Latest news with #Wilhelmina
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Adrianne Curry shows tough reality behind her America's Next Top model victory; all you need to know
, America's Next Top Model's very first winner, is giving us the tea on the reality of her legendary win—and it's far cry from the glittering fantasy that people thought. On the June 3 episode of Just B with Bethenny Frankel, the 42-year-old model-turned-recluse spoke candidly about the failed promises, financial non-reward, and her lengthy path to finally moving on. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "My season of Top Model, I was the lone winner who won no money. Zero dollars," Curry revealed to Frankel, who was shocked by the admission. Curry achieved stardom in 2003 as the winner of Cycle 1 of ' model competition show, which enthralled millions with hopes of transforming normal young women into supermodels. However, according to Curry, things were far from how they were presented on TV. "There was no money in my win. I won a title," she went on, explaining that although the show promoted a Revlon campaign as part of the grand prize during production, that segment was eliminated from the final product broadcast on TV. Although Curry did ultimately make $15,000 from Revlon, she maintains the experience made her feel cheated. She also got a contract with Wilhelmina Models but asserted in a 2017 blog entry that the agency released her once the show changed to IMG Models for its second season. Wilhelmina refuted Curry's allegations in 2023 through a statement by VP Ray Lata: Two decades ago, Wilhelmina had various owners and employees. Wilhelmina is today a publicly owned company. It does not appear there would be enough incentive to injure Tyra and not seek to optimize a model's earning potential." Nevertheless, Curry asserts that the real prize she emerged with wasn't a lucrative modeling career—but merely a title. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Tyra [Banks] was saying we're gonna be this giant Revlon-type superstar. Because I don't think any of us would have struggled as hard as we did for what the award actually was—which is the title," Curry said. "So I always tease because people are like, 'You still refer to yourself as America's Next Top Model?' I'm like, it's the only f—— thing I won. I'm gonna put it on my tombstone." When 54-year-old Bethenny Frankel inquired whether Curry had felt a need to join in on the online criticism of Tyra Banks amidst the 2020 "reality reckoning" tide—when videos from ANTM re-emerged featuring contentious challenges such as "race-swapping" photo shoots—Curry replied that she deliberately avoided it. What's actually funny is everybody needed me to dog pile on Tyra Banks when 2020 was going on and everybody was getting angry," she remembers. "And I'm like, no, because if anybody has a right to be angry with her, it's me. And I'm done. I don't care anymore. What she taught me was the reality of entertainment. Curry long ago parted ways with the fashion and public eye. But through this honest interview, she paints a grim portrait of the unseen realities reality television stars endure—even the winners. Her account joins the list of voices calling for greater reality TV transparency, accountability, and equity.
Graziadaily
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
Everything You Need To Know About Cassie's Mum Regina Ventura
Cassandra Ventura, known as Cassie, has been a witness for the prosecution in the trial of P Diddy, which has reached its second week in a Manhattan courtroom. Cassie has testified in the federal sex trafficking, racketeering and prostitution case against Combs, whom she accuses of abusing her and coercing her into unwanted sex acts - so-called 'freak-offs' - during their relationship. Combs has vehemently denied all charges against him. Throughout the trial, Cassie has been supported by loved ones including her husband, Alex Fine. This week, her mother, Regina Ventura, took to the witness stand to testify in the trial. Regina Ventura is Cassie Ventura's mum, and the two reportedly share a close relationship. Cassie called Regina, and her father Rodrick, her 'greatest support system' in a 2021 Instagram post for Father's Day. Cassie was raised by her mother and father in Connecticut. 'My childhood was fun,' Cassie said in a 2008 interview with Blackfilm, adding that it was 'pretty carefree.' She said: 'I tried a little of everything when I was little [...] I tried karate, I tried ballet, I tried piano lessons and singing lessons. ... I was a pretty normal kid, for the most part.' Her parents have mostly kept out of the spotlight. However, Cassie has previously offered glimpses into how they supported her. In a 2007 interview with The New York Times, Cassie said of Regina and Roderick 'My parents raised me right,' continuing, 'I work hard, and I want to prove I deserve what I have. I talk to them every day,' she said, adding that they 'keep [her] focused.' Regina and Roderick reportedly encouraged Cassie's passion for music and dance from a young age, letting her sign up for dance and modelling with the agency Wilhelmina. In December 2018, she posted a photo on Instagram with Alex and Regina, writing 'I love you Mommy.' Regina Ventura testified that Cassie emailed her and Diddy's assistant in December 2011 while flying home for Christmas. Cassie said that Diddy was threatening to release explicit videos of her after discovering she was dating rapper Kid Cudi. Cassie also said in the email that Combs had told her that he would 'be having someone hurt' her and Cudi. 'I was physically sick,' Regina testified. 'I was scared for my daughter's safety.' Regina said that Diddy demanded $20,000 to reclaim what he said he had spent on Cassie. 'He was angry that he spent money on her (Cassie) and that she had been with another person,' she said. This led Regina and Roderick to take out a home-equity loan to get the money for Combs, because she was 'scared about my daughter's safety.' Regina allegedly received instructions from Diddy's bookkeeper for wiring the money. However, four to five days after sending it, the money was returned. During her evidence, jurors were shown photos of bruises on Cassie's body Regina said were taken when her daughter returned home for Christmas in 2011.
