Features

The Ru Report #153

All About Eva
Eva Marcelle Pigford is on a high.

The 5'7, 118 pound winner of UPN's hit dramality series "America's Next Top Model: Season 3" has been thrown into a whirlwind since millions of TV viewers got to see super-duper-model Tyra Banks crown her the latest "it" girl last month.

"I still don't believe it actually," the Inglewood, Ca native gushed during a break in her busy schedule. "To be completely honest, it still hasn't hit me yet."

As the winner of the show, the pint-sized beauty is the latest face to hawk goods from the Cover Girl cosmetics line. And naturally her schedule is in overdrive: she's doing national TV talk shows and radio media tours, appearing in magazine spreads and jet-setting like a rock star. This is a far departure from the Eva Pigford of a year ago, who was toiling her way through academia at Clark Atlanta University majoring in speech communication, with a minor in criminal justice.

But she seems to be taking it all in stride.

"I'm still a regular person," she continued. "I go to my mom's house and I still gotta wash dishes. I just look at myself as being blessed and having an opportunity to be an inspiration to others. Outside of that, I'm the same old person."

Little Miss Pigford was on the Toronto set of UPN's other hit show "Kevin Hill," last week when "The RU Report" caught up to her. She's making her TV acting debut for an episode slated to air during next month's sweeps. Her role isn't a far of a stretch from her current day reality: she plays a supermodel who shakes up the scene.

"I play his newest love interests," she revealed. "A supermodel whom he shares quite a pleasurable night together with. He kind of wants to date me but he's afraid to tell me that he has a kid because it s a preconceived notion that the good women out there doesn't want a man with a child, so he's kind of scared to tell me that. And it comes out in the end. But its good, I got a pretty good part in the show. I'm excited about it."

Ms. Pigford has an authentic and charismatic demeanor that people can easily be drawn to. "Tyra likes to describe it as relatable, but I'm just a regular person, ya know," she continued. "And I think that I show you that. I get cocky sometimes, I give attitude, I cry, I feel bad. Everybody goes through the same emotions. We all are just people. And I think I kind of keep it known and keep it fresh. I'm just a regular person trying to make it. And I think that's why people take a likeness to me."

Even while in another country, she can't walk down the street without being recognized--and approached. "This guy came up to me and said 'I want to be the first Canadian Jew model. How do I do it?,' There's people from all walks of life."

More About Eva

Ms. Pigford says she hails from L.A.'s inner city area --and not the area known as "The Jungle," either. (Over near the Great Western Forum to be exact.) "I got this big loud mouth that grew up with three brothers," she shared. "[I was] a little tomboy who was hopping fences. Just a regular little kid." Her favorite color is brown. Her favorite cuisine is Mexican (Guacamole to be exact). She doesn't watch reality TV show, even though she has the potential to be one of the genre's biggest stars. "Will & Grace" and "Girlfriends" are more her speed. Her birthday is October 30, and if she wasn't pursuing modeling, she would've been in the legal profession. She says she's single by choice and focused on her career.

The fourth season of "America's Next Top Model" will air this spring, but Ms. Pigford will not be featured as a guest because it was being taped while her season aired. And due to staunch confidentiality restrictions, she couldn't have been revealed. She's looking forward to appearing on Season5, however.

But Season 3 was a bit much. The sisters definitely left an indelible mark on the programming-–and there were tons of highlights. Highlights that left tongues wagging, and highlights that left yours truly gagging.

Ms. Pigford initially scoffed at the idea of such a renewed interests in the show having to do with her ethnicity. "I mean there are four black girls on the show… I don't think it has anything to do with me being Black. I think if it was a white girl that acted like me, she would get the same recognition."

But on second thought, she reconsidered. "You have to be someone who inspires other people and lift them up and try to bring them together because no one else will. And we have to do it for ourselves. And it may have something to do with me being black, why I have more of the black viewers."

It wasn't easy getting where she is today. None of the other contestants were singled out for being "a bitch" as much as she was. Yet still she rose in the ranks.

