March 4, 2025 • 34 mins
This episode of Baguments is serving high fashion and hot takes!
We’re joined by supermodel and Grammy Trophy Presenter Sharaun Brown, who takes us from the South Side of Chicago to the runways of America’s Next Top Model and the biggest stage in music. Then, it’s time to argue! What was the most controversial moment in awards show history—Will Smith’s slap heard 'round the world or Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift? We break it all down, plus so much more!
Hit play and let the baguments begin! 🎤🔥
#Baguments #Podcast #SharaunBrown #Supermodel #Grammys #Grammys2025 #AmericasNextTopModel #WillSmith #ChrisRock #KanyeWest #TaylorSwift #AwardsShowDrama #PopCulture #Debate #Chicago #FunPodcast
We’re joined by supermodel and Grammy Trophy Presenter Sharaun Brown, who takes us from the South Side of Chicago to the runways of America’s Next Top Model and the biggest stage in music. Then, it’s time to argue! What was the most controversial moment in awards show history—Will Smith’s slap heard 'round the world or Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift? We break it all down, plus so much more!
Hit play and let the baguments begin! 🎤🔥
#Baguments #Podcast #SharaunBrown #Supermodel #Grammys #Grammys2025 #AmericasNextTopModel #WillSmith #ChrisRock #KanyeWest #TaylorSwift #AwardsShowDrama #PopCulture #Debate #Chicago #FunPodcast
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Are you mince?
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Are you mince mince? Welcome in so another exciting edition
of Arguments. I am your host, Dan Levy, and with
me is a very special guest. She's on the move,
so we only get it down for a little while.
(00:23):
She is a south side Chicago super model. You saw
her on the Grammys, you see her everywhere, and she's
gonna keep exploding, So watch out for her, ladies and gentlemen. Sharon,
thanks for jumping on the argument stage. How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I'm doing that phenomenal. I'm feeling magical, feeling good, feeling abundeon.
Can't go fight at all.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Now, If everybody out there, if you go ahead and
you watch we watch the highlights of the Grammys. Watch
Beyonce whin the Album of the Year, Watch so many
things you will see. Sharon, you were the actual trophy
presenter super Bottle. That is unbelievable in its own right.
I didn't even know that was like a thing to
be like selected for. But you were selected by music
(01:05):
producers and all kinds of people that you would come
out there for all these trophies. That is unreal.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
I know, pretty phenomenal, pretty phenomenal. I'm so grateful for that.
To be the official trophy presenter for the Grammys. It's
like what And I think I underestimated the position initially
going into it, because you know, typically when you think
about the presenters, like they kind of fade into the background,
right And I tell exactly how much I would be shown.
So when I watched it back, I was like, oh wow,
(01:32):
oh oh wow, Like, yeah, it's a part of the show.
They wanted to do something different, and I'm glad that
they chose me for that.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Let's let's dive just a little bit in your background
a little bit, because a lot of people from the
South Side of Chicago, it's not the greatest of areas,
and not a lot of people find their ways into
doing this stuff that you have really done and you
have exploded. What was Give us a brief synopsis of
the path that you told because I teach it. I
teach a local schools in and around Chicago. I used
(01:59):
to have at Columbia College, and I know those people
are They're grinders, they are working hard, and everybody, even
for me, it's just looking for a path. What was
your path to go from that to where you are
right now? How did you do what you did.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, as I get into that correction, south Side of
Chicago is a great place.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
It is, it is, it is.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
We have a lot of ideas and stuff that like
South sid Chicago is bad and it's this.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
No, no, it's sorry to come into a great light.
You're right, I corrected, correct, did I stand? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:28):
It's full of rich culture, beautiful people, beautiful history here,
which is one of the reasons I'm so glad to
be back. So my journey started again south Side Chicago.
Born into a single parent household, raised by a beautiful mother.
Life wasn't always you know, the easiest. She you know,
worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. I grew up
always wanting. I had a million things I wanted to do.
(02:49):
I wanted to be a model. I wanted to be
a speaker, I wanted to be a host. I wanted
to be an author, all of these things.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
That's me right now, to be honest, that's me right now.
I have like nine things I still want to do,
and I'm already a grown up. So I'm with you.
I feel every part of that.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yes, it's a multifaceted person in being And isn't it
cool that we can kind of do all of those things,
Like I'm doing all of them in different.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I was just telling my wife the other day, I
just wish I had like Kevin Hart's life, where I
could just do everything that guy can. Just he's an actor,
he's an order, he is this and that. Like I'm
the same kind of verse and I just don't have
the capital or the means of it. But I feel
like that's where my brain and that's where my career
should be.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Going that part, right, yes, same, so so yeah, I
just started out that I always wanted a model, but
I didn't know.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
How how do you? Right tonally?
Speaker 1 (03:35):
How did you do that? The only thing that I
knew was America's extop model. That would be our family show.
He would sit on the couch and watch it every
Wednesday with Tyra Banks, one of the biggest reality TV
competition shows of like in twenty.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Twenty first century, the twenty first century. I would say,
so before you real quick, before you actually did that,
were you going to any kind of modeling school, Were
you doing any kind of acting? Is there any kind
of you just for it?
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Yeah? So I know I really had no experience prior
to that. I did, like a little local shows that
like the local boutique fashion FuG right right, and I
was like to sting your photos and the life Touch.
The company was like, oh my gosh, she's a really
great can you come a model for us? So I
did something like that, but I had no experience beforehand.
I did go to performing arts school Kirie Metropolitan, and
(04:22):
they it's great because they really nurture the gifts and
stuff of artists. So we got to choose a major
in high school. So I was actually a broadcast journalism.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Pretty good major.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
I was. Yeah, I was the school's news anchor.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
I can see that. I can see that and.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Host, So I did do that. I was also a dancer,
and yeah I did some you know, did plays and
stuff like that, but no real modeling experience.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Now when you were going, oh we all right, I'm
seeing this show, I want to be on it. Where
is everybody telling you like, hey, you could win this,
you can win this or was it one of those
singers where you're like, I'm just doing it. I don't
know how far I'm gonna go. I'm going for it.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Yeah. I'm the type of person where when once I
put my mind to something like you can't tell me
otherwise and cool. So and my mother really began to
nurture that in me. She started calling me America sex
Time Model around the house. I started, you know, I
wasn't always the most confident person, so I knew I
had to build up that confidence and that self esteem.
So I actually also use like affirmations and just I've
(05:18):
always been immersed in the wellness industry, so meditation and
things of that sort to really visualize what I was
wanting and to you know, program my mind for that
success to win. So I was at home all the time.
I am America sex Time Model. I am America's sex
time Model. I got this, And I would go telling
people in school and stuff, Yep, one day I'm gonna
be an American sex Time model and I'm gonna be a model.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Like this is something you gotta you gotta do it,
and you gotta say it out loud and you gotta
mean it. Was Is there a quote real quick that
you uh that hits really well for you whenever you're
kind of feeling like I can you use something to
bring me back to focus? Is or a quote is
or a piece of advice is or what was something
that kind of still strikes a chord with you.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, there's so much and a lot of times what
I would do, I just kind of like go into
meditation and quiet my mind and things will different different
exactly like what I need to hear will come. So
those things might be like stay ready so you never
have to get ready, right, and it'll be things like
everything is happening for my good, all like all things
are working it out for my good. It'll be things
like you know, what's for me is for me and
(06:16):
nobody can take that away from me. So those are
just kind of a few quick things, but the list
goes on and they just kind of come intuitively and
it's exactly what I need and I kind of meditate
on that. You know, I'm a high I'm living in
my highest timeline every single morning. That's something that I
still do to this day. I wake up, whether it's
in front of the real life therapy or just in
my own little sacred space in my room. I'm I'm
(06:39):
declinicing declarations. I'm declaring it to creating things over my life,
like this is how my day is going to be,
this is what's gonna happen. I'm visualizing it, I'm embodying it,
and I really think that's the key to again making
your dreams of reality.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
The one that I always hear, that everybody tells me,
and I think it's the best one, And it's the
most frustrating of all this. You are where you're supposed
to be, And that one, that one keeps me up
at night because you're sitting there going like, man, I
want to be here. I want to be there, and
everyone's like you are, We're supposed to be the best opportunities.
