You know the saying, "When the apocalypse comes, all that will be left are cockroaches and Cher"? I think it's officially time to add Tyra Banks' seemingly immortal show, America's Next Top Model—which is now entering its 20th cycle—to that saying. That's right: ANTM has aired two cycles, a.k.a. seasons, every year since its debut in 2003. Despite some of the show's shortcomings—the behind-the-scenes drama between Tyra and some of the former judges, the transformation from being reality to clearly being scripted in parts, and the issue that not one single winner has managed to become the next Giselle or Adriana—the fact remains that ANTM has not only managed to stick around for a decade, but it has launched the careers of many of the winners and non-winners.
Hopefully, another career will be launched when Top Model Cycle 20 premieres tonight on the CW at 8 P.M. ET/7 P.M. CT. Men can be contestants on the show now, so it might be a guy who become this cycle's breakout hit. Personally, I think adding fellas to the mix is long overdue and will breathe life into this franchise—as long as the show's main focus is on modeling and ridiculous challenges and not on potential hookups. Here's a sneak peek:
Before we dive into this season of ANTM, I want to take a look back at some of the most outrageous, funny, and outspoken contestants to ever appear on the show. Let's get to it, shall we?
Adrianne Curry
Cycle: 1
Result: Winner
Where Is She Now? She married a Brady! From 2006 to 2012, Adrienne was boo'd up with The Brady Bunch star Christopher Knight. When they got hitched, he was 48 and she was 23. No judgment, but if you're going to marry an older guy, try someone like George Clooney—not a dude who was famous 30 years ago. Seriously, when a borderline has-been like Knight comes up to you to get your vajayjay, you gotta pull a Gandalf and go, "You shall not pass!" All kidding aside, Curry has been doing some modeling, most notably for Maxim, Von Dutch, and Macy's. She's had her fair share of TV exposure (granted all of it reality TV), appearing on Celebrity Family Feud, Surreal Life, and My Fair Brady. Most recently, she and comic-book god Stan Lee teamed up to create Superfans, a show for his YouTube channel, Stan Lee's World of Heroes.
Yoanna House
Cycle: 2
Result: Winner
Where Is She Now? For me, Yoanna is one of my favorite contestants because she overcame her awkwardness and her frumpy past to take the title. Following her win, she signed with IMG model agency, was named the face of the CW, appeared in commercials for the network, and, most notably, hosted Style Network's The Look for Less from 2005 to 2008. Since then, she has continued to model overseas and be a television personality—code for being on TV shows that no one watches, but I'm rooting for her.
Camille McDonald
Cycle: 2
Result: 5th Place
Where Is She Now? Camille was obviously the girl you loved to hate because she was full of attitude and always stirring the pot, then going, "Who me?" If the show was called This Heifer Is Shady, Camille would've won her season. Her disappointing fifth-place finish hasn't stopped her—as soon as she was done with ANTM, she headed to Europe, signed with Major Model Management, and did editorial shoots as well as runway. Upon her return to the States, she has appeared in shoots for W, Women's Wear Daily, and our very own Glamour. While posing for the camera has been fruitful for McDonald, it seems that being an entrepreneur is her true calling: She designed her own line of swimsuits, launched a company called Signature Walk (which is supposed to teach aspiring models how to have a great runway walk), and wrote a cookbook. Not too shabby for someone who didn't even crack the top three.
Eva Marcille
Cycle: 3
Result: Winner
Where Is She Now? Marcille was ANTM's first true mean girl. She was so rude that Ty-Ty had to call her out about it, which made Eva cry and ratings soar. But by the end of the cycle, Marcille learned how to be a good person and won the title. Time has shown that while she's not a superstar, she clearly has one of the best careers of anyone to ever be on the show. Marcille has appeared on the covers of Essence, King, and Women's Health and has modeled for DKNY, Avon, Covergirl, and Apple Bottoms, just to name a few. Following those successes, she branched out into acting and most recently was on House of Payne and The Young in the Restless, which garnered her two NAACP Image Awards nominations. She's turning 30 later on this year, and I can only imagine how much her career will grow as she enters the next decade of her life.
