Alexandra Underwood, a 21-year-old Kerrville, Texas girl, was the token plus-size model on America’s Next Top Model Cycle 14, but there was nothing token about her performance. Perhaps no plus-size girl since Whitney won it all a few years ago has performed as well as Alex. The judges raved about her body, which they said is a prototype of a real, natural woman. And she excelled in New Zealand, coming just shy of the final two. In her Real Blogger Exit Interview, Alex, who attends Texas Tech University and studies broadcast journalism, talks about some behind-the-scenes go-sees info, being plus-size and her disagreement about why she was kicked off.

Real Blogger: What’s your biggest regret: Getting gonged off the runway, telling Nigel your measurements, or wearing Ugg boots on the plane to New Zealand and straight to go-sees?

Alexandra Underwood: Oh, hmm. I don’t like to live with regrets. But the gong thing, I guess it had to happen to someone, unfortunately it was to me. The thing with the Ugg boots - they were moccasins, they weren’t Uggs. But whenever I travel, especially for 24 hours, I try to be as comfortable as possible. In the real world of modeling, I know I’m going to go see, so I’ll be prepared. But you know, it’s a surprise element on the show. It’s unfortunate whenever I travel I look like hobo (laughs).

The thing with Nigel, what you don’t see is I dragged (the conversation) out. It went on for a really long time. (Eventually), actually, he started laughing really hard. They didn’t show that, then we started having normal conversation. And Miss J said what I wanted you to do was get you to talk, and you did that. On the show, the edit made it look worse than it was.

RB: The show never made a big deal about you being a plus-size model until the last episode. Did you think they would?

AU: They tried to play it down because I don’t wear true plus sizes. Anything about a size 4 in the fashion industry is considered plus size. I’m obvis not a zero, but they tried to steer away that (label). It’s just a word, it just lets designers know don’t put me in double zero. I think I’m an easier girl to fit than some of the other girls. That just wasn’t a big deal.

It’s really cool - we’d be back stage with stylists, and they’d said, you have the best weight I’ve ever seen of anybody they’ve worked with … I’m really healthy. That was great to do, to get that feedback, to know you are appreciated even among the skinny tarts you’re running around with.

RB: I love when you call people ’skinny tarts.’ I remember you saying that on the show.

AU: I  didn’t know not many people say that. It must be a southern thing.

RB: You never seemed to be bothered with body issues the way some past plus-sized models have. Do you think that helped you get so far?

AU: Of course. I’ve just naturally been really positive as far as the body image thing. Confidence is one of the most beautiful things you can have. I’ve been living with some of the skinniest girls I’ve ever seen, (because) I live with a sorority. Everyone’s a  zero or two, and they complain about their bodies more than I do. I learned early on, it doesn’t make you happy. Society doesn’t dictate whether you should run around with a smile on your face.

RB: Guys definitely don’t like girls complaining about their weight.

AU: I know. It’s so unattractive to hear girls complain about their size all the time… Guys roll their eyes when  some tart does that.

RB: Your favorite thing to tease: Jessica catching the toaster on fire, or Angelea’s going to the club walk?

AU: (Laughs) The way they edited it, they made it seem like Angelea wasn’t a part of it … but she was on the bed. It wasn’t, ‘Angelea you’re a big idiot, look how dumb you are.’ It was ‘Angelea, you’re hilarious.’ And if there was a comment said in confesional, it was made outside too (Ed. note: Angelea later said she didn’t like the girls teasing her.) Everyone was aware.

With Jessica starting the fire, as soon as it happened, she was running back and forth. Honestly, we stood back and watched the fire, we didn’t care about the fire. Watching her react to the fire, that was the highlight of trip (laughs). Watching her throw water on it… sometimes we forget Jessica is 18.

RB: You seemed to get a lot of conflicting feedback, especially at the Cover Girl shoot on the subway. The judges would love it, but then you’d get, like, the sixth call-out. Did that hurt your confidence?

AU: That was a huge part of it. That was a reason I got really down the last weekend in New York, like I couldn’t do anything right. Mr. Jay said it’d be one of his favorites, and then in panel, they’d say it’s mediocre … that didn’t add up. Because of the politics of the show, I felt like I was working really hard and (not getting anywhere). So when New Zealand came about I was the furthest from home, but felt right at home.

RB: Tyra said when you were eliminated that you hadn’t been consistent. Did you agree with that? You had several good weeks in a row.

