How Mean Should The Show Be?

[Krom]

I noticed that Tyra's analysis of the final two this past week was pretty callously worded. On one hand, it can be argued that a few tough words might curb the arrogance of a girl like Furonda and possibly mold her in the right direction. Of course, the show also rewards self-assurance on other occasions, so there's a bit of a consistency problem.

But Tyra's words to Kathy seemed even colder in a way. The reason they gave HER in front of everyone was that she "was just a pretty girl with very little potential". And this was despite taking a decent photo. It's one of the most heartless ways to sound like you are saying "you are nothing special" I can think of.

I think the show in general has gotten a bit tougher since the first cycle, but I found myself wondering if it's gone too far. Being dismissed from the show is already tough enough, but being told you are just like any other small-town pretty girl and have no other potential otherwise? Yes, that's probably not what the judges MEANT, not precisely, but that's how it came out sounding. They could have just used the phrase "you don't look like a model" or "you aren't what the industry is looking for", but they chose not to couch it. The girl is leaving, so can this still be construed as constructive criticism? "Very little potential"? Why not just say "go home and raise babies"? (yes, I'm being sarcastic this time)

So is this the right level of "mean" for the show? Should there be more? Less?

[thestranger]

I think some of the meanest things Tyra has said were to Ebony,"Maybe it's JUST a dream..." and Brita,"The judges look at your photo... and some of them don't want to see you anymore."

Major ouch.

[SaucyRedhead77]

I thought honestly that it was just weird, and likely a product of very odd editing. She just kept HARPING on Furonda for thinking she was good...uhh, where've you been Miss TyTy? They ALL thought they did good! Or at least passable. She just would not shut up about it, I kind of decided there must have been at least a LITTLE more context there.

[HelenHandbasket]

Redhead, you may be right about editing, but Tyra does seem to pick on some girls unreasonably. Last cycle during the infamous nicole/bre red bull fight Tyra seemed to take Kim's word for everything and not even let bre, crazy as she was, tell her side (again, may be editing) as well as the heartless dismissal of Ebony.

If anyone deserved the lecture this time though it'd be Jade, not Furonda.

[giz]

Krom, I thought that was needlessly cruel. Kathie has to go back to smalltown whereever and hold her head up, and they could couch it a little, it wouldn't kill them. Especially when she's the first to go, hasn't had time to learn, and why did they pick her when she was just like every other pretty girl? That was wierd. It does seem sometimes like they have a throwaway or 2 every season who get thrown out asap (Leah, for example, though I never thought Brita should have gone when she did).

[DirtyPretty]

I'm sure they said a lot of things to the girls as they were leaving but they had to edit it all down to keep the show under 2 hours.

[HopieLiz]

Mean was when Tyra said on her talk show that the reason Nicole won was because this time (cycle 5) they were looking for girl who could do high fashion. If that was the case why was Diana there. Diana is a beautiful girl with great skin, but had no chance of walking a high fashion runway.

[Cheeto]

I dont think the show is being mean at all. They are preparing the girls for what they are going to get told in real life. Although I get mad at some eliminations, the panel is involved in the industry and they know what they are talking about.

[jacobson00]

what did she say to ebony? i don't remember

[buckaroo]

Well Well Well....She told Ebony it was just a dream i mean verbatim. I think they should be honest, and there is a difference between honest and mean. I wanted honesty and I thought that on a reality show the was to get that drama and television-esk writing was by just being honest, I mean what can create more controversy? Well I learned that editing can create more controversy so they say things that are tv friendly and editing friendly.