'America's Next Top Model': Jane: 'I'm just bad at reality television'
November 18, 2010 | 10:26 pm
On this week's episode--the penultimate installment of 'America's Next Top Model', cycle 15--both eliminees had a fighting chance at the final prize. They'd made it through grueling photo shoots, catwalks that were actually treadmills, and unfortunate fake commercials. Now it was down to the final four--soon to be two--and it was close to anyone's game. Jane Randall, a 19-year-old Princeton sophomore with no previous modeling experience, broke out early in the game thanks to her elegant, surprisingly refined photographs. Unfortunately, compared to the buoyant Chris White and the shy Ann Ward, Jane was deemed by the judges to come off, well, a little flat.
"It was so frustrating," Jane said over the phone. "The judges kept asking 'Who are you, Jane? What's your personality like?' I was about to tell the judges, well, I don't know who you are. I was tempted to ask 'Who are you, Tyra?'"
Jane spoke to Showtracker about the wonders of Zac Posen, what she wished she had done differently and who deserves to be the next top model.
The judges made a big deal about your defection from the Ivy League. What did your friends at Princeton think?
I was incredibly lucky that the filming was done in the summer, so I didn't have to take any time off from Princeton. I did quit lacrosse, but not school. Honestly, pretty much all I’ve heard has been incredibly supportive. I was worried coming into the school year that people would treat me differently when then show aired, but so far there hasn't been any backlash.
What happened during your go-sees? Even with Chris, you only managed to make one of the appointments.
Italy is very confusing in terms of street signs. There are tiny little plaques on the sides of building walls. Maybe it's just that Americans don’t expect to look up. We also didn’t come up with the idea of actually getting a map until we were almost home. In our defense, Tyra said that the first time she went to Italy, she brought her mom to help. If we had gotten to bring our moms, we probably would have done better.
The judges really focused on how much you showed--or didn't show--your personality during the show. What do you wish they had put in the episodes that they didn’t?
I felt like they had no sense of who I was and it was unfair of them to make those critiques. The only time it happened to me was at panel. How I was at panel was different than how I was in the house. I wish I brought more energy, but at the time I was getting criticized and trying my hardest to stay composed. I think I learned very quickly, but I had to play catch-up with the other girls. I tended to take the competition very seriously, and maybe that was a mistake. Panel was a very confusing process. Even when we were just discussing what to wear, each judge had a different opinion. It was hard to get a collective sense of what you’re supposed to be doing. It was particularly frustrating when they told me to bring out my personality. I got runner-up on the commercial challenge, and the whole focus was on being able to present yourself well. I did well but I still got asked “Who are you?” and it was the worst.
What was your favorite challenge?
I loved the Zac Posen runway. It was incredible. Interacting with him and meeting him was the first time I think I got positive feedback. He was the first person to take the time to get to know me. In his runway challenge, he gave me three looks instead of two. But he told me I couldn’t walk! That was fair, I guess. I wouldn’t book me either.. I learned more in five minutes with him than the rest of the show, maybe.
So who do you think will win?
Maybe this is why I’m terrible for reality, but I truly do love both Chelsey and Ann. If I had to pick who was going to win, I think it'll be Ann. Seeing the kind of compliments Ann got from Andre--"beyond Amazon," making up words in that special way of his--there’s no way she won’t be a serious contender.
--Margaret Eby
LA Times Blog
I love this girl
I really liked her. I just don't like that post she made .
or they had a few "ifs" and then the rest of the cast was filler for the show.. Sorry, I feel Chris was that...
