I will not watch America's Next Top Model Cycle 11

I will not watch the new season of America's Next Top Model. I will not watch. I will not watch. I will not watch... Who am I fooling? I'm gonna watch and hate/love every moment of it.

Alex over Catherine in Britain's Next Top Model

Catherine on the left and Alex on the right

It's official, all my favourite girls on the various Next Top Model shows around the world have come in second. Jennifer beat Janina in Germany's NTM, Demelza beat Alex in Australia's NTM and now Alex (another one) beats Catherine in Britain's NTM. By all accounts Alex isn't a bad pick for BNTM. She's certainly better than glamour girl Stephanie or insincere bible thumper Rachel. I was just hoping my horse would come in!

Australia's Next Top Model is Demelza!

Demelza beat Alex this past Monday in Australia's Next Top Model. I'm a bit disappointed as Alex was much more edgy and hard working. Demelza's past behaviour is real big turn off too, her bullying of Alamela is unforgivable (I hear she is still denying she bullied Alamela hours after winning... so all that video of her doing it is fake!?!?). Unlike most of Australia, I'm not buying her new found maturity! She'll always be that catty beeyatch we saw thru most of the series.

Alex on the right and Demelza on the left

Australia's Next Top Model is a strange version of Next Top Model franchise. I've watched all the previous seasons and they tend to position the show and it's contestants to fight with each other. Focusing more on the relationships in the model house than the fashion. There's not much of focus on the catwalk (until this finale) and as you would expect there's a lot of photo shoots with lots of sun influence. So I find it amazing that despite all that, they can still have 2 finalists as strong as they have. Demelza will likely be very successful if she can work hard and avoid self destructing in her own hubris. Go Alex, I'm rooting for you! You aussies stop snickering, I know what rooting means for you down under!

Look Tyra! If a country of 21 million can come up with 2 decent finalists for their version of NTM, why can't the American version produce ONE top model? America's had 10 seasons and Australia 4. The math is against you!

The lovely Alice Burdeu.

I'm not even counting Australia's last year's winner Alice Burdeu who is probably NTM (any version) most successful winner. Working for Louis Vuiton, Alexander McQueen and Dolce & Gabana and doing it in fashion's holy trinity of NYC, Milan and Paris certainly puts any of America's winners to shame. Only Britain's NTM is as laughable (I do love Catherine though). However, I'll still watch them all... for purely research reasons of course!

Tyra leaving next Top Model, bitch slaps Jay

I just read this article on MSNBC about Tyra Banks possibly leaving Next Top Model. The rumours have it that:

• After having Clinton and Barrack on, she's feeling all Oprahish and wants to concentrate on her talk show.
  
• Tyra and Jay aren't speaking an insider says. No they haven't actually bitch slapped each other but I would pay money to see that! I'd like Jay to win but I think Tyra would fight dirty.
  
• Apparently she barely interacts with the contestants at all and only wants to show up for the judging.

This doesn't surprise me as I've felt that she's been phoning in her performances since the show left NYC the first time (pre-talk show). The show would benefit from a more hands on host. A little more Paulina anyone!?!?

Apple Bottom Jeans on Next Top Model

Apple Bottom gave away some free wares to the girls on America's Next Top Model tonight. It's so timely as we've started receiving our Apple Bottom stock for the store just recently.

The would be models got Apple Bottom tops, jeans and shoes (I didn't think they made shoes). I'm getting suckered into enjoying the show again. The fashion reality aspect of the show still sucks but the cat fights are awesome!

Claire and Dominique show us what an "Apple Bottom" is!

Fatima and Allison trade Apple Bottom insults.

Aimless thoughts at midnight before the airport

I've got a 3AM flight to Asia tonight... errr... tomorrow morning. I've got 30 minutes to kill so here I am with my new blog. I didn't expect to have so much to say or to have such a good time saying it. So I hope you're all enjoying too!

I'm off to Hong Kong to see some family and friends. One of my long time key staff has moved back to help out in the family business. So we'll do lunch. I'll also shuttle over to Japan for funky new designers and Korea for knitwear and accessories.

I was flipping channels and saw the on SNL the "Iran So Far" digital short with Andy Sandberg and Maroon 5 guy sing a gay love song about that Mahmoud guy. Funny stuff. I also caught most of an Elise Estrada video on Muchmusic. It wasn't bad but more interesting was that clearly it was filmed in Coal Harbour. So I take it she's a local. I wonder if she's ever shopped at the store. We certainly would welcome her if she wasn't!

Sudden realization just dawned on me! I haven't watched TV in ages. I watch a lot TV shows but it's been ages since I watched it on a TV. I do all my watching on either streaming media or via downloads. This is a superior way to watch shows, no commercials and where else would I be able to watch Next Top Model from Britain or Australia? The NTM show, even the US version isn't about fashion or modeling... it's about catty women living together. Gawd, I love that show. In the current ANTM I like the girl with autism. She's so different and I like an underdog.

Opps got to fly, literally!