“WINNERS” of the CYNTHIA BAILEY MODEL SEARCH…
From The Birmingham News:
Paris Williams waited nearly eight hours today before learning he had been selected as one of four finalists in Cynthia Bailey’s model search at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex.
“I was impatient at first, but once it came down to it, I knew it was definitely worth it. It was worth the wait,” said Williams, a student at Jefferson State Community College. ”I’m very excited. It’s a once in a lifetime thing.”
Williams, 22, of Town Creek, was one of more than 250 people in attendance at today’s model call. A fifth finalist will be selected on Sunday as part of a “Wild Card” selection during seminars designed to teach people what it takes to make it in runway and print modeling and commercials.
Sunday’s workshops will start at 10 a.m. in the South Meeting Halls of the BJCC. The cost will be $175.
Alabama native and model Cynthia Bailey created the model search as a way to give people from smaller towns, a shot at the big time. Bailey, 44, was born in Decatur and grew up in the Shoals before heading to New York to launch a modeling career nearly 25 years ago. She’s traveled the globe and currently appears on Bravo’s Real Housewives of Atlanta. The reality show Sundays at 8 p.m.
Bailey kicked off her model search in Birmingham as a nod to her home state. She will also search for models in New Orleans, Jackson, Miss., Nashville, Charlotte and Atlanta.
Five finalists will be selected from each city. One winner will selected during final judging in Atlanta in May. The winner will receive $10,000, a one-year modeling contract, an editorial spread in Vibe Vixen magazine and a photo shoot with a celebrity fashion photographer.
People of all heights and sizes turned out for today’s call.
Judges asked participants to not only walk but also show their personality. They were looking for someone with individuality and strong features. They were also looking for someone who is photogenic.
“We are just looking for someone who stands out from the crowd. It’s hard to say what that is. It’s just that when you see it, you know it,” Bailey said.
Several people showed up early today for judging. But, judging was delayed. Bailey explained why it took a while to see contestants.
At first, Bailey started out with talking to all of the contestants during the group judging, wanting to know why they came out for the search. Such attention delayed the judging of other groups. She eventually changed that approach in an effort to see more groups at a faster pace, but still connecting with contestants. She added that delays do happen in model calls.
In the end, she and the judges said they were satisfied with their selection. ”I really enjoyed it,” said judge Tameka Raymond, owner the Atlanta boutiques, Estella, and the former wife of R&B singer Usher. ”I wished we could have had three more (finalists) because I loved them.”
Other finalists include: Mia Rutledge, 30, of Crestwood; Finn Jasele, 23, of Forestdale; and Courtney Guidy, 16, of Pinson. Some of those not making today’s final four, plan to return on Sunday for a shot at the ”Wild Card” selection and to learn from experts in the fashion and beauty industry.
A camera crew attended today’s events, filming the judging and other scenes. Peter Thomas, Bailey’s husband, said they were taking footage for a model show the couple plans to shop around to networks. They plan to call it “The Cynthia Bailey Model Search.”
For more info, go towww.cynthiabaileymodelsearch.com. Catch Bailey tweeting about her Birmingham experience at @cynthiabailey10.
NOTE: After the post re Cynthia Bailey’s “Model Search” appeared on SH January 17… here… Cynthia tweeted that “some site” (SH) is reporting “inaccuracies” re her “Model Search” scheme. SH tweeted back asking Ms. Bailey to please point out any inaccuracies as the information contained in the January 17 post was taken from HER website. (The twitter exchange is included in the link to the January 17 post.)
I then heard from Ms. Bailey’s management informing me that there is a $25 entry fee, which was not highlighted. Hmmm… all information re the fees was posted; however, in fairness to Ms. Bailey and her management team, the post was edited to point out the $25 fee.
If you will notice, the above information… taken from the Birmingham News… does NOT mention a $25 entry fee.
Nor does the Birmingham News mention that Cynthia and husband, Peter Thomas, are taking these very hopeful model-wanna-bes for a ride.
Just from personal experience… I know that NO legitimate modeling agency will EVER ask you for money. Personally, I was spotted in a department store and was asked to model. I had no portfolio… and I had no experience. Photos were taken… at no cost to me.
If anyone asks for money for YOU to get your foot in the door in ANY aspect of the fashion and/or modeling world… RUN!
Don’t believe me??? WATCH THIS…
Everyone there forked out all that money to that scammer, con, snake, to Grandpa Smurf? I can’t even say his name. What a Slimey Smiley. Gretchen has tweeted about hanging around with a comedian. Doesn’t Slimey do a stand-up this season? So we can all gag.
@GretchenRossi
Gretchen Rossi Hanging with @improvgm (Dan Goodfrey) you have to follow him he knows so many amazing comics! Not to mention that he is so flipping funny!
(I can’t wait to give Slimey hell. Let’s pray Dumbo Jimbo makes an appearance so I can REALLY give it to his arrogant a$$! Wonder if that comedian has to listen to her braying like a jacka$$ at his jokes?)
