Tyra Banks Picks New Plus Size Beauty  11/29/06

Retired catwalk star Tyra Banks is turning her back on skinny models - her daytime talk show yesterday (28NOV06) hosted a contest for plus-size beauties.

Inspired by French designer Jean-Paul Gaultier's decision to open one of his recent fashion shows with a larger-than-life model, Banks asked plus-size models to strut their stuff.

The America's Next Top Model host says, "You do not have to be super stick skinny in order to model."

All wannabe models competing for the first Thick & Sexy Top Plus-Size Model crown will have to be size 18 and up, and they all tipped the scales at over 200 pounds.

Banks showed off her plus-size pals on her Tyra show yesterday after thousands of voluptuous beauties fought for the chance to show off their bodies.

Plus-size model Mia Tyler, actor Josh Morrow and American Idol winner Ruben Studdard judged the contest and crowned 218 pound Marguerite Brown the first Top Plus-Size Model.

Brown won a photo spread opportunity with new magazine Bombshell, a $1,000 shopping spree and a one-year contract with top modeling agency Wilhelmina Models.