This season of Top Model is all about becoming a recognizable “brand” — to achieve riches and fame not just with mere modeling, but with personality.
Cycle 4’s Brittany Brower originally forged her way into ANTM fans’ hearts with her big laugh, fun-loving attitude and unflagging honesty. (Oh, and she also happens to be gorgeous and a great model. That doesn’t hurt, either.) So when it was announced that Brittany was cast in the all-star cycle, she seemed like a shoo-in for the finals, because she’s all about personality!
Now, after being eliminated first from the all-star cast, Brittany’s not holding back the honesty, this time about her own suspicious elimination: “It doesn’t make sense. I don’t believe it,” she told me of Tyra’s reasoning, which was that Brittany simply wasn’t memorable enough to the fans at their live judging panel.
(And she’s right. It doesn’t make sense. Why would one of the “fan favorites,” and the “party girl” to boot, get the boot for being fan-forgettable? Oh, Tyra, so little of what you do makes sense.)
It was bittersweet to be able to chat with Brittany, who was one of my all-time favorite Top Models and one of my early front-runners for the all-star cycle. But there’s good news for Brittany fans in need of their weekly fix: She’s got her own Top Model-themed web series in the works! Read on for Brittany’s take on her suspicious elimination, her least favorite fellow all-star, details about her web series and more:
Meghan, BuddyTV: Hi Brittany. You know, I’m really excited to talk to you, though I didn’t want it to be this soon!
Brittany: Yeah, you and me both, babe.
Well, talk to me a little bit about your elimination. You said you were surprised on the show.
Absolutely. I was surprised. I’m still surprised. I’m still confused. I’m still lost. I call bullsh*t on no one having anything to say about me. I was on that stage and I heard the fans yelling my name out and I had – when I left the stage as they were coming out, they went, “Oh, Brittany, Brittany, Brittany! You’re my favorite!” So I don’t know if it was imaginary people they were talking to in that crowd or what. I had no idea because that’s definitely not the way it went down. And then two, I think it’s funny, ’cause I know people were yelling for me, but I know people were definitely not fans of Alexandria’s. So I don’t get how that won over someone who … I don’t know.
Right, Tyra’s whole speech about polarity. What did you think about that reasoning? Did you think that was just Tyra’s excuse to keep on someone who’s more dramatic?
Um, yeah. I really don’t know. I can’t figure that one out. They didn’t like [Alexandria’s] photo. She got out there and she started, and the crowd booed her coming up. I really don’t know. Everyone loved my photo and I rocked it when I got out there. Just being me. We were supposed to go out there and do our personas, which mine is, obviously, this crazy loud girl, party girl fun. So I went out there and did that. Honestly, I really don’t get it.
Tyra was really pushing how this season’s about being a brand. And I remember you, and I’ve also seen how you’ve been one of the All-Stars who’s been most successful, arguably, at expanding your business beyond modeling. So were you disappointed that she didn’t take that into consideration at all?
Well yeah, and she kind of said that in elimination. She was like, “You’re kind of like me, you’re a businesswoman, you’ve done that, so you’re strong.” I’m like, “Okay, and this is a reason to kick me off?” Like, this seems odd. I started my own modeling agency which is Brittany Brower Models, where I train and find new talent and help them find those larger agencies. Something I’ve been doing for years, even before I was on Top Model 4, I started in Tallahassee, Florida with my mother, agent Marcia Doll, and I’ve been training with her since I was 15, teaching the classes, and I took it to the West Coast. So not only have I built my own medical spa at DMH Aesthetics, I also did my modeling here. That was that, and I’ve also stayed in the industry. And I’ve been doing my hosting now, and I’m working with FOX and doing correspondent work and things like that. To be quite honest, I just don’t really understand it. I don’t get it, but you know what, everything happens for a reason, and who knows where this is going to take me now? But I really have no regrets.
So you are glad you did it anyway, even though it didn’t turn out that well?
Yeah, sure. I really, honestly, really do believe that everything happens for a reason. I might not even know what that reasoning is yet. I mean, I can get a call tomorrow and they’d be like “Wow, you got robbed. You wanna come on the show? Do you wanna host this?” You never know, I’m just saying, everything will be revealed in due time. Everything always has in my life. I always connected the dots and been like, “Wow, if that didn’t happen, this never would’ve happened.” So I really just believe in fate and the way is going, you know? No regrets.
Well, before all of that elimination stuff happened, what was the mood in the house? How did everybody feel about being back there?
Well, everyone just kind of had mixed feelings. I mean, we’re all kind of excited, but it was definitely different than when we first came around that first time. The first time around, we were excited like, “Oh my god, there’s Tyra! Oh wow!” But this time wasn’t like that. We go, “Hey Tyra, what’s up?” You know? We’ve gone there. We’ve done it already, we’ve seen it. We knew what to expect. I mean there’s always going to be curveballs, but for the most part, it’s like we’ve done this already.
