Cheryl Shops

America's Next Top Model recap
Tonight's episode of America's Next Top Model was Dumb with a capital D. The D also stands for Dance, which is what the models had to do throughout the show. I understand, in theory, why it's important for models to know how to move--better dance skills can translate into better, more active posing. However, dressing the models up in native South African garb and forcing them to perform in front of a huge audience...well, I don't really see how that's going to help them. Naima, a professional dancer, easily won the challenge, and her reward was an extra 30 frames at the next photo shoot--a reward she didn't really need. She busted out a little strategy, choosing Keenyah to share the reward (20 extra frames), who chose to share hers with Brittany (10 extra frames). Kahlen, who usually takes really good pictures, was visibly upset and cried (more of that to come). The next day, the girls traveled to the prison where Nelson Mandela was held captive. Keenyah, who becomes more and more annoying in each episode, kept proclaiming her "blackness" and saying how she felt so comfortable being in the "mother country," and didn't even know whether Mandela is still alive (for the record, he is, as even Brittany knew). Keenyah later pitched a fit when Naima, who, by the way, is at least a quarter black, got to open Mandela's cell with a big ol' key. And when Brittany called Keenyah on it, Keenyah turned into Robo-bitch. The next day, the girls had a photo shoot, in which they had to dance and pose with three male models. Naima rocked it; Keenyah proved she can't handle a little flirting, nor does she have any sense of humor whatsoever; Brittany, when she didn't look like a drunk girl at a frat party, seemed to be doing pretty well; and Kahlen was nervous beyond belief, and it showed. The girls then tried to blow off some steam by having dinner with the male models, but they all got into a big fight and thus we all got a peek into how the girls are handling the stress of the competition: Keenyah gets cocky, Brittany picks fights, Naima withdraws, and Kahlen cries. (Maybe why this is why I relate to Kahlen so much--I'm also a crier.) I was really worried for Kahlen at judging, too, where the girls had to dance and pose (it was basically the model version of "Red Light, Green Light"). Keenyah, by some act of god, got called first, mainly because she did well at the "Red Light, Green Light" dancing bit, but also because she took a not-awful photo. Kahlen, thank god, was next, and while it was down to Naima and Brittany, both for lack of "fire", Brittany got the boot. Which I think is okay. She took good pictures, but she was a bit of a mess.

Next week is the final episode (there's a "scenes you missed" show on Tuesday), and I'm nervous. There appears to be a Cover Girl shoot (just like last year), and a final runway competition. The winner has to be Kahlen or Naima, but it's going to be awesome to see them battle it out on the runway, as they both have killer walks. I'd love to see Kahlen win, but really, as long as it's not Keenyah, I'll be happy. My fingers are crossed...