Yaya DeCosta
Cycle: 3
Result: Runner-Up
Where Is She Now? DeCosta just might be my favorite ANTM contestant of all time. She's stunning, a know-it-all, confident, and had a lot of opinions a.k.a. great soundbites! She's a TV producer's dream. In any other season she should've won, but I think it was fair that she came in second place to Eva. But don't cry for her Argentina because being a runner-up has not affected her career at all. She's appeared in ads for Garnier Fructis, Sephora, and Seda and in mags such as Vogue and the cover of W. Pretty maj, but I think her true passion and success lies in acting: DeCosta's been in the Oscar-nominated film The Kids Are Alright, TRON: Legacy, and All My Children. She also found love in a hopeless place (Hollywood) and got hitched to director Joshua Bee Alafia.
Toccara Jones
Cycle: 3
Result: 7th Place
Where Is She Now? Let's be real—Jones didn't do that well on the show, but she knew how to give good face and she was comfortable with her curves (If memory serves me correctly, she was the FIRST plus-size contestant on ANTM), so she ended up being a fan favorite. Following her elimination, she signed with one of the top agencies, Wilhelmina Models, and modeled for Ashley Stewart, Torrid, New York and Company and was on the cover of Vibe, King, and Black Hair. Jones has also been on TV: She was a frequent guest on Tyra, hosted an episode of BET's 106 & Park, and was on Celebrity Fit Club and Celebrity Fit Club: Boot Camp. The last two shows aren't glamorous, but Jones lost weight and was inspired to release her own workout DVD, Toccara's Fabulous Work-Out for Real Size Women.
Naima Mora
Cycle: 4
Result: Winner
Where Is She Now? Not gonna lie: I spotted Mora's twin sister, Nia, in a bar two years ago and got so excited until I realized she wasn't the ANTM alum. Anyway, it's all about Naima, who was the silent-but-fierce model and killed it in almost every challenge, so it was no surprise that she won. Since her victory, she guest-starred on Veronica Mars, modeled for Cover Girl and Split Clothing, and was featured in ads for US Weekly and Elle. She's now the lead singer for the band Galaxy of Tar.
Keenyah Hill
Cycle: 4
Result: 3rd Place
Where Is She Now? Hill was equal parts hot mess and talented on ANTM. She grew increasingly arrogant as the cycle progressed, yet she was able to tone it down enough to take great photos. She could charm the pants off the judges, then be a complete butthead when she got mad during the trip to South Africa because Naima got the key to open Nelson Mandela's cell during their tour instead of her. Apparently, she felt she should've opened it because she's full black (Naima is biracial). I repeat: Hot. Mess. Anyway, Keenyah stopped acting a fool but still got eliminated. Since then, her career in modeling doesn't have much of a pulse. She's done runway work for Alice and Olivia and ElleGirl Presents: Dare To Be You: Wal-Mart Meets America's Next Top Models, but it seems her focus is on school. Hill went to college in order to become a neurosurgeon.
Nicole Linkletter
Cycle: 5
Result: Winner
Where Is She Now? Look, Linkletter is cool, but I was never particularly bowled over by her when she was on the show. But there's no denying that she, of all the girls during her cycle, was the most model-esque. She's walked in tons of runway shows, including LA Fashion Week, appeared in countless print ads, namely Forever 21, Cover Girl, Burberry, and ELLE, just to name a few. Linkletter has also appeared on Tyra multiple times and was a judge for Miss USA's 2006 pageant.
Nik Pace
Cycle: 5
Result: Runner-Up
Where Is She Now? Y'all, I was obsessed with Pace during this cycle. She has such a striking face and gorgeous, big hair. The judges hounded her for not highlighting her face enough in photos (Pace was constantly doing 3/4 angle poses instead of looking straight at the camera), but their critiques helped her improve and finish in second place. After the show, she appeared in Complex, VIBE, ElleGirl, and Essence. While she steadily worked, a lot of attention was paid to her personal life: She had a son with NFL player Braylon Edwards and they fought over child support payments. Luckily, that worked itself out, and now Pace is signed with Ford Models and recently walked in BET's Rip the Runway.
