Work gets in the way of so many things, including Ms. Tyra Banks getting all tough on Presidential wannabe Mike Huckabee. Here’s the video of Tyra and Huckabee chatting about homosexuality.

Ms. Tyra Banks will be interviewing Mike Huckabee, the homo-hater running for President this Friday and while Edwards and Hillary got the press for being wacky, this one will hopefully get all the press for being the most hard hitting. Tyra gettin’ all legit!

Here is the transcript from Tyra laying into Huckabee about his stance on gay marriage and the issue of homosexuality.

TYRA BANKS: I know that you are a preacher; do you believe that homosexuality is immoral?

GOVERNOR HUCKABEE: Well, I think a lot of things in our lives are missing the mark. The word sin means missing the mark. It doesn’t mean that a person has committed murder. I miss the mark if I don’t tell the whole truth. I miss the mark in a lot of ways. I think that we were created to have relationships with someone of the opposite gender, that how’s we reproduce, that’s how we live our lives. So I think sometimes if you say is it a sin or immoral and people think you’re making these terrible statements about somebody. I’ve had people who are gay that worked on my staff. It’s not like I’m some homophobe. If you ask me is it the normal pathway? I don’t think so. But, you know, I respect that people have different views about that.

TYRA BANKS: Do you want the gay vote?

GOVERNOR HUCKABEE: Sure, I want every vote. Seriously, I want to be president of everybody. And I can disagree with people over a choice they make in their life or a over a lifestyle, and still be their president and still say I want to keep you free, I want to keep your country safe, I want to make your taxes lower not higher. I want to solve some
issues like the problems we have in education, and rebuild our health care system and I think whether a person is straight or gay, they want a president who is solving issues, not just pointing out differences among people.

TYRA BANKS: What if they say, I want to vote for you Governor Huckabee, but I’m a gay man and I want to marry my man. What do you say to that?

GOVERNOR HUCKABEE: To change the definitions of institutions like marriage is beyond saying, if people want to live a life that’s different than others, that’s fine but when you redefine basic institutions of marriage, government, whatever they may be that’s when we really should have a pretty thorough public discussion about it.

TYRA BANKS: You’re open to a public discussion at least?

GOVERNOR HUCKABEE: I think we’re having that. Whether or not we should change the rules and marriage and redefine it someway, I’m not comfortable with that.

TYRA BANKS: Comfortable or opposed?

GOVERNOR HUCKABEE: Opposed. I think it’s something that is not a good thing. I go back to the point the a marriage ought to be, the context in which two people not only have, they may not have children but have the capacity and ultimately to train replacements and create the kind of environment in which people are able to thrive.

TYRA BANKS: I’m asking you some many questions about this because I love the gays and the gays love me. And I know I cannot walk down the street here in New York City if I didn’t press that issue and truly ask you that.

GOVERNOR HUCKABEE: I think you should. I think people will respect my views on that, I respect theirs. The great thing about America is we can have totally different viewpoints and we can do it without having animosity, and hatred. This is one of the great countries where you can have sharp disagreements without killing each other over it. That’s where I think we need to celebrate what is great about America and that is we all don’t have to agree.

Girl, the gays love you to! Tune in on Friday, February 29th to see this spectacle.

Yesterday, GLAAD (The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) announced the list of nominees for their annual Media Awards from the Queer Lounge at Sundance (is that PC for bath house) and though I’m a day late posting these, I thought it was worth rattling off regardless of timing. The GLAAD Media Awards recognize fair and accurate portrayals by mainstream media of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered issues.

Here are the the nominees:

Drama Series
Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
Degrassi: The Next Generation (The N)
Dirty Sexy Money (ABC)
Greek (ABC Family)
The L Word (Showtime)

Comedy Series
Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Exes and Ohs (Logo)
The Sarah Silverman Program (Comedy Central)
Ugly Betty (ABC)
The War at Home (Fox)

Individual Episode (in a series w/o a regular LGBT character)
“Boy Crazy” Cold Case (CBS)
“Do Tell” Boston Legal (ABC)
“Free to Be You and Me” Kyle XY (ABC Family)
“The Gangs of Camden County” My Name is Earl (NBC)
“Sin” Law & Order: SVU (NBC)

