The Best Bloopers And Other Funny Moments From America's Next Top Model
On America's Next Top Model, supermodel/host Tyra Banks introduced the world to the world "smize" — meaning to smile with your eyes — and no one took the show, or the look, more seriously than the model herself. She gave contestants plenty of tough love — at times, arguably too tough — and, with the help of her trusty panel of judges, she set them on the path toward becoming elite models themselves.
Though it wasn't always fun and games, America's Next Top Model definitely had its fair share of laughs packed into each episode. With wacky challenges like filming commercials in foreign languages and modeling in plastic bubbles, how could it not? And while there'd been plenty of planned fun packed into the CW show, many of the best moments were completely impromptu. Read on to revisit some of the very best ANTM bloopers and funny moments, which are sure to make you laugh.
The time Liz Williams cursed on the catwalk on America's Next Top Model
Liz Williams appeared on America's Next Top Model's Cycle 15 and the Arlington, Texas native certainly brought some big time energy to the cast. One day in particular, the model slipped up and made the ultimate runway faux pas. While strutting down the catwalk, Liz not only tripped, but let out an audible curse word at the same time. "I got on and I was like, 'Oh f***!'" she said when reflecting on the moment.
Profanity aside, the model admitted there were plenty of moments she was forced to laugh off on the show. In a 2010 interview with Reality TV World, she got real about some of the most embarrassing flubs from filming. "A lot of editing didn't show me knocking over the camera crew on our commercial, me falling on my butt," she recalled. "Like I was so embarrassed and there were so many people watching that I was really just trying to laugh it off because I was on the verge of just breaking down and crying," she revealed.
When J. Alexander dressed up as the Evil Witch on America's Next Top Model
J. Alexander, aka Miss J, has a larger-than-life personality, so it's no surprise he brought the laughs during his time on the modeling competition show. From Cycle 5 to Cycle 18, Miss J brought a welcomed dose of fierceness as Tyra's sidekick. In each episode, he delivered fashion expertise, of course, but also lighthearted moments to the crew and contestants.
In one episode of the show, the women had a pizza party with Tyra and Miss J made quite the entrance. In the clip, he can be seen channeling the Evil Witch from Snow White, and slowly crept over to the model wearing a large black cloak and carrying a basket of apples. His shenanigans sent the ladies into an uproar and judging from the contestants' laughs, Miss J did a pretty good job of channeling the Disney villain. There's been plenty of times Miss J exhibited nothing but seriousness with the contestants, but this was definitely not one of them.
When this rapper shoved Jael into a pool on America's Next Top Model
Sadly, just a decade after Jael Strauss appeared on America's Next Top Model, she succumbed to stage 4 breast cancer, according to TMZ. However, fans and ANTM alums weren't quick to forget the model's time on the show — and one of the moments she was a part of.
America's Next Top Model featured a slew of celebrity guests throughout its run and one of these was none other than rapper 50 Cent. However, the hitmaker stirred up some trouble during his Cycle 8 appearance. When attending a networking pool party with the contestants, he pushed model Jael Strauss into the pool.
"Jael is definitely annoying 50 Cent," one contestant remarked in the episode. And after seeing her get tossed in the pool, one contestant told the camera that she expected it to happen "because she didn't leave that man alone." However, fellow contestant Natasha dove in right behind Jael, not letting her friend go for a swim alone.
When Tyra Banks pretended to go full diva on America's Next Top Model
Models have a bad reputation of being divas, but Tyra Banks showed what a diva really was during one America's Next Top Model skit. Tyra believes that knowing how to model includes acting chops as well and showed off her skills to the contestants. She hilariously pulled off the role of a European mega-diva, which left the contestants laughing endlessly.
At first, the contestants weren't quite sure what was going on. "Where is the photographer?" Tyra demanded as she cascaded down a flight of stairs to greet them. "Who are these young b****es?" she said while nodding towards the models-in-training. Before long, though, the women realized Tyra was pulling a fast one on them.
Tyra continued her charade by demanding a fan for "her wind" whilst simultaneously screaming "I am the queen!" Tyra ended her dramatics by falling to the ground, and had the group of models cackling as they watched on.
