1 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business Varieties podcasts featuring conversations with industry 2 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: leaders about the business of entertainment. I'm Cynthia Littleton, Managing 3 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: editor of Television for Variety, and today my guest is 4 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:21,319 Speaker 1: Tyra Banks. Banks is the epitome of the new breed 5 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: of celebrity who have become brands unto themselves. Banks made 6 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,639 Speaker 1: an appearance at Variety's Path to Parody summit in Los 7 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:32,239 Speaker 1: Angeles on June six to talk about her transition from 8 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: supermodel to super entrepreneur, as well as being a TV 9 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 1: star and a social media dynamo. Thanks everybody, thank you 10 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: so much for joining us today, and thank you Tyra 11 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 1: for joining us today. You appreciate you are just a 12 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: perfect person to kick off what we hope is going 13 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: to be a really productive day of talking about the 14 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: true how how do we get on the path to 15 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: parody solutions? Best best practice says, this is not this 16 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: is not a day of lamenting or regrets, but about 17 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: going forward and going forward in a in an important 18 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: and a more equitable, equitable way. And you know you're 19 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 1: throughout your career from the time you were you were 20 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: rising up through the modeling world, in the early nineties. 21 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: What's really impressive is you've always done it on your 22 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:23,960 Speaker 1: own terms, even even as you you know, even as 23 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: your modeling career took off, and because you and then 24 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: you know, branched out into television and retail products, a 25 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,959 Speaker 1: line of beauty products, books, You're a you're a multi 26 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: platform media maven because your career has really intersected fashion 27 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 1: and beauty and entertainment. And these are sectors that have 28 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: you know, in this moment that has kind of become 29 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: known as the Reckoning. These are these are all sectors 30 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: that have been very much inder the microscope for conduct 31 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: and behavior that you know, we're all kind of shocked 32 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: and dismayed, has been has been exposed and has been 33 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: taught lerated for so long. Can you tell me from 34 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: your experience what you think is the most significant um, 35 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: significant momentum or initiative to come from this moment that 36 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: we've that we've sort of been calling the Reckoning. I 37 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 1: think one of the most significant things from it is 38 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 1: that it's not it's not okay. It's been very normalized. 39 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: For instance, in the fashion industry, which is the majority 40 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 1: of my experience with this um it just was it 41 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,519 Speaker 1: just was a thing, um, and I was very lucky 42 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: to not experience it firsthand. However, I would go to 43 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 1: what we call ghos sees, what you guys call auditions 44 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,920 Speaker 1: in UM, in Hollywood world. UM, I would go to 45 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,919 Speaker 1: a ghostie and show my portfolio to a photographer at 46 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: his apartment in Paris seven pm. Already a situation kind 47 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 1: of like this kind of skiby, right, but that just 48 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:56,919 Speaker 1: was normal. Hey, look at my book, no problem, might leave. 49 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,239 Speaker 1: The next model would walk in there, and then you'd 50 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: come and tell me the next day that he pulled 51 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: something out and it's just like what And then you 52 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: move on because it was normal. And so it became 53 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,119 Speaker 1: this like kind of underground communication of who to stay 54 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: away from, who to watch out, you know, make sure 55 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: the makeup artist is in the room when you're working 56 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: with so and so. But again, it was normal. And 57 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: how to protect yourself in this normal, disgusting world and 58 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 1: situations you had to have a coping strand there was 59 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: a coping strategy. Incredible. What do you think now again, 60 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 1: now that it it feels like a significant feels like 61 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: the watershed moment, you know, time will tell. We can 62 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: hope it feels like the Watershion moment. Do you feel 63 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: like just the sunline on these practices is going to 64 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: help you think it's a generational shift that is going 65 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: to help it so that that so that the new 66 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: generation of Tyra Banks coming up don't ever have to 67 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: do that photographer dance and in Paris. Yeah, I I 68 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: men are scared and they should be. They should be terrified. 69 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: And I'm not talking talking about the men of tomorrow. 70 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: I'm talking about the men that have committed these acts. Um. 71 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: And it has definitely shed a light on certain ones 72 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: that we are aware of. And then there are others 73 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 1: that are like is it going to happen to me? 74 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 1: And they're like biding their time and maybe feeling like 75 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: it's going to happen. It's going to be revealed, and 76 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: I think it is a beautiful, amazing, empowering time. Um. 77 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 1: And yeah, I can't believe it. There's sometimes when I'm 78 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: just like, Wow, I can't believe this, And um, I 79 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 1: mean I'm thinking about stories and it's not even just 80 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: you know, of course, as we know females that have 81 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 1: been victimized. Me again, my roots coming from the fashion industry. 