America’s Next Top Model 7, Episode 4: Step Right Up, Folks!

Previously, Jaeda’s makeover left her with lingering insecurities. Monique lashed out at Melrose once again, and when an illness caused Monique to miss the most recent photo shoot, her past wasn’t strong enough to save her from elimination. Ten girls are left, and someone is going home once again. Who? Well, I won’t tell you right now, you have to keep reading!

It’s still night at the house. Melrose and the other girls are talking about Monique being sent home. Michelle says that Monique was the only girl that she didn’t like of all the girls there, and Melrose adds that she isn’t worried anymore, since Monique is gone. To celebrate, the girls pile in the shower, minus Melrose, who tells all the girls that they only get three hours of sleep that night. Megg, in true rock and roll fashion, tells the camera that this is supposed to be fun and she’s there for rock and roll. She ends by calling Melrose a bitch. Brooke adds onto that saying that Melrose always rubs girls the wrong way because she comes across as a know-it-all.

In the morning, we see the girls making and eating breakfast. Jaeda says that she knows people are looking at her and don’t know if she’s a boy or girl. She misses her hair, and being in the bottom two really shook her confidence two weeks ago. She says in the confessional that she knew this would be hard work, but not this hard. Man, all she did was have her hair cut. Was it really that hard?

Anchal tells the camera that she is the “bigger” girl of the group. She doesn’t have a flat stomach and she has bigger boobs. However, she’s living with it, since she has dealt with not being the prettiest girl for her whole life. She’s used to hearing crap, but hides that it worries her. Just then, the girls get Tyra Mail telling them not to get it twisted, and they will be shown how to bend over backwards.

Everyone piles into the limo and the girls get to a dance hall, where they are greeted by supermodel Stacey McKenzie, who is also a judge on Canada’s Next Top Model. This woman looks like the epitome of a drag queen. More than Ms. J.! Stacey tells the girls that they are going to learn how to do high fashion poses today, as she introduces them to a contortionist. Right away, Eugena says that she is flexible, but not that flexible, as we watch the contortionist bend every which way. Melrose says that she does yoga, so this is no problem, while Megg can’t even do the simple stuff. Anchal feels that she is more flexible than she thought and knows that Melrose is looking at her as if she is stealing the spotlight.

When they are finished, Melrose tells Anchal about doing cardio in order to burn off fat, and that she didn’t think Anchal could bend as well as she did. Anchal doesn’t understand why Melrose even cares, and I’m going to agree. Shut up, Melrose!

Back at home, some of the girls are in the hot tub talking. Melrose leads the conversation, which is about Anchal and how she feels Anchal used to be one of the girls she was worried about, but she’s not getting prettier as the competition moves on. The problem? Anchal is up on the balcony listening. CariDee says that Melrose gets confidence when she cuts other girls down. Anchal slinks away and cries. A.J. comforts her and they share a hug while A.J. tells the camera that she hates Melrose, and it takes all that’s in her to not retaliate. Anchal just says that she’s going to do her best.

Later that night, the girls go to dinner at Oasis. There’s a place card that is holding one spot, and we find out it was being saved for Twiggy, who will be talking to the girls about the changes in posing over the years. She tells each of the girls to use their own uniqueness, and not to try and imitate someone else. Melrose throws out a million compliments to Twiggy, and CariDee tells the camera that it’s funny watching Melrose try to stick her nose up anyone’s butt that comes near them. Twiggy bids the girls farewell and the girls head home.

When they arrive home, there is Tyra Mail waiting, which reads that there are some catty bitches in the house right now, and it’s time for them to fight it out on the pedestal. Fast forward to the girls arriving in another studio. They are greeted by fashion designer Bao Tranchi, who says she is known for her decadent collections. Tonight, Bao is having an event, and in one hour, her guests will arrive to see her collection. The girls will need to show an extreme pose in her clothing, and a piece of jewelry. Jaeda is already worried, as we see the girls go through hair and makeup.

