newsworthy: TYRA BANKS SAYS GOODBYE TO TALK SHOW

Hold onto your weaves, ladies... Tyra Banks announced today that this is the last season of her talk show. "This will be the last season of The Tyra Show," she told People.com. “I’ve been loving having fun, coming into your living rooms, bedrooms, hair salons for the past 5 years.” Following in her idol Oprah's footsteps, she's ceasing production, leaving a hole in the hearts of many and a gap in TV programming. Who will address such important topics as Tyra's weight, Tyra's modeling career, and Tyra's feuds with other models? These are the major issues of our time!

She is moving on to produce films with her company, Bankable Productions. "My next huge steps will allow me to reach more women and young girls to help us all feel as fierce as we truly are." We wonder if Tyler Perry will have some competition on his hands.

TYRA BANKS REPORTEDLY RECRUITED KIMORA LEE AND ANDRE LEON TALLEY TO JUDGE ANTM

The Daily News reports André Leon Talley will replace Miss J on the judging panel for America's Next Top Model. This seems like the last thing Vogue would have him do, but then again he judged Miss Universe, so who knows. A more likely rumor is that Kimora Lee Simmons will also judge the next season, filling the seat that has been filled this season by a rotating pool of judges, including Chanel Iman and Kim Kardashian. According to sources, this is Tyra's way of showing the world she's an understanding, easygoing person. Tyra's previous judges — Janice Dickinson and Paulina Porizkova — have accused her of being difficult to work with.

"Tyra is obsessed with people's perception of her and was not happy when Porizkova and Dickinson said they didn't get along," says a network source, adding that Tyra's uncomfortable interview with "Nightline's" Cynthia McFadden (who questioned her in September about rumored catfights) only fueled Tyra's rage.

CHANEL IMAN AND LAUREN CONRAD KEEP TV CAREERS ALIVE WITH AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL

Tyra is bringing in a cast of shorties for the thirteenth season of America's Next Top Model. And if that's not enough to get you to watch, she's got a clan of glitterati scheduled to come in and guest judge them. Troops include Lauren Conrad, Chanel Iman, Kim Kardashian, and others. Tyra needed the boldest of boldface names to join her on the judging panel after she laid off Paulina Porizkova. Likewise, Chanel Iman and Lauren Conrad needed Tyra to keep their television careers alive. Chanel has basically been off the air since MTV stopped rerunning its revived House of Style. And Lauren Conrad is off The Hills and has nothing to do so she may as well go look at a bunch of short girls and give them something to aspire to, since they're about as likely to become real fashion models as Andre Leon Talley is to burn her entire stash of turbans. But what really gets us is that all the accomplished guest judges are on the same playing field as Kim Kardashian, whose incomprehensibly fame-worthy accomplishments include only having a big butt and getting it Photoshopped. But at least she can show the short contestants, that even if they're short and can't be models, they can still make something of themselves, on E! if they're lucky.

SESSILEE LOPEZ EXCLUSIVE IN LATINA MAG

Supermodel Sessilee Lopez is best known for being one of the four cover models of last years' coveted Vogue Italia “Black Issue”. And now she’s rocking the pages of Latina magazine and talking about the rumors of her being Kanye West’s new chick and other ish.

Sessilee On Kayne West:
“Me and Kanye are just friends,” she says, for the record. “He’s a great guy. I’m attracted to the way he thinks. It’s a great quality to be creative and not be afraid to voice that.”

Sessilee On Working with Tyra Banks:
“I was like a sponge when I worked with her,” Lopez says. “She told me, ‘You have to let the public as well as the fashion world know who you are.’

Sessilee On being a Dominican model:
“Fashion is very black and white,” she says. “It doesn’t pay attention to heritage much. They don’t see me as a Dominican girl. They just see the color of my skin. It can be hard, because it’s your heritage and you want to be appreciated for it, but it’s just modeling, so I don’t let it get to me.

TYRA BANKS AND SESSILEE LOPEZ'S ODE TO MAHOGANY | V MAG OCTOBER 2008

Tyra Banks and Sessilee Lopez recreate some of the avant-garde looks Diana Ross rocked in the 1975 cult classic, Mahogany, in the October issue of V Magazine. I've always loved Tyra in editorial shoots but I think hats go off to Sessilee.