You're not supposed to be there. You're supposed to be here,
And I'm like, I can't. I can't digest that one
(07:13):
that I have to.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
I know it's the gratitude factor. Yes, getting in a
state of gratitude. What we focus on expand So if
we're focusing on lack or what we don't have, you're
going to experience more of that. Your mind is just
marinating around that and it's just gonna put you on
a less happy state. But if I'm like focusing on
the things that are going great, one thing that I
started doing more too is just celebrating myself every tiny
(07:37):
little win. Like I agree, just be like good job, Dan.
You know I me and my partner do that a
lot as well, just like good job, great job, doing this,
great job, do that, celebrate everything because yeah, it's the
brick by brick, all the things like coming together creates
the whole big dream. And you know, no matter where
we are in our journey, we're on the journey. Yes
(07:58):
we win.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I try. I try not to fester on losses or
wins very much. So if I get rejected a right,
I'm giving myself the allowance for a day. I can
feel that rejection for a day and then tomorrow it's
another day and say, with the win, I will feel
that win for the day and then tomorrow let's get
the next one. Let's get the next one. So you
go and you're doing the reality TV thing. Tell me
(08:20):
about that experience because I've known a lot of people
that have done some reality TV. I know a lot
of people that have done some cooking shows, and we've
had people on here that have done reality television shows.
What was that experience like for you, especially a because
you know it's a business, you know it's a show,
and you know it's something that there's entertainment value and
it's not exactly a real kind of contest where there's
I mean, it's whoever makes for the best TV whoever
(08:41):
makes for the best kind of look. And there's politics
that goes into that stuff too. You got to make
sure you're rubbing the right shoulders. How is that experience
for you?
Speaker 1 (08:50):
So interestingly enough, I did not realize. I didn't clear.
I did not know going into it that, oh this
is a reality TV show. Oh it's not all real.
There is politics, somebody.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Remember I was fresh out of high school. You know
I didn't I left in the middle of my senior
year of high school. Oh wow, America's sex time model.
I didn't go to a graduation, didn't go to a
prom or anything like that. I was also very green.
When it came to green.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
I was going to say for today, very nice.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Thank you. When it came to just the world and life,
I I you know, I lived in my neighborhood and
in my family and that's all I knew. So going
into it, it was very surreal, very exciting. Again, imagine
girl from the South Side of Chicago. It's my first
time kind of like really leaving, leaving on my own,
and you're in like what I was speaking happened like wow, what?
(09:43):
And then here you are standing in front of Tyra
Banks and all of the judges panel and literally inside
of the TV screen. It was so surreal. It was
a little girl's dream. I will never forget that moment.
Yet it was also very hard as hell.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
I can only imagine it and Rihannas I apologize, I have,
I have. I don't remember the season, it's been so
long ago. But what I will ask you what were
the were the other contestants cool? Because I know in
a lot of these shows, first and foremost, if you're
ever on any kind of reality television show, it is
always they're setting you up and everybody knows that. There's
kind of like you have to have a little bit
(10:17):
of an edge toy to keep the entertainment portion going.
But I also know being around models and other people
and just my career there it's a very very very
harsh knit group where I mean it's people do not
get along. The competition is the competition at all times,
and there is always some sort of strife. Was that
could you feel that on the show too? Was it
(10:39):
pretty was it pretty thick? Or was it one of
those situations where you know what, we're all on television.
We're all just happy to be here. Kind of a deal.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Yeah. Actually, you know, when you put models together, women together,
it's not as caddy and devisive that they might like
it to see.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
You know, a lot of the caddy's disappointing. Don't ruin
it for me. I'm just kidding. I'm a girl girl,
I've watched I've watched too many movies. I watched too
many TV shows for going at and go on. I'm
just kidding. Programs all select all the leads, gotcha control
all the leads.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
And so it's not to say that those things don't exist.
Obviously they do. I'm not you know, you know, yeah,
obviously those things exist. However, that wasn't my experience in
its entirety. I actually, you know, connected with a lot
of people and it wasn't super catty. And don't be
get me wrong, there were a couple of girls that
was staying themselves and you don't know what they're kind
of shatting and stuff about, but it wasn't super catty.
(11:35):
Now where the cattiness and different stuff came in at
is the producers kind of like manipulating things behind the
scenes and pushing things to go a certain way. So
even when it came to myself, you know, I I
was told very early on, like basically we were told
who we who we were cast, who we needed to be.
But in a subtle way, they got sut us down
with the we have to take a lot of tests
(11:56):
and like background stuff where they really got in our
brain and got to get to know us. And we
sat with a therapist and that that therapist was supposed
to be like kind of counseling us, but what they
were doing was telling us like our characters. So for me,
it was like, you're very confident, you need to you
have the tendency to be more reserved, which is true.
You were like, you got to be in front of
the camera all the time. Make sure you're the first
one there, make sure you did all of this stuff
(12:18):
tyrad loves you know, the camera shrinks you, so you
got to be bigger with your everything, with your movements.
So that's what I did.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
And wow, so you were learning on a spot that's rough. Yeah,
that is rough because I've said I've been in radio
and a voiceovers so long in my life that I've
been so green going into things. I'm like, man, I'm
so glad nobody heard or saw what that was earlier
in my career. And you are on television going through that.
That's even harder. No, that is like, that's hard.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
It lives there and then people, again, what you see
is not always what you get. And we know that
a little bit more now, but back in the day
when that show just came out, people thought everything was real. Yeah,
So just imagine having the whole world think that you're
a certain way, you know deepday, like, that's that's not me,
that's not true.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
You gotta play it. You gotta play that part, you
know what.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
But I didn't because and it's and it's it's it's
hard when you know, for a lot of black women,
especially like we get the kind of like you know,
the sassy or the saucy or the you know, just
we get you know, type castid and you don't want
to be known for that, you know, shout out to
you know, the people who have kind of taken that on.
And I wish I would have like kind of owned
(13:27):
it a little bit more, but you know, you know,
that's not who I was. And actually that made it
harder for me to even break into the industry. And
so I mentioned that also to say, since we're talking
about the cattiness as well, like, so those are some
of the things that behind the scenes are kind of
like pushed. And so also whenever you're doing interviews that
you have to say something like positive and negative about
someone and all right, now say it now, say it's sweet. Okay,
(13:52):
now say it's sassy. Now say it like this. And
I'm thinking, as a young eighteen year old girl, I'm
showcasing my acting abilities, Amma to make me to.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yeah, you're seting, You're setting up for the next episode.
I get it. I get it. As far as uh
as far as Tyra Banks is concerned, how was that?
Do you still have a relationship with her? Is that
like now a peer of yours? Is she somebody who
kind of just faded out once that happened, or is
she still kind of like somebody you can maybe kind
of reach out to about certain things.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Yeah, I wish I could say that I still had
her as a mentor who reached out to her, had
that level of connection with her. Unfortunately, after America's nexaw model,
that was kind of the end of that relationship. Yeah,
I did do went on the Tyra Banks Show afterwards
as well, but other than that, yeah, that was the
end of that relationship unfortunately. But Tyra, we'd love to
chat with you or get any advice or anything, but yeah,
(14:42):
I kind of ended after that.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
That's okay, that's okay. I think something like Guess said something,
So you are supposed to be and that everybody's supposed
to be around you, So I understand it. So after
you stop, after you've become the America's Top model, what
happens after that? Is it just do you get the agency?
Is a gig after gig after gig? Or is this okay?
And this is where the real grind starts.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Yeah, it's where the real grind started. So I did
not win my season. I was a finalist on my season,
but I did not win. So once I got eliminated
and begin the funny things that I got eliminated for
the things that they told me.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
To do, that's television. That's television.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
They told me I was overconfident and all these different things.
Was like y'all told me to be this way, Like
I was so confused. So again, coming off America's sex
on model. And you think that the phone is about
to be blowing up and ringing and calling, and that's
what they tell you. My phone was dry. No one
was calling, one was contacting me. I had turned down
(15:40):
all the universities I had been accepted to and stuff
to like for this career that just never was. It was,
it wasn't happening. So, like you were talking about earlier,
how you kind of give your sad moments a timeline.
So I actually gave myself a pretty long to little
timeline because it was a lot to heal through with.
