America's Next Top Model came to a close last night, and Mercedes came this close to being the winner. But she isn't sitting around feeling sorry for herself. This spitfire is ready to take on the world!!
Of all the girls, Mercedes was the one we could see ourselves being friends with: hanging out and having fun. WIth her bubbly personality and sweet charm, she captured our hearts throughout the season. She even made me cry - TWICE! - while watching the show. The first time was when Camille was eliminated and Mercedes was given another chance. The last time - watching Yoanna taking the crown. I didn't realize how much I wanted Mercedes to win until the final moments.
Interviewing her was like trying to catch a feather in a tornado. Her enthusiasm for the show and for modeling was infectious. Maybe I should have taken her up on her offer to slow down as she fired off answers and thoughts about the show.
This girl can talk! and laugh and make you like her even more!
We began by asking her what it was like to be a celebrity now. "It feels great! It was the moment I had been waiting for my whole life." Mercedes was a communications student at UC Northridge when a friend suggested trying out for the show. She was about to give up on modeling, but instead found herself on one of television's hottest shows. Although she had no idea what to expect, Mercedes says the entire experience was "Amazing!"
Being thrown into a house with 11 other women may be hard for some folk, but Mercedes took it in stride. "You have to find the idiosyncrasies they have and turn them off." She explained that everyone has their quirks and she just had to get to know everyone really well. Although the girls were competing from Day 1, we didn't see the competitive side of Mercedes until the final days. "Absolutely. I played competitive sports for a long time.... I don't want anyone to stand in my way." Does she have a "secret" catty side? Mercedes just laughs. "Everyone does!" But not everyone admits it as freely as she does. She continues to laugh, "It usually comes out about once a month."
As the competition progressed, the girls were exposed to many different aspects of modeling. The "beauty shots" were amongst her favorites. "You speak with your face and you're not moving around much." She also loved shooting the commercial. She described it as a fun experience. "Modeling is like silent acting, and with the commercial we were able to speak."
Each week the girls were judged by Janice Dickinson, ("Wonderful. She keeps it real. I wish I had the balls to say some of the things she does.") Nigel Barker ("He's got that sex appeal"), Eric Nicholson ("I really didn't bond with him" and Tyra Banks ("She was an inspiration. I've always looked up to her. I liked her a lot".) But many of the deliberations took place outside of the girl's presence. Watching the show on television, was Mercedes surprised by any of the comments they had made about her? "Only when Eric said the fashion industry couldn't catch on. I think it will!" She already knew that they thought she had a more commercial look than high fashion. "Commercial isn't bad. You can make a lot of money. It's being more Marie Clair than Vogue". But toward the end we think that Mercedes was able to pull out her "high fashion" side to show the world.
Each week we got to know Mercedes a little better. We discovered she had lupus, which she didn't want turned into a big deal. "I hadn't really read up on it. I didn't really know much." Until she began reading books that her mom had gotten her. But there are some things you might not know. "My father is black, mom is white and my step dad is Chinese. Most people think I'm Filipino.....(laughing) I love cultures." The girl also speaks Spanish. And over all, Mercedes says how she was depicted on the show was "fairly accurate".
Each week the girls were put through tests and criticized. Mercedes learned to stay calm, not stress and to think positive. That is part of her advice to the future girls on the show. "Make sure you really want this." She adds that "cocky isn't beautiful but confidence is". (That couldn't be a dig at Camille now could it? LOL) Mostly you need to be confident and to follow your dreams. But beauty doesn't always guarantee success on America's Next Top Model. Mercedes was most surprised when Sarah was eliminated. "She was beautiful. All of the girls were, but I thought she just had this exotic beauty."
All in all Mercedes would do it all over again, ("and this time take the crown!") She gave it 110%, proved to herself she can do this, and has no regrets. Right now she is planning on persuing modeling and acting. We didn't know she acted. Turns out she has - since the day she was born. No matter what she pursues, we think she will succeed. We've asked her to let us know what is going on with her so we can keep all of her fans updated. We hope she does!
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