I cannot even tell you how happy I am this morning after watching last night's episode of Top Model ("Ready for My Close-Up"). The competition was down to the final four girls and, while I was sad to see Kat go last week, I was (mostly) happy with the remaining models. That is, with the notable exception of Dominique.Over the past season, Dominique has transformed herself into an unlikeable, overly-confident, agressive candyholic who thrives on conflict and pushing people's buttons. I think she photographs extremely old and, while she has shown some signs of improvement, her photos--even when the judges praise them--seem extremely lackluster and flat. Her appearances at judging are comical... and terrifying. Just take a look at last week's, er, Flashdance-inspired ensemble to see what I mean. She just doesn't look like a model, not even for a second. Her revamped hairstyle make her look like a soccer mom and her clothing selections make her seem not so much ghetto fabulous as just, well, ghetto.
Not helping matters is the fact that she has a tendency to photograph extremely mannish. She looks like a drag queen. Hell, even Paulina had to admit that she looked like a tranny this week. This is not the face of Cover Girl Cosmetics. Hell, this is not the face for any national ad campaign, whether print or television-based. She is scareeeeey.
She didn't help her cause during the photography challenge with her dazed expression and lack of focus. She didn't have the terms or knowledge to direct Paulina in any meaningful or creative way and, if you don't understand what's going on behind the camera, you really don't have a chance of using the camera to your advantage.
The second the producers loaded the bottom two with Fatima and Dominique, I knew it was finally curtains for the drag queen. Standing side-by-side, there was no way that the judges could send Fatima home. Just look at her: she's visually stunning, rail-thin, and absolutely gorgeous, even if she needs to still push herself a little more and listen when given direction. Dominique on the other hand just looked crazy, like a transvestite had stepped right out of a Brooklyn nightclub and strayed into the judging panel.
In the end, the judges opted to send Dominique packing and I couldn't be more pleased. Throughout this competition, I've been AMAZED by how many times she squeaked by when far superior girls were sent home. But there was no way she was getting anywhere near that Cover Girl English-language commercial. So, buh bye, Dominique.
And then there were three... I am actually really happy with the final three girls. Anya, Whitney, and Fatima each bring something unique and different to the mix and I quite like all three of them separately. Each has their strengths and their weaknesses and it will be interesting to see, with the competition whittled down to the very end, which of them will really step up to the challenge at hand. I can't wait to find out.
Next week on the season finale of Top Model ("And the Winner is..."), Cycle Nine winner Saleisha Stowers flies into Rome to spend some time with the contestants during their Cover Girl commercial and print ad shoot; one of the girls fails to deliver the goods and is sent packing, while the final two face of on the runway in a once-in-a-lifetime fashion event.
What's On Tonight
8 pm: Survivor: Micronesia--Fans vs. Favorites (CBS); My Name is Earl/Scrubs (NBC); Smallville (CW); Ugly Betty (ABC); Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? (FOX)
9 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS); The Office/30 Rock (NBC); Supernatural (CW); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); Don't Forget the Lyrics (FOX)
10 pm: Without a Trace (CBS); ER (NBC); Lost (ABC)
What I'll Be Watching
8 pm: Ugly Betty.
On tonight's episode ("Betty's Baby Bump"), Betty tries to take the moral high road by throwing a baby shower for rival Charlie; Daniel comes apart at the seams following his breakup with Renee; Christina learns who fathered the baby she is carrying for Wilhelmina.
9 pm: The Office.
Yes, it's been really sub-par this season, but I'll keep watching just in case it suddenly improves. On tonight's episode ("Job Fair"), Jim hits the golf course to try to land a major client, with Andy and Kevin in tow; Michael mans a booth at a local job fair at Pam's alma mater in the hopes of hiring a summer intern.
9:30 pm: 30 Rock.
On tonight's season finale of 30 Rock ("Cooter"), Jack begins his new life as a Homeland Security adviser in Washington but when the job doesn't quite meet his expectations, he turns to former flame C.C. (Edie Falco) and a government staffer (Matthew Broderick) for help in getting fired; meanwhile, Liz tries to adjust to life at TGS without Jack and must deal with a pregnancy scare. Sniffle. I can't believe Season Two is over already!
10 pm: Lost.
The highlight of my television-viewing week is here. On tonight's episode ("Cabin Fever"), Locke discovers the location of Jacob's cabin and comes face to face with a Dharma Initiative staffer who claims to have been dead for the last twelve years; life aboard the Kahana becomes fraught with peril; danger closes in on the castaways from every corner of the island.
Comments
And does anyone else love Paulina as much as I do? She's breathed new life into the judging panel and she is not only stunning to look at but hilarious too. I could not stop laughing when she called Dominique a "beautiful tranny." Classic!