Tyra Banks Apologizes Over Bi-Racial Episode of 'ANTM'

by Dana Oliver (Subscribe to Dana Oliver's posts)
Posted Nov 18th 2009 at 7:11PM

Tyra Banks apologized today if she offended anyone with the recent photo shoot featured on "America's Next Top Model" where contestants were painted in dark makeup to depict bi-racial women.

"I apologize because that was not my intent," said Banks."It's my number one passion in my life to stretch the definition of beauty. I listen to many heartbreaking stories of women who thought they would be happier if they looked different. I want every girl to appreciate the skin she's in."

The explanation took up the first seven minutes of her daily talk show, "The Tyra Banks Show" which today featured the contestants from her reality show for aspiring models. She spoke emotionally about her desire to create something beautiful with the shoot, and said she was proud of it. Banks also mentioned her own struggles as a black model in an industry that is dominated by white models.

One audience member, who had written a letter to Banks, said the episode made her see her own bi-racial heritage in a more positive light.

The controversial episode of "ANTM" sparked debate both in the media and among viewers; some critics saw the use of dark makeup as bordering on blackface.

In the shoot, models were made up to depict various racial and ethnic combinations, such as "Russian-Moroccan," "Native American-East Indian" and "Botswanan-Polynesian."

Banks said the goal was to create an editorial celebration of the "Hapa," the Hawaiian word and concept of mixed race. Coincidentally, two prominent fashion magazines – French Vogue and V -- also recently featured white models painted in dark makeup.

Are you offended by the images? Leave a comment!

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Filed under: Beauty, News, Makeup
Tags: Americas Next Top Model, AmericasNextTopModel, Blackface, news, racism, Reality TV, RealityTv, Tyra Banks, Tyra Banks show

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READER COMMENTS

(56)Add A Comment

StormRavn, 11-19-2009, 2:15PM

Why is it that everything has to be turned into a race issue, or some other politically correct agenda?? Beauty comes in all colors, shapes and styles. All she tried to do was show that. Why does everything now days have to be turned into some kind of arena for a fight over political correctness. It's time to lighten up and get over ourselves and move on. Save the fights for real problems not petty differences.

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jayn, 7-30-2010, 6:46PM

tats rite.....come on people al tyra did was artistic.....im an ardent fan of antm, wen i watch it i expect somthin diff from befo to keep d excitement n entertaining.....tyra is tryin so hard in it after all is c13.....please who ever started tis dispute please use ur wisdom n wits in tryin solve economic/academics/moral problems or going green projects.....not on issues concerning fashion/arts.....n tyra was so humble enough to apologize wen in real she was just tryin to think out of the box.....

Jessica Martinez, 11-19-2009, 2:34PM

That episode was offensive, and it WAS blackface. I am biracial (black and Puerto Rican), and the concept made no sense. And I do not believe that her intention was to make people "stretch the definition of beauty." I believe that she just had a really stupid idea, and thought it would provocative, and just exposed her stupidity. I am really tired of ANTM, and i hear about her struggles as a black model in a white world, but I believe that she is apart of the problem. She continuously talks about how hard it was for her, but she continuously perpetuates the Eurocentric concept of beauty, not only through what she says, but by continuously wearing blond and red hair weaves and wigs, and wearing blue and green eye enhancing contacts.

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gangsta07701, 11-19-2009, 2:48PM

she actually has naturally green eyes. do you really think it was racist for her to portray what people of interesting backgrounds would look like? i think it was so interesting to watch. Im white (from Turkiye), my boyfriend is puerto rican, and the episode actually started a really nice conversation about what our babies would look like. You should try to not be so angry towards things, especially a show on tv. Don't let it consume your thoughts.

Elle, 11-19-2009, 2:51PM

You need to get over yourself. Tyra is no genius that's for sure but there is a difference between what she did and racism. It only makes you look stupid to get so worked up over something so trivial. Dying your hair or wearing a weave does not make you a racist. Thinking that it's racist does.

Tange, 11-19-2009, 3:08PM

Jessica, I agree with you. If we and other people are offended by this representation of race, we have valid reasons. There are entire social and historical contexts that not everyone is aware of, and there are entire bodies of social scientific research showing very real effects of these representations -- on how we think and behave, with or without intention (anyone read blink? good place to start). So instead of resorting to snap judgments and putting people down, if there's something that doesn't make sense to us, maybe we can just start by asking WHY some people would be hurt or angered by something that is or so closely borders on 'blackface.'

Lisa, 11-19-2009, 4:54PM

If she wants everyone to feel comfortsble in their own skin, why paint the skin darker (or lighter for that matter)??

I agree with you.

