The photo shoot on last night's episode of "America's Next Top Model" started innocently enough. Queen Tyra had the girls act out awkward, unscripted scenarios at a fictional awards show. The photos ranged from tripping onstage to not being able to pee in a fancy dress. (Classy!) And then there was this scenario: "The Interviewer With an Attitude."

That's an odd awards-show scenario, isn't it? I don't really think that particular situation would pop into most people's heads when they hear "unscripted awards-show moment." But whatevs, just last week Tyra called traffic a "natural disaster," so I'm used to this show making my brain hurt.
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[Editor's note: MTV News correspondent Kim Stolz was a finalist on "America's Next Top Model" in 2005.]

Six cycles and three years after Nigel Barker nicknamed me "Tim" (like, I get it — he thinks I'm too gay), "America's Next Top Model" has announced that one of the contestants of Cycle 11 is transgender. This, no doubt, is quite a historic move for the show, which previously had a sort of unspoken "must be born a woman" clause. However, from scrolling through the photographs of the Cycle 11 girls, Isis looks just as — if not more — qualified than the rest. She's more model-esque than most of her competitors, with long, skinny legs, and it's clear that she's had top surgery (her boobs are bigger and prettier than almost all of the girls' — oh my!). Plus, I'd bet my "ANTM" earnings (OK, fine, a lot more than that) that she's got the best walk of the bunch.
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This in from MTV News intern, "Gossip Girl" expert, and "Top Model" obsessive Rya:

So it seems that some of you really ran with my story about Whitney’s magical triumph as the winner of this cycle of “America’s Next Top Model.” There were enough, um, passionate comments that it seems necessary to get analytical.

Let’s start with the positive. Whitney, if you’re out there in cyberspace reading this: you’ve got a helluva fan base. Many have taken a shine to the idea that a toothpick with limbs didn’t win big. “Real Girls are not anorexic...Real Girls have meat…Whitney’s got that, thank you,” wrote Mawlo. Reader Wendy was especially happy with the show’s results because “She will be a positive role model for MANY girls/women in America. It’s great that she will be representing the average woman in the international modeling world!”

Others interpreted the win as a kind of patriotic statement. Georgetown Hoya got even loftier, attributing Whitney’s win to a political shift happening in America: “This is the era of change! We can see this in politics as we have Obama and Hillary running. America is finally being mobilized in a positive way, and I'm hoping the same mobility happens in the fashion industry. Stop hating on Whitney!” Hope! While Lacey Cloverdale made me want to wrap myself in the American flag when she declared, “Anya was nowhere NEAR being an American -- unless she just took her citizenship test. No American has that kind of accent. She could barely speak ENGLISH, and this is ‘America's Next Top Model.’ Whitney was the only one left. Good for her.” Hmm. Lacey, sweetheart, have you not noticed how Eastern Europeans, Russians, and Dutchwomen are dominating the pages of Vogue these days? Larger conversation!

But there were worlds more comments that were negative... Read more...

MTV News intern and resident “Gossip Girl” expert Rya has expanded her overly personal obsessions to include "America's Next Top Model" -- and just in time for the finale:

So last night’s episode of “Top Model” was the grand finale, which I watched with the sincere hope that the show is actually aware of its all-consuming campiness. I mean, Tyra knows, right? Anyway!

If you didn’t know (how would that be possible?), the glorious final three was composed of Fatima, a gorgeous Somalian; Anya, a Russian/Hawaiian goddess; and (hold onto your chairs) Whitney, a pretty normal-sized, beautiful woman we at MTV News have totally been rooting for.

There were so many amazing, hilarious, and amazingly hilarious moments in the “Top Model” finale. (Like Miss J's rhinestone eyebrows. Note to whoever thought up such a facial accoutrement: I'll have what you're having.) My rundown after the jump. Read more...

After being in the bottom two twice in a row, Whitney (looking particularly rock & roll above) broke the curse last night and made it into this “ANTM” cycle’s final three. Don’t say we never told you so!