Reflecting on the show, she offered: "That was competition and you gotta understand that in the heart of competition and in the spirit of that, there were a lot of things that came out of people that most likely wouldn't come out."

YaYa Da Costa Johnson competed with Ms. Pigford all the way to the very end. And what was seen in the final edit of the show didn't reflect her in the best light, as it pertained to the competition. But Ms. Pigford took the high road and continues to communicate with her. "Youkeep your friends close and your enemies closer," she quipped.

She's also in contact with the plus-sized beauty Tocarra Jones and online art gallery dealer Kelle Jacob. "Honey, I'm sorry but our people got to stick together. If we don't stick together, who will?"

Power to the people!

Some More about Eva.

She relocated to New York City--not very far from the huge department star MACY*S. She counts Betsy Johnson, Roberto Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana and Prada among her favorite designers. She has great admiration for established supermodels such as Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek and Kate Moss. She's a self-proclaimed "shopaholic" and doesn't have any plans to drop her last name. "That's the name I was given and that's my name. I can't run away from it. I'm proud of who I am," she stated matter-of-factly.

As far as being a Cover Girl is concerned, one of Ms. Pigford's greatest fantasies have been fulfilled. "Its beautiful. There's only six Cover Girls and I'm one of them. What!? It's amazing," she described. "It's such a dream come true for any young woman in any entertainment, a model, a singer, an actress. What you want is to be the face of a cosmetic line, which you strive to do in your career. And to have the opportunity to follow people such as Tyra and Brandy, Queen Latifah … and now me? Like Oh My Gosh!"

So how is the $100,000 broken down?

The $100,000 contract was for the pictures, the ads that we shot prior to me winning Top Model. The three of us, we all did the shoot and took the pictures. So the ad that you guys see that's the $100,000. And if they like me, then they will re-sign me, which they do."

Whoa! Run that by me one more time?

So you don't get $100,000?
"Yes I do," she assured, "And more!"

She says her first big extravagance is furnishing her new apartment.

Oh, okay.

Upcoming spreads include fashionable photo shoots for "Essence" and "US Weekly." And then the role on "Kevin Hill," which she hopes will lead to more acting work.

"The biggest lesson I learned is to be yourself. It's always more accepted. It's easier to be yourself. Be you, and love who you are and love the skin you're in and be proud of you are than to try and put on a different face everyday. It will take you so much further."

Go Eva!

Guess Who's Back
Sultry R&B starlet Amerie (nee Amerie Rogers) is gearing up for her second attempt at a comeback with her sophomore album, titled "Touch," which is due out in late April via Columbia Records. The album was due out last summer--to coincide with a fabulous fashion spread in "America" magazine. But plans were scrapped. The half-Asian/half-African-American singer/song-writer collaborated with hit-maker Rich Harrison (Beyonce's monster hit "Crazy In Love") for the new set. The first single, "1 Thing," has been described as an instant hit. And the former military brat is no stranger to a hit song, either. Don't forget that in 2002, Amerie had a Top 20 track with the dreamy "Why Don't We Fall In Love." The new single will appear on the soundtrack to the Will Smith movie "Hitch." And the Will Smith connection doesn't stop there either. Mr. Smith's business partner James Lassiter is co-managing Amerie. And that's not it… her feature film debut in the Katie Holmes's clunker "First Daughter" will be available on DVD January 25. Amerie is featured in over 50% of the movie, which also stars Michael Keaton and is directed by Forrest Whitaker.

Other nearly forgotten R&B starlets are also gearing up for second chances, too. The beautiful southern songbird Lina, who channeled the spirit of the legendary Josephine Baker on her 2001 gem "Stranger On Earth," has signed a deal with Hidden Beach Recordings--the House that Jill Scott built. Her first song from her new set, titled "Inner Beauty," is the groovy "Come to Mama" and she's teamed up with the "Rolling Out" newspaper chain for a songwriting contest. Log onto: lina-music.com for more information.

