In “The Girl Who Got BOOTYful” America’s Next Top Model goes to Las Vegas to shoot a music video for Tyra’s new beauty line. Last week there was a nasty shakeup when Tyra brought the eliminated models back for another chance at the brass ring. Say what? You read me right … as a result, Bello was back in the house and causing trouble. Talk to the hand, Bello. Imagine me rolling my eyes and shaking my head. And that’s only the half of it. A model was invited back, but we were left hanging about who was sent on the walk of shame.
First things first. My man, Dustin was crowned the boomerang kid in “The Girl of Guy Who Came Back.” This blond cupcake was eliminated five episodes ago for too much happy and not enough smolder. Well, Bustin’ Dustin’s sick facial architecture brought him back because Tyra just loves her some strong-jawed scruffy masculinity. But does he have the figurative chops to cut it in the modeling world? More importantly… who was commanded to exit stage left?
ANTM Recap: One Model Returns, One Model Goes Away >>>
America Voted Devin Off, But Tyra Disagrees
Ms. Tyra Banks left us hanging at the end of “The Guy or Girl Who Came Back.” Come on, Tyra. How fair was that? The bottom two scores belonged to Devin (Good Lord, it’s time this monkey went home) and Might-As-Well-Be-Invisible Justin. Since Tyra wasn’t putting out, we took our own poll and here’s what America said:
America disagrees with my colleague Dean Bextor who predicts Justin will be going home. Eighty percent of you believe Devin is going home. As for me, I want Devin to go home, but I don’t think Tyra is willing to let his cheekbones and plush lips get away so fast. And I don’t think the producers of ANTM are ready to let go of DevinDramatics, especially now that Bello has left the building. For those reasons, I believe Justin will be sent packing. Sad, but true.
Result: Justin is sent home; Devin is going to Vegas!
Viva, Las Vegas!
After elimination, the models return to the fun house and everybody has opinions to air about Dustin miraculous resurrection from the dead, making me wonder if they see him as a threat. Interesting fact: If you go by straight scores from the last elimination, Dustin’s scored several points higher than Mame, Mikey, and Devin. So, suck it up, people. There’s a new kid in town.
Mame bawls over a letter Justin left for her to find. She’s missing her little boy toy. Let’s see if her loneliness will negatively affects her ability to do her best.
The bus comes … and we’re off to the SLS Hotel in Las Vegas.
Don Benjamin Makes the Models “Jealous”
When the models arrive at their plush Vegas penthouse they find clothing and accessories from Tyra waiting for them. She tells them to get dressed and meet her at their private VIP party by the pool. When they arrive they find Don Benjamin from cycle 20 who has just released his new album, “Jealous.” The challenge is to pose in mid air while jumping into the pool. Each model gets only one shot. The winner gets a spa treatment. I forget what the song had to do with it …
Mikey is first up. Don tells him he’s supposed to be a gambler. The shot actually looks pretty good. Next up is Mame playing a sheik shopper. She’s practically horizontal in her shot and Yu Tsai and Don love it. Dustin is a Vegas party host. His photo is really interesting, in a good way. Devin, the one trick pony, doesn’t do well. Lacey is a pool lounger. Her sunglasses cover half her face in her shot. Nyle is hyped because he’s been doing so well lately. Unfortunately, he goes a little overboard and his photo looks like he’s been thrown into the pool. Last is Hadassah playing a shopaholic. Her yellow dress completely covers her face, but the camera caught her before that happened and she looks fly.
Don says Mame, Devin and Hadassah did the best out of the seven models, and gives the spa treatment prize to Mame. This is her fourth challenge win. She gets the full 10 points for winning this challenge. Devin and Nyle have the bottom scores at seven.
Mikey Leaves Devin in the Dust
Back at the house, Devin video journals about a cool vibe that he’s getting off of Mikey. The worse Devin does, the more distant Mikey gets. (That’s my observation). Mikey says he’s just focusing on his modeling, but I think he feels he’s gotten too good for Devin. Usually when someone is shown being cocky during the downtime, it means they may be eliminated next. Is that what’s going on here?
Work the Hallway Like a Runway
Tyra Introduces Tyra Beauty, a beauty line that consumers can actually sell themselves when they become a “beautitainer,” Tyra’s invented word for “beauty consultant.” Consumers can go to the Tyra Beauty website and start their own business selling this stuff. Yeah, like Avon or Mary Kay. “Ding dong, Tyra Beauty calling!”
Ratcheting it up a notch from her previous marketing strategy of print media and commercials, Tyra is shooting a music video featuring the Tyra Beauty theme song, “BOOTYful.” The song was recorded by Stori, but the models will lip-sync the lyrics during their video.
Each model is given a character to play in the video. Dustin is the party host, Nyle is the bartender, Mame is the customer, Mikey is the flirt (go figure), Devin is the makeup artist (and again), and Lacey gets to play the self-conscious ingenue.
