Riot Breaks Out at ‘Top Model’ Auditions

by Derek Collins
Mar 15th, 2009 | 7:50 PM | Comments 9

There was a stampede involving hundreds of short women outside the Park Central New York hotel in Manhattan as they waited to audition for ‘America’s Next Top Model.’

Today’s auditions, open only to women 5-foot-7 and under, got ugly as the women toppled over barricades as, according to at least one report, people in the crowd started yelling, “There’s a bomb!”

New York police shut down the audition, saying it wasn’t properly organized.

“The girls were running like it was 9/11 part two,” said Jennifer Brown, 27, of Kensington, Brooklyn. “I feared for my life.”

The audition for the show on The CW, which for the first time was open only to women under 5-feet-7, was doomed from the start, several said.

Scores of aspiring models slept overnight outside the Park Central Hotel, hoping to be the first to sashay before the hit show’s casting agents.

But shortly after the sun rose, women began arriving and lining up indiscriminately.Tensions quickly boiled over.

Things only got worse when the dolled-up ladies were told if they stepped out of the line, they couldn’t come back in.

“I had to pee in a cup and change my clothes in the street,” said Mona Knight, 18, of the Bronx, who arrived at 11:30 p.m. Friday night. “There was no organization whatsoever.”

The Associated Press is reporting that four injured people declined treatment, while two others were taken to a hospital.

The show is hosted by supermodel Tyra Banks - who also executive produces.

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