TOP MODELS GIRLS GET WORK AT FASHION WEEK

Dani, Eugena, Naima @ Project Runway

Yes, really! Five of America's Next Top Model contestants hit the runway this Fashion Week. Four of those five, including Naima Mora and Dani Evans, walked in the Project Runway showcase. And of those four, two walked in Korto's collection. So math tells us if any more past contestants want a shot atleast a semblance of a visible career, they ought to hope Korto becomes the next Christian Siriano. Check out the pics to see all five of the Tyra-trained models actually *gasp* working.

Saleisha @ Pamella Roland Bianca @ Project Runway

BEST SIGN FOR ANTM'S STREET CRED
Two former contestants and two winners — Eugena, Bianca, Naima, and Dani(elle) — walked in the Project Runway contestants' shows.

WORST SIGN FOR ANTM'S STREET CRED
Two former contestants and two winners had nothing better to do in the modeling world than walk in the Project Runway contestants' shows.

WHY WE HATE TO LOVE HER...

God Bless Tyra Banks. She was spotted sitting front row and center at Calvin Klein yesterday afternoon. Now if you're at all familiar with how things are done at Calvin shows, you'll know that the 'special guests' often defer to white or black attire. But oh no, not Miss Tyra. She decided to jazz up the joint in a hot-pink dress and red shoes — which had the added benefit of making it impossible to miss her, although just in case, she also accessorized with a slick updo that rested atop her head. This is why we love her; she's never seems content unless she is visible from space. Oh, Serena Williams was there too. :-)

THE BEST & THE WORST | 2008 FASHION ROCKS

Everything really does happen during Fashion Week, it really is a case of 'so many events, so little time'. , Many A-listers took time away from the hectic showschedule to stop by Conde Nast's fifth annual Fashion Rocks event. From Tyra to Solange, Rihanna to Beyonce, they were all there in their finery.

THE BEST:

Beyonce in Costume National LDB: She rocked this short, sleeveless number, with silk insets. Silver and gold shoes were the focal point along with Egyptian-inspired eyes. Simple, and so very hot.

Ciara in Elie Saab: This was one of my favorites of the night, she. If she had worn her hair down, she would have come dangerously close to being Beyonce's twin.but I'll be damned if I can see

Rihanna in Monique Lhuillier: She goes surprisingly romantic for once, with a mini mohawk with an equally dramatic gown and jeweled belt. Love the lack of jewelery, a dress like this does the talking.

Brandy in Lanvin: She made what I would otherwise consider a trash bag, look so classy and dope. Flawless. Best look of the night.

THE WORST:

Ashanti in Marchesa: I'm not sure this color is the most flattering for her.

Lil' Mama in WTF!!!

Solange in Armani Prive: She is intent on being remembered for something other than being Beyonce's baby sis, and right now it seems she's decided to be known for her insane sense of style. Ok, so it's Armani, so what. It still looks like she's been swallowed by a giant sea urchin.

Tyra in who cares: We love you... but this dress was a hot mess. Those batwing sleeve are terrible. And the slit didn't help much either.

AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL RATINGS DISAPPOINT

Even though America's Next Top Model is trying their hardest to spice up this new cycle with their space-age theme, silver wigs, and girl born in a boy's body, ratings for the CW reality series were disappointing after the premiere. My aploogies, Tyra-Bot, Alpha Jay and Beta Jay, but the calculations just don't compute.

In any case, Tyra looks good, as usual, in the first photo shoot - with it's voting them. She's dope. I love the way she always reinventing herself--you know, as a woman with tiny thighs.

TYRA CELEBRATES THE 'VOGUE ITALIA'

It was a pose off today on West 26th street in New York! Tyra Banks held court with the girls of the past and present during a taping of her talk show. Scheduled to air Sept. 11, the episode celebrates Vogue Italia’s All-Black Issue - the first issue of any major international fashion publication featuring black models and content throughout.

