Freelee the Banana Girl – vegan, animal lover, avid YouTuber – is earning a reputation as the nastiest person on the internet.
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When the Australian YouTube personality, who eats 51 bananas a day, isn't busy blending a smoothie or eating close to one kilogram of cherries in one sitting, she's beefing with anyone who disagrees with her way of life and calls out those who promote weight loss tips. Freelee herself earns a living via her long-winded videos and social media posts of bikini selfies which link to her self-published e-book of "recipes and secrets", irony is also excluded from her diet. She also claims to have eaten "more bananas than any other female on the planet" and doesn't use toilet paper.
With more righteous rage than Pete Evans, the 30-something proves there isn't much to do in Adelaide other than regularly taunt YouTube users for their comments and brag about "attacking" and "bullying" people with sarcastic videos titled, "Tana is a right, I'm a mean b.tch and made this girl cry" and "Jenna Marbles responds to my videos attacking her".
Earlier this year she told Nine's Today she had received a certificate in nutrition from the Australian Institute of Fitness. A claim the organisation refutes.
"I can confirm that she has definitely not studied with The Institute," an AIF spokesperson told Fairfax Media.
The YouTuber also disregards conventional science and believes traditional qualifications are just a "bit of paper" that are sponsored by the dairy and beef industries, businesses that, in this political climate, have more pressing issues to deal with than pushing protein propaganda.
Last year Freelee, whose real name is Leanne Ratcliffe, was sued by another online identity from South Australia, Kayla Itsines. Together with her boyfriend Harley Johnstone, she consented to an out-of-court settlement and avoided trial for alleged defamation.
The pair, who have more than 500,000 social media followers combined, agreed to remove the videos that criticised Itsines' Bikini Body Guide program. They are prohibited from producing further clips and speaking to the media about Itsines or her partner, bodybuilder Tobias Pearce.
However Johnstone continues to mock her online via Instagram with posts including the hashtags, "#kaylaitsines #kaylasarmy #stopthestarving".
Most recently Freelee's tiff with another vlogger, Cassey Ho of Blogilates, has hit the headlines in the United States since other vegans are now claiming Freelee is "ripping the Vegan YouTube community apart". Her video titled "YouTubers who promote eating disorders" was the catalyst for this latest drama which has spawned a plethora, about eight months worth, of response videos and virtual tit-for-tat incidents.
Feuds of Kevin Rudd versus Julia Gillard proportions are what keeps Freelee and her frenemies in business.
Judging from her videos which chronicle "A Day in the Life of a High Carb Vegan with Freelee the Banana Girl" she doesn't appear to be on the conventional nine-to-five grind. These personalities seemingly survive off fructose and clicks on YouTube which translate into a share of advertising and sponsorship dollars.
Vegan YouTubers could be the next Kardashians. They know how to hustle in the lucrative digital world and are Narcissus incarnate. Watch this space.
Freelee did not respond to Fairfax Media's request for comment.
Miss World's makeover
It's been a busy few weeks on the local beauty pageant circuit with some old faces getting a new lease on life and new faces getting the recognition they deserve.
Maminydjama Maymuru, aka "Magnolia", will be the first Aboriginal woman to represent the Northern Territory at Miss World Australia this year.
After growing up 600 kilometres from Darwin in Yirrkala, Arnhem Land, the 19-year-old, who declined to try modelling when scouted two years ago, decided to give it a go after finishing school. She has since booked her first job and will grace the catwalk at the NT Fashion Week in October.
Miss World Australia is now run by former Miss Universe Australia director Deborah Miller. Miller has ditched the swimsuit round, beefed up the competition's alignment with Variety and plans to feature more contestants from varied backgrounds.
Miller has been a longtime advocate for diversity in pageants. Before the 2009 Miss Universe Western Australia competition she petitioned for the local organiser to recruit more Indigenous finalists. Her requests were widely ignored.
If Magnolia wins the national Miss World crown she will be the first Indigenous woman to do so.
