Resurfaced footage of 'America's Next Top Model' judges calling a contestant 'fat' has gone viral

• Footage showing "America's Next Top Model" judges discussing one contestant's body has gone viral.
• It shows several clips from the show's first season, focusing on "plus-sized" model Robynne Manning.
• A TikTok user posted the video, saying their "mistreatment" of Manning was "appalling."

Old footage showing judges on the reality show competition "America's Next Top Model" discussing one contestant's body has gone viral after a TikToker called the comments "unacceptable."

A compilation of footage from the show was posted on July 12 by TikToker @hotgirlseurope. It includes a series of clips from the show's first season, which was broadcast in 2003, in which models and judges Tyra Banks and Janice Dickinson repeatedly criticize 26-year-old contestant Robynne Manning's size and weight. Manning was known as "Robin" on the show.

In one clip, Banks said she had a "problem" with Manning because her upper body "doesn't match" her lower body.  

Dickinson said, "Robynne's out, as far as I'm concerned, about being a supermodel. That's my humble opinion. I think that next America's top model is not a plus-sized model, I'm sorry." Dickinson also calls Manning "fat" and says, "She's huge, she's not going to be a top model," and, "She should be working at Avis." 

Manning was also criticized when she refused to participate in a nude photoshoot which she said made her feel "uncomfortable," and could be seen crying after Banks asked her not to cover her body backstage when she was wearing a bathing suit.

The TikTok has received nearly one million views and 124,000 likes. An Instagram account that appears to belong to Manning has also reposted the clip, along with the caption, "Response coming SOON!" Insider was unable to confirm the account belongs to Manning.

TikTok viewers expressed outrage at the resurfaced clips 

Many of the comments underneath the TikTok video voiced outrage at how the "ANTM" judges treated Manning, as well as their classification of her as "plus-size."

There is some debate about the term "plus size" in modeling, which typically refers to models over a US size 6. A study conducted in 2016 and published in the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education found that the average dress size for a woman in the US was 16 to 18. 

Plus-size fashion influencer Stephanie Yeboah previously commented on the issue, calling out fashion brands who use mid-size models for "plus-size" campaigns.

—Steph (@StephanieYeboah) May 24, 2021

One person on TikTok commented, "Wow... I must be in the category of 'elephant' then as a standard UK size 12-14. Absolutely shocking that they say she's 'plus-sized.' She is stunning."

Several comments also called for "justice" for Manning and said they thought the show did not age well.

The clip also went viral on Twitter, where it received a mixed response

The video was also shared on Twitter, where it has over 16,000 quote tweets and 242,000 likes.   

—Aggressively Wholesome Flautist ???????? (@KVeinFlautist) August 7, 2022

The quote-tweets mirror many of the comments on TikTok, with one person writing, "I will never forgive the showrunners of 'ANTM' for the way they psychologically abused the models and (by proxy) their young female audience."

Many people took issue with Dickinson's comments, saying that she was just as much to blame as Banks, who presented and produced the show, for her attitude towards Manning, with one arguing she was "paid to tear women down."

Some people argued that the clips were a product of the times, and the narrative around women's bodies 19 years ago were different, although another suggested things aren't all that different today, as "the judging and policing of women's bodies is in every nook and cranny of our society right now." 

This is not the first time Banks and the show have come under fire for the way contestants were treated. In 2020 a number of clips showing problematic messaging about race, sexual orientation, and body image resurfaced on social media, leading to widespread backlash. Previous contestants have also described the show as "psychological warfare" and told Insider it caused real harm.

At the time, Banks apologized and agreed that the show had its issues and co-creator Ken Mok seconded her statement and said that parts of the show make him "cringe."

Representatives for Dickinson, Banks, and Gauthier did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Manning did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.