When you’re already a world renowned supermodel who’s traveled the world and posed for over 250 magazine covers, one might think there’s not much left to accomplish. Amber Smith, however, has found plenty to keep herself busy, including being the face of Michelob’s “Meet Amber” ad campaign and pitching her own reality television show. Recently Amber took a minute from her schedule to breathe and talk to us at SOAK about her latest projects, what turning 30 has meant to her love life, and to attempt to dispel the idea that beauty and brains can’t be a more common combination.
SOAK: After modeling for so many years what made you want to break into reality?
Amber Smith: I had decided in 2004 to do reality. I took about six months to prep a show called Who Wants To Marry a Supermodel?, which is the dumbest idea ever. Everybody hated the idea. They were like, “we don’t like the show, but we like her,” and that wasn’t expected, because when I look back at my contract with the management firm, they didn’t have me under contract; they had the idea under contract, which was really weird. I couldn’t go into the meetings until the very last minute and I never knew why I was only coming in to these pitch meetings with the presidents of E! and Fox for just the last five minutes.
SOAK: From the way you describe it, it sounds like they’d talk about the show, then bring you in to say “and this is what a model looks like.”
Amber: Oh you so nailed it! I was just the girl that they were bringing in at the very last minute as, “and this is what a model looks like. And if you want this girl, great, and if you don’t, don’t worry about it.” I noticed on my contract the day when it was over and they didn’t renew it. I didn’t have to use them as a management group or a production company. So what I did was, I went to the president of E! and said, ‘Look, I don’t know what’s going on with you guys, but these people won’t take my phone calls, yet they’re dealing with this major show for me.’ He said, basically that they were collapsing the show because they threw on so many producers that it had become too expensive. I said, ‘Well, guess what, you don’t have to, because I’m now not contractually bound to them.’ In the end I got in so much trouble, because he turned around and said no-go, we’re not negotiating with you guys and they freaked.
SOAK: I’m sure you got some love letters from your former management firm for that.
Amber: The emails and phone calls I got were unbelievable. And I also heard that their office party that they had was all about how this model fucked them over, and I’m like, yeah well you fucked me over.
SOAK: At least they can say they got fucked by a model, right?
Amber: Yeah, that’s the only time they’ll ever be able to say that.
SOAK: Now you’re working on “The Anchor-woman,” tell me a little bit about that show.
Amber: Not only would this show be a reality show, but I would also actually become an anchorwoman. They’re really going to put me on air, so this is going out to the world, and when I stumble, that’s going out. And people won’t know we’re doing a new reality show; they’ll just think I’m a new anchorwoman. So it’s kind of interesting in that twist, because people don’t know what happens until later. I feel this one’s really good, the producer’s really good, and the pilot’s really good, as opposed to the E! one, which is really a shame because I like the people at E!.
SOAK: Anything else in the works?
Amber: I also just landed the Michelob “Meet Amber” campaign which is going to take me on a 20 city tour with posters, billboards and beer holders, so that’s a major, major campaign.
SOAK: With your busy schedule have you found time to date?
Amber: I just got out of a relationship about two months ago.
SOAK: If I were to see you around town, what would be my best first move to have a chance with you?
Amber: I would do something funny, because what else are you gonna do? Come on lines are just too much. There’s not much a man can do except, “hey are you single?” I had some gross guy the other day and I was nice to him. I was at a pharmacy. He said, “hey, you ever been in Playboy?” and of course I have, but I said no, because I never say I’m a model when I’m out and about. He was putting on all these come on lines and he was a little bit older, so people were laughing at him. He had my hand and he pulled me really close and he was like, “can you sell me some pain killers?” I’m like, ugh! I should have realized what was this guy doing outside a pharmacy, duh, but it didn’t occur to me.
SOAK: OK, so being a drug addict is something you’re not looking for in a guy, but other than humor, what qualities are you looking for?
Amber: Things have changed a lot. I used to look for someone sexy, someone to go out and party with. I was just looking to have more fun. And now, the last relationship I was in, he was a little bit older, he was like a mentor. He was 20 years older than me. It was really interesting to have someone a little older and a little more thinking about life’s comforts, not just going out and having fun. I found that very appealing for a change. I’d like to find the best of both worlds, a man who knows how to treat a woman, but also a little younger and still into going out and having fun, too.
