Monday, April 13, 2009

CLAY! AIKEN! ZOMG!

Last week: The house divided over Celia’s speech at panel. She and Tahlia make up though. The girls practice facial expressions and Allison struggled. In the end, though, Sandra was sent home despite being the cycle bitch.  Eight girls remain, who will fill the bitch vacuum left by Sandra’s departure? I mean, who will be eliminated? Find out!

I was out running an errand for my Nana, so I missed the first five minutes. I enter with Aminat and Natalie arguing which according to the recapper on Zap2it.com, it was over how Natalie doesn't pitch in. 

TYRA MAIL! “Tomorrow you will be molded into a fine piece of Clay.” The girls figure it involves sculpting and being naked.

The Barbie Top Model Bus brings them to Harlem Stage Theater where Paulina meets them. She talks about acting as a way to impress people when they start modeling. Celia and Aminat go up first. They are given a sentence (I have never said that to anyone). Aminat has to say it bossily but it is more threatening. Celia nails pitifully. Teyona gets to yell “I have no idea what you are talking about” shockingly while Natalie has to do it threateningly. Neither impress Paulina. Fo and London have “You have got to be kidding me.” Fo gets in Paulina’s face. Allison gets to say “You need to get out of here” arrogantly, but Paulina says it’s like she’s scared. She’s not impressed with Tahlia’s idea of “ecstatic.” She makes her jump up and down but Tahlia holds back. Allison thinks they are nuts.

Paulina says she had to push them, particularly Tahlia. She gives them a script for their challenge. The girls practice it, a has-been model going in for a fitting. London says she comes from a family of actors and feels she will do well.

More Hannah! Montana, not the Moose Girl.

We come back to Harlem Stage with Allison reminding us about the challenge. Paulina introduces their stage partner. And only if you were living under a rock, you didn’t know it would be American Idol alum Clay Aiken. I do love his face. He’s actually not a bad actor. London pleases Paulina. Clay is able to vary it up for each girl. They note that Natalie has an attitude. Hmm, I smell Natalie filling that bitch vacuum. Clay calls Tahlia lazy and insecure. Celia decides to go campy and over-the-top. John Barrowman would  tell her to reel it in. Paulina wishes Celia would bring that to her photos.

The prize is $5,000 worth of merchandise of Joe’s Jeans. London wins the challenge, to Celia’s chagrin. She celebrates. Aminat wonders how they will know London’s size. But she’s worried because has gained some weight. And you can kinda tell, but she still looks gorgeous.

TYRA MAIL! “Do you play well with others?” Umm, no. The girls think they will be with men, despite all having boyfriends. Allison hopes for a photoshoot to redeem herself.

 The girls go to see McKey shooting a CoverGirl commercial. Mr. Jay introduces her to the winner. She looks like she has no clue what to be there. And she starts reciting her Cover Girl script. The girls will be doing a commercial in groups but they will have a teleprompter. Remember last cycle’s CoverGirl commercial? Where McKey nearly tripped? Group One practices while Group Two talks to McKey. They say where they are from and Natalie calls the other girls hicks. You can imagine how well that went over.

The director walks the groups through the commercial. Celia goes first and joins her commercial mates: Aminat, Teyona and Allison. Celia nails it. Teyona goes next and stumbles a bit. Mr. Jay reminds her to look at the camera. Aminat follows and stumbles over the words as well. Mr. Jay wonders where Aminat’s energy goes when the camera starts. Meanwhile, Tahlia asks McKey how she brought herself out of her shell. They bond. We go back for Allison’s commercial. Mr. Jay reminds her it is not a photo shoot. She stumbles but Mr. Jay is more concerned about Allison’s face. She needs to work on her faces. Please, Allison, I want to stop preparing myself for your departure!

Group One feels good, except Allison. They give her a pep talk as we go to…

McKey talking to Sutan. He’s more engaging than she. I love you Sutan!

Group Two prepares to go next, practicing. This group is Fo, Tahlia, Natalie and London. Natalie looks wonderful but she gets confused. They really nail the “Easy, Breezy, Beautiful Cover Girl.” Fo follows Natalie. Mr. Jay’s criticism is more to Tahlia than Fo, who does pretty well. London is up next. The Cover Girl rep thinks it sounds door-to-door salesman. That’s odd, I thought it sounded like her commercials. She thinks she might naturally overact. Tahlia finishes. She says she nailed her lines and this trips over them. They are on the damn teleprompter, girl! Mr. Jay wants her to bring more spirit. Tahlia has to push her way to the front of the group. Mr. Jay tells Tahlia the work is hard and it’ll be hard till she decides to stop.

