Trading Popularity: High School Edition - Tyra (Part 1)

The Tyra Banks Show - ''Popularity in high school'' (Recorded May 11, 2009, WWOR)
It's back to school for the "Tyra Show"! Tune in to see a social experiment where real-life "mean girls" trade places with the girls they pick on.

[@iNtando1]

"I'm struggling myself, I don't need you to put more pain in my wounds". Preach! I know exactly how she feels.

[@misamisamisamisamisamisa]

When I heard the popular girl say, "I think I'm pretty"... I thought "It's all in your mind." lol

[@PassionateGoth]

Once you're finished with High school and out there in the real world, how popular you were or weren't isn't going to matter. You can't put that on the resume or college application. Popularity is only social concept meant to divide people even more.

[@joelpineda4414]

What’s the real world???

[@PassionateGoth]

@@joelpineda4414 The life you choose to lead after high school. You gain some maturity and you grow up. How popular you were in high school shouldn't matter.

[@danaburt7405]

the girl in the orange is too busted to be talking about anyone...

[@Lankynibs]

Funny thing is all the supposedly "ugly/unpopular girls" blossom into totally beautiful young women.

[@BriaBarrows]

it's a fact lmao I definitely blossomed. And we weren't ugly because we looked a certain way, we were literally kids. You could not pay me to go back to high-school

[@tatum635]

being popular is all about personality/confidence. there are always ugly popular ppl thank think they look soo good. lol

[@hewwopersonlooknatmehusery1379]

Really at my school the popular kids spread rumors and gossip and I just started middle school and they are already starting drama on the third week by the way your school sounds nice!👍

[@Kelsie154]

The 'popular' girls in my school were the ones who had straight A's, and played sports. They weren't all rude, stuck up bitches. Some were, but not all. Not all of them were pretty, either. Most of them rarely even wore makeup. Hell, they all wore sweat pants, t-shirts, and hoodies. And the 'popular' kids did nerdy stuff, too. They were in band, they were in theater, they were artsy, they liked nerdy tv shows, some of them larped, and a lot of them actually liked metal... which I always found surprising. The girls that dressed and acted like this, were looked at like they were either sluts, or they were the ones who tried too hard. I guess my school was just more laid back, than most.

[@justinwong8864]

Wow, you described my high school exactly.

[@Ketchme17]

There was a girl at my school who was very overweight and not particularly pretty, but she had a GREAT personality and always made people laugh. She got voted prom queen because everyone loved her. Popularity depends on how you act!

[@rubydanielledan-abia1651]

There are a lot of people who are terrible people that are popular

[@justaboyontheinternet2636]

lmao bs, people in my school could be the BEST people in the world, but got relentlessly bullied by the insanely mean and horrible people, popularity falls in the hands of fate and attractiveness

[@kimberleyspaapen9154]

Yes, they called you plastic, but at least, they had the decency to call you that in your face and to say that without making fun of you.

[@MysticWonders_]

The Tyra show needs to come back!

[@trashybitch1232]

I'm so appreciative of the school i went to after watching this... literally, bullying was never an issue at my school. We weren't all friends but i remember there being a sense of comfort when we were around each other. Anybody could talk to anyone and not worry about being judged. I wish everyone could have an experience like that... It's so important and it's a shame that we're not giving people the tools to think clearly when it comes to bullying.

[@HiSaysmi]

I think honestly, it's more of a psychological thing. I was overweight for my entire high school career, and I found every way I could to hide myself so people didn't even know I went there. Even the teachers didn't notice me. However, whenever I'd hear people talking, laughing, or smiling, I automatically thought it was about me. Because I felt subhuman. And to this day, even though I'm an adult and not overweight any more, I still behave the same way. I try to hide as much as I possibly can, and if someone tries to talk to me, I have to ignore them and fight off tears out of fear from being acknowledged by someone. It just makes me wish that the people running these schools could maybe do something about this. It creates lifetime psychological trauma.

[@wisteria.flower.dreams]

this made me cry when chante told her story.

[@SuperEllyh]

I totally wanna give the so called "unpopular girls" a makeover. They're all beautiful, but they're hiding it in big sweatshirts and if you gave them a little bit of makeup, not a lot, and some new fun clothes, it would totally let their beauty shine through.

[@avacapri13]

its ok if they wear baggy clothse and no makeup. that's what they're comfortable in :)

[@SuperEllyh]

avacapri13 Of course! (: But they don't seem comfortable though? Many of them seem to have little to no self esteem

[@BriefcaseWanker]

they were wearing normal shirts on the stage.

