Robert Verdi - Behind the Judges' Table

Just a taste makes us want more -- more opportunity, more success, more fame, more money. More, more, more. 

Savoring the moment, being in the moment, and owning the moment will bring you more than you ever hoped for. Let's face it: none of the final five would steal a role from Meryl Streep, but at the judges’ table, when we all weighed in, there was controversy. 

This competition brought about the reality that we had to start looking at the big picture for each of the ladies. Their versatility, their likeability, their beauty, their poise. And most important, their ability to pull themselves together and be focused in an instant. For any number of reasons, Beverly, Sean and I at different moments liked certain ones more. We wanted Hope to blow us away. We know that she's radiant and funny, honest and dedicated. But in the heat of the competition, our expectations for her weren’t met and we had to send her home. 

However, I was lucky enough to see Hope recently and catch up. She's back at work and doing incredibly well in her everyday life -- although as you could all predict, she's become a star on the streets of New York. Everybody loves Hope. 

Here's what I know: Hope is full of optimism, and she’s refocused her goals. There are a million possibilities for her, and who knows -- you may just turn the page of a magazine or catalog and see her sparkling smile sometime soon.

I also learned this from Hope: Don't call her when the show is on -- even though she's not on She’s Got the Look anymore, she tunes in to see how her friends are doing.