Celebrity Mound

There’s been no shortage of tales about Tyra Banks’ personality conflicts on the set of “America’s Next Top Model,” but the latest might be the most interesting since it could have a lasting impact on the show. OK! magazine reports that Banks isn’t getting along with photo shoot creative director Jay Manuel, and her days on the show could be numbered.

“It’s gotten so bad that Tyra and Jay aren’t speaking,” an insider told OK! magazine. The selective silent treatment isn’t limited to Manuel, either. “Tyra barely interacts with the contestants and only wants to show up on judging day,” the source told the magazine.

Net result? Banks (who wouldn’t comment on the rumors) might be looking for a new supermodel to helm ANTM. “She’s really throwing all her weight behind her talk show,” according to a source familiar with “The Tyra Banks Show.” “She’s putting lots of pressure on her staff to keep her show on the map. She had Barack Obama on, she had Hilary Clinton on — she got a taste of playing with the big boys and now ‘Top Model’ seems to detract from her big plans.”

THE 14 wannabe models from the latest cycle of “America’s Next Top Model” are accused of making a dump out of the gorgeous $6 million TriBeCa loft where they lived for 10 weeks.

Anisa Productions, which makes the show hosted by Tyra Banks, rented the loft at 39 Lispenard St., promising landlord Michael Marvisi that any damage would be minor, according to an insider.

Instead, we’re told, the crew “punched hundreds of holes in the ceiling to hang lighting equipment” and ruined the Brazilian wood floors, forcing the owner to tear them up and install all new flooring when the women moved out three weeks ago.

“These girls not only destroyed the floors, it appears they had food fights. There’s ketchup and coffee splattered all over the landlord’s $20,000 white drapes. There’s lipstick on the walls,” said the insider. “They moved in furniture and made holes all along the walls.”

According to our source, while the beauties were staying in the 4,200-square-foot loft, they damaged a $15,000 chandelier beyond repair and splashed so much water around, the bathroom was ruined and had to be tested for mold.

“A plumber had to come fix the toilet and the water caused $90,000 worth of damage to the electrical store on the first floor,” said our source.
“America’s Next Top Model” also “skipped out on” a $1,500 electric bill, claimed our source, who estimated the damage totals $500,000.

“The landlord is devastated,” the source said. “Three other shows approached him [to use the loft] and he turned them all down for ‘Top Model.’ And a tenant was supposed to move in a week ago, but when the place wasn’t ready, they pulled out. Tyra Banks should be ashamed of herself.”
The show offered to settle for $125,000, but has not paid Marvisi any money, according to our insider. The landlord now plans to file a lawsuit against the show.

Reps for both Anisa Productions and the show said, “No comment.” A rep for Banks did not return calls for comment.

(source)

TYRA Banks may claim Oprah Winfrey as her idol – but she’s no Oprah when it comes to generosity to her staff. Banks, unlike Winfrey who takes her staffers on vacations and retreats -thanked the minions who work tireless hours to produce her silly self-titled and self-obsessed talk show with a third-rate Christmas party and cheeseburgers. According to cyber-gossip Janet Charlton, Banks – who just negotiated a $30 million deal when she moved her show from L.A. to New York – threw a “modest holiday party at a Lower East Side dive bar and her employees drank a lot because there was no food . . . Tyra arrived for a brief stop, looking like a million bucks, and said she was on her way to Italy. Before she left, she told them ‘I want to thank you guys for working so hard – I have a special guest – here’s Santa!’ ” But instead of bearing gifts, the Santa brought McDonald’s cheeseburgers. Charlton added, “Unhappy workers ended up drinking themselves senseless and brawling in the street. One needed an ambulance.” Repeated calls to Banks’ rep weren’t returned.

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Tyra Banks

Sheryl Crow

Mary J. Blige

Glenn Close

Jill Goodacre and Harry Connick Jr.

Kyra Sedgwick and Harry Connick Jr.

Mira Sorvino

IT was a tense moment behind the scenes at “The Tyra Banks Show” the other day when the supermodel host’s security guards threw out designer Ivy Supersonic minutes before the program taped. “The segment was on hooking up with men, and I came in this beautiful $800 dress, silk with black lace from top to bottom,” Supersonic told Page Six. “But they didn’t want any of my tattoos showing – I have a ‘justice’ tattoo smack across my chest and ones that say ‘Thank you, God,’ ‘Warrior’ and ‘Force of Nature.’ Then they made me take off my jewelry and put on some Kmart T- shirt. They wanted me to say a line, ‘I’m like Samantha from “Sex and the City” ‘ – like I’m the find ‘em, feel ‘em, [bleep] ‘em and forget ‘em type. I mean, what kind of show is this?” Supersonic said she got fed up, ripped the T-shirt off and threw it on the floor, prompting security to toss her out. Banks’ rep did not return calls.

(source)