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Who is William Goodge? Meet the British athlete who claims record-breaking run across Australia
ULTRA-ENDURANCE athlete William Goodge says he has broken a world record, running across the width of Australia in 35 days. With a 2,631-mile route from remote Perth in Western Australia to Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach, the runner claims to have run at a pace of more than two marathons per day. 3 3 Who is William Goodge? Originally from Ampthill, Bedfordshire, 31-year-old William Goodge had already amassed an impressive résumé of long-distance runs around the world before taking on the dash down under. His highlights have included a run through The Sahara Desert, completing a marathon in every English county over a 30-day period, running the 104 miles around Lake Como in 24 hours, and crossing the 3,175 miles from Los Angeles to New York in just 55 days. In addition to ultramarathons and running across countries, William is also a male model signed by the prestigious Wilhemina agency, and previously played semi-professional rugby. However, his passion for long-distance runs was born through a personal tragedy. William first started training for marathons to cope with the loss of his mother to cancer in 2018. Now, he makes his record-breaking journeys in her honour, and to fundraise for the cause. 'I quickly found running was a way for me to deal with that emotional pain, and I took it to an extreme quite quickly after that,' he shared with The West Australian. 'When times get tough, which is quite frequent, I'll think of her and other people who are fighting for their lives who haven't chosen to be in that position. I've chosen to be in the position I'm in, so I feel like I don't have a valid excuse to stop.' The record-breaking run route William's run across Australia was no easy feat. Starting at Cottesloe Beach in Perth on April 15 and finishing along Bondi Beach on May 19, William's route brought him through the country's remote wilderness. Although he has a love for desert runs and celebrated his 31st birthday on this one, William told the BBC his first nine-days through Western and South Australia's desert - the Nullabor Plain - were especially challenging. "It was full-on from start to finish," he said. Throughout his journey, he faced painful experiences ranging from rotting feet and fallen-off toenails to bone aches and hallucinations from sleep deprivation. 'I wasn't sleeping at night and I had deep pain in my bones and things like hip flexors," William said to The Guardian. "Mentally I was tossing and turning throughout the night, hallucinating a little bit, which isn't that fun.' 3 After over a month of pushing his physical and mental strength to the limit, he met his father at the finish line in Bondi Beach and laid down a bouquet of lilies in honour of his mother. "I feel like I've turned what is pain into a powerful story, or the tagline I like to use is 'emotion equals energy'," he said in an interview with The West Australian. "If you can channel it towards something, and it doesn't have to be physical, it's a pretty full well from which to pull water and fuel." William also shared his warm-up for the journey with The West Australian: an over-500km run from Tokyo to Osaka in Japan. If his claim is verified by Guinness World Records, he'll have beaten the current record holder, Australia's very own Chris Turnbull, by a full four days.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Latest: Cassie now faces cross-examination after exposing Diddy's violence
NEW YORK (AP) — The R&B singer Cassie is facing cross-examination Thursday after two days of testimony recounting tumultuous details of life with her ex-boyfriend, Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Prosecutors allege Combs used his fame and fortune to orchestrate an empire of exploitation, coercing women into abusive sex parties. His lawyers argue that all the sexual acts were consensual, and although he could be violent, he never veered into sex trafficking and racketeering. Combs' team of seven attorneys is led by New York lawyer Marc Agnifilo and also includes Atlanta attorney Brian Steel, who represented Young Thug in a lengthy trial before the rapper pleaded guilty to gang, drug and gun charges. Here's the latest: The cross examination of Cassie will soon be underway in Manhattan federal court. Defense lawyers say they'll be scrutinizing how infidelity fueled the combustible nearly 11-year relationship between the R&B singer and the music mogul who controlled her career. Defense attorney Teny Geragos suggested yesterday during a discussion between lawyers and the judge that the gameplan for today was changing on the fly out of necessity. She didn't get into particulars but she told Judge Arun Subramanian that the questioning of Cassie by prosecutors over two days 'has gone much differently than I expected.' She added: 'So we are kind of changing our strategy.' Agnifilo later told the judge that questioning Cassie about infidelities is important. 