America's next top role models: the courageous and outrageous queens of America's Next Top Model are more than ready for prime time.

It wasn't when Queer Eye's Fab 5 made over a gay guy or even when Graham Norton debuted on Comedy Central. Nope, the gayest moment on prime-time TV in 2004 (not counting Showtime) happened October 13 on, of all places, UPN. We're talking, of course, about America's Next Top Model, Tyra Banks's top-rated supermodel competition, which just concluded a fantabulous third season, filled to the balm with perhaps the most flamboyant gay men ever to grace the public airwaves.

And the October 13 episode (airing the week of National Coming Out Day, no less) had them all: Heatherette designers and Paris Hilton stylists Richie Rich and Traver Rains, with their club-kid sense of style and "Circus of Panic" fashion show; Top Model art director Jay Manuel, with his silver hair and nonplussed reaction when dim-bulb Norelle proudly flaunted her breasts; judge Nole Marin, with his open adoration of breakout plus-size star Toccara. Even hairstylist Danilo, with his opulent handlebar moustache, managed to sneak a quick cameo.

The episode belonged, however, to "Miss" J. Alexander, international model coach and runway walking expert. Not five minutes in, Alexander was strutting down a makeshift runway in heels and a letter-perfect schoolmarm costume--a deliberate attempt, he says, to get the contestants comfortable about making a fool of themselves while trying to relearn how to walk.

"All of that was me. I'm halfway cuckoo, and I thought it would be funny," says Alexander from his home in Paris, where he's been teaching runway posture and walking for the last 11 years. (Banks is a former student.) "Actually, I wanted to do it entirely in an English accent. But one of the producers [said], 'Oh, J., I don't know, maybe [the audience] won't understand it.' That's American TV for you."

With his wild wing-sized hair and trippingly stentorian elocution, Alexander is certainly one of a kind, and he's been a part of Top Model since the second episode of season 1. His extensive knowledge of fashion and outsize personality were exactly what Banks and fellow executive producer Ken Mok were looking for when they first designed the show.

"We said, 'Look, we are going to do a very accurate representation of the fashion world,'" says Mok. "The reality is there are many people in the fashion world who are gay, and we are going to represent that on TV." If there has been any red-state backlash, Mok hasn't seen it: "I've got to tell you, we've not got any negative feedback. It's really, really weird." In fact, Mok says, "we continually get positive feedback on J. Alexander, Jay Manuel and the [gay] people who are on the show. That's truly surprising to me."

It doesn't surprise Alexander: "What's too gay in 2004? The whole gaiety thing, the over-the-topness--I think it's great TV if it comes off as a natural part of the person's personality."

Mok agrees. "It's got to be an honest show. And frankly, when you see J.'s legs, don't you want to see him like that? He's got great legs. If I had his legs, I would show them off."

Vary also writes for Entertainment Weekly.

TOP 10 TV MOMENTS

(1) McGreevey's resignation/coming-out He coined the expression "1 am a gay American" in one of the most compelling press conferences ever given by a governor, gay or otherwise.

(2) The L Word This smart and sexy lesbian series accomplishes the unthinkable by turning gay men into addicts of dyke drama.

(3) The Wire Queer characters on both sides of the law are just part of what makes this drama about cops and dealers so riveting.

(4) The Opposite Sex Two documentaries about transgender lives that skyrocketed past anything ever aired on TV about the subject.

(5) Wonderfalls This quirky, short-lived gem from two out creators had wit, verve, panache, and an amazing lesbian character.

(6) Seriously, Dude, I'm Gay The satire you may never see on TV taught straight dudes how much they have in common with gay guys.

(7) Degrassi: The Next Generation Gay teen Marco got elected student council president and even kissed a boy on this always bold and utterly addictive Canadian teen soap.

(8) Colonial House Two gay guys and a surprise coming out provided more explosions than the Battle of Bunker Hill.

(9) America's Next Top Model This hell-on-heels reality show includes some of the tube's fiercest queens [see right].

(10) Six Feet Under and Queer as Folk The originals, and still dependable.