She's kind of got that "Blue Steel" Zoolander look going there...

wow... 0:-)

I think Anna should go on it; I think she could win.

She reminds me of a fish.
I'm sure she's a very exciting fish, though .

I think Anna should go on it; I think she could win.

Awww, that is very kind of you, but Anna is WAY too old (and short...and callipygian...and ____ ) for ANTM. ;)

In fact, I'm so elderly, I could have a daughter, who at 13 would be at the "right" age to start modeling. Contrast that with this reality-free charade and its older (23? not in this logic-free industry), relatively unremarkable beauties.

callipygian

in my high school (1/2 mormon) a friend once read aloud a poem "ode to my callipygian queen" over the intercom (some 'morning poem' schtick they were doing to 'uplift' us). he used the word callipygian like 20 times. only later did the library check the OED and explain what the word wuz to the mortified secretary.

Great!! Now I can watch a Desi get humiliated in front of a national audience while trying to fit into the Western contorted image of what a woman should look like. Meh. I'll pass.

Thank you Pagla! I agree.

Now I can watch a Desi get humiliated in front of a national audience while trying to fit into the Western contorted image of what a woman should look like

sure, there are cross-cultural differences, but seriously, a large component of 'beauty' is universal because of the biological correlates of symmetry and sex specific characteristics.

otherwise hotcatchpa wouldn't work.

and the show is about top models, not top women. lighten up (and no, that isn't a skin color reference).

Man, would it kill them to smile?
Models...

i know this is so off topic that it might get deleted (forgive me admins), but i got to say it: if none of the 11 contestants was non-white, i suspect the same people who complain that this is forcing women into western standards of beauty would be belly-aching "where are the non-whites?" now, since 5 out of 11 women have skin color a shade of brown that can't be a complaint, so of course you found something else.

critique is an important part of life, but so is life itself.

Top Models? MAY BE!

Wooden? ABSOLUTELY!

This BS show still exists? Even more reason why this show needs to come back.

callipygian

Crimony, ANNA, you're so much more effective than my weathered old 1998 word-of-the-day calendar! And woe be my friends who'll have to suffer my future OCD-like deployment of this word! Mwahahahaha...

sure, there are cross-cultural differences, but seriously, a large component of 'beauty' is universal because of the biological correlates of symmetry and sex specific characteristics.

Sex-specific characteristics? Boy, I wish I could see more sex-specific characteristics. (Ok, that didn't come out right) If I open the latest fashion magazines, all I see is carrom-boards. I wish we could stop celeberating women who are conforming to unnatural and unhealthy standards of beauty, desi or otherwise.

A K K A, I'm willing to wage big money on the fact that this:

In fact, I'm so elderly, I could have a daughter, who at 13 would be at the "right" age to start modeling.

is one of the greatest things you've ever said.

pagla,

well, i can attest anecdotally that most guys like to hit it a little chunkier and shorter than most models. feel better?

well, i can attest anecdotally that most guys like to hit it a little chunkier and shorter than most models. feel better?

That's true, but that doesn't matter. Guys can't compete with the modeling industry as far as marketing is concerned.

Besides, I think you are overestimating my level of annoyance at this news. On a scale of 10, this probably rates a 2. Probably, I feel stronger about public humiliation on reality shows than some desi kuri participating in the modeling industry. If she wants to, more power to her.

Will SM liveblog all the episodes?

Will SM liveblog all the episodes?

Remember that THING I asked you about on Sunday at the Meetup? The one you're "reluctant" to do, but pondering? Yeah. Exactly. ;) Can you THINK of a better reason?

sorry, i saw "her" picture. to quote Austin Powers - "that's not your mother, that's a MAN baby!!"

;-)))))

PS - A N N A ain't old - she doth protest the love her fans give her too much.

In fact, I'm so elderly, I could have a daughter, who at 13 would be at the "right" age to start modeling.

I find quite distressing the idea that someone who is young enough not to have seen Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak is too old to be a model.

Remember that THING I asked you about on Sunday at the Meetup? The one you're "reluctant" to do, but pondering? Yeah. Exactly. ;) Can you THINK of a better reason?

Hmmmm....

I don't know A N N A. I think I should leave this sort of thing to the experts.

I will readily admit that I had to look up callipygian, and I have to say, it definitely made my day =)
As for the desi model, good luck to her, its not an earth shattering revelation to have her on the show, but it might be interesting to watch.

Here's hoping Anchal doesn't pull a Julie!

In fact, I'm so elderly, I could have a daughter, who at 13 would be at the "right" age to start modeling.