TYRA MAIL! Someone’s getting eliminated. I’d say place your bets, but I am doing this Sunday night so you do know who got the boot. Allison and Celia talk about elimination.

NEW YORK! What, now video with Tyra and the child? There are prizes, there are judges, there is Ms. J’s stupid tie that I had to explain several times to my sister and the guest judge is Clay Aiken. Celia is up first. They like her outfit. Nigel likes it while Paulina says she has a natural talent. Clay even praises her as well. Tyra reminds Celia that Cover Girl is youthful and Celia didn’t exude that. Teyona follows Celia. I do like what we see of her commercial but Nigel’s right, she is squinting. Eyes, girl, eyes! Allison is next and the panel slams her for repeating outfits. They tell her not to do that. They order her to switch clothes with Teyona during the deliberation. In editing, the commercial came out better than what we saw during shooting. All hail the powers of the editor! Clay does feel she did better than the teach while Tyra praises her look, if not her delivery. Aminat finishes up Group One. Tyra says it was Teyona’s commercial. The panel get her for her diction. But it’s like how they nailed Dani(elle) and she won the whole she-bang!

The move to Group Two, starting with London. They applaud her for being the challenge winner. They aren’t pleased with her commercial or her outfit. Natalie is next and they like her outfit better. They like London better in Natalie’s commercial. Clay doesn’t think she was gelling with the group and Tyra thinks she was forgettable. She tells her to work on flirting like London. Fo goes up and admits to stumbling a bit over her lines. The judges like how Tahlia looks but tell Fo to keep practicing. Tahlia comes up next. I love her dress. Tahlia admits to struggling. They liked Fo better in Tahlia’s but Nigel calls them “background.” Nigel gives Tahlia criticism and Clay cracks up laughing at his wording. They see the potential but they want her to bring it out. Clay’s actually a good guest judge.

Top Models in Action! Heather from Cycle 9. I loved her. She’s modeling and studying video game art. She looks beautiful.

The judges deliberate. They weren’t thrilled with this batch of commercials. Tyra says she never read a teleprompter, Paulina says she wasn’t allowed to speak. Nigel likes Teyona and Paulina says that Nigel finally said something smart. Nigel thinks Fo could be a better actress but Tyra thinks she disappears. Clay thinks she has potential. Can we keep him? They praise Tahlia for her knowledge but Clay points out her self-esteem issues. They comment about London’s weight gain. Paulina praises London’s face. Paulina wasn’t thrilled with Aminat. They are letting her speak a lot tonight, aren’t they? They want Natalie to give more “oomph.”

ELIMINATION! Tyra praises the fashion switch. Allison’s dress doesn’t flatter Teyona in my mind but she should wear a dress she owns. But Allison looks great. She tells them they did horrible in their commercials, but there was one bright spot: Celia. She is followed by Natalie, Teyona, Fo, London, and Aminat. That leaves Allison and Tahlia in the bottom two. This is where I gave myself the pep talk to prepare myself for Allison’s departure. Allison: Editorial, high-fashion girl. But she has one face. She needs variation. Tahlia: Is perfect for Cover Girl. The camera loves her but Tahlia doesn’t seem to love the camera. So, who stays? Allison. Tyra tells her to go past the eyes and bring out her personality. She tells Tahlia to increase her self-esteem.

Tahlia agrees in her exit interview. She hopes to have inspired someone by going as far as she did.

Still in the Running:

Celia

Aminat

Tahlia

Kortnie

Isabella

Nijah

Allison

London

Sandra

Natalie

Fo

Jessica

Teyona

Next week: The girls get to be creative directors. R&B Ciara shows up to do a photoshoot.

Quote of the Episode

“I think Natalie looked like a Bond girl doing Cover Girl. I want it shaken, not stirred.”—Nigel

I was shocked when Tyra called Allison’s name. I was prepared for her to leave and my friends agreed—and we all like her! I am still not sure she’ll make it overseas. Do you? 

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