That is a very traumatic experience, and I went into
a maldepression after the words. So I was like, I
(16:03):
gave you after like a month, I was like, all right,
you good. You need to get up, dust your shoulders off,
get back into it. Like I realized very early on
that like things aren't just gonna happen, you have to
go and make them happen. You have to go and
create the life that you want. You can't wait for
someone else to do that for you. So I hit
the ground running, going to agency after agency after agency
after agency. My mom spent her last shout out to
(16:25):
supportive mothers and stuff out there. We went out to
New York again, met with like thirty different agencies.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
And real quick, real quick, did you being on television
help you get in the door or is that hinder?
Speaker 1 (16:36):
And that's what That's what I'm saying. I think that
like after Top Model or something like, your career is
going to take off for people sometimes attribute my current
success to America's next Top Model, and that couldn't be
furthest from the truth. I actually had to stop telling
people that I was on America's Sex Time Model before
I ever got my first contract.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Wow, you take it off the resume? Interesting, gotcha? Gotcha?
Speaker 1 (17:00):
When you have the stigma too, people don't want to
deal with someone who is you know, a mean, you know,
a certain way of how they're painting you, or who's
cocky is or that. Even though that wasn't who I was,
I still, you know, dealt what people think in that.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
So now you're in a different atmosphere, a stratosphere if
you will, and now you are doing things that are
beyond what people can even imagine. And again you being
a trophy girl, what of that? What goes into that?
And we were talking off air before about just how
I'm like most people they just kind of faded in
the background, but you were there pretty much the entire
night on the biggest moments.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Yeah, that was so sweet. So what it went into
that process? So the Grammys shout out to the Recording
Academy and the Grammys because they're doing phenomenal things. I
really truly believe and everyone's been saying this that this
was like one of the best Grammys to date, and
I think a big part of that is because of
their commitment to not withdrawing their de I programs like
other companies and stuff are doing. But they've moved pushed
(17:58):
forward and that even more. They implemented a lot of
new initiatives and things like that to make their wrongs right.
They actually issued a public apology, which was beautiful and
so a part of all the things that they were doing,
they wanted to kind of make a statement with their
trophy presenters, which is where I came in, and they
were looking all over and couldn't find anyone that kind
of like fit what they were looking for. And I'm
(18:20):
thankful to a long time producer that I've worked with
over the years. Her name was Susan Koziak. I've worked
with her for like over ten years, all of her
fashion shows, dancing to theatrical stuff to again modeling, all
of her shows I've been a part of. And she
was actually close friends with the producers for the Grammys,
and so they were like, man, we can't find anyone.
We're looking for someone like this, this and this, and
(18:40):
she immediately recommended me, was like, this is your girl,
this is who you want, and she put my name forwards.
I had a submitted some videos and did a number
of interviews with them and stuff, and then they end
up selecting me. And so I'm truly grateful for that.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Well, not that I don't want to pry in anything
of that. I got a real per little kind of details.
But does something like that, does that pay pretty good?
Or is that just really like, Hey, it's an exposure thing.
You know, you get to be on TV and you
get to use this as leverage, because I know what
I know in the business, sometimes things are exposure and
sometimes like hey, this is all this is a payday?
(19:16):
Was that kind of like is that kind of a
payday deal or kind of a exposure?
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Yeah? So I don't work for exposure. So I'm under
the sag after Union Sure Entertainers, so all of our
contracts kind of fall under.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Very cool. So you're taking care of.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Yes, I'm taking care of It's not like you're teaching.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
I'm just wonder a lot of But you get a
gift card in and out. Congratulations, that was awesome. That
was awesome. I hope you had a good time, and
we may even validate your car. That's about it. That's
that's the gigs I get, even though I am a
sag after verson a lot. I was like, hey, just
because you're out here.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Sweet, Yeah, I feel you had to get that.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
So when you're back there is it when you're with artists,
are they approachable? Are they cool? Are you?
Speaker 1 (20:07):
Are you?
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Are they down to talk or that there's a lot
of people that are around them that are saying, uh uh,
you don't get to talk to Beyonce go.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
No. They were so cool. And so my holding area,
my presenter area, was also with the stage manager, and
so they would come in our in our dressing room
holding area that was all of our holding areas. So
we would be in there together for a good five
ten minutes just chatting, watching whatever was going on, and
for the most part, everyone was pretty cool. Everyone was
super nice. Everyone was super down on earth, you know.
(20:37):
You know, some people were more quieter than others, were
talking to than others, but that's just energy levels, nothing
against personality wise, but everyone was everyone was cool.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
I was gonna say they should have all been sufficiently
liquoring up at some point, so they had been sort
of nice at some point. I would think by the
time they go to yours, they should be feeling pretty good.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
All right. I think I think they were all pretty sober.
But yeah, I had some good times back stage. Miley
literally came in the dressing room was like, Hey, what's
the tea. I was like, huh, She's like, what's the tea?
I was like, I don't know, you sitting in an
audience and we're just shatting up, and she was. She
was mad cool, like what you see is what you
(21:15):
get with her, you know, very authentic in nature. A
Mia Taylor Swift were backstage literally like dancing. I think
Charlie XCX was performing or something while we were backstage
waiting to go out, and so we were just singing
the songs together and dancing backstage and she was like,
who do you want to win? I was like, I
hope She's like they do. I was like, oh my god,
that would be so phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
She was like, I know, like you giving her.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
The fork and so we had a little girl moment
about that, and we were like, okay, we're manifesting.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
But that was honesty. That was a full circle moment
because of the whole like Kanye West thing. So there
was like a lot of things that went into that moment.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
I know, I know, And so again had been a
part of that, like you literally see the picture that
was going viral and all the being made about it
with like mea Taylor like holding younds like that right
there giving her a speech, and it was such a
girl's girls moment. We were just so happy for Beyonce
in that moment and so happy to be a part
(22:14):
of this, Like what this is literally happening because yeah,
it was like we didn't know, you know, who was
gonna win, and so we were with the audience watching
it live just on stage.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
That is awesome. That is awesome. All right, So a
lot of things now that you've done this, what is next?
I mean, you seem to be an entrepreneur. You seem
to be somebody that's got her sight set on some
new or cooler things. Is TV the next role for you?
Would you want to have your own show? Is there
anything you want to forecast out there that you want
to kind of go for next door? Is it kind
(22:46):
of under the hat, under the wraps.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
No, I mean there's some stuff under wraps, but no,
for sure. I told dressed out as a broadcast journalism
mass communications major. I did you know a little work
here and there on general as I'm in for NBC
back in the day, and so I'm excited to get
back into television.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Cool.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
I'm excited to get back in television as host as
you know, media personality. You know, we have the when
you look at our host nowadays of all the biggest shows,
you know, we got the Nate Cannons, Mario Lopez, and
Steve Harvey, and all of them are great and cool
and have paved the way. Yet I think the world
is ready for some female energy and faces and personality
in those faces as well. And for no, nothing knocking them,
(23:25):
but some.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Younger frustrating I was gonna say, I am tired of
seeing those faces. So yes, we need new, We need new.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
So whether it's you know, are dancing with the Stars
and different stuff for game shows and one day of
course having my own show would be phenomenal and the
dream and the goal of it all. So I'm excited
to get back into that even that much more. I
also have I'm CEO and founder of the Model Tribe,
which is a mentorship community that I've cultivated, started out
online and now I'm bringing it in person here in Chicago.
(23:55):
We have a new space out of the water Tower
Place on Michigan Avenue. Yeah, so that's our new headquarters
in partnership with Bashi and Bar and so I'll be
hosting a number of events and stuff out of that space.
I actually have one coming up on March ninth. It's
an advanced runway class and also a beginner's runway class.
I love using modeling to help teach people like confidence
(24:17):
and self esteem. So whether you're an aspiring model or
just a woman or a girl who wants to build
confidence and just learn how to walk the runway and
do different things, and that's what those classes are for.
