model citizen >>> bessie bardot

Who is the Bessie Bardot?
Ha ha! Guess it depends on who's asking. Career-wise I am an author with a best selling book 'Casting couch confidential', I have a National live radio show called 'in Bed with Bessie', I present on TV and run several businesses and model, but to my friends I am loyal and fun but always busy.

To my partner I'm a nuturer, cleaner, cook, take home to mum and take out to party. To my fans I am easy to talk to, approachable and passionate about going out of my way to make them feel part of my family and to my actual family I'm the only one who never has a bad day but also never has enough time to see them.

What makes you Australia's Sassiest Business Babe?
I believe in using ALL your 'talents' whether they include having a body for sin or a brain for business and I very much live my life and structure my career and persona on this credo, hence putting a little extra sass into all my business ventures and hopefully breaking stereotypes of business being boring and sexy blondes being dumb.

Why do you think nudity ain't rude?
Nudity is our most natural form so how can it be rude? It drives me nuts the pathetic judeo christian/ victorian views we have on the subjects of nudity and sex.

How can one piece of skin be any more or less rude than another? It baffles me at the childish way we view nudity.

100 years ago ankles were rude now we laugh at the idea, so who wrote the rules on what square inch of skin is acceptable and what isn't - I love being nude and am an avid nudist I think it is healthy and natural and the more we demistify the tabooes fed to us about sex and nudity the happier society will become.

Does being nude gives you an empowering sense of freedom?
Absolutely. Someone once said "It's hard for a person to be a snob when they're bare arsed" - Nudity gets back to the basics of people.

Being nude is getting close to nature, becoming comfortable in your skin, loving yourself for who you are. My favourite holiday destination is a nudist resort in Sydney. I wake up in the morning and grab my towel, a good book and sunscreen, then I spend the day sunbaking nude when the sun gets too hot I dive into the ice cold pool, then I begin sunbaking all over again. What could be more free than that.

Why did you write the book "Casting Couch"?
After being in the model industry for over ten years as both a model and an agent, I had so many wild stories in my memory bank!

We saw a lot of terrible things happen to young naive and unprepared models so my partner and co-author Geoff Barker agreed that we had to write a really honest, warts and all look at the model industry.

The side that no-one talks about like the casting couch, which is definitely alive and well, and hopefully give young people starting out a bit of a heads up so they dont fall victum like so many before them.

We ended up with over 60 true stories of sex, drugs and rock n' roll. A fly on the wall look the lengths wannabe's will go to to get ahead.

If you could be a super hero, who would you be and why?
I'd be a mix between Emma Peel, Pussy Galore & Wonder Woman because saving the world can be sexy.

Do you consider yourself a feminist?
Absolutely not. Feminism has caused so many problems in its endeavours, don't get me wrong - many wonderful things have been achieved such as equal pay for equal work, but I don't hate men - I love them. In fact I solidly believe that women rule the world anyway so I see that I have more power over men by not trying to take their pride away - call me old fashioned :-)

Are you behind any women's issues?
Women's issues are very important to me. In fact I've just signed a book deal with New Holland to write a book on women's health and self esteem due out later this year.

Women make the world go round so it's vital that we are happy, healthy well adjusted and down to earth and I support
anything that champions these causes.

What is the best thing about being a model?
Hmmm probably the high of seeing your work in a magazine - it all looks so simple but you actually put a lot of work into the shoots so seeing the results is very rewarding.

It reminds me of why I stood in minus temperature water for that bikini shot in the middle of winter or why I hung off a 50ft ledge by my finger nails freezing my ass of for that sports catalogue :-)

If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?
I'm actually really happy being me. I learned some time ago that there is no point wanting to change your looks just be content and comfortable in your skin.

To me that is the sexiest quality of all. I've met so many stunning models who don't have that element and they just radiate ugly. Beauty is comfort.

What would you consider your best feature?
I'd have to say my torso, specifically my waist to hips ratio. I'm
very curvy with a really little waist which I love.

Is art important to you?
Yes I love art, whether it be arthouse films, art galleries or the
art of people watching on a Sunday morning..... I thrive on it.

If you could meet anyone living or dead; who would that be and why?
Marilyn Monroe, I'd be her live-in lover ;-)

If you had to choose one outfit: what would it look-like?
A skin tight shiny black catsuit with elbow length sleeves, a zip
reaching down to my navel and a utility belt.

How do you find time to do all the things that you do?
I have a wonderful partner who guides my career, he negotiates all my work and decides what I should focus on, I couldn't do this all without him, I'd get lost in the details.

So I spend most of my time working from home (in the nude, naturally ;-) or a fluffy g-string for the colder months), writing the books and columns and I pop out to do my radio show and appearances.

Essentially I have a wonderful life, I get to be a homebody and an achiever at the same time.

What is the biggest misunderstanding about you?
To be honest I don't focus on that stuff, if people have misconceptions about me then I don't know about it.

Sure when I first meet people I find out that they are pleasantly surprised, usually they think I'll be bitchy, but a few minutes after talking to me they realise that's not me, bitchiness is one behaviour pattern I have never understood.

Who have been some of your main influences as a model and as aperson?
I idolized Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell & Linda Evangelista when I was a kid but lately I'd say Giselle - she is just glorious.

As a person I was inspired by the people around me. I was brought up in the hippy capital of Australia and spent time with artists, gypsy's & musicians - they inspire me.

Out of all the things that you do, what is your favorite?
I love radio. It's such an intimate medium and I get away with being really cheeky. My show is live so once I've said something it's instant - that gives me a rush.

I also love presenting on TV - not acting but presenting. The character I play is me - what a great job!

What is success to you?
I know everyone says this but it really is the case for me - Success is happiness - to me that is managing to pay my rent and have as much spare time as possible to be with the people I love. It is not defined by what I do or how famous I am.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Leading a political party to stand up for the right for adults to be adults, same sex marriages etc.

I'll have one or two adorable munchkins (children), more books and lots of wild parties and some kick butt memories.

All photos and graphics courtesy of Bessie Bardot and published with permission.