Kelly Cutrone shared her experience as a judge and panelist on Tyra Banks‘s America’s Next Top Model and told PEOPLE about what she thinks of the backlash the controversial host has received.
Lauren Conrad’s former boss on The Hills appeared on ANTM from cycles 18 through 22, so she had thoughts about what she saw on Netflix’s documentary, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model.
Team Tyra:
“I feel confident that Tyra will prevail,” began Kelly. “She’s done a lot for people, including the people who are out there trashing her right now, specifically the people who worked on the show.”
“I think that she will get through this. But, I think that 80 percent of [the docuseries] is incredibly twisted. I believe that the facts and the truth will come forward.”
The fashion publicist, who did not participate in Reality Check, also calls out fellow former panelists Jay Manuel, Miss J Alexander, and Nigel Barker for speaking about Tyra and their experiences on Top Model in the docuseries.
“Do I think [Tyra is] perfect? No. Do I think the show is perfect? No,” she says. “Do I think that she deserves that? Absolutely f*cking not. As somebody who owns a company and runs a business, I would be furious if they were my employees and they behaved like that. And to what end? To what end?”
As far as the former contestants who shared the traumas they endured on ANTM, Kelly says that they often lacked understanding about the cutthroat nature of the fashion industry. “Some people are going to move forward, and some people aren’t.”
“You’re on an elimination show. Ninety-nine percent of the people who are on the show get eliminated. Do you feel bad about being eliminated? I would if my dreams and hopes were put onto that.”
