"AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL"
Season 3

Kristi

Age: 20

Height/Weight: 5'10"/130 lbs.

Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri

Occupation: Student

Favorite Things:
Movie: "The Princess Bride"
Magazine: Vanity Fair
Food: Yellow cake with chocolate frosting

Other: Wore an American Flag dress to her senior prom

The Interview

With tensions running high, the claws have come out. This season seems to surpass the previous seasons in competitiveness and cattiness. One calm within the storm of raging bitchiness was Kristi. What was it like to be on America's Next Top Model? Here's her story...

Kristi was bitten by the modeling bug at 15. She had made a portfolio, but she wasn't getting anywhere with it. Flash forward a couple of years, and Kristi found herself watching the second season of ANTM. She says it was a "twist of fate" that she saw the commercial for the open casting call. With the support of her family ("my biggest fans") she tried out - and made it to the top 14.

The rest should have been history. What went wrong? One reason may have been pegged by the judges: her insecurity. Even Kristi admits that she could have been "more secure". It seemed almost as if by making it on the show, Kristi thought the competition was over - and it hadn't even really begun. Was it the cameras or the competition that put the most pressure on her? "The fact that you know that you are being watched." Kristi found it difficult to have cameras trained on them 24 hours a day. "You are always aware of the cameras. You know that you're being watched."

And although the cameras watch and record their every move - we as viewers only get to see a slice of what their life is like. We asked Kristi if there was anything that she wished they had shown. "About me? No. I think they showed who I am." But for the others? "There were some more heartwarming moments. I wish they would have shown those. Like Amanda's son's birthday. We all had a cake.... They didn't show the heartwarming parts."

Maybe not - but they sure did get in some of the tenser moments in the house. "I don't think Tyra planned it that way. She wanted girls that would get along. It just turned out this way." She continued "I don't know what we had to fight about." After describing things such as what bronzer people were wearing and clothing as reasons for some of the fighting, we asked her why she thought there was so much contention in the house. "Some of the girls had seen the show. They made it happen. They think that's what people want to see." So did she see the girls as being fake? "Of course I do. I saw the other side of them. I saw both sides. But you only saw one."

And just like Julie, we asked Kristi to describe each of the remaining girls with one word:

Amanda - "emotional"
Ann - "loud"
Cassie - "determined"
Eva - "scared"
Jennipher - "naive"
Kelle - "spoiled"
Nicole - "secure"
Norelle - "Crazy. But in a good way. Can I add that?"
Toccara - (after some hesitation) "Big. But I don't mean in a body way. Big personality-wise"
Yaya - "Collected. As in cool, calm and collected."

In between cat fights and rants, the girls are exposed to many different aspects of the modeling industry. They are given an unbelievable opportunity to learn from the best. Unfortunately for Kristi, learning was her least favorite part. "I always thought I was failing." In her attempts to do what she was taught, Kristi always felt she was doing it wrong.

Her most favorite? "The runway. I had fun doing it. So I guess that was my favorite part." It surprised her to learn that you are the key to your own success in modeling. "You making it work. I had put it on the photographer to get a good shot. But it is you."

With all of the beauties on the show, what does it take to win? Just what are these judges looking for? Is it beauty? Is it personality? "Tyra is looking for personality. Someone to be a strong role model. You need more than just a pretty face. Personality is more important." As for the judges, Kristi thinks weren't very constructive. "They would judge me on things I couldn't change... Tyra was constructive, the rest were just brutally honest." When we pressed for an example, she explained that the judges had told Cassie that she "looked 3 months pregnant. That didn't help. They could have told her how to hold her pose. But they didn't."

Being on America's Next Top Model is an experience that Kristi would not re-live. "Not because it wasn't amazing. I would suggest it to others. But I want to do it more privately. Not on national TV." Which is what she plans to do, as she continues to pursue a modeling career.

We tried to get Kristi to say who she thought would be eliminated next. "I don't know. I can't say." Hmm - can't say, or won't say? "No. I don't care. Really." As for who she thinks will win? "I don't know. But I want Norelle to win."

And just because it is an election year, and this is the girl that wore a flag dress to her prom, we thought we'd ask who she thought would win the election. "I don't know. But I'm voting for John Kerry." Even as a Republican? "Yes."

Well I guess even models can be full of surprises.

October 14, 2004

Kristi's Beauty Tip

I learned the importance of bronzer and shadowing on your face.

Read more about America's Next Top Model Season 3
Read about America's Next Top Model Season 2
Read about America's Next Top Model Season 1

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