''America's Next Top Model'' America's Next Top Model Cycle 5 D'Amato claims to have been dared to send in an audition tape to ''America's Next Top Model'' because her friends were obsessed with the show. After a year of persuasion, she decided to participate in the program realizing she had nothing to lose. D'Amato was the last (thirteenth) contestant (edited as the second last (twelfth) contestant called and followed by Ebony Taylor when aired) selected for the top thirteen to compete on the UPN reality television show ''
America's Next Top Model Cycle 5''. On the show, D'Amato soon became known as the "most notorious" of the contestants, not scared to speak her mind to the other contestants. She explained that this support truly comes from her heart because she wants other models to look their best, especially on national television. D'Amato cites having been abused as a child as the reason for her hard-hitting, survivalist attitude. She shocked the other contestants by urinating in a diaper while on a shoot which
Nicole Linkletter was disgusted about. D'Amato would run around with wigs, masks, and weird outfits; and once had a long conversation with a
Pampas Grass bush she named "
Cousin It". Over her stay, D'Amato won two challenges, received one Covergirl of the Week award, received one first call-out and two second call-outs. The judges eliminated D'Amato seventh (since fellow contestant
Cassandra Jean quit the competition in episode four) in
London during her only ever bottom two appearance which Jayla Rubinelli had survived for the second consecutive time. D'Amato has been identified since
cycle 5 as one of the most memorable contestants due to her entertaining personality, unconventional beauty, penchant for melodrama, and strong fan base.
America's Next Top Model Cycle 6 D'Amato appeared as an assistant in a
Cycle 6 episode where the top ten contestants received lessons on commercial and high-fashion posing from
Janice Dickinson.
Winning America's Next Top Model Cycle 17: All-Stars After her first appearance on the show, D'Amato was selected to return to America's Next Top Model along with former fellow contestant
Bre Scullark to both represent
their Cycle together on
the first All-Star edition of the show along with twelve other returning contestants from past
America's Next Top Model cycles. D'Amato's seemingly off the wall antics secured her spot on this season of the show and aided in her journey to the top. Like all the other contestants on
Cycle 17, D'Amato was given a branding word: "daring". Using this key term, she presented herself on the show accordingly; wearing bold outfits for panel, expressing her extroverted personality and molding the challenges to fit her image. During her time on the show, she developed her own perfume called "Neon", performed in a music video for her song "I Be Like Whoa", won three challenges, received three first call-outs, survived her first bottom two appearance over Camille McDonald from
Cycle 2 and was part of a non-elimination bottom two with former
Cycle 12 semifinalist and
Cycle 14 contestant Angelea Preston. On December 7, 2011, D'Amato won over fellow finalist
Allison Harvard from
Cycle 12 who was the runner-up in both of her cycles. D'Amato is the second contestant (after
America's Next Top Model Cycle 8 Winner
Jaslene Gonzalez) in the show's history to compete on more than one cycle and win. This win also makes D'Amato the oldest winner at the age of 30.
America's Next Top Model Cycle 18: British Invasion D'Amato appeared in episode six of
Cycle 18: British Invasion to inform the top nine contestants that they will have to perform in a group music video representing their country. The former
Britain's Next Top Model contestants performing were Catherine Thomas of
Cycle 4, Annaliese Dayes, and eventual cycle winner
Sophie Sumner both of
Cycle 5, and Alisha White of
Cycle 6. The US contestants performing were Kyle Gober, Seymone Cohen-Fobish, Laura LaFrate,
Eboni Davis and eventual eliminee from this episode
AzMarie Livingston.
Other She appeared on the third season of
Celebrity Rehab. She appeared on the fifth season of WeTV's
Marriage Boot Camp Reality Stars. In 2011, D'Amato starred in an
Oxygen (TV channel) Network ordered television pilot titled "My Name Is Lisa" produced by Den of Thieves. The ensemble cast includes Lisa D'Amato, Brendan Vaughn, Adam Friedman, Benji Lanpher, Chris Bordeaux, and Lilly Rose. D'Amato pitched her product, Dare-U-Go! on
season 10 of
Shark Tank. She made a deal with
Barbara Corcoran for a $150,000 cash plus $200,000 loan in exchange for 35% stake. == Modeling career ==