Sarah Hartshorne is a writer, comedian, and former model who was the 'plus-size' contestant on Cycle 9 of 'America's Next Top Model'(ANTM), which aired in 2007. ANTM is described as "an American reality television series and interactive competition in which a number of aspiring models compete for the title of 'America's Next Top Model' and a chance to begin their career in the modeling industry."
Sarah Hartshorne
I've watched an array of reality contests, either entire seasons or a few episodes. Some competitions are low stakes, like 'The Great British Baking Show' - where the prize is a glass cake plate with the show's logo; some competitions are medium stakes, like 'Forged In Fire' - where the prize is $10,000; and some competitions are high stakes, like 'America's Next Top Model' - where the prize is a modeling contract, a cover and spread in 'Seventeen' magazine, and a $100,000 contract with Cover Girl.
I always suspected that the bigger the prize, the more scripted the show, but I never pictured the level of control exerted by the producers of ANTM. In this behind the scenes exposé, Sarah describes her experience on the program, which was exhilarating, exciting, humiliating, dispiriting, difficult, and exhausting (among other things).
*****
Sarah, who grew up in 'Middle-of-Nowhere, Massachusetts' was a student at Boston University when she tried out for ANTM. The audition process was grueling, with many thousands of hopefuls and a long intrusive questionnaire to fill out. The survey gave Tyra Banks (the host) things to talk about on-air. For example: "You have Asperger's syndrome. Can you tell us about that?"; "You lived in a a pop-up trailer without a bathroom. How was that?" You're a student at Yale. What's your major?"
It seems a good story could help you get on the show!
Tyra Banks
After a long torturous audition process, Sarah became one of the initial batch of contestants for Cycle 9 of ANTM. The girls had to sign a lengthy contract and NDA, and were REPEATEDLY warned that not cooperating, or speaking out of turn would result in garnishment of their earnings, their children's earnings, their grandchildren's earnings, etc.....until the millions of dollars owed was paid up.
Cycle 9 began in Puerto Rico, and Sarah recalls, "It all started when we, a group of about fifty overexcited women, landed in San Juan...I'd been clocking the differences between the other girls and myself, and I felt like a whale, thirty to fifty pound heavier than everyone....And now, as I looked around at all these achingly thin girls, it was starting to hit me that every challenge, every panel, every conversation going forward, was going to be about my weight."
The group was soon whittled down to 33 girls who would make it on to camera for the first episode. The 33 contestants got a tour of San Juan, after which they were blindfolded as they walked from their tour bus to - "SURPRISE" - a cruise ship, where the initial episode would be filmed over the next five days.
On the vessel, which contained vacationing passengers, the girls were herded from one place to another for hair, make-up, and photo shoots, which were organized by Mr. Jay (Jay Manuel, the creative director), and Miss J (J. Alexander, the runway coach). The girls had no opportunity to enjoy the ship's amenities.
Mr. Jay (top) and Miss J (bottom)
The girls modeled life jackets on the 'runway' of the ship
There were also interviews with Tyra Banks, Mr. Jay, and Miss J, who assessed the girls' photos, presence, modelness, and personalities. Sarah describes all this in detail, including the long hours of sitting around and waiting; the seasickness; the hostility of the paid passengers; and the frequent warnings from the crew about following the rules. Sarah recalls she felt like she was being suckered into a cult.
The judges panel: (from left to right) Miss J, Tyra Banks, and Mr. Jay
Sarah Hartshorne being assessed by the judges
By the end of the cruise, the contestant pool had been whittled from 33 to 13, and the girls had a two-week-break before production continued in Los Angeles. There the girls resided in 'the ANTM house', which had a kitchen, pool, hot tub, beds, and almost no privacy. Long days of filming followed, with challenges, photo shoots, makeovers, judging, and elimination - and one girl was sent home every episode. Friendships blossomed among the girls, but there was also hostility and back-biting, because everyone wanted to win.
The 13 contestants 'in the house' on Cycle 9 of ANTM
The contestants' makeovers, which usually resulted in a change of hairstyle/hair color for each girl, traumatized some contestants - especially when long hair was cropped to a pixie style. In Sarah's case, she loved the makeover, and writes, "I saw my hair get blonder and shorter until it was almost a pixie cut...It looked punk...I couldn't wait to become whoever THAT person was."