82 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: I heard this from male models and male models that um, 83 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 1: when we talk about parity, my experiences in my fashion days, 84 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: the parody there was a parody problem but for guys. 85 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: So I would be on a set and modeling and 86 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: be getting ten times the amount of money that that 87 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 1: male model was making. And so what what happened was 88 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 1: the balance of power was shifted so that male model 89 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: felt so vulnerable. He needed to work, he needed to 90 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:18,720 Speaker 1: pay his rent. So if this photographer is pressuring him 91 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 1: to do something, he feels like one. If he doesn't, 92 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,599 Speaker 1: he's going to be blacklisted. And too, how's he going 93 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:25,720 Speaker 1: to pay his rent? Because this guy is constantly hiring 94 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 1: him over and over again. So it was interesting that 95 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 1: when I entered the entertainment side on on the media side, 96 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: it was flipped and the power went to the man 97 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,159 Speaker 1: and not the woman in terms of pay, parity and 98 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: um even the super um vulnerability when it comes to discrimination. Yeah, 99 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 1: that's an interesting perspective that you bring to it. Um. 100 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 1: You know, well, there is no better way to take 101 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: literally take control of your own destiny than being the 102 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: CEO of the various ventures. You have just published just 103 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 1: a couple of months ago, published a book with the 104 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: wonderful title perfect is boring and things my fierce mama 105 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:11,479 Speaker 1: taught me about beauty, booty and being a boss. And 106 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: everybody gets a book, You get a can you get 107 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 1: a can you get a book? I'm gonna give it 108 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 1: to my son. Is a handbook, which I love that 109 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:23,719 Speaker 1: you're going to give it because there is a chapter 110 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: and they're called eight words to watch out for. And 111 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: when your son reads that, it's gonna be like, no, 112 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: I can't believe you. Like, well, you might say those 113 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 1: words London. Let's see what I mean. Let's let's talk 114 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 1: about the being a boss component of the of that book. 115 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: What was it? What tools did you have? What was 116 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: it that put you on the path to being the 117 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: head of your own company, to being you're you're now 118 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: revving up your production company in a big way, to 119 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: being the not just the host, but the exact producer 120 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 1: and the instigator of America's top model of franchise that 121 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: is going on, you know, is almost twenty years on TV. 122 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 1: Which is which is I don't have to tell anybody 123 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:09,280 Speaker 1: in this room that's a that's a franchise. Yes, So 124 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: I think me being a boss came from pain, came 125 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: from being told no, you can't. You know. It started 126 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: with me being a model and being told and you know, 127 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: there's you know, two models at this modeling agency and 128 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: we only have one black girl, which means that there's 129 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: no space for you, you know, being told that as I, 130 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: as I was successful as a high fashion model, and 131 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: then gaining weight and being told you're but it's too 132 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 1: big for these Italian fashion shows, and so you're not 133 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: going to do these fashion shows anymore, you know. And 134 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: so that created in me an empathy for women and 135 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: physical discrimination, and that became my mother, the thing that 136 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: made me wake up every single day and say, I'm 137 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: gonna fight for booty, I'm gonna fight for brown skin 138 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 1: and yellow skin, and you know, like that, my pain 139 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: turned me into a boss um. At the same time, 140 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 1: when I pitched America's Next Top Model to my agent 141 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: at the time, my little acting agent. I was trying 142 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: to be an mt A model turned actress child. I 143 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: didn't work, but my agent when I pitched this idea him, 144 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: it was the third idea that I pitched. I was like, 145 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: I have this show. It's American Idol meets the real world, 146 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: set in the modeling industry, and I want to do 147 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: this and I want to and he just was like 148 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: models are unsympathetic characters and vapid and no one wants 149 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: to watch he said that. And it was my third 150 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: idea that he said was a bad idea. And I 151 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: went to my friend Kenya Barriss, whist, Kenya, are you 152 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: in her? Kenya, raise your hand, Kenny here, he is here. 153 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 1: I just saw him the hallway. Okay, so Kenya is there. 