Cycle 2, Episode 11: The Finale!

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We’ve made it to another cycle finale!! Our final three are Mercedes, Yoanna and Shandi. Is it the top I anticipated? Not really. The biggest surprise for me is Mercedes. She’s beautiful, but I didn’t see as much of her model potential throughout the season. She wasn’t known for super strong photos or having a big transformation. She was just cute Mercedes. Also, if you forgot, she has lupus.

I think April would have been a better option for the finale. But who asked for my opinion?

Everybody gets a chance to talk with a loved one on the world’s tiniest cell phone that has to be plugged in or else it will die. I bet they had to use a calling card to make sure it worked internationally.

Shandi’s boyfriend has had a change of heart and is back to being very supportive. Let the record show he did say some really nasty and misogynistic things when he found she cheated.

Their photoshoot is a high end beauty campaign with some of the most iconic images of the season and possibly Top Model history. Ok, specifically it’s Yoanna’s photo.

Are you kidding me?

Mercedes’ is cool too.

Shandi’s is really pretty but not as strong as the other two. I think her styling was way too soft.

To fit into her iconic helmet, Yoanna decides to shave the back of her neck but messes it up. Drama!

I’ve been there.

Tyra sends the final three to an audition with twin designers Dan and Dean of DSquared. They’re still around despite a few cultural appropriation mishaps.

Only halfway through the episode, we get an elimination and three become two.

Tyra looks fantastic.

The judges agree with me that Yoanna has the best photo by far. As one of the DSquared twins says:

But Mercedes gets called first, and the bottom two are Yoanna and Shandi. Insider tip: from my viewing experience, you can guess who’s going to win the season because they are the second one to get into the top two. Remember that!

Shandi gets eliminated. She’s the definition of ugly duckling transformation on early 2000s reality TV. I don’t understand how she was even cast she looked so plain. Maybe it was based on her height and frame alone.

Since the show, Shandi broke up with Eric, the boyfriend who took her back after she cheated. She was picked up by Trump Model Management (eek) and went on to do a bunch of high end modeling to no one’s surprise.

She’s now branded herself as a cat lady, selling cat jewelry online and keeping very active on social media.

I’m forever a Shandi Stan.

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Back to the top two.

Tyra takes them to the final runway venue, where they will walk in a DSquared show. ANTM is really helping those twins get their name out there. Mercedes, Yoanna and Tyra are three best friends walking up. Except Tyra’s the only one allowed to wear heels.

Yoanna has on the BIGGEST scarf.

In the runway show, Yoanna had a not great first outfit but eventually looked a lot better.

Mercedes’ hair looked great on the runway and she seemed to more at ease.

Both of them served.

At the final panel, Tyra is wearing what seems to be an outfit from the same collection as Yoanna and Mercedes.

Three sisters

Looking back at the top photos of the season, I think Yoanna’s best is the helmet (see above) and Mercedes’ is either the goddess one or Billie Holiday.

The judges find the tradeoff to be that Yoanna has the classic beauty but Mercedes has the personality and sex factor (especially to Nigel). He’s said as often as possible that Yoanna’s body is not it.

We find out Yoanna wins! And it’s kind of awkward. Mercedes is just left there to cry-smile.

Then Yoanna is the one to feel left out while Tyra says bye to Mercedes.

“What do I do with my hands?”

Mercedes looks even more stunning now.

And she has a hot husband and a couple kids.

Since the show, she’s become a model, actress and even a spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation of America. Work, Mercedes!

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And our winner Yoanna.

On top of all her ANTM prizes, she went on to make a very successful career as a model and host.

Her biggest accomplishment (in my opinion) was hosting “The Look for Less” on the Style Network, which I remember watching at my grandma’s house when nothing else was on.

She’s married and has a son. And I can’t with these photos.

For me, the judges made the right decision.

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And because we’ll never see him on Top Model again, what’s judge Eric Nicholson been up to since 2004?

He’s turned into a hot little daddy.

We’ve made it through Cycle 2! On to Cycle 3: Eva the Diva! Yaya! Toccara! Follow along by watching the episodes on Amazon Prime. If you’re not already, be sure to subscribe to get added to my newsletter.

Fierce and love,

P