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Not too many people turn down an opportunity to continue on in a competition, let alone a modeling competition one begged to be chosen for, but Ebony, a 20 year-old nursing student from Chicago, did just that during panel by announcing to a stunned Tyra et al that she no longer wanted to be in the running for America’s Next Top Model. Stating she missed her family, and modeling was not for her, she became the fifth girl eliminated from the show, an action which resulted in Ambreal getting a free pass to continue. Ebony was one of few words in panel, and it earned her the reputation of having an attitude and being unable to handle criticism. I spoke with Ebony today, and she is still one of few words, but to me, she seems shy and reserved, something that does not seem to peacefully co-exist with the in-your-face world of modeling.
Hi, Ebony. How are you?
Hi! I’m wonderful.
Thank you for speaking with me on such notice.
Aww.
I’m sorry things didn’t work out for you on America’s Next Top Model.
Thank you.
What made you decide to become a contestant on the show?
You know what? I actually auditioned for the show two times prior, and obviously didn’t make it, but the third time—my father, he works at the Chicago Tribune, and it was in the newspapers that auditions were going to be held, so he told me about it. He like, “You need to go down.” I’m like, “Ooh . . . all right!” So, I went down and made it.
What previous cycles did you audition for?
I think it was Cycle 8, as well . . . no, Cycle 7, as well as Cycle 6.
Had you had any previous modeling experience?
No. None at all. Nothing.
Okay. Well, I’m kind of surprised by that if you auditioned three times!
The first time I went—you have to be 18 to audition—I was 17 at the time, but I thought Tyra Banks would be there, so I was, “Yeah, I want to go down.” So I went down, and, unfortunately, she wasn’t there.
What was the experience like for you living in a house with 13 girls all competing for the same thing—being a Top Model?
It was actually fun. That was the most fun part—the girls—being in the house with the girls. It was calmer than I thought it would be, considering 12 girls, one bathroom, [laughs] so I thought it would be more hectic. It wasn’t. It wasn’t bad at all.
Who did you get along with best in the house?
I honestly got along with all the girls. The ones I was probably closest to would probably be Lisa and Saleisha.
Was there any one person who created the most drama in the house?
[laughs] Um, yeah. Probably Bianca.
I’m just waiting for someone to say it was themselves!
She was a really sweet girl, though.
Our readers always like to hear another contestant’s opinion of the other girls in the house. Could you give me a one or two word description or just a brief sentence—just the first thing that pops into you mind—when you hear the other girls’ names?
Ambreal: Afrocentric
Bianca: Drama
Chantal: Sweetheart
Heather: Wonderful
Janet: Funny
Jenah: She’s crazy
Kimberly: Really goofy
Lisa: Amazin’
Mila: Awfully crazy
Saleisha: Sweetheart
Sarah: Funny, hilarious
Victoria: Really smart
How about yourself, Ebony: I am outspoken.
What did you think of your makeover look, and is that something you’ve kept?
It isn’t anything I kept. It’s not a hairstyle I would choose, but Tyra, she is a professional, and she, I guess, really liked that hairstyle on me. It was cute, but not anything I’d, pay for or, like, go to the salon and ask for.
What do you have now?
I have my latest(?) wig back on. [laughs]
How tall are you?
I am six feet.
Wow! It seems it's a cycle of really tall girls this time around.
Yeah! Most of the girls are really tall.
You got a lot of criticism in panel, and not necessarily on your photo-shoots, but on your presence or personality. Did that wear on your confidence, or did it make you want to try harder? Just what kind of effect did it have on you day-in and day-out?
Yeah. It really affected me because it made me feel down. I don’t think it would have been as bad if I were able to talk with my family, and get some support, and re-energize, I guess. But, not being able to talk with my family as much, it really affected me a lot.
Do you feel you got positive critiques or was it pretty much negative in panel?
Mostly positive from Twiggy. Twiggy complimented me a lot, and so did Nigel. Nigel and Twiggy. But, not much from Tyra and Miss J. [laughs]
When did you decide that modeling wasn’t for you? Was this a sudden decision or something you had been mulling over?
At the time, I thought modeling wasn’t for me, but after I left the show, it was really just a reality TV show. Reality TV isn’t for everyone, so it was mainly that—not being able to talk to my family, mostly, really, really affected me, and it was something I really couldn’t handle.
Is modeling something you want to pursue in the future, then?
Yeah. I’m very interested in pursuing modeling in the future. I don’t know if I’d want to make a career of it. I’m currently in nursing school, and right now I think that is my passion. But, I don’t know. Maybe things will change. [At this point, I told her I was a nurse, and she asked me where I went and how long I had been one. I got the impression that nursing is her passion, as she really showed interest in this part of the conversation.]