Iloveme, 11-19-2009, 7:47PM

I agree with you. Personally I don't think she had it bad at all. I like ANTM, but she is very attsomention struck. Shes a hyprocrit. She says thats everyone should love themselves and everyone is beautiful....so why on ANTM eliminate a person because they don't have the face. WOW! Well throw some contacts and whatever hair you consider beautiful and let them try again,,,remember she said she did have it bad....I can't tell.

beontop!, 11-20-2009, 3:33PM

Honestly do you have to express yourself so negatively. Tyra, is by far one of the most down-to-earth celebrities. One thing is expressing your views about the bi-racial episode, but another is dissing on her style. Look beyond all that and focus on her humanitarian efforts and the fact that she is a business woman who has taken her position in the spot light to bring awareness to all kinds of issues and situation unheard of or unseen by most. What are your merits? What have you done lately? Don't hate!

Erica, 1-31-2010, 1:51PM

those are her real eyes...and i think your right about her weaves i guess that is the reason why she stopped wearing them. I didnt find that episode to be racist though.

jessemailsucks, 11-19-2009, 2:50PM

I disagree that her segment was 'blackface." Maybe I am just more worldly than those who are easily offended, but I saw the concept behind her project and the races she tried to portray (which was not African decent) - At this point in time, being black is the equivalent of the insecurity of a fat person. They feel constantly mocked, stared at, mocked, criticized and humiliated, when in reality, no one really gives a damn. If you can't see art for what it is, or accept how things are portrayed, then see a therapist. That's enough of all these people getting offended over insecurities.

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Melissa, 11-19-2009, 3:01PM

Tyra has done this before (ANTM 4 or 5?)... why is it such a big deal this season? Get over it, there are a lot of issues going around the world...

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s, 11-19-2009, 3:10PM

I agree that thinking this is wrong is racists!

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Angie, 11-29-2009, 1:52AM

First.....it's a shame someone would post a comment regarding a sex video. Second.....America the video was not racism. Why must everyone thing be about color.
When I watch the episode, the thought of black face never enter my mind. I am an of African decent. Lighten up America!

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lking4trbl, 11-19-2009, 3:14PM

Get over it. Not everything is about race and inserting that politically charged word is nothing more than making a mountain out of a molehill.

When race is a real issue, you'll see it. You won't have to guess or interpret or read between the lines. Men who jump up and throw out the race card at EVERY TURN are simply looking for publicity. Any one idiotic enough to judge another by the color of their skin get the pitiful lives they deserve.

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Tausha, 11-19-2009, 3:24PM

People CONTINUALLY want to harbor on the issue of race. If it's not black, it's white, or it's not politically correct. Who gives a DARN!!! Don't get me wrong, there will ALWAYS be racism because ignorance and ignorant people will always preside in this world. But as far as Tyra's show and this particular episode...nothing she did was wrong. She was simply displaying the beauty of mixed cultures...and yes, some mixed cultures tend to have darker skin....and they AREN't black. This episode had nothing to do with Blackface or anything of the sort and being an African-American female, I found no fault in anyone or anything. Matter of fact, I thought it was beautiful and showed that Tyra, once again:), breaks barriers and make people go WOW lol.

But like I said before, people are always concerned about the issues that don't really FREAKIN' matter.....we need to be focused on what is going on in our world.

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watdafuk, 11-19-2009, 3:54PM

Some people just are not happy unless they are offended.

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PEPPA, 11-19-2009, 4:00PM

I'VE NEVER CARED FOR TYRA, HOWEVER I DO NOT THINK SHE MEANT IT TO BE TAKEN AS RACIST.

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gretchen, 11-19-2009, 6:22PM

First of all, figure out your caps lock and shift buttons. Please.

Secondly... I bet you complainers don't think it's racist to represent a black man as a gangster who can't enunciate his words, says "know what i'm sayin?" after every couple of words, wears his pants around his knees, carries a gun and slaps his "ho" or "baby mama" around in a movie or show or song... even though those are very negative (although sadly, so often true) stereotypes for most of the black community, yet whenever someone tries to represent a certain race or heritage in a POSITIVE light, you all freak out. It makes no sense to me.
I want to put a Mexican neurosurgeon on a tv show and listen to everyone be like, "he's not proud of his heritage! He should be mowing someone's lawn instead!"

"I don't want white people to know what it feels like to have darker skin and have everyone treat you differently at all! I want to go through my life defensive over my ethnic background and have white people be afraid to talk about it with me! YES! I WANT TO BE A NEGATIVE STEREOTYPE FOR MY RACE!!! IT'S MY DREAM!"

Idiots.
Reverse racists. That's what you complainers are.

B, 11-20-2009, 1:23PM

I think its great that she wants to celebrate biracial women-- but why not do so by photographing actual biracial women? Tyra is a woman of many means, and she could have used her talk show as a vehicle for this editorial, photographing biracial models, rather than merely painting the predominantly white models on ANTM. Her method might have captured the complexions of being of mixed race, but its a very shallow depiction at best.

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