Vail Bloom '04 has suddenly become a celebrity after placing third in Maxim magazine's Hometown Hotties contest. When her name is brought up around campus, people nod with recognition or tell stories about how their friends rushed out to buy the March issue that features a racy picture of her.
When asked about her newfound fame, Bloom was emphatic. "I'm definitely not comfortable with it," she said.
Her discomfort stems from the revealing photograph that appears in the magazine. "It's a lot more risque or provocative than I would have liked," she said.
Bloom said Maxim tricked her into posing for the photograph. She was one of the last "Hotties" to be photographed, she said, and they only had a few outfits left for her to wear. "So I get this outfit — it was this red bra, thong and garters."
Bloom said she made the photographer clear everyone out of the room so she could have privacy for the photo shoot. "I told the photographer, 'I really don't want to be photographed from the back,' " she said.
Bloom said the photographer assured her "they were not allowed to publish ass in Maxim," but insisted on taking "one, maybe two shots" of "her profile from the side" just to see how they would come out.
As it turned out, Maxim chose to use one of those "profile" photographs for publication. Bloom first learned which photograph had been selected at a Maxim Super Bowl party. "I nearly dropped to the floor when I saw it," she said.
When asked how she felt about the many University students who purchased copies of the edition of Maxim with her picture in it, she said, "I try not to think about it."
Bloom confessed that another downside to her newfound fame has been unwanted attention from strange admirers. "I have weird people stalking me," she said. "But it's not people from campus."
Bloom said she has had to become more comfortable with her new exposure. "The people who really know me know me," she said. "[I] can't really do anything about it — it's after the fact."
However, the contest has opened doors for her, she said. "The only thing that motivated me to continue with the process was the knowledge that I would be moving out to L.A. after graduation to pursue acting."
Bloom said she has already been contacted by several producers who have expressed interest in her. "It's been really lucky," she said.
Bloom, who plans on attending graduate school in architecture after a few years of acting, has been offered positions as a spokesperson for the radio stations 94.5 "The Hawk" and 97.5 PST.
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