I really don't understand why "America's Next Top Model" bothers to cast full-figured women. They must know that the show will never let one win. If somehow the best working plus-sized model could somehow sneak incognito through the casting and get on the show, either the bitchiness of the model-sized models would leave her in the fetal position, or the judges would find some other pretext for eliminating her.

Maybe the show has done some market research and found its fans enjoy watching big girls get their dreams crushed even more than the regular assortment of models. Maybe it's throwing a bone to the show's viewers who are plus-sized themselves. Maybe Tyra and Co. think they are being bold and inclusive in making sure there are almost always bigger women. Or maybe it's a matter of when the right full-figured model comes along, she'll break through that barrier.

If Tyra really wanted to shake things up, she would cast a cycle with nothing but plus-sized models. The ratings would probably drop through the floor, but, hey, it might make for some interesting TV. I'd be just as likely to tune in.

This cycle, I didn't even realize that Sarah was supposed to be the token plus-sizer at first. Then Nigel brought up how she seemed to be losing weight. So even though the camera loves her, she gets the boot this week. I'd rant about the bad message it sends to boot someone off for their weight, the unfairness of not judging them based on their work, etc. etc., but I'm sure you'll all relate.

Other things of note from last night's episode: Bianca's increasing rancor towards Heather amuses me to the point where I just want Heather to win now so I can see Bianca's head explode. But Heather's collapse at a video shoot raises a very real question of whether she can fend for herself in the world a model has to travel in.

Sarah stood in line with a friend who tried out for "ANTM" and tried out at the spur of the moment. She said a friend who had been urging her to try out for a long time for that was "apoplectic with rage" that she did so because of someone else, and the fact that she used the word "apoplectic" warms my heart toward her.

Without further ado, here's the edited highlights of a conference call with Sarah, who seemed pretty upbeat despite being sent home:

On the plus-sized model label:

I guess since I never did any modelling or thought of myself as a model, I didn't come into it with any kind of preconceptions. I think it would have been kind of easy for me to say, "OK, I'm a plus-sized model. I am. That's what I am." and get drawn into that. But instead I took it as "I am who I am, and I'm not going to change myself to fit this label that seems like the closest thing I fit into." But at the same time I know I'm not a normal-sized model. I tried to listen to what they were saying and take their criticism. At challenges and photo shoots, I just didn't think about it. There wasn't time. I think my pictures wouldn't be as good as they were. I just tried to do the best that I could. And I was really pleased to see I knew how to take a picture and be myself and work the body I was given. I think it is tricky. Part of it is A, I am right in the middle. And also the plus-sized industry itself is really fluid. You hear of plus-sized models who are size 14, who are size 8, who are size this. It's an ill-defined category, I think. That might have been part of it. But I didn't really think about it at challenges or in photo shoots, only when it was brought to my attention by the judges or the producers. ...

They were pretty honest from the start, though I guess not. I feel I can only be myself. I can only work the body I was given. I think I did that to the best of my abilities. I wish I had kept any minimal insecurities I had to myself. I didn't know it would come up. I didn't know that would show, I guess, because on the whole I am so comfortable with myself. It is sad for me that maybe people are going to see me and go, "Well, she's insecure. I should be too." because I really don't think that's true at all. When I was called back and did the interview tape, they said, "How do you feel about representing the plus-sized girls?" And I said what I would say now: "I feel great about that." I want to represent anyone who sees a little of themselves in me. And if that's plus-sized girls, that's fantastic. You are worth looking at. You are beautiful. Work what you got. If that's girls who are socially awkward, don't know about this whole fashion thing but think they can do it, that's great. I have so much in common with you. I know what that feels like. It's worth getting into. I think I'm glad, really, I was in the competition. 100 percent I would do it again. And whoever was glad to see me there, I'm really glad. ...  

[I]t is a strange thing to deal with someone looking you in the face and saying, "You're too thin. You're too big." But when I'm on my own and I'm able to reflect on it, I like how I look. I want to model and I want to act and I'm going to. I'm going to have to deal with that. I'm OK with it, because at the end of the day, I know how I look and I like it.

On the occasional difficulty of finding plus-sized clothes:

I don't know if I was lucky and happened to come in a season where they had clothes that would fit someone like me or I don't know what made this so. But I never really had that problem. I remember on the gargoyles shoot I was in a dress they had to sort of pin closed. I got in it. I couldn't move very well, but I was in it. I didn't really have that problem. I don't know if I was lucky or if I was just small enough that I could wear clothing tighter and it was OK. It was great to wear those clothes. This is a total side note, but oh man, I love clothes and that was just great. 

On her weight loss and the judges' noticing it:

I lost a whopping three-and-a-half pounds. The decision to do that was based on nothing. It wasn't a decision at all. I can't believe they noticed. I didn't notice. I was basing my knowledge of my weight on the little numbers on a scale, which I heard was the traditional way to do it. (Laughs). It was just so minimal, I couldn't believe it. I was thinking about the way I dressed and the way I held myself. I did have this different hairdo, which changed the way I moved and acted. So I don't know if that played a role. I really wasn't trying to lose weight. From where I stand, I didn't lose that much at all. On a five-10 frame, three-and-a-half pounds doesn't go very far. ... [The judges] are so very observant. I don't know how they noticed. I guess they are very good at spotting that sort of thing. I didn't view the other girls as these skinny girls and I'm not that skinny girl. Occasionally it would come up. But for the most part, we just interacted as people in this house together going through this experience. I don't know how they noticed. I guess they've been in the business so long they know what to look out for. Maybe I got more muscular overnight like a female bodybuilder. ... It was all the judges. Nigel talked about it more, so that's what ended up getting on air, but they all commented on it.

