Fall TV Blog

The former pageant queen reigned supreme!

After eight weeks, numerous hidden-camera challenges and the biggest test of all–living under the same roof with nine other self-proclaimed perfect 10s, Julia Anderson emerged the winner of last night’s True Beauty.

Calling her victory a “second chance to redeem” herself, the one-time Miss Teen Texas proved to be the only Beauty contestant to pass all of the show’s hidden challenges.

In last night’s finale, Anderson, 23, along with the show’s two remaining finalists, Joel Rush, 26, an imagining software salesman from Tampa, Fla., and Billy Jeffrey, 31, a vitamin shop owner and Chippendale’s dancer from Lewiston, Ida., faced what host Vanessa Minnillo called their “last and most important challenge.” Which was, of course, the PEOPLE magazine challenge.

The last hurdle came in two parts: a one-on-one interview with a secret guest judge, PEOPLE Executive Editor Jess Cagle and then a photo shoot.
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True Beauty is down to the final three contestants — Billy, Julia, and Joel! Tune in tonight on ABC at 10 p.m. EST to see who will be crowned the ultimate Beauty. Before the big finale, Tyra Banks, the show’s executive producer, had all ten contestants on the set of her talk show for a True Beauty reunion Monday (see photo below)–and this message for the show’s fan!

Tyra’s message:

“Get ready for the grand finale of True Beauty! I am so excited that one of our Top 3 has proven, without a doubt, that he or she (I’ll never tell!) is the perfect mix of inner & outer beauty. We’ve pulled out all the stops for this one, with an amazing photo shoot with Matthew Rolston, one of the top celebrity photographers in the world. And, we’ll get to know our contestants even better when Jess Cagle from PEOPLE magazine digs deep and gets the goods on our Final 3.”

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Last week’s episode of True Beauty saw Ray and Laura heading to the Hall of Beauty, bronzed, plucked, but with their respective tails tucked between their perfectly toned legs. In the end, the “fine artist” wasn’t fine enough in the judges’ eyes, and the burgeoning nudist was sent home to San Diego.

Back at the ranch, both Joel, and Billy were awaiting the return of their respective TB crushes. It’s impossible to deny the bromance that had developed between Ray and Joel, and the flirtation between Billy and Laura had reached it’s peak last week when the brunette bombshell planted a wet one on the Chippendales dancer. The smooch had such an effect on Billy that he said, “I’m never going to wash my face again,” leaving obvious loopholes for concealer and spray tan.

While Billy furrowed his brow and watched the door, Joel put aside his concerns for his pal Ray, and focused on what he called, “a chink in the armor” of the competition. “I see this puppy-dog look on [Billy's] face,” he said of Billy’s affection for Laura, before adding, “And this little 21-year-old is playing this 31-year-old man.” (more…)

True Beauty is down to just four remaining contestants, Billy, Joel, Julia and Laura. Now, the show’s executive producer, Tyra Banks, has a message for fans — and anyone who isn’t following the beauty contest that looks on the inside and out.

Tyra’s message:

“I can’t believe it! True Beauty is down to four pretty faces — so, who will be sent to the Hall of Beauty tonight? If you haven’t tuned in already, tonight is the night to start watching. Our beauties will be joined by their moms, and while the remaining four may be hot enough to make it this far, they’ve all got mothers that think they know what’s best for them just like the rest of us. How will it go down? You’ll have to watch to see the surprises we have in store. I was so proud of our teens from last week’s fitness challenge for having the wisdom and ability to spot true beauty!”

Tell us: Which contestant will be a True Beauty?

Stephen Shugerman/Getty, Albert Ferreira/Startraks

With CJ’s luck in the Hall of Beauty finally running out on last week’s True Beauty, the blue-eyed — “I believe a base tan is never tan enough” — Billy returned to the house exhausted, somewhat triumphant and more than a little confused. In lieu of a hero’s welcome, a gender-confusing goth party erupted and left the mascara-mustachioed, leopard head band-sporting Chippendales dancer saying, “Don’t let this Boy Band look fool you, I am a bad ass!”

Host Vanessa split the remaining six beauties into three groups of two, for the Natural Beauty challenge that required each contestant to grab the one thing that they could not live without. While Laura debated between hair straightener and her hairdryer, and Chelsea thought outside the bra to include eyeliner and deodorant, it was Billy’s musing on his “murse” that ruled the day. With a protein bar jammed into his sock, (because that’s how Billy “rolls”), he declared that his man purse was the one thing that he could not live without. “There’s a pen, paper, a mirror, here’s lotion, hair jell,” he explained. “There’s nothing I don’t have in here.”

