America's Next Top Model

Tyra Banks is hanging up her ballroom outfits, and slipping into serious business attire ... she's calling it quits at "Dancing with the Stars" to pursue her passion as an entrepreneur.

We got the supermodel Thursday on her way out of Whole Foods in Santa Monica when she dropped the bombshell about ending her time at 'DWTS' -- the show she's hosted since 2020.

TB recently launched her SMiZE & Dream ice cream internationally, but now she's focused on bringing it to the U.S. soon -- she says her heart and her soul are in business, and had some proof in her shopping cart.

She showed us the goods she just bought to do some taste testing for future ice cream flavors. Like the woman said, she's dead serious about research and development!

Of course, Tyra's been a fixture on TV for years, from "America's Next Top Model" to "The Tyra Banks Show" and more. She says she'll work on TV in the future, but it'll be more on the side of producing, not hosting.

Don't let the flashing cameras distract you from the differences in these two paparazzi shots of Bella Hadid ... The supermodel was recently photographed sporting a casual look -- wearing a 'Free Palestine' tank and heading to a record shop -- in New York City.

Yes, Bella always looks stunning on and off the runway -- making it hard to not be drawn to her piercing blue eyes -- but you may just want to adjust your lens and look elsewhere. Can you follow the necessary steps and scout the differences between these two images?

Australian actress and model Ruby Rose intrigued us all when she was locked up on the crazy popular prison show as the side-shaved Stella Carlin for season 3 of Netflix's hit show "Orange Is the New Black" back in 2015.

She shared the screen with lead actress Taylor Schilling who played the poorly adjusting inmate, Piper Chapman and Laverne Cox as the salon boss, Sophia Burset.

Rose was also an MTV Australia presenter and co-hosted "Australia's Next Top Model" in 2009 as well as "The Project" until 2011.

Today Ruby enjoys lounging around and hanging with her fur-babies.

Love isn't dead after all -- NBA baller Kyle Kuzma and supermodel Winnie Harlow are officially dating again ... just five months after breaking up.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Kuz and Harlow picked up right where they left off earlier this month, deciding to give their relationship another try.

We're told the split wasn't ugly to begin with -- both sides kept in touch and remained friends during their time away from each other.

We broke the story -- the Wizards forward and former "America's Next Top Model" contestant ended things back in August after more than a year of dating.

They were one of the biggest quarantine couples to develop during the pandemic ... after Harlow says Kuz successfully slid into her DMs on Instagram.

Their love remained strong during the NBA bubble in Orlando ... with Winnie sending a plane over the Disney campus on Kuz's birthday to give him a special message.

Toccara Jones is defending Tyra Banks from being canceled over what some are seeing as exploitation on "America's Next Top Model" ... saying it's unrealistic to pay contestants.

The ex-"America's Next Top Model" contestant tells TMZ ... Tyra did nothing wrong by collecting a fat paycheck on the long-running modeling competition show while the girls only got a $40 per diem and no residuals.

Toccara says that's just the way things go in the modeling industry ... and she says it's unheard of for people to be paid to be in a contest ... because the whole point of a competition is to win and get the prize money.

The 'ANTM' exposure certainly worked out for Toccara, even though she had her own struggles on season 3 ... in part because she was a plus-sized model.

Tyra and 'ANTM' are getting dragged back under the microscope after a fan of the show went viral this week by bringing up the fact Tyra pulled in a huge paycheck as a judge while the models got scraps.

'ANTM' alum Sarah Hartshorne tweeted the fan's complaint, saying models didn't get residuals and had to pay for their own food during the show.

Tyra Banks is moving from judging the catwalk to hosting in the ballroom ... the OG top model is taking over MC duties for "Dancing With the Stars."

Just a day after ABC dropped Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews leading into season 29, TMZ has learned the former supermodel is strutting her way into that role.

In addition to smizing in front of the camera, Tyra will also be an Executive Producer of the show. We've learned she was in talks with the network long before ABC cut ties with Tom and Erin.

On Monday, Tom announced the show would be continuing without him, and said his 15 years hosting were the "most unexpected gift of my career." ABC and BBC released their own statement about Tom and Erin's departures ... saying the show is embarking "on a new creative direction."