And lastly, let the Sunshine in! Sunshine Anderson, who scored a huge radio hit in 2001 with her R&B anthem "Heard It All Before," has reportedly signed with the Matthew Knowles-helmed Sanctuary Records. A publicist for the label tells us that the deal isn't confirmed, but we have it on good authority that the Charlotte, NC-bred singer/songwriter is definitely on the label. Listen up!

Down With The King
The Reverend Al Sharpton is keep on keeping on. The beleaguered civil rights activist turned reality TV star is assembling some political muscle to help him commemorate the 71st birthday of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. According to the Rev.'s rep, New York senator Chuck Schumer and the city's billionaire Mayor Bloomberg will join the likes of other community leaders like Brooklyn's Charles Barron and Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields at the Canaan Baptist Church (132 West 116th Street) on Monday (17) for the event. Reverend Sharpton will also outline a national civil rights agenda under the Bush Administration. Canaan Baptist Church is the last church where Dr.King spoke in New York City before he died.

Honorable Mention
Grammy-winners Yolanda Adams and Donnie McClurkin showed up and showed out at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) last Saturday evening in celebration of the Reverend Herbert Daughtry, who was feted for his community service. The event also marked the 70th anniversary of the House of the Lord Churches for which he serves as national presiding minister and pastor of its Brooklyn church. Acclaimed actor Delroy Lindo Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Percy Sutton, Terrie Williams and Hazel Dukes also attended.

Ruminations
Former "MAD TV" star Deborah Wilson popped up on this week's episode of UPN's ill-fated sitcom "Second Time Around" starring Black Hollywood's newest "power couple" Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker. It was a refreshing to see some real color on the beige show. I hope--with a notice of cancellation looming--that the Stan Lathan-helmed production keeps up in this direction. Maybe his bronze baby girl Sanaa can make a cameo.

Etc.
VH1's wildly popular new series "Strange Love," starring Flavor Flav and Brigitte Nielsen is just that, wildly popular. According to early figures, the semi-reality series debuted. as VH1's highest rated series premiere of all time, averaging a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 year old demographic. According to a statement, an average of 1.8 million viewers tuned in. Now news has surfaced that the 45-year-old Public Enemy hype-man is readying his long overdue solo debut album, "Flava Tonic." So who says that there are no second chances for the over 40-year-old crowd?

Following in the footsteps of the Almighty O (Oprah Winfrey), daytime talk show hosts Regis Philbin and his sidekick Kelly Ripa are giving away vehicles. This February, "Live with Regis and Kelly" is featuring the biggest promotion in the show's history, teaming up with Pontiac for an exciting month-long contest, Live's Pontiac Extreme Van-A-Day Giveaway. Throughout the month, the show will give away more than $1 million in prizes, as one lucky viewer each weekday is guaranteed to win the all-new 2005 Pontiac Montana SV6 Sport Van. And they've "one-upped" Oprah too. The show is covering the taxes, as well as offering winners one of several fabulous additional prizes to go with each car, including a second SV6 Sport Van to give to a friend.

Gospel superwoman Vickie Winans is coming to Brooklyn. The Stellar Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated vocalist and businesswoman will perform at Brooklyn Academy of Music's Praise Music concert on January 22. The legendary Shirley Caesar, who was previously announced on the bill, will not appear at this event. No reason was offered. In its third year, "Praise Music," part of the annual Rhythm & BAM series, will also feature the beloved and Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir in an inspirational celebration of hope through sacred music. "Praise Music" will take place in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House. For more info, log onto bam.org.

Notable/Quotable
"…I am the same person I always was. I just do everything a little slower and a lot quieter. But one thing that hasn't changes is that I am still pretty."
--boxing legend Muhammad Ali on his current routine.

©2005 The Ru Report™. All Rights Reserved~~P.O. Box #25 Bushkill PA 18324

Message Karu F Daniels or email him directly at therureport@aol.com