Some might say it's better to be talked about than not talked about at all, but this week the eight remaining top model contestants learn that requires a thick skin.
Having been shut away in the model house for the past two months, blissfully unaware the viewing public has formed an opinion of each them, they are shocked into reality when notoriously obtuse fashion blogger Isaac Hindin Miller is brought on set. They parade in front of him, his thoughts spill on the page, Colin Mathura-Jeffree reads them aloud.
The "bigger girl" and "catalogue" comments hit Aroha where it hurts, but she still oozes mana as she wipes her tears and tells herself off for being a "sookie". But Hillary just laughs at when Isaac says of her: "lesbians of the 90s rejoice, we have found your missing member."
Anyway, she proves her feminity in the next challenge and wins a pair of diamond earrings for embodying celebrity glamour on the red carpet.
The biggest failure of the episode might be comedian Wilson Dixon's limp joke but the next guest, TV3 funny woman Madeleine Sami more than makes up for it - and not just because she is wearing a suit, moustache and appears severely vertically-challenged next to the long-legged contestants.
She jollies the more awkward girls along as they grapple with the idea of letting their femininity shine through all the facial hair. But she gets a little queasy when Issy stalks in doing an "entirely inappropriate" impression of Uncle Bully from Once Were Warriors. Issy regrets it when it came to eliminations and sees the judges have risen the stakes.
A camel in the room suggests the survivors will be whisked off to Abu Dhabi a la Sex and the City II next week. Despite Brigette's lack of personality and AJ's "chaos" it's Arihana who packs her bags for Dunedin, rather than the Middle East - she simply failed to bring variation to her photos.
But a teaser for next week's episode suggests one of Arihana's friends will also miss out on the exotic location shoot. Did Sara have a change of heart or did she find some dirt behind an angelic facade?
What: New Zealand's Next Top Model
When and where: 7.30pm, Friday, TV3