America's Next Top Model auditions: An insider report
We Deal Divas love us some America's Next Top Model. It's the best show. Where else can you sit, stare at flocks of beautiful women and pick them apart for the benefit of your own self-esteem? ("Her eyes are MUCH too close together... she'll never win...") Of course, we do this while shoveling armloads of Totino's Pizza Rolls into our maws, asses expanding at alarming rates. It's the ultimate cosmic karma!
Tryouts for the show came to Tampa Wednesday, and our very own St. Pete Times editorial assistant Victoria Bekiempis (pictured) tried out. She made it through the first round, so now we're anxiously waiting to hear if the producers like her enough to rocket her to reality stardom with Tyra and Miss Jay.
In case you're wondering what it's like to be judged (quite literally), here is Victoria's summation of the day. Congrats! (Who knew she was a hot dog queen?)
A hot dog queen tries out for America's Next Top Model
P.S. - For a look back, check out Deal Diva Nicole's interview with past ANTM winner Whitney Thompson!
~ Deal Diva Stephanie
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or 
Since she was a little girl Nicole Hutcheson dreamed of dressing like a Vogue cover girl. But her reality was more JCPenney catalog. The fact only honed her better ability to find luxury for less. Always on the hunt for markdowns on designer labels, this Deal Diva’s weaknesses are good jeans and killer heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8828 or 
Colleen Jenkins learned two invaluable shopping tenets from her mom: 1. Buy quality. 2. Get it on sale. Then she added one of her own: Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! This Deal Diva’s idea of a blissful Saturday includes a trip to the Ellenton outlet mall. She loves mixing classic with trendy and cheap Target accessories with her markdown Banana Republic duds. She can be reached at (813) 226-3337 or 
A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or 