The video quickly glosses over every non-Whitney aspect. I really wish I could have seen the whole thing, but this is better than nothing!

Whitney talks about how awesome it is to be a role model and to help people improve their body image. She also talks about her new dog and how she went about adopting him.

The little girl Tyra is holding is Claire’s daughter. So cute!

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According to her modeling card, she’s 5′11″, with measurements of 32-23-34. Her portfolio isn’t much yet–it’s just a single beauty shot and the photos from the ANTM lingerie shoot, but I’m so glad Marvita got signed! She was hilarious on the show and during post-show interviews.

Congrats Marvita! And good luck!

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It’s interesting that she shares a flip cover with Alicia Keys. Did they find that the Top Model winner didn’t sell enough issues?

The internal spread is a swimsuit one and it was shop by Nigel Barker. You can check out the whole spread at Jezebel. The entire article is about–you guessed it–being a plus-sized model. That being said, I think it’s awesome they put Whitney in a bikini for the spread! Not only does it show how confident and comfortable she is with herself, it sends a great message to the girls who read Seventeen.

The issue hits newsstands later this month!

Image via amazon

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She chats about

While I think Whitney does have an important message about young girls being comfortable and proud of their bodies, she’s becoming one-note very, very quickly. CariDee English didn’t even become a psoriasis crusader until after her initial Covergirl contract expired, and even then, she spoke about more stuff than that during interviews.

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Gallery Photo: Jim DeYonker /The CW. © 2008
The CW Network LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Full interview below the cut!

Tell us about how you got involved with America’s Next Top Model.

I originally got involved when my 13-year-old cousin and I were at the beach. She turned to me and said “Oh my god, I’m so fat!” I said “No, you’re
not. You look great,” and I wondered why would she say such a thing. I started to look at statistics about kids and weight. Almost half of 9-year-old girls have been on the diet. What is up with that? One of my favorite quotes is “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” I didn’t want my cousin to grow up without a role model and I thought that some should change that.

Who was your biggest competition on the show?

Anya by far, which is so funny because Anya and I are best friends. Like, best friends. We had an ongoing joke, because every single week Anya was always called before me. Only one time did I get called before her, and that was when I was called first.

What were you thinking when you saw your photo, showing you won?

I had to make sure it was me. I had to hear the name and see the picture. I had to avoid pulling a Derek Zoolander. It’s absolutely so exciting. I was incredibly surprised. Anya was happy for me too, which is so great. I didn’t want her to be sad at that moment that was so important and special to me because I never want to bring her down.

What was the most challenging aspect of being on the show?

Not having any support system. I’m so used to having my family and friends there to back me up and to talk to. Even though you do make friends in the house, at the end of the day, they are still your competition. That was just the hardest thing, because you have no one is there saying “Its okay, you can still win, you rock!” because the other girls want to win too.

How did you feel when the judges said you were fake or were very pageantry?

The judges only see you 10 minutes once a week and it’s so difficult to really know someone during that short a period of time. It’s difficult to prove to someone you aren’t fake. It’s not like they are saying I dressed poorly or had poor posture. It’s so hard to change if they say they think you’re fake. What can you do? I just tried to be myself and show them I’m real. I suppose if I was really fake, people would like me more, but they don’t. I’m absolutely not fake. I’m sure the judges, after watching the show, realize how real I am and how raw I am. I’m the least fake, you know.

How do you respond to the naysayers and those who critique you?

It’s almost humorous humorous that people think I can’t make it. There are so many rumors on the internet about me. It’s hilarious. Of course people are going to naysay and say that I’ll never be a real model. To that, there’s nothing I can do but work and make it in the fashion world. That’s what I’m doing. I’ve already booked things with Elite and I’m not even signed with them. To all those who don’t believe, just look for my billboard and my magazine cover.

Can you explain why you are a full-figured model? To a lot of viewers, you look like an average-sized girl.

A regular model is a size 2 or 4. I am NOT. I’m a size 10. I don’t plan on being a 4. I never have been. I never will be. When you put me next to a model that is a size 2, I’m five times bigger than her. I’m not bigger than an average woman, I’m actually smaller. In the modeling world I’m actually bigger. Other than the Victoria’s Secret models who are emaciated with breast implants, there aren’t any models with curves. I have hips and a butt and most models don’t. I’m not plus-sized but I am full figured. Being a plus sized model does not mean you are fat. It means you are regular. It means you are a C cup, you wear a size 10. I am not fat. Plus-sized models are not fat. The “big girls” in modeling are not big by any terms. If you saw them on the street, you’d just think they are hot.

How are you going to use your win to get your message out there?

All my prizes help me do that. It’s just getting the word out there that I’m a girl and I’m a size 10 and I’ve heard it all. If I only lost 50 pounds I’d be beautiful. To that, I say, “No! I’m going to be my size and I am beautiful and I’m not going to change. You are.” I want everyone to see me and go “Hey, she’s the size of a normal person and she’s gorgeous and she’s a model.” Hopefully they’ll look up to that.

Who did you become close with on the show?

Absolutely, Anya is one of my best friends now. I just visited her in Hawaii. Marvita, Stacy-Ann, Claire, Lauren. I stay in touch with a lot of girls. I actually went out with Fatima and Anya the other night. We became really close after the show.

