Tyra Banks Calls Michelle Obama Her Role Model on ‘Larry King Live’

Entertainment Tonight, Tuesday, September 22, 2009, 9:55pm (PDT)

Entertainment Tonight.

There are now three women who hold an influential place in Tyra Banks' heart. Read on to find out who they are.

In an interview on "Larry King Live," Larry asked Tyra about her thoughts of Michelle Obama. She said that after hearing the first lady speak, "I just sat there and teared up, and I called my mom, and I said, 'No offense, but Oprah Winfrey's my role model, you're my role model, and I have a new one.' I find her to be the epitome of elegance, of class."

The host of "America's Next Top Model" praised Mrs. Obama's sense of style. She said, "I love the fact that she pushes the envelope on what the narrow box is of what a first lady is supposed to look like." Tyra once got to pose as the first lady in a Harper's Bazaar spread, in which she was part of an ensemble that recreated the Obama family in the Oval Office.

Plus, Tyra adds, "Her hair is fantastic." Tyra has been focusing on hair a lot lately. On the season premiere of her talk show, the model revealed her real, natural hair. The experience "felt so liberating. I have worn fake hair since I was 17 years old," she confessed to Larry.

Tyra also commented on some other recent entertainment headlines. She believes that Chris Brown's incident of domestic violence, in which he injured his then-girlfriend Rihanna, is a result of witnessing domestic violence in his household growing up. Tyra learned about this subject by covering it on "The Tyra Banks Show." She said, "We do know that it is a cycle…When you experience something there is a large chance that you are going to become the perpetrator." Though she feels sympathy for Chris for being a victim, his actions do not "excuse the fate of somebody else."

Kanye West made headlines last week after interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the "MTV Video Music Awards." Tyra admitted to not watching the episode live on TV, but did watch it online after receiving texts from friends. She watched Kanye address the incident on the premiere of "The Jay Leno Show." In response, she told Larry, "I found it interesting that he was so honest and said that he has some issues and he needs to figure out something to do with what his life is all about for him." Tyra expressed that she was proud of Taylor for handling the situation so gracefully at such a young age.

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