ANTM's new winner will receive an Italian Vogue cover

Tyra Banks is stepping up her game!

On the next season of America's Next Top Model, the winner will not be gracing the cover of Seventeen magazine, but rather Vogue Italia, along with receiving two fashion spreads.

This is a big jump for the show.

Banks called the partnership "my second coup in the high-fashion makeover of 'Top Model' which I talked about earlier this year with André Leon Talley joining the judging panel."

The former supermodel explained how the partnership came to be in this statement:

"I was so excited when Franca Sozzani, Editor-in-Chief of Italian Vogue, reached out to me at the end of last year to be a permanent contributor on the recently launched vogue.it (Italian Vogue’s new website) - I was (and AM!) so honored and excited to be working so closely with such an iconic brand. Franca and I really hit it off; we really connected on a personal level, but even more so as we exchanged visions for the future of our brands. I knew instantly that we were destined to partner together in another BIG way; I even told Franca I’d be in touch as soon as I figured out what that was - OH, and I wasn’t kidding. Here’s ANTM with an Italian Vogue cover, and not one, but TWO in-book fashion spreads for our winner."

It's a smart move on Tyra's part, seeing how there have already been fourteen seasons of ANTM, and she risks losing viewers. Clearly André Leon Talley had a big part in this collaboration, but it'll be interesting to see how casting goes for the fifteenth season of Top Model, because really, if a trashy, dramatic, uneducated, gossiping girl gets a Vogue cover, it will be pretty disappointing.

What do you think of this new partnership? Bad move on Vogue Italia's part, or good in terms of publicity?

Tweet me your thoughts @TheChicSpot.

Lady Gaga to appear on Gossip Girl!

OMFG!!

Gossip Girl. Gaga. TOGETHER!

Yes, you heard right! Rumours are swirling that the one and only Lady Gaga will appear in an upcoming episode of Gossip Girl. The pop star will perform as herself, naturally.

A Gaga appearance definitely makes up for adding Hilary Duff and Tyra Banks to the show!

And if that isn't enough, the writers are planning to include a ménage a trois in the script. Sources have confirmed that the November 9th episode will feature three major characters having sex together.

Who could it be? Or even better, who would you want it to be?

This show just keeps getting better and better!

Tyra Banks launches online magazine

It's obvious Tyra Banks wants to be the next Oprah Winfrey.

A talk show wasn't enough for her growing empire, so now Ms. Banks is launching an online magazine later today called TYRA: Beauty Inside and Out.

The magazine will be focusing on beauty, fashion and healthy living.

“I’m really interested in helping women take control of their futures, take control of their destiny. One of my lines in my manifesto on the Web site is to be the CEO of your own life, be in control of your own life,” the 35-year-old talk show host said.

TYRA: Beauty Inside and Out will launch @ 5PM on TyraBanks.com.

Kim Kardashian and Lauren Conrad to judge on Top Model

Image via eonline.com

Tyra needs to get those ratings up!

After firing Paulina Porizkova from her judging position on America's Next Top Model, Tyra Banks will now feature one guest judge each episode.

Two of those guest judges are Lauren Conrad and Kim Kardashian.

Since when did creating an Old Navy-esque fashion line and posing for Playboy make one credible to judge aspiring models? Not to mention that we'll be getting less-than knowledgeable critiques from these two.

Could this show get any worse?

What do you think?

Tyra Banks to appear on Gossip Girl

First Hilary Duff, now Tyra?? Why must the CW ruin a perfectly good show?

Talk show host/former model Tyra Banks is set to appear on an upcoming episode of Gossip Girl. She will not, however, be playing herself (shocker!!)

Instead, she is set to be an actress who co-stars in a film with Duff's character.

Banks is schedule to appear in episode 4.

What do you think? Will Tyra make a good addition to GG, or is this just another way to try to get more ratings?

Paulina Porizkova cut from Top Model

Tonight's America's Next Top Model finale will be the last time supermodel and judge, Paulina Porizkova will be on the show.

Porizkova revealed last night on the Late Late Show that she was fired from Top Model on April 9th.

That day was also her birthday.

"The reason I was told I was fired was because it seemed that America's Next Top Model has gotten too fat, and they needed to cut some fat, and the fat was me," she explained.

She said her dismissal was due to her "gigantic, huge ego."

"Which I wasn't aware of until I was told by the producers that I have an ego problem," she added.

I guess Tyra couldn't stand Paulina stealing the spotlight any longer!

Happy Birthday!

Alicia Keys plays Michelle Obama

...and she does a much better job than Tyra!

As part of Glamour magazine's "American Icons" feature, the 28 year-old singer portrays First Lady, Michelle Obama.

Dressed in a blue dress, with two young girls, and of course, a puppy by her side, Alicia Keys embodies the First Lady's best traits, looking poised, elegant, and chic.

“She has worked hard for everything she’s accomplished, and done so with grace and humility. So many women and girls can identify with her story,” Keys told the magazine.

