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CariDee English Speaks Out About Jael Strauss’ Meth Addiction

We were very sad to tell you yesterday that former America’s Next Top Model contestant Jael Strauss is set to be on Dr. Phil tomorrow for a meth addiction intervention. The episode hasn’t even aired yet, and already there’s been a huge buzz around it — in the form of cycle 7 winner CariDee English voicing her opinion on the matter in a Gawker comment section.

Strauss’ time on ANTM was not without difficulty; on of her friends actually died of an overdose while the show was filming, so it was clear to viewers that she came from a background of either witnessing plenty of drug use or possibly abusing substances herself. But English, having been on the show and experienced the hardships that many former contestants face when trying to actually make it in the modeling world, brought an insider’s perspective. Here is an excerpt of what CariDee had to say:

Tyra won’t do anything. She provided a wonderful platform for girls to have a chance at their dream, but, after there is no “Tyra Mail”. I had to guide myself, and even though I won a model competition I still had no idea what the modeling BUSINESS was like. … I am not complaining, I am simply defending. I love love what I have made for myself since my win, but mentally, its horrific. And any girl who has been on ANTM can back me up. No one wants to take us serious as models. I am sure the show lost its credibility in producing a top model somewhere btwn making 3 cycles a year and posing on roller coasters. Tyra wasn’t there when the cameras stopped rolling, nor did she reach out.

English also pointed out that being on the show may have exacerbated a preexisting problem:

Poor girl. Having problems and then getting a hint of fame only make an addiction rise. They should have evaluated her a lot more before letting her on the show. All they saw was a personality good for television. Well, this hopefully will save at least her life and someone watching. Everything happens for a reason.

Wow. Like we said before, we certainly hope the ending to this story is a happy one. We’re glad that Strauss is getting some sort of help, even if it is from Dr. Phil. What do you think of CariDee’s comments?

[Gawker via HuffPost Style]



  • Kendra

    Great perspective! Modeling is really difficult and cut throat and if you don’t have someone to guide you it’s easy to get lost. Reality shows are fantastic at cutting people down, using them and throwing them out when they’re done. 15 minutes of fame is hard to leave and many people aren’t sure what to do when it is over. Unfortunately addiction and self destruction seem like an easy way to go…

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004182183906 Actress Teecie

    Jael Strauss drug addiction isn’t Tyra Banks fault nor ANTM’s fault “ We are all held accountable for our own actions” however I do think Tyra Banks should reach out to her, seeing Jael’s picture before and after the drugs has really sadden my heart. I think Jael had a bright future she was such a pretty girl I hate that this has happened to her or anybody that gets on drugs “ My Heart Is Heavy” when will people learn that drugs will destroy you and your family. I’ve never been around anyone that has had a drug problem but stories like this one saddens me. As people we need to reach out our helping hands to someone in need like this stop looking at peoples faults and start helping them. I’m praying for Jael Strauss and her family! Now on another note I do agree with Caridee “Tyra provided a wonderful platform for girls to have a chance at their dream, but, after there is no ‘Tyra Mail” Now I’ve never been on Top Models but I have been on “The Tyra Banks Show” I was in New York for 4 days and 3 nights I seen firsthand how Tyra Banks works. Tyra flew me in on a Saturday morning and I left New York that following Tuesday night. Yes I got all the royal treatment a driver, nice hotel, $$, makeup, wardrobe the works once I arrived in NY I had about 4 hours to get settled in, before getting whisked away to The Tyra Show they had a driver come to pick me up for my first show taping. Once I arrived I was taking to a waiting room and before I got to the room I was told not to tell any of the guess who I was or where I was from we could speak to each other but not share any personal information “ I found out that there was a reason for that” I also had to sign a 6 months contract saying I couldn’t say anything about the show or appear on another talk show for six months. There was nine of us taken to a room to start filming for the first segment of the a case study.. “ The show was giving me the spotlight I was the main guest on the show…once the filming of the show started we watch different films of the case study then ask how we felt about that situation. Well my answered wasn’t juicy enough or should I say raw enough this show was all about ratings the producers stopped the cameras and pulled me to the side. They said we won’t you to say this ??? and ??? I told them no and that my family, friends and co-workers would be watching the show and I didn’t won’t them to think I really felt that way about “ The shows topic” she told me if I didn’t say it then they would ask another guest to do it and the show would revolve around them and their answers. So once again we started back filming and again my answers wasn’t juicy enough so I got pulled to the side again. At that point I told her to get someone else to do it because I wasn’t going to let the world think that I felt that way. So another guest said he’ll do it, and guess what he sung like a bird and got the spotlight on him. After that the next taping wasn’t until that following Tuesday there was eight of us on stage for The Tyra Show.. you could tell Tyra was tires during the taping of our show because she had already taped two shows before us… we watch them in the greenroom. So once we walked on stage Tyra came out it was the first time that I had ever seen her in person, wow she was really tall a very pretty but she wasn’t friendly at all between commercial breaks she snapped at her producers but once the cameras started to rolling she became a different person. She focused more on the person that had sung like a bird doing the taping of the first segment of the show. However she did ask all of us questions about what we said and how we felt. Once the show was over Tyra didn’t even look at us nor speak to us she didn’t say a mumbling word I was shocked!! I’m a inspiring actress I’ve been an extra in movies and I do a lot of Red Carpet and film Festivals… I’ve worked with Supermodel/Actress Beverly Johnson she came up to me and spoke and took pictures with me and thanked me for working with her show.. I’ve even had the chance to speak with and interview and take pictures with Actor Morgan Freeman, Helen Hunt, Charlize Theron, Michelle Rodriguez, and many others…and here I was on The Tyra Banks Show and she didn’t even bother to speak to any of us… Tyra Banks is all about TV ratings she’s very fake when the camera start rolling she’s a completely different person so nice and seem so caring an humble but when the camera turns off it’s all about Tyra Banks and no one else. This saddens me.

  • Carolyn

    YEP! I was on America’s Most Wanted last year and they just swooped in got my gory details and aired the WORST parts of my story and I have never heard from them again. I was devastated and turned to drugs to soothe the pain from the entire abuse being brought back up and no “aftercare” I can totally relate! This is the sad and unfortunate cost of reality tv and hollywood!

  • Cieloi Paradiso

    Your grammar is atrociuos!

  • Chloe

    I guess that’s the real ugly truth. Drugs destroy you even more if you are a weak person.
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