AU: I didn’t feel my reasons for being eliminated were justifiable, that’s why I didn’t stick around. Angelea stood there in the room, but I stood there for my result, said thanks and bye. I was not a happy camper. To be quite honest, no one standing there was consistent, beside Krista. Raina had proven she was not consistent. She did not get first call out except for one time, and Angelea hadn’t either.

RB: They said you didn’t have a good back story either.

AU: It just felt like an excuse. Not having a story was bull(expletive). I’m sorry I don’t have a sob story for America.

A plus-size model winning only three seasons prior went into it. There are a lot of politics, lot of things going into it.

RB: OK, so what was your favorite photo shoot, then?

AU: The vampire shoot. It was so different than all the rest. CJ, the male model, was great to work with it. I loved every single photo shoot in New Zealand, too.

RB: Did you make it on time for go-sees?
AU: Yes, I did, but I got zero out of 4. They didn’t show this, but Raina didn’t book any either, Alasia didn’t either, Jessica only got one. And then Angelea 6 out of 6. Angelea just has an incredible body.

RB: So what’s next for you, Alex?

AU: I’m definitely ready for that to happen. I’m definitely going to finish up as much as my degree as I can. If I have to come back (later), I’m lucky to have family that supports that … I’m definitely planning on running with it.

3.

Raina Hein rode her powerful eyebrows and long legs all the way to the final two of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 14. The Minnesota native, 22, was one of the steadiest competitors all season, and probably the perkiest, too. In her Real Blogger Exit Interview, Raina talks about what happened in that Tyra photo shoot, her signature catch phrase and the Cover Girl shoot.
Real Blogger: I heard you just graduated? Where’d you go? What was your major?

Raina Hein: Yes! I did.  I went to Concordia University, and majored in communication studies, focusing on broadcast journalism.

RB: Ah, you and Alex both majored in that. So looking at the season, I got the sense you were on a rollercoaster ride. You started off really strong, then landed in the bottom two with Jessica, struggle with the Tyra shoot, then make the final two before losing out to Krista. Sound right?

RH: I look at myself at being at a very safe place all along. The bottom two with Jessica was a low point but I didn’t look at it that way. I looked at it as a  critique, that that’s what I need to do. I didn’t look at it as a bad thing at the time. The judges did say I need to be more passionate about photo shoots, like when Tyra photographed us. But the whole thing in general is a rollercoaster ride.

RB: That Tyra photo shoot seemed to be a struggle for you to really get into it. What happened?

RH: It’s really funny, actually. I was in a wagon filled with metal scraps, wood scraps and really old moldy rope. It’s really gross but really cool set up for a photo shoot. So I jumped in … all of a sudden I heard Tyra scream, “Get that thing off her!” She was freaking out.

There was a huge, New Zealand spider chilling on my leg. Spiders are my biggest fear in the whole world! But I kept it together, I didn’t scream and I didn’t cry. You only get to shoot with Tyra Banks pretty much never in your entire life. So the judges saying that I didn’t make it most favorite, might have been because it was an uncomfortable situation.

RB: Other than that one, what was your favorite photo shoot, then?

RH: It would have to be three of them. The second photo shoot, with the rain and wind and disappearing perfume. It was really cold, really challenging. I was pushed to the limit that shoot to do my best, and I got best photo so that was very rewarding. The second one was the vampire one and bath of blood. And then the final one was the fake hair, it was so out there. It was so high fashion and caught people’s eyes.

RB: What about least favorite then, other than the spider/Tyra shoot?

RH: The first one. You know, it was really uncomfortable being naked in front of a camera, let alone a bunch of television cameras, crew on set and all the girls … it was really hard shooting. It put me in an uncomfortable situation I did not like, but at the same time put me in the situation I had to push.

RB: Did you think about the fact the photographer in that shoot was the same one who shot you in the final Cover Girl shoot? That popped in my head watching it.

RH: (Laughs) Not really! I didn’t think about that at all. I was excited to see him. He was really talented.

RB: Every season, the girls get so frustrated and worked up about memorizing the lines in the Cover Girl shoot, and say it’s harder than it looks. How was it for you?

RH: I actually was able to do it without cue cards. Krista had to use cue cards. But my problem was it was too memorized, it was too unnatural. I think i should have allowed myself to screw up just to let loose.

RB: Is it harder to film that than people think?

RH: Yeah, there are more than 200 people behind that camera including a bunch of other cameras. That made me more nervous than I thought i’d be. If it was a real commercial, with just the photographer and director and a few other, I would have been better, I think.