154 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 1: And I went and complained to Kenya, who was a 155 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 1: writer at the time and um, and he was like, 156 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: I'm tired of this, tired. Ideas are really good. So 157 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: he took it to his agent and I connected to 158 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:54,719 Speaker 1: ken Mock Beautiful Asian Chinese brother and um and then 159 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 1: he understood what the story that I wanted to tell. 160 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: And the producer ken Macky executive Juice. He's like a 161 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: godfather of like competition reality and UM. And so we 162 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: went on this path together as partners and with Kenya 163 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: helping to develop as well, to use the modeling industry 164 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: as a microcosm for beauty and and and the glass 165 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 1: ceiling of beauty and UM and so I feel like 166 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: over twenty four cycles, we've actually changed what beauty means 167 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: to young women around the world that it's not a 168 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 1: cookie cutter, that there's so many different aspects of beauty. 169 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: And I see it reflected now in different ad campaigns 170 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: and everywhere. And I really do think that almost twenty 171 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 1: years ago America's Next Top Model spearhead at that in 172 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: the sense that in the sense that the show has 173 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:40,319 Speaker 1: always has as much as as much as the physical appearance, 174 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: is talking about who they are as people, who they 175 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: are as people as well and being a boss, and 176 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: that you know, the modeling industry is not called modeling playtime. 177 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 1: It's called the modeling business. So go to work and 178 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: take your ads home, That's what I say. And then 179 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: today I tell girls, go to work, go to the 180 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: damn club, take two Instagram photos, then take your ads home. 181 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 1: That's what I tell them. Get your get your beauty 182 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: sleep right. But what was it if I take you back, 183 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: you know, when you're a model and you're under this 184 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 1: incredible pressure and there's a you know, tiny, infinitesimal number 185 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,199 Speaker 1: of people that want to be models that actually make it, 186 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:17,079 Speaker 1: what was it that gave you the fortitude the spine 187 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: to say no, I'm not going to start with myself 188 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: I look beautiful. I'm gonna I'm gonna find the I'm 189 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: gonna find the venue that that that accepts my beautiful body. Yeah, 190 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 1: I wish I could say that. I was so strong, 191 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: and I looked at agent in the face and says, 192 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: you watch me, I'm gonna change my career. Unfortunately, um 193 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 1: or actually fortunately it was a different story. This agent 194 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 1: gave my mother a list of eight modeling agents, eight 195 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: Italian fashion designers and their household names that did not 196 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 1: want to hire me anymore because my butt was getting 197 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: too big and my boobs were popping out, and I 198 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: was going through puberty. I was turning into a woman. 199 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 1: And my mom showed me the list of eight eight 200 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: designers and I just started bawling and crying, and I 201 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: was like, Mama, what should I do? Should I start? Okay, 202 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna have, you know, one egg white in 203 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: the morning and some celery and work out twice a 204 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: day during fashion week and I just don't know, and 205 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 1: I'm just bawling, and my mom she took me by 206 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:14,200 Speaker 1: the shoulders like this, and she shook me like a 207 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:17,079 Speaker 1: rag head and the weed was just going like that, 208 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 1: and she said, I will be damn if my daughter 209 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 1: starves for this industry, So you know what we're gonna do. 210 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:31,679 Speaker 1: And I'm like, like the ugly Kim Kardashian cry, and 211 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 1: she's like, we are going to eat pizza. So we 212 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 1: went to this pizzeria on Corso Magento, which is a 213 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 1: street in Milan, Italy, and you know how pizza they 214 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 1: have like the butcher paper. She put a pin in 215 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: my hand and she said, you write down every client 216 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: in this industry that likes ASS. I was like, what 217 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: do you mean as big ass? And I was like 218 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 1: Sports Illustrated and she's like, write it down, Vic who 219 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: is secret? Write a damn so that I have this list. 220 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:12,319 Speaker 1: And then she goes, now, who has an ass? Send 221 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: me crow, write a damp and so that I have 222 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 1: this list of clients that liked ASS and models that 223 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: had asked and she said, those are your future clients, 224 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:25,959 Speaker 1: and those are the careers that you're going to emulate, 225 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,080 Speaker 1: but make it your own. We tore off that paper 226 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 1: and took it to my agent in New York and 227 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: gave him the ASS list and he was like, what 228 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 1: the hell. Black girls don't do this stuff. There's no 229 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 1: black girl that does this and my mama said, my 230 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 1: black Baby's gonna do it, and I pivoted and left 231 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 1: High Fashion and went to the ass. Yes, please tell 232 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: me you still have that list somewhere, you know what 233 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 1: I don't have. Yes, I do have the list that 234 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:04,319 Speaker 1: would have been great for like a music And you were, 235 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,679 Speaker 1: in fact, the first African American woman to be on 236 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuits. Yes, that ran, the 237 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 1: first Victoria's Secret Angel that was black and an original angel, 238 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:16,959 Speaker 1: and the first black girl to where the Victoria's Secret 239 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: Angel braw and all that stuff. Yes, so the list worked, 240 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: which is so a lot of my success is really 241 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: through pain and fighting through pain and fighting through when 242 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: you just feel like there's just no hope. And what 243 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:35,440 Speaker 1: my mother taught me is she says, you know, that 244 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 1: front door is going to be closed for you because 245 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: you were a woman, and that front door is going 246 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: to be even double closed because you were a black woman. 