The new Bravo show Make Me a Supermodel looks rather boring - except for one thing.
It’s Niki Taylor, former Cover Girl (and Sports Illustrated cover girl) who’s hosting the show - after about ten years on vacation.
But Niki’s not the only ’90s supermodel who’s got a reality gig. Heidi Klum’s fame achieved a new level when she took on Project Runway, and now Veronica Webb is Tim Gunn’s accomplice on his Guide to Style. Iman is also a Project Runway host, in Canada, and Elizabeth Hurley has the judging duties in London. Meanwhile, Rachel Hunter hosted Make Me a Supermodel in the UK and a very silly show called Style Me in the US.
Then of course there’s Tyra, who was perhaps the catalyst for the model-hostess trend in the first place. Her incredibly successful TV show turned her (back) into a star, and made her a lucrative production company in the process.
But maybe reality-models go deeper than Tyra, and into something about the very nature of mannequins. If their job has always been to heighten life, making things seem almost normal and attainable but also not really, then reality TV is their perfect place, a surreal space where you understand what’s happening, but it could never actually happen to you.
Unless, of course, you think The Hills is real.
posted by guest
Dec 12, 2007 7:48PM
Cindy Crawford started this w/ "House of Style" back in the 90s. In the past, the supers were not very exciting when they opened their mouths...the "nice ones" that is (see Christy in "Catwalk" for proof).
This said, Nicki will also be hosting w/ Tyson Beckford and he has alot of personality. So it might not be all that bad. Of that group of supers, I'd have tried for Stephanie Seymore, Roshumba (an excellent hostess), or Eve Savail over Nicki Taylor. Just me tho.
Personally, I think these model shows are just a joke.....they don't really launch careers and nobody except the fashion obsessed even care about models anymore. These shows are like 15 years too late. JMHO.