Our first reaction was three words: a new low. But the more we think about the BBC's latest model reality show, premiering Tuesday night, the more we think it may be a largely positive idea...
The show, which is obviously a takeoff of America's Next Top Model, is unfortunately called Britain's Missing Top Model, which you would think means it's a detective show with the English version of Hayden Panettiere or something. Nope-- instead, it features
a woman whose arm was severed in a bus crash, another who is profoundly
deaf and an aspiring film director who suffers from a degenerative
neuro-muscular disorder, which means she is largely confined to a
wheelchair. [News.com.au]
Great, promoting disability awareness by putting the cattiest girls alive in one apartment together? Once again, our assumptions seem to be incorrect:
Anyway, the title’s not the only baffling element of Britain’s
Missing Top Model. To be frank, Britain’s Missing Top Model
is a mess, and it all boils down to one, elemental problem: no lunatic sassy
bitches. [Times UK]
Apparently, the producers put together mature, thoughtful, good-looking disabled women for the show-- there's no fighting or other fake drama on this show. Even so, are the producers still exploiting them for profit in the cruelest way or actually trying to have a decent reality show that presents the disabled in a positive light (i.e. "we can be cool and good looking, too" or whatever)?
What do you think?
