OK, I can see that within the context of Alaska. I was originally like :eek: because the city I live in has about 350,000 and feels small :p

I guess I have trouble with the concept of 75,000 being a big city--the population of my hometown is just under a million, so I can't say that I relate to Hannah or the whole "small town" concept. ;) But, if she's from Alaska, then maybe...anyway, I do like her. She reminds me of a TV character, but I just can't put my finger on who...

Anyone else excited for makeover episode?? I hope it's better than the last couple. I don't think they've had a really GOOD makeover ep since Cycle 7 or so.

I live in a town of 20,000, and there are many many times I go to a bigger city and just feel overwhelmed. I never had a problem with crowds, noise, traffic, and people crammed in on top of each other until I didn't have to live that way anymore. Even now I have a house and a ayrd, and no neighbors above or on the sides (physically touching) and I still feel claustrophobic at times. Since I grew up in a huge city i didn't know any different, and i really like my smaller community but when we were looking around for a house to have a family in we looked in the smaller towns because even Moscow is too big at times.

The only thing I didn't like about being in the field last summer was not having transportation. If I had a vehicle I'd live at the site because it was just amazingly beautiful and there were NO PEOPLE. The issue of showers and laundry, plus food would have been easily solved by access to a vehicle. But yeah, a lot of it has to do with perspective, and if you're living out in Ester, Salcha, or Twin Rivers instead of Fairbanks proper, you are a small town girl.

Today on a rerun of the Tyra show, Isis was featured as "a man living as a woman on the streets since s/he was 14". Isis prostituted her/himself and also had been convicted of felony robbery.

All gender issues aside, does anyone know if there are "personal character" stipulations to apply/appear on the show? What do you think about that? In any other situation, it would be pretty difficult, I imagine, for a former prostitute and a person with a felony to be considered high fashion model material.

Shandi was arrested for burglary, got 2 years probation and talked about it briefly on ANTM. So apparently an arrest record is not a dealbreaker.

This show isn't about "high fashion model material" and hasn't been since CG got involved. It's about the cult of Tyra, pushing whatever issues she decides to push that season (with contestants who fit the bill of course) and finding a model who fits whatever demographic Cover Girl wants to market to that year.

But it's fun to watch anyway. :)

Oh I didn't know that about Shandi. I agree with you on the CG agenda, but the show is billed as "top model". I guess the title is open to interpretation.

It IS a lot of fun to watch. I enjoy the photo shoots and the challenges. I could do without the elimination round, and Tyra's melodramatic "you are still in the running to be America's NEXT Top Model". My big sis and I love the show. We have a running joke about the show teaching life lessons. It's pure entertainment, and I love getting lost in it.

Really? I saw that episode when it first aired and I didn't even recognize Isis this time around. I don't know about personal character, but you have to be in "good physical and mental health" whatever that means. I think I saw something about having physical/psychological evaluations before you go on the show. I remember that from Cyle 5 because of how...."special" Lisa was. :D I remember her going on the Tyra Show and talking about how much she seemed to drink on the show and she said it was because of anxiety problems and how she was on meds for it. I didn't get why a) she was allowed to be on the show if the problems were that bad and b) why she would drink so much if she was on meds. I understand now that anxiety doesn't exactly equal a "mental problem" but I sure was perplexed about it then.

I think Lisa's only "anxiety problem" was being anxious to be on camera 100% of the time.

I still play this just for a laugh every now and again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcuF45SE8q4 :)

IDK, I remember one ep where she had a panic attack in the phone booth/room thingy and Bre rushed in to take care of her. I think she had some issues but she expressed them in the oddest ways...did anyone hear about her brief attempt at singing? I saw one vid and it was so awful people said it must've been a joke, but I see she had a couple songs so I don't know what to say.

Here is the link to her music video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD1IXwoDRUU

I could watch it over and over and over and over and over again. And I do. It makes me really happy.

Sadly, I think I would buy her album if it ever came out.

"Doodle-dawdle... poppin' bottles with Top Model."

I crack up every time I see that video. I mean, it HAS to be a joke because the singing is sooo awful. But it's still really fun. :)

Holy cow I never knew that existed before now. Hilarious. Checked out her myspace music page too and it seems as though she has a song on this season of Entourage. Craziness.

When I found it a few months ago, I watched it over and over and over like it was some horrific accident I couldn't take my eyes off of. I had forgotten how bad it is! I'd be very :eek: if this wasn't a joke. I'm PRAYING that this was a joke (more than anything, so that I won't feel so bad for laughing :o).

Wow, this season has become incredibly Tyra-tastic. I mean, it's usually pretty bad, but she keeps dressing up in these crazy outfits and different personas. What was it this time, Fierce Witch of the South? Her voice was beyond annoying. And Mr. Jay as her "princess persona's" true love? Riiiight. I about fell over laughing with Miss Jay as the evil witch.

That said, I'm glad Brittany is gone. I didn't see much high fashion potential in her. I LOVE Samantha's new hair. Does anyone else foresee a nasty red weave on Elina like the one Brittany had on Cycle 8?

^^^Lol at "Tyra-tastic." I noticed that the new opening credits are very Tyra-centric. I don't mind b/c I love her but daaaang that was a lot of Tyra and very little of the models. That skit cracked me UP though. First of all, Miss Jay was too much. I thought I'd suffocate laughing! Then Tyra making out with the apple (and drooling all the while) was ridiculous. Mr. Jay kissing Tyra "his true love" made me giggle a fair amount, but watching him pick up and try to hold this horrendously long woman was what put me over the edge. :D

I think Elina will take MUCH better care of her weave than Brittany did, but I didn't like it at all. It had a certain "Bozo-Couture" going on when it was curly. But :eek: at her saying "I hate my mother." I don't know the circumstances, but I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to say those kinda things to all of America. Oh and *blech* at Hanna's hair. I like it when she pins the bangs back, but that's all the points I can give her.