Only you know the true reason of why you quit the show, so did you quit because you had a problem handling criticism, or because modeling was too hard, or simply because it wasn’t for you?
It was a combination of things. Mostly, I really, really, really missed my family. I never got used to . . . I didn’t feel comfortable for some reason. I never got used to the cameras. I never got used to microphones, and it was just not for me, and so it’s over for me.
So, would you say the experience was pretty much just an unhappy one for you?
In a sense, but wearing the designer clothes that I could never afford and meeting Tyson Beckford. You know, some things were good, and some were bad.
Do you regret the decision, and I have to ask you because I’ve read this, and you don’t know if it’s true or not, so I just wanted to set the record straight. Did you try to get back onto the show?
No! That is so not true. My sister told me, and I said, “What?! Where is this?”
I wanted to know, too. Did you regret the decision to quit?
No. I don’t really regret many things I do in my life, and, no, I don’t regret. Sometimes, I wonder how far I could have made it, but I don’t regret quitting.
It’s something that you felt you had to do. You were the one who knew what was best for you.
Do you feel you were portrayed accurately on the show? Was the Ebony we saw on TV the real Ebony?
Not really. In panel, I was always nervous and couldn’t relax, so when they described me as attitude, it was just I was really, really nervous. Like, Tyra, that was the only time she ever saw us. She wasn’t at the house, so she perceived me then as an “attitude” person. When I was around her, every time I was around her, I was always nervous and just not relaxed—like fidgety. So, that is how she perceived me, but in the house, I was myself and just really a cool person.
So, would you say you didn’t have an attitude? It was just something out of nervousness?
Oh, no! Really, I don’t. I’m really a sweet person.
Victoria was another one of the girls labeled with personality problems during panel. In fact, she told me that she took a show-of-hands vote during panel asking all of you girls if she was being abrasive, rude, or impolite, and that all of you voted she wasn’t. She said, “You can ask any of the other girls if she wasn’t one of the nicest girls around.” So, I’m asking you, is she one of the nicest girls around?
Victoria is a sweetheart. I was really sad when she left. She is a really, really nice, really nice person.
When she did that impromptu vote, did do you guys feel that you were being put on the spot with that. Was it something uncomfortable?
I was shocked that she did that! But, no, I wasn’t uncomfortable because she was trying to prove her point. She felt that she was being portrayed wrong, and I didn’t see anything wrong with that.
Do you feel that she did prove her point?
Yeah! [laughs]
I just wanted to know because people have these questions after someone leaves, and you were there, and you know.
Yeah.
What are you thoughts on how Tyra handled the situation when you told her you wanted to quit and when you saw your exit interview on the show?
Well, watching the show . . . the way . . . I don’t know if I can go into that. I was in shock because they were surprised, and I knew that she would probably be a little upset, but I wasn’t shocked the way she reacted.
Do you think it was an appropriate reaction?
No, not really. She’s entitled to her opinion. People, including myself, have my own opinion of her. It doesn’t really matter. We’re entitled to that, so it’s like whatever.
Were you upset with her saying a quitter is the ugliest person around?
I was a little taken back because she is someone that I’ve always looked up to, and for her to say that, it really hurt me at that point in time. But, now, I’m just like—ah, whatever.
You know, watching it, I had read comments before I had watched the show, and I thought she was really going to go off, but when I saw it, I thought she actually wasn’t too bad.
Yeah.
What was your favorite moment on the show?
My favorite moment on the show would probably be meeting Tyson Beckford. He was just so hot! [laughs] I’ve always wanted to meet him!
What was the most difficult aspect of the show for you—besides missing your family?
As far as the photo-shoots or just in general?
Either.
We had one photo-shoot. I think it was our second photo-shoot, the wall-climbing. It looked so easy, but it was so difficult. You have to have upper body strength, and I’m really, really not a strong person, so that was really difficult for me. Also, like smiling with your eyes. That’s what they want you to do, and that’s really hard for me to do, as well.
Do you get any kind of instruction for that type of stuff, or are you just on you own to do it?
Well, when we were in panel, Tyra would sometimes show you how to do it. But, it’s like, “Wow! How did you do that?” [laughs] It takes a lot of practice. I have no experience coming in there, but I guess they expect you to learn this stuff in about a week, and it’s like it takes years. You know, Tyra wasn’t just born a supermodel. It took her years to learn how to pose and smile with her eyes, and stuff like that.
Do you have any final words you’d like to leave with our readers?
I want to say to all the fans: Thanks so much for the love and support. I really appreciate it!
I’d just like to thank you for speaking with me today, Ebony, and I truly hope you find success in whatever you decide you want to do it life!
Thank you so much!
Many thanks to THE CW and Ebony for this interview opportunity!
Photo credit: THE CW
Originally Posted by heyprettylady;2631778; 
