Tiffany Richardson Calls Out Tyra Banks After Shocking America’s Next Top Model Documentary: “You Was a Bully”
A new Netflix documentary has reopened an old reality TV feud. Former contestant Tiffany Richardson is speaking out again about her experience with Tyra Banks after the release of Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model. The series looks back at the most controversial moments from America’s Next Top Model and includes reflections from Tyra Banks.
Soon after the documentary premiered, Tiffany Richardson posted a long and emotional message online. She accused Banks of being harsh to her both on and off camera during filming many years ago. In her post, Richardson wrote, “Tyra Banks let’s keep it cute.. you are 1 lying a*** tied a** bi***.. you know how you treated me the whole time off and on camera, YOU WAS A BULLY!!! You treated me like s*** and said the nastiest things about me and my son.”
Her reaction came after the documentary revisited the famous 2005 episode where Banks yelled at Richardson during an elimination. That scene became one of the most viral moments in reality TV history and is still widely shared online. Richardson now says the footage did not show the full truth. She wrote, “That is not how the argument went but yall edited to make it look like you cared.”
In the same post, she challenged the renewed attention on her story and said her life today is very different from how she was portrayed on the show. She added, “I got more money and helping more people than all or many of thew top models but that’s the update yall give damn shame.” She also said she would like to talk face to face with Banks about what really happened.
The documentary includes Banks admitting she “went too far” in her treatment of Richardson at times. She explained that she was under pressure and frustrated by the industry’s treatment of Black women. The series also features former judges reflecting on the harsh standards and intense environment behind the scenes.
Richardson has mostly stayed out of the spotlight since her time on the show. She now works in healthcare and social services. Her recent posts show she still feels strongly about how she was treated and how the story has been told over the years.
Reality TV from the early 2000s is being looked at in a new way today. Many viewers now question how contestants were treated and how much editing shaped the stories people believed.
It is important to hear from the people who lived through these shows. Their voices help give a fuller picture of what really happened. What do you think about reality TV stars speaking out years later? Share your thoughts in the comments.