Television Movie, Mini-Series or Anthology
Daphne (Logo)
The DL Chronicles (here!)
The State Within (BBC America)

Documentary
Camp Out (Logo)
Cruel and Unusual: Transgender Women in Prison (WE tv)
For the Bible Tells Me So (First Run Features)
Freddie Mercury: Magic Remixed (VH1/Logo)
Small Town Gay Bar (Logo)

Reality Program
“Chase/Lane” Trading Spouses (Fox)
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (Bravo)
Project Runway (Bravo)
Who Wants to Be a Superhero? (SciFi Channel)
Work Out (Bravo)

Daily Drama
All My Children (ABC)
As The World Turns (CBS)

Talk Show Episode
“Born in the Wrong Body” The Oprah Winfrey Show (syndicated)
“Gay Around the World” The Oprah Winfrey Show (syndicated)
“Gay Athletes & Rappers: It’s Not In to be Out” The Tyra Banks Show (syndicated)
“Growing Up Intersex” The Oprah Winfrey Show (syndicated)
“Transgender Kids” The Tyra Banks Show (syndicated)

TV Journalism - Newsmagazine
Born in the Wrong Body (MSNBC)
“A Church Divided” In the Life (PBS)
“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” 60 Minutes (CBS)
“My Secret Self: A Story of Transgender Children” 20/20 (ABC)
“A Royal Scandal” Primetime: Family Secrets (ABC)

TV Journalism - News Segment
“The First Casualty” Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN)
“Gay Homeless Teens” Uncovering America (CNN)
“Gospel of Inclusion” Uncovering America (CNN)
“Sent Away to ‘Change’” Good Morning America (ABC)
“Sex Change Controversy” Paula Zahn Now (CNN)

America’s Next Top Model is finally moving back to New York City for their 10th season so maybe that means there will be some real modeling gigs in the future for the newest crop of stick figures. I’m sick of the crappy shoots in gardens and in deserts with the LA skyline in the background. I mean who thinks of Los Angeles when you think of modeling and fashion? Not my gay ass.

Give me some heroine thin girls looking cracked out in a bathtub next to a line of tourists waiting at the TKTS booth in Times Square. I want to see Miss J in high heels stomping the yard and eating a Papaya dog for christ sake. I want cameras following Tyra Banks as she makes three trips a day to Rice to Riches prior to making that hideous talk show of hers. It’s time for Top Model to get fierce again!

So here’s the scoop on Season 10. It premieres February 20th on The CW and location is not the only difference you’ll notice this season. Out is “Fashion Icon and Living Legend” Twiggy but in her place is the still stunning Paulina Porizkova who will hopefully bring some much needed criticism and sass back to the group.

Here are the girls that are in the running to become America’s Next Top Model (Cycle 10):

AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL premiered last night and aside from singing the Love Boat theme all night, I couldn’t have been happier. Top Model is now in its 9th season and while they’ve had some ups and downs over the years, I’ve always felt that the show is highly entertaining and the cast of characters they gather are usually worth their waifish weight in gold.

This year they took 33 semi-finalists, put them on a cruise ship and set sail for sandy beaches. Miss J was their lovely cruise director and she had them working the ship’s track as a catwalk. We quickly learned that while a couple of those sticks could strut it on the runway, many of these girls could barely walk a straight line. One’s a hunchback, another pigeon toed, seriously it’s amazing some of these girls can walk down the street.

There’s nothing better than Miss J imitating girls who can’t walk. They must want to kill themselves after that. She’s a trip!

Tyra on the other hand needs to tone it down. Since she decided to “retire” from modeling she’s gone from curvy to fat back to curvy then straight to crazy. She decided that her entrance this year would be a Vegas style showgirls number. It was nauseating. Hell one of the girls threw up (okay so that was a different time and she had sea-sickness but that’s beside the point).

Boston was very present in the semi-finalists (3 girls), as were the egomaniacs ala Jade. But in true Top Model fashion, getting too invested in these girls in the first episode is always a mistake. After Tyra, Miss J and Jay interviewed and tortured these girls at high sea, there was a quick beach front photo shoot with Cycle 8 winner Jaslene in the house (girl still sounds as deaf as Marlee Matlin but who am I to judge).

Then it was time for them to make the first round of cuts. 33 went to 20 in the blink of an eye. I apparently blinked some more because aside from people calling Ebony out as this years most hated girl, I don’t remember much until the finalists were revealed.