247 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: But there is a window, there is a side door, 248 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: there is an attic. You can climb up that wood 249 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 1: siding and get into that attic. There's a seller, there's 250 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: a basement. Doesn't matter how you get into that house 251 00:13:55,120 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 1: of success. Just get in and it sounds like an 252 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 1: amazing role model in a great foundation. Yes, my mom 253 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: is fantastic, really fantastic. And then as you, um, as 254 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 1: you got into entertainment and started working as a producer 255 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: and a and a spokes spokesperson for brands and things 256 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: like that, did um I mean, you know we've all 257 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: heard that it's you know, particularly you know, beautiful women 258 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:27,800 Speaker 1: walk into a room and people think she's beautiful, she 259 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 1: doesn't have a thought in her head. Did you feel 260 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 1: like was it? Did you feel discrimination? Did it? Was 261 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: it hard for people to take you seriously as a businesswoman? 262 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 1: A hundred percent? I don't. I don't even really think 263 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 1: so much beauty as it as just my model, you know, 264 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 1: because not all models are necessarily beautiful or just selling clothes. 265 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: But so I did feel that it was like a 266 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:50,360 Speaker 1: model um, a challenge that I had. UM. I can 267 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: remember one of my early producers on my team of 268 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: America's Next Top Model, every editing session, every everything that 269 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: we did, he would combat me and contest everything, and 270 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: I could tell it was personal and I was his boss. 271 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 1: But something in me, I don't know what what it is, 272 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 1: and I can't even I cannot say that it was strength. 273 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: I did not fire him. It was more like I 274 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 1: was scared too. I didn't understand my power. But he 275 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: was definitely an issue in a problem. Um. After the 276 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: first episode aired of America's Next Top Model in the 277 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: second and third and we had these unprecedented numbers, he 278 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: came to me and two thousand on you can back 279 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: in the day. He came to me and he said, 280 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 1: everything that you did was right, and I'm sorry. Yeah, 281 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: and I got like curios, but yeah, he said, I 282 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,440 Speaker 1: was being prejudiced because of where you came from and 283 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 1: this whole modeling thing. And I was like, how can 284 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: she just come off a damn run away and have 285 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: more instincts than me? He goes, but you have them 286 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: and I apologize. Wow, that must have been gratifying. That 287 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: was super gratifying. Yeah. I still didn't like him after 288 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: that still, but but he was on the team for 289 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: a couple of years after that. Yeah, that's great, did you? Um? 290 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 1: It sounds to me and it seems to me like 291 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 1: because your your career trajectory has been so so fast 292 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 1: and so high. You've you've hosted talk shows, you you 293 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 1: had a talk show for a couple of years going 294 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 1: in daytime syndication. Is it a kind of a case 295 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: you you you jump into the pool and learn as 296 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: you go. Yes, I'm so attracted to risk. Like I'm 297 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: sure a lot of you guys are in this room too. 298 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 1: It's like it hasn't been done, or they say it's 299 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: going to fail, or it's just like, let me get 300 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 1: at it. And I'm very good at spin. So I 301 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: have lots of fill your said, I don't we talk 302 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: about um, but I definitely have had those those failures. 303 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: But I really do love new and exciting. And I 304 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 1: remember when I decided to do a talk show. Actually 305 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: it was because I had been a correspondent for Oprah 306 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 1: Winfrey on her show back in the day, and so 307 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 1: Telepictures came to me and said, do you realize what 308 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: your numbers are doing every time you're on Oprah show. 309 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: I don't know anything about ratings, and my managers at 310 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 1: the time weren't even watching that, and they were like, 311 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: there's a spike with eighteen to thirty four, and so 312 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 1: we want to do a talk show with you. So 313 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 1: I did a talk show. I was told that talk shows, um, 314 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:08,159 Speaker 1: they fail. Talk shows failed before you know, like three weeks, 315 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 1: like you know, you just know it's not gonna work. 316 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 1: And so I moved out of my beautiful home in 317 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:16,639 Speaker 1: Beverly Hills and moved across the street from the grove 318 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:21,160 Speaker 1: in the palazzo because we shot at CBS Television City, 319 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: and so I would I would live in those palazzos, 320 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 