On the chances of a plus-sized model to actually win "ANTM."

I think the thing about a plus-sized winner of "America's Next Top Model," it's a complicated issue and it's really tied into the industry, which, to be fair, is certainly changing. In Spain, they required models have a certain body-mass index that was more healthy and they are not letting these really emaciated women on the runway, which I think is good. Some women naturally have a very low body-mass index. All the girls in the house were just naturally thin. That's just their body type. I always use this example: when Twiggy came onto the scene, it was revolutionary that a model shoould be that thin. It was such a big deal. And even when Kate Moss came about, it was this heroin chic and she was very, very thin and that was very shocking because it had been the age of the supermodel and they had been sort of Amazonian. So fashion changes and I think the winner of "Top Model" represents what is the height of fashion or the height of modeling. As fashion changes and goes more toward real-sized girls, it'll become more of a possibility.  

On the Enrique Iglesias shoot:

The Enrique Iglesias shoot was amazing. It was so fun. Really interesting. I had no idea what went into shooting a video. You see a music video on your little screen and it's sort of like, "Oh, that's fun. There's dancers with a musician." But it's so much more complicated. There are dancers and choreographers and so many dancers. It's just such a production. It takes so long. But it's really really fun. I got to dress up in this sort of mesh dominatrix vampire outfit, and really if anyone gets an opportunity to do that, I'd recommend it. (Laughs) If it comes up, I'd say go for it. It was really great. ...

Nigel was talking about how I pulled a face as I was watching myself. A lot of that was just seeing myself in a music video and seeing Enrique Iglesias and this other tall, gorgeous woman. It wasn't so much discomfort as "Oh my goodness!" surprise and just registering that that was me in a music video. I wasn't as uncomfortable as it came across. I think you put anyone in a mesh outfit and they're going to have a moment of "Oh my goodness!" I was really comfortable when it came down to it. Well, not comfortable. I was in heels the size of Hong Kong. (Laughs) But I was comfortable with my body in the outfit. I had fun. It was really a fun sort of role to get into, even if it was just in the background for a few seconds. I regret that my surprise and shock at the situation came across as shock or discomfort at seeing myself, because that wasn't the case. I was unsure of my body, but not in an insecure way. More of a "Should I move this way? I don't want to be hoochie." I want to incorporate what Tyra taught us, which was not to spread our legs and be all video girl. So I was trying to keep that in mind. And I think that's what came across my face as insecurity but was actually just concentration.

On her most memorable moment:

There were probably two, I would say, one good and one bad. It was really, really memorable seeing Heather get really, really sick really fast. It was so scary. I will remember that feeling of my heart stopping for a long time, because I just loved her. She was just the nicest, greatest girl. To see her, she was green and shaking and so sick. It was really something. To be dancing in this music video and all of the sudden see Oh my God, one of your good friends is just really not well. So that was definitely memorable. But on a more positive note, just walking into the house, it was so foreign from anything I'd ever seen. I was taken over with this desire to see everything at once. ... Look at that, look at that, look at that. That was definitely memorable in the best way.

On Bianca and Heather:

The thing about Bianca is that she just says exactly what's on her mind. She and Heather, it's not like they were fighting all the time. They got along for most of the time. You live with 12 other girls and you have moments where you don't get along. For someone like Bianca, who does say exactly what she thinks, there are going to be more of them. But we all loved Heather, I think, and Bianca did too. They had some arguments and that's how it worked out, but it's not like they really disliked each other. I for one thought Heather was really talented and most of the girls did. I think it's hard to see someone do something naturally that you really have to work for, and I think that's maybe where the resentment came from. But you can't spend a lot of time with Heather and not just love her. And really, the same is true of Bianca. I don't think anyone actually disliked her or anything.

On leaving a goodbye note:

My middle name is actually Banks, so I got to leave a Sarah Banks Mail. It was exciting. I just left a note for everybody saying goodbye, that I was glad that I met them and that I hoped we would be able to keep in touch. And I hope we will. I definitely do. And I left little notes on their beds saying goodbye and saying I loved them.

On who she's rooting for:

Gosh, that's a good question and I don't know. I kind of go back and forth. One day, I'm going, "Jenah can model, man. She's brilliant." And then I'm going, "Oh, Heather, I love you. You're just such a natural. Look at that." And then I'm like, "But that Lisa is so exotic and so gorgeous." I kind of go back and forth. Obviously, we're on "America's Next Top Model." They all have such amazing strengths and something to contribute. So I haven't made up my mind yet. We'll see. They're all amazing, amazing models. And no matter who wins, they're all going to have a career, definitely.

On her next steps:

I don't know what's next, but I'm excited for whatever it is. I want to act. I want to model. I'm really, really glad that I had this opportunity because I see that maybe modeling is an opportunity that I never thought of but that I love. I think I have a certain predisposition to it. I love it and I want to keep going. ... I don't know what's next, but it'll be great.

-  posted by Raoul