Nigel Barker, the charming, hunky judge/photographer from America’s Next Top Model, is used to dealing with models, but surprisingly his idea of standard beauty is more like Queen Latifah than Kate Moss. He’s written a new book, Nigel Barker’s Beauty Equation, in which he shares beauty and fashion tips. Essence caught up with him to talk about his inspiration for the book and his idea of true beauty. Check out some of the excerpts:

On What The Book Is About:

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Janice Dickinson doesn’t buy Tyra Banks‘ remorse. The self-proclaimed “first super model” says that Banks’ apology for a for a controversial new commercial for the new season of America’s Next Top Model, which features judges fawning over the tiny waist of an extremely thin contestant, is disingenuous.

After the commercial received negative backlash, Banks issued a statement saying the promo had been “misconstrued” because “it is just impossible for me to see everything that’s created.”

But Dickinson calls Pinocchio.

“Excuse me, but Tyra is the executive producer of that show,” Dickinson told Access Hollywood. “She has her finger on everything. No, I don’t believe it. It’s her show. She’s very controlling. She’s the hardest working woman on that show. She has her finger on that pulse – trust me.

That’s not hard to believe. If you’ve watched Banks’ talk show enough, then you’ve probably seen moments where she admits to being a workaholic and wanting to be involved in everything, ie, being a control freak.

Dickinson continued her rant with, “Everything they shoot is intentional. Don’t tell me different. I did it for five seasons.”

Dickinson probably felt the need to blow up Banks’ spot (which wasn’t very undercover anyway) to keep that catty rivalry they have going  (gotta get that Celebrity Rehab promo) — the one they claim doesn’t exist, but I digress.

Despite the fact that Banks goes around trying to convince people that she’s all about female empowerment and self-love, America’s Next Top Model is a superficial show that caters to the stereotypical model, in other words, really tall, thin and not like the average woman at all. That’s sadly the way fashion is. No one should be shocked about this.

But at the same time, if you saw someone with an abnormally tiny waist you’d probably gawk and stare too.

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Tyra Banks has issued an apology after some folks felt that an America’s Next Top Model promo for cycle 15 could send the wrong message. The clip depicted Banks and her cronies fellow judges fawning over a contestant’s tiny waist. Banks posted the following statement as a result of the backlash:

On behalf of the entire Top Model team, I am truly sorry for the style in which the Top Model promo clip was presented. Like all of my projects, I am extremely involved in America’s Next Top Model from casting the final contestants to conceptualizing the episode challenges, but with all the work and details that go into producing a TV show, I can’t be 100 places at once (although I try), but it’s just impossible for me to see everything that’s created before it’s released to all of you! That being said I can assure you – that cut has been removed from the CW airwaves, and the message conveyed in that video was NOT intentional, and is certainly not Top Model- or Tyra-approved. The Top Model team is extremely talented and truly enjoys creating fun, engaging promos and episodes for you. The team really wants to entertain you, while promoting and embracing multiple forms of beauty. Sometimes in the quest to have fun in a limited amount of time, especially in a 20-second promo, our overarching message can be misconstrued, and in this case it most certainly was.

To the people who see me as a representation of upholding the fact that beauty comes in all sizes, I personally apologize. The jokes of my fellow judges connected with my edited sound bite sounded like I was supporting unhealthy eating habits. This has never and will NEVER be the case – I am and will always be committed to promoting healthy body image.

This apology would do nothing to ease my pain if I was one of those said individuals complaining about the promo. Think about it, the show isn’t plus-size model friendly. Toccara Jones (from cycle 3) had a heck of a time maintaining on the show because of her size (and she’s about the average size of an American woman). She was often ridiculed by designers on go-sees and then told by Tyra Banks and crew to suck it up, not verbatim but close enough.  There was one plus-size woman (Whitney Thompson) who actually won the competition during cycle 10.