1: going through the grove to go to work with my 321 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: little back card. If you guys know about working there, 322 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: you can like there's like a little secret card you 323 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: can get through the grove to the television city. And 324 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: I did that for a year just to make sure 325 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: my talk show did not fail. You made and made 326 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 1: that commitment. I lived on set. I lived in those offices, 327 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 1: UM with my team, just to really make sure we 328 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:51,399 Speaker 1: didn't fail. And now, UM, you are right at the 329 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 1: very beginning of really revving up your calling, your launching 330 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: a new content company called rocket Fuel. Oh no, not me, 331 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: no being a ball production excuse me? Okay, okay, bank 332 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:04,920 Speaker 1: Abow Productions. So yeah, my production company UM is called 333 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 1: bank Abole Productions. And UM, I have for a while 334 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: been on simmer with it um constantly. People are coming 335 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: to me and pitching and I actually went back to 336 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:16,679 Speaker 1: school for a while so I'm into Harvard Business School's 337 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: Owner President Management program UM to really get UM. It's 338 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 1: a beautiful executive education program. They have kind of like 339 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: an executive NBA. So I really focused there as I 340 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 1: wanted to take what I have from a natural gut 341 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:32,199 Speaker 1: instinct but connect business to it. And so now I 342 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: am pretty much relaunching bankable productions and am looking for 343 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: an executive to run it with me. Heard it here, UM, Yes, 344 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: And our focus is you know, unscripted and and UM 345 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:48,199 Speaker 1: scripted television uh and as well as I want to 346 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 1: create a children's division and create content for children. And 347 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: I'm not necessarily interested in just creating TV for t 348 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: v's sake. I'm really UM wanting to create businesses and 349 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: and formats are very strong around the world. I have 350 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: so much experience with America's Next Top Model in that 351 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: format and it's being in a hundred and eighty countries 352 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: and at our height having forty international versions of the format. 353 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:13,240 Speaker 1: So I'm really looking to create UM businesses, but not 354 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 1: just UM in terms of formats, but every project that 355 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 1: I have, I have a three hundred and sixty degree 356 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:22,639 Speaker 1: monetization strategy so that it goes beyond just um, just 357 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:26,119 Speaker 1: the content, but what are the other ancillary revenues that 358 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:29,400 Speaker 1: can come from that? So that's the game right now, 359 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: And that's the game. It's it's about global scale, yes, 360 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,440 Speaker 1: And with my personal reach being really broad, I think 361 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,879 Speaker 1: I have I don't know, fifty million across my UM 362 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 1: social media, you know, and a lot of it is international. UM, 363 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:48,160 Speaker 1: so really interested in UM doing something internationally right now? 364 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 1: I have a Korean project and I'm yes, the Korean 365 00:19:52,840 --> 00:20:01,160 Speaker 1: television I don't know, Korean something something, Okay, almost stay 366 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 1: tuned on that, UM. And you're talking about it's interesting, UM, 367 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:06,680 Speaker 1: you're also in all your spare time. I can't believe 368 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:08,359 Speaker 1: you found the time to take a you know, a 369 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 1: Harvard Business School course, But in all your spare time, 370 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:15,719 Speaker 1: you're also teaching personal branding at Stanford Business University. How 371 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:19,560 Speaker 1: does that come about? So? I was speaking at Stanford 372 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:23,119 Speaker 1: two years ago, UM in a room called It's Simes. 373 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 1: It's like a really big room. A couple of thousand 374 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: students were in there, and I finished speaking and I 375 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 1: went backstage, and then one of the students that was 376 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:32,440 Speaker 1: hosting me was like, miss Banks, do you mind if 377 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 1: there's one of the professors that kind of wants to 378 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:36,880 Speaker 1: talk to you. And I was run into the airport 379 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 1: and I'm like, it's like, but I can't say no 380 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 1: to a Stanford professor that's rude. Okay, maybe I'll miss 381 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,119 Speaker 1: my flight. So the professor comes to the back and 382 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: she introduceds herself and she said, you know what I 383 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 1: just saw you speak and that's not a speech, that's 384 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: a class. And what do you think about teaching a 385 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:54,199 Speaker 1: course here and creating a curriculum with me? And her 386 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:57,880 Speaker 1: name is Alice and Kluger and UM, we hold up 387 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: and at Stanford as well, is in Los Angeles here 388 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: at my home for months and months and months and 389 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 1: created this curriculum and the class is called Project You, 390 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: and it's all about developing your personal brand. So my 391 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 1: class has UM students that are entrepreneurs, UM people that 392 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:15,639 Speaker 1: are in the medical field, like doctors. I have. One 393 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 1: of my students created some type of heart fake heart 394 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 1: valve and he wanted to transition to the business side 395 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 1: of medicine. UM. I've had people in the food service industry. 