ANTM’s Miss J Makes Rare Red Carpet Appearance 3 Years After Stroke

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Miss J Alexander is on top of this red carpet.

I was so thrilled to see Yaya DaCosta out and about recently! It’s been a little over three years since she bravely dealt with a stroke, and she looked fantastic at a get-together at the Bowtie Bar in Times Square. Even better, she had a sweet reunion with her former America’s Next Top Model colleague, Nigel Barker – it was lovely to see them reconnect!

The pair celebrated National Espresso Martini Month alongside Nigel’s The Barker Company and their special drink. Nigel dressed smartly in black jeans, a black shirt, and a gray jacket, while Miss J looked chic in a fuzzy blue coat over a completely black outfit.

This public appearance is one of the few the 67-year-old has made since having a stroke in December 2022.

In the Netflix documentary Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, Miss J shared that she woke up in the hospital with no memory of how she got there. She’d been in a coma for five weeks and had lost the ability to walk and speak. She remembers wondering how she would rebuild her life, unable to move or communicate.

“It was emotional,” he continued. “I cried. I am not ashamed to say that I cried.”

While recovering in the hospital, the modeling coach received visits from Nigel and Jay Manuel, fellow judges who were all let go from America’s Next Top Model back in 2012, along with Miss J.

Nigel, 53, described their reunion as an emotional moment, saying they both cried and embraced. He admitted he wasn’t sure if his friend wanted to be seen in such a vulnerable state, but he had been planning a visit anyway. Seeing his friend like that was a terrible shock and deeply upsetting, frightening, and horrifying.

Despite not having seen Tyra Banks since his stroke, Mr. J—as mentioned in the documentary—is hopeful about what’s to come.

I’ve spent my career teaching robots how to walk, but now I’m facing my own challenge – I can’t walk yet. However, I’m determined to recover and I’m confident you’ll see me walking again. This isn’t the end of my story.

For more revelations from Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, keep reading.

Shandi Sullivan, a finalist on Cycle 2 of America’s Next Top Model, was shown on the show in 2004 having intimate relations with a male model while she had a boyfriend. The episode, titled “The Girl Who Cheated,” captured the scene which occurred at the contestants’ house in Milan. Years later, in the 2026 Netflix documentary Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, Shandi stated she had been heavily intoxicated and doesn’t remember the encounter, and believes the show’s producers should have stepped in.

Shandi said on the show that she believes someone should have intervened after the incident in the hot tub, saying, ‘It had gone too far, and they needed to get her out of the situation.’

During the episode of America’s Next Top Model, Shandi broke down in tears and called her boyfriend to admit she had been unfaithful. She also reached out to a model she’d met in Milan to ask if he had any sexually transmitted diseases.

Tyra Banks addressed the situation with Shandi on Reality Check, stating she recalled the story but felt uncomfortable discussing the production aspects, as that wasn’t her area of expertise.

In the documentary, executive producer Ken Mok explained that they approached Top Model as if it were a real-life documentary. He said they told the contestants from the very beginning that cameras would be with them constantly—24 hours a day, 7 days a week—and would capture everything, both the positive and negative moments.

Tyra clarified that while she wasn’t in charge of the overall storyline – that was Ken Mok’s role – she did become a skilled editor. She also wanted to emphasize that not everything that happened was shown on television.

TopMob News reached out to Tyra and Ken for comment but did not hear back.

As part of the show’s makeover, both the winner of Cycle 6, Danielle “Dani” Evans, and the runner-up, Joanie Dodds, received dental work.

I was so worried about Joanie when I heard she was at the dentist all night! Ken even said on Reality Check that what she went through was really tough. But honestly, hearing her talk about it in the Netflix documentary, it was amazing. She said it felt like winning the lottery because she’d always been so insecure about her teeth. It just put everything into perspective – she was so happy to finally have the smile she always wanted.

Dani initially wasn’t interested in getting the gap between her front teeth fixed, because she liked her smile. When Tyra Banks asked her on America’s Next Top Model if she thought she could still be a successful model with the gap, she confidently said she did.

After speaking with her mother, who warned her she might be eliminated if she didn’t listen to Tyra, Dani explained that she chose to follow the advice and was able to move forward in the competition.

Tyra admitted in her book, Reality Check, that she’d apologized to Dani for previously suggesting she get her teeth changed. However, she explained that back in 2006, she felt stuck in a difficult situation.

Tyra Banks recalls agents telling her she wouldn’t succeed because of her teeth. She admits she could have simply accepted their opinions, but now realizes it’s easy to see what should have been done in the past.

Okay, seriously, when I heard Tyra say that stuff in the documentary, I almost lost it! Dani was SO right to call her out. She said, and I’m paraphrasing because, wow, the language, ‘No way! Getting my gap closed didn’t help my career, it wasn’t some magic fix! You knew what you were doing when you pushed for that on the show!’ And honestly? YES! Dani is a queen for saying it. It was all for ratings, and it’s so frustrating to see Tyra try to spin it now.

