America’s Next Top Model All Stars Finale Review

It’s difficult not to feel stunned after the ANTM All Stars Finale. We have a winner in Lisa D’Amato, but it seems likely she wasn’t even the original winner of the cycle.

So what is more discouraging? The fact that the ANTM judges would have put Angelea Prestonthrough as the winner despite her bad attitude, hot temper and emotional outbursts – or the fact that the winner is crazy Lisa D’Amato who has peed in a diaper?

We at Small Screen Scoop made it no secret that we were hoping that Allison Harvard would win, given her artistic soul, true sense of unique style, and her relatable personality (unlike D’Amato and Preston, she seems to know what being humble means.)

Part of me wonders if being named the ANTM winner isn’t a bit of an insult, however odd that may seem. Aside from Nicole Fox, I can’t think of many ANTM winners who have been more successful than some of the other contestants. It’s almost like being branded the winner makes you seem like a joke in the industry. This is why in cycle 1 of ANTM I thought Elyse Sewell purposefully sabotaged herself so that she wouldn’t win and carry around that stigma. She was runner up, and has had a very successful modeling career. That actual winner of that cycle? Not so much.

Why Was Angelea Preston Disqualified on ANTM All Stars?

Hopefully with this ANTM All Stars cycle we won’t have to hear the phrase “pot ledom” ever again. We certainly heard it a lot in the finale episode, for no good reason, either. I still believe it’s subliminal advertising!

Part 2 of the Modelland motion editorial aired during the finale, but it was so short I hardly understood the point. Just more crazy.

ANTM Modelland Motion Editorial: It Will Give You the Creeps

The three finalists all wore dresses they designed and Michael Cinco brought to life. I was surprisingly not in love with the dress for Allison Harvard. Much stronger were the dresses for D’amato and Preston.

Allison Harvard's Dress by Michael Cinco. "All-Star Finale" -- The women participate in a challenging runway finale that includes flying and modeling under water on America's Next Top Model on The CW. Photo: Walter Sassard/The CW ©2011 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

During the finale Laura Kirkpatrick said she hoped Allison would win (it seems like these two sweeties have become friends for real), Shannon Stewart said she’d vote for Lisa, and Dominique (she’s tough like Beyonce, I don’t need to look up her last name again, right?) didn’t pick a favorite.

There were several cringe-worthy moments during the finale. Mrs. J was wearing a red gladiator toga and gold mask for no particular reason. Lisa swam in the wrong direction. And Tyra was so earnest in trying to impress Andre Leon Talley that as the show started she leaned into him and said “See her getting in the water?” as though he were a senile Grandpa who couldn’t see the huge extravaganza. I suspect that Tyra Banks will stop trying to be so high fashion now that Talley has left the show. It’s not that Banks couldn’t do high fashion as a model, it’s just that her personality isn’t like that. (God, whose personality is unles they’re Gwyneth Paltrow or Tilda Swinton?)

Lisa D'Amato in the Michael Cinco Fashion Show. Photo: The CW

It was odd that the models all had to wear big raccoon eyes of makeup under their masks, because the masks never came off during the runway show. Speaking of makeup, the idea of primer built into eyeshadow is a pretty damn good one, is anyone else looking into the Cover Girl Shadow Blast stuff now? I’d like to read read reviews before I try it.

Allison had both the worst dress and the worst runway walk. She wasn’t graceful as she tried to fix her dress in the fierce winds. Meanwhile, Lisa’s confidence let her shine on the runway. Lisa’s dress was also the most flattering to be wearing a harness in and to then fly forward.

Tyra Banks said that Lisa D’Amato was the first ANTM All Star, indicating that there will be another All Star cycle. Are you excited for another?

P.S. Apologize to your Christmas Stockings, you won’t be able to buy the Top Model Perfume “Dream Come True” fromt Target until January.

P. S. S. I’d be surprised if this smelled good at all.