So I'm excited about that. That's March ninth at eleven
am and ten and people can find all the information
on eleven AM and four pm. I'm sorry, and people
can find all the information at Sharon dot com, Ordmodel
(24:38):
Tribe dot com and it's also on event right. So
I'm excited to do that even that much more and
continue to build that community here in Chicago. I'm also
a motivational speakers, so right after America Sex Top Model,
I did kind of own it. And I will say
that America Sex Top Model has opened up doors in
my speaking career because now you know, when I'm going
(24:59):
to for schools or conferences or events, you know, having
the oh, America Sex Time Model attached to your name
did help in that regard, So I'll give them credit
for that. Right after America Sex Time Model, I started
touring and traveling to different schools and stuff. I started
at home here in Chicago, and then when I moved
to California, I was traveling all around California speaking and stuff.
(25:21):
And so that's something that I've done for a long
time and continue to do and I'm excited to do
it even that much more on a larger scale. So yeah,
those are just a few of the things that I
have going on and I'm so grateful for And again,
the list goes on because if you remember when I
was a young girl, it was a long list. So
there's so much more in the works. So yeah, I'm
(25:44):
super excited about that.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
All right, So this is the portion of arguments where
we throw some fun topics your way. There is no
correct answer. We just have fun doing these things. And
because you are a model and somebody who is definitely
in the business of all things fat the twenty the
last twenty years, who is the person that's had the
biggest influence on pop culture from a fashion and just
(26:08):
overall pop culture. Who's got the most influence of the
last twenty year celebrity wise?
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Okay, I'm gonna have to give it to my girl,
Zendaya and her fashion stylence director Larro, who is also
from Chicago. I think they just changed the game. Zendia
has been consistent in her fashion game since the beginning
of time. She's been consistent with honoring a lot of
(26:34):
you know, femo like faces and spaces in the fashion
industry or in the industry in general, through her fashion,
through representing culture and the things that are put together.
La Roach again, starting from Chicago, making his dreams happen,
seeing something in Zendaia and them just partnering up. I
think it's just the epitome of like teamwork makes the
dream work. I love their relationship and I love what
(26:56):
they've been able to do over the years in fashion,
and it's been consistent. You know, some people try to
get in the space, you know, to you know, just
for different opportunities and stuff, but you can really tell
that they love fashion there about it.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
And Yeah, I'm gonna argue againstha. I'm gonna say Kylie
Kardashian owns the entire thing. Everything that girl does, everything
she puts on, if it's on Instagram, if it's whatever
else it is. She has become a billionaire, and she
is not as famous as her sister Kim. She has
not been that controversial as anybody else. But for some reason,
(27:28):
that younger generation owns whatever that girl is. She has
a makeup line, billionaire, she does some new kind of
you know, outfit. All of a sudden, that girl has
been trending everywhere. I have been surprised. And she even
as a sister who was a model, and yet everything
that girl is doing, for some reason, she has been
more or less out of the spotlight, but for some
(27:49):
reason more influential. I would say that would be the most.
But all all is fair in love and war arguments
off the show.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Give her the beauty, I would give her the beauty industry,
not fashion. Gotcha beauty for sure?
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Yeah, all right. What do you think is the bigger
ultimate career flex winning an Oscar, winning a Grammy or
getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Mm the biggest career flace? Okay, so because I'm the
official trump for the Grammy, because what's better than the Grammy? Nothing?
Speaker 2 (28:25):
That's true.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
Hy tight runner up would be getting the star because
like that star lives forever, It's always going to be there,
And that's that's a.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
I'm I'm with you, I'm with you. First of all,
they're all cool. If you ever go into someone's house
and they have an authentic like an Emmy or an
Oscar or a Grammy or a Tony Award or even
like a vm A like moon Man, You're still like, well,
that's that's it. That is pretty cool. I would say
the Walk of Fame is just a little bit more
because that thing everybody will see forever after the Grammys
and all that. People just say, oh, you won the Grammy,
(28:57):
but nobody knows who that trophy is. They said, Drake
has is like in the girl's bathroom in his house.
So I mean, when you hear stories you like that,
you're like, all right, I don't think that would be
for me. I would think the lock and Fair would
be a little bit cooler. But it goes either way.
I think for sure.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
For sure, even though people are just gonna be stepping
on your name for forever, but.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
That's true that all gods and stuff, you might be
right on that. I never really got about about that one. Okay, okay,
in terms of the most iconic moment of an award show,
which is the bigger one Kanye West and ruptly Taylor
Swift or the Will Smith and Chris Rock.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Oh, and I saw Wilson backstage to shout out to him.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Is he a nice guy? Forever? Everyone I've heard I've
heard everybody say he's a really nice guy.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
He is. He's a really nice guy, very just very welcoming.
He's actually the first I'm like, hey, how are you like?
Speaker 2 (29:54):
You know, he's very cool.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
Very open energy of one of the chat and hangouts.
I appreciate it that man the most. Okay, so probably
I still got to say the Kanye with Taylor because
I don't know. That's hard.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
That's why it's a bargument. It's a tough one.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
I say the Kanye and Taylor thing because I'm still
conflict that the conspiracy theorist and you still conflicted as
to whether that was a hoax or not.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Yes, oh for both of them. For both there's a
conspiracy theory for both of them. So I mean there's
there's you can go in the rabbit holes of both
of them if you wanted to.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
I'll say Taylor Kanye situation because like what we still remember.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
That the Tailor. I would say that Tailor and Kanye
was probably the more in an odd way, was the
more positive one because they both became super famous after that.
Like Taylor Swift was famous, but she became like different
level famous after that. That actually made her career, and
that just pushed Kanye even further because he became like
(30:54):
more of a uh the wild card. I would say
that Will Smith and the Chris Rock was probably the
worst of them. I would say that was like the
bigger stage, the classier stage, and it was like, the
one person that I thought was like flawless is Will Smith,
and I'm like, oh, now that I'll never not see
that with him, But with those two with Kanye and Taylor,
(31:16):
I forget about that until full circle moments when you're like,
like you said, you and Taylor are holding hands as
Beyonce's winning the trophy. That's like a full circle. All right,
everything came back now and there's a moment where Will
Smith and Chris Rock are holding hands and doing something
else that it'll be a full circle. But I think
you witnessed the bridge.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
Who knows, Maybe don't have a movie or some in
the future. But the interesting thing is most of them
were kind of like protecting women in the way or sending.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
That's true, that's true.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Maybe he's still flawless. He was standing up for his wife.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
That's true. That's true. That is true. And the last
argument for you, you've been all around the world, you're
a model. Who's got the best food?
Speaker 1 (31:57):
Oh, who's got the best food? I say, Brazil, Brazil.
I love me some good. I love I love Brazilian food.
I love Brazilian like steakhouses, the.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Fog to showns and those Brazilian steakhouses. That's where, that's
my birthday spot. If someone won't take me to dinner
every birthday, I want to flip that little coaster and
make a green all day. I love telling those Food'll
stop take.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Out and say that for so long? Do you will
be surprised that I'm like, yep, I'm still eating. Yes
and where?
Speaker 2 (32:32):
And if you see that bee from guy, bring him
back over here. I want another look at that rim.
Give me that thing.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
I'm with you right that bacon wrapped.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
The top sirloyd. I want to bring those tongs home.
I love that place. I love it. I'm with you.
I've never been to Brazil, but if all food is
like that in Brazil, I would consider moving.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
Man so flavorful. And there's Brazilian steakhouses are like just
even more grand and you're just everywhere, and they also
do seafood and all kinds of issues. It's it's it's
so good. It's so good.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Chicago Borday south Side representing supermodel gonna be a TV
star and you have heard and seen her on Barguments. Sharon,
thank you so much for coming on the show. I
appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Thank you, so much for having me. This is awesome.
Keep up all the great work you're doing. Phenomena you
as well.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
If you get famous and beg her, bring me with
you my final bench, bring me with you if you
get a TV show. I got a really good voice
for those things. This has been barguments. Thanks againing to
Sharon for jumping on with us. We wish for luck.
You can find around all the social media platforms you
can look for yours er what a particular that you
want to send people to the to connect with you
by any chance sor it's.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Just my name, Sharon s h a r a u
n b s in Brown against Searon s h a
r a u n b a s in Brown. That's
for TikTok, that's for Instagram, and that's even my website.
So just Charon dot com and then also, like I said,
the Model Tribe dot com if you're a model or
aspiring model or female wanting to just use modeling to
(34:03):
build confidence and self ware on here for you.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Very cool. Well, thank you again so much for coming
on connect with her. What's getting My name is Dan Levy.
