the person whom I've wanted to win has never won, they've always come in as runner up.. but after heather was kicked, jenah was the only hope. and with her being kicked, i honestly didn't care who won between helmet head and ditzy blonde..

Download the last seasons of australia, canada and britians next top model for something halfway decent

December 13 2007 at 2:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jessie

This was by far the worst season finale of ANTM. I didn't want Jaslene, Niama, or Caridee (to name just a few) to win. I always believed the second runner up would have made a much better model and Cover Girl. This season, neither two girls did anything for me. Lisa was my pick, Heather second, and Jenah third.

Caridee asked Nigel if he was going to pull the stick out of this ass and then she wins. Where as Jenah was actually charming and cute when being sarcastic and she didn't make the top two. Here's a big fat WHATEVER!

I really liked Jenah's laid back personality, she was cute, and approachable. The other two are overall like cacti! This season didn't completely suck but the season finale sure did!!

December 13 2007 at 1:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to jessie's comment
Honey-do

George-right on on your comments. I agree with everything you said. I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one, as indicated from your comments, but for a while I did think I was the only one who noticed the rotation between ethnicities (msp?!) in the ANTM cycles. After Lisa was dismissed, I knew it would be down to a white girl, yes Chantal, and a black girl, anyone but Bianca.
And it was by far the most disappointing finale because it was evident who was going to win not to mention, yes George, THE MOST REASONABLE DECISION.

December 13 2007 at 2:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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