'Everybody knows that we are going to bring up infidelities, that we're going to want to bring up text messages of infidelities, and these text messages are often in colorful language,' he said. Defense attorney says infidelity will highlight cross-examination After the jury was sent home for the day, lawyers squabbled over ground rules for the cross-examination of Cassie, which is set to begin at 9:30 a.m. EDT Thursday. Agnifilo said infidelity would be the featured subject of the questioning that is expected to stretch until day's end Friday. 'We have worn our defense on our sleeves since the first bail hearing,' Agnifilo said. 'Everybody knows we are going to bring up infidelity and text messages of infidelity.' What to know about Cassie Cassie sued Combs in 2023 alleging years of rape and abuse. The suit was settled within hours, but was followed by dozens of similar legal claims and touched off a criminal investigation. A singer, actor, dancer and model, Cassie's professional ambitions began in adolescence, when she signed to the top-tier talent and modeling agency Wilhelmina. Her music career launched shortly thereafter, when she left her home state of Connecticut for New York, where she signed with manager Tony Mottola and first met Combs. Cassie met Combs in 2005 when she was 19 and he was 37. He signed her to his Bad Boy Records label and, within a few years, they started dating. ▶ Read more about Cassie
Winnipeg Free Press
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
The Latest: Cassie now faces cross-examination after exposing Diddy's violence
NEW YORK (AP) — The R&B singer Cassie is facing cross-examination Thursday after two days of testimony recounting tumultuous details of life with her ex-boyfriend, Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Prosecutors allege Combs used his fame and fortune to orchestrate an empire of exploitation, coercing women into abusive sex parties. His lawyers argue that all the sexual acts were consensual, and although he could be violent, he never veered into sex trafficking and racketeering. Combs' team of seven attorneys is led by New York lawyer Marc Agnifilo and also includes Atlanta attorney Brian Steel, who represented Young Thug in a lengthy trial before the rapper pleaded guilty to gang, drug and gun charges. Here's the latest: The cross examination of Cassie will soon be underway in Manhattan federal court. Defense lawyers say they'll be scrutinizing how infidelity fueled the combustible nearly 11-year relationship between the R&B singer and the music mogul who controlled her career. Defense attorney Teny Geragos suggested yesterday during a discussion between lawyers and the judge that the gameplan for today was changing on the fly out of necessity. She didn't get into particulars but she told Judge Arun Subramanian that the questioning of Cassie by prosecutors over two days 'has gone much differently than I expected.' She added: 'So we are kind of changing our strategy.' Agnifilo later told the judge that questioning Cassie about infidelities is important. 'Everybody knows that we are going to bring up infidelities, that we're going to want to bring up text messages of infidelities, and these text messages are often in colorful language,' he said. Defense attorney says infidelity will highlight cross-examination After the jury was sent home for the day, lawyers squabbled over ground rules for the cross-examination of Cassie, which is set to begin at 9:30 a.m. EDT Thursday. Agnifilo said infidelity would be the featured subject of the questioning that is expected to stretch until day's end Friday. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'We have worn our defense on our sleeves since the first bail hearing,' Agnifilo said. 'Everybody knows we are going to bring up infidelity and text messages of infidelity.' What to know about Cassie Cassie sued Combs in 2023 alleging years of rape and abuse. The suit was settled within hours, but was followed by dozens of similar legal claims and touched off a criminal investigation. A singer, actor, dancer and model, Cassie's professional ambitions began in adolescence, when she signed to the top-tier talent and modeling agency Wilhelmina. Her music career launched shortly thereafter, when she left her home state of Connecticut for New York, where she signed with manager Tony Mottola and first met Combs. Cassie met Combs in 2005 when she was 19 and he was 37. He signed her to his Bad Boy Records label and, within a few years, they started dating.