This is no surprise to me especially since she used a former top model contestant to act like a ghetto bird during the premiere of RHOA when Ms. Jay was there. I bet it was Peet-Tah’s idea to charge the hopefuls a fee to enter smdh
I am surprised she picked someone thirty years old. Knowing what I know after watching the video’s, Cynthia must know that at age 30, no matter how pretty the girl is, the potential for her to find modeling jobs is not going to be very high simply because she is thirty.
I love watching America’s Next Top Model and girls even at 24 and 25 never make it to the end. When they would go to the “go sees” the designers would always comment about how they were just too old looking for them to want them to model their designs. People in the industry just aren’t interested in that age group unless a model is already established. Of course, this is just my opinion but it is what it is. They might get a few nibbles but nothing to make a career out of modeling.
Even with Alex’s association with the RHNY when she “went into modeling ” on the show, I haven’t seen her model anything anywhere ever. Alex’s modeling was like Simon’s singing. Neither one of them had the natural talent for doing those things. ( I am not picking on Simon, none of the housewives can sing except for Kandi and to me all of her songs pretty much sound the same, just different words, sorry Kandi )
Shame on you Cynthia for taking money from these people when you know that what you are doing is wrong !
The 30 year old really bothered me, too. Even though she stands out…..she doesn’t have a chance in H**L. shame on you Cynthia…..just look at all of Tyra’s girls and what they are doing today. You see that only a handful have made it in the real world of modeling and just how hard it is to get work in the industry even if you have won the show.
That really popped out to me that she is after the money, not the potential talent she might uncover. I am not trying to take anything away from the 30 year old woman, but Cynthia did say she was trying to help “young girls” help getting into the industry.
If was marketed as a competition/pageant then ‘fair dos’. However, just because it states you get a 1 year modelling contract with an agency it does not guarantee that you will ever get a days modelling work. As for a workshop, pleeaassee, you are talking out your arse. My brother is signed with one of the top 10 modeling agencies and has never been required to attend any workshop or pay for any images and so on. You either have it or you dont. BTW he was scouted whilst out shopping too. THEY FOUND HIM
A legit modeling agency will never ask for a fee. When is Cynthia going to wise up and realise that Peter Thomas is using her? He is a fame whore worse than Simon! It makes me literally cringe when she asked him to please mail out her invitations and he told her “No!”…while she was busy doing a photo shoot to promote his business no less! He is an abusive man and she deserves so much more respect than that. We all do. Why stay in a relationship with a man who demeans you? If you are reading this Peter…..No one can stomach you!
Uh… From what I’ve seen on tv about go-sees… what fashion house asks the models at a go-see why they are interested in becoming a model? All they want to do is look at you in person to see if your looks match their clothing line and then ask you to walk. They could care less why you want to be there.
I guess Cynthia was trying to make this a Tyra Banks show.
And no, I’m not saying Cynthia is a fashion house. I should make myself a bit clearer.
I’m saying it was ridiculous of her to delay the judging & put the other judges in a bother by thinking she should require the each participant to do a mini-interview with her.
anne: Peter is trying to sell it as a “reality” show. TFC!!! SH
Now why does that not surprise me, lol.
I’m wondering what agency is offering the contract? If it was a top agency wouldn’t it be a plus to advertise and bring in more people? I agree that you don’t have to pay anyone to be a model. When I was sixteen some man chased me around Berlin. I was scared to death and wouldn’t stop running until I found my Mother. I thought he was a possible ax murder until he gave my Mother His card.
Maybe Cynthia’s agency is offering the contract? Isn’t that part of what her business is, it was “The Balley Agency” first before she added all of the other things wasn’t it?
That isn’t worth much except for local stuff. Print adds and Brochures. My kids did that where I live and it cost us nothing. They made decent money and I got paid for my time and mileage bringing them to bookings. I’m sure that is available in Atlanta as well.
Lol, I never meant to imply that it would be worth much, just that that is the agency I think might be the prize. If Cynthia has her own agency would she be scouting for models to use at another agency? MsSH said Peter is trying to sell it as a reality show, so I am assuming she will be marketing her own agency!
Just so you know, I wasn’t paranoid but My cousins played a joke on me and had me walk down a street (in the red light district, prostitution is legal there.) to meet them. I couldn’t understand why all these strange men kept shoving money at me. They thought it was hysterical! In the end it paid for me to go to Italy, France and England for the rest of the summer so it wasn’t a bad experience.
My son lived in Italy for three years, he was stationed there in the Air Force at Aviano. Most of his time there was going out on what I call ‘mini deployments’ , three weeks in Spain, 3 weeks in Turkey, 3 weeks in Greece, 3 weeks on an island just off of but part of Italy, there were several more, He went to the red flag/green flag in Nevada , Afghanistan for 6months. Oh, Israel, he went there, He brought me back Frank Incense from Jerusalem, Holy water from the Jordan River, Olive oil from Bethlehem, and Holy Soil from Jerulalem . it is all in a little box set with a genuine olive wood cross. it’s pretty cool to have. It’s all together in a little box and each bottle is labeled on the box, not on the bottle themselves.
