Like this latest cycle of “America’s Next Top Model,” my time of writing about television for The Lawrentian has come to an end. However, just as a new season will inevitably start up in the fall, so too will a new writer fill this space. And that writer will probably be less obsessed with Tyra Banks than me, which may be a boon for all of you.
However, that time has not yet come, so you’ll have to suffer through one more week of my profound affection for that crazy woman, which may be bordering on some sort of disability. We’re all in this together.
I think Tyra Banks should come to Lawrence to be a speaker. Quite frankly, I think she should come every year. Her wisdom cannot go overlooked any longer, and I think it’s practically criminal that we’ve been denied a Tyra Banks convocation for so long.
As Lawrence students need to learn about time management and multi-tasking, there is no one more qualified to speak on the subject than Ms. Banks. She runs her own company, Bankable Productions, and has a talk show in addition to her “successful” reality television show.
She even tried a music career and cried about it on national television, and she also has several movies under her belt. The movies “Lifesize” and “Coyote Ugly” were both clearly snubbed by the Oscars, but she made a memorable cameo in that Miley Cyrus movie that came out last year. Tyra Banks does it all, and she’s not even as famous as Oprah Winfrey.
So it’s time to recognize the woman for all of her achievements. She has contributed more to television than most stars hope to in a lifetime. On her talk show, she exposes the cruelties of homelessness by spending a day in the life of a homeless person. She wore a fat suit to find out if she would be treated differently.
And twice a year, she gives thirteen girls a makeover and usually yells at them for their ungratefulness. Tyra is all about humanity – teaching us proper behavior and exposing inequity.
Tyra is also all about being real. She confronted comedian Kathy Griffin for implying that she occasionally puts on a facade, and she will even tell you herself that she’s as real as they come. You can take her word for it; she’s being real.
Tyra Banks speaks to the people. She would be able to relate to Lawrence students well, and if I’m wrong, she would at least be able to talk about herself for an hour. Trust me, learning about her fear of dolphins is something we should all be anxious to hear.
I think it’s rare to take Tyra on as a bastion of morality and excellence, but I think she speaks to today’s world in a unique voice, and she’s exactly the way I’d like to say farewell to my stint as TV columnist for The Lawrentian. Thanks for reading.
TV is the answer