Sources close to Tom tell TMZ the news came as quite a shock to him, and he was only informed of his departure this week.

The pair had been co-hosting together since 2010, after Erin was a contestant on the show -- but now, as Daily Mail first reported, the "America's Next Top Model" creator will be stepping into that glittery, disco-balled arena.

Dustin McNeer -- best known for appearing on cycle 22 of "America's Next Top Model" -- has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman believed to be his girlfriend ... TMZ has learned.

Cops arrested McNeer Wednesday in Charlotte, NC after a 21-year-old woman reported him for domestic assault the day before ... according to police docs.

The model turned bodybuilder was booked on 2 misdemeanor charges -- one count of assault on a female, and one count of injury to personal property. Sources close to the situation tell us the female is McNeer's GF.

Cops say she told them the incident happened on November 8, and she suffered minor injuries, but did not get any medical treatment. She also claims her iPhone was also damaged during the alleged confrontation.

McNeer's being held on a $500 bond.

Dustin appeared on 'ANTM: Guys & Girls' in 2015 and finished in 7th place. He's since moved on to the world of bodybuilding.

Renee Alway -- a finalist on cycle 8 of "America's Next Top Model" -- was arrested for domestic violence just over a year after she was released from prison.

The former model was busted by cops in Palm Springs, CA this past week on a laundry list of felony charges. According to her inmate profile, Renee was booked for assault with a deadly weapon (not a firearm), 2 counts of infliction of corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, terrorist threats, a prior felony conviction, and a violation of parole.

In case you'd forgotten ... Renee was released from custody in August of 2018 after having served 5 years of a 12-year prison sentence in California.

That prison sentence was from her June 2013 arrest, when she got into a 6-hour standoff with police after being spotted wandering around a vacant home while carrying a gun.

That became at least her fourth arrest that year, and it resulted in a gnarly mug shot, and later ... a shaved head in court. Renee's 'ANTM' season aired way back in 2007 -- she ended up placing 3rd behind Jaslene Gonzalez and Natasha Galkina, respectively.

J Alexander, aka Miss J, is ready to throw support behind Mayor Pete Buttigieg, but wants him to know the LGBTQ community expects his in return ... on every level, with no excuses.

The "America's Next Top Model" coach was at the Strand Book Store in NYC Tuesday when he told us his thoughts on the rising star in the Democratic primary field, who happens to be openly gay.

Miss J believes Pete's got what it takes to win votes -- even from anti-gay voters -- but strongly hopes he does it by continuing to be inclusive and do work on behalf of all LGBTQ folks.

J even calls for his people to "band together" for the South Bend, Indiana mayor, because he believes if they get him in the White House ... real differences can be made.

Meanwhile, Mayor Pete got a dose of homophobia Tuesday in Iowa from a couple of protesters, including one chanting "Remember Sodom and Gomorrah!" You'll recall Pete told us he was prepared to handle these sorts of attacks during the campaign, and he did just that.

J Alexander is blasting Burberry for showcasing a hoodie with a noose around the neck ... saying the people who gave it the green light are the ones who should be hanged!

We got the famed "American's Next Top Model" coach Tuesday at LAX, and he didn't hold back in his criticism of Burberry's design from London Fashion Week.

As you might know ... Burberry apologized after getting tons of backlash for showcasing the noose hoodie, calling it a mistake and insensitive. Even the model who was forced to wear the hoodie is speaking out, saying "suicide is not fashion."

But, on the heels of racist blunders from Gucci and Prada, Miss J ain't havin' it!

You gotta see his call for Burberry to be brought to fashion justice. Basically, he thinks the brand deserves a taste of its own medicine -- but he says in his own VERY colorful way.

Former "America's Next Top Model" contestant Jael Strauss dedicated her life to helping people struggling with addiction before she lost her battle with cancer earlier this week.

An employee at Solstice Recovery Foundation near Austin, TX, who worked there with Jael, tells TMZ the ex-model was heavily involved in the rehab center's efforts -- volunteering to help folks, especially women, fight drug addiction.

We're told Jael would often spearhead online fundraisers to provide scholarships to those needing treatment. She'd also share her own story of recovery as inspiration for patients.

