Curse of: America’s Next Top Model

Episode: The Set-Up

Host: Bridget Armstrong
Air Date: September 16, 2025

Episode Overview

In the premiere episode of "Curse of: America’s Next Top Model," host Bridget Armstrong embarks on an investigative journey to uncover the hidden costs of reality television, focusing on the iconic yet controversial show "America’s Next Top Model" (ANTM). Armstrong explores how the show, once seen as a golden ticket to fame, left many contestants with lifelong scars—emotionally, professionally, and culturally. Through interviews with former models, producers, and crew, she examines the legacy of ANTM, the real impact on its participants, and questions whether Tyra Banks is a reality TV villain or a misunderstood visionary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Most Iconic Reality TV Meltdown (02:02–04:38)

• The "We Were Rooting For You" Moment
  Bridget introduces one of reality TV's most infamous clips: Tyra Banks yelling at contestant Tiffany Richardson during her elimination. This heated exchange has become a pop-culture meme, but Armstrong reveals there’s a deeper story behind it.

  Tyra Banks (02:39): "I have never in my life yelled at a girl like this... I was rooting for you. We were all rooting for you. How dare you!"

  • Behind the Scenes: Sound mixer Jose Torres recounts that Tyra’s outburst was not staged and involved unexpectedly personal remarks that were edited out, showing genuine anger and hurt.

    Jose Torres (05:16): “Tyra took some mean shots... She got personal and didn’t need to.”

  • Armstrong reflects on the impact of this moment, noting it may have revealed the “real” Tyra to viewers.

2. The Unseen Costs for Contestants (09:25–12:44)

• Broken Promises & Career Setbacks
  Armstrong investigates the claim that ANTM failed to deliver on its core promise: launching successful modeling careers.

  • Cycle 2 Winner Yoanna House (10:51):

    “You spit me out as a winner... now I’m having to look and be a million bucks, but I’m not making any money right now. I’m living on a couch... Yet, I’m famous.”

  • Body Shaming & Trauma:
    Kenya Hill recounts the lasting psychological impact of being portrayed as an overeater, despite being thin.

    Kenya Hill (11:36): “Even still to this day, I am mindful of... is there anybody watching me eat right now? They believed what was portrayed on the show... it has actually been a struggle of just even eating in public.”

  • Industry Backlash:
    Former contestants like Winnie Harlow (Chantel Brown-Young) and Angelea Preston share how their portrayal on the show hindered their careers, with agencies explicitly refusing to sign ANTM alumni.

    Winnie Harlow (13:54): “I really started after the show, ’cause that really didn’t do anything for my career. Which it doesn’t do anything for any model’s career, realistically.”

    Angelea Preston (15:26): “My booker was like, 'he loves you, but he cannot sign you... Basically, they not messing with you.'”

    Gina Turner (16:23): “The agency... does not typically affiliate themselves with girls who have been on the show. It’s just really distracting for a lot of clients... unfortunately she couldn’t sign me and I was really bummed out.”

3. Genesis of ANTM: Tyra’s Big Idea (21:26–30:09)

• ANTM Was Tyra’s Passion Project
  Armstrong dispels the myth that Tyra was a mere host: ANTM was entirely her idea. The podcast recounts Tyra’s transition from supermodel to media mogul and her vision to diversify beauty standards and pivot her career.

  Tyra Banks (22:28): “I want to do like American Idol, but for models. But they live together like The Real World... a modeling boot camp.”

  Tyra Banks (29:47): “The why for me with this Top Model show is because I want to expand the definition of beauty... you have to be 6ft, 120 lbs, have blonde hair... I want to kick that to the curb.”

• Network Challenges & UPN’s Opportunity
  Tyra struggled to get networks interested. Most rejected her idea until UPN, a network catering to young Black audiences, greenlit her show—giving Tyra more control and ownership (25%).

  Bridget Armstrong (26:26): “I hope she fired that guy... Tyra's over-the-top antics started before she even had a deal. She literally acted out her dream cast... But not enough to fund the show, until UPN came along.”

4. Reality TV’s Dark Blueprint (34:37–44:23)

• Producer Ken Mok’s “Desperation Formula”
  Armstrong introduces Ken Mok, the showrunner, who’s behind multiple reality TV “kingmaker” formats (like Making the Band). His formula: exploit the dreams of desperate contestants, put them through humiliating or dangerous tasks regardless of actual talent, and let a charismatic host judge their worthiness.

