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The curvaceous beauty who recently took the title of America’s Next Top Model was scouted for the show at an airport. Buying chocolate.
“My mom always said people on the Titanic wish they had their dessert,” said Thompson, who invariably has a candy bar with her before flying.
That seems to be her general approach to life, even though the Atlantic Beach native has been propelled into stardom practically overnight.
“I don’t really think of myself [as a famous model]. I walk out of the house in jeans and a T-shirt with no makeup on,” she said in an interview May 22.
While Thompson still thinks of herself as a “beach girl,” her fans recognize her as the winner of a national modeling competition.
A group of young girls anxiously awaited her arrival at the Neptune Beach clothing store, Jaffi’s, which outfitted Thompson with several of her “red carpet” ensembles.
“Is she going to be in a limo?” asked one of the girls excitedly.
When she arrived - sans limo and in flip-flops - Thompson looked genuinely surprised to be greeted by fans.
But she happily obliged the girls with her autograph - perfected in the seventh grade - while chatting with them about their lives.
During the interview, several fans came over to say hi and congratulate her.
In between sips of black coffee, Thompson graciously spoke to everyone, including an 8-year-old aspiring model, and waved to a group of passersby.
Shelby Hicks, owner of Shelby’s Coffee Shop and long-time family friend, hugged Thompson, saying, “Your community loves you.”
While Thompson has enjoyed being home for the first time since the show, the trip to visit family, including parents David and Jeanine Thompson, was short-lived.
“I’m uber-busy,” she said, adding that her life has been a “whirlwind” since winning cycle 10 of ANTM earlier this month.
Thompson had a flight the following day to Indianapolis and then it was back to her New York City “model” apartment. (Victoria’s Secret Model Alessandra Ambrosio lives above her.)
Her current apartment is a sharp contrast to her living arrangement on the show in which she shared a house with 13 other girls and was filmed 24 hours a day.
“That was nuts,” she said.
But Thompson, who felt she was fairly portrayed on the show, said she’s not “crude” by nature and wasn’t fazed by the cameras.
“I try to live my life by doing nothing that my grandpa wouldn’t want to see me do.”
Looking back on her experience, Thompson said she wouldn’t change a thing.
“I don’t regret anything and if I change one thing, maybe that would have changed everything.”
“It was totally fate,” she said of making it onto the show. Her sister, a music therapy teacher, teased her for years about auditioning before Thompson was spotted by an ANTM staff member.
Although Thompson’s modeling work hasn’t started yet, she’s had plenty to keep her occupied.
“I’ve done over 30 interviews in New York,” she said. “[I’m] running around in stilettos from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m.”
Thompson “vacationed” for several months after the show taped, visiting fellow co-star and runner up Anya Kop in Hawaii, but has recently been doing publicity for the CW television network and will be appearing in several upcoming magazines.
Her cover photo for the July issue of Seventeen Magazine will be out in June.
Thompson has also booked several “big money deals,” but could not disclose who the campaigns are for.
And she means “big money.” Thompson will be making approximately $25,000 a day on some of the campaigns, she said.
She will also likely be a guest on the Tyra Banks Show and her publicists are trying to line her up for the chance to walk the red carpet at the premier of Sex and the City: The Movie.
But, money and celebrity have not gone to the 20-year-old’s head.
She’s still excited to fly first class - chocolate bar in tow.
(Editor's note: Visit Top Model Whitney Thompson for more photos.)
Lthompson wrote on May 30, 2008 12:42 PM:
- Lindsey Thompson
(Whitney's big sister) "