[33girl]

I also think if it was a different, edgier cosmetics company it might be a different story - for example MAC has already used RuPaul as a model. But CG is trying to appeal to middle America.

Re Saleisha, here's wiki:

Since Stowers's win, there has been controversy regarding her eligibility to appear on the show. The show's rules state that a contestant must not have appeared as a model in a national advertising campaign during the last five years. Stowers appeared in a 2006 commercial for Wendy's. There is debate among viewers of the show over whether the commercial for Wendy's could be considered an advertising campaign, which would make Stowers ineligible to compete in America's Next Top Model. The CW said in a statement that Stowers did disclose her participation in the Wendy's spot, and "after reviewing the commercial, it was determined that her appearance did not amount to "modeling" experience, and therefore did not exclude her from participating in the show". Several blogs and news outlets have speculated that her past relationship with Banks (her participation in Banks' T-Zone camp and her past appearances on Tyra's television shows and her appearance as a model on The Tyra Banks Show and Cycle 6 of America's Next Top Model), may have influenced the selection of the winner. Saleisha has also been a National Spokesmodel for Especially Yours wigs for more than a year before the show ran as well as appearing in an episode of the hit US sitcom Ugly Betty.

Honestly I think people were far more upset about her associations w/ Tyra than the Wendy's ad.