'America's Next Top Model' Causes A Stir After 'Bi-Racial' Photo Shoot

Access Hollywood - October 29, 2009 3:10 PM PDT
Story photo: 'America's Next Top Model' Causes A Stir After 'Bi-Racial' Photo ShootNicole from 'America's Next Top Model' is turned into a bi-racial model for a photo shoot Pottle Productions Inc.Access Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Weeks after an Australian variety show made headlines around the world after a group of white performers donned blackface to perform as the Jackson brothers, Tyra Banks is making headlines herself for turning her latest "America's Next Top Model" candidates bi-racial for a photo shoot.

During Wednesday night's "ANTM" episode on The CW, Tyra took the remaining six young women of Cycle 13 to Hawaii, where she took pictures of the models after they were transformed into different races.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Scenes From Tyra's Bi-Racial Photo Shoot On 'America's Next Top Model' Cycle 13

Tyra told bleach blonde Erin Wagner she was going to be "Tibetan, like the Dali Lama, and Egyptian"; Southern belle Laura Kirkpatrick was put into makeup to look "Mexican and Greek"; Jennifer An, who is Korean, was told she was going to be "Botswanan and Polynesian"; African-American Sundai Love was made to look "Moroccan and Russian"; redheaded Nicole Fox was "Malagasy and Japanese," while blonde Brittany Markert was put into makeup to look "Native American and East Indian."

While the only things that seemed to confuse the lithe models on the show were particulars about the countries, nationalities and races they were representing, some members of the press are calling foul.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Model Mania: Hot Shots Of The World's Catwalkin' Beauties

E! News asked whether the shoot was "Racy or Racist?" noting the girls were "coated in creams to darken their skin tone." Over at Entertainment Weekly, a writer noted that the models acted "like there's nothing socially charged at all about race-as-costume." And AOL TV, ran a recap under the headline "Tyra Banks Puts 'Top Models' In Blackface. When Did This Become OK?"

But while the current controversy is new, "America's Next Top Model" has changed the skin tone of their models before, back during Season 4.

A rep for The CW had no comment when contacted by Access about the controversy.

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: From Sexy Supermodel to TV Mogul: Hot Shots of Tyra Banks!
PLAY IT NOW: A Bi-Racial Controversy For 'America's Next Top Model'? (October 28, 2009)
PLAY IT NOW: Tyra Banks Talks 'Top Model' & Talk Show

MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: America's Next Top Model - Tyra Banks - TV One - Reality TV - TV

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comments 1-10 of 62  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • Lisa
    Why are we still having conversations about this? I we were moving toward change...
    report abuseposted November 11, 2009 10:43 AM PST
  • Kayla
    Oh for crying out loud, I think it was a good idea and people nowadays are retarted. To Get upset about this is dumb and people need to get over themselves. Its not like Tyra had the models go bomb a bunch of places and kill a bunch of people. This is art People.
    report abuseposted November 1, 2009 1:26 AM PST
  • Mshollywood
    I thought what Tyra did was wonderful! It was showing how all races are beautiful!! People shouldn't take these things the wrong way! It was by far my favorite episode/photo shoot of ANTM! I enjoyed it very much!!
    report abuseposted October 31, 2009 7:23 AM PDT
  • Black Mahogany
    These so-called journalists should get a %@!*#ing life!!! Stirring up stupid outcry about any artistic pictures which involve painting is not gonna make you non-racism activists!!! Damn!!! Are you that offended whenever Beyonce is photoshoped and given a fair skin on picx?
    report abuseposted October 30, 2009 9:06 PM PDT
  • Devriel
    OMG, iT iS REALLY NOT SERiOUS [AT ALL]! i THOUGHT iT WAS A GOOD iDEA. TYRA WAS JUST TRYiNG TO SHOW DIFFERENT RACES AND GiVE US iDEAS OF HOW THEY LOOK. THE MEDiA iS EXTREMELY BORED!
    report abuseposted October 30, 2009 5:41 PM PDT
  • Rachel N
    So, it's ok for Sundai to be turned into a Russian/Moroccan but for Brittney to be turned into an African American is offensive? I think people who look at such shows and call them racist are the ones with the problem and generate an unnecessary stir. It's just a TV show, it's just pictures and it's jut art. Why can't people see art as art and stop pulling t
    report abuseposted October 30, 2009 3:21 PM PDT
  • Rachel N
    So, it's ok for Sundai to be turned into a Russian/Moroccan but for Brittney to be turned into an African American is offensive? I think people who look at such shows and call them racist are the ones with the problem and generate an unnecessary stir. It's just a TV show, it's just pictures and it's jut art. Why can't people see art as art and stop pulling t
    report abuseposted October 30, 2009 3:21 PM PDT
  • Rachel N
    So, it's ok for Sundai to be turned into a Russian/Moroccan but for Brittney to be turned into an African American is offensive? I think people who look at such shows and call them racist are the ones with the problem and generate an unnecessary stir. It's just a TV show, it's just pictures and it's jut art. Why can't people see art as art and stop pulling t
    report abuseposted October 30, 2009 3:21 PM PDT
  • Hayley
    Are women who get sprayed tanned trying to change their race? The media had nothing to complain about so they created something of their own.
    report abuseposted October 30, 2009 11:21 AM PDT
  • Hayley
    I'am bi-racial and not offended by this photo shoot. I thought the photos were beautiful. What is the big deal? Since when are models portrayed as different races in fashion? I think the pictures were very orginal. People need to get over themselves.
    report abuseposted October 30, 2009 11:19 AM PDT
comments 1-10 of 62  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >| 

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