The recent Netflix docuseries Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model has ignited renewed controversy surrounding Tyra Banks and the long-running reality competition show. Rather than offering an apology or acknowledging criticisms, Banks appears to deflect blame, arguing that the show’s intense and often problematic elements were a direct response to viewer demand.
ANTM’s History and Criticism
America’s Next Top Model, which premiered in 2003 and spanned 24 cycles across UPN, The CW, and VH1, achieved massive success while simultaneously attracting criticism for its exploitative challenges and unrealistic beauty standards. The show frequently pushed contestants to their emotional and physical limits, sometimes with lasting negative consequences.
This isn’t new. For years, former contestants have spoken out about the show’s harmful practices. Lisa D’Amato, winner of ANTM: All Stars, told Page Six that Banks is motivated by profit rather than empathy. “She doesn’t have any real empathy for anybody else but herself,” she claimed.
Banks’ Response in the Docuseries
In the docuseries, Banks presents herself as a visionary who sought to revolutionize the modeling industry, yet critics argue she actively reinforces toxic norms. The Guardian described her approach as “intent on upholding the toxic status quo.” In a clip from the trailer, Banks appears to shrug off some of the responsibility, stating bluntly, “I knew I went too far… But you guys were demanding it.”
Behind-the-Scenes Control
Director Daniel Sivan reveals that Banks had limited creative control over her portrayal in the Netflix series. The documentary was designed to provoke debate and elicit strong reactions from viewers. Sivan stated, “We want people to be angry and also to love this [doc], and we want them to debate it with each other.”
Public Reaction
Early reactions on social media are overwhelmingly negative. Many viewers express disappointment in Banks’ apparent lack of accountability, with one X user stating, “I honestly can’t believe how cold Tyra Banks is coming across. Even after all the backlash, there’s just zero warmth or accountability.”
Another user questioned whether the docuseries was intended to rehabilitate Banks’ image, concluding that it may have failed. Despite the backlash, some fans remain loyal.
The docuseries lays bare a fundamental tension: the show’s success depended on pushing boundaries, even at the expense of its contestants’ well-being, and Banks seems unwilling to admit any wrongdoing. Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model is now streaming on Netflix.