Bre Scullark
Cycle: 5
Result: 3rd Place
Where Is She Now? I have to be honest: Scullark was kind of an A-hole on the show. Remember when she threw out a fellow contestant's energy drinks just because? Yeah, that was not cute. But I still liked her because she had a raspy voice and was scrappy. She really was improving week to week, which is supposed to be the point of the whole damn competition. Anyway, she didn't let a third-place finish get her down too much because she hit the ground running, well, walking. She's walked for Valentino, BET's Rip the Runway, and Nicole Miller. She's always been featured in tons of ads and commercials for Old Navy, Garnier, Ambi, and more. Scullark has also acted on Law & Order: SVU and was a video girl for Wale and Ruben Studdard's music videos.
Dani Evans
Cycle: 6
Result: Winner
Where Is She Now? I cried so hard when Evans won, you guys. Not only because she's my favorite ANTM person ever (Sorry, Yaya!), but I was so scared that she was going to get eliminated. She has a thick Southern accent that made it hard to understand her sometimes, and the judges almost sent her packing on a few occasions. But they came to their senses and realized that she, hands down, had the best personality and took the best photos. Except for Linkletter, Evans is probably the contestant who is doing the most consistent modeling work. She modeled for Sephora, walked in shows for Micheal Knight, BET's Rip the Runway, Farah Angsana, and Zang Toi, and appeared in 2011 New York Fashion Week. Evans has also been featured in ELLE, ElleGirl, Essence, Seventeen and campaigns for Tory Burch, Sephora, Akademiks, and CoverGirl eyewear. Work!
CariDee English
Cycle: 7
Result: Winner
Where Is She Now? The spelling of her first name is ludicrous, but CariDee is my girl. She's goofy, pretty, and she says whatever is on her mind, which sometimes got her in trubs. Remember when she jokingly told noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker (Thanks to Tyra, whenever I see him on the streets of NYC, I always think to myself, There goes noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker.) that he needs to "Remove the stick from his ass." Yeeeeeah, that did not go over well. She almost got kicked off the show, but she bounced back and won! Since then, she modeled for JCPenney, Bisou Bisou, Wedding Style, has appeared in Seventeen, on the cover of Runway Magazine, and walked for Honduras Fashion Week, L'Oréal Fashion Week in Toronto, In Style's 2009 New Year's Eve lingerie show, and Carlos Campos. Outside of modeling, she's a spokesperson for the National Psoriasis Foundation, appeared in a video against seal hunting, and participated in the NOH8 campaign. It's great to see English using her fame and looks for good causes. That makes me like her even more.
Melrose Bickerstaff
Cycle: 7
Result: Runner-Up
Where Is She Now? Girlfriend was hella desperate when she was on this show. I honestly think that if she wanted to win a little less, she would've come out victorious. She was just as strong of a model as CariDee, in my opinion. Post-show, the most notable thing she has done was be a guest correspondent for E!. Bickerstaff has also done some ad work for Scoop NYC and Beau Soleil and appeared in runway shows at London Fashion Week. Looking forward to seeing her next moves and secretly hoping she ends up on a reality show of some kind.
Jaslene Gonzalez
Cycle: 8
Result: Winner
Where Is She Now? If she didn't win this cycle, the show would've been a joke. Rarely have I ever called a winner of ANTM during the first episode, but I did with Gonzalez. She was gorgeous, had a great personality, but wasn't perfect. She didn't nail every challenge, thus making the audience root for as she progressed instead of getting bored with her for being a little miss perfect. Known for serving good face, she has been seen all over the place: Seventeen, Vibe Vixen, US Weekly, Latina Magazine, and four billboards in Times Square, just to name a few. Seriously, google her credits. Thanks to her outspoken personality, she's been on Live With Regis and Kelly, BET's 106 & Park, TRL, and The View.
Jael Strauss
Cycle: 8
Result: 6th Place
Where Is She Now? Strauss was the free-spirit stoner (I'm assuming the stoner part because she sounded like Jeff Spicoli from Fast Times of Ridgemont High) who did her own thing, which appealed to the judges and us. Unfortunately, she was doubted herself, which led to her early elimination. Since then, she hasn't been making much of a splash in the modeling world. This is where it gets real for a second: She's been battling a years-long addiction to meth. She even appeared on Dr. Phil to discuss her troubles. So tragic. I really hope she can overcome her drug addiction and get her life back on track.
