MSN TV Blog - Reality TV

'America's Next Top Model' Massacre

Report: Tyra Banks fires Nigel Barker, J. Alexander and Jay Manuel

By Corey Levitan Apr 20, 2012 8:11AM
usmagazine.com

According to the New York Post, "America's Next Top Model" judges Nigel Barker and J. Alexander are out next season, as is mentor Jay Manuel.

The three were told their contracts would not be renewed for Season 19, and according to the Post, it was none other than host and executive producer Tyra Banks who "swung the ax."

 

Photos: See pics from this season of 'Top Model' | Bing: More about 'Top Model'

 

Barker and Manuel have been with the show since its first season in 2003, Alexander

since the second. Manual has also been Banks' longtime make-up artist.

Banks confirmed all three departures, tweeting that the show "turned us in2 a family" and that she's "excited for what the future holds" for her friends.

On his blog, Barker wrote Thursday night: “Many of you have come to know me over the past eight years on the show, during which we have shared numerous amazing adventures. It has been an exciting chapter in my life.”

Low ratings are most likely culprit, with the most recent episode drawing only 1.3 million viewers.

"America's Next Top Model" airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the CW.

69Comments
Apr 25, 2012 1:12AM
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You know why I stopped watching?  Tyra!  So full of herself!  Wish it were more about the shoots and less about Tyra promoting herself and re-living past glory.
Apr 24, 2012 6:54PM
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Tyra Banks is one of the creators of ANTM so who is stupid? check yourself, sounds like you a HATER

 

Apr 24, 2012 6:40PM
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The problem is not with Tyra, Nigel, Miss J, or Jay Alexander I love them all, but when they changed the time from 8:00 to 9:00 it interfered with the program criminal mind. I say go back to 8:00 so I can enjoy both of my favorite programsBroken heart

 

Apr 24, 2012 12:17PM
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Hmmm, I don't think low rating have anything to do with the judges. Mr. Jay, Ms. J and Nigel are nothing but assets to the shows content as their all fun to watch.  What isn't so fun to watch is this seasons lack-luster talent pool - oddly shaped models, silly in-house controversey, even sillier shoot set-ups and silliest of all US vs. UK.  Who the heck came up with that dumb idea...Oh, it must be the ever-corny, completely over the top host and executive producer Tyra Banks who's "swinging axes."
Apr 24, 2012 11:46AM
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I've watched every episode since cycle 1 and the J's and Nigel make the show...the show isn't losing viewers because of them, they are losing viewers because its becoming the Tyra Banks show where she talks about herself and shows pictures of her self and reuses the same themes over and over again not to mention its hard to watch because its not a next top model show anymore and doesn't she already have a show that's about her...If The J's and Nigel are gone there is no reason to watch it anymore...its a bad move and ratings are going to plummet.
Apr 24, 2012 10:24AM
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I have watched every season of ANTM - not sure that is something to brag about- multiple times.  This season if awful!  Tyra needs to get back to the old system of selecting girls based on potential talent.  This UK vs. US is a gimmick that isn't working - a Brit goes home, an American goes home, etc.

Losing Miss Jay, Mr. Jay and Nigel Barker will spell a quick death to ANTM.  Kelly Cutrone is crabby and I agree with other readers - Tyra has forgotten that she is a mentor to these girls and not just a brand!

Apr 24, 2012 9:48AM
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Perhaps ratings would be higher if the young women selected were not so nasty.  Does Tyra really thing that designers and editors want people with foul mouths and nasty demeanors to represent them.  I think not.  Saying goodbye to Nigel, Miss J, and Mr. J will not increase the ratings.  Not having to listen to swearing, fighting, and watching them pose in meat "garments" would more likely keep or increase viewers.
Apr 24, 2012 8:54AM
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Tyra really is the problem.  I always fast forward through all of her ridiculous stuff.  I used to LOVE the show.
Apr 23, 2012 6:02PM
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It seems Tyra has a big head in more ways than one.  SHE'S the reason ratings were dropping. 
Apr 23, 2012 6:00PM
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Ratings were dropping because of TYRA.  I bet if she left, ratings would have gone up.  She made a BIG mistake firing them, that's for sure and I know for sure J. Alexander has other things going on and Nigel is a famous photographer...not sure what Jay Manuel has going on.
Apr 23, 2012 10:57AM
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OH NO SHE DIDN'T!!!.................. THAT'S A BITCH MOVE!.... IS THEY WERE REALLY MY "FAMILY" I WOULD WAIT UNTIL THEY QUIT NO FIRED THEM.... WELL THAT SHOW IS TOO CRAZY  AND I DON'T WATCH IT .... THEY WERE THE BEST SERIOUSLY.
Apr 22, 2012 10:35PM
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The show isn't failing because of the Jays and Nigel. It's failing because TYRA IS AN IDIOT! How are you going to nickname someone Legs-for-Days and 30-never and expect the show to grow? And tooch? WTF is that?! Potledom?!

