Continued...Carol Alt: Don't Call Me A Cougar

ML: Did you witness questionable behavior firsthand?
CA: When I was coming up, there were these three girls who were 12 and 13 and were made up to look 30. They were living with people who were sketchy, or professional athletes, etc. It's too long of a life to grow up and be 30 when you are 13. Where do you go from there? They weren't wise to the ways of the world.

ML: How have things changed in the business?
CA: The industry has gotten harder over the years. When I was coming up, the idea of the supermodel was just being conceived. The girls come up so young. And the bulk of the girls are scrounging around for work. They don't even shoot covers with models anymore. It's now even more rare to make a name for yourself. The odds have severely changed. Back then 1000 out of 1 million girls were successful. Now the number is more like 100 out of 5 million. Because these girls come from small towns from all over the place, they do whatever they can to get a job. That kind of desperation leads you to do things that you'll feel sorry for after and won't necessarily get you the job anyway. Then what happens is that you're used up, abused and lack the freshness and innocence that is attractive...

The only reason why I made it is because I made good moral decisions. When there were heavy-duty parties, I left. I chose another way. I extracted myself without acting like I was on a high horse. I felt it was a good lesson to teach girls that it was my decisions that made me successful.

ML: What do moms need to know about the business?
CA: People come up to me and show me photos of their daughters. They don't know the reality of the models that don't make it. It's a business full of people that will put you down for no other reason than because they think you're beautiful. On my first go with my brand-new photos in my book, a woman from a catalog house started flipping through, barely looking at my photos. She said, "You look good in European make-up, but what about American make-up?" Huh? She was 5 feet tall and chewing her nails.

ML: What if they show you their photo and you know they don't have what it takes?
CA: I always had a fall back, so when people insulted me, I was able to handle it. It's important to be realistic. Models are not always pretty. They can be strange looking. But they photograph a certain way. But some really are not model material. To tell them is devastating. I just ask, "What's your second biggest desire?" I tell them they should focus on a talent, not just a look. This way, they are more in control.

PAGE 3: What was it really like to work with Donald Trump and how about being known as a 'cougar'?

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