Tyra Banks

Black women don't have the same body image problems as white women. They are proud of their bodies.

Black women have always been these vixens, these animalistic erotic women. Why can't we just be the sexy American girl next door?

The runway symbolizes something in society that's very intimidating to women.

I've been singing for six years. I've been in and out of the studios with top producers, but it wasn't something I was ready to express to the public or to the press. I wasn't ready to come out. I wanted to perfect my voice and be 100 percent positive that I could come out right.

My mom never taught me to be waiting for some prince on a white horse to swipe me off my feet.

People always ask me if I'm going to stop modeling because I have started an acting career. I hope to continue to model for years to come.

I love all kinds of bread. Whenever I crave junk food, I want salty things like peanuts or potato chips.

I love food and feel that it is something that should be enjoyed. I eat whatever I want. I just don't overeat.

I made my living being 20 or 30 pounds heavier than the average model. And that's where I got famous.

There's always going to be dreams and goals I have, but I never really tell people what they are.

Designers are very fickle. I never wanted to be a victim of that. You're in one minute, out the next.

I don't go to the cool, trendy restaurants. I go to either the holes in the wall or the super-fancy restaurants where there are no cool people.

I'm trying to build a strong business. I want to create new stars, new shows and new products for my audience and create a legacy that outlives me. There are so many other ways I want to reach women besides doing a talk show.

Paris is one of the most beautiful places in all the world. Unfortunately, I was so homesick I couldn't appreciate its beauty.

Smiles come naturally to me, but I started thinking of them as an art form at my command. I studied all the time. I looked at magazines, I'd practice in front of the mirror and I'd ask photographers about the best angles. I can now pull out a smile at will.