Tyra Loves Young Girls and Bankers Too

I find Tyra Banks only slightly less annoying than Oprah, and somewhat more annoying than Martha Stewart, so the fact that the New York Times places her firmly in between those two names on the cover of the magazine this week is fitting.

The working thesis of the article is Tyra's desire to control her career and be a role model of encouragement for young women. Of course there are moments of concern like this, where an episode seemed to suggest (to some literal minded folk) that we should kill a model or batter a woman, causing one blogger to encourage letters to the production staff:

This letter is regarding the March 21, 2007 episode of America’s Next Top Model wherein all of the competing models were asked to pose for photographs as “crime scene victims”.

Despite the irritation factor, I have long mastered the ability to admire people who annoy me, and in contrast to Sheila Johnson (ex-wife of Robert Johnson) in the previous post, I admire those women who have worked hard for what they have, and further, have maintained a level of control and independence that allows them to go forward with their vision.

Sure their public personalities and personas may not be ideal; there are times I listen to Oprah and look at her audience and suspect that if she were to lead them to a water fountain dispensing acid they would surely drink. But Oprah has worked for what she has, and Tyra seems to be following in those steps.

Of course many hand claps to investment banker John Utendahl of Utendahl Capital Partners LP for his fine selection in women, which helps us maintain the dream that we can all have supermodels no matter how old we get. How many levels of lucky is he? (Assuming Tyra is not as annoying in real life as she appears to be on her talk show).

Update (2:14 am Sunday, Phoenix):
I should add that the opinion on the blog I linked to is in my mind quite valid. While I respect the efforts of people like Tyra, you also have to ask what that effort actually produces and induces. It is always important to dig down to the actual product of a person and ask if this thing they are dedicating their energies to is actually producing something worthwhile. In that regard Tyra's shows often work at odds from her expressed goal, and that can be considered misguided ambition. Hence my annoyance mixed with admiration.