On ANTM and Narrative Bias

I've been watching Cycle 16 of America's Next Top Model (studying? what studying?) and was reminded the other day of narrative perspective and bias (which is something that came up a lot in my Children's Lit course). The main thing to know about this is that the narrator of the story pretty much controls its direction. He/she controls how much information the reader is privy to, and basically manipulates the reader's attention.

Narrative bias applies, in a big way, to ANTM. I noticed last cycle that the girls I was rooting for ended up making it quite far in the competition. I wanted them to win because I could tell they were good people, and good models, and thought they deserved to win. It was clear from their interviews and interactions with the other girls that they were Nice People who deserved to win more than the bitchy girls.

I can feel myself slipping into this same pattern of cheering for the nice girls (this cycle, Jaclyn and Hannah) and wishing the bitchy girl (Alexandria) would be kicked out already. I asked myself why Alexandria was being kept on the show, week after week, when it's so clear that she doesn't get along with the other girls and is annoying and mean and doesn't deserve to win. And then, in episode 16.05 Alexandria mentioned something about how she's suffered "every kind of abuse imaginable." And then it hit me: Oh. She is a multi-dimensional Person who is far more complex than "the Bitchy Girl." The other contestants had a similar realization when they peeked in Alexandria's diary, expecting to discover a cruel diatribe against every girl, and instead found entries wondering why the other girls don't like her.

Now, Alexandria may be bitchy IRL, but I believe ANTM has been portraying her unfairly - as a uni-dimensional bitch. When she probably is not. And I understand why they do it: to make for more entertaining television. (Do I give a fuck about modelling? Please. I watch ANTM for the drama!) I just need to remember to take it all with a grain of salt, because the people behind ANTM are manipulating the footage in order to create drama. Their portrayal of the girls is not necessarily how they are IRL.