RB: Going into the final runway challenge, were you worried about your walk? There aren’t that many runway opportunities during the season.

RH: Krista has a very strong runway walk. I don’t think I was at all intimidated by that … The second I found out it was an Anna Sui runway show, where I can be flirty, giggly and excited … I got very excited. I could be totally myself, engage with audience. That was a dream come true.

RB: Let’s talk about a certain catchphrase of yours. You loved saying “Oh Mylanta!” Where in the world did you get that from? I think I said that when I was seven.

RH: (Laughs) I’ve always said it! It’s kind of like, oh my gosh, holy crap. I say it when I’m surprised or shocked. It’s an expression and it sounds so funny. I can’t believe they highlighted it. They make it sound like i say it 20 times a day! And there are so many random words I like to make up. That was normal for me.

RB: Can you tell me one?

RH: Oh, I just add -ski, -skers, that kind of thing, add on random syllables.

RB: Like when you said “Holy schnikes,” like from Tommy Boy.

RH: (Laughs) I hadn’t seen Tommy Boy when I started saying that. I just made it up, and watched it a year later, and was like, “He said it!”

RB: So in the finale, I have to think the only thing that could have made everything better was when you saw your dad.

RH: That was the biggest shock of the whole show. I wasn’t able to talk to him more than 2 or 3 times the entire time of filming. To see him was the biggest surprise.

He couldn’t be more supportive of me. I used to be a volleyball player (Here’s a photo of Raina’s college team). I started in seventh grade, and that was my number one priority. That’s what I went to college for. He was always a supporter, then when I quit to model, that was a thing that changed how my family saw me. It didn’t take him more than a day to (accept it) and support me.

RB: And what’s next for you, Raina, now that you finished in the top two?

RH: I am moving to New York City, L.A., or recently a new option opened up in Miami … I’m making a decision by Aug. 1. And I just booked my first international campaign in Dubai. I’ve gotten some great offers.

Angelea Preston made it all the way to the top four of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 14, even after being cut before the finals of Cycle 12. In her Real Blogger Exit Interview, the east Buffalo native talks about Jay Manuel, her hometown and booking all those go-sees.

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Real Blogger: That must have been a thrill to get to walk in the finale runway show.
Angelea Preston: After I got eliminated, I was cool with it. I was fine. Tyra and the judges made a decision, so I had no choice but to be accepting.

Then they said we got to walk in the show, and I was like, OK, now I’m excited. I’m super excited, it’s an Anna Sui show, that’s so major. She’s a top designer. So I just got eliminated and it’s like, (expletive).
RB: You tried out before and didn’t make it - I remember seeing you in those auditions - and then come back and go so far. Did you think once you made it this season that you’d make it all the way to the top four?

AP: I thought coming from Cycle 12, and to not make into the house, I was determined to make it again. So when I made it Cycle 14, it’s like, I’m going to make it as far as I can. And then, if the judges eliminate me, at least I made it to the top four - technically, the top three because I was last to leave (laughs). I didn’t want to cry and be miserable because I know its not the end. You don’t have to win top model to make it. It’s not the end for me.

RB: You started off relatively quiet on the show until you became part of all the drama and everything later on. What do you think happened with the girls getting in arguments with you?

AP: I feel like my reputation from Cycle 12 overshadowed me. When I got in the house, everyone was like, that’s Angelea from Cycle 12. I wasn’t talking, I wasn’t saying anything. I think they assumed I was going to go in the house and be like Cycle 12. In the first and second episodes, I wasn’t saying anything.

So when you saw girls going at me (and her reacting), it was directed toward me first. They were going off for no reason. When you heard me say something or look mean, it was because something was directed toward me. The girls thought I was competition. They thought, ‘I saw her from cycle 12, she’s still angry, she still has temper.’ Then that didn’t happen, and it was like, ‘Oh my God, she isn’t that way.’

RB: You had trouble in your last photo shoot (the ugly-pretty photo), and you said Jay Manuel was getting in your head and you didn’t seem to have confidence. But at the Cover Girl shoot on the subway, you had all this confidence and he said that was the best he had seen you. What do you think happened?

AP:  Every other photo shoot before me, Jay was giving me critiques. And I’d go to panel, and Tyra would say, these shots I absolutely love. So it was like, why is Jay saying I need to do this or do that? At the last photo shoot before Cover Girl, I told Jay, ‘Don’t say anything, I need to prove I can do it on my own.’

So we got on set, and he started to give me direction, so I had to remind him. And then Jay didn’t say anything the whole time. (And it worked out great). I wish he didn’t say anything the entire season! I would have got first photo every time (laughs).

