My personal opinion of Miss Tyra has taken a nosedive in the last several years. To me her self-involved talk show is only watchable via clips on The Soup and the appeal of America's Next Top Model has evaporated. But then, I'm old. These days my tastes run more towards TV Land's "She's Got the Look". I guess I just prefer that my crying model wannabes have stretch marks.
That said, I was surprised to see her name dropped with the likes of Oprah and Martha in The New York Times Magazine. Clearly she's doing something right, even if I don't quite get it.
The article itself is mildly interesting and worth a look if you are at all interested the lace-front mogul.
This bit caught my eye:
From her two shows, Banks makes an estimated $18 million a year, and her net worth is around $75 million. She owns 25 percent of “Top Model” and last fall Bankable Productions signed a deal to develop projects for Warner Brothers television. Their first project is “The Clique,” based on the national best-selling series about a group of preteen girls from the wealthy suburbs of New York. True to Banks’s practical nature, “The Clique” will be produced on a low budget and will be sold only as DVDs, avoiding the costs (and risks) of theatrical distribution.
I remember Tyra saying to Essence Magazine that she was going to use her power in the industry to create rolls for underemployed black actresses. I just wonder if that power will ever create something more exciting than cheaply produced direct-to-video movies and reality shows.
Is there any black actor or celebrity in the industry actually powerful enough to make the kind of film that I want to see? Something that's not Soul Plan or a biopic or something starring a Wayans brother or a black man in a dress?
3 comments:
Possible delusions of grandeur. Can we really compare Miss Banks to Oprah or Martha? I'm not impressed, but then again mediocrity is in right now haven't you heard?
Three letters: J.LO. Prime example of how someone who is average (some might say below average) at everything she does can still be famous and praised for a lack luster career.
Not to be too hard on Tyra but "Jack of All trades and master of none" comes to mind.I'm not convinced.
Well that's my tid-bit tea anyone?
BTW why is Martha's name placed higher than O's on the NYT mag cover?
I used to love Tyra, back when she was just a model, and seemed sweet and humble(emphasis on the word "seemed" because maybe she's always had an overblown ego, she just was better at hiding it when she first started out). These days, while I appreciate her money making game, I can't stand to look or listen to her for more than a few seconds. Seriously. Whenever I watch the Top Model marathons on VH-1 and MTV, I mentally block her out because otherwise, I would try to reach through my TV screen and strangle her. (Ok, maybe it's not THAT serious, but still, she bugs.)
Is there any black actor or celebrity in the industry actually powerful enough to make the kind of film that I want to see? Something that's not Soul Plan or a biopic or something starring a Wayans brother or a black man in a dress?
The only one that comes to mind is Will Smith, but even with his consistent box office record, I don't think even he has that kind of "juice". Halle also pops into my head, but I don't think she really has that much clout, either. I dunno. I could be wrong since I don't pay much attention to what's going on in Hollywood these days.
Tyra is a comedy act in and of herself. The video on NYTIMES with her many ways to smile ust made me chuckle and was only topped on Friday by Father Pfleger.
And I'm waiting for the black female major vehicle that is not biopic or sad and tragic. Maybe its already happened and I missed it. Or maybe it was released straight to DVD.
I think the directors would be the ones with the power; Spike, Singleton, Perry, van Peebles or whoever else may be out there
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