America’s Next Top Model 8, Episode 2: Sarah’s Liberating Moment

The girls are gathered up in the back after the show. Roy tells Natasha that she had no clue where the other girls were and was totally lost. Samantha needs more of a swagger on the runway and Sarah’s nipple making a cameo on the runway is briefly discussed. Renee is told that she was lost in the shuffle and lagged a bit, but she doesn’t seem to care, since she tells the camera that the crowd loved her and that’s all that matters. I guess she doesn’t realize that the crowd doesn’t make the decisions.

Brittany is told that she has the best stage presence, and Jaslene, who is smiling from ear to ear, is told that she was off on the choreography, unsure about herself and made the most mistakes of the group. Jaslene is shocked since she thought she did so well and Renee tells the camera that she knew Jaslene was the worst of the group. Does Renee ever shut up?

It was a challenge though, and the winner is – Brittany! Brittany gets a huge trophy with a spray-painted high heel on top. She’s shocked, but so happy and can’t believe it. The girls pile into the limo, along with Brittany’s gigantic trophy, and head home, where the first thing out of Jaslene’s mouth is how Roy made her out to be the worst of the bunch even though she was so confident. Renee, who never shuts up, says that Jaslene might be cocky, but she’s very insecure.

Felicia talks to Whitney, saying that attitudes are changing in the house. People are getting mad when they aren’t at the top. She’s obviously referring to Jaslene, who happens to hear the whole conversation. Jaslene tells the camera that she would rather talk about things instead of saying it behind people’s backs, so she begins to argue with Felicia. Jaslene says it’s easy to get caught up in all the drama in the house, as we see her call home again. She tells her mom that the others are ganging up on her because she has the best walk in the house. I really love Jaslene, but I wish she would be more realistic – she doesn’t have the best walk!

Nothing lightens the mood like Tyra mail – especially when Natasha reads (or attempts to read) it. Natasha reads: “So glad we BFF. Good luck in all you do and don’t forget KIT!” The other girls have no clue what Natasha is saying, and finally decipher their Tyra Mail to mean they are going back to high school again!

The next day, the girls are back at the school, only this time, it’s Jay Manuel that is there to greet them. He says that the girls came back to school for their photo shoot this time. Each girl will be acting out a cliché from high school, and they will each be portraying the following:

• Renee – Class clown
• Whitney – The “mean girl”
• Felicia – Jock
• Cassandra – Cheerleader
• Jaslene – The “weird girl”
• Diana – Student body president
• Brittany – Valedictorian
• Natasha – Teacher’s pet
• Sarah – Class flirt
• Samantha – The girl with the “bad reputation”
• Dionne – The “bad girl”
• Jael – The “bookworm”

The girls are sent through hair and makeup, and there’s a lot of product placement this time around since apparently, Herbal Essences is doing the girl’s hair, so we need to be told a million times which kind of product they are using. I’m a Garnier guy, so I don’t want to hear this!

Jael is up first for her photo, and she’s the bookworm. She says that she’s a nerd inside out anyway, so this is easy for her. Jay seems to think so too, since he seems happy with her shoot. Sarah is up next and she’ the “flirty girl.” She does her thing and has a little giggle going on. I like Sarah, but I feel like she’s forcing it a bit too much.

Dionne is up next and she’s the bad girl. She’s happy with this because she knows how to seduce! Cassandra is the cheerleader and Jay thinks that most of her photos are dull. I agree, and to be honest, I keep forgetting who Cassandra even is!

Renee is the class clown and she isn’t happy with that at all. On top of it, Jael and Sarah are watching her shoot, which frustrates her since they didn’t ask. Jael even shouts out some posing advice when Jay calls to her! He comments that Renee was actually painful to watch. Samantha says that she went from a lesbian in her photo last week, to a ho this week. She’s the girl with the “bad reputation” and that just wasn’t her in high school. To the side though, Renee complains that she didn’t get something easier, like being a slut. Man… shut up, Renee!

Whitney says she was never one of the “mean girls” but she can still put it off in her photo. I’m not quite sure she does though; she looks very stiff. Brittany does a great job as the valedictorian, and Jay agrees. All her poses are on point. Diana is the student body president, and nothing about her wows me, but Jay seems to think she did an okay job, so I’ll go with that for right now.

Felicia is the jock and does some jumping around. I like it – the photo shoot reminds me of Keese from the first season of the show, when she was the cheerleader in the photo with that football player. Jaslene tells the camera that she didn’t watch any of the other girl’s shoots because she doesn’t want to learn from them – she wants them to learn from her. She’s the “weird girl” and looks very goth. Jay loves her shoot, saying that she didn’t give him one bad frame. Renee complains, of course, and thinks that she could have done well with what Jaslene was given as well.

Natasha is up last and has no clue what a teacher’s pet is. She tries her best and Jay tries to talk her through it, but it’s clear that she has no clue what’s going on. I’m not sure who is more frustrated – Jay or Natasha! He ends the shoot after Natasha does some posing that she has seen in magazines, and when she walks away, tells the camera that she feels like a failure.

Back at the house, Renee says that she was given a harder task than the rest of the girls. She wasn’t able to adapt and feels all the girls should have been put out of their comfort zones. Jaslene tries to tell Renee about different emotions in the face and eyes, but Renee just cuts her off, which leads Jaslene to believe that Renee is simply trying to make up excuses. Tyra mail arrives and says another girl is leaving tomorrow. Jael reads this Tyra mail topless, causing Samantha to tell the camera that there’s a time and place for fun, but you can’t be crazy all the time. She feels so alone in a house with so many people. Natasha talks to Jael about elimination saying that she knows she didn’t do well and this is all so stressful to her.

The girls file into the judging room. Tyra comments that at this point, the girls look great in front of the judges and she’s proud of them. They are reminded of the prizes and introduced to the judges, including Ms. J., who has two ruffles on his collar this week and will be adding one each time a girl is eliminated, and Roy Campbell, the fashion show coordinator. Sarah is up first!

Sarah steps forward and the judges look at her photo as the flirt. Nigel likes it and thinks she was in the role, while Twiggy thinks it might be a bit too sexy. She’s over thinking the whole thing. Cassandra as the cheerleader is met with mixed reviews. The judges like her posing and body, but feel there is no fire in her eyes.

Diana, as the class president, is loved by the judges. They feel she has presence and is in control. Same thing goes with Dionne as the bad girl. The judges like her photo and feel she is perfect in the eyes. Brittany gets a congrats for her win in the challenge, and extra praise for her photo as a valedictorian. Twiggy thinks her face is timeless and Nigel thinks she looks very clever.