Tyra Baks has apologized for not protecting a former contestant on America’s Next Top Model who claimed she was sexually harassed on set.
Keenyah Hill alleged sexual harassment on ‘ANTM’ during a cycle 4 photo shoot in South Africa. Hill alleged that Bertini Heumegni was “very aggressively hitting on her.” She even told producers she was uncomfortable. The incident was captured on film and broadcast as part of the episode.
In the Netflix documentary ‘Reality Check,” Banks explained how she wished she had intervened on behalf of Hill.
“I was trying to empower her with the information that I had,” Banks said. “I felt like that was empowering her based on the information I had. And I thought that was the best advice, but it should have been, ‘Stop,’ down. And that’s what would happen today.”
She adds, “We all now understand the protections that women need. So I say to Keenyah, boo boo, I am so sorry. None of us knew. Network executives didn’t know, and I did the best that I could at that time. But she deserved more. She did.”
SEXUAL HARRASSMENT WAS A PART OF THE BUSINESS
Nigel Barker, a photographer and former male model, who was a part of Hill’s episode, said that those situations come with the territory.
“Some of those things are also kind of a reality of the world, unfortunately. In the fashion industry, there’s always been a lot of issues with, you know, sort of harassment. In any shape or way, whether you’re a male or female model,” said Barker.
“And not everyone is going to handle the same situation in the same way,” he continued. “But you as an individual should be able to stand up for yourself and say, ‘Hey, no, this isn’t working.” Or figure it out and get the job done. There were people — cameras — everywhere!
Banks, judges Barker, Jay Manuel, and Miss J. Alexander, alongside producer Ken Mok, all appear in the docuseries.