On the Tube
‘Sexiest’ supermodel teams up with T. O. on new‘Superstars’
I have the cell phone number of the sexiest woman in the world, Joanna Krupa. And I have Terrell Owens to thank.
You see, Krupa – an international model who has been proclaimed the sexiest woman in the world by several magazines – teams up with the Buffalo Bills wide receiver in ABC’s new version of “Superstars,” a series that originated in 1973.
The reality program, which now pairs athletes like Owens with celebrities like Krupa, premieres at 8 p. m. Tuesday on Channel 7.
At the end of a telephone interview that addressed Owens’ athletic prowess and behavior during the filming in the Bahamas, I asked Krupa if Owens had invited her to see a Bills home game.
“No, would you believe it?” answered Krupa, who was born in Warsaw, Poland, and raised in Chicago. “I’m actually going to text him right now.”
I asked her to text me Owens’ response. A few hours later, the following message appeared on my cell phone. “T. O. said, ‘soon as we have games, check our sked & pick a game,’ “ relayed Krupa. Naturally, the text message included her cell phone number.
The interview was conducted while Krupa was in her car in Miami on her way to a martial arts self-defense class.
“In case some big bully tries to mess with me, I can take him down,” cracked Krupa, who is flattered by the “sexiest woman in the world” talk and all the attention she received from an animal rights campaign, “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur.”
“A magazine started it, other magazines copied it,” she said. “It is definitely an amazing compliment, a wonderful feeling and it keeps you more motivated to do what I do and accomplish more. But there are so many beautiful people in the world. To be labeled that is great, but also I know there is somebody more better and more beautiful and sexier than me.”
After teaming with Owens, Krupa has a somewhat inflated opinion of him. She called him the No. 1 football player who attracted the paparazzi.
“Nobody can run faster than T. O., that’s for sure. He has some drama in him. But I think everybody does. We are both very competitive people, driven. Don’t care what other people think. We say what’s on our mind. So we have a lot of similarities on some things. But he can be a little over-the-top sometimes ... Without the cameras on him, he seems like a very down-to-earth humble guy.”
How was he over the top? “Sometimes I invited him to an event and he was like three hours late,” she said. “He has to walk in so everybody knows, ‘Hey T. O. is in [the house].’ ”
They competed together in events that included hiking, kayaking and running.
She agreed to be in “Superstars” because she loves challenges. And she wasn’t talking about teaming with Owens.
“I am not an athlete or a sports person at all, I’m not a big fan of working out,” said Krupa. “So for me, it was a great challenge. To see how good I am or bad I am when it comes to sports.”
Her knowledge of Owens — who had competed in a previous version of “Superstars” — before becoming his teammate was so limited that it had the potential to be ego-deflating for Owens.
“I’m not a big follower of football or much of sports,” said Krupa. “T. O. came to my fiance’s [Romain Zago] club in Miami and I saw a picture of him. I didn’t really know much about Terrell before the show. Now I know more about him obviously ... I know from what people told me he is one of the most amazing football players.”
But when she met Terrell, he was just “the guy who was at the club ... It was a funny coincidence.”
She said that Zago’s Mynt Lounge is a dance/V. I. P. lounge that is considered one of the top clubs in South Beach. Zago joined Krupa at “Superstars,” with the model joking that he was her water boy. Undoubtedly, Zago’s presence meant Owens had to be on his best behavior with her.
“Exactly,” she laughed. “He didn’t have much choice. He was really cool. But of course, he asked me if I had any hot girlfriends to hook him up with.”
“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life, but it was the most amazing experience,” said Krupa. “I wish it was a lot longer than it was. I wish there was like 20 episodes ... Every challenge was fun in a way, but also horrifying.”
Of course, some feminists may be horrified by ABC’s promos for the series, which emphasize the skimpy bathing suits. Not Krupa.
“Hey, everything with sexy in it seems to be selling, so I guess they’re smart for using that as a marketing tool,” said Krupa. “No matter what, the men are going to want to see some hot chicks and the athletes and you’ll have a variety of everything.”
The promos include a cutaway to a reaction from Owens, who obviously is enjoying the scenery as much as the athletic competition.
“His reaction is probably to Ali Landry [who is teamed with former major leaguer Jeff Kent] because he really had a crush on her,” said Krupa with a laugh. “She was awfully nice to him but she’s married. She was sweet to him ... She’s obviously a nice person. Nothing like flirtatious or anything.”
Of course, not. But the big question is whether Krupa was satisfied with how she and Owens did in the competition.
“I was very satisfied,” she said. “We gave it all our best and we really kicked butt. We did really well. We’re a good team.”
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