America’s Next Top Model recap: Keep on booty toochin’!

After AzMarie’s untimely exit last week, we are all tied up at 4 Americans and 4 Brits. Back at the house, Kyle and Seymone are feeling picked on (Seymone? Really? Picked on for what?) and they band together, while Laura is conversing with the enemy Brits about her desire to see Kyle leave.

For the challenge, the girls have to make a public service announcement that emphasizes inner beauty, and the team that wins will get a video message from home, so obviously all the girls are going to put in their best effort.  Each of the models was paired with a young girl to discuss what beauty is. It’s a touching moment and the girls are adorable, plus it is nice to see the models act like adults with hearts instead of the catty teenagers they usually seem to be. The British girls end up winning so they get the message and they all enjoy it, except Sophie, whose boyfriend was not nearly lovey-dovey or supportive enough.

In the photo shoot, the girls are art installations at a fancy dinner hosted by Estelle, and the girls must booty tooch in their photos, again, because Tyra did such a wonderful job instructing them. ‘Booty tooch’ is obviously this season’s ‘smizing.’ Quite a few of the girls struggle and are unsure of what to do with all the props, and Sophie expresses concern for the British girls’ chances at panel. And when the Americans take their photos, Laura, like many of the other girls, is bitter because Kyle gets a fake booty to tooch in her shoot. They do have a point. Tyra is giving her an advantage.

At panel, it was mildly entertaining to watch the judges try to define all the different tooches in the photos.  You get the sense that they are sort of mocking Tyra, but so subtly the she wouldn’t notice over her enormous ego. This week the best photo went to Sophie, who I really do have a soft spot for. She is just so spunky and friendly! And the bottom two were Kyle, because she always gives the same look, and Alisha, because they don’t know if she has real model potential, but Alisha survives because of her background presence in the other girls’ photos and Kyle is (finally) sent home.

Next week is the REAL go-see week (not the knock-off version we had in Canada) and the girls have to model Hello Kitty stuff. Who is going to crack under the pressure? I’ll guess we will see next week!