On a clear catwalk above the ships pool was where Tyra widdled it down from 20 to the Top 13. Why do I love watching these cocky and sadly average girls get knocked down? There’s nothing better than watching a girl who thought she was the next Naomi Campbell crying her eyes out because she has to go back home to her job at the DQ like the rest of the world. Cry girls, cry because it makes my night to see you sobbing on that screen.

I’m happy to say that all of my favorites made it and move on to compete for the title of America’s Next Top Model.

Who are my Top picks? That’s a hard one because with only that one photo shoot under their belt, its hard to tell what they’ll look like post-makeover — which means I’m basing this on their mousy before photos. That being said, I’m banking on the odd girls this year. Victoria, Heather, and Jenah.

But there are some beauties as well that I’d like to see go further, like Saleisha or Lisa.

In other words, it’s too hard to tell who could win AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL Cycle 9.

*Check out all the ANTM Cycle 9 Contestants at my earlier post revealing the cast.

AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL Cycle 9
Premieres: Wednesday, September 19th on The CW

Looks like real modelling could actually take place this season. The promo shows the new girls, some catwalking, and some fun outfits. If only the show were this exciting then maybe I’d be flipping out more.

If we don’t get some fierce photo shoots, some walking lessons, and some great old school modelling this year, I’m gonna be pissed. No more ugly-ing up the girls, that’s called Episode 1-3 before you give them their makeovers. No more absentee Tyra. No more criticizing the girls for not knowing how to model or walk when you’re not willing to teach them anything. No more boring. Come on Top Model, work it out!

Check out the photos of the ANTM Cycle 9 contestants.

AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL Cycle 9 begins September 19th at 8pm. Can you believe that we’re on Cycle 9 already? Seems like yesterday when I was laughing my butt off watching mumble mouth Adrianne Curry catwalk her way through Season 1. In Season 2 I was obsessed with Yoanna House, she was a goddess and probably the best contestant in ANTM history. Eva Pigford brought the fabulous and short hair. Naimi Mora was a bore. Nicole Linkletter was beautiful but kind of dead. Dani was amazing! Cari Dee English was decent enough but annoying at times. Jaslene Gonzalez was drag queen ghetto fabulous!

Who will be AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL? Let’s start judging based on looks alone!

I bring you the girls of Top Model 9!

Preview:

Photos:

Name: Ambreal
Occupation: College Student
Age: 19
Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Name: Bianca
Occupation: College Student
Age: 18
Hometown: Queens, New York
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Top Model was on last night, and seriously the 8pm hour is too crowded on Wednesdays. I was not home until after 9 so that didn’t help but I was able to watch Top Model, Idol and Lost (Friday Night Lights got pushed until tonight). That’s a good amount of TV considering I wasn’t home until 9.

I’ve got no ability to pick these models. I know another one of my girls didn’t go home last night. I really liked Felicia. I was so sick of Tyra comparing Felicia to herself and then kicking her off for not being 100% on game this week. Seriously, how about we get rid of that wretched twunt Renee or the lifeless and pointless Russian mail-order bride? Why you gotta be hatin’ on the prettiest girl in the bunch?

I’ve also got beef with the editing of the show. This week was the first time all season that we got more than two words out of Felicia and then you kick her out? I knew it was coming because they finally showed that she had personality, talent, and balls - which on reality tv means you’re going home if all the sudden it shows up out of nowhere. They were saving it until you really like a character then BAM. Sorry, gone.

And whats with Tyra’s hair lately? Seriously those oversized shirt sleeve headbands are out of control. Was her weave falling out? What’s the deal there?

Lastly, how tactless was it for them to have a death shoot just days after Jael’s friend died? Granted, production schedules are planned well in advance and you can’t just switch the shoot but someone should have been there to tell Jay about it so he’s not all annoyed and like, “What’s your deal Jael?” Um, maybe she can’t get into the shoot because she’s lying there like the corpse her idiot friend really is. Seriously.

If they don’t kick out Renee next week, I might have to find a way to have her OD.

