Reindeer game over

Best screen shot in the history of America's. Next. Top. Model. Y/y?

70. Jane

"This is the first time in the entire competition that I’ve ever seen a truly genuine emotion out of you," said Jay Manuel in response to Jane's crying. She's been around for 10 episodes and we're finally getting to that; he's been around for 15 cycles and we've yet to see a truly genuine emotion from him. What's his excuse?

71. Jane

I love the irony in the supposedly stoic Jane cracking during a photo shoot that requires her to be a statue. She can't do anything right!

72. Jane

Now I feel like she's just milking it. How genuinely human of her!

And now for something genuinely inhuman:

Tyraism of the Week No. 1

"And I wonder why I was just a catalog girl that could not book any real editorial. 'Cause I was taking [my portfolio's contents] into my own hands, thinking that I knew best."

Gee, imagine Tyra being a misguided control freak! And also, imagining her booking real editorial at this point, too. Her career really came full circle, eh?

Tyraism of the Week No. 2

"In Italy, they say go and sees!"

The girls will find the extra transitional word useful as they make their imminent transition into not modeling. The more you know!

Tyraism of the Week No. 3

"I think the shot is absolutely beautiful, but personality is so important! Oh my god! You won't get booked!"

Yeah, except the thing is that Ann did get booked and she was the only one who did. And if Tyra's looking for Jane-style personality through despair, well, maybe Ann can just take her interview chair with her everywhere she goes? It seems to get the waterworks going just fine.

Tyraism of the Week No. 4

"In the modeling industry, to be booked again, you have to be memorable. You have to be vulnerable."

Ann is so vulnerable, she looks like the wind could knock her over, breaking every bone in her body, and she acts like a glance could do the same. And that's really fucking memorable.

And while we're on the subject...

...you know the Ann Breakdown Watch continues, right? Duh!

You don't even need to see her head-on to know that it continues!

Tyraism of the Week No. 5

"The reason why your name was called is because the judges saw some passion today in this room. They saw a human being, and you showed us a crack of a real, true person. But all we see is a crack and a crack is not going to take you to the next week and the next week of this competition. Congratulations, Jane, you're still in the running..."

If crying weren't encouraged, this show wouldn't be this show. But really, the panel never saw a human being in Jane before? What, pray tell, was she doing in every panel before this? Pulling off the limbs of animals? Throwing her feces at them? Photosynthesis?

Also, I love the idea that they were looking at her crack. The panel is so easily distracted by earthly desires!

Not that I'm not:

This made an otherwise dull episode entirely worth it.

And when I say otherwise, I mean it: this week's Talley Tally has but one entry.

On Chris:

"She's just a vat of bubbling, bubbling deliciousness. She could be the next Wanda Sykes. But not a high-fashion model!"

Andre Leon Talley is so gay that he thinks Wanda Sykes is delicious.

Also, comparing someone to Wanda Sykes isn't a compliment. I mean, she's funny! I like her! Yay lesbians! But I get fucked up with the "delicious" thing, and I feel like he's going for a visual description. (Because, what, her comedy is delicious? She has a delicious sense of timing? She carries herself so deliciously, you want to snap her up and eat her, but not in the genital area, obviously?) And because I get a visual vibe, I feel like this is more an insult than not.

But really, what this complete reach in reasoning is leading up to is the opportunity to tell you about this thing I witnessed that was just awful last week. (I alluded to it in a tweet, but will now expand on the pointlessness via my blog. Go ahead and envy my media mastery.) I was in the Starbucks I go to everyday, which is attached to the Marriott Marquis. Some kind of boyishly aging Marriott worker was in there (let's say he was a bell hop, and let's say he was about 40). He informed the woman who'd just made his drink, "You look like Shirley from What's Happening!!" She gave him the side eye in response, which was kind of a Shirley thing to do. But even before that, he was correct, which is the No. 1 reason why he shouldn't have shared that. What an insult! As someone who's been compared to John Malkovich by multiple strangers on multiple coasts of this country, I can say in no uncertain terms: celebrity alone does not make a comparison a compliment. How would you like it if someone said you reminded them of Rocky Dennis ("Not looks wise, just in your gentle manner!")?

Bellhop followed his cluelessness up with, "And [someone else who works at that Starbucks] reminds me of Dee from What's Happening!!" It was at this point that I realized that he had...something going on (red-eye diagnosis: a mild form of a mild form of autism, but perhaps a little bit of racism mixed with stuck-in-the-past-ism as well, since this white guy seems to think all black people are like the ones he saw in a show that stopped airing original episodes in 1979).