Meanwhile, expect to see more of reigning Miss Universe Australia Monika Radulovic. The model and aspiring TV presenter has signed with new representation, respected manager Sharon Finnigan. Finnigan's other clients include Karl Stefanovic and Jesinta Campbell.
New frontiers: Magnolia Maymuru. Photo: Facebook/Magnolia Maymaru
Gemma Ward may 'pop up' on catwalk again
Gemma Ward is now close to conquering every creative genre having last week filmed her first reality TV show appearance.
The Byron Bay-based model, who made her fashion debut in 2003 at Australian Fashion Week before establishing herself overseas where she graced the covers of nearly every Vogue in the world, judged a challenge on Australia's Next Top Model which will go to air on Foxtel in September.
"I'm looking forward to seeing how it's all done, Nicole [Trunfio] has done a few so she's told me all about what to expect," she said.
Her foray into TV is the next big thing for the Perth-born beauty, who was the youngest ever model to grace the cover of US Vogue after her runway debut for Prada in 2004.
Comeback queen: Gemma Ward. Photo: Caroline McCredie/Getty Images
She retreated from the runway in 2008 following the death of close friend Heath Ledger and focused solely on acting for several years. As well as starring alongside Johnny Depp in the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, she appeared in The Great Gatsby and The Black Balloon, where her performance earned her a Film Critics Circle of Australia nomination.
In 2011 she made her stage debut for the Perth Theatre Company in The Ugly One.
Ward opened the Prada spring-summer 2015 show at Milan Fashion Week in 2014 after a six-year break from modelling. The news of her comeback caused mass hysteria in the fashion industry and peaked on social media.
Gemma Ward making a comeback at Prada is basically the same as Jesus coming back from death— M (@mehmetsuzgun) September 18, 2014
She has only fronted a Givenchy campaign since but has "been working a lot this year" and loves how fast-paced the fashion industry has become.
"I was there when they were changing from print to digital," she said. "All of my first shoots were with photographers who were using digital cameras for the first time so it was the first time they could see what they were shooting, while shooting. Technology changes so much, they'll be another thing, like, tomorrow."
She admitted to missing the catwalk and didn't rule out a return at international shows.
"You never know, I might pop up somewhere."
The Bachelorette producers casting net small
While new Bachelor Richie Strahan is close to filming his final rose ceremony, the production of the new season of The Bachelorette is set to go into lockdown in coming weeks.
Speculation is mounting that last year's runner-up of The Bachelor, glossy-haired Lana Jeavons-Fellows, is set to star in the new reality show. The cameras will start rolling in June but industry insiders have told Fairfax Media she may again be disappointed by the series as she's still "on the scene". "She's still out there promoting herself. If she was in line to be the Bachelorette she would shutting up by now."
While bets are still being placed for who'll be queen of the mansion, the casting call for potential suitors is still taking place and the best place to fish for TV talent is apparently surf lifesaving clubs.
"Are any of our hunky male patrollers looking for LOVE?" a newsletter blast from the Bronte chapter read.
"The casting agents of the next series of The Bachelorette are looking for you! The reality show is officially recruiting and TEN is looking for young men to match up with this year's Bachelorette."
According to the flyer only single men aged between 23 and 35 need apply.
Party of the week: Kitchen Cabinet
Night in: Annabel Crabb and Jacqui Lambie discuss a range of topics.
A night in with Annabel Crabb and Jacqui Lambie discussing everything from her ball gown collection to Cory Bernardi over some Tasmanian salmon and a salad comprising ingredients from a work-for-the-dole project, was the highlight of Sydney's sleepy social scene last week.
The lively senator proved to be one of Crabb's more natural subjects as the pair canvassed the election and her past which has included a stint in the army, addiction to painkillers and her son's battle with drugs. She said outing him as an ice addict in the Senate was the "best thing I ever did. Because first of all, it's got my son help. Which he probably would not have got."
