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Trish Bendix

by Trish Bendix

Is Tyra Banks mocking Kim Stolz?

Does this picture of current America's Next Top Model contestant Analeigh remind you of any past contestants?

I thought it looked just like Kim Stolz. Maybe you did, too. Kim Stolz certainly did. It's not the resemblance that was odd, but the description of the assignment for Analeigh. She was instructed to pose as an "interviewer with an attitude." It would seem very coincidental that the photo chosen looked very much like Stolz.

Kim did not waste any time responding, but first, her co-worker, Jim, at MTV News posted a blog calling out Ms. Banks for posing the shoot:

The resemblance is uncanny, no? Normally I would have just said, “Funny! That girl looks like Kim Stolz in that pic,” and then moved on to watching Project Runway. But then I remembered that earlier in the episode, Jay Manuel explained that Tyra was inspired to do this shoot after producing her own awards show, the Fiercee Awards.

For those who didn't catch my interview with Kim this summer, she commented on her awkward meeting with Tyra at the Fiercee Awards, during which Tyra was a little, uh, rude to Kim because she chose to come to the event as an MTV reporter versus an ex-Top Model contestant. Their interaction was caught on video, so I had to ask Kim how she felt about it after the fact:

AE: It almost seemed like Tyra was acting kind of rude to you. Did you feel that way?
Kim: [laughs] I think Tyra and I have a funny banter, and I think we sort of like get along and I definitely have nothing against her, but I think that she was funny. I asked her why she never kept in touch — I mean, clearly she had no intention to. But she was sort of caught off guard.

Apparently so! Kim's response to the "interviewer with an attitude" photo came shortly after. Here's an excerpt from her open letter to Tyra:

Now, I’m not self-centered. Maybe you weren’t even referencing me in Analeigh’s photo shoot. Maybe you were talking about some other potentially b----y red-carpet moment that you had with another interviewer … Could it be Joan or Melissa Rivers, or even Oprah?? OK, probably not Oprah. She’s perfect and everyone’s fave. (Does that hurt?) But does [the Analeigh photo] look like Melissa Rivers? Certainly doesn’t look like Joan … in fact … WAIT! It resembles me more than most photos taken of me — I gotta agree with Jim on that one. But hey, that’s water under the bridge. Let’s get to the real issue at hand.

Jim is obviously not aware of the weight that the Fiercee Awards have on the entertainment industry. Not only is it one of the nation’s most anticipated awards shows, but it’s also one of the more star-studded carpets that 221 West 26th Street has ever seen. Wait. What? Did someone say Carol Alt?

The Fiercee Awards bring young girls with the same dream together — and applauds them for such noble endeavors as “Ugliest Cry,” “Worst Wipeout” and “Craziest Phone Call.” Now, if winning one of those awards doesn’t inspire confidence in our young models, what will?

Well Ty, I just want YOU to know that Jim’s misdemeanor has not gone unnoticed. I PERSONALLY gave him a talking-to. I learned from the best. So here’s my best shot ...

The rest is in video form. I'll leave it to you to decipher who got the last laugh.

sapphistafricana's picture

afterMTV

It is very telling that this is an MTV site.
shoveya's picture

seems kinda low

I do love America's Next Top Model and by association, love Tyra coz she created the show. Of course I also know that she has contributed greatly to the success of the show. Having said that, I'm not a fan of her talk show, I just don't get it. So... I don't know if Tyra would really stoop that low and I really hope not, but I think this whole exchange between her and Kim is just low. Doesn't even make for good entertainment, just my thoughts.

Picture of 'light is like water' author

fyr's picture

funny

that video is hilarious.

 

the photo of analeigh doesnt really look much like her though??

sapphistafricana's picture

Exactly!

Analeigh doesn't even look like Kim.  Her face and body are different. Her hair and dress are different.  If Elina had done the photo maybe similarities could have actually been drawn. 

You're so vain, I bet you think this song photo is about you...

sabrina323's picture

awes

this was great...loved it!

this was the best come back, because it was the truth! 

so glad that someone called tyra out, i was getting the feeling i some how owed my life to tyra.