Who were you most excited to have back there with you?
Oh, definitely Lisa. Love Lisa! Love, love, love Lisa! But you guys didn’t get to see a whole lot. Lisa and I were nuts on the show even before I got eliminated. But there’s just so much footage, they can’t really show everything. But we were like, all shenanigans, making up characters, Peggy Sue and Trina. Doing all kinds of funny stuff together. I was having a blast! Lisa and I are friends, I knew her before, so I was really, really excited to see her now.
Was there anyone you were a little wary of? That you thought might be trouble down the road?
Probably Angelea. I didn’t really click with her. I didn’t really get too close with that one. She could be too negative at times in the house. We were all just like, “Hey, we’re all trying to be happy-positive about it!” We’d be like, “Let’s cut back, let’s just do this! We’re all professionals now. We don’t need to try to start unnecessary drama to try to prove who we are, divas and all that.”
I’m a pretty positive person, and she was always so negative, and of course she had to say the good ol’ “Well, I’m not trying to make friends here!” And you know, “I love how you’re all trying to act like you love each other now, but you all just wait, you’ll be fighting.” And I’m just like, that’s like a “Who’s buried in Grant’s tomb?” kind of comment. Uh. Grant. Duh, thanks for that amaaazing insight, Angelea! We get it, there’s 14 girls in a house with cameras around. It’s a reality show and they’re all A-types of personalities. Of course there’s gonna be drama! If they weren’t drama, than it’s just terrible casting! Terrible casting! We didn’t get picked because we’re normal people; we’re nuts! I just hated that kind of comment. We’re all just trying to get over the stress, and get in the house, and figure each other out, and have a good time. We’re tryiong to look at all the great things about the show and try to be positive about it. At least start off positive about it! And she’s just there like, “Uh-huh. Yeah. Y’all are friendly now.” And I’m like, “Why do you have to be negative? Where is that gonna get anyone?” But being positive didn’t get me far, so maybe I should just be a bitch.
I was honestly dumbfounded that Tyra was saying that the fans didn’t remember you, especially because the whole thing was about how you were brought back as a fan favorite. Did that seem contradictory to you?
That’s exactly what I’m talking about. It doesn’t make sense. One plus one does not equal two in this equation. We got brought back because of that. When they released Top Model All-Stars, I didn’t even know about it. It was in the works, but we didn’t know who the cast was going to be. When they released it, saying they were just going to do all-stars, the blogs blew up, and my name obviously came up quite a bit. That’s why I even got called in! So here it is, to be going from blogs blowing up about me, and that’s why they bring me in, to then getting on the All-Star show, and then them saying, “Oh, people really didn’t know who you were.” Well you need to fire your casting director, because obviously, why did they bring me back? It doesn’t matter, it doesn’t make sense. I don’t believe it.
Where can we see you next, since we didn’t get enough of you this season? What’s next for you?
Okay, I’ve got a great thing. Since I was “topped off” first, I’m doing my own webseries and it will be on my site, BrittanyBrower.com. I’m gonna do a whole webseries called “Topped Off,” and it kind of works with a bottle of champagne because, you know, I’m going to top it off with that. And I’m just kinda sitting there, and I’m going to give my insight, my two cents on everything. I’m gonna watch along with everyone, and you’re gonna get the insight through me, because I do know these girls. Even though, you guys, it looked like my time there was really fast, I was there longer than you think. So I do know the girls, I do know the personalities, and I’ve stayed up with them a long time. We still hang out. So I’m gonna have little guests on the show, like bring Lisa on with me, and we’re gonna do a little webseries! So that’ll be on my website.
One last question for you. Who are you rooting for to win the whole thing?
Oh, definitely Lisa. I gotta root for my girl. I love that girl! If someone’s gonna bring it home, it’s gotta that girl.
Well, thank you so much Brittany. It was fun to watch you while it lasted.
Aww. I know. My whole, like, ten seconds of being on screen.
Definitely wasn’t enough.
It never is!
Want more Brittany, and updates about her upcoming web series, “Topped Off”? Follow her at @BrittanyBrower on Twitter. (And follow us, too! @BuddyTV)
(Image courtesy of CW)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
Meghan hails from Walla Walla, WA, the proud home of the world’s best sweet onions and Adam West, the original Batman. An avid grammarian and over-analyzer, you can usually find her thinking too hard about plot devices in favorites like The Office, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and How I Met Your Mother. In her spare time, Meghan enjoys drawing, shopping, trying to be funny (and often failing), and not understanding the whole Twilight thing. She’s got a BA in English and Studio Art from Whitman College, which makes her a professional arguer, daydreamer, and doodler.