Legends like Veronica Webb, Beverly Johnson and Pat Cleveland joined newbies Chanel Iman, Selita Ebanks and Noemie Lenoir for the festivities, where they posed for pictures. The beautiful bunch commemorated the historic event by holding up black balloons that they later realeased during a NYC street party.

TYRA BANKS AS MICHELLE OBAMA IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF HARPER'S BAZAAR

As was previously rumored, Tyra Banks does indeed have the September 2008 Fashion Edition of Harper's Bazaar. In the issue Tyra pays homage to Michelle Obama - clad in a black shift dress and pearls, she poses next to a Barack Obama look-a-like in the White House. Bazaar casts her as First Lady while she reflects on being a model citizen and the politics of fashion. Maybe I spoke too soon, look at the trend Vogue Italia has set: first POP, now Bazaar. The September Bazaar hits newsstands this week. Check out pics from the spread below:

Tyra Banks Wins Daytime Emmy

Tyra Banks attended the 35th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Hollywood on Friday. The supermodel-turned-TV-Host won her first ever Emmy for most informative talk show - spawning from the bathing suit photo incident earlier this year.

“I want to thank Oprah Winfrey for her inspiration,” Tyra said. “She is the queen. She will always be the queen.”

Sneak Peek: Vogue Italia's All-Black Issue

The much talked about All-Black Issue of Vogue Italia is set to hit European newsstands next Thursday and the US shortly there after. The fold out cover boasts the likes of Liya Kebede, Sesilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn and Naomi Campbell.

Famed photographer, Steven Meisel, along with Editrix Franca Sozzani give their answer to the fashion industry - a world in which racial prejudice has long existed. Quashing the stigma of fashion mainstreams shallow and pedantic depictions of beauty in their failure to hire black models for shows and magazine features. All the faces are black, and all the feature topics are related to black women in the arts and entertainment.

Other models to be featured include Alek Wek, Alva Chin, Arlenis Sosa Pena, Chanel Iman, Gail O’Neil, Iman, Karen Alexander, Tyra Banks, Veronica Webb, and Yasmin Warsame.

Forbes Celebrity 100 Power List for 2008 is In

The annual Forbes Celebrity 100 List, ranking the world's 'ultrafamous' was released yesterday.

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey remains at the top of the list, a power ranking based on both earnings and fame. During the past year Winfrey made $275 million. Beyonce comes in at number 4, earning $80 million in 2007, with husband Jay-Z not far behind at number 7 ($82 milion).

The models on list include Gisele Bündchen (No. 66), Tyra Banks (No. 68), Heidi Klum (No. 78), and Kate Moss (No. 83).

Top Model, Eva Joins Cast of the Young and the Restless

Model turned actress, Eva Marcille (formerly Pigford), winner of the third season of Tyra Bank's hit reality show, America's Next Top Model, has been cast by The Young and the Restless for a reoccurring role on the daytime TV drama, in which she will play a young mother, cleverly named Tyra. Eva has already begun taping and will debut on June 25th.

Tyra Modeling Again?

The answer is no. However she will appear on the cover of the New York Times magazine, on stands this Sunday. This brings Tyra and her brand to new esteem and confirms that she has reached a certain level of respectablity and is recognized for being well on her way to attaining the success of her procalimed heroes Martha Stewart and Oprah.

"Her brand, like her trademark ‘tough but still smiling’ smile,
is consistent in all her shows: serious about the frivolous; empathetic and empowering; and always, always aimed at young women, across all races. It’s
girly TV with a punch."

Spotted: Tyra Banks at LAX

Tyra Banks was spotted yesterday, making her way through LAX airport in Los Angeles after spending her Memorial Day weekend in New York. Fly straight off a 5 hour flight, the always fashionable ex-supermodel looked "characteristically trendy" in a retro mini-dress, and head wrap.

Meanwhile, with two hit shows under her belt, Tyra is reportedly as highly paid as she was at her peak, before she hung up her stilletos in 2005, earning $50, 000 a day. Add to that the dough she rakes in from her hit shows (at least $18 million according to the 2007 Forbes Celebrity 100 money list) the runway diva turned media mogul is well on her way to becoming the next Oprah Winfrey.

P.S. Bag by Prada, Thanks Keely ; )