Dustin struggles with his part. Everyone thinks he isn’t taking his modeling seriously, but really, he just doesn’t know what to do with himself. Each model has to do a take in an Alice in Wonderland-esque black and yellow stripped hallway. Nyle’s performance is gansta, Devin goes rap, Mikey goes rocker. The women (and Mikey) do a lot of hair flipping. All of that happens on day one of the video recording.
Day Two: Sporting Custom-Made Rocky Gathercole
Every model is fitted in outrageous black and gold art pieces for the final scene of the music video. The first scene has Devin, Mikey and Hadassah sitting in a conversation pit partying with martinis as they sync the song. Hadassah and Mikey do some kissing for the camera. Then some more kissing. When Don asks Mikey if he has a girlfriend back home, Mikey says, “Nah…” Oops. I hope what’s-her-face isn’t watching.
After making a hot mess of his video take the previous day, Dustin totally kicks it when he’s put inside a revolving gold globe thingy. Yu Tsai calls him the “Come Back Kid.” Maybe there is hope for him. Let’s be honest, people, Dustin isn’t really a model. He’s a beautiful young man, but he’s so green behind the ears that he has no idea what he’s gotten himself into. Yes, he looks good jumping in a pool and talking to a dog, but some of that has to do with the timing of the shot. Sadly, I’m not expecting him to go too far in this competition. (I will, however, enjoy every moment that he’s on my screen because he is simply dishy-delishy.)
When Nyle is a fierce sexy bartender, Tyra is his awesome director. She jumps to the beat so he knows how it goes. It looks like his take was spot on. (He is a beautiful and photogenic man, if I do say so myself. Yummy.)
Tyra the Beautitainer Works the Catwalk
The final part of the video is a catwalk stroll wearing the Rocky Gathercole originals. Tyra walks with several different pieces, followed by each of the models. Everyone is rocking out except Nyle, who cannot hear the beat and Hadassah who looks like she has a stick up her butt.
Back at the house, people are smiling, but their words have barbs. The nasty side of Mikey is coming out, as is the mean girl side of Devin. The girls, Nyle, and Dustin refrain from partaking in the lovers-spat between DM (No A). This competition is getting close and the models are stressing.
Devin’s Modeling Goes From the Worst to Best
Challenge-winner Mame is the first up for critique at panel. Her runway walk was weak, and the judges say that she doesn’t know her real strength. Tyra says she needs to let her feelings out, but Mame says she thought she was doing that. “You weren’t,” snaps Kelly. Mame leaves the runway looking like she’s going to cry.
When it’s Mikey’s turn, Tyra yells, “Mikey! What … the … hell?!” (Is that good or bad?) Kelly says he took her away from being a judge and into being a consumer. She loves his rocker vibe in that video. She would buy anything he was selling. (So that means Mikey done good.) I think Kelly wants to take Mikey home in her pocket.
Devin takes center stage for his critique and right away the judges dog him for wearing two pounds of makeup. Then they eat crow as they fall all over themselves over his video moves. Kelly says Devin has found his place in the world, and that he embodied fashion in his performance. He brought something really beautiful to the scene with his uninhibited dancing. He’s come a long way from being in the bottom two last week. Bottom to top, baby. (Crap. He probably isn’t going home anytime soon. Grrrrr.)
According to Tyra, Lacey’s acting was spot on but her walk wasn’t that strong. Hadassah is dogged for being too prim and proper in her video (There’s that stick again), other than when she was sucking face with Mikey. Dustin gets the absolute worst review. Nyle is the last model critiqued. The judges are impressed with his fierce energetic signing as he went down Alice’s stripped hallway. Tyra and Kelly feel he adds something to the product line. I think that’s called “class” my friends. He was awesome.
Who Is the Most BOOTYful of Them All?
It’s time for panel. By the end of the hour there will be only six models remaining. As Devin cranked up the heat this week, there’s no way it will be him leaving. Here’s a tissue, Devin haters, dry your eyes. So, who is still in the running to be America’s Next Top Model?
Top Three: Mikey, Devin, Lacey
Middle Two: Mame, Nyle
Bottom Two: Hadassah, Dustin
Result: Dustin is sent back home.
Weeeeeel. I can’t say as I’m surprised at Dustin’s exodus. It was fun while it lasted. And, really, it will probably be fun to see whatever drama Devin gets himself into next week. Here’s what I want to know: now that we are down to Mikey, Devin, Lacey, Nyle, Mame, and Hadassah, who will be the next to go? They are all pretty good, but I’m voting for either Hadassah or Mame to be escorted from the room next. What do you think? See you when “And Then That Happened” airs.
America’s Next Top Model airs Wednesdays at 8pm on The CW.
(Images Courtesy of The CW)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