Anchal is ready and thinks she is going to do well, as we see the girls head up on the pedestals. Brooke says that she was shaking and CariDee knows that she has to knock this out of the box. Eugena goes for poses that compliment her shape, and Melrose thinks that she has this one locked up. Bao says that Jaeda could have been softer and Megg admits that she is playing it safe.

When the girls file back in, they are told by Bao that the winner is Eugena, and she wins all the jewelry that the girls were wearing, totaling up to $34,000. Eugena says that she didn’t come to the house with any jewelry since back at home they don’t have many shops like that. Melrose gripes about how she could have improved and CariDee just shakes her head. Megg says that she just wants to tell Melrose to shut up and A.J. tells the camera that Melrose just likes to hear herself talk.

Back at the house, the girls wait in a room in which Tyra joins them. She wants to talk about fears and asks the girls if anyone feels insecure. Melrose talks about being 23 and putting off school and Jaeda talks about her hair. Tyra says that her short hair is a compliment and shows off her bone structure. Melrose laughs about the other girls and says that they should never let anything that she says have an effect on them. She knows she needs to gain patience and Anchal admits that she overheard the girls talking about her. Tyra says that when you have a problem, you should not keep it bottled up. I’m so glad that Tyra is also a therapist. You’re not Oprah, honey! Jaeda tells the camera that Anchal is being fake and knows she is pretty. Tyra says goodbye and Melrose says that she just hopes the other girls don’t see her as this horrible person. Too late for that!

Tyra Mail arrives once again and reads that models aren’t always the prettiest girls. In fact, sometimes they are freaks of nature. The next day, the girls get into the limo and drive two hours to a location set up like an old time circus. Think Natalie Merchant’s video for “Kind and Generous.” Jay Manuel greets the girls and tells them that their photo shoot this week will be based on a turn-of-the-century circus freak show. It will be dark and moody.

The girls go through hair and makeup, and in the middle, Jay calls them out of the trailer to introduce them to Atoosa Rubenstien, the editor of Seventeen magazine. She will be watching the girls during their photo shoot, and A.J. is up first. She says the shoot is twisted, just like her. As she poses, it seems like Jay is falling in love.

Brooke is the rubber girl but has some issues with posing. Jay says she needs to look more elongated.

The twins, Michelle and Amanda, are joined at the head, and although they start off looking a bit awkward, Jay feels that they worked it out in the end and really look intertwined.

Megg is the bearded lady and Jay says that she was disappointing again. Megg leaves the shoot knowing that when she thinks too much about her posing, she becomes a crashing plane.

CariDee is the elephant woman and her posing is great! Jays says she looks amazing and her posing is strong.

We don’t get to see much of Eugena, but she looks to be doing a good job as the bird lady.

Anchal is the giant, and she is freaking out. Jay thinks that once she gets her groove, though, she came back hardcore.

Jaeda is the strong woman, but Jay worries that he can’t pull her out of her shell, and that he’s spending so much time coaching her. It’s hard to direct her and tell her how to pose.

Finally, there’s Melrose, who is giving a variety of poses and making Jay very happy. He praises her after the shoot, which is all her big head needs. The shoot wraps up and the girls head home for the night.

When the girls get home, Tyra Mail is waiting for them. Someone is going home tomorrow after they meet with the judges. Megg says that she knows she is probably in the bottom this week, but isn’t ready to go home. Anchal feels good, but all the girls are taking good pictures, so anyone could go home. Jaeda has been having different thoughts and feels that she might be leaving this week.

One by one, the girls file into the judging room. Tyra says that for the first time this season, all the girls are dressed like real models. They are reminded of the prizes and introduced to the judges as usual, including guest judge Atoosa Rubenstein.

Tyra says that this week the girls learned about editorial posing. Using this, they needed to portray circus freaks. A.J. is up first. They look at her photo and feel it’s strong with great body language. She shows intensity.

Eugena won the challenge and is congratulated. Tyra says that she’d buy the feather and nose that Eugena wore, and she sold it and looked fabulous. It totally worked.

Brooke as the rubber girl could have showed more proportion. She did great with the body, but it was the face that let the judges down. She just can’t seem to land the face.

