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The Real Models of Reality Television
Sometime in the early 2000s, Tyra Banks had the idea for a competitive reality show that would crown a new supermodel. Back when the second season was debuting, she told me the idea came to her while she was staring out of the large picture window in her living room. I, too come up with my best reality television show ideas while staring into blank space, but unfortunately I don't have Tyra's credibility or connections, and my knitting competition show has yet to debut.
Sometime in the early 2000s, Tyra Banks had the idea for a competitive reality show that would crown a new supermodel. Back when the second season was debuting, she told me the idea came to her while she was staring out of the large picture window in her living room. I, too come up with my best reality television show ideas while staring into blank space, but unfortunately I don't have Tyra's credibility or connections, and my knitting competition show has yet to debut.
In May 2003, Tyra's vision came to the small screen with the title of 'America's Next Top Model' (Wednesdays, 8 pm, CTV/CW). It's funny, you can tell how old the show is by its name. Back then, everything was America's Next Top Whatever. If it was debuting now, I guess it would be called So You Think You Can Model.
Last week, the 13th cycle got started, and every girl in the competition is under 5' 7". Tyra says it's time for the world to re-evaluate its definition of beauty. I say this proves Tyra is no longer trying to find an actual model, just looking for a way to keep things fresh. That's fine by me. I love 'ANTM', but I'm well aware that it's a reality show, not reality.
Enter 'The Beautiful Life' (Wednesday, 10 pm, A Channel/CW), a new non-reality show starring Elle MacPherson, Mischa Barton and a slew of newbies as actual New York City models, living in a one of those Manhattan apartments where models are packed in like sardines, sharing a bunk bed with the girl who stole her Versace campaign. Tyra could never show you this side of the modelling world - we'd never forgive her for dumping her charges unprotected into such a rat race. But the truth is that it happens all the time. In fact, it happened to Tyra, who has spoken about how much she hated the other girls she lived with during her first stint in Paris.
'The Stam', as fashion insiders refer to her, is a model wunderkind, having been discovered at a Tim Horton's in Kincardine, Ontario. She shot to stardom, quickly becoming one of the highest-paid models today. She currently stars in ads for Dior and Dolce and Gabbana, and can be seen in nearly every single runway show by major designers.
Canadian Models
Jessica Stam
'The Stam', as fashion insiders refer to her, is a model wunderkind, having been discovered at a Tim Horton's in Kincardine, Ontario. She shot to stardom, quickly becoming one of the highest-paid models today. She currently stars in ads for Dior and Dolce and Gabbana, and can be seen in nearly every single runway show by major designers.
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Daria Werbowy
The Ukranian-born, Canadian-raised model is one of the top models in the world today. The 25-year-old stars in major beauty and fashion campaigns such as Lancome, and walks for all the major fashion houses, like Chanel and Hermes.
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Coco Rocha
The B.C. native caught the eye of a talent scout while she was Irish dancing at the age of 14. She grabbed the attention of the fashion world when she danced down the runway for Jean Paul Gaultier. She is the face of YSL Elle perfume and has the covers of several major fashion magazines.
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Shalom Harlow
The Oshawa native was discovered at a Cure concert in Toronto straight out of high school, and became one of Canada's top-earning models. Her classic beauty continues to get her jobs even today at the age of 35. She stars in major fashion campaigns and walks for many designers. Her never-aging look guarantees her work far into the future.
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Linda Evangelista
She is probably one of the most famous models in the world, having risen to fame as one of the 'Supers' in the 1990s. Even though she is in her 40s and has children, she still models for magazines such as Vogue and recently walked for Dior haute couture. And honestly, does she even look 40?
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Tricia Helfer
Helfer was raised on her family's grain farm in Alberta, and when she was 17, was discovered by a modelling scout while she was standing in line for a movie. In 1992 she won Ford Models' Supermodel of the World Contest and continued to be a successful model. Currently she doesn't model, but is focusing on her acting career. She is best known as the Cylon '6' in the TV series Battlestar Galactica. She also hosted Canada's Next Top Model for its first season.
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Ehrinn Cummings
Cummings, born in Knowlton, Quebec, is a former model. Cummings was 17 when she was discovered at a coffee shop. She did a shampoo advertisement that launched her into the fashion world. She moved from Canada to New York in 1999 to work on her modeling career. She has been in the 2002 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and also fashion magazines like Vogue and Jane. She appeared in a campaigns for Gucci, Ann Taylor, Esprit, GAP and several other fashion houses.
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Amanda Laine
Laine was born in Orillia, Ontario. Her modeling career started when she won the V Magazine and Supreme Model Management search in December 2007, and then signed a 3-year contract with Supreme Management. Laine then debuted in the fall Alexander Wang and Rad Hourani shows in 2008. Throughout 2008, she opened for Alexander McQueen and Miu Miu shows in Paris. Models.com voted her one of the 'models to watch' in the upcoming year.
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Yasmin Warsame
The Somali-born, Toronto-raised stunner began modelling in 2000 when she was five months pregnant with her son. Her big break came when she landed a feature in Italian Vogue and she became one of the top-wanted models in the world. Warsame still models (she appears in the July issue of Italian Vogue) and she is also a judge on Canada's Next Top Model.
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Estella Warren
The Peterborough-native represented Canada at the World Aquatic Championships as a synchronized swimmer when she was a teen. She was discovered during a high school fashion show and went on to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Vogue and Maxim. Currently she is working on her acting career, appearing in such films as Planet of the Apes, among others.
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'The Beautiful Life' has been accused of being a 'Models Inc' redux, but the target audience for this show was barely out of diapers when that one-season 'Melrose Place' spin-off died. And this one has an interesting pedigree. Ashton Kutcher is the producer, which in my book recommends it. I loved 'Beauty and the Geek.' Plus Zac Posen guest stars in the pilot, along with his Victorian-inspired fall line. If you're looking for a little dose of real-life in your TV modelling, believe it or not, this teen soap may have it.
Speaking of spin-offs, 'Project Runway' has one for you. It's called 'Models of the Runway' (Saturdays, 4 pm, Slice), and it follows the living mannequins of the original series as they are sewn into half-finished garments, subjected to un-walkable outfits and eventually Auf'ed by Heidi Klum. Heidi often reminds the models 'this is a competition for you too' but from the viewer's perspective, it doesn't look like the models have much choice in the matter. The judges choose the designers, the designers choose the models, and the models are gracious losers. Which is probably not unlike every other job they go out for. The real treat here is a little extra time with Tim Gunn.
The truth is, none of these shows are going to fulfil your desire to see a genuine supermodel in the making, assuming anyone actually has that desire. Tyra's gals occasional get real gigs (check out McKey on the cover of Vogue Knitting, or Eva the Diva on Young and the Restless), Mischa Barton has done some modelling (and if her acting skills have anything to do with it, she'll probably model again soon) and while you might spot the 'Runway' girls on Fashion Television one day, chances are the next Linda, Christie or Naomi are not hiding here.
But there's a little 4-episode mini-series called 'Ford Models Supermodel of the World Canada' (Saturdays, 8 pm, Citytv) where they actually have a record of finding big names. Monica Schnarre and Tricia Helfer were both winners of this competition, but that was before they turned it into a television spectacle. What's that Hawthorne effect again? The act of observing changes that which is being observed. But does that still apply when you're talking about models? After all, being observed is kind of the job description.
