An America’s Next Top Model producer has accepted ‘full’ responsibility for a contentious photoshoot that has come under scrutiny again after featuring in a new Netflix documentary.
Revisiting nostalgic shows from the early-2000s often reveals elements that wouldn’t be acceptable today, and America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) is no exception to this trend.
In light of this, Netflix has released a three-part documentary series titled Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model.
The series offers ‘unprecedented access to former contestants, judges, and producers,’ as described in its synopsis, delving into ANTM’s ‘complex legacy’ and questioning ‘how far are we willing to go for entertainment?’
Tyra Banks, the creator of ANTM, has acknowledged that certain aspects of the show went ‘too far,’ and others have also taken accountability for its most controversial episodes.
The show featured several questionable photoshoots, including themes of homelessness and ‘race-swapping.’
Ken Mok, the mind behind a shoot that depicted women as victims of violent crimes, has also addressed the controversy.
In cycle eight of the reality series, aired in 2007, participants had to pose in various distressing scenarios, such as being shot, caught in a fire, burned, and beaten.
During the documentary, Ken Mok expressed: “I take full responsibility for that shoot. That was a mistake. I look back now and I think it was a celebration of violence. It was crazy. That one I look back on and I’m like, ‘You were an idiot.'”
Dione Walters, one of the contestants, was posed as if she had been shot in the head during her shoot.
Reflecting on the experience in the documentary, the Alabama native stated: “When I was a kid, my mom was shot and she was paralyzed from the waist down.
“They knew about it from the application process, but they still chose to have me do this particular photoshoot that involved gun violence.
“I thought it was a coincidence at the time, but I don’t think it was.”
Dione was subsequently eliminated from the competition in that same episode.
As reported by AL.com, she is now a realtor and small business owner.
The crime scene photoshoot has once again gained attention online.
On Reddit, one user commented: “Disgusting…Making women fashion corpses should never be a thing. Violence against women and femme people shouldn’t be normalized.”
“Typical reality TV shamelessness,” another user remarked.
The conversation extended to Twitter, formerly known as X, where a viewer commented: “ANTM was a moment but they allowed and excused some horrendous stuff. Shame on Tyra and Ken Mok.”
“The way I grew up loving this show and then you look back now and it’s actually wild how this was allowed on TV,” another person added.
Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model is currently available to stream on Netflix.