Can I get a Cha-Cha

Malena Amusa

Can I get a Cha-Cha

Not that the winner of Tyra Banks’ America’s Next Top Model is a key issue in racial justice.

But because millions of people around the world tune in to this show every week, I couldn’t help but do a racial analysis of its developments. With the the universe watching, I wanted to make sure the program would break norms, and not enforce racial and gendered stereotypes like many other reality TV shows.

Sadly, what I found was little to cheer about.

While I applaud Tyra Banks for turning her struggle being one of the few successful top Black models into an award-winning show, I don’t so much support her tactics of maintaining her Top Model’s audience.

Since the beginning of this last season, cycle 8, Ms. Banks set out to include among her contestants, almost everyone who represents a historically oppressed group. So in addition to her standard women—a picking of skinny white and Black contestants—she also had two big-boned women; an English-as-a-second-language Russian immigrant; and a Latina sensation—Jaslene, who Tyra affectionately renamed “Cha Cha Diva,” and who later, won it all.

This past Wednesday, Jaslene was crowned America’s Next Top Model. But to be so, she had to endure constant pigeon-holing as Tyra kept saying the only reason people liked Jaslene was because of her Latina flare. Week after week, Tyra chided Jaslene for not being Latino enough, because Jaslene had stopped breaking into random Salsa and saying things in a spicy street Spanish. And during the season finale, many times when Jaslene would come on screen, Salsa music would come out of no where to accompany her to remind us all… again.

In her attempt to say: Look, a Chica Latina can become a model too, Tyra goes too far in forcing Jaslene to embody a stereotypical and generic framework of Latino culture. The very environment Tyra tries to foster, one that accepts models of all colors and sizes, is the very environment that fails to acknowledge the different versions, shades, and hues of those same colors.

I’m just sayin…

Posted at 11:07 AM, May 18, 2007 in Media Analysis | Permalink | View Comments

Comments

Amen! The cha-cha thing was absolutely ridiculous.

Okay. I didn't even notice the salsa music. Oops!

Back in season 2 when April was given super-straight hair and bangs, I couldn't help but think it was to make her look more Asian. With that in mind, I sure that Jael (season 8) was gonna get dreadlocks to bring out the Black in her! :P I also thought they'd play up her "blue-ish"ness, but I guess I was fooled.

i wrote about the same thing after the finale on my blog. i also contrasted tyra's reaction to latina stereotypes w/her reaction to previous winner danielle and black stereotypes.

Word up Summer.

I wanted to write more on ANTM historically. Because like you said, the show sets up a media stereotype each winner has to fulfill to to be crowned America's Next.

Eva won for being a Black, reformed bitch. Yewonna for being a former fat, white girl, who used to have self-esteem problems, but came out to bring skinny/apparently sexy, back. Danielle was both loved and chided for her Southern drawl. The first winner of the first season was a punky, cigarette-smoking rocker turned princess. I mean, most of these women committed to these narrative roles. Those who didn't, were usually sent home.

Then there's Jaslene who almost lost because she didn't bring enough "spice" to her character, Tyra said. But never are white models on the show asked to be that touch of curry or cayenne. The day women of color are treated as equal will be the day people stop treating us like flavors but as full, dynamic and unique personalities.

This is part of the reason why I stopped watching ANTM. If I want a buffet of racial objectification and "positive" ethnic stereotyping, I'll go read the Casual Encounters board on Craigslist. Malena, you hit the nail on the head. Nice piece of work! I'll have to check you out on here more often!