"... when she’s asked about trash parts. Shandi’s horrific experience in Milan? She didn’t know anything about that, she insists. The blackface? Her unique way of showing that all skin tones were beautiful. The show was just a product of its times, she insists: 'You guys were demanding it.'Were we? I don’t personally recall ringing up Les Moonves to say that I wanted to see 12 young women get knocked over by swinging pendulums and wear dresses made of raw beef, but who can remember — it was a long time ago in the fog of war."
What made this acceptable entertainment? Hollywood was (and is) managed by a bunch of Harvey Weinstein clones. They are less obvious, but have been just as crass and manipulative for 100+ years. This was the norm ever since the soft Christian surface theming of sex-based entertainment (e.g., Swords & Sandals films) was torn down in the late 1960s.
Before 24/7/365 social media (pre iPhone), entertainment was dominated by a relative handful of network and cable TV producers. They generated "middlebrow" derivative gruel and packed in as many commercials as possible. As with beige houses and black cars, few loved it and few deeply hated it. It satisficed.
Watching models in skimpy clothes was always the hook of this show, as sex sells and sex is primal. I'm not sure how it "failed women" any more than transgender people abusing bio-females a generation later? The women of 20 years ago were far more willing to be mothers and have babies...
I've got a great idea for a killer show. "Decadence". What we do is sign up one of the lesser Bourbons or Hapsburgs (but with, nonetheless, an impressive title) to be the judge in a kind of bachelorette talent contest. The girls compete to see who can be his next mistress. No underage girls allowed, but float a rumor that one of the girls has used a doctored birth certificate. .
I never actually saw ANTM when it was on, but this makes it seem pretty interesting. I’ll have to check it out. I assume it’s available to stream somewhere.
The anthropoids need constant distraction, so it's either America's Next Top Model or a small mountain of bananas. Jane Goodall tried the bananas and got very sub-optimal results.
The raw meat dresses likely followed from a Miss California beauty pagent protest in Santa Cruz (1982). A feminist of the day messaged that "women are not just a piece of meat" and strutted around wearing cold cuts. Santa Cruz had recently opened a University of California location and it drew in a bunch of young leftists (versus the prior party hearty beach surfer culture).
(The 1982 meat dress looks pretty conventional in the black-and-white photos available online.)
I guess that, a few hundred miles away in Los Angeles, a show writer recalled this decades later as a way to attract attention to a modeling show.
AI answers: “In modern critiques and a 2026 Netflix docuseries, America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) has been compared to the movie Dinner for Schmucks because it is viewed by many as a platform where "elites" invite vulnerable people to be mocked for entertainment under the guise of an opportunity.”
For more see: Mockery for Sport Cruel Power Dynamics The "Schmuck" vs. The "Elite" The "Woke" Retrospective
Never watched ANTM. Did anyone ever win and go on to more fame? Is there a Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood or Scotty McCreery or are they all some version of Lee DeWyze?
Monica Hesse is a screens critic for the Style section. Previously, she was an Opinion columnist who frequently wrote about gender and its impact on society. In 2022, she was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the field of commentary. She's the author of several novels, most recently, "They Went Left."
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30 comments:
Mmm. Playboy in May 1997. Along with an article on...Donald Trump. Not sure why it's a collector's issue since she's not an actual Playmate.
" I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability.”
If they wanted a true-to-life model competition, they'd have to add the "casting couch" round.
Why is it you rarely hear about the "victims" who got the job and are now deca-millionaires?
What made this acceptable entertainment? Hollywood was (and is) managed by a bunch of Harvey Weinstein clones. They are less obvious, but have been just as crass and manipulative for 100+ years. This was the norm ever since the soft Christian surface theming of sex-based entertainment (e.g., Swords & Sandals films) was torn down in the late 1960s.
Before 24/7/365 social media (pre iPhone), entertainment was dominated by a relative handful of network and cable TV producers. They generated "middlebrow" derivative gruel and packed in as many commercials as possible. As with beige houses and black cars, few loved it and few deeply hated it. It satisficed.
