America’s Next Top Model 10, Episode 2: There’s No Place Like Home

Amis steps out onto the runway and performs a gawky move, thrusting her hip out to one side. Ms. J’s reaction is about the same as mine with a pinched face. She’s very tomboy. Lauren doesn’t fare much better, but earlier in the episode she at least admitted to us that this will be the first time for her to wear heels in her 22 years of life. Oh boy, you can really tell, too! She’s clearly uncomfortable; looks like a five-year-old playing in her mother’s shoes, and she knows she didn’t do well on the runway.

Fatima and Marvita go at it for a moment. It is something minor like Fatima’s arm swung out, hit Marvita, and she didn’t apologize for it.

The next day, the girls head out to Elite Model Management, where they will be given an assessment of the first impression from someone in the management company. This is also where we get our first impression of the newest judge this season, Paulina Porizkova, who will replace Twiggy. Some of you may remember her as an ‘80s supermodel; others as an early out on a recent season of Dancing with the Stars. In either way, you’ll remember that she’s just simply a beautiful woman.

There is some news out there that Paulina has some objections to ANTM, in that it tends to favor those with more personality, rather than how someone shows up on camera. She has been quoted in The Post as saying, “Models are not meant for TV - that’s the nature of the work, that you’re one-dimensional... You can be as dumb as a log and just look great. But being America's Next Top Model, you have to have some personality.” The producers obviously looked at getting her onto the show as a challenge, and surprisingly, she agreed. I think she may be a good balance to some of the schmaltzy commentary we get from the rest of the judges. We can only hope.

Paulina doesn’t pull any punches. She tells Amis that she has bad skin and needs to correct it. Dominique is buttered up to say that she looks a little like actress Robin Penn, but a transvestite version of her. Yikes, that’s harsh! She tells Kim that she must let go of the high-school look and bring out her dark side. Then Paulina makes this scary face like she’s choking up a snake! Seriously, it’s something that might wake me up in a nightmare. Finally she tells Marvita not to clench her jaw or she’ll end up with a square face. Will the girls take this advice to heart?

The girls are shushed away to their first photo shoot by way of a giant yellow limo-cab. It’s the FAB Cab! In it, Fatima once again starts pushing the big red button clearly displayed on Marvita’s chest. It’s only going to get worse.

We’re treated to a Cover Girl commercial with last cycle’s winner, Saleisha. She shows us a new, improved hair-do and a bland personality. Jenn, you were right about that. Good thing Paulina’s going to be around this season to make sure we get another girl with no personality, but possibly one who looks great in photos.

Holy cow, we’re only 26 minutes into the show and we’ve already had a runway show and consultation. I guess we still have to get through the first photo shoot.

The first photo shoot will be taken on the streets and will include homeless people. Oh no, I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I realize that these people will likely be paid for their time with the models, but it just sounds so degrading to me. The founder of Reciprocity Foundation comes in to tell the girls about her charity, which helps people realize that homelessness is a pattern that can be broken.

So this season’s theme is obviously about social obligations and using your newfound fame to do well. This could be good as long as it doesn’t get too preachy. I hope some of these organizations are able to get the word out to raise funds or awareness to their causes.

The homeless ladies are dressed up much more fashionably than our models, but they are more background. They are actually beautiful, and through the course of the shoot, they stand out. Alternatively, the models are dressed much more somberly. They must find a way to tone down their personalities to match the mood, yet still show off the clothes that they are wearing. This may actually be a difficult first shoot to pull off.

A few of the girls start the shoot and make rookie mistakes while Jay coaches them through some points. Fatima gets into herself emotionally and it looks as if she’s producing good shots.