Rip The Runway 2008 - Hammerstein Ballroom NYC

Hmmm....Where do I begin with this one family???

Last night I did BET'S "Rip The Runway" (Where hip-hop meets fashion) for a third consecutive time. I was apprehensive this time around because the previous two shows left a really bad taste in my mouth.

Well, let's just say that this season was not much different - after MUCH back and forth drama about whether or not there was even gonna BE a plus sized segment again.....(Sigh...do we REALLY need to go through this crap again???) BET and everyone involved should know by now who their demographic is - most of the chicks in the audience watching the taping AND the one's at home tuning in are women who are a size 14 and larger - er....you know - the "norm" in America??? Why is it that year after year someone is trying to eliminate what is CONSISTENTLY the most POPULAR SEGMENT in the SHOW???? Well, the word on the street is that because Mr. "P. Diddy" himself was producing this show - he made it crystal clear that he didn't want any plus ladies in the show - I am guessing that someone must have had the er "Demographics" chat with him and he decided to allow the segment in but the "ki-ki" is that the plus gals would have to wear swimwear - not necessarily a bad thing - but it was clearly an idea designed to intimidate.

Well, when my publicist first called me about doing the show in swimwear - my initial thought was "ok, I KNOW I don't have a swimsuit body and I'm a little apprehensive but if they can do it classy & tastefully for me-i'll do it".

Lol....while I was brave for the moment - it took about a week for me to chew over this idea and change my mind - my goal is TO NEVER GIVE ANYONE A REASON TO CLOWN ME!!! and after some thinking - I just didn't think a swimsuit would be a good look for me and I called Mary and told her I had changed my mind. I had already set the date of my party, Feb 21 and it was coinciding with the taping date of the show anyway. I figured I would just focus on making my party a great success and Mary agreed. And I didn't give it anymore thought after that. Well, that should have been the end of it, but of course ...lol...it wasn't.

On the morning of February 20th, I got an early morning call from Mary again - now everything had changed - again. Bathing suits were OUT and clothing was back in but of course....this led to a mad scramble for designers AND models. Mary thought it would be great exposure for me to be a "Celebrity" model on this show and I agreed to get myself together (still recovering from food poisoning) and headed down to the Hammerstein Ballroom for the last minute fittings.

Once again, I arrived down at the ballroom and confusion erupted again when it came to checking in at the front. Also attempting to check in was Miss Theresa aka "Sparkle" from T&J Productions in New Jersey. After the confusion with the check in was cleared up we all entered the ballroom and headed upstairs to get fit for the "Size Sexy" segment.

I was NOT pleased that we had to walk up three flights of stairs to get to our dressing rooms....when we finally got upstairs, the fitting was in full swing along with the filming of the new "Reality Segment" they were also taping. The first person I ran into was plus model Mia Amber along with plus models Wynter, Shellie, Christina Mendez (who was selected to be a part of the reality segment...congrats!) Tricia Campbell, New plus model Nefiteri, As well as designers Monif C, Qristyl Frazier & new designer Sixx Footer. I also saw American Idol top 24 finalist Jared Cotter AND I Love New York 2 finalist Buddah (who I prefer to call by his given name Ezra).

After fitting in several "Hallelujah is the Highest Praise" dresses and feeling like the "Big Fig Newton" in most of them, I settled on a bright yellow wrap dress from Qristyl Frazier.

We found out that there were 3 designers in our segment and each designer got 4 models to use but I was dismayed to see that they added a segment with 6 foot tall, size 2-4 models (I didn't appreciate that gesture at all) - don't get me wrong I thought the clothing was AWESOME but I THOUGHT this was the "SIZE SEXY" segment????? I drew the line at a young man who tried to place TWO size 4's in front of me in the finale and push me back into the background.....What's wrong with this picture people????

Ya'll know The Runway Diva wasn't having it!!! One was bad enough....BUT TWO???? Hell Naw!

We all headed downstairs for the rehearsal and here is where even more confusion ensued. We found out quickly that there were some folks in the segment that weren't supposed to be in it and when the dust cleared, several models got bumped from the segment. This would have been fine if they had actually been told what was going on, but they weren't told and when they left that ballroom, concerned about losing a SECOND day of pay from their 9-5's, they STILL didn't know if they were doing the show or not.

The next morning I received a text message telling me that they were taking the dress I loved from me and moving my position from number 1 spot to a spot further back to make room for one of the models who had gotten bumped. I had a problem with this because I had already packed my bag with that outfit in mind and had no clue as to what else I would be given to wear. And I was wary of wearing another outfit that was just too big for me.