You can find me on social media based Bass on
Air and that's pretty much on all the social medias.
Don't forget money Nights. I am on wg and Radio
with John Records Landeck here where we do what's called
a food fight, where we discuss and we argue all
kinds of different kinds of food combinations Arguments to podcast. Again.
(34:26):
It's now on YouTube as well, so if you want
to see what Sharon looks like, you may be pretty
offended about how I look, but she's worth the weight.
Then again, you get subscribe, Share, tell all your friends
about Bargaments and go ahead and click that subscribe and
give us a five star review that always makes me smile.
What's getting for Sharon? My name is Dan Levy. This
is Arguments. We'll do it again soon. Take care, everybody,
Are you mince?
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Are you mince mince? Welcome in so another exciting edition
of Arguments. I am your host, Dan Levy, and with
me is a very special guest. She's on the move,
so we only get it down for a little while.
(00:23):
She is a south side Chicago super model. You saw
her on the Grammys, you see her everywhere, and she's
gonna keep exploding, So watch out for her, ladies and gentlemen. Sharon,
thanks for jumping on the argument stage. How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I'm doing that phenomenal. I'm feeling magical, feeling good, feeling abundeon.
Can't go fight at all.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Now, If everybody out there, if you go ahead and
you watch we watch the highlights of the Grammys. Watch
Beyonce whin the Album of the Year, Watch so many
things you will see. Sharon, you were the actual trophy
presenter super Bottle. That is unbelievable in its own right.
I didn't even know that was like a thing to
be like selected for. But you were selected by music
(01:05):
producers and all kinds of people that you would come
out there for all these trophies. That is unreal.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
I know, pretty phenomenal, pretty phenomenal. I'm so grateful for that.
To be the official trophy presenter for the Grammys. It's
like what And I think I underestimated the position initially
going into it, because you know, typically when you think
about the presenters, like they kind of fade into the background,
right And I tell exactly how much I would be shown.
So when I watched it back, I was like, oh wow,
(01:32):
oh oh wow, Like, yeah, it's a part of the show.
They wanted to do something different, and I'm glad that
they chose me for that.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Let's let's dive just a little bit in your background
a little bit, because a lot of people from the
South Side of Chicago, it's not the greatest of areas,
and not a lot of people find their ways into
doing this stuff that you have really done and you
have exploded. What was Give us a brief synopsis of
the path that you told because I teach it. I
teach a local schools in and around Chicago. I used
(01:59):
to have at Columbia College, and I know those people
are They're grinders, they are working hard, and everybody, even
for me, it's just looking for a path. What was
your path to go from that to where you are
right now? How did you do what you did.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, as I get into that correction, south Side of
Chicago is a great place.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
It is, it is, it is.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
We have a lot of ideas and stuff that like
South sid Chicago is bad and it's this.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
No, no, it's sorry to come into a great light.
You're right, I corrected, correct, did I stand? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:28):
It's full of rich culture, beautiful people, beautiful history here,
which is one of the reasons I'm so glad to
be back. So my journey started again south Side Chicago.
Born into a single parent household, raised by a beautiful mother.
Life wasn't always you know, the easiest. She you know,
worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. I grew up
always wanting. I had a million things I wanted to do.
(02:49):
I wanted to be a model. I wanted to be
a speaker, I wanted to be a host. I wanted
to be an author, all of these things.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
That's me right now, to be honest, that's me right now.
I have like nine things I still want to do,
and I'm already a grown up. So I'm with you.
I feel every part of that.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yes, it's a multifaceted person in being And isn't it
cool that we can kind of do all of those things,
Like I'm doing all of them in different.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I was just telling my wife the other day, I
just wish I had like Kevin Hart's life, where I
could just do everything that guy can. Just he's an actor,
he's an order, he is this and that. Like I'm
the same kind of verse and I just don't have
the capital or the means of it. But I feel
like that's where my brain and that's where my career
should be.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Going that part, right, yes, same, so so yeah, I
just started out that I always wanted a model, but
I didn't know.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
How how do you? Right tonally?
Speaker 1 (03:35):
How did you do that? The only thing that I
knew was America's extop model. That would be our family show.
He would sit on the couch and watch it every
Wednesday with Tyra Banks, one of the biggest reality TV
competition shows of like in twenty.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Twenty first century, the twenty first century. I would say,
so before you real quick, before you actually did that,
were you going to any kind of modeling school, Were
you doing any kind of acting? Is there any kind
of you just for it?
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Yeah? So I know I really had no experience prior
to that. I did, like a little local shows that
like the local boutique fashion FuG right right, and I
was like to sting your photos and the life Touch.
The company was like, oh my gosh, she's a really
great can you come a model for us? So I
did something like that, but I had no experience beforehand.
I did go to performing arts school Kirie Metropolitan, and
(04:22):
they it's great because they really nurture the gifts and
stuff of artists. So we got to choose a major
in high school. So I was actually a broadcast journalism.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Pretty good major.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
I was. Yeah, I was the school's news anchor.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
I can see that. I can see that and.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Host, So I did do that. I was also a dancer,
and yeah I did some you know, did plays and
stuff like that, but no real modeling experience.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Now when you were going, oh we all right, I'm
seeing this show, I want to be on it. Where
is everybody telling you like, hey, you could win this,
you can win this or was it one of those
singers where you're like, I'm just doing it. I don't
know how far I'm gonna go. I'm going for it.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Yeah. I'm the type of person where when once I
put my mind to something like you can't tell me
otherwise and cool. So and my mother really began to
nurture that in me. She started calling me America sex
Time Model around the house. I started, you know, I
wasn't always the most confident person, so I knew I
had to build up that confidence and that self esteem.
So I actually also use like affirmations and just I've
(05:18):
always been immersed in the wellness industry, so meditation and
things of that sort to really visualize what I was
wanting and to you know, program my mind for that
success to win. So I was at home all the time.
I am America sex Time Model. I am America's sex
time Model. I got this, And I would go telling
people in school and stuff, Yep, one day I'm gonna
be an American sex Time model and I'm gonna be a model.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Like this is something you gotta you gotta do it,
and you gotta say it out loud and you gotta
mean it. Was Is there a quote real quick that
you uh that hits really well for you whenever you're
kind of feeling like I can you use something to
bring me back to focus? Is or a quote is
or a piece of advice is or what was something
that kind of still strikes a chord with you.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, there's so much and a lot of times what
I would do, I just kind of like go into
meditation and quiet my mind and things will different different
exactly like what I need to hear will come. So
those things might be like stay ready so you never
have to get ready, right, and it'll be things like
everything is happening for my good, all like all things
are working it out for my good. It'll be things
like you know, what's for me is for me and
(06:16):
nobody can take that away from me. So those are
just kind of a few quick things, but the list
goes on and they just kind of come intuitively and
it's exactly what I need and I kind of meditate
on that. You know, I'm a high I'm living in
my highest timeline every single morning. That's something that I
still do to this day. I wake up, whether it's
in front of the real life therapy or just in
my own little sacred space in my room. I'm I'm
(06:39):
declinicing declarations. I'm declaring it to creating things over my life,
like this is how my day is going to be,
this is what's gonna happen. I'm visualizing it, I'm embodying it,
and I really think that's the key to again making
your dreams of reality.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
The one that I always hear, that everybody tells me,
and I think it's the best one, And it's the
most frustrating of all this. You are where you're supposed
to be, And that one, that one keeps me up
at night because you're sitting there going like, man, I
want to be here. I want to be there, and
everyone's like you are, We're supposed to be the best opportunities.
You're not supposed to be there. You're supposed to be here,
And I'm like, I can't. I can't digest that one
(07:13):
that I have to.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
I know it's the gratitude factor. Yes, getting in a
state of gratitude. What we focus on expand So if
we're focusing on lack or what we don't have, you're
going to experience more of that. Your mind is just
marinating around that and it's just gonna put you on
a less happy state. But if I'm like focusing on
the things that are going great, one thing that I
started doing more too is just celebrating myself every tiny
(07:37):
little win. Like I agree, just be like good job, Dan.
