ANTWhinger

It has taken me a couple of days to digest the momentous event which was the live telecast of the final of Australia's Next Top Model. I have, I admit, been following this avidly. (Missed a few episodes while in LA/NY and had to satisfy myself with watching America's Next Top Model in Australia instead.) But the final was a grubby experience, from the abysmal production values to the appalling manners of some of the hosts and contestants. When the host sets the tone by sulking, weeping and talking over the top of everyone else, then it sets an unfortunate standard for the teenage girls (contestants and viewers) who admire her.

Steph H, the runner-up, was devastated by her loss - and why not? Three of the judges spent a good part of the series drooling over her and building up her ego to the point where she truly thought she was another Kate Moss and had the prize in the bag. She quite possibly has a future as a Portmans model but the harsh realities of the fashion industry were clearly demonstrated by the fact that the four judges with real fashion cred voted for the eventual winner, Alice Burdeu. Somehow Steph, many of the other contestants and all the fans of the pretty sixteen year-old were encouraged to see Alice's height and slenderness as "unfair" and get upset about it, when, earth to Jodhi Meares, unfair is the status quo out there in the world. What's worse, I think Steph became a bit of a pawn in the ego contest between certain judges.

By the end of the show, the contestants seemed to have a misguided idea that personality was all that counted in the model biz. I particularly loved Alex Perry's astute comment when everyone was banging on negatively about Alice's reserved nature that confidence is not always expressed by being loud, bitchy and common. That's not something the show's producers want to hear. But I wonder, when all the face powder has drifted to the ground and the high-heeled shoes have been retired for another season, whether the young girls who were encouraged to be loud, bitchy and common on national television will have some serious regrets.

Next season - the witty and human Charlotte Dawson for host, please. (Although she apparently is to have her own show.) The viewers shouldn't vote. (It's not a popularity contest.) And let's not "punish" models who don't win challenges by making them do housework and other chores. The first time I heard the intelligent and sensitive Alice whinge about it I thought, now there's a top model!