In what could be seen as an attention-getting move from a person who aspires to work in an industry where she gets her picture taken all day, a former contestant on America’s Next Top Model is suing Tyra Banks and The CW for a total of $3 million in damages. Angelea Preston is suing for breach of oral agreement and breach of written contract, claiming that producers retroactively stripped her of the ANTM title after learning she had previously worked as an escort. (The season 17 finale was reportedly reshot with new winner Lisa D’Amato after the revelation, with Banks refusing to reveal the reason for Preston’s disqualification.) Preston maintains that she told producers about her Pretty Woman past before shooting began.
Making the not-entirely-off-base assumption that admitting to engaging in a euphemism for prostitution isn’t as bad as uttering the words “Pot Ledom” on camera, Preston also wants damages for poor working conditions on the ANTM set. In addition to her breach of contract suit, Preston is suing the show for failure to pay minimum wage, failure to pay overtime wages, failure to provide meal and rest breaks, and unfair business practices, claiming that contestants were forced to go up to 12 hours without a meal break. She is also suing for intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress, alleging that producers intentionally withheld treatment for an anxiety attack “for at least 10 minutes” for the sake of better TV. Banks has yet to respond to the charges, but spokesperson for The CW says the network is confident Preston’s lawsuit “has no merit.” Whether the anxiety attack was haircut-related remains unknown.