Welcome.
-Hi. Thank you. -And congratulations.
-Thank you. -Let's, like, just kick it off with that.
Congratulations on not only being on the cover
of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition,
but doing it 22 years later.
Can you believe it? 22 years later.
(whooping, cheering, applause)
And, Trevor, it's about...
25 to 30 pounds heavier.
-That's even more impressive. -Yeah.
-No, it really is. -(cheering, applause)
It really is, because, like, this is something
that I think a lot of people might take for granted.
You know, we've lived in a world where for so long
the fashion industry has determined
how many people see themselves, how they view themselves,
how their self-esteem is shaped,
and you come from a world where, I mean,
you were on this cover at a time
when black women weren't represented,
at a time when women who had normal figures and bodies
weren't represented, and now you're on the cover going like,
-"No, this is my body, this is..." -Yeah.
-Was that scary? -Um, it was in the beginning,
because I've got more dimples on my booty,
I've, like, I'm heavier, I have not modeled in a swimsuit heavy.
I know how to, like, hide it up in the clothes,
but in a swimsuit? I was, like, raw, out there.
Um, but after that first shot, I was like, "I'm good."
I wasn't, like, putting a towel on the booty.
I was just, like, just letting it go.
-You were just feeling it... -I was gonna say, yeah,
-(cheering, applause) -this is, like, "I'm good," yeah.
I-I won't lie, when someone... someone showed me the cover,
and I was like, "Oh, that looks gorgeous,"
and then they were like, "Here's the one that she did before,"
and then I was like, "Oh, when is that from, like, five years?"
and they're like, "No, 22 years ago."
You... This is not, like, 22 years of change, though.
-Thank you. -What-what... what have you been doing?
(laughter)
Well, in terms of my skin, it's, like, this regimen
called "being a black person."
(laughter)
(cheering, applause)
MAN (in audience): Black don't crack, man!
Yeah, totally. It has not cracked.
-It has not cracked at all. -Yes.
-Yeah, but it-it really is beautiful to see, -Thank you.
and-and you came out of retirement for this.
I came out of retirement, and, Trevor, I was like,
"I'm gonna lose weight.
I'm gonna look exactly like that old cover." -Right, right.
Called the nutritionist.
I was doing the two liters of water a day.
Went to go visit my mama and just opened up the Cheetos...
And then after that, I was like,
"Mama, I just feel like an ice cream party"
And me, her and my son went to the store
and we got eight pints of ice cream.
And we just, like, played it like piano...
♪ Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do. ♪
But when you, but when you look at that,
when you look at what you did and when you look at the cover,
and you look at the positive response you're getting,
do you think that this reflects
a positive change in the modeling industry?
-Yes. -Because, you know, you see people like Ashley Graham
saying no, I see positive change.
You see a cover like this and it feels like positive change.
-A hundred percent. -Do you think it has moved?
And do you think it's been enough? Or what can--
-What can we improve on? -By no means is it enough.
But what I love about social media
is that it makes people loud
and it forces the fashion industry
that loves themselves and look in the mirror and they're like,
"Oh, my God, we're so amazing--"
It makes them, like, look and go, "Oh, my God.
"No, we're not amazing.
These people are telling us what we have to do."
And now people are answering with their wallets.
-Right. -So, today, if you are not a diverse brand
and moving toward that, I predict...
that your brand will cease to exist.
(cheering and applause)
I do.
It's interesting...
It's interesting that you bring up social media
because the photographer of this cover
is a black woman.
-Is a black woman. -First time ever.
First time ever that there has been
a black photographer to shoot the cover
-of Sports Illustrated, -That is wild.
the first time for a woman to shoot the cover,
the first time for a black woman
-to shoot the cover. -That is wild.
I found her on Instagram.
(cheers and applause)
Yes. Her name is Laretta Houston,
and I found her on Instagram.
I said this magazine, 22 years ago,
changed my life overnight,
and now I want to pay it forward,
and I want to change a life, I want to shake it up.
I want her to be like, "Oh, my gosh.
"I-It's so amazing what's happening right now.
I don't know what to do with myself."
Hi, Laretta. Are you shook up, girl?
-Are you shook up? -(laughing)
-That's beautiful. -Yeah.
It really is beautiful to see, like, the changes
and-and the world that you created for yourself,
because a lot of people know you as Tyra Banks, the model.
Some people may know you as Tyra Banks, the TV host.
But, really, what you've learned to do is parlay that success
-into other fields in your world. -Yeah.
For instance, you were lecturing at Stanford.
-Right? For three years... -Yeah, for three years,
-I've been teaching at Stanford. -What do you...
I just finished this third year teaching personal branding.
So, teaching, but just, like, normal, average people,
-like, personal branding? -Yeah.
Well, average genius minds
that are in the pharmaceutical world
and in, you know, law and consulting
-and food and... -Like, explain to me what...
like, how that person needs to brand
or why they would need to brand.
So, these are people that are in the business world,
-and then they're going to graduate. -Yes.
And there's gonna be so much competition.
And I teach my students that different is better than better.
There are gonna be so many people
-that you think you're better than. -Right.
However, that personal brand,
your differentiate or what makes you unique...
What is your origin story?
How are you going to say and share that?
How are you gonna get the capital,
the money that that competitor wants to raise
-that you really need? -Right.
How are you gonna hire those people
that are the most fantastic employees in the world?
How you gonna bring them to your company?
And it's about what you stand for
that will attract the best.
-More money. More success. More power. -Right.
And a lot of my, um, students are actually very altruistic
and in the nonprofit world, and I say,
"Personal brand can help you make money for your companies
and for your nonprofits, as well."
You can see I'm very passionate about this.
-I can feel it. No, I can feel it. -Yes.
-Yes. -You are somebody
-who does connect with that idea. -Yeah.
And, I mean, it explains, I guess,
why now for this next phase of your modeling career,
which you're stepping back into, you've got BanX.
-Yeah, I renamed myself, so instead of... -Right?
That's... Every artist gets to that level in their career.
-Yes. -Like, Diddy, Prince, everyone.
-So, now we're at that for you now. -Totally.
-Totally. -So, now, when modeling, we now...
-When I'm modeling... Exactly, Trevor. -It's BanX.
-B-A-N-X. -Okay.
And I came up with this when I was teaching my students.
-All right. Why-why change it? -Yes.
-'Cause everyone... Tyra. -Yeah.
-But now you're like, "No, no, no. BanX." -No, no, no. BanX.
-Okay. -Because I want to go by my last name.
-Uh-huh. -To me, it's different. It's renewed.
I feel thicker. I feel wiser. I feel thankful.
And that "X" stands for "'X' what you heard
about what a model is, what beauty is, cookie cutters."
We are x-ing that.
It is all about accepting age, height, weight,
-skin color, sexual orientation. -(cheering and applause)
And I'm busting open that door down.
So BanX is not just me.
That "X" is, like, the new Wakanda for modeling.
"X" all of that.
That's what BanX is. It's all of us.
That's amazing. And banks is where you're gonna keep
all the money you make from these great ideas.
Thank you so much for being on the show.
-Thank you. -Wonderful having you again.
The 2019 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue
is on newsstands now.
Tyra Banks, everybody.