RB: The judges really seemed to like you. That must have been a confidence booster.

AP: It did, it gave me so much confidence, especially with Andre Leon Yalley. To get into fashion, you need his stamp of approval. For him to say on panel that he loved the picture, loved your personality, I mean, for him to say he could tell I’m a joy outside of this (photo). It felt great he said that. And I am a joy outside of what’s going on. I wasn’t there to make friends, I know that’s a cliche. In the end, I did, though.

RB: I have to ask about that whole “going to the club” walk. I thought it was hilarious, but the judges didn’t. What was going through your head? And did you regret it?>

AP: I knew my picture wasn’t that great. My picture sucks, let’s face it. They were already bashing it. (The dress she was wearing to panel), I won it at go-sees. I wanted to impress them, but they were like, ‘Girl what is that dress?’

Tyra starts talking about the club and that got me thinking - just be in the moment, that’s what I do. I was just in the moment, thinking of the club and Tyra. So I start doing it, and everybody else is looking. Nigel’s jaw dropped.

RB: Speaking of go-sees, you got 6 out of 6, which I don’t think anyone has done before.

AP: I loved when we had to go to the go-sees. My hair was messed up and looking crazy. I got off the plane and booked six out of six. My confidence was sky high. I’m in a whole new country, so for me to experience that was crazy. I was like, this is better than sex, yes, sir.

RB: But then you had that photo shoot with the sheep and you didn’t do well.

AP: It was an extreme high to devastating low. I was like, (expletive). I was on set with Nigel, I was so nervous. He’s a judge, and I wanted to really impress him.

So I’m trying to take (the theme) literally, all about the extremes. I’m trying to get the dress to be big. Nigel saw that. And, well, he’s hot and uh… that’s what got me in the end. Trying to impress him so much, being nervous at the same time. I thought about it too much.

RB: Your big thing was that you wanted to represent for east Buffalo. You didn’t win, but do you think you still accomplished your goal?

AP: I feel like even though I didn’t win, I still accomplished something major. I made it past thousands of girls, made it top four. I didn’t come from anything, I didn’t have much, but people can say, that didn’t stop her from achieving her dream.
I still represent for the 716, representing Buffalo. They talk bad about Buffalo. We’ve got a bad football team, bad winters. But I made my city proud.

RB: And now what’s your plan?

AP: I’m researching agencies, going to New York in a couple of weeks, want to get my foot in the door. I want people to see the Angelea that booked the six go-sees. I’m ready to work, and ready to prove everyone wrong, to show them this is not the end of me.

Real Blogger: Krista, I’m a little disappointed. You said “25 percent!” when you had a 1 in 4 chance of winning, “50 percent” when it was just you and Raina, but you never said “100 percent!” when you won.

Krista White: (laughs) Oh, well I did say 100 percent. Um, they just didn’t show it.

RB: You almost seemed to forget you’re now a Wilhelmina girl, and get on Seventeen and all that other stuff. You couldn’t believe it when Tyra told you.

KW: I was just happy to win. I knew this was the platform. I’m from a small town, my only option was to do that. I had been auditioning since 2003. I was 18, fresh out of high school. It’s a dream in itself finally making the show, and then to win the show. It’s amazing and crazy. I can’t believe it.

RB: What kept pushing you to come back? I mean, it’s 2010, and you got rejected all of those times.

KW: I’m not a quitter. If you tell me no, I’m gonna make you tell me yes … I always do that. I have to prove people wrong. I have to. It’s something in me that’s a fighter. I’m going after it full force. So to finally make it, in 2010 …

RB: And did that worry you, that it’s taken so long to make it? Some people wondered if you’re getting too old, at 26, to be a model.

KW: I was always worried about that. In the industry, people are obsessed with youth. I think with age, it’s how you look. If people didn’t know my age, I don’t think they’d say I do (look 26). You know, on the show, they never said anything about my age. Never once. I’m glad someone my age won. I never gave up … people need to see that.

RB: You also said you wanted to win to represent the “chocolate” girls. Do you think you accomplished that, helping those girls feel better and prettier?

KW: I hope it does say that but I don’t think that’s enough. I still want to get out there talk to them … there’s no one out there who looks like us. Society tells us it’s (all) light skin, light complexion … With darker skin ones, it’s no, no, no. And with light skin ones, they love them.

Tyra had that TV special, “Black Is Beautiful.” They had (dark-skinned) girls on that would bleach their skin. It’s crazy and blows my mind.

