Tyra Banks

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Tyra Banks recently told CBS News that she’s been taking classes at Harvard Business School since last year. I can only imagine this statement was followed by a long period of silence before the reporter asked, “Are you sure you don’t mean the University of Phoenix?”

Even Banks acknowledges that her endeavor is somewhat of a surprise.

"When people have low expectations, you're just constantly going, 'Ta-da!' And they're like, 'Wow,' " Banks said. "It doesn't take a lot to wow them when they have low expectations."

What a great business model: disappoint people so they don’t expect much. I just hope during class she doesn’t slap her butt and say, “check out my big booty, y’all.”

Banks has been taking the classes to support her women’s empowerment non-profit organization, TZONE. "In order for my company to grow and be the best, and to reach these women, and to serve them, I needed the best. So I went to the best."

If you’re looking for the best, I think you could think of a better name than TZONE. I don’t know how good of an idea it is to name a company after the acne prone area of your face. But hey, I’m no Harvard business student.

 Image by Splash News

Tyra Banks has found herself on the receiving end of a very bizarre lawsuit! A woman named Beverly McClendon is suing the talk show host for $3 million after discovering her daughter appeared on her show, according to the AP.

15-year old Ciera Washington appeared on Tyra last October claiming to be a “sex addict,” which shocked the mother, who says she had no idea her daughter was appearing on the show.

Tyra Wants Your Money---Buy Her Book

McClendon is suing Banks for negligence and violating a right of privacy. She also claims her daughter hasn't even been diagnosed as a sex addict.

Stating McClendon "suffered damages as a result of the defendants' negligence," the court papers, filed Oct. 8, also allege the Atlanta-based mother "filed a missing person's report with the local police department" once she realized her daughter secretly fled her home.

Tyra Banks Gets Sued

McClendon says her daughter suffered damages because the 2009 show "was undoubtedly watched by sexual deviants, perverts and pedophiles."

The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and asks for $1 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages. It also asks the court to bar the episode from ever being aired again on television or online.

Others who work for Banks on the show may be in jeopardy too—the suit claims the show didn't get permission from the labor commissioner to employ her and didn't get McClendon's permission before paying the girl to fly to New York, stay in a hotel alone and appear on the show.

A rep for Banks was not immediately available for comment.

This is super sketchy! We’re leaning towards siding with the mother on this one!

Tyra Banks is on the prowl for a whole new type of woman. She just announced on her talk show that she’s launching a nationwide search for plus-sized teen models. The contestants must be within the ages of 13 and 19 to enter, and, as Tyra put it, be “fiercely real.”

Tyra also explained that the models must have a dress size of 12 to 20 and stand 5'9"- 6'1" tall. Banks said the reason she wanted to launch this specialized search was because she was unhappy that the term "plus-sized" has such a "negative connotation" in today's society.

"I've always felt it was my mission to expand the narrow perceptions of beauty," she told Us Weekly. "Through America's Next Top Model, True Beauty and The Tyra Show, I challenge industry and universal standards by featuring and celebrating non-traditional beauty, and stressing that true beauty is both inside and out."

"I want young girls to realize that what's considered plus-sized is the average American woman," Banks said. "That woman is healthy, fit and beautiful. Adolescence is such an impressionable time in a young woman's life, and I hope this contest helps teen girls discover their own beauty from the inside out."

The finalists will be introduced on the March 2nd episode of the Tyra Banks Show and the winner of the Fiercely Real Teen Model Search will be crowned the following day. The winner will receive a one-year modeling contract and a spread in a major fashion magazine. More information here!

Move over, Tyra Banks! Naomi Campbellis looking to steal your thunder! The supermodel is reportedly in talks to become a host of a reality modeling show that sounds an awful lot like America’s Next Top Model.

But Tyra shouldn’t be too threatened—Naomi’s show would air in the UK. According to The Daily Mail, she’s currently in negotiations to host an X-Factor style show. A source says, "Naomi has been approached with an offer, which we are talking about and discussing. An initial approach has been made. We are discussing that offer, but nothing is set in stone yet."

Naomi would play the same type of role as Tyra does here, coaching the amateur models through the process each week. We hear this is the same show Hollyscoop reported about earlier this year that involves Simon Cowell and his partner Sir Philip Green. We hear the show may also involve Kate Moss in some capacity.

While Naomi is a beautiful model, we hardly think she’s in a position to be providing advice for young impressionable models. Her behavior over the last few years has been outrageous! She’s not the best role model for these young women.