[@salcazoid]

You know what, let see how those kids will change when they turn around 30s... The kids I used to remember from popular groups look so matured that they look much older than their age group. When they were younger 20s, they looked around bit older than 40 years old. I would like to share my story from high school. Although I went to school where there were lot of white people. Mostly white kids were in popular group. Asians? There were some of them, guess what? They were like totally outsiders. Especially Korean students were not interested in being popular, but focus on school stuffs such that get ace on GPA, SAT, trying to get into best college nationwide, etc. Those Korean kids were not pretty at all, they looked so young that they didn't even looked like high school kids. I thought that some of them were like middle school kids when they were high school seniors... Guess what? When they got professional jobs at the age around 30s, they totally looked like they belong to high school popular groups lol.

[@xxistephixx]

People should be kind to the unpopular because they're the ones that end up being famous or your future boss

[@robertperales9911]

Some people who are beaten down rise to the occasion... but a lot of the times the kids who are bullied non stop crumble 🥺 I hope all these kids grew and learned to love themselves.

[@isaiahbakombo8603]

@@robertperales9911 I pray that they grow up in the knowledge of Jesus. All this world is vanity, because God is love, those possessed by the Holy Ghost, will automatically love people better than they can imagine

[@yummylemons172]

Yeah right that’s what people say to make themselves feel better

[@robyndavies2682]

Funny thing is that girl they call 'ugly' is prettier than the lot of them.

[@ZombieZaraa]

Some of the unpopular girls are actually very pretty.

[@user-fy7mp6wd8m]

not a single one of the popular girls is pretty 💀💀

[@TheZombieslayer17]

I don't get popularity in HS or any school at all. If you are popular in school so what. That is not going to get you into collage, get you a job. Remember that nerdy kid in school who didn't talk to anyone except the kids in the robotics club? Well he is now CEO of the worlds leading AI industry. Remember the goth girl? She is now owns several goth cloths and make up franchises. And you? You were the muscle head jock that did not take time in your studies. Once you got out of HS you could not get into collage. 8 years later and you are working at Kroger's and living in a small apartment. Popularity is a curse. Don't be cursed. Study first. The world can come next.

[@oceanwatson7333]

I enjoy making collages.

[@iluveverosser]

Plastics? That's original.

[@ilubb2sing]

the funny thing is the "plastics" aren't even cute ctfu

[@txppi7931]

it’s all confidence

[@Divaliciousbeauty123]

Don't you just love how they call these buggers "plastics" when the "plastics" look like rubbish?

[@cheerhippie311]

These "plastics" are SUCH WUNNA BES!

[@itsskye4730]

Wanna Bees?? 😂

[@kristenem2104]

hey idiot i was picked cuz i was white. im not wanna be im far from popular just on varisty soccer and was nice to everyone so if you have something to say to me 7 years later im kristen in the purple find something better to do c u next tuesday if you wanna start with me ill give you my phone number dont try me

[@Aquarius012988]

I was unpopular in high school. Getting to University though, shows how much everything changes. These girls just have to hold on, it gets soooo much better. And it helps that I go back to my old neighborhood restaurants and am served by the people who used to make fun of me ;)

[@mrsladdy]

This is So fake the popular girls would have been got beat tf up at my school lmao!

[@Ichigo-dh9rd]

You can see the popular girls are more well spoken and confident probably because of all the social validation.

[@sgunapati07]

In my school, there are definitely people I can define as "popular" from these girls standards. But are also so many other, well, cliques you could say. There are so many different groups of people with different interests, and they are all "popular" in their own way; not by being pretty or having expensive clothes, but by having intelligence, humor, and personality.

[@crystal55001]

Chante the "unpopular" girl is actually the prettiest one on there.!

[@cxpriisxnn]

The popular kids at my school are the people who play sports for school and really nice to everyone. Fortunately, I'm a popular kid, hate putting it like that, and don't have to go through what they are going through. This is just terrible. Why would you want to degrade people for your own satisfaction.

[@annawilliams7568]

Peggy is precious! I just wanna give her a big hug and hang with her. Chantel is stunning!!

[@princessrainbowshiznet1493]

This just breaks my heart. I love in a community that at my school, were not judge by what we wear or how we act. Yeah, the popular girl might be pretty but not all of them are. One doesn't even brush her hair and another just wears sweat shirts. As long as you have confidence and are nice you can have lots of friends and I'm happy I can live in a community like that.