You took statistics in school, right? There was one plus-size winner throughout the whole series, and we’re going on cycle 15. Way to promote a healthy body image! The best thing that anyone – who is impressionable enough to believe that a 20-second clip should determine how they view themselves – can do is to not watch the show at all. As a matter of fact, they shouldn’t watch any TV and avoid magazines too.

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Before Eva Pigford became America’s Next Top Model she had to overcome a lot of competition – namely from that season’s runner-up, Yaya DaCosta.

The Ivy League-educated dancer had the dubious honor of being known as the “smart one” on season three of the show. Although top model Diva, first name Eva’s currently starring on a soap, DaCosta has still been modeling.

The Brown University alum and reality star-turned-model-actress can be seen in the June/July issue of Esquire magazine as the “Woman of Summer 2010.”

Since leaving the show, DaCosta has found print and commercial work in addition to roles in films like The Messenger and the upcoming The Kids Are All Right. She also appeared in the ABC series, Ugly Betty.

And keeping up with her “smartness,” DaCosta has been visiting schools to speak on global environmentalism.

But she can’t get away from her past. She told Esquire, “Most of the questions will be thought provoking, whether it’s about responsible consumerism or global warming or Haiti. Then someone will ask, ‘Is Tyra Banks nice?’”

Ah, that air of condescension is still there.

In any event, it’s good to see Yaya doing so well in her post-Top Model life.

You can check out more pictures of her below and see video of her at the source.

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For a good while I stopped watching America’s Next Top Model.

It just seemed after Danielle Evan’s win that crop of girls Tyra Banks and producers found were more about making the party guest list and red carpet than they are any catwalk.

However, once Tyra announced that Andre Leon Talley would be joining the judging table I got hooked again.

This past season was one of the best and featured a group of girls that actually looked like they could achieve a credible career in modeling.

After so many years it’s hard to keep things fresh, but according to EW.com’s Pop Watch it seems Tyra’s found yet another way to pique the interest of Top Model fans.

They report that the CW has confirmed that the winner of next season’s edition of Top Model will grace the cover of Italian Vogue.

That is undoubtedly the biggest prize this show has had to cover since its inception and no doubt it has a lot to do with Andre Leon Talley.

With her talk show wrapping soon it seems Tyra’s putting her all into the show that helped build her expanding media empire.

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Tonight, Tyra Banks and the CW will premiere cycle 14 of the reality series, America’s Next Top Model.

As previously reported, Vogue Editor-at-Large André Leon Talley will join the judges panel alongside Tyra and photographer Nigel Barker.

Tonight’s premiere will be a special 90-minute episode that features the 33 semi-finalists competing for the 13 slots allocated for the model competition.

Those 13 finalists will then be treated to a makeover by gossip blogger Perez Hilton.

Last fall Tyra made a deal with Perez on her talk show that if he could go without insulting celebrity kids for a period of time he could appear on _{Top Model}.

Tonight, their deal is sealed.

The season premiere of America’s Top Model, Cycle 14 will air at 8:00-9:30pm ET/PT on the CW.

Tyra Banks has finally convinced Vogue editor-at-large André Leon Talley to be a judge after 13 cycles of America’s Next Top Model. Banks first approached Talley when she began planning her show eight years ago but he turned her down because he said he wanted to see where it goes. Now that it’s a hit—and we’re sure that it’ll get to cycle 1,000 before going off air—Talley will sit at the judge’s table for cycle 14 ,which premieres March 10.

He will succeed runway coach J. Alexander, who will focus again on working with the contestants.

“I felt maybe I could contribute something to it that had not been on the show,” Talley says. “I just felt that it was a way to step out of the box and associate myself with a very important American success story, a very important brand — Tyra Banks,” Talley tells People.

Banks says Talley will help steer the show in a more high-fashion direction. “André speaks about fashion and he has such a passion, and the words — the adverbs, the adjectives — he uses!” she says. “I know it’s going to make the viewer at home go, ‘Wowww.’” She adds, “It might go over their head, but he’s educating them about a time, bringing them back to a place when fashion was life.”