You know I me and my partner do that a
lot as well, just like good job, great job, doing this,
great job, do that, celebrate everything because yeah, it's the
brick by brick, all the things like coming together creates
the whole big dream. And you know, no matter where
we are in our journey, we're on the journey. Yes
(07:58):
we win.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I try. I try not to fester on losses or
wins very much. So if I get rejected a right,
I'm giving myself the allowance for a day. I can
feel that rejection for a day and then tomorrow it's
another day and say, with the win, I will feel
that win for the day and then tomorrow let's get
the next one. Let's get the next one. So you
go and you're doing the reality TV thing. Tell me
(08:20):
about that experience because I've known a lot of people
that have done some reality TV. I know a lot
of people that have done some cooking shows, and we've
had people on here that have done reality television shows.
What was that experience like for you, especially a because
you know it's a business, you know it's a show,
and you know it's something that there's entertainment value and
it's not exactly a real kind of contest where there's
I mean, it's whoever makes for the best TV whoever
(08:41):
makes for the best kind of look. And there's politics
that goes into that stuff too. You got to make
sure you're rubbing the right shoulders. How is that experience
for you?
Speaker 1 (08:50):
So interestingly enough, I did not realize. I didn't clear.
I did not know going into it that, oh this
is a reality TV show. Oh it's not all real.
There is politics, somebody.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Remember I was fresh out of high school. You know
I didn't I left in the middle of my senior
year of high school. Oh wow, America's sex time model.
I didn't go to a graduation, didn't go to a
prom or anything like that. I was also very green.
When it came to green.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
I was going to say for today, very nice.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Thank you. When it came to just the world and life,
I I you know, I lived in my neighborhood and
in my family and that's all I knew. So going
into it, it was very surreal, very exciting. Again, imagine
girl from the South Side of Chicago. It's my first
time kind of like really leaving, leaving on my own,
and you're in like what I was speaking happened like wow, what?
(09:43):
And then here you are standing in front of Tyra
Banks and all of the judges panel and literally inside
of the TV screen. It was so surreal. It was
a little girl's dream. I will never forget that moment.
Yet it was also very hard as hell.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
I can only imagine it and Rihannas I apologize, I have,
I have. I don't remember the season, it's been so
long ago. But what I will ask you what were
the were the other contestants cool? Because I know in
a lot of these shows, first and foremost, if you're
ever on any kind of reality television show, it is
always they're setting you up and everybody knows that. There's
kind of like you have to have a little bit
(10:17):
of an edge toy to keep the entertainment portion going.
But I also know being around models and other people
and just my career there it's a very very very
harsh knit group where I mean it's people do not
get along. The competition is the competition at all times,
and there is always some sort of strife. Was that
could you feel that on the show too? Was it
(10:39):
pretty was it pretty thick? Or was it one of
those situations where you know what, we're all on television.
We're all just happy to be here. Kind of a deal.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Yeah. Actually, you know, when you put models together, women together,
it's not as caddy and devisive that they might like
it to see.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
You know, a lot of the caddy's disappointing. Don't ruin
it for me. I'm just kidding. I'm a girl girl,
I've watched I've watched too many movies. I watched too
many TV shows for going at and go on. I'm
just kidding. Programs all select all the leads, gotcha control
all the leads.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
And so it's not to say that those things don't exist.
Obviously they do. I'm not you know, you know, yeah,
obviously those things exist. However, that wasn't my experience in
its entirety. I actually, you know, connected with a lot
of people and it wasn't super catty. And don't be
get me wrong, there were a couple of girls that
was staying themselves and you don't know what they're kind
of shatting and stuff about, but it wasn't super catty.
(11:35):
Now where the cattiness and different stuff came in at
is the producers kind of like manipulating things behind the
scenes and pushing things to go a certain way. So
even when it came to myself, you know, I I
was told very early on, like basically we were told
who we who we were cast, who we needed to be.
But in a subtle way, they got sut us down
with the we have to take a lot of tests
(11:56):
and like background stuff where they really got in our
brain and got to get to know us. And we
sat with a therapist and that that therapist was supposed
to be like kind of counseling us, but what they
were doing was telling us like our characters. So for me,
it was like, you're very confident, you need to you
have the tendency to be more reserved, which is true.
You were like, you got to be in front of
the camera all the time. Make sure you're the first
one there, make sure you did all of this stuff
(12:18):
tyrad loves you know, the camera shrinks you, so you
got to be bigger with your everything, with your movements.
So that's what I did.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
And wow, so you were learning on a spot that's rough. Yeah,
that is rough because I've said I've been in radio
and a voiceovers so long in my life that I've
been so green going into things. I'm like, man, I'm
so glad nobody heard or saw what that was earlier
in my career. And you are on television going through that.
That's even harder. No, that is like, that's hard.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
It lives there and then people, again, what you see
is not always what you get. And we know that
a little bit more now, but back in the day
when that show just came out, people thought everything was real. Yeah,
So just imagine having the whole world think that you're
a certain way, you know deepday, like, that's that's not me,
that's not true.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
You gotta play it. You gotta play that part, you
know what.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
But I didn't because and it's and it's it's it's
hard when you know, for a lot of black women,
especially like we get the kind of like you know,
the sassy or the saucy or the you know, just
we get you know, type castid and you don't want
to be known for that, you know, shout out to
you know, the people who have kind of taken that on.
And I wish I would have like kind of owned
(13:27):
it a little bit more, but you know, you know,
that's not who I was. And actually that made it
harder for me to even break into the industry. And
so I mentioned that also to say, since we're talking
about the cattiness as well, like, so those are some
of the things that behind the scenes are kind of
like pushed. And so also whenever you're doing interviews that
you have to say something like positive and negative about
someone and all right, now say it now, say it's sweet. Okay,
(13:52):
now say it's sassy. Now say it like this. And
I'm thinking, as a young eighteen year old girl, I'm
showcasing my acting abilities, Amma to make me to.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yeah, you're seting, You're setting up for the next episode.
I get it. I get it. As far as uh
as far as Tyra Banks is concerned, how was that?
Do you still have a relationship with her? Is that
like now a peer of yours? Is she somebody who
kind of just faded out once that happened, or is
she still kind of like somebody you can maybe kind
of reach out to about certain things.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Yeah, I wish I could say that I still had
her as a mentor who reached out to her, had
that level of connection with her. Unfortunately, after America's nexaw model,
that was kind of the end of that relationship. Yeah,
I did do went on the Tyra Banks Show afterwards
as well, but other than that, yeah, that was the
end of that relationship unfortunately. But Tyra, we'd love to
chat with you or get any advice or anything, but yeah,
(14:42):
I kind of ended after that.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
That's okay, that's okay. I think something like Guess said something,
So you are supposed to be and that everybody's supposed
to be around you, So I understand it. So after
you stop, after you've become the America's Top model, what
happens after that? Is it just do you get the agency?
Is a gig after gig after gig? Or is this okay?
And this is where the real grind starts.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Yeah, it's where the real grind started. So I did
not win my season. I was a finalist on my season,
but I did not win. So once I got eliminated
and begin the funny things that I got eliminated for
the things that they told me.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
To do, that's television. That's television.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
They told me I was overconfident and all these different things.
Was like y'all told me to be this way, Like
I was so confused. So again, coming off America's sex
on model. And you think that the phone is about
to be blowing up and ringing and calling, and that's
what they tell you. My phone was dry. No one
was calling, one was contacting me. I had turned down
(15:40):
all the universities I had been accepted to and stuff
to like for this career that just never was. It was,
it wasn't happening. So, like you were talking about earlier,
how you kind of give your sad moments a timeline.
So I actually gave myself a pretty long to little
timeline because it was a lot to heal through with.
That is a very traumatic experience, and I went into
a maldepression after the words. So I was like, I
(16:03):
gave you after like a month, I was like, all right,
you good. You need to get up, dust your shoulders off,
get back into it. Like I realized very early on
that like things aren't just gonna happen, you have to
go and make them happen. You have to go and
create the life that you want. You can't wait for
someone else to do that for you. So I hit
the ground running, going to agency after agency after agency
after agency. My mom spent her last shout out to
(16:25):
supportive mothers and stuff out there. We went out to
New York again, met with like thirty different agencies.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
And real quick, real quick, did you being on television
help you get in the door or is that hinder?