It’s ironic that a plus-sized beauty would triumph in a particularly food-averse episode -- the girls ganged up on Dominique behind her back, calling her out for eating candy and snacking at 2:30 in the morning (scandal!) -- but that’s just what happened. Continuing the corny themes inspired by the Roman backdrop, the girls were forced to “act” once again (gag), this time running down some steps with their (surprisingly short) Italian model “boyfriend” while being stalked by a paparazzo. Whatevs. Tyra, woman, those pseudo-concepts are so Cosmo/Allure/Seventeen -- i.e. not haute fashion! But what do you expect from a TV competition sponsored by Cover Girl? We wouldn’t be surprised if Oxy sponsored cycle 11…

Anyway, Whitney took some OK pics, as did the rest of the gang. Not an inspired/inspiring week. But what we came away with is the fact that, as the Blonde Bombshell herself put it, “America and ‘America’s Next Top Model’ are ready for a plus-size model to win the competition.” Yes, we are! Bring it!

So will Whitney take it all the way? It’s looking like a real possibility. What do you think…?

Along with her Miley Cyrus obsession, we have learned that MTV News intern Jackie is also a devotee of the Tyra Banks-athon, “America’s Next Top Model.” Here she shares her thoughts on contestant Whitney, the plus-sized model currently dominating this season:

Being a self-proclaimed religious viewer of La Tyra’s “Next Top Model,” I find this season to be the most exciting for one reason: Whitney. The stunning 20-year-old from Atlantic Beach, Florida, has gotten farther in this competition than any of the previous “plus-sized” girls, and I’m sure a lot of women would agree that it’s been a long time coming. Last night, although in the bottom two, she was pushed through to the final four, sending the once-favored Katarzyna packing.

I, for one, was getting a little tired of the same sort of girl winning every season, and when Whitney stepped in the room the first episode, I wondered if finally we would see a “plus-sized” girl win. Modeling shows have become so popular, it’s great to see a normal body type – one you’d see in your mom or best friend (or in the mirror?) -- getting closer to winning. Read more...

Oh, I know what you're saying to yourself: Again? Yes, we here in the Newsroom certainly know how to milk a story. I guess it depends on how you look at it, though. There was just so much crazy madness on the red-carpet extravaganza that Tyra Banks threw for herself, that we. must. keep. going.

The recap: "The Tyra Show" threw the "Fiercee Awards" last week in New York, a sort of celebration of that other show Tyra hosts, "America's Next Top Model." Our own dynamite reporter, Kim Stolz, used to be on ANTM but instead of coming back as a second-hand slog, she showed up in her new digs. AND HILARITY ENSUED.

For example, this clip, where our fetching Kim Stolz talks with "Celebrity Apprentice" reject, Carol Alt. We're not sure what Carol Alt was doing at the Fiercees but, in between her grammar lessons for Kim (and subsequent self-conscious paranoia of being made fun of) and that blouse dress, we're pretty sure that she's never watched ANTM.

Oh, Carol. More after the jump.

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So MTV News' Kim Stolz used to be on "America's Next Top Model." And last week, we sent her to The Tyra Show's "Fiercee Awards," which, I guess, was kind of a meta experience for Kim since Tyra Banks hosts ANTM. Well, I guess a meta experience and a totally CRAZY CRACKERS experience, too.

Anyway, Jay Manuel was there, too. He's Tyra's partner in ANTM and so Kim interviewed him, too, which was convenient since there are all these rumors (ok, just a few), that Tyra and Jay hate each other and that Tyra is bolting the show and that JAY HAS WON AND CONQUERED ALL. So, you know, Kim asked him about it. And aside from his perfectly cute answer, he also revealed that THEY ALREADY KNOW WHO THE NEXT TOP MODEL IS. Shocker!

I didn't know it would ever happen, and I certainly didn't know it would happen like this, but I've achieved closure from my days as a contestant on "America's Next Top Model." We just came back from covering The Tyra Show's "Fiercee Awards" (yes, that's pronounced FIERCEYYYY) at which Tyra Banks gave out awards to former top model contestants. I decided to cover the event for MTV News rather than attend the event as a "top model." And wow, that was a good choice.

This is how it went down when Tyra and I saw each other on the red carpet:

I earnestly asked each girl what she was doing, and what photos from her ANTM portfolio she was using in her modelng career (if she was, in fact, working) -- the answer to which was a resounding ZERO. I even had time to ask them a few political questions… and well, you know how that was gonna go.

We'll get all of that out to you next week (including my bizarre dress-down from Carol Alt!) - secrets from the carpet!!