During the eighth cycle of the show, the models participated in a photoshoot with a disturbing theme: they were styled to look like crime victims, even appearing deceased. Dionne Walters, whose mother was a victim of gun violence and left paralyzed, was specifically asked to portray a character who had been shot.

She explained in Reality Check that she believed people were trying to provoke a strong emotional reaction from her, hoping to see her fall apart. She was relieved, however, that they didn’t get the response they were looking for.

Ken admitted he was completely responsible for the shooting, calling it a mistake in a statement. He now realizes it glorified violence, describing it as ‘crazy’ and admitting he was wrong to have participated.

As a longtime fan, I was really struck by something Jay Manuel shared in the documentary. He admitted he genuinely struggled with the Got Milk? photoshoot where the models’ races were swapped in Cycle 4. He actually asked if he could sit that one out – it was clearly a really tough experience for him, and it was fascinating to hear him talk about it so honestly.

In his book, Reality Check, Jay recounted Tyra telling him, ‘I’ll deal with this with the contestants, you just focus on your work.’ He realized his influence on the show was decreasing, and the photoshoot would happen no matter what he did.

Tyra shared that she didn’t realize her actions would be seen as controversial when she did them. She explained that she believed she was celebrating the beauty of people of color, but the public reaction was strongly negative, with many people questioning her judgment.

And thinking about it now, she added, “I understand 100 percent why” it was an issue.

Looking back, former contestant Keenyah Hill believes it wasn’t random that she received the “gluttony” card in a photoshoot based on the Seven Deadly Sins. She also feels it was significant that she was assigned the role of the elephant during a safari-themed shoot in South Africa when the finalists posed as animals.

During her time on America’s Next Top Model, Keenyah’s fellow contestants noticed she was often eating, and the judges told her she needed to be mindful of her weight.

Hearing Keenyah talk in Reality Check really struck me. She explained that realizing what was coming felt like her whole life was going to be defined by it, and honestly, she felt it was deeply unfair and even a little degrading. It was so raw and honest, and it really resonated with me.

She indicated a part of the video that she claimed was manipulated to appear as though she’d consumed three bagels when, in reality, it was just one.

Tyra Banks explained that when discussing weight on America’s Next Top Model, her intention was to celebrate diverse beauty. However, she also pointed out that the fashion industry at the time had very limited and strict standards, and the show operated within that reality.

Keenyah explained in her book, Reality Check, that criticizing her body wasn’t the only problem during filming; the issues continued even after that.

During a photoshoot in South Africa, Keenyah claims a male model made unwanted advances towards her. She said he was scantily clad – wearing only a loincloth – and was inappropriately touching and grabbing her. She recalled thinking about how Tyra Banks would handle the situation, deciding she would calmly and professionally stop the shoot and express her discomfort.

But when she did that, as seen on ANTM, nothing happened.

Later in the show, Tyra told Keenyah she needed to learn how to advocate for herself without creating unnecessary drama or conflict.

Tyra said on Reality Check that she “was trying to empower” Keenyah at the time.

Looking back, I realize the best advice would have been to immediately stop what was happening,” the 52-year-old explained. “That’s what we’d do now. We all recognize the importance of protecting women. Addressing the camera, Tyra continued, “Keenyah, Booboo, I sincerely apologize. None of us – not even the network executives – understood the situation at the time. I did my best with what I knew, but she deserved better treatment. She truly did.”

In her book Reality Check, Tyra Banks described a moment during Cycle 4 of America’s Next Top Model when she became upset with Tiffany Richardson. Richardson wasn’t taking a challenge – reading from a teleprompter – seriously and wanted to quit, which frustrated Tyra.

Tyra explained she simply wanted to help this woman transform her life. She believed the woman had the potential to be a truly exceptional supermodel, but she was worried about her losing faith in herself – not just in the competition, but in a more fundamental way.

So commenced her “We were all rooting for you!” outburst at judges’ table.

In the documentary, Tyra reflected on a past incident, admitting she overreacted and went too far. She explained that the situation resonated with deeply personal experiences as a Black woman, but she acknowledged her mistake.

I read Jay’s notes, and apparently, after he told Tyra he was thinking about leaving America’s Next Top Model after Cycle 8, her reply was just… “I am disappointed.” It’s so simple, but it really stuck with me – you can just feel the weight of that single sentence!

After that email conversation, they just stopped talking, Jay explained. He felt it could have been a chance to really connect and discuss things openly, but unfortunately, it didn’t happen.

Instead, Jay continued, he was asked to return for Cycle 9 and he was too afraid not to say yes.

He mentioned that people were discussing being excluded or unfairly targeted. While those exact words weren’t spoken, he felt that’s where the situation was heading.

Once filming for Cycle 9 began, Jay explained that Tyra only talked to him when they were actively shooting scenes.