 

www.shedevilsrollerderby.com

rollin' rican #21

Trish Bendix's picture

We all owe our lives to Tyra

We all owe our lives to Tyra and her mama — don't forget her mama!!!
Nathiest's picture

no. -Nathiest the devil

no.

-Nathiest
the devil is in the details

frosted_fraggle's picture

*very* funny video

and yes - I think Analeigh looks Kim-like in that picture.
mo28's picture

Making women looks stupid- gay or straight...

I am sorely disappointed that two women who have successful careers would give these exchanges the time of day. It just furthers the idea that women are little more than cat fighting imbeciles. Serious journalists shrug off personal attacks (which I’m not convinced this was) and focus on building a career based on integrity and getting the story. Wasting time and resources on a bitchy come back is what a tabloid reporter would do to get the media attention they don’t deserve. This was all a low exchange of hollow minds. My advice Tyra and Kim: grow a pair and if you don’t have one- borrow Hilary’s.

purple_squirrel's picture

haha Kims impression was

haha Kims impression was pretty good :)

actually it's McKee who often looks like Kim to me, she now has the short hair and thus visible ears, and same pouty lips, she also looks like Shane on the Season2? cover 'cus she's doing the feminine pout thing there.. surprised nobody else thought that way..

--skittle_grrl--'s picture

why so serious?

I feel as if I'm the only one here with a sense of humor.  I thought the whole thing was funny. And I could vaguely see the resemblance of Kim in the first photo.  But somebody had to poke fun of Tyra and why not Kim?
onemorehour's picture

.

she even got the overdubbing right! that video was so spot on. tyra is a character and shouldn't take herself so seriously.

and that picture does look like kim- i thought it was her at first glance.

venus sans furs's picture

I guess Kim's video is kind

I guess Kim's video is kind of funny but I really don't see Tyra's contribution of this supposed feud at all. The picture doesn't remind me of Kim and I feel like it's just Kim trying to stir up drama where there isn't any. Maybe she's just trying to remind us all "hey she is that girl who was on top model for a couple of episodes."
FireWontQuell's picture

Agreed... the photo looks

Agreed... the photo looks nothing like Kim to me, and it seems like Kim is kind of vain to assume it's a mockery of her. Kim has not been impressing me lately; she seems like she's kind of a has-been that it grasping at straws

mysticstrangergb's picture

....seriously dood

this whole thing seems like bullshizz. while i'm not a top model fan now i remember kim and at the time i liked her but this has got me kinda rethinking that. if the intent is to make tyra look bad it ain't working cuz she's not the one fueling this whole thing. anyone can look like another person when only half their face is clearly shown.

 

its my responsibilty to show emotion in my life
cuz otherwise it seems i'm going through the motions with my life

dame_elphaba's picture

As I recall, Kim had a very

As I recall, Kim had a very sarcastic sense of humor when she was on ANTM, and I think she's still got it. I really don't think she meant any harm by this at all. I thought it was seriously funny.

 

BiaGeek's picture

Wow..okay

Let me get this straight so Kim is feuding with Tyra ...Why? So I am guessing if it wasn's for Miss. Banks show, ANTM, we wouldn't even be discussing Kim Stolz in the first place. This is a deja vu situation minusing Kim and adding Adrianne Curry (First ANTM winner) , lets not get started on how she screwed up her modeling career by dissing Miss. Banks. Yeah Kim is sarcastic and okay Tyra maybe full of herself but for crying out loud she is an ex-model, and she is actually trying to empower women, even if it is askewed at times. I am not saying Kim owes her VJ career to Tyra but it did help, so yeah lets not bite the hand that helped you. So when is the last time you saw Adrianne Curry walking down an actual high fashion runway? Tyra has friends in high places, let us not forget!!!

It is childish, Kim could have talked to Tyra directly if she felt offended, vice versa, do we as women really need to beat each other down. I think NOT!!

B.

changetheirhue's picture

best line:

"Go back to the newsroom, and have a piece of humble pie."

hahahahaha. Best line, oh the many times Tyra has said that... And the time I got out of a vocab game because I said that while defining humble.


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