Speaker 1 (16:36):
And that's what That's what I'm saying. I think that
like after Top Model or something like, your career is
going to take off for people sometimes attribute my current
success to America's next Top Model, and that couldn't be
furthest from the truth. I actually had to stop telling
people that I was on America's Sex Time Model before
I ever got my first contract.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Wow, you take it off the resume? Interesting, gotcha? Gotcha?
Speaker 1 (17:00):
When you have the stigma too, people don't want to
deal with someone who is you know, a mean, you know,
a certain way of how they're painting you, or who's
cocky is or that. Even though that wasn't who I was,
I still, you know, dealt what people think in that.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
So now you're in a different atmosphere, a stratosphere if
you will, and now you are doing things that are
beyond what people can even imagine. And again you being
a trophy girl, what of that? What goes into that?
And we were talking off air before about just how
I'm like most people they just kind of faded in
the background, but you were there pretty much the entire
night on the biggest moments.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Yeah, that was so sweet. So what it went into
that process? So the Grammys shout out to the Recording
Academy and the Grammys because they're doing phenomenal things. I
really truly believe and everyone's been saying this that this
was like one of the best Grammys to date, and
I think a big part of that is because of
their commitment to not withdrawing their de I programs like
other companies and stuff are doing. But they've moved pushed
(17:58):
forward and that even more. They implemented a lot of
new initiatives and things like that to make their wrongs right.
They actually issued a public apology, which was beautiful and
so a part of all the things that they were doing,
they wanted to kind of make a statement with their
trophy presenters, which is where I came in, and they
were looking all over and couldn't find anyone that kind
of like fit what they were looking for. And I'm
(18:20):
thankful to a long time producer that I've worked with
over the years. Her name was Susan Koziak. I've worked
with her for like over ten years, all of her
fashion shows, dancing to theatrical stuff to again modeling, all
of her shows I've been a part of. And she
was actually close friends with the producers for the Grammys,
and so they were like, man, we can't find anyone.
We're looking for someone like this, this and this, and
(18:40):
she immediately recommended me, was like, this is your girl,
this is who you want, and she put my name forwards.
I had a submitted some videos and did a number
of interviews with them and stuff, and then they end
up selecting me. And so I'm truly grateful for that.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Well, not that I don't want to pry in anything
of that. I got a real per little kind of details.
But does something like that, does that pay pretty good?
Or is that just really like, Hey, it's an exposure thing.
You know, you get to be on TV and you
get to use this as leverage, because I know what
I know in the business, sometimes things are exposure and
sometimes like hey, this is all this is a payday?
(19:16):
Was that kind of like is that kind of a
payday deal or kind of a exposure?
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Yeah? So I don't work for exposure. So I'm under
the sag after Union Sure Entertainers, so all of our
contracts kind of fall under.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Very cool. So you're taking care of.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Yes, I'm taking care of It's not like you're teaching.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
I'm just wonder a lot of But you get a
gift card in and out. Congratulations, that was awesome. That
was awesome. I hope you had a good time, and
we may even validate your car. That's about it. That's
that's the gigs I get, even though I am a
sag after verson a lot. I was like, hey, just
because you're out here.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Sweet, Yeah, I feel you had to get that.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
So when you're back there is it when you're with artists,
are they approachable? Are they cool? Are you?
Speaker 1 (20:07):
Are you?
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Are they down to talk or that there's a lot
of people that are around them that are saying, uh uh,
you don't get to talk to Beyonce go.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
No. They were so cool. And so my holding area,
my presenter area, was also with the stage manager, and
so they would come in our in our dressing room
holding area that was all of our holding areas. So
we would be in there together for a good five
ten minutes just chatting, watching whatever was going on, and
for the most part, everyone was pretty cool. Everyone was
super nice. Everyone was super down on earth, you know.
(20:37):
You know, some people were more quieter than others, were
talking to than others, but that's just energy levels, nothing
against personality wise, but everyone was everyone was cool.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
I was gonna say they should have all been sufficiently
liquoring up at some point, so they had been sort
of nice at some point. I would think by the
time they go to yours, they should be feeling pretty good.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
All right. I think I think they were all pretty sober.
But yeah, I had some good times back stage. Miley
literally came in the dressing room was like, Hey, what's
the tea. I was like, huh, She's like, what's the tea?
I was like, I don't know, you sitting in an
audience and we're just shatting up, and she was. She
was mad cool, like what you see is what you
(21:15):
get with her, you know, very authentic in nature. A
Mia Taylor Swift were backstage literally like dancing. I think
Charlie XCX was performing or something while we were backstage
waiting to go out, and so we were just singing
the songs together and dancing backstage and she was like,
who do you want to win? I was like, I
hope She's like they do. I was like, oh my god,
that would be so phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
She was like, I know, like you giving her.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
The fork and so we had a little girl moment
about that, and we were like, okay, we're manifesting.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
But that was honesty. That was a full circle moment
because of the whole like Kanye West thing. So there
was like a lot of things that went into that moment.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
I know, I know, And so again had been a
part of that, like you literally see the picture that
was going viral and all the being made about it
with like mea Taylor like holding younds like that right
there giving her a speech, and it was such a
girl's girls moment. We were just so happy for Beyonce
in that moment and so happy to be a part
(22:14):
of this, Like what this is literally happening because yeah,
it was like we didn't know, you know, who was
gonna win, and so we were with the audience watching
it live just on stage.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
That is awesome. That is awesome. All right, So a
lot of things now that you've done this, what is next?
I mean, you seem to be an entrepreneur. You seem
to be somebody that's got her sight set on some
new or cooler things. Is TV the next role for you?
Would you want to have your own show? Is there
anything you want to forecast out there that you want
to kind of go for next door? Is it kind
(22:46):
of under the hat, under the wraps.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
No, I mean there's some stuff under wraps, but no,
for sure. I told dressed out as a broadcast journalism
mass communications major. I did you know a little work
here and there on general as I'm in for NBC
back in the day, and so I'm excited to get
back into television.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Cool.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
I'm excited to get back in television as host as
you know, media personality. You know, we have the when
you look at our host nowadays of all the biggest shows,
you know, we got the Nate Cannons, Mario Lopez, and
Steve Harvey, and all of them are great and cool
and have paved the way. Yet I think the world
is ready for some female energy and faces and personality
in those faces as well. And for no, nothing knocking them,
(23:25):
but some.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Younger frustrating I was gonna say, I am tired of
seeing those faces. So yes, we need new, We need new.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
So whether it's you know, are dancing with the Stars
and different stuff for game shows and one day of
course having my own show would be phenomenal and the
dream and the goal of it all. So I'm excited
to get back into that even that much more. I
also have I'm CEO and founder of the Model Tribe,
which is a mentorship community that I've cultivated, started out
online and now I'm bringing it in person here in Chicago.
(23:55):
We have a new space out of the water Tower
Place on Michigan Avenue. Yeah, so that's our new headquarters
in partnership with Bashi and Bar and so I'll be
hosting a number of events and stuff out of that space.
I actually have one coming up on March ninth. It's
an advanced runway class and also a beginner's runway class.
I love using modeling to help teach people like confidence
(24:17):
and self esteem. So whether you're an aspiring model or
just a woman or a girl who wants to build
confidence and just learn how to walk the runway and
do different things, and that's what those classes are for.
So I'm excited about that. That's March ninth at eleven
am and ten and people can find all the information
on eleven AM and four pm. I'm sorry, and people
can find all the information at Sharon dot com, Ordmodel
(24:38):
Tribe dot com and it's also on event right. So
I'm excited to do that even that much more and
continue to build that community here in Chicago. I'm also
a motivational speakers, so right after America Sex Top Model,
I did kind of own it. And I will say
that America Sex Top Model has opened up doors in
my speaking career because now you know, when I'm going
(24:59):
to for schools or conferences or events, you know, having
the oh, America Sex Time Model attached to your name
did help in that regard, So I'll give them credit
for that. Right after America Sex Time Model, I started
touring and traveling to different schools and stuff. I started
at home here in Chicago, and then when I moved
to California, I was traveling all around California speaking and stuff.