[@ifindyoubeautiful]

chante is beautiful (:

[@MoJoh0426]

This feels pretty fake. People in real schools don't talk like this

[@MysticWonders_]

This is back n the 2000's so a lot has change since then.

[@jareema1634]

at my school

[@ajc8815]

Hell yes this does happen. It's just toned down by a few notches, realistically.

[@cubangal1]

i tink amanda is actually reeeaaallly gorgeous.

[@BigJoe-hg9gx]

I find her more beautiful than Tamara.

[@izzyjerzyk]

I'm a nerd/unpopular and I'm proud of it!! They can think what ever they want of me,because I hope once high school is over, I'll never have to see any of them (except friends) ever again.

[@arberclouds256]

I love tyra she shows what people need to see and gives everyone a chance to talk. At the school I went to the "unpopular" kids weren't the ones who were not as well off or a bit overweight or not the prettiest but ..the un cool ones were the ones who picked on others. I've known people who would qualify to be un cool but were actually super popular and known drop dead gorgeous people who could be popular have it all be the hc queen etc.... popular is your attitude not material clothing.

[@bambasdeforesra5850]

I'm not popular and I don't care, I'm not dying to be popular.

[@WeAreTheOutcastss]

The unpopular girls are every bit as pretty as the popular. Actually the popular girls look kind of fake. lol

[@BigJoe-hg9gx]

I find unpopular girls better and I guess the success they are gonna get in future will them a natural glow and would look more beautiful.

[@bubblez5394]

I'm sorry but did she really say that she "didn't think it would be as hard as they are making it" that right there just shows she truly has no concern for how they feel? Being emotionally abused isn't hard? being teased and taunted isn't hard? I was picked on through my entire life and I'm still dealing with the negative effects. She's in for a rude awakening

[@lacylikespie7]

Since my school was private, I grew up with the same thirty people in my age group. In fifth grade I was made fun of constantly. They boys in my grade would pick on me, call me names, and etc. I only had one or two friends. It got better, and by the eighth grade I had a small group of friends. Now I go to a public high school, where I have a lot of great friends. Being bullied I think has made me stronger, and know I know how to stand up for myself. People don't mess with me anymore. :)

[@lamarheath]

Being popular is all about the way you carry your self,your confidence and most importantly your personality being pretty is a plus and clothes are just an accessory.

[@nadiyakaralash7878]

NONE of those girls are ugly what in the world

[@ScarsFromTomorrow1]

Not being popular sucks. I have no friends and I literally have to be homeschooled because going to school makes me so depressed and lonely and I end up cutting. And no one in the popular group gives a crap because I'm the stupid emo kid who they spread rumors about.

[@therealdeathnote3]

Just make more firends, and tell the poplar kids to stop telling lies about you.

[@ScarsFromTomorrow1]

Easy for you to say.

[@therealdeathnote3]

***** you just need to like yourself, and find your own power. I want to help you. There is nothing stupid about you at all, don't forget that.

[@ScarsFromTomorrow1]

God you sound like a therapist. Life doesn't work like that.

[@therealdeathnote3]

***** that was a little rude, but you have a point. I know what your thinking, she was a poplar person in highschool. But I was not, but I was happy because I was happy with myself.

[@hewwopersonlooknatmehusery1379]

How dare the POPULARS offend drama club!!! I mean Harry Potter shirts aren’t out of STYLE⚡️

[@jjmarie3472]

When I was in school I wasnt really 'popular' but I also wasnt 'unpopular'. Everyone knew who I was and I had friends in every category of people. I was lucky to have a class where everyone was friends. We never had 'plastics' or things like that. Yes, others were more popular but no one was really excluded out of our class. We all pretty much got along. There were some conflicts but never anything like this. Our class stood up for each other.

[@kaitieryan1172]

I absolutely LOVE that the "popular girls" are sitting on top of the desks and the "not popular girls" are sitting at the desks as if to represent that the "popular girls" are higher up than the "not popular girls". This makes me sad for humanity.

[@tulipchic34]

Highschool is such a small percentage of your life. Just study and get through and do something with your life.

[@samanthaanderson9887]

I'm sorry but all of the bullied girls are a lot more beautiful and worth 100 of the popular girls, hate isn't beautiful, honor and intelligence is.

