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« Cheers & Jeers
Cheers: Top Model's Big Winner
Whitney by Jim DeYonker /The CW
Cheers to Tyra Banks for finally putting her money where her mouth is and picking a full-figured winner of America's Next Top Model. It only took ten cycles to do it, but there's no denying Whitney deserved the title, especially considering her final competition: the deeply vapid Anya. (Tyra said she looked like a mannequin and meant it as a compliment; Paulina Porizkova said she looked dumb and didn't.) Whitney owned the runway with energy and personality to spare. Skinny girls, eat your hearts out!
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May 15, 2008 1:32 AM
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I am done watching this show after the outcome of this season. There is NO way that Whitney deserved to win. She was in the bottom two a record four times, and her portfolio was horrible in comparison to Anya's. She only won because Tyra wanted her plus size model. On the runway they put Whitney in a flowing dress where she could actually move her legs, whereas Anya had to wear an tight dress that was much more difficult to walk in (cause you can barely move your legs!).
Also, Whitney was recruited, and told to gain weight so that she would be their plus size girl. "The claim is that Whitney did not try out for top model but was approached on a plane by someone from the show. She was already doing modeling as a size 2 or 4 but because she was closer to a 4 she was a little too big for the show as a regular model. They told her that if she went and gained 10-20 pounds they would definitely put her on the show as "the plus-size model". She's about a 8 on the show." There are a pictures of a much skinnier Whitney (taken in the past year) at http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/23449254.html So, I guess all her sob stories about getting picked on about being heavier were complete crap!
p.s. sorry for the long rant! 
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May 15, 2008 10:00 AM
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i definitely felt like Whitney winning was manipulated. (no offense to her) I have no problem with them picking a plus sized model, but the judging decisions this season didn't seem comparable to past seasons. Anya did seem to have had the better portfolio and performance overall AND what about the consideration of whether or not the winner will actually get work. In the past, they always told the "plus sized" person that they had to work extra hard to win and it just seems like Whitney wasn't appreciably better than Anya to justify her as a pick. Oh and those pictures from that link are crazy! Is that really Whitney? If it is, she's skinnier in those pics than I am- and I wear about a 2!
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May 15, 2008 11:52 AM
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Calledmoo, just because someone puts something on a blog doesn't make it factual. Obviously, the pictures of Whitney show that she was once a smaller size. However, she may have gained weight naturally since those pictures were taken. It doesn't make what she said at the beginning of the season (about being proud of her curves) any less true.
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May 15, 2008 11:53 AM
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This just goes to show that you can't please everyone all the time. The last nine cycles all I've heard and read is that Tyra never picks a plus size model and that she always comes up with excuses as to why the token plus size girl can't win. Now Tyra finally picked a plus size girl (if you could call her that...I'd love to have her body) and people are complaining about that too. Are fans of this show ever happy?
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May 15, 2008 1:31 PM
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Good point, GingerBread. I agree with you. Whitney deserved to win, based on what I've seen in the past the one who rocks the final test (covergirl and runwayshow) usually wins. And Whitney's photos were not that bad over the whole season. Personally I think Anya had extremely fantastic photos and overall better "model look" but I feel Whitney will make a good representative of a plus sized model. How sad, so what is size 16-18 -obese? gigantic????
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May 15, 2008 1:52 PM
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Did it ever occur to anyone that, yes, maybe Whitney was skinny once but it wasn't a healthy weight for her? Does anyone remember the plus sized model who came to talk to the girls in Eva's season (I think) who started out as a "skinny" model but was unhealthy, starving herself and whatnot. Size 2 is not "normal" for all of us. I applaud Whitney. She was my no.1 pick from the start and I think she's gorgeous and deserved it (I personally couldn't stand Ayna-even though she's very nice). Way to go Whitney.
And side note, after last years Saleisha garbage how dare anyone say THIS season was rigged. Please...
Way to go Whitney!!
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May 15, 2008 2:37 PM
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I am so happy that Whitney won. I am tired of seeing skinny little biatches that my child will one day look up to an aspire to be. I would rather her be like Whitney any day, happy, confident and comfortable is who she is and how she looks. She presented herself properly at all times and was just beautiful in front of the camera. As much as i loved Anya's pictures she was dull and flat and had the personality of an actual barbie doll - vapid - nothingness- Whitney has a personality and could handle herself. Now all she has to do is forget the beauty queen crap and she will be a wonderufl model and a showstopper on the runway!! Go Whitney, this mom is proud of you!
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May 15, 2008 2:49 PM
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I'm on the fence. I have liked Whitney from the beginning. But I also liked Anya. Anya did have the better record, winning challenges and not being the bottom 2 until the very end. I'm glad Whitney won, but I kind of agree, she was picked because she was a plus size, and beautiful. Maybe that isn't why she made it that far, but in the end I do think that is why she won. I'm happy for her, and bummed for Anya. I would have been happy either way.
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May 15, 2008 3:08 PM
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I was as shocked as anybody that Whitney triumphed but it was a nice suprise and she is a beautiful girl, the most poised, the best speaker. Anya had a very odd way of speaking that would have held her back doing commercials, etc. (I know in previous cycles there have been winners who could barely talk - ahem). I really thought it would be Salisha, she was so elegant looking, but she also didn't take advice well. Whether the result was rigged or not, I think it was a good one.
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May 15, 2008 3:14 PM
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so damn true, Bruce! Whitney worked that final runway like Anna Nicole before she went wrong and never really pulled the "woe is me...these clothes don't fit me" that the show's past plus-sizers (or as Tyra now calls 'em "full-figured models") always relied on to explain bad shoots. Anya terrified me, with her make-believe language and dead doll eyes. I fear the judges missed the fact that a zombie had wondered onto the ANTM set back during the auditions, so they just bleached her hair and let her stay.
Honestly, if it couldn't be Claire, I'm glad to see it went to someone like Whitney.
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May 15, 2008 3:18 PM
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So what if Whit weighed less before? Some models have gotten eating disorders trying to stay skinny just so they can model. I don't think Whit was picked because she is full-figured, but because she can model. I'm so happy she won. I was shocked and speechless when she did. She did great on the runway.
Saw her on Regis and Kelly yesterday and she looked beautiful. Her hair was a little shorter, but still blonde. Good luck Whit!
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May 16, 2008 4:11 PM
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Regardless of whether those pictures of her being skinny are recent or from years ago or whatever, she still looks posey and like she's in a beauty pageant, which is why I don't think she should have won. Anya was more natural a model and I do think they screwed her over with that last dress, although in the first dress she wore, she didn't walk that great either, but Whitney's walk was way over the top. She's not a natural model to me though her body was great, I'm not going to lie about that. Well, here's hoping that next cycle, they will get it right. Also, I see Tootie was still sporting her hairstyle. She must be the only one who thinks it's cute. LOL!
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May 19, 2008 12:14 PM
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