Saleisha Stowers
Cycle: 9
Result: Winner
Where Is She Now? So, ANTM is not the first time Stowers collaborated with Tyra Banks. It turned out Stowers went to Banks' T-Zone camp and appeared on Tyra, but I really believe in my heart of hearts that their past relationship had no influence on that fact that Stowers ended up winning. She was so strong and consistently put out solid pictures, and her girl-next-door personality made her stand out. Since winning, she modeled for Modern Bride and has done quite a few campaigns: Apple Bottoms, House of Dereon, and Baby Phat. She's also done some TV work on Ugly Betty and was in Robin Thicke's Sex Therapy video. Uh, can I have her career, so I can inhale the same air as Robin? Stowers may not be a top model in the industry, but she's definitely not starving for work.
Whitney Thompson
Cycle: 10
Result: Winner
Where Is She Now? Finally!!! Thompson became ANTM's first and only plus-size winner. Sure, she's drop-dead gorgeous, so maybe she doesn't look exactly like the rest of us, but the fact remains that a different kind of beauty is celebrated, which is something that Thompson hasn't forgotten: She's an ambassador for the National Eating Disorder Association. Outside of promoting a healthy image for young girls everywhere, Thompson has worked for CoverGirl, appeared in Seventeen, In Touch Weekly, and Tyra Banks' magazine, and done runway for the Third Annual Elle Boutique, House of Dereon, and Little in the Middle shows. As for TV, she's been on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet, Live with Regis and Kelly, E! News, MTV's Made, and The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch. Hopefully, her solid career will motivate countless future plus-size models.
Analeigh Tipton
Cycle: 11
Result: 3rd Place
Where Is She Now? No tea, no shade to McKey Sullivan, the winner of this season, but e'erybody knows that Tipton should've won. Yes, Sullivan took great photos, but to me, Tipton was the complete package. Thankfully, she's living up to my expectations. This model-actress is building a solid career: She scored a guest role on The Big Bang Theory, co-starred on HBO's short-lived dramedy Hung, and starred in films The Green Hornet, Crazy, Stupid, Love, and Warm Bodies. When she's not acting, she's doing runway shows and ad campaigns for Guess and Forever 21.
Isis King
Cycle: 11 and 17
Result: 10th Place during cycle 11; 11th Place during cycle 17
Where Is She Now? You know as much as ANTM is silly, campy, and a "Tyraism" fest, this show does have some importance in the fashion industry. King was the show's first transgender contestant, and she was openly accepted and her beauty was celebrated. I mean, the girl has cheekbones for days. How can you not give her props? Even though she never went far in the competition, she made her presence known. She's not signed with an agency at the moment, but that hasn't prevented her from becoming one of the most prominent transgender models and appeared in US Weekly, Seventeen, and Out.
Allison Harvard
Cycle: 12 and 17
Result: Runner-Up in both cycles
Where Is She Now? Those eyes, oh my God, those eyes. They seriously give me life. Harvard knew how to use them to her advantage to take a killer photo, so it's kind of a bummer that she came up short in both seasons. Those losses might have made some people give up on modeling, but not her. She's modeled for Chromat, KarmaLoop.com, and Richie Rich, walked for several designers during 2012's New York Fashion Week, and was featured in a spread for One magazine. Harvard's career is just beginning, but I have a feeling we're going to be seeing a lot more of her in the future.
Lisa D'Amato
__ Cycle:__ 5 and 17
Result: 6th Place during cycle 5 and Winner of cycle 17
Where Is She Now? I. Love. Lisa. She is a cray cray mess, and that's what I want out of TV folks. D'Amato was outspoken, had a great personality, unique beauty, and brought the drama. Her shenanigans got her kicked off the first time around, so she straightened herself without losing the X-factor and took the title during cycle 17. Her win makes total sense—she has modeled and/or done runway shows for countless companies an such as XOXO, Guess, Barney's New York, Seventeen, Diane von Furstenberg, Alice & Olivia, Target, and two Old Navy commercials. That's not all: She is transitioning over to music, specifically rap and hip-hop. Idk about this, but the music video for her song "Ace of Spades" has nearly one million plays, and another song "Can't Touch It!" was featured on HBO's Entourage. Despite recent personal downs (appearing on Dr. Drew's Celebrity Rehab for alcoholism), she seems to have turned things around: She got married last year and is refocusing on music.
