We Need To Talk About ANTM (and then Nyle)

After 12 years and 22 cycles, America's Next Top Model will take its finale walk, this season being its last. Former top model and the show's host/executive producer Tyra Banks, herself, on Wednesday took an announcement to Instagram via a 'Tyra Mail': 

TYRA MAIL! Thinking #ANTM #cycle22 should be our last cycle. Yeah, I truly believe it's time. Our diehard fans know we've expanded the definition of beauty, presented what Flawsome is, tooched and booched and boom boom boomed, shown the world how to show their neck, rocked couture/catalogue/commercial poses, have found our (and your) light, strutted countless runways, gone on tons of go-sees, added guys to the girls mix, and have traveled around the globe and back again. Yeah, it's time. It really is. Wow, I am SO proud of what Top Model has done. #ANTM brought the intimidating modeling world to the masses. We were the first reality show based in the fashion world. I never thought my little idea would have people everywhere thinking differently about how they take photos. And I never thought we'd do 22 cycles. Whoa! So many!!! And what rhymes with 22? You. And you and you and you and you! YOU made Top Model what it is. We are a global force that has so many international versions around the world because of YOU! That's amazing and beyond anything that I ever dreamed. I set out to create a show where Perfect is Boring. So I hope you continue to love your freckles, your moles, your big forehead, your big eyes, your small eyes, your pointy chin, your tiny boobs, your full chest, your ivory or ebony skin (or every color in between) - the stuff about you that makes you well...you. And I hope you've learned a heck of a lot from watching. I have an inkling you have. May your photos (and selfies) be forever fierce. May you always find your light. And may you werk hallways like runways. Always remember, you are beautiful & BOOTYful. And please, keep on Smizing each and every day for TyTy. Fierce & Love, 💛Tyra

A photo posted by Tyra Banks (@tyrabanks) on Oct 14, 2015 at 12:44pm PDT

Feels like seeing a tween today, and whoosh next day it's 'hey, I'm an adult now.' So much memories!

My first brush was what I can vividly remember was a runway show with contestants doing the Jesus Christ -- walking down a water-laden runway. Turned out to be the finale in South Africa won by Naima Mora.

What would I soon witness was cycle (meaning 'season' in the ANTM dictionary) after cycle of not just catty cat-fights between and among girls (guys were allowed to join on Cycle 20 and pure drooling once a week ever since) or between judges (remember Janice Dickenson?), but also of a whole spectrum of fashion, beauty and culture:

• photo shoots (I once saw a feature about magazine editorials taking pages out of the ANTM book)

• turning so-called flaws (from height to size) to one's individuality -- *flawsome, baby

• makeovers -- later branded as Ty-Over, a Tyra Makeover

• vocabulary (Fierce had been going out on every girls and gays' mouth; Smize = smile with you eyes)

• destinations (from Barcelona, España to Bali, Indonesia).

***

To divert this sadness,


here's Nyle (DiMarco).

He's one of the contestants in ANTM's Cycle 22. 

















The show is already half-way through its run and he's still there and we can't get enough of N-aaaahh-yle.



It's not safe for werq to say he's an obsession and object of fantasy.


As Tyra says a lot this season, Boom


boom,
















boom.

Photo by Eric Asla / C22E08

Nyle is 


pure *flawsome.




Brb, so thirsty.

America's Next Top Model airs on Philippine TV via etc on its new time-slot every Saturday at 8 PM.