Tyra Banks

Whitney Thompson Named America's Next Top Model

Alissa R — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:19:04 -0400

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The show's first ever "plus-size" winner is a size 10

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Whitney Thompson is America's Next Top Model.

On Wednesday night's finale, Tyra Banks crowned Thompson, making her the show's first ever "plus-size" model to win.

Thompson, who fluctuates between a size 8 and 10, says she's proud of the distinction.

"I'm not going to lose 50 pounds — if someone asks me to do that, I'll go to another [modeling] agency," the Florida native, 20, told the New York Post.

"I've already heard online from boys and girls all over the world who are dealing with eating disorders," she added. "They're thanking me for standing up and saying, "I am a plus-size model and I am beautiful."

Plus, "this is what people look like!" Thompson said, referring to herself, "rather than skin and bones, which is disgusting and sends a bad message to people everywhere."

Thompson, who beat out out Anya Kap for the title, receives a contract with CovergGirl makeup and will appear on the July cover of Seventeen magazine. She also won a contract to be repped by Elite Model Management.

See Us' weight winners here.

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Whitney arrives at the CW Network's Upfront at Lincoln Center on May 13, 2008 in New York City.

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Oprah Winfrey's Show Not Renewed

Alissa R — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:02:10 -0400

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PLUS: Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks are helming a "beauty pageant like no other"

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Oprah Winfrey's Big Give will not be returning to ABC this fall.

The charitable reality show was one of a handful of shows not renewed by the network, ABC announced Tuesday.

"Oprah felt like she got a message out there," a rep said on a conference call. "It was not something she wanted to renew."

Sex and the City protege show Cashmere Mafia, Men in Trees, and Women's Murder Club are also getting the ax.

Returning shows include Boston Legal, Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives, Eli Stone, Dirty Sexy Money, Grey's Anatomy, Ugly Betty (which is moving to NYC), and Scrubs, which is jumping networks from NBC for its final season.

The network also unveiled an untitled project helmed by Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks. "It's a beauty pageant like no other," a rep said. "They're both very excited about it and have been integral in the development process."

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Oprah Winfrey poses at Celebraton to Welcome Chaka Kahn, BeBe Winans and Lakisha Jones to "The Color Purple" on Broadway at The Broadway Theater on January 9, 2008 in New York.

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Spencer Pratt: "100% Fact" Lauren Conrad Sex Tape Existed

Alissa R — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:45:08 -0400

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"I would rather throw up" than watch the footage, he says

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Spencer Pratt has refueled the long-standing feud between him and Lauren Conrad.

On Tuesday's episode of The Tyra Banks Show, he says that he is "100%" sure there was a rumored sex tape starring Conrad.

"I know for 100% fact it did exist – 1000%!" he declares.

Banks asks if Pratt had actually seen it.

"I would never watch that!" Pratt says. "I would rather throw up... but I know for a fact, and I would take a lie detector test."

Heidi Montag — who appeared alongside Pratt on the show — also claims the tape was "not a rumor. From what I have heard from confirmed sources... her ex-boyfriend was going around trying to sell it."

Banks then asks Montag, if she hadn't seen the tape, how could she be so sure it existed.

"Well, I mean, I am not sure she has it anymore... but from what I've heard..."

Montag adds, "I am not really allowed to elaborate."

In April 2007, Conrad told Usmagazine.com, "There is no sex tape that exists."

Conrad and Montag's friendship fizzled after she accused her of spreading rumors about the raunchy tape.

Watch the complete episode of The Tyra Banks Show airing Tuesday, April 29 (check your local listings).

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Tyra Banks Not Leaving America’s Next Top Model

Lindsay Powers — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:40:31 -0400

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Rep: reports that she is feuding with Jay Manuel are "not true"

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There is no cat claw action going on behind the scenes of America’s Next Top Model.

Citing unnamed sources, OK! Magazine had reported that Tyra Banks and Jay Manuel “aren’t speaking” and that the CW hit “seems to detract from her big plans” to focus on her talk show, The Tyra Banks Show.

But her rep vehemently tells Usmagazine.com, "The rumors about Tyra leaving and the fight with Jay are NOT TRUE!"

Relive Banks' bathing suit drama here.

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Tyra Banks attends the Baby Phat Fall 2008 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2008 at Roseland on February 1, 2008 in New York City.

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Stars at Fashion Week!

Allison Corneau — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:01:06 -0500

Tyra Banks Speaks Out: I Never Bashed Britney Spears!

Mark Cina — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:58:48 -0500

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The model denies saying that Spears "should just go ahead and kill herself"

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Tyra Banks claims she has never bashed Britney Spears.

