America’s Next Top Model was a pioneer of LGBTQIA+ representation on reality TV. The show gave us iconic queer judges, featured an openly lesbian contestant on season one, and even made groundbreaking decisions to cast a transgender model in 2008. But like many things with this show, the way production treated these contestants and their identity was flawed. In this episode, we explore how Top Model broke barriers and reshaped the culture, while hearing from the queer contestants who paid the price for its flaws.  

CORRECTION: This episode has been updated for accuracy. Episodes downloaded before November 5th, 2025 will not reflect the correction.  

Looking to place a face to the name and hear bonus content? Check out our Instagram account, @glasspodcasts, where we recap each episode with show notes that include the people, places, and even video clips referenced in the episode.

America&rsquo;s Next Top Model was a pioneer of&nbsp;LGBTQIA+ representation on reality TV. The show gave us iconic queer judges, featured an openly lesbian contestant on season one, and even made groundbreaking decisions to cast a transgender model in 2008. But like many things with this show, the way production treated these contestants and their identity was flawed. In this episode, we explore how Top Model broke barriers and reshaped the culture, while hearing from the queer contestants who paid the price for its flaws. &nbsp;
CORRECTION: This episode has been updated for accuracy. Episodes downloaded before November 5th, 2025&nbsp;will not reflect the correction. &nbsp;
Looking to place a face to the name and hear bonus content? Check out our Instagram&nbsp;account,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/glasspodcasts/">@glasspodcasts</a>, where we recap each episode with show notes that include the people, places, and even video clips referenced in the&nbsp;episode.

When America’s Next Top Model premiered in the early 2000s, it looked like a golden ticket: a glamorous TV show that could catapult aspiring models into fame. But two decades later, many contestants describe its aftermath as a curse. Hosted by pop-culture journalist Bridget Armstrong, Curse of: America’s Next Top Model is a deep investigation into the hidden costs of reality television, and what the show’s legacy reveals about beauty, power, and the culture that cheered it on. 

Through conversations with dozens of former contestants, producers and crew members, Curse of: America’s Next Top Model explores what happened behind the scenes on one of the most iconic and problematic reality shows of our generation.  

The series starts off by exploring how ANTM almost didn’t get made. You’ll get the real story behind the show’s most infamous controversies. Then, the models and producers pull back the curtain and talk about how the most outrageous photoshoots and runaways came together. You’ll hear from contestants who say ANTM saved their lives and from those who say it ruined theirs. The contestants also talk about how the body shaming they experienced on the show caused lifelong scars. Finally, we try to answer the question, is Tyra Banks the ultimate reality television villain?  

Curse of: America’s Next Top Model takes you on an investigative journey to figure out if the so-called curse is real? And if so, what was the toll on the models, and us, the audience?  

When America&rsquo;s Next Top Model premiered in the early 2000s, it looked like a golden ticket: a glamorous TV show that could catapult aspiring models into fame. But two decades later, many contestants describe its aftermath as a curse. Hosted by pop-culture journalist Bridget Armstrong, Curse of: America&rsquo;s Next Top Model is a deep investigation into the hidden costs of reality television, and what the show&rsquo;s legacy reveals about beauty, power, and the culture that cheered it on.&nbsp;
Through conversations with dozens of former contestants, producers and crew members, Curse of: America&rsquo;s Next Top Model explores what happened behind the scenes on one of the most iconic and problematic reality shows of our generation.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The series starts off by exploring how ANTM almost didn&rsquo;t get made. You&rsquo;ll get the real story behind the show&rsquo;s most infamous controversies. Then, the models and producers pull back the curtain and talk about how the most outrageous photoshoots and runaways came together. You&rsquo;ll hear from contestants who say ANTM saved their lives and from those who say it ruined theirs. The contestants also talk about how the body shaming they experienced on the show caused lifelong scars. Finally, we try to answer the question, is Tyra Banks the ultimate reality television villain?&nbsp;&nbsp;
Curse of: America&rsquo;s Next Top Model takes you on an investigative journey to figure out if the so-called curse is real? And if so, what was the toll on the models, and us, the audience?&nbsp;&nbsp;

Curse of: America’s Next Top Model

Fierce, Queer, and Flawed | EP 8

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ef7e123a-4ec8-4732-a34e-b38b000828bc/transcript