Oh, America’s Next Top Model, how I love thee. Now that the show is in its eleventh season, the show is one part self-esteem booster for teenage girls (”No smoking, even though you’re all models! It’s okay not to be a size zero; we’ll even let one of you win a season!”) and one part trainwreck circus. Which isn’t so great for the modeling industry, but an absolute joy for anyone keeping up with the season. And by anyone, I mean me, and by “keeping up,” I mean reading the episode recaps on fourfour.
Asians on America’s Next Top Model have always been hit or miss: There’s been Anchal, the doe-eyed South Asian girl who wore blue contact lenses and got called out by Tyra. (Oh Tyra, always calling out Asians.) There was Julie, the refreshingly down-to-earth girl that had, like, 90 seconds of screentime before promptly eliminated. And who could forget the trainwreck that was Gina?
This season, there’s Half-Japanese Half-Korean Sheena, the girl from Harlem:
What’s definitely going to give me an advantage in this competition is that I’m the only Asian female and I’m not like the other Asian females that was representin in the past couple of cycles. I’m definitely a bit more outspoken, a bit more edgier and confident, and I’m just…
… just hella ghetto. But damn girl, I think you just won me over. If you believe YouTube commenters — really, why wouldn’t you — Sheena is “a stripper … turned go-go dancer, turned wanna-be model,” only living in Harlem from a year from Hawaii. To which I say: if it is true, fucking awesome. This is after all, America’s Next Top Model, not America’s Next Two-Term President, and she rocks a lovely bikini photo without making me hate myself. All she has to do now is out-fierce the actual transgendered contestant and we’ll be good to go.
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Efren wrote:
I can see how they both work the camera, but I’m personally rooting for the TG model. The hoochie-ness is too much for me.
(God, I can’t believe I’m actually admitting to following this!)
Posted on 19-Sep-08 at 12:06 am | Permalink
Linda wrote:
Yes, Sheena needs to class it up a little and then she’ll be easier to root for..
Posted on 19-Sep-08 at 6:18 am | Permalink
Jason wrote:
I can’t believe I remember this, but wasn’t there a half-asian in the first or second season. Was April her name?
I skipped the last 5-6 seasons, but I started watching again this season, mostly just to see how Sheena would do. Sheena’s not bad, but the 3 models with the best photos this week were easily Samantha, Lauren and Elina. Those 3 take such great face shots that I would be surprised if one of them didn’t win at the end of the season.
Then again, Whitney won last season. Her Covergirl commercial is so bad, it’s just surprising that they didn’t pick a more photogenic girl to win.
Posted on 19-Sep-08 at 9:59 am | Permalink
Jason wrote:
Yes! APRIL was smart and beautiful! We must remember her….
Posted on 19-Sep-08 at 10:07 am | Permalink
Jason wrote:
Just wanted to add that I am amazed by Sheena’s balance in that top right photo!
Posted on 19-Sep-08 at 10:18 am | Permalink
John wrote:
I agree - how Sheena doesn’t fall is amazing.
Posted on 19-Sep-08 at 3:19 pm | Permalink
Moye wrote:
I remember April! Her mom was my Japanese teacher in college.
I’m hoping there’s an episode this season where Sheena breaks down and we discover that behind that ghetto fabulous Black girl is just a nerdy Asian who secretly reads manga.
Posted on 19-Sep-08 at 3:26 pm | Permalink
Jac wrote:
sheena’s ok…sorry but her denying the fake boobs was a bit much for me… yes she did step forward and “confess” but only coz she was called out on it.
can we show some love to Elina? She’s half asian and she’s stunning. I think she’s got what it takes to win, she’s so high fashion (thank god coz the past 2 winners were a bit too g rated pretty…)
but yea, represent!
Posted on 19-Sep-08 at 9:16 pm | Permalink
Lana wrote:
I thought April shoulda won.
I LOVE LOVE Sheena!
Posted on 20-Sep-08 at 12:05 am | Permalink
Xxxtine wrote:
I can rock that shirt better than her …
I would’ve been more impressed if she said, “I’m just like all the other Asians you see,” … and then do something completely different and unexpected. Or turn and looking around, “Asian? Where?”
Although Moye’s scenario would be quite hysterical … can you imagine her debating … “Hmmm …. Hello Kitty or Pucca?”
Posted on 20-Sep-08 at 4:38 pm | Permalink
Bobby wrote:
She needs to lose the fake ghetto accent. It makes me wanna kick my tv screen in.
Posted on 23-Oct-08 at 9:18 am | Permalink
Bobby wrote:
Well she’s gone!!!!! Yipeeee! And the ghetto accent disappeared when she was leaving. Hehe!
Bye Sheena!!!!
Posted on 30-Oct-08 at 7:22 am | Permalink