Cycle 2, Episode 3: "The Girl Who Can Cry at the Drop of a Hat"
Shandy got a lot of flack last episode for her lumbering walk, so she’s practicing…with a blanket instead of an actual dress??
Heather’s not having a great time because she doesn’t fit in with the other models. She also finds it hard being away from home at 18. Throughout the episode, she latches on to different contestants hoping they’ll be the one that gets her. A couple friendly encounters but no luck.
The models are taken to a hair salon where Tyra tells them … they’re in a hair salon. She gets way more creative explaining makeovers in future seasons.
It’s makeovers! Obviously, there has to be drama and crying but also some new “elevated” looks.
My favorite is hands down Shandy. I mean hello. We can forgive that walk with this glow up.
My least fave is definitely Catie, both her makeover and her crying about her makeover. I don’t think she has a super strong look to begin with, but I get that a short haircut can be a major change. As ANTM progresses, it seems to be a good sign when you get a short cut. It means Tyra thinks you have a strong face. I personally believe they should have chopped Catie’s hair even shorter.
They really didn’t do anything to Heather and she’s mad about it. I hear you, girl. Getting a big makeover is typically a good sign. If they don’t change much that means they don’t really care about you and you’ll probably go home soon.
My makeover journey:
I had been looking for a change the last few months. I grew my hair out during the pandemic and really like my natural wave, but I don’t know how to style it. Also, my grays stick out more when my hair’s longer. On top of that, several people (straight men) have recently guessed that I look 38?! I’m a youthful 33! So, I thought “let me bleach my hair again”. I’ve done it once and overall liked it. Let’s go even lighter this time.
I don’t love it. I wanted it to be much lighter. It’s very yellow blonde. And this is after two processes. I don’t know what happened, but I left the salon really disappointed. However, I’m not going to pull a Catie and cry about it. I’ll see how it grows out and maybe shave my head in time for the summer.
Jay announces the models have to do their own makeup while fighting over one mirror. It’s such a Top Model challenge, making things difficult for no reason. If they just had a makeup challenge, that would be enough.
Yoanna wins the challenge and chooses Xiomara, Sara and April. Heather feels slighted.
Throughout the day, Shandy was complaining that she wasn’t feeling well. She said the lights from the makeup mirror were right on her. She also keeps fanning herself and swaying from side to side. Eventually, she collapses onto the floor, which looks really scary. But the effect the editors used on the shot to make it look extra dramatic is silly.
In the moments after she goes down, no one besides the other contestants help Shandy!! Can we get a medic or at least someone like Jay Manuel to take charge as opposed to having ten 20-year-olds crowd around Shandy and fix her hair?
Yoanna jumps into mom mode and gets snacks from her purse because she knows Shandy’s blood sugar is low. Shandy says it was because she didn’t eat or get enough sleep and needs to prioritize her health more. I feel like Shandy’s the type of person who forgets to eat and I cannot relate to that at all.
For Yoanna’s prize, she wins a dinner with three special guests: the male models from the Adam and Even shoot in Episode 1. The other contestants have to prepare the food and serve them. A very Top Model/reality TV prize/punishment.
The models get a Tyra Mail alluding to phobias and Catie has this to say:
They pull up to an old warehouse where Jay tells them they will be doing an “action fashion editorial” suspended over a huge hole.
Catie now says her ultimate fear is falling to her death. She somehow gets a phone to call her dad.
Xiomara takes it upon herself to mentor Catie. She doesn’t want Catie to get scared, so she constantly reassures her while she’s dangling over the hole. But Xiomara feels like Jay is comforting Catie so much, he forgets to direct her.
Catie does not love her time in the air, but she does it! And eventually stops crying long enough to pose.
At panel, the models have to do their makeup in a certain style: glamour, mod, punk, goth or futuristic.
Camille decides to write ancient runes on her face. Like what?
My favorite photo this week is Shandy. She’s my #1 by far at this point, although I do feel like she needs to prioritize her health and possibly put on weight if that’s doable for her.
Not to jump ahead, but Shandi’s now a DJ/karaoke host in NYC who seems to be way more comfortable in her own skin. She goes by Shanthrax.
At judging, Xiomara brings up that Jay was distracted with Catie and didn’t help her, and Tyra wants to start the drama.
To be fair, neither Xio nor Catie’s photos are great.
And to add more fuel to the fire, Catie tries to clap back at Xiomara for her comments at panel. Everyone needs to cut the crap.
While the judges deliberate, CATIE now gets faint and needs medical attention. What is going on with the models this week?? Sarah LOVED IT!!
Heather (with no friends) and Xiomara (trying to be Catie’s friend) land in the bottom two. In a shock to me, Heather gets eliminated instead of Xiomara. It’s one of those where neither of them is going to win, so it really doesn’t matter who gets to stay one more week. But, to maintain the drama, the show keeps both contestants who were part of the “fight” this week so people keep tuning in.
Heather claimed she was going to make it big as a model, but surprise, she didn’t. That’s not a dig on her personally. I think the nature of the show at the beginning was this all-or-nothing mentality that if you’re pretty or have any model potential, you’ll make it big. But, most of the contestants never caught a break. Some did get great modeling or even acting jobs, but (from what I can tell) the industry is so saturated that it’s really hard to make it full-time and have a lasting career.
Heather’s now a mom and a nurse, both of which are super great accomplishments. We also love her for poking fun at herself years later. Get it, Heather!
Thanks for reading and I hope to see you back here for Cycle 2, 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
please send one of these every day, no i do not care if you have to quit your job to do it