America’s Next Top Model 10, Episode 1: Class is in Session

Fatima becomes the first girl to cry in the judging room. She tells the judges she’s lived in America for seven years and goes to NYU. Tyra compares her to Iman. Fatima tells us that she was circumcised when she was seven, and it’s a positive ritual in Somalia. Yeah, I obviously can’t make fun of that. Tyra has Fatima explain female circumcision to everyone. She says she couldn’t control it, but she wants to make sure it never happens to anyone else. She’s here for herself, and she wants to get her voice from this competition, though she knows she herself can’t change what’s happening. Jay likes Fatima’s energy and thinks she’ll do something incredible.

In the holding room, Fatima announces that she doesn’t see herself ever getting married, then explains that she can’t have sex. She starts crying and Shaya comforts her. So I guess all is forgiven? Marguerite tells us that the other girls all felt like they needed to help her feel better. Marvita, however, decides to ask if Fatima feels like less of a woman. Way to read the room, Marvita. She and Allison start arguing, and Marvita threatens a beatdown.

Marvita then goes to see the judges, telling us that after seeing her on the last cycle, her pastor told her, “You need some more Jesus.” Her pastor watches this show? Awesome. Marvita admits to the judges that she almost got into a fistfight a few minutes ago. She thinks people come around with love. Tyra notes that Jaslene did well after getting therapy and coming back for a second try, but Jay doesn’t think Marvita has made the same changes, and she’s trying to present herself as someone she isn’t. Also, Jaslene didn’t have anger issues, she was just kind of weird.

Jenna (20, Boston, and more ghetto than anyone Fatima has given that label to) gives us the rundown on how she wants to trick out her Impala. This ends with her singing out, “Flyyyy!” I love her. She interviews more about wanting an Impala. Tyra says she’s pretty but Jay thinks she needs to not talk. Jennifer is insecure about her stretch marks but is proud to be plus-sized and Latina. Jay thinks she’s sweet and there’s a maturity about her.

Claire wants to be a “global warrior” and doesn’t want to be a coward for her daughter. She says it’s hard to be away from her daughter, especially since she’s still breastfeeding… so she’s drinking the milk. She’s drinking. Her own. Milk. Excuse me, I have to go throw up. It’s called pump and dump, Claire! The judges say they’re thirsty and drink some (hopefully cow’s) milk. Ewwwwww.

The girls are back in their uniforms, and the Jays are ready to hand out midterms. There are 35 girls, but only 20 will get “pass” grades. Whitney, Jenna, Marvita, Katarzyna, Jennifer, Kristen, and Stacy-Ann are some of them. We also see that Claire’s full name is Claire-Aimee, because Aimee/Amy is apparently this season’s hot name. Dominique wants to set the standard, saying that some of the girls going home are taking a little bit of her with them. And if they don’t want to? Marvita tells some of the cut girls not to cry, but to come back next season like she did. Shaya is one of the cut girls, and she says God puts obstacles in your way so you’ll grow. Shalynda has been cut AGAIN. Marguerite is also out and says, “I’m done.”

The lucky semi-finalists are about to pose for their last photos, their senior-class portraits. Fatima is going to give more than 100 percent and go all the way. Jay tells the girls they’ll be doing their own hair and makeup, but all wearing the same black tube-tops. Allison paints on purple tear tracks of makeup, knowing that’s hot in Asia. Lauren isn’t sure what to do. Jay tells the girls they’ll also wear stoles.

Allison goes first, and though Jay isn’t sure about her makeup, he likes her posing. One girl paints on a bruise, for some reason. Kristen doesn’t want to go home. Anya appreciates everything that’s been given to her, especially the food. Fatima thinks too much about her shot, which she seems to keep forgetting is just a beauty shot. She interviews that she didn’t care that she took so long because she wanted to do well. Kim growls. Whitney does a cute “surprised” shot. Jay likes Marvita’s confidence. He tells the girls that all the judges will look over their photos, and some girls will pass while others will fail.

Sometime later, Tyra and the Jays look over all the girls’ photos from the week, in alphabetical order. Aimee looks like a model, but doesn’t know how to model. Allison’s makeup confuses everyone, and Ms. J thinks she was confused, too. However, she at least stood out. Ms. J thinks Amy is a little dated. Anya is the quintessential model but won’t do well with speaking. Atalya’s audition photo wasn’t good, but her final shot was good. Ms. J thinks Claire has potential and is different. Jay thinks she’ll decide the business is too vain for her.

Tyra seems to like Dominique’s attitude, but Jay thinks she’s so perfect that she’ll become boring. Ms. J loves Fatima’s face but not her walk. Jenna… wants an Impala. That’s about it. Jennifer gives a lot of different faces in her photos. Katarzyna is sexy and looks a bit like Paulina Porizkova (foreshadowing alert!). Kim/Kimberly/whatever we’re calling her gets a little squinchy in the face. Kristen has a European vibe and Jay says you’ll want to know more about her. Lauren is a tad hopeless, but Jay thinks she could pull it together.

Marvita wasn’t ready last time, but now she’s back, though Jay thought she was more impressive last cycle. The judges imitate Stacy-Ann, and Jay says he likes her walk. Whitney is pretty, and we don’t get much more about her. After the judges make their picks, Jay says he thinks New York will turn a Top Model out.

The girls gather for graduation, but only 13 (remember that number! Seriously!) will be graduating. The girls girl (the valedictorian?) is Allison. She’s followed by Fatima, Katarzyna, Kim, and Stacy-Ann. Tyra says “Amy,” but she and Aimee aren’t sure which she means. Tyra says both of them get to come to New York, but one has to change her name. Also graduating are Claire, Whitney, Marvita, Lauren (who gets props for her originality), Atalya, and Anya. The girls who’ve already been chosen seem really excited for her. The other girls… not so much.

But wait! At the last minute, Tyra decided to cast another girl. That lucky 14th model is Dominique. She says she feels blessed and humble, but she’s going to rock this. Tyra tells the ungraduates that they should try to prove her wrong. Jennifer seems to be taking it well, but Kristen thinks she wanted this more than a lot of the girls who made it through. Those girls will be going to New York. Anya thinks she has what it takes. Whitney says it’s surreal and she’s sure she’s going to win. Sorry, Whitney, but I don’t think so. We know what always happens to the plus-sized girls.

Next week: New York, New York. The girls walk a runway show in what looks like Times Square. Something shocking happens at elimination, and Tyra asks why someone came there.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out these other recent America’s Next Top Model 10 articles on RealityNewsOnline:

Jenn Brasler is an Associate Editor of Reality News Online and an aspiring writer from Falls Church, Virginia. By day she works for a court reporting firm, and by night she’s a spy for a covert branch of the CIA. You can e-mail her at luckyjenn@hotmail.com. Jenn wonders when “I went to therapy” became the new password to get yourself on the show.

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