 

The show is failing because of TYRA and her STUPID IDEAS.

 

I watched the season with Selesha just yesterday. And I watched Tyra be a mother to those girls, care about them. She coached them and mentored them. She STOOD for something then. Now, all she cares about is her damn book and herself.


She talks about "Branding this, branding that." You are BRANDING those girls into non-existance! And who is Tyra to talk about sticking to your brand when she can't even do it herself?! Biggest mistake she ever made in her life.

 

Ms. Jay, Mr. Jay and Nigel Barker were the best things the show had going for it. The show will never come back from this because of the decisions TYRA has made.

 

BYEBYE!

Apr 22, 2012 9:38AM
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Ok...bye bye ANTM!  My daughter and I were barely hanging on as viewers this season anyway.  We used to be sure we never missed an episode, but the channel it comes on for us was out one week and we didn't even care that we missed an episode.  The problem is NOT these three, the problem is Tyra herself.  She was acting as a good mentor at the start of this show, now she just seems to be all about herself and her dumb ideas!  TEACH them to model!  SHOW them how to take good pictures and walk a runway and how to present themselves at "go-sees"...NOT booty tooching, "pot ledom" (which was the dumbest thing she's ever done!), superpower branding, and other dumb gimmicks.  And this season?  Don't we have enough girl on girl fighting?  If you truly are a "mentor" of young ladies, and them feeling empowered by their own inner beauty, then you would not pit them against each other this way.  From the first show where they walked the runway and said something mean about each other, I knew I wasn't going to like this season.  Even my daughter, at 16, sees how dumb this show has become.  We record the show and usually fast forward when it's Tyra talking to the girls about anything, or "acting" (good Lord...Tyra please stop these little skits you think you are good at...sorry honey...you can't act!).  We never fast forward when Nigel, J, or Ms. Jay are on with the girls.  It's not these guys bringing down ratings, it's Tyra and her dumb concepts.  Get back to a show about MODELING and learning how to do it, and stop all this other stuff.  Singing?  I don't want to see how well you can autotune these girls.  I'll watch a singing competition for singers...we watched this to see people learn how to MODEL!!!  So...getting rid of these three guys?...BAD move Tyra.  BAD move!  DVR...cancel series.
Apr 21, 2012 6:44PM
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Might as well just shut the whole show down altogether. Super LOW ratings is what Tyra's about to get. There's no coming back from where she used to be. Retire it.
Apr 21, 2012 6:32PM
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Sorry tyra but there goes the show!  You are making a terible mistake!
Apr 21, 2012 1:38PM
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This is a show you'd watch when nothing else was on.  Nigel was the only one of the three that I could stomach. The other two tried to be weird to focus attention on themselves.  Adios.
Apr 21, 2012 12:58PM
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Guess i wont be watching ANTM anymore. While I enjoy watching the program one the main reasons is because of these three men, ( Ms J, Mr J & Nigel Barker). Having gotten so accustomed to them, the show will never be the same without them. Wrong move Miss Tyra.... 
Apr 21, 2012 12:05PM
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Who knows whay this decision was taken. i have to say though that it will be a terrible loss to the show. the bast part to me was watching Jay Manuel prepare and walk those girls through their shoots - and then seeing the end result at the judging. Watching Nigel Barker was an added treat. Certainly the best seasons were when Janice Dickenson was a judge. Can't promise i'll be watching next season...i can barely make it through this season as it is.
Apr 21, 2012 9:54AM
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The only reason I see America's Next Top Model as a failure this year is because this is called America's Next Top Model. Not Britain's Next Top Model. That is the only reason why this year has failed. Yet I have taped every single show for this season.  I won't be watching the show next year because I truly believe that without Nigel, and Miss Jay and Jay make this show what it is along with Tyra and I love Tyra. Yet with all honesty, if you want to hold onto the gay viewers which I am sure are very many, getting rid of these three men are not the way to do it. Without Jay, Miss Jay and Nigel, I won't be watching this show again. Sorry for I truly loved this show. Yet I watched it for the commentaries from those three men the most. Maybe if you would have stayed with your aesthetics of America's Next Top Model. Then this year would have been as famous as all the others. Brandon in Maine.
Apr 21, 2012 8:31AM
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thats too bad...seems like she will be losing more viewers..me for one...buy tyra

 

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