America’s Next Top Model 10, Episode 10: When in Rome…

Last week, gangly Lauren once again showed how uncoordinated she was even while cutting onions. She lopped a sizeable chunk off her thumb and had to go to the hospital for stitches. Meanwhile, we thought we might lose Fatima due to paperwork and consulate issues. Despite not having a photo to shoot, the judges thought she had a better body of work than Stacy-Ann, so she got a chance to fly to Rome.

The first time we see the girls in Rome they are going through the airplane terminal and getting onto a bus. I have to say, for them being up all night packing, then doing a shoot, then getting onto a plane and flying to Rome, they look really good. The times I’ve traveled back and forth from Europe, I felt like a train hit me and probably smelled like it too! That’s probably too much information, huh? In any case, they look great after being up all this time.

Most of the girls are in awe at all the sights and amazing architecture found in the city. They’re glowing. Well, everyone’s excited, except gloomy Lauren. I bet if she just gave things a chance and attempted to enjoy herself, she might just actually have some fun!

Just as I’m typing about Lauren, I watch Anya take a face plant as she steps off their mini-bus. It’s hysterical enough to rewind a few times! She says, “My first step in Rome and I eat it on the ground!” Priceless! So much for grace, you think? She hops up quickly, so she isn’t hurt, thankfully.

My girl, Whitney, tells us that it’s “huge” that a plus-size girl has made it this far in the competition (her words, not mine, folks), so she’s excited and grateful to be there. Wait – was that a foreshadowing fairy flitting around her shoulder? I hope not.

As they are seeing the sights and stopping for pictures, the bus driver gives them their Tyra mail. It’s really sad to see the card itself, as it’s a picture of Tyra as if she were the Mona Lisa. Leonardo Da Vinci must be rolling in his grave right now. The mail tells them to go around the corner where they’ll find their new Roman apartment. They must look for a flag. Reality fans probably can’t help but laugh as the girls turn the corner. The flag they see looks remarkably like one of The Amazing Race flags!

The apartment is beautiful, of course, and it even has a small pool in one of the main living areas. The artwork and furniture are stunning. Fatima becomes really familiar with one of the beds pretty quickly as she seems to be coming down with the flu. Whitney and Dominique think she needs to suck it up and just get on with it. Anya is empathetic enough to go check on her and bring her some food.

The next morning, the girls are still in bed and Fatima is still not feeling good. Lauren rudely wakes all the girls up by stomping around and throwing stuff everywhere. Whitney thinks that Lauren is just over the competition.

More Tyra mail arrives. It says, “Be careful how you roll. You may miss the beauty in Rome.” Sweet, yet clueless, Anya deduces somehow that they’ll be on the river. What? Okay, I’m blonde, but that was a seriously blonde moment. I have no idea where she could’ve gotten that. It’s a good thing she’s pretty.

The girls are greeted the next day at a piazza by their beautiful Italian guide, Claudio, who is one of the assistant designers for Gai Mattiolo. He’s there to educate them about how Italian women look and dress, as well as show them around Rome. Oh, and he has that Italian accent that just makes me melt. The women who he points out seem like they are planted by the producers rather than just real random women on the street.

Once the tour is over, they get to meet designer Gai Mattiolo, but they have to present themselves with Italian style. They’re each given a dress made by the designer and get a chance to model it for him. Of course, this is the challenge, so someone will end up winning a great prize.

All of the girls’ dresses are just beautiful and they all look stunning. Whitney isn’t comfortable as all the sample sizes are a size two, which she is nowhere near. They manage to come up with something for her though, and she ends up looking like she stepped off the page of Italian Vogue.

Each girl walks for Gai and he comments on each of them. Fatima is elegant. Dominique is natural, but didn’t look fresh. Katarzyna is beautiful. Anya is so blonde, skinny, young, and fresh. He stumbles a bit while trying to talk to Whitney, and only manages to tell her that she is so American and has a beautiful face. What, does he think we’re all plus-sized? Sheesh! Well, yeah, many of us outside the ages of 15-17 are, now that I think about it. Finally, Lauren clomps around in her dress. He recognizes that she is tall and has long legs.

Once again, Anya is declared the winner and is given a striking white beaded gown. She’s excited. Whitney and Lauren are visibly stunned that Anya, who just won $10,000 and a photo shoot last week, won yet again. I think this is three challenges she’s won this cycle. We may be seeing the edit of our eventual winner here, folks.

Back at the apartment, you guessed it, there’s more Tyra mail. This time it simply says “easy, breezy, beautiful” in Italian, which Katarzyna picks up on almost immediately. She also quickly notes that this could be a challenge where they do a commercial in Italian.

Lauren, yet again, isn’t happy. Is she ever happy? Between her pouty, lifeless face and Fatima’s illness this week, I wonder if we’ll be seeing these two in the bottom this week.

Jay Manuel greets the girls at their shoot, telling them that they are going to do a 30 second commercial in Italian for Cover Girl. As they get their hair and makeup done, the girls rehearse their three lines. Fatima wants to prove to the judges that they were right to keep her around. She seems to be feeling better and is ready for a fight. Katarzyna is fluent in a few languages, so she should be able to do well.

The director shows them exactly what they need to do. It seems simple enough, but I can imagine that trying to do the moves, walk well, and remember the lines in a different language has to be difficult.

Dingy Anya is up first. She looks smoking hot, moves well, but she butchers the language enough to make all the guys on the crew howl with laughter. She can’t even get the word “grazie” out to thank them -- she unknowingly thanks them in Spanish. You can’t help but like her. She can charm anyone, I think.

Katarzyna is up next. She delivers the Italian like a pro, as expected, but she just doesn’t have the energy you’d expect to see in one of these Cover Girl commercials. She looks like the real deal, but she’s dull.