In His 2020 Book, Jay Manuel Alluded to ‘Top Model’ Drama and a Supermodel ‘Meltdown’

On the heels of a new docuseries about America's Next Top Model, the TV star says his truth about the show has "been out for a while" WANNA BE ON TOP In His 2020 Book, Jay Manuel Alluded to ‘Top Model’ Drama and a Supermodel ‘Meltdown’ On the heels of a new docuseries about America's Next Top Model, the TV star says his truth about the show has "been out for a while" By Tim Chan Tim Chan Contact Tim Chan on X Contact Tim Chan by Email From Concert Tickets to F1 Access, Hilton Opens Bids for Exclusive ‘Hilton Honors’ Experiences How to Watch ‘WWE SmackDown’ on Syfy Channel Online Without Cable David Lynch’s Iconic Paris Club Silencio Sets Sunset Strip Takeover for Frieze LA View all posts by Tim Chan February 17, 2026 Amazon/Getty Images If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. America’s Next Top Model is back in the spotlight thanks to a buzzy new Netflix docuseries that is pulling back the curtain on Tyra Banks‘ successful reality competition series and television franchise. Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model premiered Feb. 16 and featured all new interviews with former contestants and crew members, along with a sit-down with Banks herself. Also featured in the documentary are former ANTM judges J. Alexander (a.k.a. Miss J), photographer Nigel Barker, and Jay Manuel, who was a judge and creative director on the series. The series revisits some of the show’s scandals and controversies over its 24-season run, while exposing new headlines that have come to light since. While the new Netflix doc alleges details of backstage fights, producer manipulation and an increasingly out of touch and erratic Banks, Manuel seems to have alluded to the Top Model drama in his 2020 novel, The Wig, the Bitch and the Meltdown. The Wig, the Bitch and the Meltdown $16.66 $17.95 7% off Buy Now On Amazon Available through Amazon on paperback, for Kindle and as an audiobook, the book was seen by many as a thinly-veiled dig at Banks, from the title of the book (in ANTM-inspired font, natch) to the statuesque red haired vixen on the cover (Banks famously sported red hair for a couple of the show’s cycles). The tagline on the cover: “The Devil also wears cheap shoes!” Ouch. For his part, Manuel has said that the book was purely a work of satire, though the novel seems to corroborate many of the things the television personality shares in the Netflix doc. The Wig, The Bitch & The Meltdown follows the fictitious supermodel Keisha Kash as she launches a modeling competition show called “Model Muse.” Known for her “ruthless” and cunning ways, Kash will stop at nothing to ensure that her TV show is a hit, even if it’s at the expense of her supposed best friend Pablo Michael (presumably Manuel), who is described as “the heart of the production in the helter-skelter world of Model Muse.” The book opens with an anecdote about Kash berating an assistant for calling her an Uber rather than beckoning for her private car from Michael Kors. The supermodel angrily grabs her assistant’s cell phone and stomps on it (perhaps referencing another famous model outburst?). Subsequent chapters feature titles like “Script Change,” “Twisted Vanity,” “Shitstorm,” and ultimately, “Damage Control,” with the book casting Michael as the man caught in the middle between doing the right thing or staying loyal to his supposed friend.” “As the ‘The Fixer,’ Pablo is the man everyone turns to in a crisis,” reads a book description. “Struggling to hold the fledgling production together, he juggles his duties to his ‘BFF,’ the ruthless and vulnerable antihero Keisha Kash, his Supermodel boss and to his soul.” In a recent Instagram post, Manuel alluded to spilling salacious details in his book, posting a photo of The Wig, The Bitch & The Meltdown along with the caption, “Three days until Netflix tells its version. Mine’s been out for a while.” View this post on Instagram Manuel’s post has amassed more than 6,000 likes as of this writing, with fellow judge Barker, and Cycle 18 winner, Sophie Sumner commenting with supportive emojis. You can buy Manuel’s book through the link above or listen to the audiobook online for free with a free trial to Audible here. Along with Manuel and Barker, [Miss] J Alexander was also a recurring presence on Top Model, first as a runway coach and eventually landing on the judging panel with Banks. In one of the more poignant moments from the Netflix doc, Alexander reveals that suffered a stroke in 2022 and spent five weeks in a coma. “I miss being the queen of the runway,” he tells the camera. “I’m the person who taught models how to walk and now I can’t walk.” Follow the Model $15.17 $15.99 5% off Buy Now On Amazon Alexander shared his runway tips and life