The point of the story is: stop saying I look like John Malkovich. I suppose it's karma for five years filled with Photoshopped side-to-side comparisons, but seriously, don't tell me that to my face. Be classy about it and say it behind my back, or better yet, start a blog.

1. Ugh, what a wasted opportunity this episode was!

The fact that Chelsey was the only one to make it to more than one go-and-see just goes to show how difficult the task was. If everyone fails your test, it's either your fault or the test's fault. What happened to hot dudes on mopeds riding the girls around the city? And then riding the girls in their apartment? Ann was supposed to get turned out like Shandi! This was supposed to end with Ann's nonexistent boyfriend squealing, "You had sex!" from overseas! That is how it's supposed to happen in Milan. No fair! No faaaaair!

Really, the go-sees are the chance to see what other people with actual things going on think about these girls. We were robbed. (Not that there were actual fashion houses on the itinerary besides the admittedly huge Versace.)

What did we get?

- Kayla misspeaking in the worst possible way regarding subterrearan transportation:

- A reminder that no matter how loudly the girls yell, "Ann!" when she walks into a room, she's still an outcast:

- And finally, Angelo Azzena, another of the episode's few bright spots.

He did bitchy better than any hack "working models" brought on to rile the girls ("Her look is a little bit...uh...two seasons ago!"), he read the girls with the acuity of someone who was raised on Chelsea Piers...

...and he reminded me of Kool & the Gang...

(I really, really like to think that he meant "fresh" in the Kool & the Gang sense of the word).

Anyway, regarding Angelo Azzena, what's not to love? He's definitely a nice change from the other creepy guests they've been bringing on this season, who are literally leering at the girls (a-hem,Vincenzo Cavicci).

2. Speaking of Vincenzo...

Didn't his work remind you of petrified funnel cake?

3. And speaking of the shoot, why the hell was Nigel so melodramatic this episode?

I could go on and on!

Is there anything more tragic than someone going for the Oscar while they're on reality TV?

4. It's a shame Liz was eliminated last episode only because...

...watching Kayla feed Chris grapes would have given her such a boner, and watching her try to conceal it would have been great fun!

5. Best voice-over edit of the episode (maybe cycle): "Chris is not high fashion" under...

Amen! (Although, Kayla seemed to be saying that Chris was not high fashion because she said, "I'm ready to get this over with," and wasn't devoted enough to this competition, which: WHAT?!?).

6.

"Hey Jane, you're in a relationship, right? [She isn't.] And you know what? It kinda shows!"

Guarantee you the same thing could be said for him! How could someone who'd say something like that be anything but loveless?

"Stop trying to think," is genius, though, in the overused-to-the-point-of-irrelevance Jay Manuel sense of the word.

This looks like music to me. Like, each tap is a different tone that I hear in my head. In other news, I think I might be coming down with a fever.

7. Jane is so pretty...

...but what on earth was up with her interview look this week? Did she see the Ring right before? Is she going to come out of my TV screen if she's eliminated?

8.

"I've got a passion for art," Ann said, passionlessly. Let me guess: she's a huge fan of colored-pencil depictions of Eyore.

The post photo shoot streak of statue makeup in her hair was very I-just-painted-my-dorm-room sexy, though. She's coming out of her shell!

9. Speaking of sexy!

At the right moment, in the right light, this girl is stunning.

I look forward to watching her win this thing.

And with shots like this, she deserves it (for what it's worth). This was also so, so great:

I love when someone's good enough at this show to trick you into thinking you're watching actual skill reveal itself in front of your eyes!

10. I'll miss Chris for two reasons:

She reminded me of Erykah Badu more than I realized. I'd go as far as to call her Badewy.

Also:

She was responsible for wonderful quotes like these:"I wanted to be on top, and this is what I get!" (which: EXACTLY) and, "We come home and this bitch got a Versace jacket!" The latter's almost as good as Kayla pointing out that you could tell it wasn't a knock-off, with a straight face. When given the choice, I'll take unintentional humor over intentional. Kayla wins for a reason.

11. Tyra gif...

...Tyra gif...

...Tyra gif...

...and I'm done. I'm gonna go do exactly what she's doing in the gif above and chomp on some chicken tartare. Jealous? No? What if I said there's a decent chance I'll catch a tapeworm? Now are you jealous?

