America's Next Top Model - Cycle 13 - 'Petite Ninja Warriors' recap

_{America's Next Top Model finalist Nicole
© Pottle Productions Inc}

In the limo ride home from last week's judging, Laura mentions that she would like to see her best photo. Tyra had said that Erin and Nicole brought Sundai down in their group photo, and Sundai would also like to see her best photo. Nicole is worried from her feedback, where the judges told her that she needs to show her personality.

As the girls arrive at the house, they sit around and decide to play "America's Next Top Model: The Musical." Rae auditions for the part of Laura, and jokes around about her accent. Laura takes the kidding in stride, as it's not hurtful teasing, just playful.

Tyra mail!

Laura runs to the safe and grabs the Tyra mail and reads it:

"How driven are you? We'll find out tomorrow. --- Love, Tyra"

Kara is trash-talking Nicole, saying they should vote her off the island. She says Nicole has the social skills of a fetus.

In the morning it's time to head off in the limo and see what that "driven" mail could mean. They reach their destination, which is the Wilhelmina Modeling agency, where they once again meet with Sean Patterson, the president of the agency. He informs them that they will get the chance to experience a day in the life of a real working model. They'll be going on Go Sees. He introduces them to Lauren Shiohama, who is a working model, who also happens to be petite, at 5'7" tall. They'll be going in teams of two, and have to drive themselves around, using a map for directions. There are five locations, and they can go in any order, but they have to be back at the agency by 4:00 pm. He says that there's nothing he hates more than a late model.

The teams are:

• Jennifer and Erin
• Brittany and Kara
• Sundai and Rae
• Nicole and Laura

Brittany and Kara and Sundai and Rae both chose Neil Lane first. The gentleman at Neil Lane tries jewelry on Kara and finds out that she doesn't have pierced ears. He comments that it's a no no not to have pierced ears, and he wouldn't book her for a campaign. He did like Brittany, and thinks she's glamorous.

Jennifer and Erin go to Rozae Nichols. Erin is worried, as she says she doesn't do well with new people. Rozae says that she thinks Erin needs to work on her confidence, but she thinks in the look book, she would be great. She thinks Jennifer is a beautiful girl, but she thinks her beauty is betrayed by too much makeup, and she wouldn't book her.

Back at Neil Lane, Sundai and Rae finally get their chance to talk to him. He thinks Sundai isn't as comfortable with jewelry as he would like, and he wouldn't book her. He doesn't think that Rae could carry off the jewelry on the runway the way he would want.

Nicole and Rae arrive at their first go see, which is WongDoody. They find out that they have to read a script. Tracy Wong tells them that they are casting for an on-air promotion for a new tv show. Nicole reads the script and they are impressed with her read, saying they think she could book tv. Laura is next, and they have a problem with her accent, and ask if she can do any other accent. She says she can do a "hood rat," and it sounds really hilarious, but again, they aren't impressed. Poor Laura.

Brittany and Kara arrive at WongDoody to do their read. Brittany does hers with a strange English-sounding accent. The man thought she sounded robotic and a little cold. Kara was next, and Skyler Mattson (director/client partnerships of WongDoody) thought Kara didn't look well put together, and that her hair looked a little greasy. Ouch.

Nicole and Laura reach Rozae Nichols, and walk for her. Rozae thinks Laura is really cute. She thought Nicole was beautiful, and she would book her for collections.

Jennifer and Erin arrive at Trina Turk, and the meet with Tina, who tells them they are casting for a photo shoot. She takes a look at both girls' books, and has a photographer take some shots. She thinks Jennifer is a very cute girl, and that she was very free in front of the camera. Erin is confident that she did well also.

Sundai and Rae arrive at WongDoody, and they ask Rae if she knows any accents. She says she knows a Minnesota accent, and she is sure after it's over that she offended everyone with her read. Sundai is next, and they say that she is limited in what she can give them, and it would have to be for a very specific job.

Nicole and Laura arrive at Trina Turk to find Brittany and Kara leaving the area. They ask which direction it is, and Brittany tells them to just find it. Nicole remarks that she is irritated with Brittany's attitude, but she can't let it get to her. They head into Trina Turk, and Nicole poses for the photographer. He tells Nicole to give more emotion in her eyes, but that's about it.

Kara and Brittany arrive at Rozae Nichols and Rozae isn't impressed with Kara's look, saying she looks "scruffy," and she needs to clean it up a bit. When it's Brittany's turn, she takes off her shoe and puts it on the table. Rozae thinks this is rude, and the shoes aren't the type she'd like to see near her collection.