(25:21):
And so that's something that I've done for a long
time and continue to do and I'm excited to do
it even that much more on a larger scale. So yeah,
those are just a few of the things that I
have going on and I'm so grateful for And again,
the list goes on because if you remember when I
was a young girl, it was a long list. So
there's so much more in the works. So yeah, I'm
(25:44):
super excited about that.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
All right, So this is the portion of arguments where
we throw some fun topics your way. There is no
correct answer. We just have fun doing these things. And
because you are a model and somebody who is definitely
in the business of all things fat the twenty the
last twenty years, who is the person that's had the
biggest influence on pop culture from a fashion and just
(26:08):
overall pop culture. Who's got the most influence of the
last twenty year celebrity wise?
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Okay, I'm gonna have to give it to my girl,
Zendaya and her fashion stylence director Larro, who is also
from Chicago. I think they just changed the game. Zendia
has been consistent in her fashion game since the beginning
of time. She's been consistent with honoring a lot of
(26:34):
you know, femo like faces and spaces in the fashion
industry or in the industry in general, through her fashion,
through representing culture and the things that are put together.
La Roach again, starting from Chicago, making his dreams happen,
seeing something in Zendaia and them just partnering up. I
think it's just the epitome of like teamwork makes the
dream work. I love their relationship and I love what
(26:56):
they've been able to do over the years in fashion,
and it's been consistent. You know, some people try to
get in the space, you know, to you know, just
for different opportunities and stuff, but you can really tell
that they love fashion there about it.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
And Yeah, I'm gonna argue againstha. I'm gonna say Kylie
Kardashian owns the entire thing. Everything that girl does, everything
she puts on, if it's on Instagram, if it's whatever
else it is. She has become a billionaire, and she
is not as famous as her sister Kim. She has
not been that controversial as anybody else. But for some reason,
(27:28):
that younger generation owns whatever that girl is. She has
a makeup line, billionaire, she does some new kind of
you know, outfit. All of a sudden, that girl has
been trending everywhere. I have been surprised. And she even
as a sister who was a model, and yet everything
that girl is doing, for some reason, she has been
more or less out of the spotlight, but for some
(27:49):
reason more influential. I would say that would be the most.
But all all is fair in love and war arguments
off the show.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Give her the beauty, I would give her the beauty industry,
not fashion. Gotcha beauty for sure?
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Yeah, all right. What do you think is the bigger
ultimate career flex winning an Oscar, winning a Grammy or
getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Mm the biggest career flace? Okay, so because I'm the
official trump for the Grammy, because what's better than the Grammy? Nothing?
Speaker 2 (28:25):
That's true.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
Hy tight runner up would be getting the star because
like that star lives forever, It's always going to be there,
And that's that's a.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
I'm I'm with you, I'm with you. First of all,
they're all cool. If you ever go into someone's house
and they have an authentic like an Emmy or an
Oscar or a Grammy or a Tony Award or even
like a vm A like moon Man, You're still like, well,
that's that's it. That is pretty cool. I would say
the Walk of Fame is just a little bit more
because that thing everybody will see forever after the Grammys
and all that. People just say, oh, you won the Grammy,
(28:57):
but nobody knows who that trophy is. They said, Drake
has is like in the girl's bathroom in his house.
So I mean, when you hear stories you like that,
you're like, all right, I don't think that would be
for me. I would think the lock and Fair would
be a little bit cooler. But it goes either way.
I think for sure.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
For sure, even though people are just gonna be stepping
on your name for forever, but.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
That's true that all gods and stuff, you might be
right on that. I never really got about about that one. Okay, okay,
in terms of the most iconic moment of an award show,
which is the bigger one Kanye West and ruptly Taylor
Swift or the Will Smith and Chris Rock.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Oh, and I saw Wilson backstage to shout out to him.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Is he a nice guy? Forever? Everyone I've heard I've
heard everybody say he's a really nice guy.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
He is. He's a really nice guy, very just very welcoming.
He's actually the first I'm like, hey, how are you like?
Speaker 2 (29:54):
You know, he's very cool.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
Very open energy of one of the chat and hangouts.
I appreciate it that man the most. Okay, so probably
I still got to say the Kanye with Taylor because
I don't know. That's hard.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
That's why it's a bargument. It's a tough one.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
I say the Kanye and Taylor thing because I'm still
conflict that the conspiracy theorist and you still conflicted as
to whether that was a hoax or not.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Yes, oh for both of them. For both there's a
conspiracy theory for both of them. So I mean there's
there's you can go in the rabbit holes of both
of them if you wanted to.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
I'll say Taylor Kanye situation because like what we still remember.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
That the Tailor. I would say that Tailor and Kanye
was probably the more in an odd way, was the
more positive one because they both became super famous after that.
Like Taylor Swift was famous, but she became like different
level famous after that. That actually made her career, and
that just pushed Kanye even further because he became like
(30:54):
more of a uh the wild card. I would say
that Will Smith and the Chris Rock was probably the
worst of them. I would say that was like the
bigger stage, the classier stage, and it was like, the
one person that I thought was like flawless is Will Smith,
and I'm like, oh, now that I'll never not see
that with him, But with those two with Kanye and Taylor,
(31:16):
I forget about that until full circle moments when you're like,
like you said, you and Taylor are holding hands as
Beyonce's winning the trophy. That's like a full circle. All right,
everything came back now and there's a moment where Will
Smith and Chris Rock are holding hands and doing something
else that it'll be a full circle. But I think
you witnessed the bridge.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
Who knows, Maybe don't have a movie or some in
the future. But the interesting thing is most of them
were kind of like protecting women in the way or sending.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
That's true, that's true.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Maybe he's still flawless. He was standing up for his wife.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
That's true. That's true. That is true. And the last
argument for you, you've been all around the world, you're
a model. Who's got the best food?
Speaker 1 (31:57):
Oh, who's got the best food? I say, Brazil, Brazil.
I love me some good. I love I love Brazilian food.
I love Brazilian like steakhouses, the.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Fog to showns and those Brazilian steakhouses. That's where, that's
my birthday spot. If someone won't take me to dinner
every birthday, I want to flip that little coaster and
make a green all day. I love telling those Food'll
stop take.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Out and say that for so long? Do you will
be surprised that I'm like, yep, I'm still eating. Yes
and where?
Speaker 2 (32:32):
And if you see that bee from guy, bring him
back over here. I want another look at that rim.
Give me that thing.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
I'm with you right that bacon wrapped.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
The top sirloyd. I want to bring those tongs home.
I love that place. I love it. I'm with you.
I've never been to Brazil, but if all food is
like that in Brazil, I would consider moving.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
Man so flavorful. And there's Brazilian steakhouses are like just
even more grand and you're just everywhere, and they also
do seafood and all kinds of issues. It's it's it's
so good. It's so good.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Chicago Borday south Side representing supermodel gonna be a TV
star and you have heard and seen her on Barguments. Sharon,
thank you so much for coming on the show. I
appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Thank you, so much for having me. This is awesome.
Keep up all the great work you're doing. Phenomena you
as well.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
If you get famous and beg her, bring me with
you my final bench, bring me with you if you
get a TV show. I got a really good voice
for those things. This has been barguments. Thanks againing to
Sharon for jumping on with us. We wish for luck.
You can find around all the social media platforms you
can look for yours er what a particular that you
want to send people to the to connect with you
by any chance sor it's.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Just my name, Sharon s h a r a u
n b s in Brown against Searon s h a
r a u n b a s in Brown. That's
for TikTok, that's for Instagram, and that's even my website.
So just Charon dot com and then also, like I said,
the Model Tribe dot com if you're a model or
aspiring model or female wanting to just use modeling to
(34:03):
build confidence and self ware on here for you.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Very cool. Well, thank you again so much for coming
on connect with her. What's getting My name is Dan Levy.
You can find me on social media based Bass on
Air and that's pretty much on all the social medias.
Don't forget money Nights. I am on wg and Radio
with John Records Landeck here where we do what's called
a food fight, where we discuss and we argue all
kinds of different kinds of food combinations Arguments to podcast. Again.
(34:26):
It's now on YouTube as well, so if you want
to see what Sharon looks like, you may be pretty
offended about how I look, but she's worth the weight.
Then again, you get subscribe, Share, tell all your friends
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