There seem to have been a ton of modeling scams in Rhode Island these past few years.
My family relocated to RI from Chicago my freshmen year of high school. I was interested in being a model, and nervous about starting high school in a new place. I felt awkward about my appearance and I wanted to learn how to look "more put together."
So I went to the Rhode Island Modeling School which was part of the Rhode Island Modeling Agency. (RIMA)
The owner / agent there was very nice. Her name was Margaret. After a year or so, she moved to NY. She said that the market wasn't strong enough here for her to make a living.
Margaret was able to obtain me a few jobs before closing her business.
When she shut down, I decided to go to John Cassablancas in RI to see if their agency could possibly represent me.
There I met with the agent, Sharon, an extremely rude women with mile long fake fingernails that didn't appear very "model like."
Sharon said that they could represent me if I paid 2 thousand dollors ror their modeling school.
I told her that I had already attended modeling school at RIMA and had previous modeling experience so I didn't feel any more school was neccessary.
Sharon said "which owner was there when you went? It doesn't matter, they both sucked. That school is horrible and so were both the owners who ran it."
I thought it was very unprofessional for her to bad mouth her compettitors, especially when they were out of business and are no longer her compettion.
I decided that this women had absolutely no class. And for some reason I coldn't get over her "hooker nails."
Even if I had never gone to modeling school before, I would've had to be a complete idiot to sign up with this mean, classless women.
I realized that I was in a very trashy place that probably didn't even have any modeling jobs. That's why she was pushing the school.
Last week I was watching America's Next Top Model.
There was an advertisement for RIMA.
I was surprised. I thought it reopened so I called. A women with a southern accent answered and I asked for "Margaret."
She said that there wasn't a Margaret there.
I asked when she would be in. The women sounded confused so I asked if she knew who Margaret was.
She said "NO."
I said "she's the owner."
She said "oh yeah Margaret, she's not here. Actually, her niece Sharon is running the agency right now. Sharon is very experienced and has been in this business a long time. She ran John Cassablancas for years. Would you like to come in for an interview?" I said "No" of course, and hung up.
From my understanding, Sharon isn't Margaret's niece, or the niece of the owner before her. If she is, I am absolutely horrified that someone would bad mouth their aunt so badly just to make a few dollors, especially, when they are not even in business anymore. This women is not a good person.
And the other thing I am confused about, if RIMA is as horrible or was as horrible as Sharon claims, how come she left John Cassablanca's to open up her own immitation version of RIMA?
It doesn't make sense.
Also, I realize that this women Sharon had worked at JC's for a while, but what exactly is she expirienced in as far as modeling goes? Scamming people out of money?
It's ironic how Tyra Banks states on her show that "any agency that has to advertise for models is a scam" and RIMA has their cheesy commercial running smack dab in the middle of the show. These people obiously aren't very intelligent.
The only reason I called was to speak to Margaret, who probably knows nothing about this.
I was shocked to think that the real RIMA would have a commercial.
That's b/c this isn't the real RIMA, it's another version of John Cassablanca's cleverly disguised.
Any one interested in modeling beware of them.
It is not likely that they will get you any jobs with out charging you unneccessary fees first. (over priced photo and comp card packages, etc.) You can get the same jobs else where with out paying crooks that are ripping you off.
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