396 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 1: UM one of my students, I'm I'm like a fan 397 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 1: of his family. He is UM one of the heirs 398 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,919 Speaker 1: to the Lowry's um Steakhouse UM brand. Um. So he 399 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,199 Speaker 1: was my student this year and I was literally grading 400 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: papers on the airplane yesterday, grading papers. Yeah, and my 401 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:42,639 Speaker 1: my co teacher was like, you're being real generous. It 402 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 1: is good because yeah, there's certain things. She's like, you've 403 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:48,119 Speaker 1: been a little harsh and this one she was like 404 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 1: being a little generous. Um, But yeah, I just did 405 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: their final papers on the plane Yesterday's amazing. But everybody 406 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 1: can have a personal brand, and you know, particularly in 407 00:21:56,840 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: our world, especially as women, it's such a competitive and 408 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 1: vantage if you can figure out what makes you not better, 409 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: but different. And I teach my students this that different 410 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:08,679 Speaker 1: is better than better. Yeah, there's a better producer or 411 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:11,639 Speaker 1: a better executive, but what makes you different and what 412 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:13,119 Speaker 1: are the things that you can do? And it's in 413 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:15,920 Speaker 1: my class. I mean it's over two weeks, but that 414 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,120 Speaker 1: that can make you stand out in the marketplace. Um. 415 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: And I think about certain people, particularly two female producers 416 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:24,880 Speaker 1: that I think have really strong personal brands, and one 417 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: is um Shonda Rhymes and heard her, yes and heard 418 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:30,919 Speaker 1: her and Reese Witherspoon. And I don't mean Reese as 419 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:33,480 Speaker 1: an actress, I mean her as a producer and a 420 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: businesswoman with a personal brand. I think, um, they're both 421 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 1: killing it in terms of of that. Well, that does 422 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:41,520 Speaker 1: seem like that there's a shift we've seen in the 423 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 1: last you know, colent ten twin ten years, this this 424 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:47,879 Speaker 1: shift to a new sort of breed of celebrity. That 425 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:51,159 Speaker 1: is that is, you know, not just one thing, not 426 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 1: just an act or not just a writer or director 427 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: or a you know, spokesperson, but can do so many things. 428 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:02,719 Speaker 1: And that does seem like a very um considered way 429 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:06,159 Speaker 1: to really have a to really extend your career, that 430 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 1: you won't just be pigeonholed as to one thing. I 431 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: would imagine that that's is that kind of uh yeah, 432 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:16,360 Speaker 1: and also understanding what your strengths are. I mean, I've 433 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 1: started businesses where I because I was using my own money. 434 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:22,959 Speaker 1: I was everywhere Like I was like, there is an 435 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: HR problem and there at a comedy club and it's 436 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:28,439 Speaker 1: a it's a it's a business function, but they're in 437 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 1: the hallway fighting about something about business. But they're not 438 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:34,159 Speaker 1: on campus, they're not on you know, at our at 439 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:35,919 Speaker 1: our headquarters. But then I'm getting that call in the 440 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 1: middle of the night like dealing with that, or operations 441 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:40,679 Speaker 1: are pickpack and ship and all these different things that 442 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:44,439 Speaker 1: I realized were not my strength. So as all of 443 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:47,640 Speaker 1: us expand and and want to scale and and take 444 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:49,680 Speaker 1: our careers and our businesses to the next level, it 445 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:53,879 Speaker 1: is so important to find strong people that specialize in 446 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,120 Speaker 1: those things. And I realized my strength is the creative 447 00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:59,880 Speaker 1: side of business. And I understand business now, especially because 448 00:23:59,880 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 1: of my teachings at Harvard, but it's not my expertise, 449 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 1: nor does it excite me to really look at a 450 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: spreadsheet and call the accountants and you know, deal with 451 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: the finance. I'm more strategy and and and marketing. And 452 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 1: I think we if we all can figure out what 453 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:16,920 Speaker 1: our strengths are and what we love and figure out 454 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 1: how to partner with other people that have those other strengths. 455 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: Like this room is like unstoppable. Um from your lips, um, 456 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:29,160 Speaker 1: What does you have a just awesome social media platform 457 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: in terms and you just said about like what what 458 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:34,359 Speaker 1: obviously that gives you reach? But what does that do 459 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: for you as a businesswoman as a personality in terms 460 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 1: of your ability to communicate directly? Yeah, it's very valuable, right, 461 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,359 Speaker 1: So it's super valuable. I know when UM I joined 462 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: America's Got Talent last year as the host UM they 463 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 1: for season eleven. This is the year before I joined, 464 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 1: they had one billion views of their videos across different platforms, 465 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:02,919 Speaker 1: you know, like kind of a reshowing of different video clips. 