Amanda Betts Offscreen, Outhouse co-presenter Amanda Betts runs a modelling agency and was once Miss Zodiac Inflatables (it's a long story)! What's your background? My name is Amanda Betts and my background takes a long time to explain in one quick email! Ok, here goes: I have just started a new model agency called Red11 with two partners which is one of my greatest and most challenging times (besides having my baby and leaving my ex-husband)! Strange but true, but when I was half my age and half my size, I used to do quite a spot of modeling... I was once told by an agent I would never model because my ears stuck out. Ummm, ok. So I proved the woman wrong and went on to have a very fruitful and varied career. I accomplished some great things with modelling: did my first ever fashion show with Rachel Hunter; I was a finalist in the face of 80's (can't remember which year), and when my eyebrows were thick enough to surf on and my hair was teased bigger than my hips, I won the prestigious title of "Miss Zodiac Inflatables" in the "Miss Power Boat Competition." Actually, at the time they closed down Queen Street and towed the big grunty power boats behind big sexy trucks. Exciting stuff. All the contestants, in full pageant queen rig of swimsuits, stilettos and sashes, had to sit in a boat with a powerboat driver waving to the adding crowds. I watched as all the girls jumped on a sexy boat. I went to get on one when the organiser said "No, no, no, not you Miss Zodiac Inflatatbles. We have something special for you." Next thing I know, I am stillet-oing my way into....a gi-normous, over sized Zodiac Inflatable. I was moved to tears... I digress: I have done backstage management for the likes of NomD, Karen Walker, Adidas, Converse, Hugo Boss etc which is fantastic, production co-ordination, Model tutoring, motivational talks at schools, and I also worked for Telecom 1-2-3 and Auckland City Council. I used to get a kick out of being the best customer services girl I could and taking the fact that a horse may have done its business in your driveway seriously. It was awesome character building stuff... mate! I am a proud mother of a 7 year old little boy called Izaac. He's into his violin at the moment... I tried to encourage him to do keyboards but screeching cats appeals to him a lot more. He is just working on "Twinkle Twinkle..." I have a gorgeous partner called Richenda who is an ex-chef and is now a massage therapist. If only she wasn't so busy looking after everyone else.... What do you enjoy most about The Outhouse, your new TV show? I love the freedom to be myself! It's undoubtedly a dream come true that I don't have to be anything in particular except to be Amanda: the business woman, the mother, the partner, the friend and the person. I also enjoy the naturalness of the show - there aren't rehearsals or scripts... thank goodness or I wouldn't have got the role! We get to fly by the seat of our pants. It also helps there is a rocking team who all contribute their ideas to the show and allow us to play within its parameters. What characterises the NZ GLBT community for you? Now this is a tough one as I am so busy with all my other stuff that, dare I say it, I am not currently focused on the NZ GLBT community as such. I love opportunity so when the opportunity arose to do this show, it was the perfect way for me to become more involved in meeting other GLBT people. Hey, life is all about balance and after I have put on my model agency hat, then my mum hat, then my partner hat, then my family hat, then my friend hat, then my me-time hat, then my exercise hat, I am sleeping... What is the worst thing for you about being GLBT? There are quite a few things that are a struggle, annoying or downright frustrating. The biggest struggle in all honesty is parenting as gay women – especially since my son's Dad is the man I was in love with. It makes it complicated at times. Annoying is the supposed stereotype lesbian woman which drives me crazy. That we supposedly fit into a certain type of box (excuse the pun) as a gay woman is ludicrous. Often when people discover I am gay, the immediate response from many is "You don't LOOK gay". Aye?? Then there is 'wonder if I am an imposter.' Aye? I am in love with a fantastic Irish woman I have been with for four and a half years. Does that make me an imposter? Frustrating is because I have a marriage of ten years under my belt that there must be a dreadful reason I "switched sides". Aye? And by far the worst is that lesbians hate men. Aye? What is the best thing? The fact I can sit down and say to Richenda "we need to talk" and she only tries to run away from me for ten minutes instead of ten years is a definite plus. I enjoy the stronger emotional connection I have with my girlfriend which is totally different to the one ever had with men. And by far the best thing is Richenda understands me at times that a man simply can not understand. I remember once, many moons ago, my ex-husband was hit by a car. Dreadful incident. He had a male doctor come in and say to him "You are very lucky. You have a little internal bleeding, ripped jeans and a fractured pubic symphysis...that is as painful as having a baby..." AYE?! Relationship status? Nana Betts with Richenda for four and half years. Favourite food and drink? Seriously? You are that interested? Ok, don't laugh but I adore seafood... and lambshanks. Drink? The 5 o'clock gin GayNZ.com - 6th October 2005