WHEN supermodels become so-so models, they tend to follow one of two cliches: Get an acting coach and land a bit part in a slasher flick. Or sign a recording deal and pray that everyone is so mesmerized by your jiggling that they don’t notice you can’t sing.
Tyra Banks tried, and failed, at both.
“I wasn’t good enough to make it,” Tyra frankly admits of her generic single “Shake Ya Body” and a film résumé that includes “Halloween Resurrection.”
“Yeah, I could act. Yeah, I could sing and shake my butt. But I was never going to be the best,” Banks tells The Post.
But now, in the most surprising twist of the fall TV season, the 31-year-old beauty has discovered – to her own astonishment – what she is best at: being a superstar TV personality. Or, as she puts it, “Oprah with more cleavage.”
“I want to be the voice of my generation,” declares the feisty brunette (or redhead, depending on the day), who officially retires from the world of modeling tomorrow night after a final romp down the Victoria’s Secret runway (the show airs on CBS Dec. 6).
“I want to be able to put all my energies into my show. Too often I feel it could be better, stronger – now I’m in a position to do something about it.”
Two months ago, Banks’ brazen brand of ambition would have made her the butt of industry jokes.
But today, as fans of her prime-time reality show, “America’s Next Top Model,” and afternoon talker, “The Tyra Banks Show,” buzz about her ability to get real with her audience, Tyra has the potential to become TV’s next powerbabe.
And she knows it.
“I’m nervous,” she admits. “I’m nervous I’m not doing things as well as I can – and then I’m nervous every time I see the new [ratings] for the show. They’re great. How do I keep them there? How do I keep my viewers happy? Keep them talking?”
Just keep doing what you’re doing, say viewers, who cite Tyra’s seamless ability to talk to – and not over the heads of – her 20- to 30-something audience as one of the keys to her success.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that Tyra, who once seemed threateningly stunning, has morphed into an “everygirl” who worries about her weight, her addiction to TiVo and her insecurities. (“My eyebrows are too far apart, I’d love to have longer eyelashes and a wider smile, like Julia Roberts or Cameron Diaz,” she gripes).
Victoria’s Secret models – who knew, they’re just like us?!
“I want the show to address the issues that women are talking about in a united way,” Banks says, describing a mission statement that is still in the works. “But I want to do it in a way that is about sisterhood, not just about our competitive side. And I want the audience to have fun, too.”
And she’s not kidding.
After generating lots of chatter by undergoing an on-air sonogram to prove her boobs are real, last week Banks upped the ante when she wore a blubbery 135-pound body suit (a la Gwyneth Paltrow in the movie “Shallow Hal”) to report how awful typical treatment is of overweight women.
The results, which were achingly offensive, made compelling viewing.
As will, no doubt, the upcoming Nov. 18 segment, when Tyra receives an on-air endermologie treatment to find out if the ballyhoed cellulite zapping regimen really does clear up an ungainly “puckered butt.”
Although she can often come across as being a younger, hipper variation on the Katie Couric style of TV personality, Banks says her role model is 100 percent Oprah.
“If I could achieve even 5 percent of what she has accomplished I would be a happy woman.”
We doubt it.
Although she is coy about her future professional plans (her personal life, she declares, is none of our business; recent paparazzi shots have spotted her with an “unidentified companion”) Banks has already chaired initial conversations about launching a self-named lifestyle magazine.
She also wants to produce big-screen features “aimed at younger girls. My happiness at being able to devote myself full-time to the show,” she says, “is that I can start figuring out where it can go.”
Disarmingly self-effacing, Banks admits she expects the act of hanging up her Victoria’s Secret wings tomorrow night to be “emotional. I’ve been working with them for nearly a decade.”
The only emotion she displays when talking about walking away from the modeling scene, however, is relief.
“I’ve been modeling for nearly half my life,” says the woman who made history as the first African-American to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue and the first female model to grace the cover of GQ.
And even though she banked a fortune fronting ad campaigns for prestigious design houses as diverse as Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabbana and Tommy Hilfiger, Banks admits she’s been itching to bust out of the catty, back-biting world of working stiff’s for years.
“There were so many times I wanted to quit. The backstage drama is just not worth it,” adds Banks, who, according to industry scuttlebutt, endured nearly a decade of bullying at the claws of the Queen B of the model circuit, Naomi Campbell.
“I mean, you find yourself in situations, horrible situations, and you know it’s not worth the stress. You’re standing there thinking, ‘What am I doing here? I could go to college. I could do something else.'”
The changes she is about to make to her life may be scary, but the alternatives, Banks says, were terrifying.
“I’ve lost plenty of sleep,” she says, adding that her worst nightmare is the idea of her being forced to cling to her modeling career because she couldn’t figure out what to do next.
“I wanted to go out while I was still on top. But I also wanted to know where I was going to go. I knew I had to have a solid game plan,” she says.
“I’m nervous and stressed about what’s going to happen next. But I’ve decided to look at my career like that of an athlete. I want one slam dunk after the next.”
e-mail orla.healy@nypost.com
Tyra’s greatest hits . . .
* In 1996,became the face (and other attributes) of Victoria ‘s Secret,making trips to the mailbox exciting for teens everywhere.
* Tugged down barriers (and her bikini bottom) as the first African-American on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in 1997.
* Faced with the defeatist contestant Tiffany on last season ‘s “America ‘s Next Top Model,” Tyra auditions to be the next Dr.Phil.”Be quiet!What ‘s wrong with you?Take responsibility for yourself!” she scolds the stunned girl.Now that ‘s good TV.
* Expands the male audience for afternoon television by having a sonogram of her breasts taken in September to prove that they were real. Verdict:Perfect!
. . . and misses
* Order the DVD of “Coyote Ugly ” ((2000)and you ‘ll get a bonus scene of Tyra dancing.It isn ‘t pretty.
* Playing a “techie girlfriend ” to Busta Rhymes (no kidding)in 2002 ‘s “Halloween Resurrection,” Tyra ‘s brief movie career mostly involved getting impaled.
* “Shake Ya Body,” Tyra ‘s attempt to be a pop star,complete with a music video filled with “Top Model ” contestants,,joins Eddie Murphy ‘s “Party All the Time ” in the misguided second–career hall of fame.
* Dressed as Paris Hilton for Halloween this year, spending hours in makeup to look white.What ‘s wrong you you?Take responsibility for yourself!