Interview with Seymone, the eliminated from episode 8

Seymone Cohen-Fobish was the latest modelstant eliminated from America's Next Top Model Cycle 18 (Cycle 18, Episode 8: “Georgina Chapman”), which means there are only four UK girls and two US girls remaining. Seymone talked to Wetpaint Entertainment in an exclusive interview after her elimination.


The plus-size American model filled us in on some surprising things from behind the scenes, including the other girls’ weight anxieties, finding out about Kyle’s surprise pregnancy, and how she has always known her walk is “trash.” 

The following interview in READ MORE :)

What was your initial reaction to getting eliminated?

Seymone Cohen-Fobish: I was slightly devastated. I didn’t know it was going to happen. I didn’t know if I would be able to continue on with my modeling career or anything. I thought I was just done, in my eyes. During the competition it was either win or nothing.

Have you since recovered?

Oh yeah. I’m not done at all, or anywhere near being done.

Do you think you were unfairly portrayed as being in a bad mood all the time?

Obviously you’re going to get edited, so personally I feel like if you put it out there for them to edit you like that, then that’s your own fault. But to be honest, if you want to judge me off of a reality show, I look at you [as] very juvenile. Because you can’t tell my personality because of the fact that, everybody knows that it’s edited , and it’s like, “Oh that person’s mean.” No, they really aren’t, you just don’t know them, you’re just unaware of the situation, you’re unaware of their character. I really don’t care, if they want to judge me like that, then they can judge me. If they want to know me, they can get to know me.

Was there any more to the nighttime fight than we saw on the show?

Actually there was. I asked them to stop multiple times and they didn’t. I had already told them that I wanted to go to bed, I was tired, we had to wake up extremely early the next day. Eliminations are extremely early in the morning. Personally I think it’s rude, it’s just, if I’m asking you to stop, you stop. But if you’re throwing wet stuff at me and screaming when you come into our room and stuff, you don’t do that, it’s rude. I guess they got the worst of me.

Was there anyone in particular you didn’t get along with?

It was just kind of like a little family. You have your ups and downs with everyone, I guess if they choose to show those [fights], then they show those. There was no particular person that I didn’t get along with.

Were you close with anyone in particular?
I have a couple of people that I was close to on the American end, and on the UK side. I absolutely loved every single one of them, Like I said, we’re seriously like a family. To the point where we’re in sync and we’re just like, “I don’t know if you wanna say that to them, you know how they are.” And we had inside jokes, we had dances for each other. Once you get a chance to talk to the rest of the girls, you should ask them. We have a dance called “The Anneliese.”

Was it hard being in the house as the only plus-size model (after Louise left)?

Actually it wasn’t. I thought it was really funny because most girls, they’re like “Oh my gosh I’m really fat,” and stuff like that. Those girls were just like, “Oh my gosh, I’m gaining so much weight!” To a point where I was like, “You know what? Hold on. You stand right there,” and I bent down and I put my hand, I could fit both of my hands, like middle finger and my thumb to each other, and my hands could fit around their thigh, so I was like, “Are you serious? You wear like a double zero, please shut up and go eat something.” I guess they thought they were gaining weight, but there’s nothing wrong with them. Personally I love the way that I look, I am average-sized. And I feel like if I were to talk to a plus-size model, she would take it offensively that I was calling myself plus-size. I just think we need to categorize it better. There’s no issue with it, I don’t care. They were coming to me like, “Oh my gosh I like your butt,” and I was like, “Thank you.”

Were you surprised by Tyra’s decision to fire Nigel Barker and The Js?

Actually I wasn’t. I really never paid attention to it, I was more just in the competition. I know that they weren’t around a lot and they didn’t talk to us that much. I think Tyra knows what she’s doing. She’s a businesswoman, she’s smart, she’s been doing this for a while, she knows what’s best for the show, and she knows what she’s doing. I think there is nobody who could tell Tyra Banks how to run her own show.

Did you agree with judge Kelly Cutrone’s assessment of your runway walk?

Yeah, I think my walk is trash. I’m 100% honest, I never in the show, ever, did I defend my walk. Why? Because I know it’s trash. It’s just the fact that, I was upset during the casting, how they were. You don’t see in the castings at all, all you see is before and after. Kelly Cutrone, I have the utmost respect for her. I don’t see how she does it, I don’t see how she keeps up with everything. Like I’m still trying to get the whole model/designer thing going in my head, spinning, and she’s got it like it’s nothing, like it’s effortless. I feel like if she says something to you, it’s constructive. It might not come out the way you want it to sound, all sugarcoated and everything, but if you want to be in the adult business, then you need to act like an adult, and take it like an adult. Kelly Cutrone tells it like is, and if you don’t like it, don’t ask her.

Are you still in touch with Kyle?

Oh my gosh, we were going to go to Six Flags together, she was like, “Uh, problem.” And I was like, “Oh no!” I’m so happy for her [pregnancy], I met her fiancé, actually Kyle and I did a premiere party together with Candace, I love those girls. There’s nothing they could do that would change my opinion of them. Her fiance’s amazing, he’s so cool.