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Tyra "Concerned" About Top Model Audition Riot
By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 16, 2009
Modified Mar 16, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 16, 2009
Modified Mar 16, 2009
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After the chaotic scene that resulted during Saturday's open casting call for the next season of America's Next Top Model, the show's host and creator Tyra Banks along with executive producer Ken Mok issued a statement, "We are concerned by the events that occurred Saturday afternoon in the vicinity of the New York City casting call for the next cycle of 'America's Next Top Model.' ... At this time, we still don't know all the details of what happened or what triggered the incident. We appreciate the efforts of the NYPD and will assist them in any way possible in this matter."
Well, the details of what happened—according to reports—are that with thousands of women trying out for the 5'7" and under ANTM season, nerves were running so high that when an overheated car came down West 55th Street (the casting was at the Park Central Hotel), someone yelled that the car would explode. Which then set off a stampede, which one hopeful called "9/11 part two," and apparently a man went over a barricade to slap a woman on line—and then someone yelled the man had a gun.
Three arrests plus other injuries later, the casting call was called off. One NJ woman, Cynthia Alicea, who was disappointed about missing her chance told the Star-Ledger, "Girls were threatening to slash each other's faces. People were very upset and very emotional." (Flashback to bitch poured beer on my weave.) Here's that video again:
The Post suggests that riot could have been avoid if the NYPD was asked for police assistance. Even Mayor Bloomberg weighed in, saying, "You've just got to, in advance, arrange for security." Some New York-area women are hoping the ANTM producers will hold another casting (with proper security, of course). Alicea, who was laid off from UBS last fall, said, "I'm not in a financial position where I can take a plane and fly to the next state hosting auditions. I want to see that they're going to give the girls another opportunity."
Tagged
america's next top model
casting call
models gone wild
shorties
Tyra Bank
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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