Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Search: Is The Supermodel Pass Cursed?

As I write this, the finale of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Search is being filmed in Los Angeles. The twelve models have been whittled down to two and America has spoken (although, at this point, there decision is not yet known). During the course of the past five episodes we have seen several models win the Supermodel Pass. But consider this: out of five episodes, three Supermodel Pass winners were eliminated in the same episode in which they won their respective passes.

In Episode One, Sabrina won the Supermodel Pass and, later that episode, became the first person eliminated from the show. In Episode Four, Shannon won the Supermodel Pass for a second time and presented Jenna with a Pass of her own. During eliminations that episode, Jenna was dropped. In Episode Five, Stacy — who, in an earlier episode, complained about needing to win a Supermodel Pass — finally won the last one up for grabs… and was sent home.

As with every rule, there are exceptions. In Episode Two, Shannon won her first Supermodel Pass and gave one to Betti, yet both made the cut fairly early in the elimination round. In Episode Three, Alicia won the Supermodel Pass and awarded a second Pass to Krisi. Later that episode, Alicia ended up in the Bottom Two at eliminations, but still made the cut.

Of course, some people would chalk these eliminations and near misses up to coincidence. They would say that Sabrina’s elimination had more to do with the way she used her advantage than with her modeling. They could also say that Betti’s attitude over her makeover was not bad enough to get her eliminated in Episode Two or that, despite her diva attitude on the Winter Scene shoot in Episode Three, Alicia was kept because of her raw talent and smoldering good looks. For Jenna, they could point to Jule’s comment that a finale with Shannon would make for a better competition, and for Stacy, they could point to her nerves during her morning photo shoot.

While these are all plausible explanations, the fact remains that three out of five Supermodel Pass Winners were eliminated after they won their Pass. If it was merely a coincidence, it’s certainly an eerie one!

So is winning the Supermodel Pass bad luck? I guess it depends on whom you ask. Shannon won the Pass twice and worked her way into the Final Two. Is the Supermodel Pass cursed? Probably not, but there is definitely enough evidence to make a case for either side.

Gil Sery is a freelance writer and founder of My NetClips, the newest journalism job search website. You can email him at movieman26@hotmail.com.

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