RB: You talked about how driven you are. It seemed for a while, you were just kind of doing OK, and then you get to New Zealand, and you couldn’t be stopped. You were winning everything. I don’t think I’ve seen anything on Top Model like it. Where did that come from?

KW: When I got overseas, I was in overdrive. I think everyone else was tired. By that point, the girls were saying we’re almost in the home stretch, it’s almost over. I was like, yeah, we’re almost in the home stretch, it’s time to start running. It’s game on. There was no way I’d let this slide through my fingers. But (after she started winning), even in panel, I thought, it could be me going home. I never thought ‘I have this in the bag.’ You saw it all over my face when I won. I watched the episodes, and it was like, gosh, I always look I’m about to break down and cry.

RB: I remember you saying ‘I’m gonna run right by them, throwing deuces behind me.’ I loved that.

KW: (laughs) And I did end up throwing deuces!

RB: And the other one I loved was when you were teasing Raina. You sad, ‘Oh Mylanta! Everything is bubbles and cakes!’

KW: (laughs) Everything is hearts, stars and rainbows! You know what, me and Raina were very close at the beginning. Then I think she started to be what everybody thought a Cover Girl should be … she embodies it. So she turned into that instead of the girl we knew. We lost touch during the competition.

The thing is, after the finale, we stayed in the same hotel room and talked, and thought what happened to us? I’ll tell you what, though, she gave me a great run for my money. Kudos to her. She’s going to havea great career.

RB: Out of her, Alex and Angelea, who did you think was your biggest competition?

KW: With Raina, I had her from the jump. My front-runners right off the bat were Raina, Brenda and Naduah. They all had the most interesting faces you could ever see. Naduah was different and complex. Brenda had pouty lips and could play it up and play it down. Raina had those eyebrows, those big lips. You can’t deny that face. You can’t.

RB: Finally, I have to ask, what does it feel like to be America’s Next Top Model? It’s one thing to say it, but you actually are it now.

KW: It hasn’t sunk in for me. I feel like the same old Krista, I still laugh and crack jokes. It’s going to hit me once I get home and see my hometown, how everyone will be there for me. Right now, I’m regular old me. That’s what I’m going to need to stay humble. The door just opened. I’m just starting.

But one thing didn’t change: Krista White kept dominating. She won the on-the-plane challenge, she won best photo in the first hour, and she won America’s Next Top Model.

Krista beat out Raina, with Angelea and Alexandra getting eliminated in the first half (much to my chagrin, as I had hoped Alexandra would get a shot at the title).

I’ll be talking with Krista Thursday and the rest of the girls on Friday, as well as breaking down the finale, but for now, let’s recap some of the highlights and the photos.

• For the first time since the beginning, the show makes a big deal of Alexandra being a plus size model. It’s almost as if they didn’t expect her to go far and never made much of a story for her, and then had to scramble to remind us.
• Angelea remained driven by a desire to get out of east Buffalo. I can’t blame her.
• The girls have to do a runway challenge on the airplane. Alexandra thought to bring high heels - smart move - and I thought did the best job making her walk fun and full of personality, but Miss J and Jay Manuel couldn’t bring themselves to let anyone other than Krista win a challenge. And why not - Krista has won everything possible for about a month now. I don’t ever remember someone dominating like that on Top Model recently, or reality TV period. Except Crystal Bowersox, I suppose.
• First photo shoot: The girls have to get “ugly pretty,” which is different than “Ugly Betty,” who is ugly-canceled. Angelea doesn’t know how women wore corsets back in the day. Raina, meanwhile, loves wearing it, because Raina loves everything. If the costume involved spikes and a shock collar, Raina would think it’s fun. You can’t make her frown.
• Alexandra and Krista are, again, killing it on their photos. Raina still can’t break out of her shell, and Angelea admits Jay gets in her head. The thing is, Jay’s probably the nicest photo director she’d encounter in her career, so if that breaks her …
• Judging: In order to make this look like a closer race than it is, Jay says Krista has trouble modeling with her face, and that’s after the judges practically foamed at the mouth with excitement over her photo. Seriously, Tyra probably has that photo up in her house somewhere.
• Krista and Raina get a spot in the two two - “Fifty percent, Tyra! Fifty percent!” Krista yells to show off her math skills - with Angelea falling hard from her high a few weeks ago in the Cover Girl shoot. Alexandra, who has done nothing but improve for a month and been the best girl in photos other than Krista, can’t overcome the fact that A) She’s a plus-size model, and Tyra already got Whitney a plus-size title and B) She didn’t do well in the early weeks. At least those are the only explanations that came to mind, because she sure must have been thinking she’s done better than Raina recently.
• Cover Girl commercial: I always love seeing who can remember their lines. At least this time it’s in English - sometimes, the girls don’t even get that much. Doesn’t matter, though, because both Krista and Raina are like deer in headlights when they get in front of the camera, which is funny, because both were soooo confident they’d remember their lines.
• Raina is squinting the entire shoot. She’s all lips and eyebrows right now … Krista has ridiculously nice skin. There’s no denying it.
• Runway finale: It’s nice to have Alasia, Jessica, Alexandra and Angelea back (I guess they just hung out in a hotel until the finale?) for the runway show, as well as Nicole Fox, Cycle 13’s winner. For the first time on Top Model, the finale runway show isn’t all serious (or weird … remember Teyona and Allison rolling around in mud in Cycle 12?). It’s all fun and flirty, which you’d think would help Raina out, except her walk is still all kinds of clompin’ busted.
• Krista has the biggest, goofiest smile on her face during her walk, like she can’t believe she’s in the finale. Alexandra is just glad there are no gongs on this runway.
• Judging: And we all know how this goes down. Krista’s photo pops up on the screen. I love that Andre Talley is moved to tears, and that Krista says she hopes she’ll give inspiration to “dark chocolate” girls everywhere. I know she’s 24 and all, but you have to go back to Jaslene to find a Top Model winner with that combination of looks and personality.

