Janice Dickinson doesn’t regret ‘America’s Next Top Model’ remarks often seen as fat-shaming

Former supermodel and judge on “America’s Next Top Model” Janice Dickinson said last week that she doesn’t regret any of the controversial comments she made during her run on the reality show, including remarks that were seen as fat-shaming and ageist. 

“It was acting. And that’s that,” Dickinson told a fan who asked the question on social media. 

“People forget that TV is acting,” she added in the caption to her Instagram video. 

In the first season of the CW show, the former judge said a 26-year-old modeling contestant named Robin was too “fat” and “old” to succeed in the industry.

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“Robin’s out as far as I’m concerned about being a supermodel,” Dickinson said while the judges were deliberating at the end of an episode. “Because I think ‘America’s Next Top Model’ is not a plus-size model.” 

Robin was a fit contestant who was competing as a plus-size model and who co-judge Kimora Lee Simmons described as a “full-figured Black woman.” Robin was voted off on that episode. 

“She should be working at Avis,” Dickinson said of Robin derisively, speaking of the car rental company.”

In another episode, Banks told Dickinson that comments like hers about weight are the reason some girls develop eating disorders. 

The now 67-year-old also once told a contestant her face in a photo looked “like the battery died in her vibrator” and another contestant her untouched vs retouched images looked like a “Hitchcock film.” 

Model Tyra Banks attends the Oxygen Media Launch Party for “America’s Next Top Model” at Gotham Hall on January 12, 2009 in New York City.  (Photo by Jason Kempin/WireImage for Flying Television)
(Photo by Jason Kempin/WireImage for Flying Television)

Dickinson called Banks “soulless” in a 2012 interview with FOX411’s Pop Tarts, saying Banks had fired everybody, she’ll keep firing people, she’s soulless, she’s heartless and she’s cold.”

The remarks came after reports surfaced that Banks had fired her longest-running judges, Jay Manuel, Nigel Barker and J. Alexander.

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In 2005, Dickinson told Radar magazine she was fired from the show. She said she thought it was fun being a judge at first but eventually realized she was being labeled as a “b—-.” 

Promotional portrait of the judges on the UPN television series ‘America’s Next Top Model,’ Milan, Italy, October 17, 2003. Left to right British fashion photographer Nigel Barker, model Janice Dickinson, American model and the show’s executive producer Tyra Banks, and fashion editor Eric Nicholson. 
(Photo by John P. Filo/CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)

“I was just telling the truth and I was saving these girls from going out there and being told that they’re too short, too fat, their skin’s not good enough. I was to America’s Next Top Model what Simon Cowell is to American Idol,” she said at the time. “I’d rather be an honest b—- than some a—kissing, sugar-coating, namby-pamby, wiping-a—mother—–. I made the show number one in 52 countries. And then I got the sack.” Simon Cowell was known for his biting criticisms of singing contestants. 

Dickinson was replaced by Twiggy on the show. 

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Banks acknowledged two years ago that some of the show hadn’t aged well. 

“Been seeing the posts about the insensitivity of some past ANTM moments and I agree with you,” Banks tweeted in 2020. “Looking back, those were some really off choices. Appreciate your honest feedback and am sending so much love and virtual hugs.”

One challenge on the show deemed particularly problematic involved the contestants painting their skin different colors to appear as another race for a photo shoot. 

“America’s Next Top Model” ran from 2003 to 2018. 

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In recent years the fashion industry has attempted to become more inclusive of different body types, including Sports Illustrated selecting Yumi Nu at the magazine’s first Asian plus-size cover model for its Swimsuit issue this year. Ashley Graham was the Swimsuit issue’s first plus-size model of any race in 2016.