When one America's Next Top Model contestant had an awkward exchange with Benny Medina
Music mogul Benny Medina has worked with a long list of celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey, throughout the years. So when he appeared as a guest on America's Next Top Model, the contestants jumped at the chance to network with him. Unfortunately, Medina had trouble understanding one particular model.
The contestants were told to come up with a "super-self" name during a networking event, and one model chose the name "Nayien." When Medina asked for her "name," he thought she had missed the point of the challenge and was saying "name" as opposed to her chosen moniker. "No, what is the name? What is the super-self name?" he asked her multiple times. After the contestant repeated herself again and again, Medina finally understood that "Nayien" was indeed her chosen name. The exchange was definitely awkward at the time, but looking back, it makes for one of the funnier moments from ANTM's Cycle 24 run.
The time Tyra filmed an entire gag reel with America's Next Top Model producers
Tyra Banks kept many jokes up her sleeves on America's Next Top Model. The host brought the laughs during Cycle 3, in particular, when she filmed a hilarious gag reel with the show's male producers. "Tonight is the night we will decide who will become America's next top model," Tyra could be heard saying in the clip. But when the camera panned to the catwalk, the audience could see it was co-executive producer Anthony Dominici and executive producer Ken Mok standing across from Tyra. The guys gave their best shot at acting like models, though, and took the faux criticism from Tyra in stride.
"You guys went from being butt ugly and made such a beautiful journey to being semi-attractive," the host joked. The camera then panned to photoshopped pictures of the guys which featured their faces superimposed on women models wearing bikinis. The lighthearted moment had all the judges joining. Nigel Barker told the producers, "You nailed this look better than any of the girls."
When this contestant had to reshoot an entire scene for a commercial on America's Next Top Model
The America's Next Top Model women were put to the ultimate test in Cycle 6 when they were tasked with acting out a mock commercial for Cover Girl foundation. While looking fierce behind the camera was an easy feat for many of the models, acting wasn't so effortless for some. In fact, for contestant Jade Cole, it took multiple attempts to get it right.
Admittedly, ANTM's Jay Manuel was a tad harsh on Jade. "She doesn't quite grasp the fact that she's got to improvise in the scene, the judge said. He then mocked her and made her give it a second go. Unfortunately, that run wasn't exactly successful either. When Cole got to the part where she had to "sell" the foundation, she completely blanked. Don't worry though. These days Jade is doing just fine and actually owns her own production company.
When one contestant had an especially hard time talking to the judges on America's Next Top Model
The most crucial moments of America's Next Top Model included the contestants facing the judges at the end of each episode. With each "challenge" the women faced on the show, they received criticism (or praise) from the panel and, sometimes, it made them downright nervous.
In one particular episode, a contestant got so nervous she seemingly forgot how to speak. "[I try] my hardest to be fem...," she began, before trailing off and attempting to pronounce a word that she couldn't quite spit out. After five attempts, she ultimately decided to give up. "[I'll] skip that word," she added nervously.
One can hardly blame her for being nervous in the presence of Tyra Banks and the other celebrity judges. Not only are they superstars, but they were also known for being incredibly harsh throughout the competition show. In fact, it's something Tyra has since apologized for. "Been seeing the posts about the insensitivity of some past ANTM moments and I agree with you," she tweeted in May 2020. "Looking back, those were some really off choices. Appreciate your honest feedback and am sending so much love and virtual hugs."
When the models had to "sell" a bar of chocolate on America's Next Top Model
Not every moment on America's Next Top Model exuded glamour and beauty. In one cycle of the series, the judges tasked the women to pretend to sell them a candy bar on the spot. Well, this was easier said than done. One contestant had word regurgitation — and the judges couldn't help but laugh. "It's chocolate. It's chocolatey. It's chocolate. It's ANTM chocolate," she said when trying to peddle the bar. Twiggy, who served as a judge on Cycles 5 through 9, broke into laughter. However, the other judges looked more confused than amused at the repetitive speech.
None of the chocolate bar "sales" went over particularly well. One contestant made up a jingle that made Tyra Banks grimace and another delivered an elevator pitch that made Miss J roll his eyes. The ANTM gals might make top-notch models, but their chocolate sales skills were seriously lacking.