To make a long story short, I got to the taping, tried on the alternate dresses and knew immediately that neither one of them showed me off in a flattering light. I decided that if my only alternative was to wear a dress that was too big for me and NOT a flattering cut on my body was something I could pass on. And I told them (the producers) that in no uncertain terms. I was told that my pulling out was not an option, as they really wanted my participation in the segment and would work something out to benefit ALL parties involved. After numerous back and forth phone calls, heated conversations and one absolutely ridiculous suggestion that I forfeit my spot so that someone else could be in the show (lol...ya'll KNOW me family- the business of ME will ALWAYS come first.), everything managed to get worked out to the benefit of everyone.

I was fully prepared for the drama that always comes on the hair & makeup tip - but this year I was pleasantly surprised, there was none of the typical shunning of the plus sized models as there has been for every show prior to this one. My boy from MAC on 125th was absolutely RUNNING that hair & make up room and I snagged a lead makeup artist, a lil asian chick named Cindy....who as God is my witness - BEAT MY FACE FOR THE GODS!!!!!! lol...everyone wanted to know who had done my face! I was very happy because I knew my face would be "painted" for my birthday party as well!!! YAY!!!!! The upside of this is that ALL of the plus size model got their hair and makeup properly done WAY before show time .... which is how it SHOULD be!!!

I met so many "Top Models" backstage that I can barely remember their names....but I got the pics to prove it...lol. I also got a moment to chat with Ezra some more, we exchanged info and plan on being friends and hopefully we will be able to work together at some point in the near future. The brother was very nice, humble and approachable - uh....did I say he was SERIOUSLY FOINE as well!!!???? Whew!! Honey they put him and all that body in the swimsuit segment but I was SO very disappointed when I saw that they stuck him in some friggin' Bermuda shorts!!! I was really praying for the Speedo ya'll = they Gypped us big time here....they can parade out half naked women but no half naked MEN????? WTF??

Oh and yeah....I know I am probably older than many of the models that I worked with here but I gotta tell you....the boys they hired this go round were some really good looking young men, but honestly not enough Dark Chocolate ones in the house.....dark chocolate....so yummy! I also got to meet and briefly chat with Mr. P Diddy himself and after a brief warning from Mia Amber who made me promise to be nice and not say what was REALLY on my mind - I simply shook his hand and thanked him for allowing the plus size segment to happen - it meant a lot to plus size women everywhere. (hmmm...never mind that he didn't really want the segment in the show and all of the women in his segment looked like little Puerto Rican, Asian & Mulatto miniatures....)

I am still not a fan of dancing on the runway, I consider myself a purist and I think you should let the dancers dance and the models model....the twain should never mix. Ya'll know I wasn't dancing on this broadcast....lol... my knees were simply not having it.

Anyway, after his Sean John segment - P Diddy had to come backstage and be taped viewing the remainder of the show from a monitor - I thought it was ironic that they had his setting (where he'd view the show) sandwiched between plus size designers Qristyl & Monif C. He had big girls to the left and to the right....lol...there was no escaping us!!! I thought it funny that the producers asked for a few of the models to position themselves behind Diddy as they were shooting the segment and we did - I don't know what happened but he must have telepathically told the producers - "Get these big chicks from behind me!!!!" because nothing else was said we were just told to move out of the shot and they inserted the size 4 girls in our spots. I also met designer Zac Posen as he was coming off the runway and he was very pleasant (and a cutie to boot) but his excuse for not creating plus sized clothing was that the stores won't buy it.

Er...am I the only one who thinks this sounds like BS?

Zac my love, anyone can make doll clothes...but a REAL designer can make REALLY beautiful clothing for women who have REAL Curves. All it takes is ONE BRAVE SOUL, ONE FORWARD THINKING PERSON who has vision and can see where the market is going before it gets there. And capitalize on it. The first person who does it (and does it right) will make a fortune....mark my words.

You make it AND make it right and they will come - I promise you this Zac Posen.

The whole thing was comical - sad but comical.

Anyway, I found out that our segment was supposed to go on at 9:15 but TV being what it is...we were a little late getting started....and we actually got on at around 9:30pm or so...but our "Size Sexy" segment lol...was the shortest segment in the whole show (coming in at a lofty er...2:23 seconds) and after some restaging because Nelly kept blowing his lines...I snatched the dress I was borrowing this dress from Qristyl right off of Christina Mendez' body and was out of there and in a taxi by 9:50 and wound up arriving at my party at 10pm on the nose. It was all good from there (see my Bday Blog)!

Some of the show's detractors predict that the "Size Sexy" segment will be history after this broadcast on Tuesday. I would like to be optimistic and hope that this will not be the case and the plus sized community will continue to put pressure on BET to expand the segment and....

Let The ORIGINAL Runway Diva produce it.

It may be just wishful thinking on my part but I believe in putting what you want out into the universe......

Stephen Hill - I have you in my sights and I will be waiting for your call!

Aminah Benjamin - Good looking out mama...thank you! It's gonna be all good from here....see you soon!

One more thing.... Fam...

Rip The Runway airs THIS Tuesday, March 4th, 2008 at 10pm on BET....Don't forget to watch!!!

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.