Here are the photos from the first photoshoot in the finale… Check back later for yet-to-be-released photos from the second half, and for Krista’s interview.

Arkansas native Jessica Serfaty, 18, was the young mother who seemed unbeatable early on America’s Next Top Model Cycle 14. She won photoshoots and challenges left and right. But she couldn’t overcome her label as a “commercial” model, and after a few mediocre shoots, was eliminated in New Zealand and finished fifth. In her Real Blogger Exit Interview, Jessica talks about being a mom, her catch phrase and those scorched taco shells.
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Real Blogger: Let’s start with a geography lesson. You thought New Zealand was somewhere near Canada?

Jessica Serfaty: (Laughs) Oh my gosh, I had no idea where it was!

RB: So what did you think about going to New Zealand, then? Did you enjoy it?

JS: I was really happy … I didn’t want to go to Paris, I could go there on my own some day. I wanted to go somewhere I didn’t imagine myself going some day. I’d love to go back. It’s very dreamy.

RB: Can I ask you about some of the things you’ve said during the season? You say stuff like “Glory gee” or something to that effect.

JS: Golly day!

RB: Yeah, that’s it! What’s that about?

JS: (She learned it from her mom). I thought it was normal. I thought everyone said golly day. Then, one day in eighth grade, they started picking me on for it.
RB: Between you and Raina saying “Oh Mylanta!” it was hilarious.

JS: Yeah, that was definitely Raina’s thing.

RB: OK, back to the show stuff. The producers didn’t show you talking about your son (Roman) early on, as if Anslee was the only mom in the house. They finally did the last two episodes, but how much had you talked about him?

JS: I tried not to talk about it too much. I would get choked up. It was hard for me too. I would miss him a lot, and think I don’t want to be here right now, I want to be there. That wasn’t good for me, so I tried to keep my head in the game.

Anslee talked about her child all the time, and look at her, she fell apart. She just lost everything … she almost backed out of the competition twice, she even talked to producers about it.

RB: Did you feel like you were an early front-runner? You were winning challenges and getting top photo all over the place, so you must have felt ahead of the pack.

JS: Yeah, I did feel ahead of the pack, just because I was winning things. But then I started to slowly die down. Then I thought, it’s anybody’s game now.

RB: What was your issue? What led to the downfall?

JS: I think I have a problem with breaking out of my box in general, performing in front of somebody. I mean, I am a performer. Sometimes, it comes so natural, and sometimes I get so nervous and do not want to break out of my shell completely.

RB: Tyra said you were too commercial. What were you doing to try to break out of that?

JS: I was focused too much on poses and not on my faces. I was trying to be editorial through poses. But it was my face that was commercial.

RB: By the way, has anyone ever told you that you resemble Minka Kelly from “Friday Night Lights”?

JS: Who? Really? I’m writing that down. I’ll have to look that up.

RB: So what’s next for you?