When J. Alexander could not keep a straight face on America's Next Top Model
J. Alexander, aka Miss J, was seriously fierce during his run on America's Next Top Model, but he also flaunted his silly side from time to time. During one segment, he completely lost it and wound up laughing incessantly. The hilarious scene came about when the models were asked to videotape a commercial for Cover Girl, but were thrown a major curve ball. The ladies, who mostly spoke English, were asked to recite the script in Spanish. Though they gave it their best shot, the models didn't exactly nail the challenge. One model in particular decided to improvise.
"If I can't remember something, trust me, I'll make something up," she told the camera, and that's exactly what she did. Her mix of Spanish and gibberish wasn't fooling anyone, though, especially not Miss J. The reality show host ended up straight up cackling in his seat, unable to take the commercial shoot seriously.
The time Jiana awkwardly dipped out of a hug from a contestant on America's Next Top Model
If you've ever had an awkward moment where you went to high five someone who didn't high five you back, you'll probably relate to one America's Next Top Model scene in particular. In Cycle 20, contestants Jiana Davis and Phil Sullivan went head to head after finding themselves in the bottom two, with Tyra Banks being forced to send one of them home. Unfortunately for Jiana, she got the boot. When her fellow contestant went to give her a hug, she totally dodged him by squatting down on the floor. Awkward? Oh, yes. Intentional? Probably not.
Jiana and Phil actually became close friends on ANTM and some fans even believed they were more than friends. After she left the show, Jiana sat down with Reality TV World and explained, "To be honest, Phil was one of the most real and relatable dudes on the show. He has an awesome, upbeat personality, and at the end of the day, I just support his outlook on his own beliefs: His love for his girlfriend, his sense of humor, his career. etc. ... We are simply good friends."
When Dominique could not find her footing on America's Next Top Model
The America's Next Top Model ladies were put to the ultimate test in Cycle 16 of the competition show. The contestants were tasked with walking across a pool while inside a giant bubble. Their efforts naturally culminated in some seriously hilarious content. All the women deserved an A for effort, but when it came time for Dominique Waldrup to strut her stuff, it didn't go so well.
Not only did Dominique slip multiple times, she also struggled to get out of the pool altogether. Afterwards, she reflected on the moment. "It was not working properly. I think I had [gotten] a defective bubble or something," she said when defending herself. Thankfully, Dominique recovered and struck a fierce pose when she finally found her footing. And although the judges couldn't give her a perfect 10 for her walk, they definitely had themselves a good laugh.
The time Tyra pranked the contestants big time on America's Next Top Model
When America's Next Top Model hit its sixth cycle, Tyra Banks decided to pay the cast a visit at the models' shared house, but wound up pulling the ultimate prank on them. While having a discussion with the women, Tyra turned on her acting skills full force, convincing them she wasn't feeling well. The runway model then pretended to faint in front of them.
Of course, this was cause for alarm among the contestants and they panicked and they tried to help her. It didn't take long before Tyra sprung right up, saying "Today you guys are going to learn about acting!" She repeated herself when the models remained too shell-shocked to comprehend the prank she had just pulled off. Tyra's convincing performance might have rubbed a few contestants the wrong way, but for the most part, they laughed it off.
When Tyra accidentally ran right into J. Alexander on America's Next Top Model
Tyra Tyra kicked off the America's Next Top Model Cycle 11 premiere with the help of Miss J and Jay Manuel in September 2008 — and they did so with a bang. Literally. When arriving on-set with her cohosts, Tyra announced the judges and then turned to strut out of the camera's lens. However, Tyra didn't realize just how close Miss J was to her and smacked right into his back. The pair laughed it off, of course, but it made for one hilarious blooper.
Tyra and Miss J spent a lot of time laughing on set during their time on the judge's panel together. But, unfortunately, it wasn't enough to solidify his seat as a judge for the long haul. In April 2012, Tyra reportedly axed Miss J along with Jay Manuel and Nigel Barker in what was a "production decision," an insider alleged to Page Six. The publication also reported that the three mentors were informed just one day prior that their contracts would not be renewed for the following season. At least we'll always remember how much they made us laugh, right?