Sarah Hartshorne's makeover
Every episode of the show featured a challenge (e.g. demonstrate the effects of smoking) and a photo shoot (e.g. high fashion on a climbing wall), followed by judging and elimination.
Sarah Hartshorne's photo from the smoking challenge
Pictures from some of Sarah Hartshorne's photo shoots
The judges during Cycle 9 were Tyra Banks, photographer Nigel Barker, Miss J, and former supermodel Twiggy. The contestants were called up one at a time, and the judges evaluated their performance in the challenge and the best picture from their photo shoot. The judges also provided suggestions and advice for improvement. The comments were sometimes harsh, and Sarah recalls Twiggy telling her, "When you stand in front of me, you don't look particularly high fashion, you look quite plain.....but that looks like quite a good fashion photograph." After the assessments, the judges deliberated, and one girl was sent home. During Cycle 9, it was all too much for one contestant, and she sent herself home.
Judges panel: (from left to right) Twiggy, Miss J, Tyra Banks, and Nigel Barker
The ANTM competition was challenging. The girls had to be mic'd from the moment they woke up, and weren't allowed to talk to each unless cameras were present. Handlers (aka 'cast wranglers) showed up early every morning to cart the girls around and make sure they followed the rules. Sarah writes, "The producers were trying to make good television. At any cost....They took our phones and watches, and they prohibited newspapers, televisions, clocks...They kept us on edge by withholding food, sleep, and access to bathrooms." All this was to insure the cameras caught EVERY word and action, to be edited for television.
Sequences that lasted 10 minutes on television, like judging and elimination, took almost an entire day to film, and the girls had to stand up the entire time. This sometimes resulted in fainting, though the girls were advised "Do not lock your knees. You're going to be standing for a long time, and it cuts off the blood flow. And be sure to eat when we break for lunch and drink plenty of water. If you feel faint, raise your hand and someone will come help you." Nevertheless, a girl collapsed almost every week.
The contestants had to stand for hours during judging and elimination
The contestants were also interviewed by producers every day, and asked provocative questions to entertain television viewers. Sarah, who kept a journal of the experience, recalls one of her interviews:
Producer: Can you describe your outfit for us?
Sarah: It's a mesh dress over lingerie.
Producer: Are you uncomfortable wearing so little?
Sarah: I mean, I am wearing very little, but I feel okay.
Producer: Is it hard being the only plus-size girl at this shoot with so many other real models?
Sarah notes, "They kept pressuring me to say that I hated my outfit, that I hated my body, that I was uncomfortable. And I just wouldn't." However, when the episode aired, the program showed Sarah saying things taken completely out of context - "That makes me super uncomfortable and I don't like it" - and made it seem like she was talking about her outfit.
The judges would also speak to Sarah about her weight, suggesting she was dieting and getting thinner as filming progressed. Sarah, who weighed herself every morning, denied she was losing weight, but the producers and judges remained skeptical. This was an issue because Sarah was Cycle 9's 'plus-size' contestant.
Sarah Hartshorne was frequently 'accused' of losing weight during filming
Sarah lasted until episode eight, when she was eliminated, in part because the judges said she'd lost weight and was no longer 'plus-size.' Sarah cried uncontrollably when she was told to "pack her bag and go home", but in reality things didn't happen like that. Sarah and other eliminated contestants were sequestered in a hotel until the time was right for them to leave.
Sarah Hartshorne being interviewed after her elimination from ANTM
Sarah was broke after ANTM, because the girls weren't paid and received only $37 per day for food. Sarah also needed therapy to recover from the ordeal, but she doesn't regret the experience. During filming, Sarah made friends, learned a lot about herself, and subsequently pursued a modeling career. Afterwards, Sarah took jobs writing, producing videos, and doing stand-up comedy.
Sarah Hartshorne
Sarah Hartshorne doing stand-up comedy in New York
Sarah is now married, has a daughter, and is content with her life.
Sarah Hartshorne promoting her book 'You Wanna Be On Top?'
The book is an eye-opening behind-the-scenes look at America's Next Top Model, and a fascinating story. Highly recommended, especially to fans of the show. (I wish other reality competition contestants would write books. 😊)
Thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Hartshorne, and Crown Publishing for a copy of the book.
Rating: 4 stars
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