Where were you in Italy cyn?
Oh snap, Ms. SH! I love it that you can shed some light on this one, from your own personal experience.
So are you saying that Ms Sh is a hottie?
Also, so is there a $25 and a $175 modeling/registration/in-my-pocket fee ?
NeNe: Why, yes… MsSH IS a hottie, thank you.
As for the registration fees, check out the link to the first post. Those poor kids have the “option” of paying $25… but what do they get for it???
Cynthia has stepped over the line and has gone from “haterville” to “scammerville”… TFC!! SH
True Dat! LOL that’s cute, “are you saying Ms Sh is a hottie”
Sh, you found some fans that love you. Anyone who calls you MS. (Cough Luann Take note) they respect you. Respect is earned, not a given LuLu.
Anyhow, ppl respect you Ms Sh
Can we see a picture of Ms Sh?
Another scam technique is to “award” a local pageant winner with a “partial” scholarship to a Model search. When my daughter was 5, I entered her in a talent portion of a local pageant. She sang Part of Your World and she won. Along with her trophy she was thrilled to receive the partial scholarship to a model/talent search in Orlando. At the time my mother-in-law lived in winter park so we took them up on it figuring we could squeeze in a vacation while we were there. The modeling classes beforehand were free as well as the pictures that the director took for her portfolio I admit I was sooooo taken in by the m&m commercial that my daughter would be “reading” for. I still remember the lines we rehearsed over and over again some 14 years later. It seemed so big time to us at the time. Well partial scholarship turned out to be half of an approximate 1200 entry fee and well…. Long story short… she was not discovered and she was ever bit as cute as that Welsh’s Grape Juice kid. Or this kid…..
I had a similar experience (twice actually) when I was approached to be a print model when I worked in NYC as a magazine editor. Everything would have been paid. I turned each one down because it didn’t interest me. I have no patience to sit around, have hair, makeup done, be tugged at. Plus I also knew that I cannot take direction well, as I have an innate confusion between right and left. Besides, I wanted to use my brains for a living.
Oops. I forgot to add that true modeling is exhausting work. I knew quite a few professional models in NYC and they actually sacrifice quite a bit of comfort, as well as sometimes going through stretches of not working between gigs.
So many wannabe-models, girls like the type who try out for these shows, are completely delusional and have self-esteem issues, thinking that if they brag about being a model then they’ll marry a rich athlete, walk red carpets and be able to live the celebrity life. They are clueless as to what it all entails and probably don’t want to work that hard.
It was the same with extra work for moives…..you would always see the same people called back because it can be mind numbing work and the ones who are clueless are gone pretty quick….your last paragraph sounds just like Shana’s dreams
The funny thing is she only made $6.250 I can’t believe she is going to ruin her reputation over that ya know.
Cindy kind of looks like Whitney Houston when you look at the first youtube video with out playing it.
Cindy hangs out with Gild diggers.
1. Nene
2. marlo
3. Tameka who was married to Usher. She is like 20 years his Sr and when they divorced she was trying to get $25 million dollars. I
Bet you Usher wishes he would of listened to his MaMA.
oool Look at Peter’s Tweet.
http://lockerz.com/s/176899356
Sorry wrong one., Peter’s M.F. tweet
I wonder what thats all about?
Oh shoot, I only posted the link, SO SORRY MS SH didn’t know it was going to post like that. I posted the link because it had the F word in it rather than post the tweet it’s self. I’m sorry.
How much ya’ll wanna bet at these so called workshops we wouldn’t learn anything that we already didn’t know. Anyone live in Atlanta? How about 199 of us donate a dollar ea. and you go to this “fraudshop” and guest blog for MS SH.
Any takers? Contact Ms SH.
Ms Sh will proof-read your blog before posting it
Q. MS SH Do I send my dollar donation to your paypal?
I’m serious Yo!
(Your Welcome Hottie Pa-totty-MS-SH)
OMG, u know how there is some people who will do or pay anything to meet a celebrity or in this case, ur idol, um no–Let me think about this. Cynthia is neither, Anywho, LOL wonder if Cynthia is so popular that her fans will pay the amount just to see her and listen to her talk about _____? Who the heck knows.
I’d pay $60 to meet MS SH.
NeNe: LOL!! Send $936,654 USD to SH immediately via overnight courier! Poor Cynthia… I sent her another tweet asking her why she deleted her Jan 16 tweet that said my info was incorrect. Cynthia has not responded to either the original tweet or the tweet sent today. Wonder why??
Maybe anyone who has a twitter acct should send her a tweet! And ask her why she deleted her Jan 16 tweet… or why she’s rippin’ off these kids! TFC!! SH