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Top Model 7

Caridee wins America’s Next Top Model, cycle 7

by Andy Dehnart 7 Dec. 2006 | 8:00 am

Caridee English is America’s next next next next next next next Top Model. She defeated Melrose Bickerstaff, who the judges said had a better final runway walk but not better photographs. Eugena Washington came in third place, eliminated after the judges decided she was dead.

Melrose was not happy losing the “battle of the blondes,” as Caridee called their final America’s Next Top Model 7 face-off. “I’m pissed. I’ve put my heart and soul into this, and it wasn’t enough,” Melrose said. “And I got called a bitch the whole way through it and it sucks. And I feel really misunderstood and I’m sad.” And that was before all of America saw her and began writing mean things on message boards about her.

Caridee and Melrose walked the final runway as “ghost brides,” and during the show, Caridee accidentally stepped on Melrose’s dress, which caused Melrose’s thin veneer of sanity to crumble instantly. “She ripped the fucking dress!” she cried. “She stepped on the dress! She stepped on the dress!”

Also during the episode, Atoosa Rubenstein showed up yet again this season, either to prove she can be on a reality show without hiding inside a plasma TV, or to promote the magazine she quit a few months later. And “Life coach” Dr. Michelle showed up to counsel the girls/help Tyra promote her daytime talk show. And the editors managed to cobble together a reasonable story without the story editors, although every transition to a commercial seemed like they literally forgot to include commercials the first time around and had to insert them in random places.

America’s Next Top Model [The CW]

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about Andy Dehnart

Andy Dehnart’s writing and criticism about television, culture, and media has appeared on NPR and in Vulture, Pacific Standard, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications. He has covered reality television for more than 18 years, and created reality blurred in 2000.

A member of the Television Critics Association who serves on its board of directors, Andy, 41, also directs the journalism program at Stetson University in Florida, where he teaches creative nonfiction and journalism. He has an M.F.A. in nonfiction writing and literature from Bennington College. Learn more about reality blurred and Andy.

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about reality blurred

reality blurred is your guide to the world of reality TV and unscripted entertainment, with reality show reviews, news, and analysis. It was created in 2000 by Andy Dehnart. He's still writing and publishing it today.

reality blurred is regularly updated with highlights from the world of reality TV: news and analysis; behind-the-scenes reports; interviews with reality TV show cast members and producers; and recaps and reviews of these reality TV shows, including Survivor, Big Brother, The Great British Baking Show, Shark Tank, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, Project Runway, Dancing with the Stars, Top Chef, and many more.

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