TV Tattler: Celebrity Interviews
Janice Dickinson's 'Modeling Agency' Busts Open the Beauty Business
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June 30 -- Say what you will about Janice Dickinson, but don't say she's soft spoken.
The self-proclaimed "World's First Supermodel" rose to TV fame as the abrasive, foul-mouthed judge on 'Americas Next Top Model.' But she left the show after four seasons, in part, to launch her new series, 'The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency,' on Oxygen.
The sharp-tongued modeling veteran was true to form in a wide-ranging interview with AOL Television editor Kelly Woo. She opened up about her reasons for starting her own company, slammed a couple of her models and spit some venom at 'Surreal Life' co-star Omarosa.
Ive been watching the show, and its a lot of fun. It seems to be a big success.
It's fantastic, its awesome and 1.8 million other people agree with you. Its a hit. Its an honest depiction of a single mom trying to do a start-up business in Los Angeles, trying to find a balance between family life and doing business.
Why did you want to start a modeling agency from scratch, instead of working with an established modeling agency?
Ive always wanted to be a models agent ever since I was a young model in New York. And I have enough credibility, experience and know-how to start my own business rather then go work for someone else. I wanted to have an agency.
Was it about power?
No, its not about power. It's a way to give back; its something I always wanted to do. It has nothing to do with power; I just always wanted to be a modeling agent.
So far in the show, you've picked some models that don't look like the prototypical tall, skinny models -- like Nyabel.
According to who?
According to general opinion ...
I disagree with you. Nyabel resembles Alek Wek, who is a slamming model from that area. Its a type of model, its not a typical model. Its a type.
Is there a certain quality you look for in your models?
Its a capital "I-T" quality inside their eyes.
And how soon can you sense that?
Yeah, I can see that immediately. I cant describe it, but I can see it.
You often shoot the models yourself. When did you get into photography and why?
I started taking pictures in 1979 because I love the photograph. I became a model because I love the photograph. I grew up looking at pictures of Life magazine, wanting to grow up to be a photojournalist. Something I always wanted to do is to be a photographer, and I became one. Something I always wanted to do is to be a model agent, and I became one. Something I always wanted to do is to become a model, and I became one. You can become whatever you want to do, as long as you try hard enough and work at it with 100 percent passion, which is what I do in life.
I want to talk about one of the models, Teresa Cutie. At first you seemed to really identify with her, and then you cut her out because she didnt show up for the appointment and ...
Let me just answer that before you add on. I have no patience for people [who] dont have responsibility or courtesy. I dont have time for them. Ill cut them out in a heartbeat.
Were you personally disappointed it didnt work out? It seemed as if you really identified with her.
Absolutely. I can identify with anything, cant you, with something -- a shoe or a handbag or a painting or a portrait -- but if its not working for you, you dont use it. Teresa was rude; she didnt have the courtesy to call for an appointment that I set up. Other people lost time and money on her. So, I have two words for her: Out!
You also didnt want to bring on the girl you called Fargo, who your business partner thought would be perfect for lad mags and beer commercials.
No, I didnt want to bring her on. It wasnt until I photographed her, and I saw the beauty of taking down her slutty image -- the typical Maxim, Penthouse, Playboy looking pinup and turning her into a chic little woman. I had to de-groom her. She looked like a slut.
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