Tuesday 9 August 2022 09:31 PM Former America's Next Top Model fans slam Tyra Banks for how she treated ... trends now
Tyra Banks has once again come under fire for her behavior on reality series America's Next Top Model after another series of distasteful clips resurfaced on social media in which she and her co-judges were seen branding a size six contestant 'plus-size', 'fat' and 'huge'.
The latest backlash against 48-year-old Tyra and her once-popular competition show comes after a TikTok user shared a compilation video exposing how season one contestant Robin Manning, now 46, was repeatedly put down by the former supermodel and her panel of fashion experts.
Despite the fact that she was a slender size six during her appearance on ANTM, the clips show Robin being labeled as 'plus-size' by Tyra, while ex-model Janice Dickinson - who was a panelist on the series - described her as 'fat' and 'huge'.
In the non-fashion world, plus-size is considered anything size 12 and up. While the fashion world as a whole has become more accepting since ANTM premiered in 2003, at the time, models much smaller than size 12 were considered plus-size - and often still are.
Robin Manning was depicted as 'plus-size' model on cycle one of America's Next Top Model
Tyra, pictured in 2022, is being slammed for calling size six model Robin 'plus-size' during cycle one of America's Next Top Model
'Are we shooting for the large size category?' Dickinson asks while looking at a picture of Robin, who was 27 years old at the time, at the top of the video.
'Yes, Robin would represent a plus-size model,' Banks explains while looking at a photo of the slender contestant.
'One problem that I do have is that on the top she's not plus-sized, and on the bottom she is,' the show host continues.
Dickinson then expresses her immediate dislike for the model.
'Robin's out, as far as I'm concerned about being a supermodel,' Janice states. 'The next America's Next Top Model is not a plus sized model, I'm sorry!'
Later on in the clip, Dickinson piles on the insults, stating Robin was 'fat' and 'huge' and that she 'is not going to be a top model' but rather a car model.
Tyra seemed to be more empathetic. In a separate clip, she claps back at Dickinson for those comments - claiming that she was 'the problem with America.'
Robin was made to cry over trying to 'cover up her hips' and later on in the season, the model refused to pose nude over her religious beliefs
She added: 'I think you are the problem of why women are leaning over the toilets at this very moment and vomiting after they've eaten.'
However, Tyra doesn't shut down the conversations going on about Robin's body, instead making comments like 'I just wish her upper body was bigger and matched her lower body better.'
At one point, Tyra gives criticism about a wardrobe choice for a photoshoot - which was possibly not even made by Robin - in relation to her body.
'Do you have to be covered all the time?' Tyra asks regarding a sarong Robin was wearing with her bikini This is saying, "Oh, I got hips. I'm covering them up."''
Seemingly unaware of her approach, Tyra appears to be shocked when Robin walks by her in tears, leaving Tyra to ask, 'Why are you crying, Robin?'
Judge Beau Quillian tries to tip toe more quietly around the issue, stating that she's too 'old to be starting modeling.'
He then brings her size into the conversation about her choosing not to compete in the nude photoshoot over her religious beliefs.
'I was sad that you didn't put yourself out there representing women of a different size,' he states.
Robin was called 'fat' and 'huge' while on ANTM and Tyra claimed that the bottom half of her body was 'plus-size' while the top half was not
Janice Dickinson claimed Robin could not be a top model because she is 'plus-size'
On top of this, when they went to Paris, one of the designers states, 'I don't have a market here for Robin. There's no market for plus sizes in France.'
The media at the time was equally insensitive to the matter. TV Guide magazine published the line 'her ego is as big as her booty.'
Part of the issue was that Robin was painted as the villain of the season - which is why people have felt less sympathetic towards the issue.
'I don't approve of women being divas,' Tyra said in the 2003 TV Guide issue. 'Especially if you haven't made it yet.'
Janice chimed that the she found the model to be 'patronizing.'
Whether her personality was true-to-form or fabricated through editing (or a little bit of both), many former fans of the show don't feel that she deserved to be treated the way she was.
Some were shocked about how they were talking about Robin's body, simply asking, 'PLUS SIZE???!!'
'They should honestly issue a public apology to Robin. Not ok,' one user wrote in the comments section of the TikTok video.
'Robin is absolutely beautiful. It’s disgusting watching the judges tear her down then expect her to be this confident woman. It’s borderline bullying,' another penned.
TikTok users are shocked that size six Robin was considered 'plus-size'
Twitter users also expressed their shock at how Robin was referred to as 'plus-size' on ANTM
The video was also posted to Twitter and immediately went viral. The Twitterverse was quick to chime in. Some echoed the same sentiment that they were shocked Robin was considered plus-size.
'The 2000s were something else. This woman’s body was sickening,' the Twitter user wrote along with the video.
'She was considered PLUS SIZED????' One user simply asked.
'Wowwwe she was not plus size at all. I wish Twitter was around to drag allll the judges,' another tweeted.
'It’s crazy how much beauty standards have changed it the past 20 years because Robyn was never plus sized,' a third lamented. 'She just wasn’t a size 2 which is unrealistic for most women. The 90s/ early 2000s were hell on women’s bodies.'
Other users share how the video opened up their eyes to the problems of a show they once enjoyed.
'I love this show but there was a lot of #bodyshaming back then. Robin was way ahead of her time,' one user wrote.
