Cheryl Shops

America's Next Top Model recap
So, this week's episode of America's Next Top Model was the famed makeover episode, in which there's always at least one model who cries, one who complains for not changing her look enough, and a handful who are utterly transformed into glamour goddesses. Cassandra, the beauty queen, fell into the first category--I knew we were in for a fun episode as soon as Tyra said, "Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby," i.e., taking Cassandra's long, brown locks into a cropped blond 'do. She cried a lot, and to be honest, I'm not sure she looks that much better (she certainly does look "edgier"). Nicole and Jayla got thicker, longer extensions, although neither of them complained; they made my fave gal Kim's hair red, and I'm not too sure about it (maybe golden highlights would've been better). Bre...they didn't do too much with, and she didn't really complain about it, but she kind of did. And apparently they gave Diane highlights, but I couldn't really tell. Coryn, Lisa and Nik got lightened up; Coryn looks incredibly striking (eyebrows were also thinned out), Lisa looks less fugly (but still photographs well--more on that later), and Nik still looks like nothing interesting in person but, again, photographs well. (Hmm, a trend among these three?) DSL gal Sarah got an "edgy" shorter haircut (she loved it), Ebony got long, Brandy-style braids (she loved 'em), and my favorite makeover, Kyle got rich, chocolatey brown color--and it was such a transformation that when they were done, I was like, "Who's that?" Well done.

The girls' task of the episode was to create, with $500, a look that reflects their new "look," the amusing part being that this challenge was hosted by James St. James, the former club kid who wrote Disco Bloodbath, which was eventually turned into the movie Party Monster. Yeeeah. So, Lisa, who is a stylist by profession, easily won the competition...then proceeded to boss everyone around, telling them how to pose and what to wear, and, overall, being incredibly annoying. And then the girls had a photo shoot in which they chose a partner...and they both had to wear the same outfit. I thought this was an interesting challenge because they'd never done anything like it before, and it required neither crazy wardrobe nor crazy hair and makeup. Cassandra, Coryn, Kim, Lisa, Nicole, and Nik were the "winners" and while it was down to Diane and Ebony in the end, Ebony got the boot for being lackluster. Granted, Diane's been lackluster too, but instead of getting rid of the plus-size gal the easy way, the judges decided to keep her on for a few more weeks. As for Ebony, I don't feel too bad for her--as I said last week, I think she's far too ambitious and driven to be a model; she should go to college and become one of those idealistic do-gooders, because armed with her "Don't get it twisted" motto, I think she could actually do some good in this world.

Next week, Kim and DSL get it on, part deux.