About ten years ago I came across an interview that changed my view on British supermodel, Naomi Campbell.
It was the cover story for British GQ April 2007 and the interview was done by controversial journalist, Piers Morgan.The two had a history. In 2001, while still editor of The Daily Mirror, Morgan published a story, with pictures, of Campbell going to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in London.
She successfully sued the paper for privacy infringement. In the GQ interview, Campbell turned the table on Morgan by opening her bag and grilling him about his journalism and the bad editorial decisions he made, especially with her case and the phone hacking scandals.
It was an eye opening interview that showed just how savvy she was. Plus she had the knack of asking questions you never thought you wanted answers to.
I've since read her interviews with some of the world's most despised and misunderstood individuals like Hugo Chavez and Vladimir Putin, which she has written for Interview magazine and British GQ.
When she launched her YouTube channel, Naomi, I had hoped we will get to see more of that type of content from her.
While I did love getting snippets into her life, fashion moments, personal achievements and that now iconic video where she wiped down everything on her first class seat before her flight. Little did we know we would be doing the same a few months later, I wanted more of the 'journalist' in her.
During the Covid-19 induced, lockdown her YouTube channel has continued but it now gives us the content I have long been waiting for-interviews with people close to her and she is delivering content that few other journalists can.
In these interviews, titled "No Filter with Naomi", she also shares snippets about her life and gives context to some of the stories written about her by the UK tabloids.
I guess it helps that she is friends with most of her interview subjects, which makes it easier for her to draw out information from them and they are able to trust her with their stories.
The interview with designer, Marc Jacobs, reminded me just how good she is. She was able to get him to talk about his history in the fashion industry, the failures and wins, the time he went to rehab and how instrumental Campbell was in getting him there.
All those stories that few outside of the fashion industry actually know the intimate details of. We see her ask these celebrities their beginning stories, the key moments in their careers and things that few other people know about.
I love the anecdotes she is able to share, which gives us a new appreciation for her subjects.
Like the time Paris Hilton was at her birthday party in St. Tropez in 2003 and was courting the attention of everyone and being accused of trying to upstage Campbell at her party. They both shared how funny that moment was and that Campbell fell in love with Hilton at that moment.
They have been friends ever since. She's also done interviews including Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Lee Daniels, Sharone Stone and Adut Akech.
It takes a lot for people to be able to draw out the really private and sensitive stories out of celebrities. We all try our best but I've learnt it comes with a lot of trust and the subject being OK with being vulnerable enough to share their deepest thoughts.
Few in the talk show scene have managed to do that after Oprah Winfrey and Campbell does it almost effortlessly.
Sara Rea, from left, Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum, Joseph Altuzarra, Nicole Richie and Naomi Campbell appear at the "Making the Cut" panel during the Amazon TCA 2020 Winter Press Tour at the Langham Huntington on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020, in Pasadena, Calif. Picture: Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP
The world is falling in love with the model again, thanks to her savvy use of social media, the YouTube channel and currently judging on "Making The Cut", the reality show which is inspired by Project Runway and was created by Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum.
She's intelligent, and compassionate. And of course, she's a diva too and those are all the things that make Naomi Campbell great.
I really wouldn't be surprised if she is soon getting offers if doing a celebrity talk show. With all that she knows about most of these stars, it would be a show worth watching.