but I waaaaaaaaaaant it

[lexabear]

Kind of getting sociological here...

I've been noticing for a while in ANTM (and Make Me a Supermodel, too, and, I assume, other reality shows) that contestants will often say that they really, want to win just so bad, with the undercurrent of "I deserve to win because I want it so bad." Even despite actual performance, so many contestants seem to

Comments

[_rainysunday]

i think it's less cultural and more generational. the whole "trophy generation" mentality, "i'm special" mantra that children born in the 1980s and onward have been spoon-fed. coddled while growing up and now completely entitled in our own minds. this is the generation every top model contestant has come from.

[plainjanejones0]

Ah, yes. Special Snowflake Syndrome. All the kiddies with too many Ys in their names to make them unique and Mommies who think their children don't have to follow the rules of The Commoners, because their children are Special.

I agree with your point. I kind of cringe every time one of the 18-year-old models says something about how they've waited all their lives for this moment, for something good to finally happen to them.

[tenchistars]

My brother is mad he does not have the car of his dreams and his gf has a new car. that makes his life unfair.

he is 18 and graduations tomorrow. he totally deserves the car of his dreams!

[kalypartemis]

I want to tell the girls that wanting it doesn't mean that you're actually good at modeling, Or even half decent, whenever they say that.

[not_so_neato]

Damn straight.

[thelando]

And even if they were to take steps beyond wanting it, and work really hard at getting good at it, modeling is one of those things that you have to be innately inclined towards. I mean even if I really wanted to be a model (I don't,), being 24, 5'6", and 130 lbs are all things that would seriously stand in my way, completely regardless of anything else I might do.

[crack_monkey]

i think its less then that.. but more so brainwashing by production and the person giving your interviews.. thats what they want us to say. So they coherse us to say it. and tell us in order to get the camera on us. we have to do that. unfortunately for me im really apathetic.

[drjeff]

Man, I wrote this big response and then the power went out for a minute and killed it! Maybe Tyra doesn't want me weighing in on this one? :)

What I was going to say was that as both a psychologist and an ANTM geek, I fully support this post! I think that the show strongly encourages that masochistic "I'd do anything for this" display, whether it is sincere or not. We just got done watching the Cycle 4 episode where Tyra excoriates Tiffany for not acting like she was heartbroken when she got kicked off.

I am interested in the cultural question, for sure... the US is so big on the "if you want it, you can get it" mindset. The models often commit to the Fundamental Top Model Attribution trap - "Good stuff happens because I want it. Bad stuff happens because someone else screws me over."

[kilobites]

We just got done watching the Cycle 4 episode where Tyra excoriates Tiffany for not acting like she was heartbroken when she got kicked off.

My guy and I were just watching this too, and I thought it was interesting that right after we did, I came here and saw this post.

But I completely agree with you. ANTM definitely encourages that "I'll do anything for this opportunity" reaction.

[drjeff]

Tyra is just building her little sycophantic army to take over the world!

And, THAT is when Rebecca should have passed out. That would have been awesome.

[kilobites]

That WOULD have been awesome. I had forgotten all about Rebecca passing out until I watched this. My guy has watched from Cycle 9 onwards with me, but we're going back and rewatching all the ones he hasn't seen. I definitely think I like the earlier seasons better.

[aaronica]

I think it's equal parts selfishness and vapidity. Some people- at least in competitive reality TV situations-- simply don't seem able to express aspects of themselves aside from their base wants and needs. Kind of like toddlers.

[sooperxyvette]

Exactly. I agree...I must say before I start though that MMAS is SO MUCH BETTER THAN ANTM. omg.

You can want anything really bad but sometimes if you don't have even the smallest ounce of natural talent, you're not going to get it. Especially in modeling, there are so many factors you can't control. You can't want it bad enough that it doesn't matter what your face looks like, what your body looks like, what your personality is. If you're too short, you can still want it bad, but you're not going to get it, tbh. I know people are always like KATE MOSS OMG!!!!!!!! but honestly, that is what I call a ONE TIME THING. Just because you're short and have a pretty stunning face doesn't mean you're going to be the next Kate Moss and next supermodel/top model.

end of rant.

Also, I doubt that Montuaha is going to win MMAS. She seems a little big...not to be mean. But she looks too large to be a real top model to me.

[_rainysunday]

i like montuaha, and like they always harped on salome for being big, but montuaha has a 26.25 inch waist. neither woman is big in any sense, but they don't have the best model bodies. though, montuaha has killer legs.

[sooperxyvette]

Idk, in fashion you have to be stick skinny and they both look like they have hot and slightly curvy bodies. I always feel so harsh saying something like this about their perfectly healthy amazing bodies but it's true with fashion.

[sooperxyvette]

Oh and I hope Jonathan wins because he has a killer body and just because of his situation...