VH1 Searches for 'America's Most Smartest Model' Starting Sunday, October 7 at 9 PM*

VH1 Searches for 'America's Most Smartest Model' Starting Sunday, October 7 at 9 PM*

New Comedic Competition Show Challenges Some of Fashion's Most Beautiful Men & Women to Work the IQ Runway

Hosted by Fashion Expert Mary Alice Stephenson & Presidential Speechwriter Ben Stein

Premiere Episode Available on VH1.com, Beginning Monday, October 1 -- One Week Before it Airs on VH1

NEW YORK, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Beauty is a double-edged sword. And no one has it worse than models. Do smart models exist, or does a life devoted to getting by on one's looks make a person stupid? With the help of fashion expert Mary Alice Stephenson and Presidential speechwriter Ben Stein, VH1 attempts to answer this burning question by casting a wide net in search of "America's Most Smartest Model" premiering Sunday, October 7 at 9:00 PM.*

Sixteen models (8 men, 8 women), all of whom think they could be the smartest in America, will live together as they compete to determine which of them has what it takes to be dubbed "America's Most Smartest Model" -- the perfect combination of beauty and brains.

In every episode the models will face challenges that put both their overall intelligence and their beauty to the test. The individual or team that wins will be safe, while the loser(s) will face elimination.

In the end, only one model will prove they break the beauty mold and take home the Extreme Style by V05 $100,000 prize, be featured in an ad campaign for Extreme Style by V05, and earn the coveted title of "America's Most Smartest Model." Extreme Style by VO5 is the official hair care sponsor for the series and is a staple for every runway show.

The first episode of "America's Most Smartest Model" will be available on VH1.com beginning Monday, October 1. Subsequent episodes will be available on VH1.com each week following their on-air debuts. Starting September 17, viewers can catch a glimpse of the show's contestants when the casting tapes from the show's auditions launch on VH1.com.

Mary Alice Stephenson, one of the world's most sought-after commentators, stylists, creative directors, consultants, and experts in the fashion and style industries, will use her knowledge and expertise of the industry to help guide these contestants through the trials and tribulations of the modeling world. Stephenson has served as fashion and beauty trend-caster for various television networks and multi-media platforms reporting from backstage at the world's top runway shows to front-and-center on high profile red carpet events. Throughout her career Stephenson has worked alongside the world's most legendary fashion editors and with Hollywood's most fashionable celebrities. Currently, she is a contributing fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar magazine and manages her own consulting firm analyzing trends for her A-list celebrity clients and Fortune 500 Companies.

Throughout each episode, co-host Ben Stein puts each model's intellectual prowess to the test through witty IQ challenges. Stein is the former host of the hit game show, "Win Ben Stein's Money," which won seven Emmy Awards. He is a columnist for The New York Times, a commentator for CBS News and Fox New Network, and a columnist for Yahoo! Finance and for The American Spectator. He was a speechwriter for Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald R. Ford. He is the author of more than thirty books, mostly on finance. He is also a former trial lawyer, law teacher and economist. His part as the boring econ teacher in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is considered a cult classic.

VH1's "America's Most Smartest Model" is created and executive produced by Mark Cronin and Cris Abrego for Mindless Entertainment and 51 Pictures, who also produce the record-breaking "Flavor of Love," "Rock of Love with Bret Michaels," "I Love New York," "The Surreal Life" and "My Fair Brady." Ben Samek also executive produces for the company. The production teams' programming launched VH1 into their highest ratings ever and their ratings continue to outperform their previous successes.

Jeff Olde, Jill Holmes, Kristen Kelly, Stella Stolper, Alex Demyanenko and Michael Hirschorn oversee the series for VH1.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in over 90 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital services including VH1 Classic and VH1 Soul. Connect with VH1 at www.VH1.com.

*All times ET/PT

Contacts: Maura Wozniak/VH1 Chris Delhomme/VH1
212-846-7325 310-752-8635

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: VH1

CONTACT: Maura Wozniak, +1-212-846-7325, or Chris Delhomme,
+1-310-752-8635, both of VH1

Web site:

http://www.vh1.com/

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