She behaved very badly on Top Model this season. Does Monique, a 19-year-old marketing representative from Chicago, have any regrets? Here’s what she had to say in our interview.
Q: How are you feeling about the Top Model experience now?
A: I feel it was a good experience. It was a huge learning experience. I’m really happy I did it.
Q: When you were leaving, you said something like the show was a waste of time. Were you angry at that time? Do you still feel that way?
A: It was tweaked, so you guys didn’t get to hear everything that I said. I said it was a waste of time for me to come there and not give it my all and to get sick.
Q: And how do you feel about being voted off after being sick that week? Should they have given you a break?
A: Well, it’s a competition, and they critique the girls off of their pictures, and if you don’t have a photo to produce, what do they have to judge, you know? And also, my energy was like gone. At that time, my body was so like strained that I had no drama to give. So it was kind of like, “what is she still doing here, you know?”
Q: Do you have any regrets about your behavior on the show?
A: You know, I don’t have any regrets about my behavior on the show because that’s not me. I know that’s not me. That was just me performing. If there’s anything that I regret it was getting sick. I wish I had taken vitamins like my mom had told me, so I could keep my immune system up so I wouldn’t have gotten sick.
Q: So, you’re saying you were actually performing for the cameras?
A: Yes.
Q: Why did you do that?
A: Because I didn’t want to just be a face on the show. I didn’t want people to be like, “Oh, that’s the girl from Top Model.” I wanted them to be like “That’s Monique from Top Model. That crazy girl." I didn’t just want to be a face.
Q: Do you think you will have to rebuild your reputation now?
A: I definitely know that that’s going to happen. People are going to assume that I’m this way. But whenever I meet people, they’re like “Oh, my God, that’s so not you!”…Everybody that knows me likes me.
Q: Are you going to be on the Tyra Banks show?
A: Yes, I am going to be on there.
Q: Are you nervous about that?
A: (Sighs.) You know, I don’t know if I’m nervous about it. I’ve already done it. I’m just waiting for it to be aired. I’m just kind of disappointed about how it went. But that’s a whole ’nother story. I don’t want to get into it right now.
Q: Will you keep in touch with the other girls from the show?
A: I’m hoping that I can keep in touch with some of these girls and if not, it’s not the end of the world. …(Inaudible).. I’m not worried about it.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to say?
A: I would like to thank God and Tyra for giving me the opportunity. And keep watching because the girls aren’t done yet!