‘America’s Next Top Model’: Has Celia already won this thing?

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None of the girls did especially well during the Cover Girl commercial challenge. (Has any contestant ever really nailed this one?) But the judges seem especially enamored with the Celia as if they‘ve already chosen her to win.

That’s probably the reason Tyra was so upset when Celia tried throwing Thalia under the bus last week -- she nearly ruined Tyra’s plans! And was Celia’s take any better than Natalie‘s? Not really. And yet, every week, I can’t help but think the girl’s got this already in the bag.

No suspense in her win, but at the very least, it was the last we’ll see of Thalia. What a drip! She makes it on to the circus that is “America’s Next Top Model” -- overcoming a body full of burn scars, no less -- and she spends the whole time being self-conscious, whiny and totally unable to pose in any other way that doesn’t involve looking imperious. (Go figure.) Could you really blame Celia for feeling the injustice of having to compete against such a sad sack?

I’d talk more about the challenge itself, but it was ho-hum. Same goes for the entire episode. The mini brawl over dishes? It didn’t beat last week’s Aminat-Natalie brawl. Tyra didn’t do or say anything crazy. Even guest judge Clay Aiken couldn’t shake things up. (Could we have used more Clay, maybe? Yes. In a funnier scene? Yes. The best acting challenge for me is still the Cycle 4 scene that required the girls to have cockney accents by way of Eliza Doolittle.)

So instead, let’s keep handicapping the remaining 7 girls:

After Celia, I’d say Teyona has a good shot at sneaking up and stealing the whole thing. I didn’t think she did great in the commercial -- Jay was right last week: Teyona and smiling don’t mix -- or the acting challenge, but as Nigel loves to point out, she’s a chameleon in photos. The more obvious runner-up to Celia would be Natalie, but I’d say her last two photo shoots have made her appear more like, well, remember Isis? Let’s just say I think Isis looked a lot more feminine in her pictures. Also, with Sandra gone, the producers have clearly chosen Natalie to be the new villain -- “I’m from California. All these little hicks over there!” -- and we all know what happened to Cycle 7’s Melrose once that happened.

Aminat, who has gone from entertaining to annoying in the last few episodes, will be eliminated soon. She’s not consistent, and she’s second most irritating after Natalie (or Celia, depending on how you see the world.)

If there were any justice in the world, London would end up at least in the top 4, but with a weight gain shaking her confidence, who knows what will happen with her. Up until now, she’s been fearless in experimenting with the camera and is probably the only one of the group you’d want to hang out with outside of the show.

Fo could make the top 4 at best, but she’s more cute than anything else. The judges rip cute to pieces by the end. And then there’s Allison. Allison is my sentimental favorite because she’s the weirdest looking. Her eyes are mesmerizing. Unfortunately, she doesn’t seem to be able to move her face in any way that isn’t a dead stare. A beautiful dead stare, but one the judges are already getting tired of seeing.

What do you think? Is Celia sailing on through to the Final 2? Does Fo have more of a shot than it seems? Could Allison surprise us all?

-- Denise Martin