This more high fashion direction Miss Banks speaks of might go over viewers’ heads because high fashion was never all-inclusive. Why would the average viewers be interested in something that was designed to keep “ordinary” folks away for years. It sounds like the show has jumped the shark.

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I couldn’t resist. Plus, they actually look alike (kind of). But seriously, I don’t think the America’s Next Top Model girls have anything thing on the drag queen itches getting ready to catwalk the runway in season two of RuPaul’s Drag Race, which premiers tonight. I am aware that the shows aren’t interchangeable but the similarities exist and I had to compare. Here’s a brief break down of fierceness:

America’s Next Model

Host: Tyra Banks is tall, thin, fabulous loves her Indian Remy lace fronts— especially honey blond—and women want to be like her.

Talent: She tried to sing (remember “Shake Your Body”) but that didn’t work out very well.

Catch Phrase(s) We Love:

“You are still in the running for becoming America’s Next Top Model.”

“Smize.”

“Fierce!”

Any insult from Miss J.

Competition: The girls are catty but they don’t have as much to prove as the drag queens.

Drag Race

Host: RuPaul is tall, thin, fabulous loves her Indian Remy lace fronts—also blond (but lighter)—and women want to be like “her.”

Talent: RuPaul can sing and dance circles around Tyra. Work!

Catch Phrase(s) We Love:

“Shante, you stay.”

“Sashay, away.”

“Don’t f–k it up!” (This one has me sold!)

Competition: The girls are catty but they have everything to prove. If they don’t master their femininity, then they might as well sashay their behinds home!

Check out this clip of episode one to see what I mean:

I love this already. My money is on Sahara. Catch Drag Race tonight at 9 on Logo.

While I was initially embarrassed to admit it, I loved watching America’s Next Top Model.

But in its early years the more you watched the show the more you fell in love with it, its cast members, and yes, Tyra Banks herself. After a while, though, the show, like most good things on TV, started to get a little stale…and sometimes annoying.

Evidently, I’m not the only one who’s no longer a faithful watcher given the show has reportedly experienced its lowest ratings since its exception.

But not one to give up on her most popular franchise just yet, Tyra is bringing new blood to give a much needed jolt to the series.

The New York Daily News reports that Tyra is bringing back Kimora Lee Simmons as a judge.

It was rumored that the original Top Model judge was fired after not getting along with the show creator. If you recall, both Janice Dickson and Paulina Porizkova spoke ill of Tyra once they left the show.

Now Tyra’s ready to prove she plays nice with others.

Via Gatecrasher:

“So Tyra called Kimora to prove the notion [that she doesn't work well with others] wrong,” the source adds. A CWspokesman would say only: “Not true.”

Kimora, who will fill the seat occupied by celebrity guest judges like Kim Kardashian, Chanel Iman and Jessica White, won’t be the only Type A personality on the bench: Word is that fan favorite J. Alexander is getting bounced back to his original role as runway coach and will be replaced by Vogue editor at large Andre Leon Talley.

Kimora will be great for laughs, but the addition of Andre Leon Talley adds a bit of credibility to a show that seems to have produced more actors and reality TV stars than bona fide top models.

That definitely makes me more inclined to check out the upcoming seasons. What about you?

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America’s Next Top Model semi-finalist Brittany Scullark might want to switch to decaf if she hopes to stay out of trouble.

Known as “Bre” on the reality series, the third place earning contestant from Cycle 5 was arrested on Monday in New York for disorderly conduct.

TMZ reports that Bre got into it with a woman at an area Starbuck then allegedly snatched her laptop away and wouldn’t give it back.

‘Round my way we call that stealing.

But in Bre’s defense, she apparently thought the laptop belonged to a family member. When the owner of the coffee shop asked for it back, Bre cursed the owner out.

Classy.

The model was taken into police custody and issued a court summons.

She’ll appear before a judge at a later date.

If I were her I’d smile with my eyes the entire time.

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