Wendy Williams slams Tyra Banks for ‘putting model in blackface’ in resurfaced ANTM clips
WENDY Williams slammed Tyra Banks for “putting a model in blackface” on America’s Next Top Model.
Since decade-old clips have recently resurfaced, the daytime talk show host asked what was behind the controversial photoshoot.
Wendy said: “I want to hear…about the time when Tyra had somebody dress up in blackface.
“You know, what was behind that? What were people really thinking?
“And the time when one of the girls in the competition best friend died, and Tyra made the girl do a photoshoot in a graveyard.
“That whole world is just so weird to me… I’d rather watch it from afar.”
Back in 2009, contestants on Tyra’s reality competition show, America’s Next Top Model, posed for a bi-racial for a Hawaiian photoshoot.
She responded to backlash against the shoot on her former talk show, “The Tyra Banks Show” saying: “What we thought was a celebration turned out to be… very negative in some of the press and a lot of them were even saying that it was racism.
Tyra went on: “A lot of them went so far as to accuse me and Top Model of putting the girls in blackface…
“I want to be clear: I, in no way, put my Models in blackface. I’m a black woman. I am proud.
“I love my people and the struggle that we have gone through continues and the last thing that I would ever do is be a part of something that degraded my race.”
Wendy also went after Tyra’s upcoming Modelland theme park opening.
She scoffed: “Quite frankly I don’t even know what Tyra was thinking opening up a 21K square-foot place devoted to modeling. Do people care that much….?
“So you go there. What do you do? You get new hair? You get your makeup don…
“Well, we’ll never know because of corona. It’ll be a long time before that place opens. If people will care.”
Wendy’s remarks also follow criticism over another resurfaced ANTM clip, which saw Tyra telling contestant Danielle Evans to close the gap in her front teeth.
In the episode Tyra said: “So Danielle, you went to the dentist but refused to have your gap closed.
“Do you really think you can have a Cover Girl contract with the gap in your mouth?”
She told her: “This is all people see. Easy, Breezy, Beautiful, Cover Girl. It’s not marketable.”
Despite the Tyra and the other judges’ criticism, Danielle ended up taking the top spot that season.
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Fourteen years later, fans are upset over Tyra’s criticism of Danielle.
One fan wrote: “I have a gap, so does my mom. It’s unique and a sign of beauty.
“Also, how many famous models have gaps?! Tyra really tried it.”
Another one chimed in and called the moment “brutal,” while another one said: “American models had gaps in the 70s and 80s, sis.
“Your take is wrong. It isn’t about the British or American beauty industry.”
And another commenter admitted: “I don’t know how many years it’s been but I am still so mad at Tyra for making Danielle get her cute as f**k tooth gap nearly closed on America’s Next Top Model, then on a later season filing down a girl’s teeth so she HAD a gap.”
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