* Trigger Warning: This story contains mentions of sexual assault.
America’s Next Top Model Cycle 2 contestant Shandi Sullivan spoke out this week about the reaction she’s received after sharing her sexual assault story in the new Netflix docuseries, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, while also explaining why she decided to participate in the project.
As The Ashley previously told you, Shandi opens up in the docuseries about the on-camera sexual assault that happened to her while filming Cycle 2 in Milan, and how the incident was manipulated by producers and ultimately portrayed on the show as a cheating storyline, as she was in a relationship at the time with a man named Eric.
Shandi tearfully detailed the incident in the docuseries, including the fact that she was filmed having sex despite her being “blacked out” at the time. She also addressed production’s decision to film her emotional phone call to Eric the following morning, where she broke the news that she “cheated” on him.
On Tuesday, Shandi posted her reaction to the docuseries, while recalling the time before Cycle 2 began airing on TV, when she had returned to her job at Walgreens, “fresh with a makeover and a secret that had to wait to air.”
“I smiled through it,” Shandi wrote. “Knowing that my friends, my family, Eric’s family, and strangers were going to know what I had done, what happened to me.”
Shandi revealed that even now, at the age of 43, she continues to struggle with the incident, which is the reason she ultimately chose to participate in the Netflix docuseries.
“That’s why I took this opportunity,” Shandi explained. “Knowing that Tyra didn’t have control over my narrative, that the director and producers here had my back….that’s why I did it. I did it for me. Because I mattered and I still do!
“The love I have felt today has been immense,” Shandi added. “Thank you to everyone that heard me.”
On Tuesday, former ‘ANTM’ judge and fashion photographer Nigel Barker kept the love for Shandi going by taking to Instagram to highlight a photoshoot he did with the Cycle 2 star after her season ended, while revealing that he and Shandi had actually “collaborated on a few shoots” after ‘ANTM.’
In his caption, Nigel noted that Shandi, “was always a very special unique person,” before going on to acknowledge the sexual assault story she opened up about in the docuseries.
“Watching the new Netflix doc ‘Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model’ you get an extremely raw and true behind the scenes look at Shandi’s story and it’s clear the show could and should have done much better,” he wrote. “Shandi will always be a rockstar.”
Shandi later left a comment on Nigel’s post, calling the first photo in his carousel, “one of my favorite photos of me.” She also thanked the photographer, “for always thinking of us girls after the show in the correct light.”
Amanda Swafford of Cycle 3 also commented on Nigel’s post, calling Shandi, “an amazing woman through and through.”
“I hope I get to see her again, we did the [‘ANTM’] tour together,” she wrote. “This is crazy she’s finally getting a moment of vindication. [Sort] of.”
Cycle 7 winner CariDee English also showed up in the comment section of Nigel’s post to compliment him for the work they did together, as well as commend him for speaking out about Shandi’s story following the release of the docuseries.
“Her story was indeed raw and it went too far,” CariDee wrote, before going on to mention certain moments that Shandi discussed in the project. “ … I am finally happy her last word is finally getting the volume it deserved all along ! Thank you for this post!!”
While many fans and former contestants of ‘ANTM’ remain appalled by what happened to Shandi– as well as Tyra and ‘ANTM’ executive producer Ken Mok’s comments about it in the docuseries– she revealed on Tuesday what it would take to make the situation right in her eyes.
“I’ll take a check for retro pay and an apology bare minimum,” she posted to her Instagram Story.
‘Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model’ is currently streaming on Netflix.
RELATED STORY: Tyra Banks Finally Addresses Her Infamous ‘I Was Rooting For You’ Beratement of ‘ANTM’ Contestant Tiffany Richardson: “I Went Too Far”
(Photos: Netflix; Instagram; YouTube; UPN)
3 Responses
I didn’t mind the cat fights, the snide comments, the grueling photo shoots, that’s part of the business.
Filming an alcohol black out– The Real World intervened on Ruthie MANY times, so let’s not say “we can’t”, they just didn’t want to.
Shandie was always a favorite, I liked a lot of the girls. She seems sad still but maybe she’ll see some comfort in the support she’s getting.
This show has always been problematic, I knew it before even when I watched it as a young girl. I remember Kim (season 5?) being one of the first openly lesbian reality show contestants at the time when things like this weren’t even talked about really. (I know she had a thing with Sarah on that season but for her it was just a kiss…while Sarah felt like she was in love and even called her boyfriend to tell him she feels confused…my favorite line of Kim? “Straight girls always keep on falling for me.” or sth in that sort. QUEEN.)
Tyra is the devil’s apprentice.