CNNSI Host: Welcome! We're here with Sports Illustrated 1999 Swimsuit Issue cover model Rebecca Romijn-Stamos.
CNNSI Host: Thanks very much for joining all of us tonight, Rebecca. We're glad you are here.
CNNSI Host: To everyone in the audience, Rebecca is ready for your questions!

OverclanPrime asks: When did you find out that you would be the cover model?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: About a week and a half ago. I was shopping downtown by myself in downtown New York... and I got into a cab, bored... and I had a message on my cell phone from my booker. She said that she had some "wicked" news. And she said: You've got the COVER! And I raced back to my hotel room. I called Diane Smith, the senior fashion editor at Sports Illustrated and tried to prod her into telling me which was the shot. But she wouldn't tell. She told me I wasn't allowed to tell anybody. But of course, I told my husband and my sister and my parents.

ForlindonIsthmus asks: Rebecca, is there any acting in your future?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: I'm continuing with MTV's House of Style and I just did a bit part in the new Austin Powers movie and some other stuff that I cant tell you about yet.

solotoff asks: When did you do the Milk Moustache ad in Times Square? Hopefully not in the middle of winter?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: I did it in the middle of summer, in July, during rush hour in Times Square. And about five minutes after we did the shot it started pouring rain. It was a very, very funny afternoon.

velvetjones2000 asks: Hey Rebecca! I saw you when you hosted "Later" on NBC awhile back. I thought you were funny and smart!
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: Thank you. It was a great week. I had some great guests. I had Tyra Banks, Bob Sagett, Dave Coulier, and Sean Patrick Flannery. Three of them are very good friends of mine. So we had a lot of goofy stuff to talk about.

JoeThe3 asks: When was the first time that you thought that you would like to model?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: After about a year of college, when I was 18. I went to UC Santa Cruz. And I only wanted to do it to travel and make a little bit of money. I didn't really want to be a model. I moved to Paris for the summer. And had plans to go back to school in the fall. But my agency convinced me to stay in Paris. And they got me a cover of Elle magazine within a month. And also a contract with Biotherm, which I had for seven years.
CNNSI Host: What are the major contracts that you have now?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: I'm the spokesperson for Tommy Hilfiger.

OverclanPrime asks: Being on a SI cover obviously raises one's profile. Do you expect any changes ina mounts/types of jobs you will be offered now?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: Forty seven more covers to tie Michael Jordan!

spongy669 asks: What type of music do you listen to?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: All types. My favorites are: Prince, Nina Simone, Radiohead, and the Beastie Boys, and SHOW TUNES!
CNNSI Host: What's your favorite Broadway show?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: I've got several: The Sound of Music, Gypsy, Dreamgirls, and Grease.

Curtis_Kyle_Whittman asks: You've taken photo shoots in some pretty nice places.. Which place did you like the most?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: Necker Island holds a special place in my heart because I was there on my honeymoon.
CNNSI Host: Where did you get your wedding dress?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: My wedding dress was designed by Badgley Mischka.
CNNSI Host: Do you get to keep the things that you model in?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: Rarely. It's a common misconception with models. But, one of the suits in this year's issue, is my own. It's a blue velvet Malia Mills.

vikecubs asks: How early did your shoots start?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: The body painting, the call times, were at 1 a.m. That's so we could be ready for the morning light. The body painting was really cool.
CNNSI Host: You've got to see it to believe it!
CNNSI Host: What did John think when you found out you are going to be on the cover?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: John was more excited than anyone else I've seen -- and he also has a really hard time keeping secrets -- He wanted to tell everyone.

Kirbus asks: Does it ever shock you that 58 million adults will see you on the cover of Sports Illustrated?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: Yes, and it's a little scary.

jontav asks: What's been your most embarassing moment as a model?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: I'm not easily embarrassed.
CNNSI Host: What's the spirit like on the shoots with the other models?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: I'm really good buddies with the rest of the girls, I dont know them all. But we always have a good time.
CNNSI Host: Welcome! We're here with Sports Illustrated 1999 Swimsuit Issue cover model Rebecca Romijn-Stamos.
CNNSI Host: Be sure to check out exclusive photos of every model from this year's Swimsuit Issue on www.cnnsi.com, starting Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET.

NeverSummer1 asks: Technicallly, how does runway modelling differ from that of catalogs and magazines?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: You dont have airbrushing.

sam_becker asks: I saw your interview w/ Richard Branson. What was your impression of him?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: I didnt get a chance to meet Richard Branson on the island, but I did interview him in London a few weeks later for the show... for MTV. And he's real great -- he likes practical jokes. He tried to pour a bucket of water over me -- and he missed by about four feet. So he has terrible aim. And he also got into a car accident, while I was in the car with him. So he's a terrible driver.
CNNSI Host: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit '99 will premiere on TNT on Wednesday, February 10 at 8 p.m. ET.
CNNSI Host: Did you get to do anything fun for the show?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: Yeah, it's great. But tune in on Wednesday night.

jnquest asks: are you recognized a lot, say when you were shopping in downtown NYC?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: Yes, especially on airplanes and in airports.
CNNSI Host: Any marriage proposals?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: The only that's important is the one I accepted.

Cavenaugh15 asks: what is your home town?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: Berkeley, California. It's a great town to grow up in. It's a great intellectual environment -- mixed with all the craziness from the '60's.

Chuxters asks: How do you like to spend a free evening?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: I'm very arts-and-crafty. I actually made the bikini that I'm wearing on the cover. (Just kidding.)

dough4444 asks: What is the most interesting fan encounter you've had?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: My favorite fan encounters are with young girls. I find it most flattering when teenage girls tell me that they watch me on MTV and that they're big fans.

mhb2474 asks: now that you've nabbed the man of your dreams any tips for us single girls?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: Never give up hope. It will come when you least expect it.
CNNSI Host: What kind of diet do you keep?
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: I dont believe in starving yourself, I believe that you should definitely eat when you're hungry. Dont deprive yourself when you're hungry. I'm a strong believer in the mind-body-spirit connection. And that you can make your body into whatever you want to make it into. I practice Pilates. That's a cross between yoga, stretching and acrobatics. I think it's amazing. You have control over what you look like and how you feel -- and they are very stongrly connected.
CNNSI Host: Rebecca, thanks so much for talking with us!
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos: Thanks, it's great to be here -- it's the beginning of a very exciting week.
CNNSI Host: Thanks to everyone for participating in our chat. Be sure to pick up your copy of Sports Illustrated's 1999 Swimsuit Issue, available on newsstands on Wednesday!
CNNSI Host: Thanks for coming by!

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