Top Model 14 Exit Interview: Jessica
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!
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