"Time 100" Is Tyra Banks really a Hero, and Kate Moss a good influence?

Time magazine's "Time 100" 2007 list came out and most of the people I expected were on the list with one exception, and two surprises.

Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks was listed as one of the "Heroes & Pioneers" for her "Kiss my fat ass!" crusade geared to help speak out about the tabloids cruelty and our culture's high standards for body image, as well as for her entrepreneurial efforts as a young black woman. Now, don't get me wrong. I am very grateful that Tyra is doing something to help change standards of body image because there are not that many women in her position doing that (so vocally). Also, I totally give Tyra props for her hard work at producing a highly-rated reality show, and her own talk show. TZONE is also very cool. All this stuff is good, and I will give credit where it is deserved.

However, what I don't care for is Tyra's execution, and in some cases it is contradicting. For example, Naomi Wolf writes about Tyra in the Time 100:

"And we are lucky that she believes what she is telling other girls and young women—that she is far, far more than just a body in a bathing suit."

So, why then does Tyra keep having to put bikinis and bathing suits on for magazine covers? Can't she get her point across in clothes? Also, on her website there's a tab for "What's Tyra wearing?" Who cares! As well, America's Next Top Model is all about the body. That whole Crime Scene photo shoot this season was sickening. Are those girls really judged for brains, philanthropy, or any real talent besides walking in high heels? No, at the end of the day the message is, your body and look is what matters because you are a model. Could a size 10 or even a size 8 model ever win ANTM? Hell no, unless they did some "plus size" competition. I would give Tyra more props if she was actually changing the modeling industries standards for "too skinny" models. That feat, in my book, would earn her the rightly title of "Hero & Pioneer."

Kate Moss
Now onto Kate Moss. Moss made it onto the Time 100 list into the Artists & Entertainers category because she's "hip and sells stuff." People want to buy what Kate is promoting because she's an icon of hipness and style. When the British fashion world dubbed Moss, "The Model of the Year 2006" I went ballistic. This is a woman who does a good job of glamorizing a drug using, irresponsible life style. Her whole existence is based on what she looks like, and that her look has been able to sell stuff for years. Is that really a Time magazine worthy accomplishment? Apparently, it is, and that makes me weep.

Moss is involved with a rocker boyfriend, drug addict, who's in and out of rehab like he thinks he's going on holiday. She herself got busted on film blowing smack up her nose, and suffered NO legal punishment. In fact, her career seemed to sky rocket after that scandal. But what has she done to make the world a better place?  What philanthropic thing has she done? Kate Moss may be influential but is her influence out of good or pure consumerism? If she's an influential shaping the world, send me to another planet.

Angelina Jolie
Tyra Banks and Kate Moss make the Time 100 list, and yet Angelina Jolie did not. Angelina was on a completely different list called, "The Power Givers, " a list about philanthropy. I think Angelina deserves to be in the Time 100 far more than Tyra and Kate put together. She is an ambassador for the United Nations. She goes to Washington. You see her mingling and engaging with the people in the countries she is helping. She adopts children from foreign lands. She plays roles in movies depicting women as strong and talented. Her work is most definitely influential and making the wold a better place. I have never seen Tyra nor Kate in any third world countries helping the people. I have never seen them crusading to their governments. Again, I would have more respect for Tyra and Kate if I saw more seriously deep meaning work. I'm sorry but fashion is not that deep. Fun yes, but not deep.

On a completely different note, singer John Mayer made it onto the Time 100 list as well. Okay, so besides a good album and dating Jessica Simpson, what has Mayer done to shape the world? Did I miss something?

Check out the full Time 100 list. Women make up 29% of the total list, and they are impressive.