BETJ and Eva the Diva Pigford unveiled their new reality T.V. show last night called “Model Looks Better than Your Model.” Here is a photo from last night's launch party at 40/40 in NYC:
In considering whether or not I will watch the show I thought to myself, who told BET that they can have a second channel? They can barely handle the first one. Also, how good can this show possibly be if it has been bumped to the backup station so that BET could play another re-run of The Parkers knowing good and well that there are only 12 episodes of that show total and we have seen them all several times even though we didn’t want to? Ignoring all of my instincts I go searching for the station and the show so that I can TiVo it, and apparently the show hasn’t even made it into the TV guide, which had a soul concert as playing at 10pm and not My Model. I take a shot and just TiVo that time slot anyways. Sure enough it worked.
On comes Eva, quite possibly the original gold member, but looking great nonetheless. The intro of her introducing the show as she dressed is possibly the best part of the entire oh too long 1 hour show. She speaks well and is almost overly articulate, but I ate it up. Go Eva! I think to myself, this could be good.
The problem however is that this show is an interpretation of America’s Next Top Model and Project Runway, and really should have been left for YouTube. Eva says we are in search of America’s next red carpet trendsetter. Really Eva? First, given the obvious comparison to ANTM I don’t think that the words America’s next anything should come out of her mouth. Second, once you meet the 3 contestants you realize that they were plucked from their random hoods and told to dress some folk. It is also even unclear whether the winner of the show will get a chance to dress someone for a red carpet. In fact, we are never told what the contestants are competing for- maybe a chance to dress Eva for bed on a Tuesday?
Meet your contestants. We have Jayda from Cleveland. She thinks very highly of herself. There is Carl from New Orleans, who graduated from F.I…something not T. Lastly, there is Sunn-Ryse Smith (no comment on the name), who is a mother and psychologist. Cute.
We get the challenge, which unsurprisingly is packaged in what is essentially “Eva Mail,” but what is surprising is that they read it in what appears to be a white cave? The challenge: studio 54 crashes into 2010. What the hell does that mean? I don’t know and clearly the contestants don’t know. They just utter the words glam and run with it when it is obvious that they don’t know what glam is and certainly not studio 54 glam.
The contestants are then taken to Century 21 where we all meet Ms. Bevy Smith, fashion and lifestyle expert and their personal style den maven. To me that means Mr. Jay meets Jason from Making the Band. She informs us that Century 21 is NYC’s best kept secret. Really Bevy? Is that why it’s always so busy there no matter the time or the day? She tells the contestant that they have 15 minutes to get five items and $100 worth of accessories.
Off they go to shop. They are clueless. In between shots of them pulling random items are shots of them trash talking about how they are going to win. It’s the usual “I got this” banter and nothing really entertaining or witty. We also get shots of Bevy giving them Tim Gunn like pep talks. However, instead of “make it work” she wants them to make it gangsta and gully. That’s exactly what the red carpet needs.
The items are selected and off they go to hair and makeup. Again they are clueless. All they know is glamorous, big, and pop. Okay. The hair and make up people seem quite knowledgeable. You can tell that they are confused by the direction given to them, and ultimately take it in, turn it into English, spit back at the stylists in real talk. To which the stylist say: exactly. Right, that’s exactly what you meant.
What do we end up with? A Mexican bull fighter, a hood rat video ho, and a chick on her way to church in a fur. You could just hear Ruben Studdard in the background…Sorry 2010.
The best part of the show is watching the stylists get ripped for 10 minutes each by the judges. I mean they just talked about them something awful, and included a few finger snaps in the process. At the end of it all you are thinking to yourself they have to pick a winner now? They did. Eva announces: Carl you have style! What a joke. They told him how awful he was 3 minutes ago, and now they expect us to believe he has style? Are you kidding me? They could have least set it up whereby even if they all suck they give compliments to one of them so that we believe the winner has style, but they didn’t. Carl wins! But, what now? Are there a new two challengers next week? Do Bonqueishia and Toniqua come back for round 2? I don’t know. They never explained the show! I hate it when Heidi Klum and Tyra explain the prizes and rules every week, but now I know why. At least tell me the format once.
Eva was fantastic. She looked great as the camera does love her. I think she commits to her role as host and you just want more of her. It’s great to see her up there with confidence speaking her mind as opposed to the apologetic puppy that stood in front of Tyra on Top Model. The show has potential. However, it needs better stylists, a real set, and some originality. There is nothing compelling about the show. The stylists don’t live together, we don’t learn much about them, and we don’t really get an idea of what their vision is. We just get a bunch of homos and hags ripping on 3 lowly wannabe stylists. In theory that should work, but on My Model- it doesn’t. Sigh…Being Bobby Brown anyone?
My Model Airs on BETJ on Wednesdays at 10pm.
I am off to sip on more of my haterade.
I may have to watch it, although I haven't loved BET since they got rid of Ms. Cita!!!
Posted by: | November 09, 2006 at 01:14 PM
Wow, Eva looks fab! I hear the assistant producer is pretty hot too!
Posted by: Naki | November 09, 2006 at 03:10 PM
this sucks because i was anxious for the show and when 10pm rolled around, they were still playing that concert crap. i just took the hint and went to bed
i wish i couldve seen it for myself. wouldnt it have been better if they had like 10 contestants.. not just 3?! yeah, this aint making sense to me either *sigh*
Posted by: diamond | November 09, 2006 at 04:07 PM
Seriously. The show dragged and dragged and dragged. I have no idea what happens from here. Does the show only last 3 weeks?
Posted by: Serena | November 09, 2006 at 04:43 PM
Um...where's BETJ? Am I gonna have to specially request it from Comcast?
Guess so...as I'm officially addicted to the show - and I haven't seen one screencap! Kudos to you Jake.
Posted by: Kelly | November 09, 2006 at 06:17 PM
Do it Eva!!
Tyra better watch out!!!
Posted by: Nette | November 10, 2006 at 10:26 AM
I am happy to see that Eva is comming out on top! The sky is the limit and I am happy to see that she understands that!! I will support her!!! What in the hell am I supposed to watch..Flavor Flave and his "zoo show".. Positivity is great! We need more of it!
Posted by: prettyme8736 | November 10, 2006 at 11:49 AM