Monday, February 19, 2007

Lovely Links

http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3133832&pid=6798149&st=600&#entry6798149

The TV recap site "Television Without Pity" includes reader forums for each show it features. The ANTM forums include insightful topics like this one, "Race: Does it Really Matter?" and others on issues like the models and body image and the sexual orientation of the show's contestants and the bearing of this on the show's outcome.


http://fourfour.typepad.com/fourfour/2007/02/top_schmop.html#more

This blog contains a preview of the upcoming 8th season of ANTM, with alternately raving and scathing opinions on each contestant and their released photo. Interestingly, this season will be the first to feature two plus-size models, Diana and Whitney.

http://antpodcast.blogspot.com/

This is a blog dedicated to all things ANTM and Tyra Banks-related. As with the above blog and many others dedicated to the show, the writers love to hate Tyra, the models, and the sometimes asinine show itself.

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=772545011&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1171895252&clientId=44901

This article is from the GBLT "The Advocate" and is called "America's Next Top Role Models" and describes two of the show's gay judges and how and what they represent as prominent gay men on TV.

http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/tv/review/2004/12/16/top_model/index.html?pn=2

This article from Salon.com, "Beautiful Losers" describes the deleterious effect the show seems to have on many of the models as the competition takes its toll on them. Many seem to suffer from self-esteem and confidence issues, after being judged and picked apart week after week. Is it healthy to present such a broken down image to impressionable young girls?