Cycle 1, Episode 3: "The Girl Who Gets Rushed to the Emergency Room"
We’ve made it to the third episode and thank Oprah, it’s makeover week.
America’s Next Top Model has forever messed up my view of haircuts because I always want a makeover. For years, I would go to the barber or salon prepared with rough ideas of what I wanted but secretly hoping the stylist would do something drastic to elevate my model potential.
Realistically, this has only happened once. When I was in high school, my former babysitter gave me her credit card and told her salon to give me the full experience… and I felt every inch of that haircut.
Outside of that, I’ve gotten a lot of boring haircuts and now I can more easily walk away saying, “welp, you cut it” and go on with my life.
This week on ANTM Cycle 1, we’re introduced to Jay Manuel for the first time. He’s got some darkass hair, not his signature extra frosted tips.
Tyra tells everyone what they’re getting done. Basically extensions and weaves for all!
There is so much foreshadowing this episode because WE KNOW Nicole is going to get eliminated. To start, she just got $1500 worth of extensions (and that’s what they look like?!). She has reservations about getting them taken out for her makeover.
Apparently, she complained enough they didn’t do the full makeover. It looks like they just straightened her crunchy curls.
Gisele became the first person to cry after her not-that-extreme makeover. It looks like they added some highlights and blew it out.
Also, let’s talk about the touch of racism in Ebony’s haircut/trim. A bunch of white women swarming around without the right clippers, and Ebony (deservedly) didn’t like how they were having a conversation about her IN FRONT of her.
She later says, “It is very upsetting to an African American woman to go into a salon and a person to do her hair incorrectly. And it’s very inappropriate.”
To the salon:
Robin was mad to go lighter.
For the full before and afters, I recommend this series where a hairdresser reacts to ANTM makeovers. When I got my hair bleached, I used him for inspiration.
After their makeovers, a gay leads them on a tour of expensive fashion. I have no idea who he is or what his qualifications are.
Robin buys a pair of boots for $795 to prove she’s rich. In today’s money that would be $1,136.39. And that STILL wouldn’t pay for Nicole’s extensions in 2003.
The contestants then have a makeover challenge because why not? This gives us further proof Nicole is going home. Elyse wins and gets to invite three friends to an event. She picks Nicole who doesn’t want to go. She says she doesn’t feel well, but we know she wants to go cry on the phone to her boyfriend back home.
Trainer/actor Jon comes back to lead the girls in a workout. He calls Adrianne a “beast”. Calm down. She’s lifting eight-pound dumbbells. Robin’s late and doesn’t want to work out. She cries when Jon calls her out.
This week’s photoshoot is my favorite of the season. They have to pose with snakes, which would make me so uncomfortable. I can’t imagine having a snake, especially a heavy one, draped over my shoulders.
Robin doesn’t like the snakes either and calls for some help.
My faves are Adrianne
And Shannon
To add even more drama to the mix, Adrianne (the “beast”) gets super sick and has to go to the hospital. She’s normally a badass, but this really wipes her out.
Tyra says the “judges”, meaning the producers, decided if Adrianne can’t get to panel, she’ll be eliminated because it wouldn’t be fair to the other girls. Mmhmm.
Adrianne books it to judging but looks like the scariest wax replica you can imagine.
They have to do ANOTHER makeup challenge. Enough with the makeup!
Surprise, Nicole is eliminated. Tyra says her photos don’t have much life.
And that’s ok. It turns out Nicole’s boyfriend at the time is BMX biker Cory Nastazio and now they’re married.
Nicole modeled for Maxim and even signed to a modeling agency while she was pregnant!
Most recently, Nicole is selling real estate and owns her own mobile tanning business. Ok Nicole. Make that money!
Thanks for reading and I hope to see you back here for episode 4. 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