Tyra Banks has a penchant for playing dress-up (see: episode where she wore a fat suit), but in the September issue of Harper's Bazaar, she's slipping into a power suit to portray Michelle Obama in a fashion spread. While the dress-up stand-in seems odd, the mag has ventured into the politics of mimicry before, featuring fashion models posed next to cardboard cutouts of the candidates.
Given the sometimes questionable authenticity surrounding a campaign, this seems to make sense on a deeper level (candidates = cardboard), but what does the Tyra stunt mean? While the vocal African-American supermodel has spoken out on race in the past, is the larger statement that she has a potential first lady to portray at last? Or is this just a huge September mag fashion stunt? One of the shots has been leaked, you can see for yourself.
Milly
Maison Martin Margiela
Rizzo
I'm opposed for the same reason I was opposed to Lindsay Lohan dressing up as Marilyn Monroe. There's just no comparing this low-rent version to the icon.
1I can't handle Tyra anymore. When I was younger (and never heard her speak) I thought she seemed nice. With America's Next Top Model and her show though...she does come across as very self involved. Joel McHale does a great job with her on the Soup.
2Jillness is right.
I cannot STAND Tyra. I'll admit, I do watch ANTM. Mostly to make fun of it & I like the photo challenges. But Tyra is SOOOO full of herself! I fast forward anytime she comes out & opens her mouth.
3Jillness is right; the Soup is always dead on with their assessments of Tyra's narcissism. I can't stand her and I'm sure I won't be able to stand this spread.
4OH LAWD ty-ty baby give it a rest. I'd rather watch Ricki Lake than her talk show. I still watch ANTM though!
5torgleson - i agree with you 100%
6Thanks! I also wonder if Michelle Obama is okay with this or if she was even asked. I'd be annoyed if Ty-Ty dressed up like me.
7i am amazed at what she will do to remain relevant.
8>i am amazed at what she will do to remain relevant.
I agree! I'd be too embarrassed.
9tyra banks is insane
10hm i think bazaar's making a comment on the celebrity that's attached to the obamas? i mean you can't get as commercialized as ty-ty baby.
also, i think she's an interesting character to watch on ANTM. but someone needs to deflate her ego, and her hair. i'm just afraid she's going to use this Bazaar cover/spread as fodder for her narcissism.
11I love the Soup specials that seem to just be filled with Tyra. I have never watched her show before, but I feel from those clips I know the whole premise and I am quite better off!
12I've watched Tyra's show a couple of times. She would have fantastic guests. What she needs to work on is listening to her guest and not cutting them off when they are telling their story. She cuts them off when they are talking and start talking about her on problem or story. The problem of that is that we don't always get a good enjoyment of what her guests have to say.
I remember she did this very clearly when Donald Trump and his daughter, Ivanka, were her guests. I love hearing what Donald has to say and I wanted to hear what Ivanka had to say, but I recall Tyra, more than once dug in and cut them off and told her on story which, I hate to say it Tyra, but it was uninteresting. Ooops! Did I say that?
The down side of this is once she cut her guest off when they are saying something, the momemtum is lost for them to pick back up where they left off, so we are stuck with frustration & disappointment.
Tyra, please practice listening to your guests and stop cutting them off to tell your story. Let them finish, then tell your story if you want to. Your rating would probably go even higher if you do this.
Love ya!
13In case anyone's interested, Dlisted has a shot from the photoshoot and some quotes from the interview.
14And you can check out one of the pics here too if you're interested.
15well, Tyra is insane, everyone knows that.
16I used to LOVE Tyra when ANTM first started, but now I cring whenever I see her on tv. A website interviewed Joel McHale and they asked if there was anyone who took his jokes too personally and he said the only one was Tyra, she actually tried to take legal action against them, which of course means they are going to go after her even more. I was genuinely disappointed when I heard that.
17Iris maybe she learned that interrupting skill from Oprah, who tends to cut people off frequently as well.
18And I'm sorry, but this photo shoot is just strange, and Tyra looks like a maniac.
19poor michelle she deserves someone way better and much less insane than tyra portraying her. love michelle, hate tyra.
20poor michelle she deserves someone way better and much less insane than tyra portraying her. love michelle, hate tyra.
21This is silly. The only reason Tyra agreed to do this was to feed her own ego. Michelle deserves better. If this speard had to be done, I would perfer Alek Wek or Liya Kebede, or, god forbid, even Naomi.
22while i admire her pioneering status, tyra banks can be really ridiculous when it comes to media attention. boo.
23Hi Bluesaralou,
You are right. I have seen Oprah do that.
For Tyra, she would be transformed immediately if she would just listen, let her guests talk, then say what she wants.
That would give her so much more credibility.
Please listen to us Tyra!
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