'ANTM' Winner Nicole Fox Says, 'Tyra is Not a Racist'

By Megan Rumph Posted Nov 19th 2009 05:17PM

Nicole Fox was just named the winner of Cycle 13 of 'America's Next Top Model,' and PopEater got the chance to talk to her about the photo shoot that sparked racial controversy, as well as her now famous dancing skills.

"We kinda thought that the press would maybe get on that after it aired, because there's that whole 'blackface' controversy," she said.

The press did attack, criticizing the decision to darken the models' skin to portray women of mixed race. Some even accused Tyra Banks of putting the contestants in "blackface."

"We thought it might happen, but honestly, we all thought, 'God I hope not,' because that's so immature, so stupid!" Nicole said. "I mean, clearly, Tyra is not a racist. It's ridiculous!"

Tyra took some time to address the issue on her talk show on Wednesday. She apologized to those who were offended and explained what she was trying to accomplish with the controversial photo shoot.

"I want to be very clear: I, in no way, put my 'Top Models' in blackface," she said, according to Access Hollywood. "I'm a black woman. I am proud. I love my people and the struggle that we have gone through continues and the last thing that I would ever do is be a part of something that degraded my race."

"My intention is to spread beauty and break down barriers," Tyra added.

As for the hip-hop dance challenge this season, Nicole said she knew the judges wouldn't be that impressed. "Actually, believe it or not, before I went on the show, I had taken a couple of hip-hop dance lessons, but I decided very soon that it wasn't for me," she said.

And if you're wondering if there are any dance lessons in her future, that's a no. "My dancing career ends on the show," she said.

Tags: Americas Next Top Model, AmericasNextTopModel, nicole fox, NicoleFox, Tyra Banks, TyraBanks

Comments

(13)

Thursday 19 November

By lynne

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I am caucasian and by no means am I a racist. There are double standards though, politically speaking, in terms of what may be considered a racist remark, or what may be considered a racist action like the whole "blackface" controversy, depending on the race of the person who delivered the remark or whom demonstrated the action that was perceived as being a racist act. For example: If a person of African American decent chose to dress up as Santa Clause,(aka Saint Nicholas--who originated from Western European decent. No one would say that an African American Santa Clause was racist. The same goes for churches that choose to paint Jesus Christ as an African American. Historically, Jesus was Jewish. But no one would initiate a racist uproar against a Church with a predominate African American congregation who chooses to depict Jesus as an African American on their Bulletins, Church literature or Sanctuary Decor. Society does this, and Racism is going to continue if "The pot doesn't stop calling the kettle black." (This quotation is not intended to be perceived as a racial pun, because this "saying" is what it means)and there was no other way to get the point across. But you can see now, how I was reluctant to use it, because of the fact that I am white, I didn't want my deliverance to be perceived as being racist. An African American blogger, would not have even felt as if he/she were "walking on eggshells". Do you see what I mean?

Saturday 21 November

By eb

i am so sick of hearing this story. i am an african american woman. i didn't see the show this season, but, i saw the pics from the show. whoever wrote the original article wasn't trying to do anything but stir things up. they saw something that wasn't there. this is not blackface. a white actor or model putting on dark makeup to appear as someone of african descent does not constitute blackface. blackface was meant to exagerate physical features as well as depict us as lazy, uneducated buffoons. there was nothing offensive about the photo shoot. if you really want to know what constitutes blackface take a look at flavor flav. he's ahis own little minstrel show.

Sunday 22 November

By Worldview

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Lynne. That was a lotta eye-rolling verbiage to slog through, dripping with fawning political correctness and an affirmation that just because you're Caucasion, you're not "racist". How long have you been infected with the Collective White Guilt (CWG) virus? I thing you're in an advanced stage.

Thursday 03 December

By Jenny

If an African-American dresses up like Santa, that isn't white-face. That is a costume there isn't any makeup needed to make him like Santa. And Black Jesus is no lie. He had feet like burnished bronze - that's biblical.

