Originally aired on Wednesday, 10/25/2006
Episode Rating: *** (3 out of 5 stars)
Episode Overview: Brooke Miller receives a package congratulating her on her high school graduation. The girls pose for 'scary-sexy' beauty shots with special photographer Tyra Banks. They then get lessons in sex appeal from burlesque star Dita Von Teese and compete in a sexy runway challenge on top of a dining room table.
Melrose Bickerstaff wins the challenge and is rewarded with a Seventeen magazine photo spread. At the photo shoot the girls model for romance novel covers with famed coverboy Fabio.
Episode Highlights:
- The girls get lessons on sex appeal from burlesque entertainer Dita Von Teese.
- The girls pose for romance novel covers with romance coverstud Fabio.
- Brooke's youth and inexperience work against her and she's sent home.
Recap:
The girls have now been living in the
Top Model house for six weeks and tempers are starting to wear thin. Eugena runs down the girls most annoying habits:
Jaeda Young won't stop complaining about her hair,
Anchal Joseph won't stop fretting over her weight, Melrose won't stop being a "backstabbing ho," and
Caridee English won't stop being semi-nude.
A package arrives for Brooke filled with confetti. Buried deep inside is her high school diploma. Brooke says she's a little bummed about missing her prom and graduation but wouldn't trade this experience for anything.
One-by-one the girls are called into the backyard for an impromptu photo shoot with guest photographer Tyra Banks. The theme for the shoot is 'evil-sexy,' the object being to look wicked and spooky while still maintaining a certain sex appeal. To achieve this, the girls are each outfitted with special prop contacts like the ones your friends get on Halloween and then spend the rest of the night complaining how they can't get them to fit right. Each girl frizzes their hair out to the limit, cakes on the black eyeshadow, and strikes their best Bella Lugosi.
Tyra-Mail tells the girls to be ready to flaunt their assets. Caridee wonders if they'll be modeling lingerie. Sorry honey, nothing that dignified. They arrive at the historic El Ray Theatre where they meet makeup artist Sultan who says that today's lesson is all about being sexy. And who better to offer advice on the art of seduction than world-renowned burlesque performer, Mrs. Marilyn Manson herself, Dita Von Teese? Dita reminds the girls that the secret to being sexy is to never look like you're trying too hard. She then invites them each to come up on stage and try it for themselves. Anchal and Brooke come off as awkward and nervous, the twins display a sexy playfulness, while Caridee...well, let's just say the manager of Scores will be calling.
The girls then meet with Cathy Gould, head of Elite Modeling Agency along with supermodel Kylie Bax. She tells them that tonight they will be doing a runway show on top of a dining room table, utilizing the sexy moves Dita taught them earlier. The girls get outfitted in fishnets and booty shorts and strut down the marble countertop. Man, I hope they're getting paid by the hour for this. Brooke and Anchal still appear too stiff while Eugena seemed to be trying to hard. Caridee? Well at least her heel didn't end up in someone's duck l'orange. But the star of the challenge is Melrose who's rewarded with an editorial spread in Seventeen magazine for herself and three friends, in this case Brooke,
Michelle, and
Amanda Babin.
A long winded Tyra-Mail mentions everything from heaving bosoms to rubenesque bodies to moans of ecstasy. Nothing about modeling, but whatever. They meet Jay Manuel who informs them that today they'll be posing for the covers of romance novels along with a costar who knows everything about the genre, hinting that they got some big name coverboy like Fabio or something. During prep, the girls are called out to meet their costar who turns out to be--OMG, they really got Fabio, no way. And he looks totally...old. Oh well, can't win 'em all I guess. First up is Caridee who delivers as the peasant in love with a rich man (It's also worth mentioning that despite playing a harlequin novel covergirl, this is the most clothes she's worn all episode, just sayin'). Same goes for Anchal as the Egyptian Queen and Melrose as the madam in the brothel, both stealing the shot from their brawny costar. Brooke, Jaeda and the twins, however, come off as awkward and inexperienced.
(Click the Model's picture to expand the picture in her profile)
Tyra-Mail tells the girls to prepare for another elimination. Anchal continues to worry about her weight while Brooke points out that tonight's elimination is the same night as her high school graduation and that it would suck to be the one sent home tonight. During elimination, the judges love Anchal's romance cover, but Tyra reminds her to not be "too hoochy with that booty." Top marks also go to Caridee, Amanda, and Melrose for their spooky black-and-white-shots along with their romance covers. The same can not be said for Eugena, Jaeda, and Brooke, however, who all manage to look scary in their black-and-whites but falter in full color with Fabio. The judges also raise questions over Brooke's age and Eugena's standoffish attitude during panel.
The girls return to judging and Tyra starts handing out pictures. First up is Amanda, then Caridee, Anchal, Melrose, Jaeda, and Michelle, leaving Brooke and Eugena in the bottom two. Tyra says the judges love Brooke's personality but doubt whether she has what it takes to be a TOP MODEL, while Eugena's attitude continues to hold her back. Tyra hands the last photo to Eugena while a tearful Brooke embraces her castmates saying she wishes she hadn't missed her graduation. Tyra then stops and assures her that although she missed the ceremony she graduated in their eyes.
--Scott K.
