“I Taught Models How To Walk, And Now I Can’t Walk”: “America’s Next Top Model” Favorite J Alexander Has Revealed That He Had A Stroke In 2022 — And Tyra Banks’ Response Has Sparked Fierce Backlash

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Anyone who grew up successful the ‘00s is astir apt incredibly acquainted with the world amusement America’s Next Top Model, which premiered successful 2003 and ran for 24 seasons. But successful lawsuit you missed it, it fundamentally follows a clump of aspiring models who vie against each different successful a bid of challenges to triumph a lucrative modeling contract.

The amusement was hosted by Tyra Banks, who was besides an enforcement shaper arsenic she was really the 1 who came up with the conception and pitched it to esteemed TV shaper Ken Mok successful the aboriginal ‘00s.

It’s just to accidental that ANTM hasn’t precisely aged good implicit the past 23 years, with arguable clips from the amusement often resurfacing connected societal media to immense backlash. From shocking photograph sprout themes, including race-swapping, to however the contestants were treated, the full bid has faced superior scrutiny.

And each of that scrutiny comes to a caput successful the Netflix documentary Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, which premiered connected Monday. The three-part bid breaks down the show’s biggest controversies, with erstwhile contestants arsenic good arsenic Tyra and her chap judges returning to stock their broadside of the story.

Some of the contented is genuinely shocking, but 1 happening that viewers did not expect was the bittersweet wellness update from 1 of the archetypal beloved judges connected the show, J. Alexander, besides known arsenic Miss. J.

J joined the amusement successful Season 1 arsenic a runway manager and judge, and fans instantly fell successful emotion with his speedy wit and the no-nonsense guidance that helium offered the models.

He remained connected the amusement until 2012, erstwhile he, his chap justice and lensman Nigel Barker, and ANTM’s originative manager Jay Manuel were besides fto go.

J has remained mostly retired of the spotlight successful the years since, with the documentary marking his archetypal instrumentality to our screens successful galore years — and fans were near devastated to larn that helium is present incapable to locomotion aft having a changeable successful December 2022.

In the last occurrence of the series, J shared a location video from his clip successful the hospital.

To the camera, J, present 67, explained: “On December 27, 2022, I had a stroke. I woke up, I didn’t cognize wherever I was different than successful the hospital. I spent 5 weeks successful a coma, and I couldn’t walk, and I couldn’t talk. I thought to myself: 'What was I going to do?' I couldn’t walk, and I couldn’t speak.”

“It was emotional, I cried,” helium went on. “I’m not ashamed to accidental that I cried.”

At the clip of his stroke, Jay and Nigel went to sojourn J. Nigel explained: “I don’t cognize whether helium adjacent wanted maine to spot him successful that way. I was going to spell and spot him. It was conscionable specified a unspeakable shock, and truly upsetting, and horrifying, and scary.”

“When helium saw me, helium was blessed to spot me, and the 2 of america cried together, and I held him,” the British lensman went on.

“I could consciousness however upset helium was, for sure,” Jay added of J. “I tin lone ideate wherever helium was successful his mind.”

The 3 men were besides shown reuniting connected the acceptable of the docuseries, wherever Jay mildly told his friend: “It has been specified a journey, and you’re speaking truthful overmuch amended now.”

“You are battling through, erstwhile we archetypal saw you successful that infirmary you could hardly move, hardly talk, and present you’re sitting up doing an interview, chatting, talking, rolling your eyes, making america laugh,” Nigel said. “It’s a agelong journey, but you’re going to get there.”

J broke down successful tears portion speaking with Nigel and Jay, and was visibly affectional passim the segment, saying to the camera: “I miss being the Queen of the Runway, the catwalks, of course. I’m the idiosyncratic who taught models however to walk. I taught models however to walk, and present I can’t walk.”

“Not yet,” helium defiantly added. “Not yet. I’m determined to walk. I’m definite you’re gonna spot maine again, I’m definite — it’s not implicit for maine yet.”

J was asked if Tyra had ever travel to sojourn him, and J revealed: “No, not yet.” He past added: “She conscionable sent me, um, a substance that she wants to travel and visit… But, um, no. Not yet.”

He past lowered his caput and pointedly looked implicit his glasses straight into the camera.

You tin ticker the clip here:

“I taught models however to walk. And present I can’t walk.”

Miss J Alexander reveals helium suffered a changeable a fewer years agone — but is determined to locomotion again.

Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model is present connected Netflix. pic.twitter.com/WoQbcL7pPT

— Netflix (@netflix) February 16, 2026

Netflix / Via Twitter: @netflix

And this revelation has near viewers stunned, with galore criticizing Tyra for not checking successful connected her friend. At this point, it’s worthy mentioning that J was brought onto ANTM successful 2003 astatine Tyra’s petition arsenic the brace were already longtime pals who’d been moving unneurotic for years aft they archetypal met erstwhile Tyra was 17 years old.

“Miss J had a stroke. Is paralyzed connected 1 broadside of his body. Can’t walk. And Tyra Banks hasn’t visited him yet???” 1 fashionable tweet reads. Another viral station adds: “tf you mean you didn’t spell sojourn him aft helium had a stroke???”

“I don’t cognize if Tyra Banks thought this documentary was expected to assistance her representation but this conscionable further confirmed however overmuch of a BITCH she really inactive is. Miss J had a changeable successful 2022, and you person inactive YET to spell spot him? She’s heartless,” 1 much wrote.

Somebody other tweeted: “I americium SOBBING astatine Jay Alexanders communicative of his stroke. So gladsome that Jay Manuel and Nigel went and saw him successful the infirmary and were determination for him. So disappointed that Tyra ne'er went to sojourn him!”

As always, fto maine cognize your thoughts successful the comments below!

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