By my opinion

Tyra in my opinion is not a racist, she's just a shallow damn fool with dumb story topics.

By Uba

Black, white, red, yellow, brown, blue, green, and so on, it's not about color, it's about perception. If that's how you think, if that's how you feel, if that's how you were raised, if that's what you believe, then so be it. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, kill it and make soup! It was a television show people, please, she was trying to get a point across racial lines. If you were offended, then you fit one of the categories.

I'm black and I am proud as James Brown sanged! That does not mean I am a racist. The media use the word racist on a blacks, whites, latinos or any one for that matter because it's a hot topic and it gets them noticed, and ratings. Its all about ratings. I am sure Tyra ratings went up, so people could hear what she had to say about the topic and she nailed it I hear. I like Tyra, but do I watch her show, nope. I like Tyra because she's a beautiful black woman who's very smart, witty and talented. Oh I forgot to say Rich :-)!

I wish she would put on a show using beautiful bi-racial woman then there would be no need for the painted face, and I can show the world my beautiful bi racial wife! Enough said.

By Chillie Willie

Here is a fair way to evaluate if an action is racist., reverse the situation. Example: Say a Black man does NOT consider it racist to refer to a White man as 'White Boy', then HE should not consider it racist if a White man refered to him as 'Boy'.
Those who consider what Tyra did as NOT racist, would they still feel the same if Tyra was White and she had dark models lightened?

By ejd81882

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that's not a fair assessment of what's considered a racial remark. that would mean that similar words hold the same weight. when they don't. i have heard people refer to white men as white boy. i've also heard it used to refer to a certain characteristic, like a "white boy dance", but i've never heard it mentioned to refer to an elderly white man. that right there is the difference. "boy" was a term used to degrade black men. you could be 60 and would still be refered to as "boy".

anyway back on subject, you said "would they still feel the same if Tyra was White and she had dark models lightened?" this is done every day in most magazines. i noticed that even as a kid. for example there was this rapper foxy brown (no not pam grier) who i'd see on tv and in mags all the time. she appeared to have dark skin but it wasn't that dark. then i saw her live at mtv spring break. she has really dark skin, like wesley snipes dark. more recently, think beyonce.

By mmmm

Actually she has done that also, several seasons back.

By M16madness

I'm white and i'm a racist. And sexist and homophobe. Gays should be banned and i would erase Abraham Lincolns signature. Bring back slavery!!..Get in the kitchen beyotch and cook me dinner!!!!Just kidding.Don't believe the hype.

By white and proud of it

damn happy to be white, proud of my race, just wish my race would stick together, instead of having so much guilt over something that happened years ago. Love for my kids to have a fair shot at jobs and college, but don't see it happening soon...........

By Aleya

Really? Racist? Why can't people just let the term die? I am an African American female and watching this season of Top Model I was in no way offended with this "blackface" business.

I am so tired of people searching for this. I understand racism exists, there have been time when I have felt that i have been discriminated against because of my race, yes it has pissed me off but no big deal. If i left the country it would be the same thing! You'll meet people who don't care and accept you as you and you'll meet prejudiced people!

All I'm waiting for is the release of the new Disney Princess movie with it's African American Princess and see how many people get offended over stupid stuff for that. When will we learn to get up, dust our butts off and keep it moving for the better things in life?

By itallion stallion

I am so sick of the double standard. Don Imus gets fired. Dog the bounty hunter gets fired for having a PRIVATE conversation so this dumb b!tch should get fired. Fair is fair. Its not gonna happen though because of this dispicable double standard which pisses off real white men who are proud of their race. This hypocricy just perpetuates racism in this country. I for one and sick of black people whining about their "plight." They should be thanking the descendants of slave owners for dragging their ancestors out of Africa. Otherwise they would be starving to death in their own rotten country or being butchered by their own people with machettes and spears.
Call me racist all you want. Its not their black skin I hate, its their black souls.

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