Following the release of resurfaced clips from America’s Next Top Model which many have criticized Tyra Banks for, former judge Jay Manuel is speaking out.
The 47-year-old is penning a book, The Wig, The Bitch & The Meltdown, inspired by his experience on the reality show. Ahead of the August release, Manuel spoke with Variety about the newfound controversy surrounding the show (you can thank TikTok and Hulu binges for that) and more!!
Related: Adrianne Curry Spills Scalding Tea On ‘S**t Show’ America’s Next Top Model!
But don’t get it twisted, this isn’t a new project because of what’s been going on! After spending 18 seasons on the series as the creative director, he began working on his novel in 2014. Speaking about the heightened interest in the show, he shared:
“I never saw that coming. My novel has been in the works for quite some time, so this really is a surprise to me.”
Manuel did not consult any former ANTM colleagues, nor does he have a close relationship with Banks today, noting that the last time they saw each other was in 2017:
“Over the past few years, we’ve emailed. To be very honest, we really have no relationship to speak of, which is really sad. Our time together on ANTM was amazingly productive and, at times, magical. We got to experience being part of a global phenomenon.”
Even though they are no longer close, Jay doesn’t exactly agree with much of the controversy Tyra has been facing as of late:
“I do think it’s a little unfair for people to persecute Tyra now, especially because she has already taken heat for her past executive decisions in past years. However, I can’t really defend her either because when ratings were high and things were great, she remained a clear figurehead, because it was her show. Consistently, when s**t hit the fan and people wanted to talk about some of the things that were said on the show, we would have another singular EP come forward to claim that all creative decisions were made as the team, and I really wish that were the case, but that just simply is not true.”
When asked if there were situations on-set where he felt uncomfortable, Jay diplomatically replied:
“The culture behind the scenes of ANTM was something that shifted over time. That is something that is reflected in my novel. Halfway through my book, there is a very big tonal change. It became a culture where you could only speak your mind so much.”
And regarding the fashion industry, which has faced a number of issues, Manuel says there is still a lot of work to be done:
“The industry has not changed as much as people would like to give it credit for, but I also don’t want to undermine the progress. It’s still a very difficult business. If an advertiser is looking for someone who is blonde and blue eyed, that’s all they’re looking for and they won’t consider a model of color. If they’re shooting a spring campaign, they want black models because they look better in brighter clothes. Those sorts of standards do still exist.”
What do U think about all of this drama, y’all?? Where do U stand? Let us know (below) in the comments!!
[Image via PNP/Nicky Nelson/WENN.]
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