Tyra Banks

Entertainment.

When America watches television, it's hard to miss the triple-threat talent of fashion and cultural icon Tyra Banks. Banks is the creator, host and executive producer of "America's Next Top Model" the hit reality TV sensation currently filming another new season. She is also the creator, host and executive producer of the hit daytime syndicated talk show "The Tyra Banks Show." Tyra is a woman with passion and a vision to create change. In Tyra's words: "It's important to make people feel good, to show compassion, to be uplifting and to help people expand their horizons. We should encourage people, discover new talent and creativity, and give people a chance to realize their full potential. And finally, we want to provide people with an escape and help them find joy." Tyra strives to create a business that provides people with ways to demonstrate their unique capabilities. Tyra not only talks the talk, she walks the walk, proving by example with her many accomplishments.

Recently, Time Magazine dubbed Tyra Banks a "Supermogul with a Business Model" when they placed her on the prestigious 2006 list of "100 People Who Shape Our World." Soon thereafter, Forbes Magazine profiled Tyra for their "Celebrity 100" list. She is regarded not only as a groundbreaking, international fashion and entertainment icon, Tyra Banks and her business empire have confirmed her as a modern day Renaissance woman.

There is no trick to her success, it is a product of her drive, focus and production savvy. She is involved in every step of the production process: crafting stories, getting to know her guests and models and working in the editing bay to make sure the final product is up to her high standards. Tyra works to push far beyond average expectations and uses her creative ingenuity to present fresh, inspiring shows to viewers.

Tyra has broken barriers with her long list of career "firsts." Over the course of her distinguished modeling career, Tyra became the first African-American model to grace the covers of GQ, for which she was also named "Woman of the Year 2000," Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue, a feat she later repeated, and the cover of the famed Victoria's Secret catalog. She was the first black woman to sign a contract with Sports Illustrated magazine and the first black woman on the cover of the magazine's Swimsuit issue.

A renowned fashion model and recipient of the prestigious Michael Award for "Supermodel of the Year," the fashion industry equivalent of the Oscar™, Tyra has previously held a 5-year contract with Cover Girl cosmetics and had a long-term contract with Victoria's Secret, celebrating her tenth anniversary with the company in fall 2005. After a long and illustrious modeling career, Tyra made the decision to leave the modeling world and move on to bigger projects. Ten million viewers watched as Victoria's Secret paid tribute to her in a special TV send-off commemorating her official retirement from the runway.

Under her production banner Bankable Productions, established in 2003, Tyra executive produces "The Tyra Banks Show" and "America's Next Top Model. "Top Model" is produced in conjunction with 10 by 10 Entertainment and was UPN's most-watched show for six cycles. "Top Model" was chosen to launch the brand new CW Network and had the best premiere ever in the 18-34 demographic and one of the largest viewing audiences in the shows' history. 



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