Kelly Cutrone is unleashing strong comments about Jay Manuel following the release of Netflix’s “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model” in February. The publicist, who appeared in the latter seasons of the reality competition show, called the documentary “disgusting” and an attack against Tyra Banks.
Cutrone called out Manuel for his comments in the documentary and his debut novel, which she alleges was about the host.
In February, Netflix released the three-part documentary series “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,” which examined the controversies, cultural impact, and legacy of the Tyra Banks-hosted modelling competition that aired from 2003 to 2018. Banks, along with other “ANTM” personalities, including Jay Manuel, Nigel Barker, and Miss J, participated in the documentary.
Banks received a wave of public backlash following the release, with many claiming the former supermodel did not take accountability for going “too far” with the contestants.
In an episode of the “Chris vs. The People” podcast, notorious fashion publicist Kelly Cutrone shared her opinion about the documentary. “I just think that the whole thing was disgusting… She got done dirty on that f-cking documentary… There were a lot of tricks that the people that made that show pulled on her,” Cutrone said, referring to Banks.
The Publicist Had Some Harsh Words For Jay Manuel
Cutrone appeared as a judge on “ANTM” from Cycles 18 to 22. Although she was repeatedly asked to participate in the documentary, she firmly denied the opportunity, saying, “No f-cking way.”
“I was the publicist, I already knew, like, ‘What the f-ck am I doing here? Going on this thing for free because I’m trying to sell a book like Jay Manuel?” Cutrone added. She took her dig at the “ANTM” creative director further by adding, “Please, dude, you were a f-cking makeup artist at a MAC counter in f-cking Toronto.”
Cutrone claimed that Banks was responsible for bringing Manuel into “ANTM” and he repaid the host by speaking negatively about her in the documentary. She also claimed Manuel’s intention was to get back at Banks after he was fired from the show.
Kelly Cutrone Bashed Jay Manuel’s Book
Cutrone said that she has known Banks since the model was 16 years old, and while they didn’t have a close relationship, she loves her and “ANTM” producer Ken Mok. “I always stand behind the truth,” the publicist said, adding that she can only speak of her own experience on the show.
Cutrone also bashed Manuel for his debut novel, released in 2020, titled “The Wig, The B-tch & The Meltdown,” which focuses on the character Pablo Michaels, an overworked creative director on the fictional reality series “Model Muse,” hosted by a tyrannical supermodel named Keisha Kash.
Readers assumed that the book was a fictionalized tell-all of Manuel’s relationship with Banks, but the former has repeatedly denied the assumptions.
Cutrone, however, feels otherwise. “She smiled on you and waved her wand. How do you repay her? You write a fictionalized book where you make yourself look like Karl Lagerfeld. That chick f-cking fed you, took care of you, raised you, and this is how you say thank you? F-ck off,” Cutrone said.
Kelly Cutrone Sheds Light On Tyra Banks Not Visiting Miss J
In the “ANTM” documentary, Miss J revealed that he suffered a stroke in 2022 that left him in a comatose state for several weeks. While Manuel and Barker visited him at the hospital, Banks did not. Banks faced flak over that fact, especially since viewers knew that Miss J and Banks had a close relationship even before “ANTM.”
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Cutrone shed light on the situation following Miss J’s stroke, telling the outlet that Banks and Mok had intended to visit. At that time, Banks was on the West Coast, and they asked Cutrone, who was in New York, to check in on Miss J. “They were worried,” Cutrone said, showing text messages Banks and Mok sent her three days after Miss J’s medical emergency.
Cutrone got details about Miss J’s condition, but she was also told that he was in the hospital under an alias and claimed his niece didn’t want visitors at that time. The publicist further explained that all she knows is that Banks and Mok were both concerned over Miss J’s well-being.
The ‘America’s Next Top Model’ Controversy
“America’s Next Top Model” contestants were divided over the show. While some have come forward to criticize aspects of production and how they were treated, others praised Banks and the show for opening doors, providing opportunities, and launching careers in the fashion industry.
Ultimately, the conversation only reinforces “ANTM” as one of reality TV’s most talked-about and divisive series.
