“I’ve always felt it was my mission to expand the narrow perceptions of beauty,” Tyra said in a statement. “Through America’s Next Top Model, True Beauty and The Tyra Show, I challenge industry and universal standards by featuring and celebrating non-traditional beauty, and stressing that true beauty is both inside and out.”

If you are between the ages of 13-19, sizes 12-20 and between 5’9″ and 6’1,” you’re eligible! All the info can be found on her website.

I can’t figure out Tyra’s plan with this. On one hand, targeting younger girls and hosting the contest separate from the ANTM brand will help the winner’s career. On the other hand, conducting a model search outside the ANTM brand can’t be good for ANTM. What you think?

Image: Newscom

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She’s up for Outstanding Talk Show Episode for the episode about gay teen exorcism.

Last year, Tyra received a special award from GLAAD for all the work she did for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered communities.

America’s Next Top Model also picked up a nomination for cycle 11 last year, when Isis King became the show’s first transgendered contestant.

Tyra is up again Ellen, The Joy Behar Show, The Dr. Oz Show and Oprah. The winners will be announced at ceremonies in New York on March 13, Los Angeles on April 17 and San Francisco on June 5. You can see the complete list of nominees here.

Image: Newscom

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The NAACP Image Awards will air February 26, 2010 on Fox at 8pm.

To see a complete list of categories and nominees, click here. NAACP honors achievements in film, television, literature, and music.

Tyra, Eva and ANTM’s competition is below the jump!

Outstanding Talk Series

“Lopez Tonight” (TBS)
“The Mo’Nique Show” (BET)
“The Tyra Banks Show” (CW)
“The View” (ABC)
“The Wanda Sykes Show” (FOX)

Outstanding Reality Series

“American Idol 8″ (FOX)
“America’s Next Top Model” (CW)
“Dancing With the Stars” (ABC)
“Extreme Makeover” (ABC)
“Real Housewives of Atlanta” (Bravo)

Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series

Daphne Duplaix – “One Life to Live” (ABC)
Debbi Morgan – “All My Children” (ABC)
Eva Marcille – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
Tatyana Ali – “The Young and The Restless” (CBS)
Tonya Lee Williams – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)

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Tyra talks about following her dreams, how ANTM came to be, the importance of thinking outside the “beauty box” and more.

Tyra’s a pretty good public speaker. I remember her interviewing back in her model days — she’s come a long way!

You can follow the B.I.O campaign at Tyra’s website.

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Now that the talk show is over, a lot of questions are being raised as to what this means for America’s Next Top Model.

It means one of two things:

1) Tyra is going to refocus some of her energy back into the show that made her a reality television force. The show (and it’s watchability) has slipped considerably over the past few cycles. Even a gimmicky season like the shorty season couldn’t pull it out of it’s slump. It’s still CW’s flagship show, but it needs a serious facelift. We know that the show will be around for at least two more cycles, as Jay Manuel recently tweeted “ANTM will continue. We just finished cycle 14 and 15 is planned.” Nigel Barker’s contract doesn’t expire until Cycle 16. Could Tyra restore this show to it’s early season glory?

2) ANTM is not a priority and will continue to slide. Tyra announced the creation of Bankable Studios, a company where she will focus on film projects. She also has the second season of True Beauty on her plate, and — let’s face it — her non-ANTM television projects were pretty weak. If she devotes all her talk show time to other television projects, it’s possible she can again capture the magic that made ANTM so great.

What do you think?

Image: CW Network

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“There had been high turnover of employees for years,” a source told the NY Daily News, adding that it’s “pretty difficult to work for Tyra.”

The source also revealed that Tyra announced the end of her show before she even told the crew.

There’s been mixed opinions about Tyra and how she runs her shows. Former America Next Top Model judges Paulina Porizkova and Janice Dickinson were very vocal about how difficult Tyra was. However, Tyra claims she makes it a point to treat her staff very well.

What do you think? Is Tyra an off-set diva? Or are her staff just upset they’ll soon be out of work?

Image: Newscom

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“My next huge steps will allow me to reach more women and young girls to help us all feel as fierce as we truly are,” she told People.com.

Tyra will also keep busy with cycle 14 of America’s Next Top Model and season two of True Beauty, both slated to return in early 2010.

Tyra wrote a personal letter to all her fans about the decision on her website, which you can read here. She promises she’ll never abandon her fans and has lots of exciting ideas in the works:

There’s a lot cooking right now and a lot of fire burning in my heart, and for years, I’ve been working on the next big ideas and new ways to reach out to you. Besides continuing full speed with America’s Next Top Model (which starts it’s 15th season), True Beauty (which is in its second season), and Tyra.com, this year I’ll be unveiling some HUGE surprises from me and my company Bankable – new out-of-the-box projects. And I’m incredibly excited to announce that I’ll be launching Bankable Studios soon, which means my company will be making MOVIES!!! And what I love about creating new projects is that it also creates new jobs for talented people, in front of and behind the camera.

I think this is a weird move for Tyra. Seeing as Oprah announced the end of her own talk show in 2011, Tyra could have easily stepped up and filled that talk show void. She has a young, dynamic audience and could propel the talk show format forward. That being said, if Tyra’s heart wasn’t in it, then kudos to her to follow her heart.

Image: Newscom

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As much as Tyra drives me crazy, I can’t imagine the reality television world and the talk show world without her.

Want to wish Tyra a happy birthday? Send her a message on Twitter: @TyraBanks!

Image: Newscom

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Tyra’s multiple projects, including her talk show, America’s Next Top Model, and the money she earned from now-defunft projects like Stylista and True Beauty.

Rounding out the top ten were Katherine Heigl ($18 million); Marg Helgenberger ($9.5 million); Eva Longoria Parker ($9 million); Mariska Hargitay ($8.5 million); Julia Louis-Dreyfus ($8 million); Maura Tierney ($8 million); Tina Fey ($7 million); Marcia Cross ($6.2 million); Jennifer Love Hewitt ($6 million) and Ellen Pompeo ($6 million).

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My favorite part is when she gives advice to contestants on the next season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, should they ever be inspired by Tyra. (There has to be a second season!):

The key to a drag queen doing me is overdoing me. You’ve got to go all the way over the top, times 10. First of all, get a honey brown weave or wig, some green contact lenses, and some big-ass chicken cutlets to stuff the bra. You also need a killer runway walk, but that weave has to be fly. The bigger the better, but quality is key — no cheap weave hair! And always be ready to smile with your eyes — “smize” — at the drop of a hat.

I’m over smize and this week’s Top Model was the first time I ever heard it.

You can read the entire interview here.

Image: Newscom

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