466 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: When I joined and gave them access to my Facebook page, 467 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:10,200 Speaker 1: that number jumped to two point seven billion in that year, 468 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:13,120 Speaker 1: and they got to one billion views in four weeks 469 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 1: with access to my accounts, So I do understand that 470 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 1: there is a lot of value there. At the same time, 471 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:20,160 Speaker 1: I when I talked to my students about social media, 472 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 1: I teach them about a certain aesthetic and a certain 473 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:25,199 Speaker 1: way to post in all different types of things. But 474 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:27,640 Speaker 1: I do tell them I'm like, but I'm that manicurist 475 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: that has really bad nails, but we'll hook you up, 476 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,360 Speaker 1: so don't look at my pages. They're a hot mess, um, 477 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:36,880 Speaker 1: But this is what you should do. And I realized 478 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 1: that I was doing a lot of that in class 479 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: this year, of saying I don't do it, but this 480 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 1: is what you guys should do in social or or 481 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:44,879 Speaker 1: even with physical branding. This is what you should do 482 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:47,760 Speaker 1: or with your you know, start a podcast, you really 483 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 1: need to do that, and I wasn't doing any of that, 484 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:51,480 Speaker 1: and I'm tired of being that teacher that is like, 485 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:53,679 Speaker 1: my hair looks whacked, but I'm gonna hook you up 486 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 1: and you can have the best blow dry. Um. And 487 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:59,719 Speaker 1: so I am doubling down on a digital strategy, not 488 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:02,679 Speaker 1: just social media, but a digital strategy, and and hiring 489 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:05,120 Speaker 1: a team to really focus on that. And I'm doing 490 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 1: so many different things now that um that I can 491 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:09,640 Speaker 1: now teach and be brother and that will be too 492 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:13,160 Speaker 1: bankable as well. That would be through bankable productions. Yes, yes, 493 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: the tire of banks company and have bankable productions and 494 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:19,199 Speaker 1: some other things that I can't talk about publicly right 495 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,159 Speaker 1: now underneath that umbrella. And on top of all of this, 496 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 1: you have a two and a half year old at home. 497 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 1: I have a two and a half year old. Yes, 498 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:29,080 Speaker 1: his name is York. It's definitely and he looks like 499 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:32,159 Speaker 1: I spit them out. It's exactly like me, big forehead 500 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:36,600 Speaker 1: and everything. Um. But yeah, he's my precious. Yeah. That's 501 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 1: also a very full life. And I can't let you 502 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 1: go without asking you to talk a little bit about 503 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 1: um you are. I think it sounds like you're realizing 504 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 1: a long held um ambition to return to the world 505 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:54,960 Speaker 1: of Life Size said Disney movie that that maybe you 506 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: have seen or your kids have your kids have seen 507 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:00,239 Speaker 1: about how life Size two kids life Size Too. I 508 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,919 Speaker 1: was in a meeting with UM Disney UM the Disney 509 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:07,160 Speaker 1: Channel five years ago and they had called a meeting 510 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,679 Speaker 1: with me because they were interested in me producing sitcoms 511 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 1: for them, kind of like Hannah Montana, and they wanted 512 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 1: my company to produce those. And so in the room 513 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 1: we're just laughing and I'm like, oh, y'all know that 514 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:21,680 Speaker 1: child presented Life Size Too to me like ten years ago, 515 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:24,120 Speaker 1: and Lindsay Lohan had said yes, but I passed because 516 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 1: I wanted to be a serious actress and be trug addict. 517 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 1: It was like, I'm gonna be an m t A, 518 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:31,159 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be a model turned to actress, and so 519 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,480 Speaker 1: I passed on it, and they were like, there's a 520 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,399 Speaker 1: life life Size to script. I was like, yeah, it's somewhere, 521 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 1: and they're like, can we focus on that? And the 522 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,640 Speaker 1: sit comes toff to this side. So that's what ended 523 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 1: up happening in that meeting. So there was no like 524 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 1: hannahman Tira or whatever. We were gonna create and and 525 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:51,919 Speaker 1: we focused on Life Size. It has been five years 526 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 1: and like six writers and going from Disney Channel to 527 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: Disney Channel, realizing that the Life Size Girl has now 528 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: a to doubt of Disney Channel. So now it's going 529 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,040 Speaker 1: to be on free form UM And so we have 530 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:07,000 Speaker 1: an amazing writer who is very close. We're in the 531 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 1: middle of casting. The executive producer working on it is 532 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 1: Stephanie Elaine Um and I love working with her. UM 533 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: And yeah, it's coming. And what I'm so excited about 534 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:22,879 Speaker 1: casting is so we are just casting good actors. So okay, 535 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: say there's like a sister, there's two sisters. I'm just 536 00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 1: looking at great actresses and like there's one girl she's Asian, 537 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:32,199 Speaker 1: another girl's Latin, and we're just gonna reverse engineer why 538 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:34,880 Speaker 1: they're sisters. So that's what we're doing with the whole thing. 