What advice do you have to future contestants?

I went to my audition in Orlando with about 1000 girls. You go around and say your name and age and height and weight. Other girls seemed really embarrassed to share the fact that they were a size 6 or 8. So I went last and when it was my turn, I went “I’m 5′10 and I’m a size 10 and I LOVE IT!” I was like, my body rocks and you guys cannot bring me down. Go in confident. If you’re not confident they aren’t going to believe in you. I wanted to come out and say hey, I’m plus sized and I look good and I’m proud of that.

What are you going to do to ensure that your career has longevity?

By never saying no! I’ve completely mentally and physically prepared myself to do anything to get myself out there. Elite doesn’t even rep plus-sized girls, so that’s a huge bonus. I’m the only the plus-sized girl they have so I’m getting booked for lots of things, both high-fashion, editorial stuff and plus-sized commercial stuff. I just want people to see me and know my face and develop a fan base.

How did you deal with all the negativity in the house?

I tried not to let negative thoughts going on in my mind. I refused to let myself be compared to other girls. You need to realize that your only competition is yourself. I tried to be the best me and focus on myself the entire time. I forced myself to stay super optimistic during the show.

What were your favorite and least favorite photo shoots?

My favorite photo shoot was the final Covergirl shoot. I didn’t have to wear beef panties or have paint thrown at me. It was just beauty and it was such a breath of fresh air after all the crazy shoots we did to just be beautiful. My least favorite photo shoot was the beef one. I mean, how could anyone enjoy that? I mean, beef panties! Really? The smell was so bad. It was just soooo gross and the blood stained my hair and it was horrible.

Have you cleared the air with Dominique?

Oh totally. We’re friends now. We even cleared the air in Rome. We were in the hair and make up room together and just looked at each other and realized how stupid the whole thing was. In another time and another place we could have been really good friends. But we both have big personalities and we just clashed. But we are totally fine know and it was stupid. It made for great television and it was funny to watch, but we both realize how silly and stupid we were being.

What was the best advice you received on the show?

Being plus-sized and all that, I feel like that a lot of the time, when people were talking to the models, it wasn’t directed towards me. I was the odd
ball out. But out of everyone one, our hair and make-up artists gave us so much advice and were so great with us. We totally bonded with them and they were so supportive of everyone. They were constantly saying they believed in us and that we could do it. I know I should say something from the
judges or the photographers was the best advice I got. But because it’s a competition, you need everything the judges say with a grain of salt. They are there to judge you, not support you.

How did you feel about your makeover?

I had it until yesterday. Yesterday, I cut it. I had a photo shoot with In Touch and we went for a more Marilyn Monroe bob look. But I had extensions so it’s not like they cut my real hair. I can always get more extensions.

Has the show changed you?

Definitely! I’ve done a lot of growing up. I’m only 20 and being out on my own and not having anyone else to depend on forced me to grow up and figure things out for myself. There are things I need to work on, but I definitely have a greater independence.

What would you like to say to your fans who supported you?

I’m so incredibly appreciative for the support. I’ve read the message boards of those who didn’t want me to win and that’s so hard. I’m glad for those who supported me and wanted me to win. That’s the greatest thing. It’s not easy to stand up to the fashion industry. I can’t do it alone.

Why did you win?

Presentation and personality. I love Anya to death, but I think that the judges saw her as too light-hearted and not serious enough. She’s so sweet, but does she have the drive? I think the judges could see how badly I wanted it and how much I wanted to work. I worked really hard during the show and the judges wanted to reward that. The majority of the time, Anya’s photo was better than mine. Anya was never in the bottom two. The whole time I was standing there during panel, I was thinking that going home would be a huge disappointment because I have such a great message. But Anya was so genuinely happy for me and for my win. She’s such a great friend.

What did you think of Paulina’s comments, calling you a ham?

I don’t disagree that I have an outgoing personality. I have a presence and Paulina sees that as showing off. I feel you should look confident in a Versace gown. While watching the show, it looked as though Paulina has something against me. I thought she was a great person but obviously she doesn’t reciprocate.

How do you respond to the allegations you won simply because Tyra has an agenda and that it was time for a plus-sized model to win?

What is your dream modeling job?

Vogue. The cover.

Thank you for your time Whitney! And congratulations!

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I think it’s awesome Versace agreed to be featured on ANTM, but I find the “concept” of this show to be a bit tacky. Oh Jay Manuel.

I do think Whitney did a better job on the runway, but Anya’s dresses were much harder to walk in. They were so slim and long, whereas Whitney’s were really flowy.

What do you think? Was Whitney too bouncy or was she oozing confidence? Was Anya too stiff or did she work it?

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Also, in that final shot in the red and black dress, Whitney looks so thin! It’s insane she qualifies as plus-sized. I really like the final photos she took though, the shots with Tyra and the beauty shot.

I hope Whitney goes on to have a fantastic career. That would be really great to see.

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All the girls answers the questions really well. And Anya is so cute and gracious about being the runner-up! And I love Fatima during her interview. She’s honest and looks amazing with her new hair! I love it!

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She comes across a lot more likable in interviews than she did on the show, which is nice to see. It’s amazing what competition, cameras and editing can do!

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I wonder what her My Life As a Covergirl commercials are going to be like!

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