SOAK: Keeping with the idea of maturity, you’re in your early 30’s, and rumor has it women hit their sexual peak in their 30’s. Have you had any thoughts that you couldn’t have imagined thinking in your 20’s?
Amber: You’re ready to rock and roll sexually, if not more so than ever, but as far as being adventurous and open minded, I’ve always been that way. I’ve never had any sexual hang-ups. I was just as wild in my 20’s, but I will speak for some of my friends, they are getting a lot more outgoing and a lot more adventurous now that they’re in their late 20’s / early 30’s. A lot of the things they would’ve never have done in their 20’s, just, you know, places and body parts and all that stuff they wouldn’t have done, they’re doing now.
SOAK: I’ve also heard you have a genius level IQ. Are all us men being fooled by you models? Are you all really super hot geniuses? And if so are you planning on forming some sort of a team to fight crime?
Amber: [laughs] I really don’t understand how this whole stereotype came about, except for that old adage that if you’re good-looking, you have to try less in life. Ok, I see that. I just didn’t meet a lot of models who were just drop dead dumb. A couple, but not a lot. I would have loved that, I probably would have gotten further had I not had as much competition. As far as fighting crime, we would end up fighting each other, because that’s how women are. So we’d probably kill each other off before we’d end up killing anybody else.
SOAK: But then there would be one king of the hill, or queen of the hill in this case.
Amber: Yeah and you’re talking to her. I have my Kryptonite, you always have to find other people’s weaknesses, and if they would have found that out, then I wouldn’t be the queen. I also have to say one last thing. I’ve met some dumb pretty people, and there are definitely some smart pretty people out there, but I’ve met a whole lot of ugly stupid people, and I think that’s the majority of what’s out there in the world.
SOAK: I don’t like the odds all of a sudden.
Amber: You’re not stupid.
SOAK: Thanks, but I’m single and I don’t like to think the world’s filled with ugly stupid people.
Amber: [laughs] Yeah, but have you not watched TV man? I’m sorry, I just can’t stand that whole stereotype and I know where it comes from. Women are not built to praise other women, they’re built to keep the whole cycle of life going on so they’ve got to find the best mate, and they’ve got to compete viscously for him and that means just completely snaking every other woman out there.
SOAK: Sounds like there’s a lot of fighting and back stabbing going on. In your career as a model, did you ever see, or end up involved in, any backstage scuffles with any of the other girls?
Amber: There was a bad fight in Paris in the back of a fashion show. This one girl who was really popular was picking on this younger girl, I thought she was gonna kill her. I said fight someone your own size. We’re all tall, but the other girl was really, really thin. We got into a fight, but it got broken up.
SOAK: So you didn’t have to knock her out?
Amber: I’ll tell ya what, I was a redneck from Tampa and she was a tough Brazilian. I don’t know if I would have won that one.
SOAK: I hear you consider yourself a “neurotic reclusive.” So were it not for your work, do you think you’d be some sort of a hermit?
Amber: Yeah, absolutely. I would prefer to stay at home and I do need to be forced out of the house to get out and party. Someone said, you know people go to the spa to rest their body, but what rests your mind? I’m thinking staying home, but it doesn’t, that makes you think more. Actually going out and just letting loose rests your mind, it just takes the edge off, and I do feel better for it, but I just can’t quite get myself to do it on my own.
SOAK: Finally, after everything you’ve accomplished what other goals do you have in life?
Amber: If I ever get enough power to start a charity, I’m definitely going to start one for people who’ve had their lives destroyed, or practically destroyed, with viscous panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder. A lot of people say that’s not like cancer or AIDS, a direct killer, but I’m sorry, it is. People put guns to their heads or jump off buildings, that’s mostly due to serious anxiety or depression, and I’m just unfortunately one of those people who’ve had that happen a lot in my life. I’ve still been able to function, but it’s something that’s put a damper on a good portion of my life and I would like to just speak out about it. There is help, you can function through it, there are ways. You can’t let it ruin your life totally. I’ve had years that I’ve lost with it. I am rearing up to be able to talk about it more in depth in the future.
For more Amber, check out her website at ambersmith.com
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