ANTM - Reality TV Analysis

As I sat to watch the premiere episode of the 11th season of America’s Next Top Model, I prepared myself to deal with some Deep culture. In describing my experience, I hope that it is OK that I spend less time summarizing the program (by incorporating its traits throughout my discussion) since it has such a popular appeal and is frequently discussed in the presence of even non-viewers.

I first thought, “wow, this show is already at 11 whole seasons!” Then, I considered the role of social capital in the rise of the media industry; analogous to the quality associated with a company’s brand… and with that realization I’ve found ANTM to be a vital cultural barometer as much as a cultural creator/perpetuator. The show has remained dynamic enough to attract more and more of the people I had least expected to watch an American Beauty competition…

I realized, that as much as this show promoted the public and personal scrutiny of women’s appearances … (below is an image of the Body Scanner used in the beginning of the show, which was necessary to gauge explicit “profitability” based on “data” collected on the contestants) … it has provided its large viewing constituency with consistent delivery of “controversial” content.



“Who’s Technologically Bankable” – Tyra
“No way he’s hitting me in the money maker”… Brittany S (referring to her face and practicing for ultimate fighting with her ultimate fighter boyfriend)

The reason I bring up the issue of scrutiny is that it is the basis of ANTM’s “expertise” (often, and arguably embodied by Tyra’s role and public life); the show is seen as a system for analyzing female beauty. The fashion/modeling industry has seen a rise in global interest (there are “copy cat” programs in almost 20 countries); and advertisers have benefitted from not only a large viewing audience, but also one that is more or less focused on beauty as the avenue to a variant of the American Dream.

One of the contestants, Joslyn, is from a “disadvantaged area” in Los Angeles and her interview snippet also highlighted her motive to be an example of the American Dream: with enough effort, anything can be done. I have realized that it’s important to consider dreams for what they embody: hopes for the future.

I think that although ANTM can and often is dismissed as another institution upholding rigid and often unattainable beauty standards… it has emerged as a leader in bringing important questions about personal standards of beauty to “the masses”. Not only has the show’s publicity benefited from incorporating some “spice” into their line-ups, but it has raised our social consciousness of marginalized identities while in hot pursuit of the show’s overarching goal of popularity, influence, and profit.

Even if the American Dream is not necessarily attainable in absolute truth for all, it has inspired many and given them a means of coping with the micro inequities they face daily. When “Alpha” Jay, as one of the three “judges” proclaimed that he believed transgendered people (re: Isis) could overcome the prejudices they face to become successful (in the modeling industry), I did want to cry out for joy… but I also wanted to shout out loud that that this doesn’t make it OK for trans people to live in our society! But, not only was Jay speaking as an authority (perhaps one that is admired in his own respect by ANTM’s fan base), in doing so he may have changed some minds over… and ANTM gave Isis a way to strive for her goals while forever impacting many viewers of the show.

This brought me back to a quote found in Kirk & Okazawa-Rey’s intro to the third chapter: Women’s Bodies and Beauty Ideals; Elise Matthesen speaks of large women: “We have a right to take up space. We have a right to stretch out, to be big, bold to be ‘too much to handle.’ To challenge the rest of the world to grow up, get on with it, and become big enough to ‘handle’ us…” I guess this is what ultimately made me feel OK with Isis saying that she was on the show with no political agenda… it reminded me that many of us continue to do important work in pushing boundaries every day.

Two other things that have influenced my thinking on this issue are:
A NYTimes opinion piece (relating India & U.S.) highlighting the American Dream’s importance to our society’s level of optimism … http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/23/weekinreview/23anand.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&em&oref=slogin
&
A tribute site I saw on a friend’s Facebook status for the Transgender Day of Remembrance: http://www.transgenderdor.org/?page_id=58

And this is just because I think I fell in love with Sheena a little: