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Reality TV Wild West: Shepherd Defends Banks' ANTM Era
20 Feb
Summary
- Sherri Shepherd defended Tyra Banks amidst criticism of ANTM.
- Shepherd cited the early 2000s as a different time for reality TV.
- She highlighted Banks' battles as a Black woman in television.
Talk show host Sherri Shepherd has publicly defended Tyra Banks against recent criticism surrounding America's Next Top Model (ANTM). The defense comes in the wake of a Netflix exposé docuseries that has resurfaced past controversies. Shepherd, in a tearful video, acknowledged the show's problematic actions but urged viewers to consider the historical context.
Shepherd pointed out that ANTM debuted in 2003, a period she described as the 'wild, wild west' of reality television. She emphasized that Banks, as a young Black woman, faced immense hurdles to get the show on air and maintain its presence. Shepherd suggested that a show fronted by a different type of host might have had an easier path.
Further elaborating on Banks' struggles, Shepherd cited ANTM's diverse casting, including models of various ethnicities, body types, and LGBTQ+ representation, as evidence of Banks' efforts to broaden beauty standards. She conceded that the show committed 'terrible things' but reiterated that these actions occurred in a time with less societal awareness and were part of the battles fought to keep the show on air.