Other female celebrities taking part in this feature include Hayden Panettiere as Amelia Earhart, Emma Roberts as Audrey Hepburn, and Canadian actress Elisha Cuthbert as Brandi Chastain. Lindsay Lohan is also photographed as Madonna and America Ferrera as Dolores Huerta.

Click here to see the rest of the photos.

Clay Aiken to join America's Next Top Model

Image via celebritynewsflash.wordpress.com

Weird, but true!

The former American Idol contestant, Clay Aiken will be a guest judge on America's Next Top Model.

A rep. for the show confirmed that the 30-year-old singer will be featured on the April 8th episode, working with the aspiring models in an acting challenge.

Even though Aiken's been performing in Spamalot on broadway, he's seems kind of unqualified for the job. This seems more like Tyra Banks getting one of her friends on the show.

America’s Next Top Model’s twelfth cycle premieres on Wednesday, February 25.

Top Model spin-off in the making

Image via tyrashow.com

I guess Tyra Banks realized Top Model is getting kind of old!

The CW is set to air a spin-off show of America's Next Top Model called Operation Fabulous.

On the show, Top Model regulars, Mr. and Miss J(ay) (a.k.a. Jay Manuel and Miss J. Alexander) will travel the globe to given women makeovers.

They will select five participants from each town, and give them "Top Model" treatment: how to dress, wear their hair and makeup and bring out their confidence with the support of family, friends, and their community.

The show will be produced by the executive producers of Top Model, Tyra Banks and Ken Mok.

Will you be watching this show? It's really nothing that original, but at least we won't have be annoyed from watching Tyra anymore!

Miley shuts down Disneyland!

Hannah Montana star, Miley Cyrus, celebrated her sweet 16 at Disneyland this weekend.

The controversial Disney star shut down the theme park for an early celebration of this milestone (her actual birthday is November 23).

More than 5000 guests (who paid $250) attended the party, and enjoyed performances from Miley and her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus.

Accompanying Billy Ray was Miley's 20-year-old boyfriend, Justin Gaston.

Celebrities in attendance included Tyra Banks, David Archuleta, Demi Lovato, and Cindy Crawford.

This is just ridiculous

Image via askmen.com

Tyra must be happy! Her CW show, America's Next Top Model, is going to be a video game for Nintendo DS.

In the game, players will guide a model through challenges and photoshoots. If they make it to the end, they will be crowned the winner.

The game will be available in stores November 7th.

Seriously...who would buy this? Tyra will probably have to give them out on her talk show, although she's probably too cheap to do that. It would be interesting to see what the video game Tyra looks like though...

This proves that not everyone attending Fashion Week is fashionable

The worst looks from "Fashion Rocks" 2008:

Lil' Mama...she really needs to hire a new stylist!Image via stylelist.com


Brandy in a belted garbage bag

Image via concreteloop.com

Tyra Banks looking extra tranny and fierce

Image via gossip.about.com

Nicole Scherzinger in a bathing suit and see-through sari

Image via theinsider.com

Mary J Blige....tie dye overload!

Image via gossip.about.com

Time for Tyra to retire!

Tyra Banks seems to be losing her fan base! Not only is she creating a bad rep. for herself on her talk show, but it looks like people are getting sick of America's Next Top Model!

Although Cycle 11 of the show features a transgender, last night's premiere of the show was the lowest-rated in the network's history.

Top Model was down 11% from Cycle 10 and 32% down from its premiere last year.

Last night's episode wasn't all that bad, but the show is getting old. And even though last season's show was definitely rigged...I'll probably keep watching. Tyra finally put an Asian model on the show, and I want to see how far she'll get!

Will you continue to watch Top Model?

I'm sure she will be denying this soon...

Image via askmen.com

Perezhilton.com is reporting that Tyra Banks has no consideration for her audience while taping The Tyra Show.

She apparently kept the audience waiting for almost two hours for the show's "Celebrating Black Models, Past, Present and Future" episode, while she was having a grand time with the crew backstage.

One audience member said, "You could hear her going on and on because she was standing right behind the stage curtain. She's talking and talking. Meanwhile, you have the entire audience waiting almost two hours for the taping to start."

When she finally came on stage, she didn't even acknowledge the members of the audience, let alone give an explanation for what kept them waiting.

"She acted so cold towards everyone," said an audience member. "She's a phony."

Another source reports that when addressing the guest models, "Tyra kept saying, 'When I was a model,' and would hardly let them talk. It was all about her, as usual."

At the end of the show, Tyra dragged the audience out on the street to release black balloons. Many of them were whining that it was bad for the environment, and it was so disorganized that two little girls almost got trampled.

"Tyra was acting like it was a live sporting event instead of the most self-indulgent, narcissistic crap."

Releasing black balloons out on the street? Reverting all the attention to herself? Sounds like typical Tyra to me!