The second part of the challenge involved an early morning, five-mile hike to a secluded beach. Chelsea seemed to have her olfactory wilderness defense system running on all cylinders, as “I smell bear pee” became her marching mantra. The final aspect of the challenge had each contestant filming a 30-second spot for a new organic lifestyle line, with the contestants being judged on their spots, but also on their teamwork. (more…)

With three female Beauties already sent packing, one could only begin to wonder if True Beauty was more of a guy thing. Last week, CJ, the poet-barista with a chip on his shoulder, survived another round in the Hall of Beauty despite Monique’s best efforts to toss her housemate under the Beauty Bus. Ray may have led the “welcome-CJ-back” committee, but later confessed that he would gladly have seen Monique back in the house because CJ was “more of a threat.”

The show’s focus quickly switched gears as Billy, never one to be shy, eagerly admitted to being “high maintenance” and described in detail his beauty regimen, which included eye-cream, a clay mask, tweezing, and an anti-aging cream. But all the primping in the world couldn’t hide the friction between Billy and CJ. And when you mix warm, bubbling water, big egos, and alcohol, you have the makings for either an orgy or a fight. We may never know why the Chippendales dancer felt comfortable calling CJ “boy,” but what was more perplexing was Ray’s attempt at defusing the situation by slipping (once again) into his birthday suit.

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With two not-so-truly beautiful contestants gone, the remaining eight supremely confident True Beauties vied for more bathroom time and the ultimate prize.

CJ’s surprising return from the Hall of Beauty left narciss-artist Ray sagely wondering aloud about the judges, “They must be looking for something else, something deeper…” Ray, who alternates between intelligent and ridiculously dim-witted, seemed to be the first to catch on to the show’s premise.

Chelsea, who did little to make friends in the first two weeks, continued her self-ostracism with only CJ as an ally. The equally outspoken Monique seemed bent on Chelsea’s ouster, saying of her aerosol-addicted nemesis, “My personal mission is to get rid of her…. She irritates the sh– out of me!’

This week’s challenge, an action photo shoot dubbed Beauty In
Motion, split the remaining eight into two teams of four, with Red
Team-against-Blue Team, or as CJ so eloquently phrased it, “Arnold vs. Danny DeVito.” Captain of the losing team, and the player with the worst photo as decided by the judges, would be sent to the dreaded Hall of Beauty.
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Nine “beauties” (all of whom still considered themselves the most fetching people on the face of he planet) remained after Hadiyyah-Lah eye-rolled her way out of the competition. But there isn’t enough fake tan, mascara or designer duds in the world to mask the beauty blunders of the rest of the group.

Split into three groups, the rest of the “True Beauties” were sent to Melrose on a mission: to dress themselves with (gasp!) a mere $100. Team 1, led by Billy, the vitamin store owner, scored success by putting into action the simple plan of ask for free clothes (with the promise of returning them later) and ye shall receive.

But Ashley’s team took on another strategy–soliciting money from passers-by and telling them it would go to charity. Taking money under false pretenses didn’t win Ashley, a designer’s assistant from Rochester, N.Y., any beauty points. Not helping a biker after he wiped out in front of her didn’t help either. So it came as no surprise that the judges sent Ashley on her way. –Reagan Alexander

MORE: VIDEO: Ashley: ‘I Didn’t Stick Up for Myself’

Adam Larkey/ABC

After being eliminated on last night’s True Beauty, Ashley Michaelson can look on the bright side: at least she wasn’t the first casualty of the show.

But the 21-year-old designer’s assistant from Rochester, N.Y., says if she had to do it all over again, she would change one thing–hint: it has to do with the biker.

Watch Ashley reveal her one regret and her idea of true beauty here!

MORE: True Beauty’s First Casualty On Her Ouster and God’s Plan

Adam Larkey/ABC

After watching 25 women fall over themselves (and each other) for the new Bachelor Jason Mesnick, ABC followed up with a new show, True Beauty. The premise: to examine what makes a person beautiful inside and out.

The show kicked off by introducing 10 highly attractive contestants (six females and four males) as they moved into an L.A. mansion together to determine at the end of eight episodes who will be crowned most beautiful. The winner receives a cash prize and a spot in PEOPLE magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful issue.

One person who is already out of the running–Hadiyyah-Lah, a receptionist who went bonkers last night after she was told by host Vanessa Minnillo and judges, former supermodel Cheryl Tiegs and ANTM’s fashion expert Nolé Marin, she failed the beauty test. Watch our video here as Hadiyyah-Lah tells our PEOPLE.com reporter why she was wronged by the judges and what God had to do with her ouster.

Mike Ruiz/ABC