The tea around America’s Next Top Model is still piping hot, and thanks to Netflix’s latest docuseries, it’s spilling in ways fans didn’t expect.
Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model has reopened old wounds and now it’s shedding light on a deeply personal and painful chapter in the life of one of the franchise’s most beloved figures: Miss J Alexander.
As we reported earlier, Miss J recently revealed that Tyra Banks, the face and force behind ANTM, has not visited him since he suffered a life-threatening stroke in 2022. Yes, she did “reach out,” but according to Miss J, that outreach never turned into an actual visit. The news came straight from the source while Miss J stared into the camera on Sherri Shepherd’s daytime talk show, letting the silence speak louder than words.
Miss J shared that when the stroke first happened, Tyra told him she was “in L.A.” and expressed concern, but she never came by. Meanwhile, other industry heavyweights showed up in real life. Miss J confirmed that Angela Bassett, Alfre Woodard, George Lopez, and more friends made the effort to see him as he continues his recovery journey. “Ty didn’t,” he said plainly.
As if witnessing Miss J’s health battle wasn’t heartbreaking enough, news soon followed that he now needs public support to help cover the cost of recovery. His close friend and talent manager, Steven Grossman, has launched a GoFundMe to assist with ongoing treatment, specialized care, rehabilitation services, and daily living support. The goal is $100,000.
To put things into perspective, Miss J suffered a stroke in 2022 that left him in a coma for five months. When he woke up, he couldn’t walk or speak. He then spent nearly a year and a half in a rehabilitation center, enduring additional mini-strokes, seizures, and four more hospitalizations along the way.
Staying on the topic of money, Miss J recently told PEOPLE that one of his biggest regrets from his time on America’s Next Top Model (where he coached from 2003 to 2012) is not asking for “more money.” The runway coach was on the show for 18 cycles. He coached the models on perfecting their runway walks and offered sometimes-biting critiques on their performance. After helping mold generations of models and becoming a cultural icon in the process, that realization hits especially hard now.
Though his delivery and critique may feel tough by today’s standards and audience, J noted that his feedback was always intended “with love.”
These days, Miss J says he’s “healing and dealing.” His routine includes physical and occupational therapy twice a week, watching TV, doing word searches, and streaming old and new fashion shows online.
With the ANTM docuseries peeling back layers and Miss J’s story now front and center, one thing is clear: the legacy of America’s Next Top Model is complicated, and the human cost behind the fashion is finally getting the attention it deserves.
Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model is streaming now on Netflix.