Tara Zynel’s commentary on her time on American Princess
Tara Zynel, a contestant from WE TV’s American Princess was kind enough to write a bit about her experiences on the show. It’s a great first-person account of what it’s really like to be on reality television.
Being a contestant on American Princess is very different from watching the broadcast “results” of the show. Editing plays a major role in how the viewers perceive the “competition.” From Day 1 of filming, most of what you see as real is not. Judges’ remarks were scripted, sequences such as “arriving” in NYC were shot numerous times with each girl, and one is prompted in each interview to comment, usually negatively, on events of the day and even on what another girl may have said in her interview. The only genuine aspect of the show is that we as contestants were unaware from day to day of what we were going to be doing. Our reactions as the event takes place are honest reactions. However, any side commentary is made later and is usually scripted to an extent of our [the contestants] own doing.
London was the most amazing experience I could ever hope for. Some of my favorite moments were not even aired. For example, while we are all in line watching Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II walk past, two of her attendants actually stopped and spoke with me. The exchange was brief.
Attendants: “Will you be betting today?”
Myself: “Perhaps.”
Attendants: “Sounds promising.”They then continued on their way into the box. I, however, was absolutely tickled. Also, I was extraordinarily proud of myself and of the other women who gave speeches at Oxford. For most public speaking is daunting, but to add the element of such a prestigious venue upped the nervousness and the excitement for all- particularly myself, Cassie, and Kirsten.
I think the most challenging task while in the UK was the Military-style obstacle course. While I have had almost 7 years of dance training in strenuous forms such as clogging, tap, jazz, and ballet, I am not an overly athletic person. What the audience doesn’t see is that we ran the obstacle course twice- once to become familiar with it and again for filming purposes. While filming, the course was actually run in sections. Team 1 would run the first x number of obstacles, then stop, Team 2 runs that set, etc. This continued for the entire duration of the course.
The ballet lesson and night at the Royal Ballet was my favorite of all the tasks assigned to us. I looked at the dance class as a chance not to try to “up the ratings” or overly “impress Paul and Jean,” but as a dance class. I learned from it, worked hard, and made my former instructors proud. After taping was finished for the lesson, our instructor pulled me aside and told me that I was very well trained thus far and, if I continued with several years of advanced study, I would make an excellent ballet standard.
There have been some rumors floating around that the winner of the show was picked from the auditions, each girl already appointed to go home at a set week. This would be the reason that they would not show one of our successes at a task that occurred that week. An audience would think, “But if she did well there, why send her home?” After all, it’s a ratings game. Season 1 did not do too well on its original network, but fared alright on WE. So, for Season 2, let’s really make it different and striking and a “classier” version of Charm School.
I will neither confirm nor deny that I have heard, have knowledge of, and/or believe such information.
On a final note, I am pleased with the way I have been represented. My mindset going into the whole process was, “I have a budding career that I want to go back to. When this is over, I want an employer to still say, ‘I would hire that girl.’” I think I accomplished that.
The “judges” are never going to be overly “fair” or overly “kind.” That’s not their job. Ratings prove that viewers like to hear contestants being bashed and picked apart. Truthfully, if what has been said about me is the worst to be said about me, then I am grateful and hope that it speaks volumes about my character.
Enjoy the rest of the season.
-Tara Zynel, American Princess 2 contestant
Read these other great entries
September 20th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us! I’m thrilled to have an account from a contestant on the show!