America's Next Top Model: "I'm the Ringleader!"

Contestant insists she was not "a ridiculous little sidekick" after being ousted for lacking fierceness in her face

Another petite America's Next Top Model contestant was sent home in yesterday's yawner. Is it just us, or is this cycle seriously short on the dramz? What's in store for us now that one of the most outspoken little spitfires had to pack her petite bags—and the shy girl is doing most of the gossip? Read on to hear what the eliminated model had to say about her fickle foe...and to defend her ferocity.

Oh, Lulu. Not only did Nicole characterize the gay Brooklynite as Ashley's "ridiculous little sidekick," but Jay Manuel said her photo shoot was "boring boring boring" and her favorite judge, Miss J, criticized her walk—advice she ignored. "I refuse to change my walk," she said. "It's my signature." The final blow occurred at judges' panel, when Nigel Barker said hers was one of his "favorite faces in this room"—and then sent her home.

So Nicole came out of her shell in this episode and behaved like a typical model by complaining about her housemates and initiating a friendship (!) with Bianca (!)...but we prefer the atypical, peculiar version of Ms. Bloody Eyeball. Ironically, Lulu claims responsibility for helping Nicole open up.

"In the beginning no one really spoke with Nicole except for Ashley and I," Lulu told us today. "Nicole always seemed uncomfortable and away from the group. And I don't like people to be shying away, I like people to be talking." (We got that.) "Bianca used to be the one who [told Nicole], 'You're weird and I don't like you.' Then all of a sudden Bianca and Nicole are best friends. Ashley and I were just like, 'Be careful...Bianca sees you're the competition and she's going to latch onto you. It's obvious—she's not your friend.' "

As for Nicole's sidekick label? "Oh, my goodness—it made me laugh," Bianca said with the fierceness that the judges say is lacking in her soft face. "Of all people in the house, Nicole should very well know that I am not a sidekick. I'm the ringleader, and Ashley's the sidekick. Ashley just talks more. I just say what needs to be said and not unnecessary things."