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'Top Model':
Such a waist, what a to-do

Banks quip about a model's waist rouses protests

By Louisa Ada Seltzer
Sep 8, 2010

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There's nothing like a controversy to help boost ratings for the new season of an aging reality show, though it's hard to imagine that's what Tyra Banks had in mind when she praised the figure of one of this year's "America's Next Top Model" wannabes.

During audition footage posted online for season 15, which begins tonight at 8 p.m. on the CW, Banks is shown getting excited about the teeny-tiny waist size of one of the women auditioning. One of the show's judges even jokes that it would take eating Tic Tacs and watercress to gain such a figure.

A lot of people didn't find that very funny in a culture where eating disorders are all too common, and they took to the web to voice their anger.

Banks is usually ultra-sensitive about these issues--she famously thumbed her nose at the tabloids for calling her fat by showing off her cellulite on her now-defunct talk show--and once again she showed her sensitivity, apologizing for her tiny-waist remark. Presumably she won't be praising the model again for that unbelievable waist.

But one potential effect is a boost in ratings for tonight's "Top Model" season debut. People have been looking for the video of that waist incident online and may tune in out of curiosity.

Though "Model's" viewership is way down from its peak, it's still the CW's No. 3 show behind "The Vampire Diaries" and "Gossip Girl" in its target women 18-34 demographic, averaging a 3.0 Nielsen rating last spring, which includes seven-day DVR playback.

A look at this week’s top TV draws
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	ABC	"Good Morning America" (N)	A renaissance man: Actor Steve Martin talks about his new children's book, then performs bluegrass.
7 p.m.	ESPN	"Major League Baseball" (S)	AL East matchup between the Rays and Red Sox.
8 p.m.	CW	"America's Next Top Model" (R)	Season premiere. Thirty-two models will be whittled to 14 finalists.
8 p.m.	Fox	"MasterChef" (R)	The contestants go fishing and then make entrees with their catches.
9 p.m.	NBC	"America's Got Talent" (R)	The final 10 becomes the final four.
9 p.m.	CW	"Hellcats" (D)	Series premiere. A pre-law student loses her scholarship, so she tries to win another through cheerleading.
10 p.m.	Bravo	"Top Chef" (R)	The first half of a two-part season finale.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	ABC	"Good Morning America" (N)	Arianna Huffington guests and the show hosts a "Brady Bunch" reunion.
7:30 p.m.	NBC	"NFL Opening Kickoff 2010" (A)	Performances by Dave Matthews Band and Taylor Swift.
8 p.m.	CBS	"Big Brother" (R)	Another houseguest is eliminated, and the head of household competition is held.
8 p.m.	CW	"Vampire Diaries" (D)	Season premiere. Followed by the series premiere of the buzzed-about "Nikita."
8:30 p.m.	NBC	"NFL Football" (S)	Season-opening game between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints.
9 p.m.	ABC	"Rookie Blue" (D)	Season finale. The rookies go through evaluations.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	NBC	"Today" (N)	Actress Julianne Moore guests and Sugarland performs.
7 p.m.	ESPN	"College Football" (S)	In-state rivalry game between West Virginia and Marshall.
8 p.m.	Multiple networks	"Stand Up to Cancer" (A)	Telethon hosted by news anchors Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams.
9 p.m.	Travel Channel	"Ghost Adventures" (R)	A look at the best evidence of ghosts from the first two seasons.
10 p.m.	ABC	"20/20" (N)	Barbara Walters looks at progeria, a disease that makes kids age rapidly.
10 p.m.	Syfy	"Haven" (D)	Audrey's new friends throw her a surprise birthday party.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
Time	Network	Program	Description
3:40 p.m.	ESPN	"College Football" (S)	Great nonconference game between Miami and Ohio State.
7 p.m.	ESPN	"College Football" (S)	Another good one, this between Penn State and Alabama.
7:30 p.m.	ABC	"NASCAR Racing" (S)	The Sprint Cup Air Guard 400 from Richmond.
8 p.m.	CBS	"Tennis" (S)	The women's final from the U.S. Open.
8 p.m.	Fox	"Cops" (R)	Season premiere. The show celebrates its 23rd season with its 800th episode.
9 p.m.	Hallmark Channel	"Fairfield Road" (M)	A man from Boston lives small-town life in Cape Cod.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
Time	Network	Program	Description
2:30 p.m.	ESPN	"Basketball" (S)	The title game of the FIBA World Championship.
4 p.m.	CBS	"Tennis" (S)	Another final, this time on the men's side at the U.S. Open.
8 p.m.	Disney Channel	"Hannah Montana Forever" (C)	Miley's horse gets sick after he's bitten by a snake.
8:15 p.m.	NBC	"Sunday Night Football" (S)	NFC East rivalry game between the Cowboys and Redskins.
9 p.m.	HBO	"True Blood" (D)	Season finale. Eric wants revenge against Russell.
10 p.m.	E!	"Keeping Up with the Kardashians" (R)	Kim has a bad physical reaction to Botox injections.
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.