Reality bites for modeling hopefuls

Chris Hansen Correspondent • Profile

Ask a group of typical 20-somethings about their TV viewing habits and there's really only one universal answer: most of them watch reality television.

So you can hardly blame 22-year old Phillip Doubek, part-time college student, electrical contractor, and aspiring model, for thinking that reality TV could be his ticket to the top.

Phillip Doubek: That's what I wanna do.  I wanna try to get on a reality TV show, get my face out there. 

Last September, Phillip was killing time with that other 20-something obsession, MySpace, when he happened upon the Web page of a model-turned-reality-show-producer named Gemase Simmons. 

Doubek:  I came a cross him and noticed that he had reality TV show auditions.  I emailed him, sent him a few pictures. He goes, "yeah, come out to the audition.”  

Hansen: What were you hoping other get out of this?

Doubek: A good job for modeling. I would love to get with a great agency and be on my way.  That's my career.

The casting call Phillip was invited to was being advertised around the Web last fall, from Craig’s List, professional modeling sites, to a popular Houston Webzine.

Sabrina Griffin of Dallas, Texas felt Gemase Simmons was speaking directly to her.

Sabrina Griffin: You too can be a model, if you've ever wanted to be a model this is your chance. This was in my chance to be on a show that was geared specifically for me.

Hansen: Somebody who wants to be a model.

Griffin: Yes.  A supermodel…

Phillip, Sabrina and a group other young people were about to have the experience of a lifetime. They were told the show would be broadcast around the world, giving them exposure and unlimited opportunities.

Like many reality shows, it would be a grueling competition with physical challenges and heartbreaking eliminations until one final winner was declared.

And like “America’s Next Top Model,” that other famous modeling competition,  this one would have its own Tyra Banks: producer and former model Gemase Simmons was also the host...

Gemase Simmons: Eventually one of ya'll will be the model who doesn’t get up at 5 a.m. unless it's for $10,000, but first your gonna earn it. Let’s go play games.

But first, before any of this filming got underway, there were auditions held at a popular Houston nightclub.

The host arrived in a Hummer stretch limo, a line of hopefuls waiting by the door.

Doubek: So we walked inside, and they had the camera crew set up, and everything.

Hansen: Was it impressive?

Doubek: Oh yeah.

Those who survived the audition would make it on to the show.

Doubek: And they start namin' off names, and I think I was like the seventh person called. 

Hansen: What did you think was gonna happen, as you stood there on that stage that night at the night club?

Doubek: I thought my life was gonna change.

We interviewed seven of those lucky contestants. Competing against Phillip and Sabrina would be Jose Garcia, Tiphani Abney, GiGi Freeman, Ugo Mozie and Joslyn Pennywell.

Joslyn Pennywell: Modeling is my passion. It’s something I've always wanted to do. it was a prayer or a wish come true.

Once they were selected, each contestant was bombarded with paperwork, emails, and phone calls from the show's producer. There were questionnaires to fill out...and a contract to sign.

Hansen: What was the promise had you won the competition?

Garcia: The promise was $50,000 and a two year contract--

Ugo Mozie: And a spread in his campaign and like you'd be the face of his cosmetic line.

Ugo Mozie,  just 16 about to turn 17 at the time, showed the contract to his parents and an attorney.

Mozie: He didn't see any flaws in it. He said it looked legit, like a real contract.

The contestants were told to clear their calendars for two months, putting work or school on hold, if they hoped to stick around to the end.  

Tiphani Abney: I had to stop working for awhile.

Griffin: I had to borrow money from my family. 

Hansen: How much were you counting on winning?

Female contestant: Everything. This was our chance.

Filming began in November 2007. It started, literally, as race. The question was, was it a race anyone could really win?

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