No More Simple in Shanghai

No More Simple in Shanghai: ANTM 10 Recap by Roxanne McDonald

Bianca, Chantal, Heather, Jenah, Lisa, and Saleisha head for Shanghai, China, where they struggle with the same challenges. What’s that saying? Everywhere I go, there I am?

It’s futuristic, like in “The Jetsons,” Chantal suggests. It’s like no other city except maybe Las Vegas, says Heather. It’s the new temporary home (in a 63rd-floor penthouse in the Shima Hotel) of the remaining six “America’s Next Top Model” contestants and the venue

for the next installment of Girls Gone Mental. Heather’s left out of the bed choosing; and after a brief ganging-up on Heather, Bianca makes concessions for her disability and offers to share a bed so Heather can have one.
Tyra mail reflects the in-fighting, or alludes to it, explaining the girls will be doing some kind of kick-ass modeling. Louis Liu does a martial arts skit and then introduces himself as their instructor for the day: positions, which he identifies in Chinese, include the Snapping Kick, and several numbered poses…hint-hint.

Their test is two at a time suspended on wires in mid-air, ala Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Jenah and Chantal go first in a battle of the bouncing blondes. Next go Lisa and Saleisha, swinging into positions two and seven. And Bianca and Heather go up, despite Bianca’s repeating to us how she wants to go shopping and not hang off buildings…, because in truth, she is terrified of heights.

For all of Heather’s “disability”, she is the one who is savvy about the notion of doing the hard challenges to be a model and is the one supportive of Bianca for a change. Bianca can’t handle it, however, and once she insists she be brought down, she is disqualified. Heather is loving it up there, and as she gets a rush from doing the positions, gets kudos from the others and the first place prize to go shopping. She chooses Chantal knowing Bianca really wanted it, because she says this will be a little “tough love.”

The first photo shoot requires the six bring their individual personalities: uh-oh, another requisite is memorizing lines for Cover Girl advertising. We know that no matter how awesome Heather looks and comes off in print, her weakness is in delivery of any verbal text.

Saleisha looks way too made up, which makes her look old. She does well, save for a mispronunciation here and there. Bianca is peppy and all smiles (so adorable), and she is “so believable” says Jeffrey Chiu, the director of photography. Heather is stilted and stuttering, and Chiu, tries to get her to let it flow. Jay is so understanding, and walks her through by feeding her one line at a time. That still comes off rough.

Jenah does over thirteen takes, and Chantal, who looks hyper-animated, like a Howdy Doody doll, still pulls off the girl next door essence Jay likes. Lisa looks beautiful but as if she is trying to stifle some gas. Jay is also supper accommodating, reminding her they can start over as much as they have to. But she is still flogging herself after the shoot, and says that she is the only one who has to sweat the challenges and shoots. Maybe she didn’t see Heather struggle?

After the shoot, with Lisa expressing what all have expressed several times, that she wants this more than anything, they agree none want to go home. But the repeat presence hints that Lisa is likely going bye-bye.

Tyra advises Lisa that if she feels like crying to let it go and when she is getting criticism to take as constructive.
Chantal is told she is cute and charming in her TV ad but a girl on the farm milking cows instead of a queen for the print ad.

Bianca has to confess her failure to do the air fighting; is reminded to have better pacing for live ads; and, after Mz. Jay’s queen joke, is acknowledged for her queenly print ad.

Jenah lacks charm in her TV ad, Nigel says, and Twiggy adds she wouldn’t be compelled to buy. But her still shot is queenly with reckless abandon.

Saleisha is told she is an actress and believable, sexy, and come-hither convincing. But she is advised to brown shadow her puffy under-eye look.

Heather has to watch her failure at the TV ad, and Tyra gets tough on how Heather got a little favoritism and still couldn’t deliver. Jeffrey Chiu reminds her not to make faces when she screws up. And Twiggy and Nigel remark at how different a side she shows in the still photo.

During the last commercial break, we see Heather has been voted Cover Girl of the Week again—because of how she is good role model.

Lisa’s getting worse; Saleisha’s getting better; and Heather surprised the heck out of Tyra and others. Jenah is loved in print by Twiggy and not so much loved at all by Nigel. Bianca has a lot more to offer, though guest judge Jeffrey Chiu loooves her smile; and Chantal is very pretty and cute and fluid in skills and “did better than the rest.”

Five move on (and back to the U.S.), while Lisa, beautiful inside and out, but buckling under critique, must go home instead.

But as she says, she is not going to walk away a loser because she is not a loser. Got that right, girl.

SirLinksAlot America’s Next Top Model links

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