By Tami Farrell
When I was a little girl playing with my Barbies, my Barbie was always a super model/actress/singer. I can still remember the look on my friends' faces when I announced my career choices. I would then roll out a red sock as my red carpet, and my Barbie would climb to the top of my pink-and-green cassette player. With all eyes on me, I would begin a live concert with the help of Amy Grant or Mariah Carey - whichever tape happened to be in my cassette player at the time.
I dreamed big. As a little girl, the reality of what Barbie would have had to go through to obtain the lifestyle of a star was far from my thoughts. My only concern back then was what was happening in those brief moments of my adolescent youth. I knew deep in my heart I would someday make my childhood dreams a reality.
Growing up on a map dot in Oregon in a town called Phoenix, I was challenged by the idea of discovering what the world outside had to offer. While in elementary and middle school, I was approached by several modeling agents from New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle. My parents held tight to my innocence, though, and rejected the offers. This only fed my desire to be a star. When I was 14, I went on vacation with my best friend, Ashley, to California, staying with her aunt, who lived in a quiet neighborhood near the beach. While playing in the ocean, her aunt asked if we minded wearing some surfing gear, because she needed photos to help her pitch an advertising idea. A few weeks later, back in Oregon, my parents received a phone call from Ashley's aunt. She explained that the surfing company loved her marketing pitch, and they also loved me. My Mom, Ashley, and I were then flown to San Diego a few weeks later for my first official modeling job (not to mention, my first time on an airplane!).
Taking flight
Over the next few years of high school, I booked a hair show, two runway shows in San Francisco, an advertisement for a workout bar, and my first commercial. In 2003, I got a taste of celebrity, when I won the Miss Teen USA competition. I left my hometown for the bright lights of New York City, and I quickly learned what it meant to be a "frequent flier." During my year as Miss Teen USA, I traveled throughout the United States, as well as to other countries, as a youth advocate. I walked the runways for New York's Fashion Week, mastered the red carpet at premieres and parties, and even became friends with celebrities. I signed autographs, made television appearances, and helped raise over $21 million for charity. I was trained by one of the most amazing acting schools in New York, and was blessed to get to record for the first time with a music master. I lived that entire year in a dream.
Marilyn Monroe once said, "I used to think as I looked at the Hollywood night, 'There must be thousands of girls sitting alone like me, dreaming of becoming a movie star. But I'm not going to worry about them. I'm dreaming the hardest.'" Once my reign ended in 2004, my dreams carried me from New York to California, and I settled in Hollywood to continue pursuing my dreams.
The thing about dreams, though, is that you eventually have to wake up.
I awoke almost the moment I moved to LA. I worked two and sometimes three jobs at a time, just to get by. More times then I'd like to admit, I looked at my bank account to discover it was empty. Top Ramen, the instant noodle brand that is a favorite with starving artists, became a food of choice, not only for its delicious flavor but also for its unbeatable price. I stayed on my friend Justin's couch for my first two months in LA, while I looked for a place of my own.
I was blessed to be working with some of the top modeling, acting, and hosting agencies. I scored an even bigger coup when I met my manager, whose client list looks like a cover of People Magazine's top 100. I didn't know how lucky I was to have a team behind me with little to no effort made on my behalf to find them. Winning the title of Miss Teen USA still carried with it a few perks. A title, however, can only do so much for you.
Coming down to earth
While working full-time as a jewelry store salesperson, as a nanny, and a caterer, lunch breaks became an ideal time for auditions. I took acting classes at night and lessons on life during my days. I found what it meant to be "a work in progress." I was blessed and often humbled. I watched my former roommates climb the ladder toward success, landing hosting, modeling, and acting jobs like there was nothing to it. I, on the other hand, continued to work on my "True Hollywood Story."
See this article at Pageantry Magazine: Waiting in the Wings
Tami Farrell, a native of Phoenix, Oregon, was crowned Miss Teen USA in 2003, and also was honored to be voted Miss Congeniality by her fellow delegates. During her reign, Tami set a record for Teen USA titleholders in raising more than $21 million for charity. She continues her volunteer work as a national spokesperson for the American Heart Association and The Sparrow Club. Tami currently resides in Los Angeles, where she continues to study acting. In addition to her featured model and spokesperson roles with national and regional companies, Tami is pursuing a recording career in Nashville, has begun recording her break-out demo CD, and also is meeting with producers to develop an exciting new project to be announced soon.
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