Watching models in skimpy clothes was always the hook of this show, as sex sells and sex is primal. I'm not sure how it "failed women" any more than transgender people abusing bio-females a generation later? The women of 20 years ago were far more willing to be mothers and have babies...
People getting knocked over by pendulums is always funny. I don't know about dressing in beef. That sounds weird.
RCOCEAN II said...
"I don't know about dressing in beef. That sounds weird."
Lady Gaga begs to differ.
"What made this acceptable entertainment?"
The audience.
Whatever he says about this topic, I'm in full agreement with rhhardin.
Diversity, Equivocation, and Indifference. #NoJudgment #NoLabels
Social progress with liberal license.
All's fair in lust and abortion for a gay time and ancient religion.
I've got a great idea for a killer show. "Decadence". What we do is sign up one of the lesser Bourbons or Hapsburgs (but with, nonetheless, an impressive title) to be the judge in a kind of bachelorette talent contest. The girls compete to see who can be his next mistress. No underage girls allowed, but float a rumor that one of the girls has used a doctored birth certificate. .
I never actually saw ANTM when it was on, but this makes it seem pretty interesting. I’ll have to check it out. I assume it’s available to stream somewhere.
Why does the author keep saying "we"? I had nothing to do with any of that. The author and her friend watched it, so they can own it.
Like Smilin' Jack says, it sounds interesting.
Who is more deserving of incandescent scorn? Tyra Banks or Netflix? Seems like a toss-up to me.
Let's cut to the chase. Is there (female) nudity?
Sounds inspired by Fear Factor
The anthropoids need constant distraction, so it's either America's Next Top Model or a small mountain of bananas. Jane Goodall tried the bananas and got very sub-optimal results.
"Let's cut to the chase. Is there (female) nudity?"
Apparently not, but, ritual female humiliation? Sure!
High Demand: Roughly 1 in 4 Instacart orders contain bananas, totaling over 1 billion delivered, according to Instacart.
The raw meat dresses likely followed from a Miss California beauty pagent protest in Santa Cruz (1982). A feminist of the day messaged that "women are not just a piece of meat" and strutted around wearing cold cuts. Santa Cruz had recently opened a University of California location and it drew in a bunch of young leftists (versus the prior party hearty beach surfer culture).
(The 1982 meat dress looks pretty conventional in the black-and-white photos available online.)
I guess that, a few hundred miles away in Los Angeles, a show writer recalled this decades later as a way to attract attention to a modeling show.
Well, no, some of us didn't know it was cruel, and didn't watch it anyway. No doubt it was awful.
Tyra Banks is black. The WaPo is racist
Bowling for Brisket ! !
AI answers: “In modern critiques and a 2026 Netflix docuseries, America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) has been compared to the movie Dinner for Schmucks because it is viewed by many as a platform where "elites" invite vulnerable people to be mocked for entertainment under the guise of an opportunity.”
For more see:
Mockery for Sport
Cruel Power Dynamics
The "Schmuck" vs. The "Elite"
The "Woke" Retrospective
I'm with Randomizer. "Why does the author keep saying "we"? I had nothing to do with any of that. "
Ditto
We had none of this in our household.
Why does the author keep saying "we"?
Diversity (i.e. bloc ideologies), Equivocation, and other Inanitiies
Never watched ANTM. Did anyone ever win and go on to more fame? Is there a Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood or Scotty McCreery or are they all some version of Lee DeWyze?
baghdadbob said...
RCOCEAN II said...
"I don't know about dressing in beef. That sounds weird."
Lady Gaga begs to differ.
David Letterman could not be reached for comment
It’s the royal “we”
What do you mean by "We", white woman?
Monica Hesse is a screens critic for the Style section. Previously, she was an Opinion columnist who frequently wrote about gender and its impact on society. In 2022, she was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the field of commentary. She's the author of several novels, most recently, "They Went Left."
This could be a documentary on almost any show ever made.
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