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Tyra BanksTyra Banks talks skinny. We say models model clothes, not life, for our girls

Supermodel Tyra Banks has been getting a lot of press this week for her “open letter to models” in The Daily Beast in which she praises Vogue magazine’s new pledge to stop using young teen models and those who appear to have eating disorders. This move, she says, could do wonders for little girls, who have been subjected to increasingly twiggy beauty standards. “When I started modeling, I used to see models who seemed unhealthy backstage at the fashion shows,” she wrote. “They appeared to be abusing their bodies to maintain a certain weight. These girls were booked over and over again for countless fashion shows and photo shoots. I’m sure many of you today have witnessed this, or even live it. Now, real progress is finally on the horizon. Vogue is stepping up, doing the right thing, and protecting that girl. Perhaps that girl is you!” Well, thanks for the encouragement, Tyra. Sort of. Because, really, that girl is decidedly not me. Or my daughter, I hope. See, what gets lost a lot in this whole “models are too thin and therefore bad role models for our girls” discussion is that maybe models shouldn’t really be role models for our girls. There’s nothing wrong with the “Vogue” announcement earlier this month. Nobody is going to take issue with Conde Nast International Chairman Jonathan Newhouse’s statement that “Vogue believes that good health is beautiful. Vogue Editors around the world want the magazines to reflect their commitment to the health of the models who appear on the pages and the well-being of their readers." But the idea that this will change body image problems for girls misses the point. The models in women (and teen) magazines will continue to be thin and beautiful. That’s their job. (I mean, it’s not like aspiring to look like Tyra Banks is not particularly attainable for most women, either.) And having "thin and beautiful" as an aspiration – perhaps not the loftiest of goal. So as Vogue changes its standards, what we can change at home is how we talk to our daughters about media, about the images in the magazines, and – all importantly – the way we absorb these messages ourselves.

Britney SpearsBRITNEY SPEARS Chewing Gum During 'X Factor' Interview

Britney Spears spoke to FOX cameras before she took the stage at yesterday's Upfronts ... and she did so while chewing a piece of gum. Ding dang, y'all!!! Britney ditched the gum by the time she went in front of the advertisers ... so clearly someone caught a glimpse of Brit's red carpet faux pas and corrected it. For what it's worth ... Simon Cowell was chewing away too! The gum wasn't the only thing Britney was chompin' on during yesterday's festivities -- Brit took a few bites out of her fingernails, too.

Retired supermodel Tyra Banks has lost 30 pounds in five months after photographs of her beachwear left her in tears on her U.S. TV talk show.

Banks insisted the shots of her in a bikini during a winter break were just taken from a bad angle as she launched a 'So what' campaign on her TV show and urged the tabloids to stop poking fun at stars' weight loss and weight gain.

At one point she broke down on her show, stating, "With all the self-esteem my mom instilled in me, the criticism still hurts."

But the terrible photographs forced Banks to take action - and, after months spent eating right and exercising, she has dropped 30 pounds, according to Life & Style magazine.

An insider tells the publication, "She's eating healthy foods,but they're ones she likes, so she's more apt to maintain her diet."

And she's completely revamped the food that's available to her and guests backstage at her show.

Former supermodel Tyra Banks credits her sudden popularity with younger men to her new curvy figure.

The retired catwalk star and talk show host insists she's been inundated with attention from younger men ever since she gained a more voluptuous figure.

The 33-year-old star of The Tyra Banks Show explains, "Twenty-three-year-old guys ask me out all the time. Some of them are even celebrities who come on to my show. One guy even went for my muffin top (midsection fat)."

"I was like, 'You're 10 years younger than me. You need to date Hilary Duff. Don't date me. I have a roll around my middle."

However, she insists she is now less popular with men her age, adding, "I make a good living, so men my age get a little intimidated."