JS: I’m definitely going to strike while the iron’s hot. I’m living in L.A. now (she just moved this month). I’ve got two appointments with managers. And I want to try to do commercial  stuff. I may dabble in editorial, if it comes my way, but commercial is what I love the most. And that’s where the money is at.

RB: Would you do any television commercials or acting?

JS: I want to get into acting, definitely. Oh my gosh, I used to write plays when I was a kid. I’d gather the neighborhood kids and we’d all perform it. I’d make fliers, grab the neighborhood moms …

RB: I can totally see that … Now that you’ve seen yourself on TV, is it weird to see yourself?

JS: It is weird. It’s so embarrassing. Sometimes, I just wanted to jump out and block the television. It’s like when you listen to your voice on voice mail and think, oh my gosh, does that sound like me? It’s the same way on TV.

RB: Did you have a moment in particular that you were embarrassed about?

JS: Yes! In the first photo shoot, during my interview … I said “I’m not over the top, like some of the girls.” I don’t even know why I said that! It wasn’t like it was a big thing, but I can’t believe I said that.

RB: When you were on the show, did you think there was a lot of tension? It felt like there were two cliques going on for a while. Was that real tension? What was causing it?

JS: I think a lot of it was the competition. We had two totally types of lives, different personalities. But it was real tension.

It wasn’t the drama, it wasn’t the fights. It was the glare people would give in the house, just staring. You don’t undersatnd, it’s awful. I got along with everybody in the house. I mean, I had a little argument with Alasia, but we got over that fast. It was hard to choose sides. The girls would get upset if I didn’t choose a side.

RB: And finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask you about the burning tacos. When you started tossing water on top of the toaster, I couldn’t believe it.

JS: I don’t do well under pressure! (laughs) My mind just turns to mush! One time, Roman was trying to climb up his stroller and he fell out and busted his nose. I started freaking out, and called my husband over. He had to tell me to get out of the room because I was freaking out so much

Last night we had tacos at our house. I told my family that I’ll do their tacos, and everybody said no!

Marietta, Ga., native Alasia Ballard was the youngest America’s Next Top Model contestant on Cycle 14 - she hadn’t even finished high school. But, even without modeling experience, she managed to make it to the off-shore locale before being eliminated last week. In an exclusive one-on-one exit interview, Alasia talks about how the other girls treated her, running late on go-sees and her mystery fascination with … vampires?

Check back early next week for the interview with this week’s eliminee, Jessica.

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Real Blogger: You seemed to really be at peace when you got to New Zealand, staring at the rainbow and the sky, after you got eliminated.

Alasia Ballard: (laughs) I kind of felt it was my time, that it was supposed to happen. I was just thankful I had even been on the show. I got the exposure and experience.

RB: How’d you end up auditioning, especially since you have no modeling experience?

AB: A friend of mine … I was in a class with her when they were having casting calls, and she said, you need to sign up … I went it and it took off from there.

RB: Were you nervous about auditioning because you hadn’t done it before?

AB: I was a little nervous. I didn’t know what they were going to ask me. When I get nervous, I try not to think of things too much. The more I think about it, the more nervous and the more nervous and the more nervous I get.

RB: So on photoshoots, then, you must have tried not to think about things.

AB: Exactly, yeah. I just wanted to learn. I was going to eat up anything they told me. I literally wanted to suck them dry for information. Tell me everything, even if it’s bad … be straight up with me, that’s what Ineed. If you gotta be ugly about it, be ugly about it.

RB: Sounds like you learned a lot.

AB: Oh yes. Not even just about about photoshoots, but about the industry as a whole … about myself, as a person, about other people. That you have to punctual, you have to be on time, be professional.

RB: Speaking of punctual, you committed the cardinal sin of “Top Model.” You were late to go-sees. What happened?

AB: (laughs) I didn’t know I didn’t have to go to all of them! I felt like I should have known that. So when I arrive at my last go-see, I could have been on time … And this whole map thing drove me crazy. (Ed. note: She forgot her map at the last go-see site) It was like, ‘Dang Alasia, you so stupid!’ I was moving so fast before that, like, let’s go on, finish now, I can still be on time, not even realizing I didn’t grab the map.

RB: At lesat you weren’t the only one late. I think three girls were late.

AB: I hate to say it, but I’m glad I wasn’t the only one. I know that’s bad.

RB: During that photoshoot (with the sheep and black dress), did you feel more pressure because you had been late on the go-sees?

