Lately, America’s Subsequent High Mannequin has not essentially aged with the grace of a canopy star — one thing host Tyra Banks addressed in a latest speech at Essence‘s 18th annual Black Ladies in Hollywood Awards, held at Los Angeles’ Fairmont Century Plaza Lodge Feb. 27.
As she accepted the inaugural Luminary Highlight honor, bestowed to rejoice her legacy throughout the style, TV and movie realms, the mannequin and TV persona mentioned how the fact competitors collection didn’t all the time “get it proper” over the course of its 24 seasons.
“Over 20 years in the past I created a present known as America’s Subsequent High Mannequin,” Banks started, per People. “And also you guys don’t know how onerous we fought to deliver the range to that tv present at a time when it didn’t exist, to point out completely different beauties at a time when the world was like, ‘What? You casting that?’ A time when individuals within the trend business have been telling me, ‘You placing the ladies from the hood in your present?’ I used to be like, ‘Why can the woman from the trailer park grow to be a supermodel however the woman that’s chilin’ within the park within the hood can’t?’ And we fought and we struggled and we made it occur.”
She continued, “Did we get it proper? Hell no. I stated some dumb s—. However I refuse to have my legacy be about some stuff linked collectively on the web when there have been 24 cycles of adjusting the world. And I’m so excited that I, and so many people, have opened that door for others to comply with.”
Premiering in 2003 and spanning three networks from UPN to The CW to VH1 and that includes visitor judges from the late André Leon Talley to Regulation Roach, ANTM started going through criticism on social media in 2020; at the moment, clips from the collection started going viral on-line, together with one through which Banks critiqued a mannequin for not fixing her tooth hole, which she addressed in a since-removed tweet after being known as out, writing on the time: “Been seeing the posts concerning the insensitivity of some previous ANTM moments and I agree with you. Trying again, these have been some actually off selections. Admire your sincere suggestions and am sending a lot love and digital hugs.”
The Essence awards ceremony will stream on March 3 at 8 p.m. ET, with the pre-show airing at 7 p.m. ET, on YouTube.