 

Comments

[torrinpaige]

Malkovich? Really? Nope. Maybe Vin Diesel in the right light...when he's looking hot and not actually trying to act or anything. People are smoking crack again. It's weird what people pick up on. I get told I look like "Sookie Stackhouse" which means Anna Paquin, I guess. As I am a foot taller and fat, I couldn't figure it out...then it dawned on me...I'm blonde and I have a gap in my teeth. *Insert eyeroll here.* I think I'd rather be Lauren Hutton. :o)

[3yaJ.]

Oh wonderful tyra GIF but i will always forever love the tyra wall gif! :)))Also I found it really funny that tyra kept pointing out that jane is now human, it just makes me wonder what she was before this episode... Love yah rich!

[Bodyquick]

I really liked Reindeer Games, I would go with Ben Affleck and then Gary Sinise.

Bodyquick

[Bobbie]

I'm with you on the insulting celebrity comparisons.

People keep telling me I look like Supernanny. Not. Cool.

[Leanspa Scam]

Don't forget that it is a tv show...

[Stefanie]

Honestly, are the girls too stupid to read maps or were they given really bad maps?
And another thing: the distances between IMG, Versace and Global Casting are short enough to make it there by foot, so I don't get why they didn't ALL make it to at least two gosees. They had several hours to get around Milan, what the hell did they do all afternoon??
Btw:
"Yeah, except the thing is that Ann did get booked and she was the only one who did."
I had the exact same thought! Tyra is so making no sense ^^ Just wtf. I don't know whether to love or hate that craziness.

[Kelly]

John Malkovich is HOT. Out of respect for you and your happiness, I will refrain from commenting on your resemblance to him.

[N]

Yes, best screen shot ever.

[Vanessa M]

Oh, and just my two cents is Malkovich is hot.

But, my taste was always unique.

[RRF]

I can't go two weeks without someone actually mistaking me for Molly Ringwald. Which I guess would be ok if she were 30 or I were 44.
Jane reminds me of Tina Majorino.
I like Kayla too much for her to win. I want her to have an actual career. Also, Tyra's gonna think she is such a fucking philanthropist for giving it to a gay person especially in light of recent events.

[Elizabeth]

Why do I look at your Tyra gifs and think about how they would look as digital art in the model house? hehehe

[I'm just sayin'...]

Chelsea was also booked. It was for the commercial casting.

[Rkitty]

I hope Ann goes on to make "not the winner of TOP MODEL HISTORY!!!!!"

Kayla should win - fwiw I hope she does well too.

[acolyte]

not jealous, but still love your recaps better than the show. xo to you

[khmer]

hi friend,could me exchange link together?
hop we it it will be bether than now this is mine:
http://khmergay.nibblebit.com/
http://amangay.blogspot.com/
http://sosexydress.blogspot.com/
http://thaihotgay.blogspot.com/
http://khdoc.blogspot.com/
hope we can do , thank for kindness

[Cassie]

Ann reminds me SO MUCH of Amy Acker as Fred in Angel in that streak of paint in her hair shot. Weird.

[Sharlene]

I was recently told by a beaming German stranger that I looked like Angela Merkel. I believe my reaction was a Taylor Swift dropped jaw and a "What?" -- only y'know, in an unpleased way. And genuine.

[Sharlene]

I haven't been to Milan, so like a geek I went to Map My Walk (thanks for including the map, Rich!) and saw that Versace, the booking agent and the photography place would have been at the very least almost 6 miles, add in the photographer and it's over 8. So, yeah, not realistic to think they could walk it. But honestly, couldn't at least one girl navigate that strange "underground railroad thing?"

[Toothy Tile]

Um, John Malkovich is cute for an old guy. I'd totally hit it.

[laura]

Ugh it bothered me SO much that Tyra kept saying Ann wouldn't be able to book a go-see when OBVIOUSLY SHE DID. aiehgai;lwkjlk

[Acai Max Cleanse]

Some of the above photos are really very funny.

[Easter Buffy]

I used to get Carol Kane, then Meryl Streep, but hit a low point when some guy in the gym hit on me using the line, "You know, you look like that lady who drowned her two kids in the car." Nice.

[Matt B]

not happy about kayla tonight =(

[Suzanne]

Did anyone else note that Jane's 'crying' didn't involve any tears?

[Nicole]

I'm with everyone else, I don't see the Malkovich thing at all.
I was once told by my boss that I looked like "that girl from Carrie".