Tyra Banks launches book tour in Naperville
Nicole Spizzirri said she hoped supermodel Tyra Banks might be disguised in the audience at North Central College in Naperville, waiting on Thursday to pop out and surprise her fans.
“She's just crazy like that,” said Spizzirri, a graduate student at the college. “On ‘America's Next Top Model' you never know what she'll do, so I half expect her to come flying out of the crowd.”
Banks, the creator of the ‘Top Model' TV series and host of her own talk show, visited the college to launch the tour for her new book “Modelland.” The program was part of a series hosted by Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville.
Banks took the stage sans surprises. But that didn't stop the mostly-female crowd — many donning masks of the book's ‘smize' logo (or ‘smile with your eyes,' for the uninitiated) — from roaring in applause when she arrived.
In a talk that lasted more than an hour and showcased her trademark, animated humor, Banks revealed how her career that started as a teen fashion model influenced “Modelland.”
The overreaching message of all her work, Banks said, is redefining ideas of beauty. She wants the notion to include women and girls who are plus size, super thin, have unusual features, or are shorter or taller than average, Banks said.
“'Modelland' for me is about expanding the message of beauty and doing it through entertainment,” Banks said.
Because her new book is geared toward teens and young adults, Banks said the campus environment of North Central was the perfect spot to launch her national book tour.
“Even adults are obsessed with young adult literature right now, with books like ‘Twilight,'” Banks said before the event. “I'm on the third book and I'm no teen. So there's room for crossover … and a place like (North Central) is a good compromise.”
Fans spent the majority of the event directing questions at Banks, seeking advice on topics like dealing with the challenges of high school and embracing their flaws. Several gave gifts or asked for hugs.
Banks said her book — which is already slated to include sequels — allows her to address these concerns and instill confidence in a way her TV shows don't.
“I can't control everything on ‘Top Model,' because it's a reality show,” Banks said before taking the stage. “With ‘Modelland' I can mold the characters and spread the exact message that is closest to my heart.”