[@kelly774]

The popular girls in my school are always pretty and caked in makeup with straightened hair and nice clothes. Some are nice and some are plain bitchy. All of the guys are jerks. They all party and smoke weed and drink and some have even had a few pregnancy scares -_-

[@johnnykling8309]

I see plenty of people treat others like dirt and everyone still likes and admires them. It's sad but true.

[@viharsarok]

Popularity in high school is a very good predictor of popularity later in life. The most important thing I have learned since I started working is that workplaces are not significantly different from high schools. There are popular and unpopular people, men hit on women, cliques are formed etc.

[@JoJo-qz6fh]

half of these so-called popular girls aint even cute at all though

[@KhloeBeal]

How are drama kids nerds of the school? Im in drama and everyone in theatre in my school arent considered nerds.(Although I consider myself a geek) Drama kids are the famous actors and actresses of the future. Do you think Zac Efrons a nerd? I think not.

[@angiel6918]

I saw in an interview that Zac Effron was bullied during his high school years though. Not disagreeing with you, I'm also a proud theatre kid, just thought I'd tell you that haha.

[@KhloeBeal]

yeah thats my point completely. he was bullied in high school but now everyone is in love with him.

[@angiel6918]

Khloe Beal Ahh right, I understand you! Apologies for my confusion :)

[@KhloeBeal]

thats sterotypical but at my school the drama kids are some of the most popular kids in school. but we arent like a regular drama department so maybe its different for every school. but our kids are popular and are actually becoming extremely successful but i guess it all depends on the school and teacher

[@FantasiaX96X]

See I don't get this at all... Like I did not think it was like the movies irl... Like in Ireland majority don't get bullied at all and everyone kinda gets along with everyone, at least at my school... Like people do take the piss if something embarrassing happens and there can be rumours just no one takes it to heart and with the rumours nobody really gives a fuck :) but weigh is a sensitive subject for any girl that's struggled with it no matter how small she is, bullying over that can cause eating disorders and self harming so everybody just don't go there even if you're joking, cos girls remember fücking everything xD

[@myexitinglife]

i think what makes someone popular is self-confidence. No matter what they look like, if they have a strong personality they will most likley attract people

[@paotez]

aww Chante is so cute! Pretty girl

[@skyfaith2002]

I live in a trailer park too. Hang in there girl.😉

[@kassiephelps2060]

This make's me sick.

[@dreamerknite]

the popular people r realy ugly

[@elenahickman4329]

Some of Hollywood's biggest actors and actresses were in drama club when they were in school those that went to school.

[@ChanceTaylor13]

That Shante!! Back at it again with her cuteness!!!!

[@notsurex]

you know her?

[@forcekin]

The popular girl in orange calling herself pretty multiple times really looks like a gorilla though.......

[@AS-dp6vy]

3:08 "Everyone knows us. Even in the middle school". Me when I get a Like.

[@Darima2]

i really think popularity is owning who you are so that nobody dares question it. Ifyou look at the way each side is holding themselves,there's a huge difference,one side owning it which i can tell you they probably were taught that from very young. The other side is slumped over hands tightly clasped showing a position of inferiority and people pick up on that.The way you carry yourself makes a HUGE difference. I gave my sister that advice when she entered highschool and so far no problems.

[@Mania101]

I agree with you completely. They think everyone wants to be friends with them, but who would want to be friends with people that are mean like that. Not everyone likes them, they probably don't even like each other.

[@walqqr1]

This was so staged but we all believed those were real high schoolers lol

[@minuripeiris8194]

she's so pretty! she looks awsome even without makeup!

[@cookiemonster4eva100]

When the girl said that people in drama club are unpopular really hit home..I'm in drama club at school

[@coralaisly]

Sometimes I think I'm the only person on the planet who went through high school essentially unnoticed and was perfectly fine with that. I thought it was odd when someone even knew my name and recognized me, and the few times I had rumors about me, I laughed and said "That's ridiculous. You know me better than that, but say what you will," shrugged and that was the end of it. If you don't care what people say about you, people don't tak.

[@hottie1248]

i think the unpopular kids just really need a boost of confidence, no one is gonna respect u or like u if u don't love and respect yourself

[@vaultgirl6420]

Being popular doesn't mean the whole school knows you and loves you. It means you took control made yourself known and striked fear into the hearts of the weaker. I myself am "popular". I have friends in every circle at the school. I may not be the prettiest girl around but others think I'm a decendant of a god. It's not about looks. It's about how you carry yourself and who your connections are. So don't blame others for putting you down. You only feel bad if you think what they say is true.