Actually, all of us (except maybe with the exception of Sajit), are old enough that hypothetical grandchildren are biological possible. That's scary.

she looks like a guy

let's be nice. she might actually read this post if she google's herself.

she needs to know that she looks like a guy

Why does Western media insist to always show black looking Indians!? MTV's sweet 16, now this? pissed

i thought comment #31 wuz a joke. then i saw the handle. hope it is still a joke.

Why does Western media insist to always show black looking Indians!? MTV's sweet 16, now this? pissed

It is Dalit extremist conspiracy to destroy light skinned assertive brahmin nation with Dravidian dross supported by commie fascists and Tyra Banks and paint Indians as dark skinned and Abrahamic influenced.

They will not halt until we are genocided.

Hail skin bleachMogambo!

I knew it was just a matter of time before the colorists showed up. Anna, where art thou?

she needs to know that she looks like a guy

otherwise hotcatchpa wouldn't work.

I'm distressed, Razib -- I'm a straight woman, and while I can pick the "hot" women out perfectly every time, I can't do it with the men! I keep getting the message, "die, bot, die!" Which makes me wonder whether it was designed by a man who doesn't understand what women find attractive in a man -- or whether I have some bizarre taste in men!

Hmm...

simran,

i've been meaning to solicit test subjects for this. i can attest that i am only 66% human for dudes, but 100% for ladies.

hypothesis: less male variance in preferences than female variance.

Razib, hotcatchpa is rigged. apparently mullets and barely legal boys dressed in dominatrix gear are not hot?! Eeech, I feel wrong just for looking.

neha,

too much information :)

she needs to know that she looks like a guy

I don't see anything "guy"-ish about her appearance. She just looks "Guy"anese, like me. This is nonsense. In fact, she is the only one attractive in the entire picture. I'd prolly marry her. I am not joking either.

Impressive site, btw, featured rather prominently on Google searches.

Awww, that is very kind of you, but Anna is WAY too old (and short...and callipygian...and ____ ) for ANTM. ;)

In fact, I'm so elderly, I could have a daughter, who at 13 would be at the "right" age to start modeling. Contrast that with this reality-free charade and its older (23? not in this logic-free industry), relatively unremarkable beauties.

Being a sesquepedalanist I quite enjoyed the callipygian reference. I am a fan of callipygian women. Your not THAT old and your not that SHORT. Besides, I think you would probably have the most interesting personality.

For those hating on the model wannabe's, uhmm..that's what they are..model wannabe's.

let's be nice. she might actually read this post if she google's herself.

Will the real Razib please stand up please stand up :)

I don't see anything "guy"-ish about her appearance. She just looks "Guy"anese, like me. This is nonsense. In fact, she is the only one attractive in the entire picture. I'd prolly marry her. I am not joking either.

she looks like a guy...indian women are generally more feminine looking

to each his own but I wouldn't mind takin' the two whiteys next to her hubba...hubba....

Neha on August 15, 2006 08:58 PM
desi please, no need to hate.

Aren't we doing macaca anymore?

Disappointed.

Razib,

but i got to say it: if none of the 11 contestants was non-white, i suspect the same people who complain that this is forcing women into western standards of beauty would be belly-aching "where are the non-whites?"

Absolutely true. Also, since we already have people complaining about her looking "too black", I bet that if there was some Preity Zinta-type really light-skinned model instead, there would be people here complaining about that too and saying "she doesn't look brown enough/isn't representative of the average desi/etc etc". It's a no-win situation. There's too much of a "glass half-empty" attitude sometimes.

let's be nice. she might actually read this post if she google's herself.

Again, I agree completely. A little consideration and sensitivity would be appropriate.

So no cyberlynching a la Toral and Kaavya. Just congratulations for getting on the show, very best of luck, and that's it.

In fact, she is the only one attractive in the entire picture. I'd prolly marry her. I am not joking either.

Just congratulations for getting on the show, very best of luck, and that's it.

Why does Western media insist to always show black looking Indians!? MTV's sweet 16, now this? pissed

You see the BJP/RSS/VHP political-religious complex has succeded in propogating India to the mainstream, as they've taken over Time Magazine with their bindhis and nose-rings - hallmarks of Hindutva. So the global concept of beauty and indeed righteousness is unfairly tipping towards India, as is all other venerable traits. If a light skinned woman from India appears on screen, there is a real and imminent possibility that her castmates, nay, the entire viewing commuinty will mistake her for Devi incarnate and begin worshipping her, showering her with splendour and begging for wealth, prosperity and the new mini microwave ovens and such.

But now people might, just might, think she's African American

Hail Psorlen!

Way to go! All the love to our fellow macaca sista Aanchal !!!

"if none of the 11 contestants was non-white, i suspect the same people who complain that this is forcing women into western standards of beauty would be belly-aching "where are the non-whites?" now, since 5 out of 11 women have skin color a shade of brown that can't be a complaint, so of course you found something else."