Back at the agency, Nicole and Laura are the first group to arrive.

With less than 15 minutes left, Sundai and Rae arrive at Trina Turk, where the photographer tells Sundai that she's small, but she's strong. They were worried that Sundai was going to look too short, but she looked great in her photos. Rae was also praised for doing various poses for the photographer.

With 6 minutes left, Brittany and Kara get to the Modeling agency. Jennifer and Erin are the last ones in before 4:00 pm, arriving at 1 minute before. Poor Rae and Sundai get stuck in traffic and are 15 minutes late.

Sean reads Sundai and Rae the riot act and tells them to go wait in the lobby while he talks to the other girls.

Critiques:

• Jennifer - very sweet and liveliest of the bunch, but too much eye makeup.
• Laura - very cute and fresh look. Little range in the commercial casting.
• Brittany - gorgeous on camera, but kind of robotic.
• Kara - very strong walk, but kind of scruffy.
• Erin - very good walk, but almost too timid.
• Nicole - perfectly sculpted face, but lacks energy in front of the camera.

Winner gets a piece from each of the designers, diamond earrings, and will get a television commercial that will be televised nationally. The winner is Nicole!

Back at the house, they see all the outfits that Nicole won laid out on the couch. They ask her to do a fashion show to show what she won. Nicole remarks that she is low key and Laura is very sweet, so the other girls tend to underestimate them, but she says they kicked butt. Erin says: "Maybe they just wanted you to win?" Nicole replies, "No, I earned this." Later they cut to Sundai and Kara and Sundai can't believe that Nicole won. Sour grapes, if you ask me.

The next day, the Bankable safe light flashes and the buzzer buzzes. Rae reads the mail.

"Float like a butterfly, pose like me. The competition's getting so fierce... Y'all could use a secret weapon. -- Love, Tyra"

They arrive at their location to find a room with martial arts weapons, and Mr. Jay comes in and tells them that the girls will be working with martial arts weapons in the air. The photo shoot will have a two-part photo shoot, with part on the ground and part in the air. First, they will get to train.

Nicole is first, and she chooses the sword. They think she looks great in the air. Today's photographer is Patricia Von Ah. Mr. Jay thinks she's doing great.Jennifer is next. She also does a great job. Erin also did a great job, with Mr. Jay saying she looks like a magical elf. Laura is next, and Mr. Jay says she's beautiful. She's using numbchucks. Kara is getting her makeup on, and she's still complaining about Nicole winning the go see challenge. When Kara's turn is up, she doesn't do so hot. Mr. Jay says it's a mess. Brittany chooses the double swords. Mr. Jay says she is uncoordinated, but on film she looked great. Rae does ok, but Mr. Jay is worried that she can't show the light on film. Sundai is doing so so with double swords. Mr. Jay says Sundai was abysmal.

Back at the house, the girls are comparing their bruises from wearing the harness at the photo shoot. Sundai is worried, as she got disqualified at the go see challenge, and her photo shoot was poor.

Time for panel

Tyra welcomes the models and tells about the prizes, and introduces the judges, Nigel Barker, Miss J., special guest judge, supermodel Jessica White.

• Jennifer - They love all three shots in her photo shoot.
• Rae - They think she looks more modelly, and not enough action.
• Erin - They love her shots, and think she's keeping her face calm.
• Brittany - They think she looks sexy, and she knows how to work the light.
• Kara - They think she looks uncomfortable.
• Laura - They loved her three shots, saying that she is using her weapons to lengthen her body.
• Sundai - Jessica thinks Sundai has great legs. Nigel says that all the poses are the same with her one leg up.
• Nicole - They mention she was the challenge winner, and she booked two of the three she went to. They think she looks powerful.

Time for the judges to deliberate. They love Jennifer. They think Rae has what it takes. Kara looks uncomfortable, and lacks passion. They think Brittany looks sexy, but she has a problem with how she looks in person. They love Nicole, and Jessica says she's her absolute favorite. Miss J says that Nicole is blah in person. Tyra says that Laura just shocks and amazes her. Nigel says to look at Laura, you don't see a model, but you see her photos and she's a model. Sundai has only one look. Nigel says that Erin is the most model-like girl for him, but she has no personality.

And the callouts went like this:

• Nicole
• Laura
• Brittany
• Erin
• Jennifer
• Rae

The bottom two are Kara and Sundai. For Kara, they think she is lost. She started strong, but has gotten worse each week. They think Sundai is stuck with a three quarter face. They call Sundai's name, and Kara is going home.

Next week, the girls go to the set of The Insider where some of them get tongue-tied.

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