[@Dancingswan54]

I'm the middle, have friends that are popular and friend that are not so popular. Most of the people that are popular in our school are the social, funny ones. Not al of them are good looking, it's more about how many people like you rather than how many people want to be you type thing.

[@netsukadettynuma8262]

Thats true... It is very hard but not impossible find a group of friends that love you for you :) it helps

[@ItsJordynnnnn]

i miss this show so much

[@LoveTheMoments1]

I miss this show so much !

[@laraleilal322]

the main difference between the two groups is self-esteem. The girls in both groups are physically similar. However, the popular girls dress nicer, put more make up on, and have more self-esteem

[@saramelle]

The ones who bash others are usually the ones who cry easily when you bash them in return...

[@bahirahm9997]

i love Tyra and the subjects she touches up on. :D

[@TheMisslucky121]

in my class there are 2 groups that separate at lunch but we are all friends and if one of us is hurt by the other we say something and sort it out and help pick each other up when we fall down. I love everyone in my class xx

[@thimblewimple]

The main difference between the popular and unpopular girls: confidence!

[@taeyeonbias]

"they are nerds, and we happy with our style" well well well can I take a big mac and a soda with that too

[@rileylovesbedcover]

in my school it doesn't really matter what you look like. If you're funny, nice, and pretty outgoing i guess you're "popular" but that's really because they're friends with a lot of people due to their personality

[@Kelly101Girl]

i honestly think personality/connections plays a big role as well. some rely on looks so they would naturally get ppl flocking to them. others have the personality backing them up, therefore confidence DOES work wonders. if you don't have neither then *well known/popular* friends or family can raise a persons status.

[@petsandanimalsrule7842]

This is really good and it shows how people are in high school and if everyone saw this maybe they would be nice and kind

[@HOTKNlFE]

im so glad the popular girls at my school (at least the upper class men) r rlly nice and are kind to everyone no matter what race age or ability

[@PhilosophizingNymph]

"Everyone knows us, even in the middle school" OH WELL AREN'T YOU SPECIAL

[@toushiro62]

wow im so happy to be in a school where everyone talks to eachother and the line between popular and unpopular is very blurred

[@Adiamondzz11]

that girl with the glasses, one with the blue eyes is beautiful !!

[@8OH3_]

I'm glad it was brought up. I think some of the "popular" girls will realize how ridiculous their behavior was... But overall, high school just sucks. Everyone is pretty much insecure (the popular ones just project with a ton of over confidence) and discovering themselves. I was not popular and hated high school, but life goes on and you discover yourself and what's great about you. A good bit of the "popular" kids I went to school with pretty much just peaked in HS.

[@TheChannelJ1]

I MISS THIS SHOW

[@theultimatenigrette]

It's actually really sad how they make other people feel like crap as a hobby. And thank you :)

[@7694Linda]

But aww Peggy seems so hurt. And I love Amanda's bravery

[@jadesweetbutton]

Hahahaha our money, you mean your parents money. on a side note: Chante is soo cute!

[@HTMashups]

All the unpopular girls are so pretty. It totally breaks my heart to see people treat them like dirt...

[@BonesBelieber1424]

Middle school for me was full of stupid, meaningless drama. High school - barely any. I think maturity is such a big factor in how "popularity" is defined. The kids at my school who are popular now are the ones that are smart, talkative, and friendly to everyone.

[@Uptownboujay]

Tbh it's all about the personality and confidence.

[@perfumaphilia3246]

It's incredible how superficial popularity is when you're in middle school/high school. I was not popular during either, but I noticed that when I wore stylish clothes that were on trend and revealed my body, boys immediately noticed me and girls starting talking to me more. A little makeup, nice clothes, and some basic social skills meant the difference between invisibility and visibility at that stage in life. Fucking depressing.

[@kristenemmerich4501]

and my high school was a really small tight school...all ten girls have gone to every awareness weekend in high school where we sleep over the school for a weekend where everyone loves and is full of positivity. tamara (the ugly popular girl in the orange) was best friends with 2 of the unpopular girls we were all nothing but nice to each other. brittany the unpopular girl had a shit ton more friends than i did and was never mad fun of noone was

[@mizbeautybarbie]

6:47 She's gorgeous, like no joke....if she just took off the glasses, she would look like a 100% beauty queen...even her hair is perfectly wavy.

[@adrianam.4208]

Those are the popular girls lmfao

[@leahm5363]

that amanda girl is actually so beautiful. it's a shame people think just because people are different they needed to be treated differently.