539 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:37,320 Speaker 1: We're like going to change the script based on just 540 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:39,840 Speaker 1: who the best actors are. And that is so exciting 541 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 1: for me. And I'm on the search for a hot 542 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 1: male Asian actor. I was up at four a m. 543 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 1: Last night and my director knows Steven Tashida tes Uh 544 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: sending him. I was like, he's hot, What about him? 545 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 1: What about him? So, can you guys hit me up 546 00:28:56,600 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 1: with like hot like like a gen male actors that 547 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: can play twenty five, I don't care if he's thirty seven, 548 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 1: you can play. And so I have a passion for 549 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 1: this because my partner on America's Next Top Model, Ken Mack, 550 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 1: is Chinese and when we added um male models to 551 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 1: America's Next Top Model, UM, we wanted to take away 552 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: the stereotype of the Asian mall in theater of like 553 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 1: being a sexual and just not being sexy and so 554 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 1: um one season we cast a guy named j and 555 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 1: Um we could call himself Jay's Move. He was Korean 556 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:32,120 Speaker 1: from Soul you know what's up? Soul with soul and 557 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 1: um And so, because Ken and I are so close 558 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 1: and now a mission that I continue, so really looking 559 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,800 Speaker 1: for that guy. I suspect your damns would be like 560 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 1: by the time you get off, But I hope it's 561 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: from you. Guys are not like yo, baby, you know 562 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 1: I'm from I'm from Korea? What's up? You know what 563 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:56,240 Speaker 1: I mean? Because does happened? Also again must be gratifying 564 00:29:56,280 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 1: to you. In the first go around on Life Size, 565 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:01,480 Speaker 1: you were cast into the into the show this time around, 566 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 1: you made it happen, which is so interesting, right. And 567 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:07,040 Speaker 1: also at that time, um they were going with a 568 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:10,320 Speaker 1: white actress, very well known actress at that time, and 569 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:14,000 Speaker 1: my manager begged them to let me audition and they 570 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: were like, uh no no, and I just kind of 571 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 1: went in there and shocked them and they had to 572 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:21,680 Speaker 1: redo the doll and make her black and do all 573 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 1: of this stuff. They had to find a doll off 574 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 1: the shelf that looked up and like me because I 575 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 1: got cast at the last minute because we changed their minds. 576 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 1: Um so, but at least at this time, the doll 577 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:34,400 Speaker 1: will look like me. I went to that thing you know, 578 00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:37,560 Speaker 1: where you like take a million pictures of yourself and 579 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:39,640 Speaker 1: like then they do the cast of you and like 580 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 1: so there's a me with like no eyebrows and no 581 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 1: eyes and like like so it'll definitely look like me 582 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 1: this year. Yes. And the great thing. What what I 583 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: think was great about Life Size is there was this 584 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 1: little girl, Linda Lohan, white girl, who had this black 585 00:30:54,760 --> 00:30:57,920 Speaker 1: doll that changed her life, you know, And I think 586 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: that was such a great message for young girls because 587 00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:02,640 Speaker 1: there's so much history when it comes to dolls, and 588 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 1: you know, fifty sixty years ago, and there's there were 589 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 1: experiments um where um, black kids did not want black dolls. Um, 590 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 1: they wanted the white doll. Um. So the culture, yeah, 591 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 1: exactly in the and the and the society and self 592 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:20,400 Speaker 1: hatred and things that were projected on us. So I 593 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 1: remember it being a little girl. My mom got me 594 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:24,480 Speaker 1: all the barbies, so I had the white barbe and 595 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:26,800 Speaker 1: Asian barbie and that she was called Hispanic barbie back 596 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 1: in the day, and all the black barbies. Um. And 597 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:31,600 Speaker 1: to this day, when my son sees a black barbie, 598 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 1: he goes, mommy, mommy, yeah, thank you so much time 599 00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 1: when we were just about at a time. But before 600 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 1: you go, I want to ask you. Um you said 601 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,520 Speaker 1: that you have a really big appetite for risk. Yes, 602 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 1: what would you say is you know what would you 603 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 1: say is the biggest thing that you might have learned 604 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 1: from taking a risk that maybe didn't work out. Don't 605 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:58,440 Speaker 1: use my own damn money. And I had all these people, 606 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:01,040 Speaker 1: what are you doing? You don't know? The CEO of 607 00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:03,800 Speaker 1: Chilbanni used his own money and look at his empire. 608 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 1: So he was my role model. I was like, he 609 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: did it, and look what hell m hmmm. I don't 610 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:13,560 Speaker 1: want to tell you how many millions, but I went 611 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 1: to that was some education. Yes, was that on a 612 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 1: TV show or I'm not gonna say what it was, 613 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:21,920 Speaker 1: but it was my own money. And now I am 614 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:25,160 Speaker 1: launching something that is massive. It is not content, but 615 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 1: it is a massive, massive project next year and not 616 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:33,520 Speaker 1: my money o PM o PM, yes, which is actually 617 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:37,480 Speaker 1: my Harvard program owner president managed. Yes. So my friends 618 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 1: all joke like, girl, you went to o PM. What 619 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 1: you doing using YO money? Like Oka, you have other 620 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:46,560 Speaker 1: people's money. Yeah, that's a wonderful time. Tyra, thank you 621 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 1: so much for your time. Thank you, thank you guys, 622 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:53,680 Speaker 1: thank you so much, thank you, thanks for listening. Be 623 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 1: sure to join us next week for another episode of 624 00:32:56,280 --> 00:33:01,040 Speaker 1: Strictly Business.