AB: I felt the same amount of pressure at any photoshoot. I’m thinking to myself, I don’t want to be the first girl to go home in New Zealand. I things didn’t go the way I planned. So, I’m going home, but … i learned a lot. Even though I did not win, I can’t say I lost.

RB: It must have felt nice to have Andre Talley pulling for you early on.

AB: You know, I’m so blind. I did not know he liked me, that he had taken such a liking to me until after I watched. Honestly, I don’t know. It made me feel really good he talked about me like that. He said I can be successful in this industry, and that’s just unbelievable, because I want to model so bad.

RB: What do you think was your best photo shoot?

AB: The vampire photo shoot. There was something about not being able to see that was so sexy to me (laughs). It was weird. Just the whole vampires thing. I love vampires. I love all of it. I watch all those vampire shows.

RB: And I bet you like Twilight.

AB: Twilight, yeah! Those movies were off the chain. Vampires are just so sexy. They’re mysterious.

RB: OK, so what was your least favorite shoot, then?

AB: The nude photo and the last photo shoot, awkwardly. It’s weird, I don’t know. That one, or the water shoot- water skimming across your eyeballs. With the last photoshoot, I liked it, I like animals. Prince (the sheep) was adorable. I wanted to take him home with me and feed him grass (laughs). He was so sweet.

So I guess the water photo shoot and nude photo shoot. (In the nude shoot), Jay Manuel is right there, and it’s like, you can see all my goodies. It was awkward.

RB: And then you had that photo of your behind that they chose.

AB: It was so funny how they picked that. I can still look at that picture, and say if I did this that and that it would have been off the chain … Maybe I did have a better picture, but maybe Tyra though instead of choosing a better one, I’ll choose this one so she can learn something.

RB: What did you think of how Jessica, Raina and Brenda were acting? There’s one point where they sound like they are mocking you outside of your confessional, like they are being rappers.

AB: For people who were not in the situation, it’s a lot more stressful than it looks. You have to imagine, we’re filmed 24/7. There’s a lot of stress coming from them. People handle their stress differently, and lack of self esteem differently. (They mocked me) in order to fell better about themselves. But you know what, it’s a dog eat dog world, so I can’t even be mad at that. I don’t know why I’m such an easy target. I’m not that type of person, I care about people’s feelings. It’s kind of hard for me to, literally, think like them. I’ve never been like that.

But they had to do what they had to do to be better in the competition. I don’t have a problem with them. I’m sure a lot of things contributed to the way they were acting. As children, they were privileged a little bit more than me. I’ve never lived in a house before. We came from two totally different worlds.

RB: So what’s up next for you?

AB: I have to graduate! I graduate high school May 22.

RB: Hey, congratulations.

AB: Thank you. So I’m at high school all day. I leave at 7:45 a.m. and get back at 3:45 p.m. And I have a job at a department store, to make some extra money. So as far as agencies and going to go-sees, I can’t commit to it yet. I don’t have a flexible schedule. After I graduate, then I’ll be looking for agencies. I want to commit to it. I want to go to hundreds of go-sees. I’m just going to wait til I graduate.

I’m really interested in runway. I don’t mind photoshoots, but I like my personality to shinte through. I think that’s important. I’m really interested in commercials and runway. I’m dipping my toes in everything.

RB: Just remember to take a map to go-sees.

AB: (laughs) I have a cell phone with GPS now.

The previous week’s rank is in parentheses. The girls are ranked from best chance to win to least chance to win. I take into account photo shoots, runway walks, judges’ comments and overall demeanor.

1. (3) Krista About two or three weeks ago, something clicked in Krista where she just went, “I’m not going to let anyone stop me from winning.” Even though at 24, she’s on the older side, she is still dominating.

2 (1). Raina Alexandra is coming up strong, but Raina gets this spot because she’s been more consistent. Her bottom two finish this week should be a wake-up call.

3. (5) Alexandra Top Model loves a late bloomer, and Alexandra is certainly doing that. She’s peaking at just the right time.

4. (2) Angelea How the mighty have fallen. While Krista has let her strong personality help her, Angelea has let it hold her back. Her abrasiveness doesn’t help when she’s feeling insecure about her modeling.

Elim. (4) Jessica: I knew she was in danger of getting eliminated last week, and verily, it came to pass. Considering how strong she was early on, it’s a shame. As Tyra said, being pegged as “Commercial” is the kiss of death.

Elim. (6) Alasia You can’t run that late for a go-see and continue. It’s Top Model protocol.

Model photo credits: Jonathan Mannion / Pottle Productions, The CW Network

Bonus photos!