  Amanda Kline (35:21): “First you find people who are desperate to attain something they couldn’t otherwise... then you offer them that thing in a way that seems like a shortcut or a cheat code... then you put them through embarrassing, stressful, and demeaning experiences...”

• Comparison with Other Kingmaker Hosts
  Ken Mok's previous shows featured problematic figures (Lou Pearlman, Sean 'Diddy' Combs), both later disgraced for abuse and exploitation, highlighting a pattern of blurred ethics in early reality TV.

  Bridget Armstrong (41:35): “I never thought I’d be mentioning Tyra Banks next to these two criminals, but her legacy is tied together with Ken Mok’s in the shady early days of reality TV.”

  • Ken Mok’s Pivotal Role
    The show's key moments—good and bad—required Ken Mok’s approval, emphasizing this was a deliberate system.

    Jose Torres (43:03): “Any of the major events that happened on that show, they did not happen without Ken Mok’s approval... Ken Mok signed off.”

• The “Set-Up” Theory
  Armstrong ends with the uncomfortable question: Was the ANTM “curse” simply the result of the fashion industry? Or was the show rigged so only one person—Tyra—could truly ‘win’?

  Bridget Armstrong (44:23): “When I first started reporting, I thought this was an unfortunate reality of the modeling world. Maybe the winners turned out to be flops because they didn’t have what it took to be on top. But now I’m wondering if the show was a setup all along.”

5. Promises, Ethics, and the Search for Answers (45:01–End)

• The Legacy & Lingering Questions

  • Some contestants say the show saved them, others say it ruined their lives.
  • Armstrong previews the season: stories of hope, trauma, broken contracts, and the personal toll on young women whose dreams were televised for entertainment.

  Various Contestants (45:01):
  - “Being on America’s Next Top Model actually saved my life.”
  - “Did they even know I was in debt?”
  - “After the show, they just kept focusing on me being suicidal...”

  • Cliffhanger for Next Episode:
    Armstrong promises a deep dive into Cycle 1’s production and more revelations on how the show misled its contestants and viewers.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Tyra’s Outburst (02:39):

  "I have never in my life yelled at a girl like this... I was rooting for you. We were all rooting for you. How dare you!"

• On ANTM’s Impact (10:51), Yoanna House:

  "You spit me out as a winner... and now I'm having to look and be a million bucks, but I'm not making any money right now. I'm living on a couch... yet, I'm famous."

• On the Modeling Industry’s Rejection, Winnie Harlow (13:54):

  "I really started after the show, 'cause that really didn't do anything for my career... I thought that was gonna be a career starter, but it was really like a reality TV show."

• Ken Mok’s Reality Formula, Amanda Kline (35:21):

  "Put them through embarrassing, stressful and demeaning experiences in order to prove their worthiness for the grand prize..."

• Bridget Armstrong’s Reflection (44:23):

  "Maybe the winners turned out to be... flops because they didn’t have what it took to be on top. But now I'm wondering if the show was a setup all along."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:02–04:38: The "We were rooting for you" meltdown—breakdown and behind the scenes.
• 09:25–13:23: Contestants’ post-show struggles and body shaming.
• 16:23–16:44: Agencies refusing to hire ANTM alumni.
• 21:26–30:09: Origin story—Tyra’s idea, pitching the show, UPN’s embrace.
• 34:37–44:23: Producer influence, reality TV ethics, and the exploitation blueprint.
• 45:01–45:47: Contestant testimonials and Armstrong’s thesis moving forward.

Tone and Style

Bridget Armstrong’s narration blends investigative journalism with nostalgia and personal anecdotes, maintaining a critical yet empathetic tone. She candidly admits her past admiration for the show, gradually revealing the darker truths beneath ANTM’s glitzy surface. The episode features candid, sometimes emotional testimonies from former contestants and crew, underscored by a sense of betrayal and reckoning with reality TV’s legacy.

Closing

Armstrong sets up the season as an in-depth exploration of whether the so-called "curse" is real, the toll it took on participants, and what it says about our culture. The next episode promises to deconstruct Cycle 1, examining deception and mismanaged promises from the very start.

For listeners new and old, this episode lifts the lid on America's Next Top Model, challenging its place in pop culture and reality TV history.