Tyra Banks Addresses ‘America’s Next Top Model’ Backlash: “Did We Get It Right? Hell No”

deadline.com:

In recent years, America’s Next Top Model has not necessarily aged with the grace of a cover star — something host Tyra Banks addressed in a recent speech at Essence‘s 18th annual Black Women in Hollywood Awards, held at Los Angeles’ Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel Feb.

27. As she accepted the inaugural Luminary Spotlight honor, bestowed to celebrate her legacy across the fashion, TV and film realms, the model and TV personality discussed how the reality competition series didn’t always “get it right” over the course of its 24 seasons. “Over 20 years ago I created a show called America’s Next Top Model,” Banks began, per People. “And you guys have no idea how hard we fought to bring the diversity to that television show at a time when it didn’t exist, to show different beauties at a time when the world was like, ‘What?

You casting that?’ A time when people in the fashion industry were telling me, ‘You putting the girls from the hood on your show?’ I was like, ‘Why can the girl from the trailer park become a supermodel but the girl that’s chilin’ in the park in the hood can’t?’ And we fought and we struggled and we made it happen.” She continued, “Did we get it right?

Hell no. I said some dumb s—. But I refuse to have my legacy be about some stuff linked together on the internet when there were 24 cycles of changing the world.