Name: Melissa
Age: 22
Occupation: Account Manager
Location: Auckland

Hi Melissa, good to see you again. You are a bit of a familiar face around the scene, how long have you been on the promo/modeling wagon?
It’s been seven years now, believe it or not.

But you are only 22!
Yes, my parents encouraged me to enter my first beauty pageant when I was about 14, and I began to pick up jobs from there.

But 14 years old? Is that even legal?
I’m not really sure, I’d never really thought about it. I was just having a good time.

Is it still fun?
Absolutely! I enjoy bikini comps the most. I love being up on stage and, I will admit it, being the centre of attention.

Okay, so obviously you can’t do this sort of thing for ever, since all models have a relatively short shelf life no offence intended. You’ve done this your entire adult life thus far what happens when you are no longer the centre of attention?
Absolutely, I’m not naà ve enough to think that this career will last for ever, but I’m going to have as much fun with it while I’ve got it. When I do stop, that’s fine, it’s not like this is my world; I’ve still got a nine-to-five job and a good life.

We hear you are a bit of a mean chef, why do you love cooking?
I’m not really sure. I like to cook and bake for people, have dinner parties and that sort of thing. I mean, I like to go out to town like everyone else, but sometimes it’s refreshing to stay at home with a nice dinner and good friends.

You seem to be a bit of a rare breed these days. Why do you think girls don’t seem to have an interest in cooking any more?
I think it’s just the backswing of female liberation really. It is not our 'role’ any more, so I think a lot of girls don’t want to feel like a 1950s housewife, and therefore take no interest in anything to do with that traditional image.

A true pity. Who will cook my food and iron my shirts? I mean, if I owned shirts, that is!
I think the idea is that you do it yourself!

Oh. Well that sucks. Thanks for coming in to the studio Melissa.
No problems, thanks guys!

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