Disney Plus
Some “Dancing With the Stars” fans are in disbelief over what host Tyra Banks said to reality star Heidi D’Amelio on the show during the Most Memorable Year night.
Here’s what happened and why fans are so upset:
Heidi D’Amelio’s Most Memorable Year Was 1997 When She Moved to New York to Pursue Modeling
On the show, D’Amelio explained that 1997 was her Most Memorable Year because it was the year she left her small hometown and tried to make it as a model in New York. It was also the year she met her husband, Mark.
“I moved from small-town Louisiana to New York City to try and make it in the modeling world. To leave home, leave my family, go out on my own — anybody who knows me back in Louisiana would know that just wasn’t something I would do, but I didn’t want to wake up in 40 years still in Louisiana and never have tried,” said D’Amelio.
She went on to say, “It was terrifying. But to make in the modeling world, I had to be fierce. The first job I booked was runway, which is crazy ’cause I was short. That was amazing.”
She went on to say that she met Mark and started falling in love with him, plus it was the year she started “falling in love with [her]self.”
After D’Amelio and her partner Artem Chigvintsev danced their rumba to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You (I Love You Baby)” by Lauryn Hill, the first thing Banks did when the couple came over to the judges’ table was gush about modeling.
“Heidi! Oh my gosh, I didn’t know that you were a model in 1997 in New YOrk. I was in New York!” said Banks, adding, “I don’t think people understand — in 1997, being a model and getting a fashion show before the inclusivity and beauty of diversity in beauty today was huge. Well done!”
Fans Were Confused & Mad About Banks’ Comments
Fans were left a little confused by those comments, with one wondering on Twitter if Banks just called D’Amelio ugly.
Another quipped, “Tyra said that Heidi D’Amelio broke the color barrier in modeling.”
“Tyra literally 1) shaded Mom D’Amelio’s *entire career* and 2) said Mom D’Amelio came through the modeling world before diversity and inclusion even though she’s LITERALLY WHITE!!! #DWTS,” wrote another fan.
Several fans were mad that “once again,” Banks made the moment all about herself.
“Once again Tyra makes it about her (and her modeling career). Let Heidi have her moment to shine!!! #DWTS,” wrote one fan.
Another added, “Once again Tyra makes it about her (and her modeling career) #dwts.”
On Reddit, fans were just as confused about the “diversity” and “inclusivity” mentions because D’Amelio is white.
“’Booking a modeling job before the inclusivity and beauty of diversity today was huge you have no idea!’ Um, she was a thin conventionally attractive white woman? Tyra, what is going on?” wrote one fan, to which another replied, “Yeah, that was an embarrassing thing to say.”
In the replies, another view wrote, “She meant b/c [Heidi is] short,” to which a third fan replied, “On ANTM, Tyra regularly acted like being 5’7″ was a legit disability.”
Another fan joked, “Tyra: ‘It’s so brave of you to be a model that is less than 5’9”. Good for you.'”
There were several fans who took a poke at Banks’ former show “America’s Next Top Model” as well, with one writing, “Tyra talking about diversity in modeling as if she didn’t run a show that considered a size 6 plus-sized. Like ANTM was my childhood, but be for real.”
In the replies, one fan quipped, “ANTM was modeling, but with war crimes,” to which another responded, “Someone said ANTM was the original ‘Squid Game,’ LMAO.”
One user did defend Banks’ position, saying that his wife pointed out that D’Amelio is quite short for the modeling world.
“My wife pointed out she’s short (at least compared to models). In modelling that actually is something that needs active inclusivity/diversity thoughts and actions to overcome. Not as much as everything else, yes, but it was at least one detractor for her,” wrote that viewer.
For the record, based on D’Amelio standing next to her partner Chigvintsev, who is about 5’10, we would guess D’Amelio is around 5’6″-5’7″.
“Dancing With the Stars” airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Pacific time on Disney Plus.