Blogs were recently abuzz with word that, during a recent private party, Banks, 34, said: “[Britney] should just go ahead and kill herself after the album and go out like Marilyn [Monroe], very grand. She should have done it after the last album."

But the America's Next Top Model host issued the following statement Thursday:

"Britney is a friend and we correspond with each other. These alleged statements are completely false."

No word, however, if Banks would approve of Spears playing the Virgin Mary or Spears' downward style spiral.

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Britney Spears attends the Scandinavian Mansion of Style held on December 1, 2007 in Los Angeles; Tyra Banks attends CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute on December 6, 2007 in New York City.

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Jeffrey Mayer/Wireimage.com; Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com

Janice Dickinson: Jennifer Love Hewitt Is "Healthy," Tyra Banks Looks "Fat"

Mandi Illuzzi — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:49:31 -0500

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The former Top Model judge weighed in on the bikini debate on The Today Show

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Janice Dickinson, always one to speak her mind, weighed in on those much-discussed bikini photos of Jennifer Love Hewitt — and then went a step further, comparing Hewitt to Tyra Banks. (See other stars in the center of a swimsuit controversy here.)

On The Today Show this morning, Dickinson, 52, told Al Roker that Hewitt "is a healthy, not emaciated woman."

"These are unflattering camera angles on her," she continued. "You want to see someone who's fat? I'm sorry, Tyra. Tyra Banks is fat. This girl is not fat."

When Roker came to Banks' defense, saying he didn't think anyone would consider her fat, Dickinson backtracked, adding, "I'm kidding because I love Miss Banks."

Watch the video here.

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Janice Dickinson and Tyra Banks on the set of America's Next Top Model in 2003.

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Mandy Moore: "I Curse Like a Sailor"

Mandi Illuzzi — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:01:37 -0500

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The singer comes clean about her bad habit to Tyra Banks

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Get Mandy Moore a bar of soap.

The singer, 23 — who recently reconnected with ex DJ AM — has admitted she has a severe cursing problem.

She recently confessed her dirty habit to Tyra Banks.

“[Moore]'s like, ‘I curse like a sailor.’ And so, I was like, ‘F--k,’ and she was like, ‘S--t’ ... we were like ‘bleep bleep bleep bleep!’" Banks told Extra in an interview airing Tuesday.

"I was like, ‘Wow, Mandy’ ... Mandy Moore curses better than me!”

For the entire Mandy Moore interview, watch The Tyra Banks Show Friday.

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Mandy Moore arrives at the 11th Annual ACE Awards on November 5, 2007 in New York City; Tyra Banks arrives at the KLS Fall 2007 Collection in Hollywood on March 23, 2007.

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Jim Spellman/WireImage.com; Todd Williamson/WireImage.com

Hot Stuff: Jennifer Garner Named Woman of the Year

Megan Lynn — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:31:49 -0400

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The actress graces the cover of Glamour's issue profiling the year in women.

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· Jennifer Garner goes from cute mommy on the go to hot mama in a gown as Glamour's Women of the Year cover girl.

· We've heard horizontal stripes aren't figure flattering, but this is ridiculous! (Seriously, Christina, just say you're pregnant.)

· Singer Robert Goulet dies at 73.

· While Jessica Seinfeld promotes healthy recipes for kids, husband Jerry promotes McDonald's to them as an adorable animated bee.

· Tyra Banks is one step closer to achieving her dream of being the loopy version of her media mogul idol Oprah.

· Barack Obama shows off his presidential will by not giving in to Brad Pitt's charms.

· NBC is planning a spin-off of their hit comedy The Office.

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Jennifer Garner arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere of "The Kingdom" on September 17, 2007.

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Exclusive: Tyra Banks Not Engaged

Megan Lynn — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:09:45 -0400

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Despite rumors claiming otherwise, the model and TV mogul is not getting married.

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Contrary to reports that Tyra Banks and her boyfriend, New York investment banker John Utendahl, got engaged over the weekend, Banks’ rep exclusively tells Usmagazine.com, “It's not true. Tyra is not engaged.”

Banks, 33, and Utendahl have been dating since July. She recently relocated filming for both her talk show and America’s Top Model to New York.

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Tyra Banks at the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, CA. on June 15, 2007.

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Tyra Banks

Whitney Thompson Named America's Next Top Model

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Spencer Pratt: "100% Fact" Lauren Conrad Sex Tape Existed

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Tyra Banks Not Leaving America’s Next Top Model

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Tyra Banks Speaks Out: I Never Bashed Britney Spears!

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