Asia's Next Top Model final four Mia Sabathy, Adela-Mae Marshall, Beauty Thet Thinn and Dana Slosar - (ASNTM Screen Shot)

Myanmar's Beauty Thet Thinn was in her element on this photo shoot - (ASNTM Screen Shot) Beauty was brought to tears when she was informed that her time on the show was over finishing in 4th place - (ASNTM Screen Shot) Beauty Thet Thinn's exotic features is the type of look that has failed to win in six Asia's Next Top Model series - (ASNTM Screen Shot)

Video Beat - Is WHITE RIGHT on ASIA's NEXT TOP MODEL?

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

The three finalists are Adela-Mae Marshall 20 representing the Philippines, Dana Slosar 23, Thailand and Mia Sabathy 24, representing Taiwan. All are white skinned and obviously have foreigner fathers as their features and names imply. Therefore the question is what is so Asian about that?

Sunday, October 21, 2018

ANOTHER ONE (dark skin) BITES THE DUST

As opposed to other Top Model franchises where the contestants come from the same country the fact that Asia's Next Top Model contestants represent various nations give the show its strength. A major appeal factor in the series is observing how contestants get along and how they blend together to become somewhat a family while putting aside national barriers and prejudices.

A series drawback is it appears that it is fixed and there is a bias towards contestants with white skin. This prejudice is common in Asia but WHY should it apparently be carried out in the show?

As the series develops it is apparent what contestants are being favored by the judge's comments. This season the brunt of the negative comments were toward the model Beauty Thet Thinn (Beauty her real name) from Myanmar.

There is no question that she has weaknesses, as they all do but it appeared as if the intention was to set her up to fail. The main complaint was she is too sensitive and cries and showed her emotions too much. These are accurate comments but the goal of the show is to develop a top model FROM ASIA.

Beauty 22 was eliminated in the semi final at # 4th best. Her eyes swelled with tears as she was given the bad news and was sent off into the sunset. This is not to say that the final three contestants are not worthy BUT… are they really Asian?

The three finalists are Adela-Mae Marshall 20 representing the Philippines, Dana Slosar 23, Thailand and Mia Sabathy 24, representing Taiwan. All are white skinned and obviously have foreigner fathers as their features and names imply. Therefore the question is what is so Asian about that?

Beauty looks, speaks broken English and behaves like an Asian. She is exactly what one would expect from a show that is to reveal an Asian Top Model. In this regard it fails.

This week is the final and the apparent winner is Mia Sabathy who was the most resented by the other models at the beginning of the series. Her language was deemed offensive and didn't sound anything like an Asian. Her behavior is similar to an ugly American or foreigner NOT AN ASIAN mentality.

Sabathy is the tallest if the three at 1.79 m (5 ft 10 1/2 in) but her arrogant attitude is a turn off. She is a capable model with experience having competed on the seventh season of Austria's Next Top Model, where she placed third.

Given the viewer comments on the series You Tube page Marshall is the most liked. When you read the broken English comments it is obvious that they mostly come from viewers from the Philippines. She is the second tallest of the three standing at 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in).

Although she has white skin by her comments she has lived a tough life in the Philippines having been raised by her Philippine mother in a single parent environment.

Marshall competed on the second season of Philippines' Next Top Model, where she was the runner-up.

Our most likable of the three is Thailand's Slosar. She has made the greatest gained is development from the start of the season. She was a warm positive personality. By her behavior there is no reason to dislike her. She is the second shortest of the final three at 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in).

Our the show is fixed opinion stems from when Filipino mentor Monika Sta. Maria's three models were eliminated the finalist eventual fifth place finisher Pim was assigned to her.

In fairness it gave the show balance to give her something to do as a mentor. All mentors departed the series in episode 8.

The other aspect is each mentor has a model represented in the final three. That takes fixing, not luck, BUT all is fair in order to have s good show and someone to root for.

The most discerning factor of who's the best is who won the best photo and finished the best of the week. Mia Won twice and finished in the top 3 four times.

Adela was the best twice and was in the top 3 four times. Dana was the best twice and in the top 3 also four times. In that respect the eliminated Beauty was tied for being the best twice and was four times in the top 3…. GO FIGURE!

If height matters Beauty's height is 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1/2 in) making her second only to Mia in that department.

Listen up…. These opinions are subjective. The bottom line is the show remains a worth watch. ASNTM's biggest problem is finding TRUE ETHNIC ASIAN'S that speak discernible English bolstered by subtitles and have talent. When they have achieved that the show will truly be… ASIA'S NEXT TOP MODEL.

Related - TV - VIDEO BEAT - IS ASIA'S NEXT TOP MODEL LOSING THE PLOT? - September, 2018
SOMETHING NEW… ALUMNI MENTORS - As opposed to other Top Model franchises where the contestants come from the same country the fact that these models represent various nations is the shows strength. Seeing how the contestants get along and how they blend together to become somewhat of a family while putting aside national barriers and prejudices is fascinating

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