Dear Ms Tyra Banks,

Gurl, I have a question for you, what the hell were you thinking?! That documentary on

Netflix has definitely not endured you with the public. Of course, I also think people just like to tear others to shreds these days for the littlest offence. I guess it gives them a feeling of superiority, which if you ask me is a bit self-righteous, like they haven’t done anything wrong in their lives. Back to that documentary, it does seem to highlight a very big lapse of judgment on your behalf during your America’s Next Top Model days. I hope I’m correct when I say this, but your intentions seemed to be genuine; show girls how the modeling world is and give them a chance to become a model, and it didn’t hurt that it also provided some spectacular television drama. However, fast forward several years, and now the focus is about what went on behind the cameras and how the stories were crafted, and this is what you are facing criticism for. I’ve seen the documentary, and the ladies interviewed kept pointing their fingers at you. So, I guess my question is how much control over the crafting of the show did you have? Or was that the studios doing? I also think people need to remember that this was a reality TV show, which means that while the actual scenes were not scripted, the actual story lines were created, and edited to make it more drama filled, and we all know the public likes drama, however, some of those story lines didn’t exactly represent some of the girls in the best light. I’m trying to give you the benefit of the doubt in this and I’m hoping I’m correct when I say this was done by the network in order to garner views and a bigger audience. Or did the dollar signs just take over and that’s all you were after?

I will admit in the beginning of the show, I happily plopped my ass in front of the TV with friends and watched each episode, cheering for some girls, and happy to see others leave. It was fresh, it was exciting, it was thrilling. Then after a few seasons, it got boring, it was the same thing, over and over again. (Well that and the fact that the couple I watched with broke up and my class scheduled changed.) Did you and the producers sit down and tell the girls exactly what was expected of them? Did you tell them what life was really going to be like once they got the contract? Or did you just say “hey, sign up for this competition in the hopes of getting a modeling contact”? I ask because the documentary makes it seem like you cut the girls free after the show was over and they had to fend for themselves. While I understand this is how it actually works in the modeling industry, however, why didn’t you look after them? Don’t you think that would have been the nice, woman looking after other women thing to do? Or am I just being silly and thinking you would have done that. Also, what about the firing of the first Jay, is that something you did, or was that the studio, or was that the way the documentary was framed to make it sound like you were the bad person? If it was you, that was a bit cold, especially since, according to the documentary, you and the network expected him to continue to do his job. And what about the other Jay when he had his stroke? If you were such good friends with him, why didn’t you go see him? Where is your compassion? Your heart? Where is your sense of loyalty to those who helped create the show? Or maybe you didn’t know he was in the hospital? Now that you know, I hope you’ve at least gone to see him or reached out to him. I’m trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, I say that because everyone seems to be focusing on you as the sole person responsible for the show, yes, you were the face of the show, however, there were those who were financing the thing and signing your paycheck. There is the studio, the producers, the director, the editors and others who helped put the show together, and yet where are they? They aren’t taking a public beating, just you. If people could just step back and take a look at the whole set up instead of just focusing on you, I think they would see that you aren’t the only one to blame. If I may, one last question, why are you allowing them to throw you under the bus? Again, Gurl, what are you thinking?

Sincerely,

Supportive, but skeptical