As a TV Blogger, its hard to find the time to watch all the shows you love (and sometimes hate) and to then find the time to write something entertaining for folks to read. You want the right blend of recap information along with personal comments, some snark, and hopefully plenty of humor. It’s a daunting task at times, espcially if you’re busy one night, or two nights, and then at your day job… its a spiraling down effect that all the sudden leaves you going, “Huh, it’s too late to talk about LOST now…”

So I’m going to quickly cover some of the shows I watched this past week in an effort to gear me up for this coming week. After the jump I’ll talk about The Black Donnellys, Top Model, Lost, The Riches, Supernatural, Degrassi, Ace of Cakes, 24, and Grey’s Anatomy.
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Top Model is back and seriously, it really is better than ever. Not only are the models some of the prettiest and/or most model-y that they’ve ever had, they now have an unbelievable number of crazy ass personalities. In the past its either been pretty without personality or personality without model beauty and this season they’ve got it all! I couldn’t be more excited.

Last week’s kickoff, Kathleen was one of the funniest girls to ever grace reality television. I’m so sad she’s not on the show anymore because her stupidity was paramount! Her accent, her slow manner of speech, and her lost looks were seriously genius. I couldn’t get enough of this girl and though she was missed this week, the void was quickly filled by the second best (and by best I mean, most outrageous and entertaining) girl on the show - the loveable kook Jaslene.

Not since Jade has there been a girl as full of herself and tv friendly as Jaslene. She’s an ego-maniac but not evil and vengeful like Jade was. She so far doesn’t have any Jadebonics but she does have quite the manner of speech. Her Latina NY Accent (though she’s from Chicago) is hardcore and hysterical to listen to. Kathleen and Jaslene carrying on a conversation was like listening to Rosie Perez double talking in a mirror. Out of control.

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We get it Tyra, you’re comfortable with your new weight.  I think its a good thing that she refuses to let up about the weight issue.  I mean, after all she is Tyra Banks, the first African American SI cover model and a huge inspiration for teens everywhere.  So I understand that she needs to focus on the positive about body image but is this going too far?

According to TVGuide, Tyra’s returned to the Bahamas to recreate the photo, which will be revealed on the Feb. 19 episode of her talk show. “I want to empower women to not stress about what they see on the scale,” says Banks. “I’ve never been ashamed of my weight. I am 161 pounds, and I say it loud and proud.”

The original cover above is an amazing photo and I remember it well.  Here are the some of the new pics from the photo shoot.  I can’t wait to see the full shots because none of these are exactly like the one above.

Top Model Cycle 8 Casting!

*Update: So I just saw a video preview of Top Model 8 and the names below are not real. So far there was a Kathleen, a Jasline, and a Sara. Those names are not listed below. Do not trust the internet! HAHA!

Okay so there are no pictures yet but the word on the street (and by street I mean internet) is that The CW is officially announcing the cast and releasing their photos this week!

In the meantime, here are the names I’ve been told are going to be the contestants for Cycle 8 premiering on Wednesday February 28th!

Abby, 24 Santa Cruz, California
Christina, 19 Madison, Wisconsin
Connie, 18 Phoenix, Arizona
Elaina, 21 Boston, Massachusetts (Boston Represent!)
Jennifer, 22 Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Jollie, 20 Roswell, New Mexico
Kelsie, 19 San Francisco, California
Krystal, 19 Farwell, Texas
Laia, 18 Honolulu, Hawaii
Lily, 25 New York, New York
Maggie, 18 Detroit, Michigan
Melissa, 20 Seattle, Washington
Samantha, 18 Las Vegas, Nevada

I’ll keep you posted when I find out more!

*Hey Gang, Pics of All Models from Upcoming Cycle 8 Are Here…

Here’s a picture of Tyra on the beach is sunny Australia - she’s looking thick down under filming the upcoming Cycle 8 of America’s Next Top Model which will hopefully premiere in March 2007. As you know, the story editors/writers strike of the summer and fall put production of Cycle 8 into jeopardy but in the end… the show must go on.

In the meantime, you have a chance to apply for Cycle 9 of ANTM. Here’s the criteria: You must be at least 5′ 7″ and must weigh less than 85 pounds. Kidding about the weight part; but are we really that far off?

Apply to be on Cycle 9 here

Here’s the final picture of recent winner Cari Dee and Tyra from the finale of ANTM Cycle 7. I know a lot of people were looking for this picture and I just now remembered to find and post it. Whoops!