'Sadly, I was obsessed with this show when I was younger,' another expressed of ANTM. 'No wonder I've battled with body insecurities my entire life.'
Some users even came for Tyra, declaring her 'the real villain.'
'They call her fat and making her feel horrible, but want her to pose nude. Tyra and her clique/crew were so mean and evil,' one user tweeted.
ANTM viewers express that they hadn't realized the show's 'body shaming' problems when it aired
ANTM viewers call out Tyra for allowing Robin to be treated with such disrespect
Another wrote, 'Whole d*** show was a hate crime against women’s bodies. Specially black women they clowned everything about us and Tyra was there to okay it all smh.'
'Robyn had a BEAUTIFUL body!!!!' a third exclaimed. 'This show was horrible to Black women that were on it back then! Very much anti-Black AF and Tyra Banks was ok with all of it!!! So sad to watch this back!!! She was the real villain!!'
This is far from the first time that fans have expressed outrage about the messages Tyra put out there on the show.
In 2020, a clip resurfaced of when cycle six winner Danielle Evans was asked to change her appearance during her time on the show.
Danielle had a gap in her teeth and even though she seemed proud of this unique feature of hers, Tyra insisted that she couldn't be a Covergirl looking the way that she did.
'Do you really think you can have a Covergirl contract with a gap in your mouth?' Tyra asked her on the show.
'Yes, why not?' Danielle responded, to which Tyra responded that the gap would be 'all people see.'
Danielle was asked to close the gap in her teeth on NTM but she didn't seem to want to
'Do you really think you can have a Covergirl contract with a gap in your mouth?' Tyra asked Danielle on the show
'It wasn’t about coping out,' Danielle said of her decision to compromise and get her gap partially closed
Eventually, Danielle agreed to have it partially closed.
Addressing the matter in an Instagram video from 2020, Danielle explained, 'Nothing or no one was going to stand in my way.
'It wasn’t about coping out. It was about understanding what holds weight and value in my life and teeth was not one of them.'
Tyra caught wind of the criticism and while she 'agreed' with everyone's take on the matter and admitted she had made some 'off choices,' she did not apologize.
'Been seeing the posts about the insensitivity of some past ANTM moments and I agree with you,' she tweeted at the time.
'Looking back, those were some really off choices. Appreciate your honest feedback and am sending so much love and virtual hugs.'
America's Next Top Model's problem with weight didn't stop with Robin in cycle one.
Cycle three contestant Cassie Grisham admitted to practicing bulimic tendencies while she was on the show.
While Cassie denied that she was bulimic, she admitted to practicing the behaviors of the disease - stating that she had 'an obsession with my weight' which caused her to her to throw up 'sometimes' and worry about food '24-7.' she acknowledged, noting that she worries about food '24–7.'
Cassie denied being bulimic and claimed it was because she didn't throw up 'after every meal'
Designer Nanette Lepore told Cassie that 'she’s not exactly a size 2'
Another designer, Marc Bouwer, measured her hips after claiming her thighs were too big
When questioned about her behavior, she stated, 'If I didn’t want to be a model, I would eat whatever I wanted to and not worry about it, but 'I have this will to be skinny. And if people have a problem with it that’s their problem, not mine.'
'If it makes me happy to do this, then they shouldn’t have a problem,' she told the cameras. 'I’ve grown up dreaming of being a model… And great, there’s plus-sized models; that’s not for me.'
The show addressed the issue minimally, inviting Kate Dillon, who lectured the group that if they need to starve themselves, 'this might not be the right career for any of you.'
However, they dropped the issue as Cassie continued to succeed on the show and eventually sent her on go-sees where designers critiqued her appearance.
Designer Nanette Lepore said 'she’s not exactly a size 2' while Marc Bouwer measured her hips with a measuring tape and insisted she couldn't wear his clothes because her thighs were too big.
The moment clearly affected Cassie, telling the cameras, 'I have very wide hips. Marc Bouwer told me I was too big.'
The model was sent home that episode because Tyra claimed she 'didn't want it enough.'
One season later, contestant Keenyah Hill was accused of having an unhealthy diet and told to lose weight.
During one challenge, they were assigned animals.
“I’ve picked an animal that I think represents each and every one of you,” Mr. J revealed.
Keenyah was not happy when she was made to pose as an elephant after being told she needed to lose weight
Keenyah was made to pose as 'gluttony' in a grave while eating donuts and posing in bacon grease
Naturally, she was none too pleased that she was given an elephant.
'Everybody else has these sexy little animals. I get to be the big, fat elephant! Ugh!… What is going on?' Keenyah asked.
Additionally, for the seven deadly sins challenge, she was assigned gluttony and posed in a coffin while eating donuts and covered in bacon grease.
Fast forward to cycle 12, Lauren 'London' Levi was also told that she had been gaining weight and needed to take care of it.
Mr. J scolded had a chat with her about the 'really shocking' of her weight gain.
'It’s just clear that you’re not taking care of your body,' he told her. 'As a model you’re expected to treat your body like a temple.'
On top of this, the model opened up about having an eating disorder while she was on the show so it's no surprise these remarks had an effect on her.
In cycle 12, Lauren 'London' Levi was also told that she had been gaining weight and 'not taking care of her body'
Once she left the show, she revealed that she struggled with an eating disorder shortly before she joined
During her exit speech she said, 'Yeah, I have gained weight but