If none of the 11 contestants were non-white, particularly not South Asian or Middle Eastern, this wouldn't have been posted.

A N N A,

Just to chime in and say you'd make a great model :)

And nope, the being too "elderly" thing's not going to fly--just randomly, i happen to know that five of the eight models in the current Sports Illustrated are in their 30's. Not suggesting you bikini pronto or anything, just saying... feel free to contact me back channel if you're ever serious/curious about the modelling thing.

Anchal Pictures :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/themidnightsky/cycle7/promo/TM7_Anchal_010.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/themidnightsky/cycle7/promo/TM7_Anchal_191.jpg

Ok, I'm glad that they have another brown girl on this year too, but (and I hate to say this) I don't think this girl is pretty at all! I mean, sure, she has nice features, and she's well proportioned and all but there are plenty of brown girls who are much much prettier than her. And don't even remind me of Julie, I wasn't a fan of hers either. Does anyone remember this quote: "The one time in my life I decided to tell the truth I got in trouble for it." (This is after she said that being a model wasn't her primary goal and that one day she'd like to go into textiles or something. Sort of a bad thing to say on a show looking for the next top model.) Ummm ok. Lets hope that this girl isn't similarly tactless. Judging from all the comments I know I'm in the minority, but I'm still unimpressed and I don't think this girl has much of a chance.

Hey thanks for the pics 3rd Eye, the lady is hawt.

Y'know Hen, I'm ever greatful that you stated your opinion in such a fine manner without using the word 'fugly' :-) It will always be to each her/his own when it comes to matters of physical attraction. You're right about Julie, she seemed like a smart cat, which is why I was surprised she told the truth. It's reality television, no one wants to hear the truth, especially not Tyra(nt). As for Anchal, I hope she turns out to be a Nene (with more lasting power, minus crazy mustachioed bf) than a Jade.

Neha, having seen the two new photos, don't you think there is something a bit crying game about her appearance? That is, if you saw her in a gay part of TO, wouldn't you reflexively look for an adams apple? Those are unusually masculine features - it's possible that they're an artifact of the makeup and photography, to make her more distinctive, but they do pop out at you. And while she has a smokin' bod, I've also seen that kind of figure amongst trannies.

I'm not saying this out of haterading. It's possible that she is just a striking and beautiful woman with very unusual features. I'm just saying, is all ...

if you saw her in a gay part of TO, wouldn't you reflexively look for an adams apple?

Maybe you're trying to say that she has a stronger jaw and thicker eyebrows than someone who you would find attractive. That's your call.

possible that she is just a striking and beautiful woman with very unusual features.

Since she has quite "chiselled" features, it actually makes her a good match for mainstream fashion/cosmetics modelling. If you've noticed commercials & advertising for these products, along with covermodels in the high-end "glossy" fashion magazines, a lot of the models concerned do look like that (broadly-speaking). Her figure also makes her a very good fit for catwalk modelling.

Lol,

why are so many on here so sensitive when it comes to skin color? if you look at western media, all they show is poverty, people eating with rats in india, dark skinned indians. my point is why not show that there are also rich areas, fair people, and people that are just normal temple going people. that's my point. some of you people are so damn sensitive its funny. i have friends that are dark and openly mention that, they are secure with themselves about it. some here though, probably mods included, are so insecure its funny.

And the way you conflate disparate elements in such an offensive fashion and then have the temerity to suggest that those who take issue with such shittiness are at fault, for being too "sensitive", is consummately UNfunny. It's not a question of "insecurity"; anyone capable of higher thought would find your words loathsome and intellectually impaired. Troll elsewhere and waste someone else's time with the fecal matter you leave in our comments section. LOL.

DT2004,
Everytime you leave a comment on this blog I will delete it. If you have a problem with that then let me know when I move to Texas. Thanks.

The idiot macaca dt2004 wrote: "Why does Western media insist to always show black looking Indians!? MTV's sweet 16, now this? pissed"

You must be pissed to be an indian then. For the overwhelming majority of indians, north, south, east and west are 'black looking' by international standards. What color are Rama and Krishna depicted as in the Puranas?

I dont't know what is wrong with some guys on here. She is delicious. I would lick her from her ears to her toes ;-)

cheeky macaca. ;)

No cheekiness here ma'am.
Macaca see Macaca do.

Whether you wanna marry her or not, she looks right for modelling at the MOMENT - probably more so than any other of the girls in the photo, and prolly more than our beloved Julie. But like Anna says, these girls are past their prime FOR MODELLING - well starting anyways.

shes perdyy! she didnt win though!
her boobies were beautiful!!

#59 I agree with you. Mariah Carey/Alicia Keys are cosidered black in USA. So nearly all INDIANS look black looking to us. Sorry!