Jael's kindness was reciprocated this past October shortly after she announced she'd been diagnosed with incurable, stage 4 breast cancer.

The Solstice employee tells us her friends quickly organized the "F**k Cancer-Love Like Jael" fundraiser for her, and raised around $8,000 for her treatment costs.

During the fundraiser, people who donated $20-$50 could get free tattoos that said "F**k Cancer" or "Jael Love." We're told about 20 people got them.

We broke the story ... Jael died in hospice Tuesday, just 2 months after being diagnosed with cancer. We're told she stopped chemotherapy around Halloween.

Former 'America's Next Top Model' contestant Jael Strauss has died just two months after announcing she'd been diagnosed with cancer.

Sources close to the model -- who competed on season 8 of the reality show -- tell us she died in hospice Tuesday around 11 AM after taking a turn for the worse Monday night. We're told she'd been unconscious for a few days, and her family recently stopped allowing visitors.

Jael decided to stop chemotherapy around Halloween and went into hospice on Thanksgiving, saying on Facebook, "First night in hospice. So many things I never knew about life. Or death. So many things."

The model went public with her cancer diagnosis in October earlier this year with a heartbreaking Facebook post, revealing she'd been diagnosed with "incurable" stage 4 breast cancer.

At the time, Jael wrote to her followers ... "I was gonna write some long thing but some of you guys deserve to know, On October 2nd I was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer."

She continued ... "It has aggressively spread throughout my body and is incurable. With treatment it may prolong my life longer than the 'few months' doctors said I could make it. I don't want to die. I need another one of those miracles that I got back in 2013."

Jael appeared on Dr. Phil in 2012 to tackle her addiction issues, and celebrated 5 years of sobriety this past August on IG. Her caption read in part ... "I know a few things to be true: Miracles are real, Recovery is possible for everyone no matter how far gone you think you are, We are never too broken to be put back together, Service work feels better than the greatest high, Sobriety makes you weirder not normal and I'd be dead if it weren't for all the love and forgiveness I've been showered with by my friends and family."

A GoFundMe was started for Jael about a month ago that's raised more than $18k of a $30k goal to fund her treatment. Jael's family and friends tell TMZ in a statement ... "The one blessing was that we were able to show her how loved she was before she passed. She brought so much light to people."

She was 34. RIP

Natalie Pack -- who appeared on "America's Next Top Model" and went on to become Miss California -- claims she wasn't paid on time while working for Guess ... so now she wants BIG money.

According to a new suit obtained by TMZ ... Pack was booked by Guess for several short modeling gigs starting in October 2015 -- most of them being one-day shoots with her daily rate ranging from $600/day to $2,000 for the day.

Pack claims from when she started in 2015 to May 2018, she worked 48 jobs for Guess, but she was not paid within 30 days ... as is required by state labor laws.

According to the docs ... that triggers HUGE penalties for Guess -- totaling $1.265 MILLION -- and the model wants the company to fork it all over.

We reached out to Guess ... so far, no word back.

J. Alexander says the pregnant model who went into labor during Rihanna's fashion show has changed the runway game for good -- which will help models of all sizes.

We got America's favorite runway coach and judge from 'ANTM' at LAX, where we asked if Slick Woods revolutionized the fashion industry by walking the Savage x Fenty runway at 9 months pregnant, going into labor backstage and delivering her baby all in a 14-hour time span.

J. says she absolutely has, and RiRi's responsible for putting her in a position of trailblazing.

He explains because Rihanna doesn't play by the rules and hires models with varying body types -- and at varying stages of life (in and out of the womb) -- designers will follow suit, and models will get more gigs. It's a win-win for everyone, really.

There's also this -- J. tells us he wants to see a delivery right there on the runway floor next time ... just to up the ante.

Toccara Jones can't believe Piers Morgan so blatantly body shamed a plus-size model and tried to mask it as a health concern ... saying someone can be big AND healthy.

The ex-"America's Next Top Model" contestant says she's been shamed herself for not having an "ideal" figure, and believes only Tess Holliday knows what's best for her in terms of overall health. Translation: Piers has NO biz wading into a very personal topic for Tess.

And, even if Tess would be considered "unhealthy" by society's standards, Toccara says she's approaching her well-being from a positive place ... which is what really matters.