Ty Ty Crazy

If its Monday premiere was any indication, The Tyra Banks Show isn't so much a talk show as it is a circus. Part of it is because Tyra Banks is almost literally a clown (being, like, a quarter chromosome away from a drag queen). The other thing that gives this show the three-ring feel is Tyra's seeming willingness to pack all 180 ideas she hatched for show segments into its first week. Here's her mission statement, as outlined in her monologue:

You guys, on my show, self image is really important to me. We're going to be talking about women's self image. And we're gonna have fun. We're gonna have your favorite celebrities on here talkin' about their projects and I'ma be askin' 'em personal stuff, too. Not just, you know, work stuff. And, of course, I've been a model for a long time, so we're gonna do some makeovers and have fashion like you have never seen before on daytime, 'cause that is my specialty. And of course, you guys, for all the women, we're gonna have a lot of stuff about relationships, 'cause, child, I been cheated on, I been lied to, I been a snooper lookin' through his drawers like, "I know you cheatin'." So we're going to be doing a lot of shows like that, too.

Brilliant! If TBS can keep up the stamina of its first episode (seven segments, six of them unrelated), it may end up being the workout a chunky-but-proud Tyra needs.

Tyra's all about keepin' it real, which means she'll do things like show you her body before it's been touched up for America's Next Top Model photos.

She'll also appear without makeup -- as long as the camera doesn't get too close.

Also, keeping it real means not being afraid to pretend to cry . . .

I love this woman because no matter what the concentration of false and genuine she's serving in her verbal cocktail, she's never so guarded as to keep her inner geek pent up:

She's got an on-set runway, y'all:

She's not even embarrassed to cart out her masculine mother . . .

. . . or shamelessly sit in that woman's lap . . .

All in a day's work for a woman who's the closet thing we have to walking camp since, well, Janice Dickinson.

A makeover, a reunion with girls from her hilariously named TZONE camp and lots and lots of sass were some of the ingredients that made The Tyra Banks Show so special. The best segment featured Tyra visiting the DMV to give girls tips on how to look good in their drivers license photos. A great concept was made better by Tyra's great, great faces.

I. Love. Her.

Consider it done!

Comments

[Marlina]

Is that our girl Whitney singing her theme song???

[duane]

You may have identified another show that I must watch. I never fully thought of the drag queen connection; until just now.

I suddenly feel the need to watch Coyote Ugly again...

[nicole]

She really irritates me. I saw her on Leno last night & she's just going way too far trying to convince everyone that she is, "Just one of y'all."

[onenami1lion]

I cannot get over the fact that there is a runway on her show! I can just imagine her having like a serious episode with like victims of Katrina or something else really tragic and then they walk out on the runway! She's fucking nuts.

But to her credit, she has lost weight.

[LA]

Aw man, I can't believe I missed that!

If FOURFOUR loves Tyra Banks, than I love Tyra Banks. I've never watched B3 and I didn't see
Tyra's show, but I MUST READ YOUR REVIEWS/RECAPS! AT LEAST TWICE! Re Winnie and Rocko... I'm hooked. And this from a looooong time dog lover.

[anony]

tyra really irritates me too.... but there is no reason to unnecessarily criticize someone's mother like that.

[gail]

"a quarter chromosome away from a drag queen." how do you just say everything perfectly like that? that made me cry.

[Joshua]

HAHAHAHA SHE IS B-A-N-A-N-A-S. I wish I had the time to watch these shows! :(

[Staci]

As for the DMV segment, I like how she thinks we can just walk up in there with a desk fan to create a hair blown effect in our driver's license picture! LOL

[jeremy]

i've been a lurker for a while. *love* the cats!! and that tyra screen capture (crying) is hysterical!!

[Art]

All of you really need to get a life...Ilove how you are all so concerned about victims of Katrina "walking a runway" when all you can do is sit an criticize someone who obviously has more talent than all of you!

[roses are red]

I agree with Art. The stage is a forum for empowerment not a circus act... oh but obviously you have all got it 'goin on'. Look at you with all the free time you have on your hands to rip on the show. And tell me what show of yours will be hitting prime time this year? hmmmmm?

[someone]

please tell me why her forehead doesn't crinkle in any way shape or form ... how is this possible ?

I guess I am air-brush naive, but in one of those retouched photos, did they actually take her head off and then put it back on again? There's suddenly space between her chin and her shoulder.

[Em]

I LOVE THIS. My cousin and I were horrified by some weird infomercial we saw abotu Tyra's show on Saturday. Horrified, yet INTRIGUED.

[Miss Hollywood]

She always has the most insane facial expressions.

[Alberto]

I can see how people can so easily hate Tara. I mean the woman is really crazy.

However, people, don't let our critisicm of her lead you to believe we don't respect her. We love her because she is crazy.

I mean, how many people are willing to put it all out there? Not many. Some of the stuff she does can be half baked, but we gotta respect that she is brave enough to take a chance.

I think it comes from a good place.

[monica]

Hate her. Love that!

[Adam]

Isn't Lindsay Lohan unattractively thin? She's cute, I suppose, but not as cute as her boobs were bodacious. Man, I miss them...

[Kim]

"a quarter chromosome away from a drag queen." --> LOL hilarious!!!!

[b]

I get sick of people always being so negative. So she's silly, is that a crime? At least she's being real, which is more than I can say for alot of other celebs out there. She's a positive role model for young girls, must we drag her down?? Should Brittney Spears be our childrens' role models?? Are people being so hard on her because she's a model? Or just because she's a successful, beautiful woman? Is it jealousy? Really, stand back and look at your real reason for dissing her. Or are we just programmed to hate successful women? Some people will find any reason they can come up with to put someone down. If she were a fat ugly woman, acting the SAME way, I bet most of you would be praising her for being so real and confident - wouldn't you? Think about it.

[markus]

she's looking a lot like that cat in the above post...

[Bijou]

I love me some Ty-Ty.. I think her show is cool.. it deals with issues like eating disorders and the beauty myth.. stuff that you don't see on other talk shows. She's doing her thang and we gotta give her props. And her mom isn't masculine.. she's just big-boned.

[Elizabeth]

I want to know how to look good in MY drivers license photo - when is it rerunning? HAHA