Jay explained that while they learned to play and laugh together on camera, he wasn’t permitted to speak to her when they weren’t filming.

When asked about Jay, Tyra didn’t want to discuss it publicly. “I need to talk to Jay directly,” she explained. “This isn’t the place, and he deserves some respect.”

Whitney Thompson, the winner of Cycle 10 of America’s Next Top Model, revealed in a documentary that she was often given clothes that didn’t fit—sometimes they had to be cut open to make them work. At 5-foot-10 and a size 6, Thompson was the first and only plus-size model to win the competition, and she described the experience of constantly being reminded she didn’t fit the standard sample size as “demeaning.”

Whitney explained that while her team could have found clothes that fit her, they didn’t, and she had to manage the situation as best she could. She added that appearing vulnerable would have made things worse.

Winning the competition meant a lot to me,” said the model from Florida. “After that, I signed with Elite Model Management, but they didn’t have a division for plus-size models at the time. I had to advocate for myself, and I eventually became one of the first plus-size models to work with many major brands.

Honestly, it drove me crazy watching the show! Jay told me the judges weren’t even picking the best photos to showcase. They’d deliberately choose ones just to tear apart – like, can you believe they once focused on someone’s armpit hair?! It felt so unfair and mean-spirited, they weren’t judging the artistry, just looking for anything to criticize!

He explained that he was sometimes instructed to help a weaker contestant, specifically because her story arc was so compelling, to maintain the illusion that she was still a viable competitor.

Jay explained that if the photos aren’t good quality, it will be difficult to justify keeping the person in the competition.

Nigel admitted in the document that they hadn’t always made the right decisions. He acknowledged that they sometimes removed the wrong person, but accepted that mistakes happen.

Tyra reflected on the show, suggesting they could have done more to manage contestants’ expectations and make it clear that not everyone would become famous.

Jay explained that after someone was eliminated, they were filmed packing their belongings, leaving the apartment, and then a production assistant would take them to a hotel.

Several former contestants say that once you’re eliminated, you’re required to remain until the season finishes and aren’t allowed to contact anyone – not even family – immediately.

Runway coach J. Alexander, also known as Miss J, explained in the documentary that while he sympathized with the contestants, he knew the fashion industry was incredibly competitive. He said that in the real world, people will take advantage of you and discard you quickly.

After leaving the show, it’s a big adjustment,” explained Dionne from Cycle 8, who placed fourth. “You quickly realize you’re on your own – you have to decide if you’ll pursue modeling and figure out things like moving to New York. There’s no support system to help you navigate next steps; you have to do it all yourself.”

Jay remained on the show until the end of Cycle 18 in 2012, when he, Miss J, and Nigel were all let go.

I remember Ken and Tyra talking about how the network’s executives told them things needed to change. They felt a lot of pressure from above to make some adjustments.

Oh my gosh, you guys, Tyra said they specifically told her NOTHING was off-limits! Like, absolutely nothing! And the fallout? She had to say goodbye to three of her favorite contestants – she actually said she felt like she was losing pieces of her heart! It was brutal, honestly. She was clearly devastated, but she had to do what she was told. I just can’t even imagine how hard that must have been for her!

Nigel said losing his job was incredibly difficult and felt a bit cold-hearted, joking that it was like being a contestant voted off the show. Jay described the experience as a harsh shock, feeling like he’d been hurt twice over because he’d made a lot of compromises when he initially signed on years ago.

Jay explained that he, Nigel, and Miss J were promised a press release with quotes explaining their departures from America’s Next Top Model. However, Page Six unexpectedly published the story about their firings first.

Nigel admitted that was likely his most difficult moment. Jay followed up, questioning why those who had been with the show from the beginning weren’t treated with respect and suggesting the lack of consideration was intentional.

Tyra shared in the documentary that telling the final three contestants they hadn’t won was the most difficult thing she’d ever had to do, and she was so upset she cried herself to sleep that night.

Honestly, I just know she still thinks Jay, Miss J, and Nigel didn’t buy that the instructions really came from someone higher up, even after she and Ken tried to explain it to them! It drives me crazy that they wouldn’t listen, and she clearly feels the same way. It’s like they just didn’t trust her, and it’s SO frustrating!

J. Alexander revealed in his book, Reality Check, that he was in a coma for five weeks following a stroke on December 27, 2022. Although he’s regained his speech, he now relies on a wheelchair for mobility.

The 67-year-old explained in the documentary that she ironically taught robots how to walk while currently being unable to do so herself. However, she remains optimistic and determined to regain her ability to walk, expressing confidence that she will be seen walking again soon, as her journey isn’t over yet.

He mentioned that Jay and Nigel came to see him while he was in the hospital, and Nigel later wondered if Jay even wanted him to see him like that. The two of them also connected again recently while filming the Netflix documentary.

Miss J mentioned Tyra hadn’t come by yet, though she had texted him saying she wanted to. He confirmed, “But she hasn’t visited so far.”

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2026-03-14 03:49