Want to be the next Andy Sachs? Tyra Bank's latest reality show, Fashionista, is looking for the next top fashion assistant.
If you thought Andy was crazy to complain about being treated horribly by Miranda Priestley in the Devil Wears Prada, then perhaps you ought to go for a casting. A lot of women are enamoured by the fashion industry and would do anything to fill the shoes of even the most ill-treated assistant.
It wasn't enough for so many girls' childhood dreams to be turned into a book, then a movie. They had to create an opportunity for real girls to live out those dreams... but the intention of the show isn't to fulfill their fantasies and make them happy. No, it's to mock them horribly, no doubt, and watch them suffer. That's the schadenfreude our society has become wrapped up in entertaining themselves with.
Apparently, the CW's casting crew is hitting the streets of New York in search of girls they think are suitable for the role. All that really means is they're pretty enough, young enough, evidently into fashion, and clearly willing to sacrifice their dignity to achieve the position.
"I was confronted with about 100 girls (and about twenty boys) who could have stepped out of a ShopBop catalog," said Jazzi McGilbert, an intern for fashionista.com. "I got the sense that these were hopeful kids who had never actually worked in the industry, but were cute enough for primetime TV (In fact, it should be noted that when I was approached, although I was assured that it would be more Apprentice than ANTM, I was never asked about any actual experience.)"
They received a 21 page questionnaire, which including questions like:
What character in the move The Devil Wears Prada do you most relate to and why?
What have you done to prepare yourself for a future as a fashionista/o?
What celebrity do you hate? Why?
What do you think is the hardest part of being an assistant?
How do you act when you get drunk?
When was the last time you hit, punched, kicked, or threw something in anger? Please provide details.
Do you have a temper?
America's Next Top Fashion Assistant
Fashionista
Trend Themes
1. Reality Fashion Shows - Opportunity to create innovative and engaging reality fashion shows that offer unique experiences for aspiring fashion professionals.
2. Schadenfreude Entertainment - Emerging trend of using schadenfreude as a form of entertainment, creating opportunities for content that mocks and entertains viewers.
3. Casting Industry - Growing industry of scouting and casting for various media platforms, presenting opportunities to disrupt traditional casting processes.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion - Fashion industry can leverage the popularity of reality fashion shows to engage with aspiring fashion professionals and promote their brands.
2. Entertainment - Opportunity for entertainment industry to explore the concept of schadenfreude in creating engaging and provocative content.
3. Media - Media industry can tap into the casting industry by providing platforms and resources for scouting and casting aspiring talents in various fields.