The twins look great and Twiggy loves their photo. Tyra tells Amanda that she had some light issues and really needs to be aware as to where the light is shining. Michelle gets no criticism or compliments, from what we are shown.

Anchal, as usual, is told that she looks beautiful. She appears to be a small giant, but looks great. I’m so sick of everyone having to constantly tell Anchal how great she looks. We get it! She gets it! Everyone gets it! Ugh!

Jaeda’s picture isn’t very well-received. Tyra says that maybe she looks a little too strong and showed too much bad acting in the face. She comes across as “snarly,” says Twiggy.

Melrose steps forward next and her picture is universally loved as always. She’s totally going to get to the final three, I can feel it. Nigel likes it, even though it’s disturbing.

Right away Nigel asks Megg if something is wrong. They look at her photo and it’s really terrible. Megg says she is scared and knows she is capable of so much better than that. She hates the photo, and with good reason!

CariDee is last, and right when she steps forward, Tyra tells her she looks chic. They love her body language in her photo this week and really feel that she modeled the elephant nose amazingly. Now it’s time to deliberate, and as the girls head out, we see Megg still whimpering.

The judges deliberate and have this to say about each of the girls: Melrose is loved this week, and everyone feels that she worked the “ugly face.” Brooke is sweet, and you just want to put her on a cupcake, but she really does have issues delivering in the face. Eugena was dead for most of her photos and pulled out one lucky shot that looks amazing. A.J. is in and has really been bringing “model” to her photos. She’s the only girl that came off as “high fashion” for this shoot.

Megg was a disaster. The judges love her personality but don’t feel like she has turned in one “amazing” photo yet. Amanda and Michelle are allegedly judged separately, but the judges still talk about them as one, saying Amanda has a quirkiness that they all like and Michelle really knows how to work her angles. Anchal is beautiful (rolling eyes) but Twiggy doesn’t think she’s a model. She just doesn’t see it.

CariDee had the best shot this week, to Twiggy, and all the judges throw some praise her way. I have to admit, CariDee is definitely one of my favorites this season, right next to Brooke. Finally, the judges feel that Jaeda had to be pushed too much. However, the funniest is that Twiggy says she was scared of Jaeda’s abs in her photo this week, not realizing that they were airbrushed on. Thank goodness Tyra let her in on the secret!

The girls walk back in. Tyra says that she has ten girls in front of her, but only nine photos, and the first name she’s going to call is… CariDee! She is followed by Eugena, A.J., Melrose, Michelle, Anchal, Amanda, and then Brooke.

Jaeda and Megg step forward. Tyra only has one photo left. The judges see potential in both of them. Megg has a magic about her that just won’t come through in her pictures, while Jaeda has had the biggest transformation in terms of makeover but still hasn’t learned how to work her look. They both have the goods, but neither of them is bringing the goods to their photo shoots. However, one girl is going to be given another chance, and that girl is… Jaeda!

Before Megg leaves, she thanks the judges for the opportunity and says she’ll become stronger because of this. She gives the girls their hugs and gives a hug to Tyra, telling the camera that she is going to miss the other girls. However, now she wants to go home, start a two-person band, and be a musician/model. Even though she didn’t win, the experience is good enough.

Next week, Michelle figures out that she’s not receiving enough camera time and decides to tell some of the other girls in the house that she “might be gay.” Oh, geez. Also, Janice is back, and it looks like the girls will be giving her an interview, and someone ticks her off. It appears to be Brooke, but you never know!

I’ve been on a roll this season. I pegged Megg as the next to go and said Brooke would be in the bottom two with her. Brooke was in the bottom three this week, so I wasn’t far off at all and pegged the girl that went home. Here’s how I see it shaping up for next week:

A.J.
CariDee
Melrose
Michelle
Anchal
Amanda
Eugena
Jaeda
Brooke

Phil Kural is an office manager at a law firm, and graduated from Temple University with a degree in journalism. You can send feedback to him at pkural@gmail.com.

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