The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SI swimsuit model shares beauty tips ahead of Super Bowl LIII
Model Hunter McGrady, who once posed for Sports Illustrated wearing nothing but paint, is up for a challenge. She didn’t mind a little photo session under the dental exam-like lighting in the official NFL Media Room in the bowels of the Georgia World Congress Center, where she met us for a quick interview Thursday morning.
“Southern hospitality is alive and well here,” she said, charmed at Atlanta’s warm welcome to Super Bowl visitors. She’s here on behalf of Olay, which is airing a most unique ad during Sunday’s game. It stars Sarah Michelle Gellar running from a guy in a mask while scary music plays.
“You are like, is this a trailer for a movie? It’s shocking, it’s quirky, it’s funny,” McGrady said. “It’s going to grab everyone’s attention.”
We have it posted on the Buzz blog on ajc.com so you can check it out for yourself.
McGrady, an advocate for wellness and body positivity, said that while her job involves plenty of hair/makeup/style prep, getting ready for a big shoot also requires the right mindset.
“My biggest thing getting ready for SI was mental health,” she said. “With something like that, there’s going to be a lot of talk about my body because I am a curvier girl.”
She’s committed to fitness and often posts photos of herself at the gym. But she doesn’t strive for unattainable perfection.
“I’m never too hard on myself,” she said. “If I want something to eat, I’m going to eat it.”
She was somehow able to withstand the temptation of the media room lunch offerings, which consisted entirely of sweet potato hush puppies and potato chips. Yum.
“It’s important to take care of ourselves,” said McGrady, who was part of “Face Anything,” Olay’s makeup-free fashion show, last year. “It’s important to love yourself for who you are. Be comfortable in your own skin. We’re all beautiful in our own way.”
Woo! Guess who was spotted along with two Patriots players?
Chops Lobster Bar in Buckhead serves lots of bold-name diners. New England Patriots place-kicker Stephen Gostkowski and punter Ryan Allen were there Wednesday night, when other guests included Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera and Cubs pitcher Jon Lester.
None of them created the stir as did our own Ric “Nature Boy” Flair, former pro wrestler turned Clayton County sheriff ’s deputy. Both of those titles are legit (Clayton Sheriff Victor Hill loves deputizing celebrities; NBA great Shaquille O’Neal is also a member of the force), but we suspect Flair has made about as many arrests as he delivered authentically painful body blows during his WWE days. No matter, the guy turns heads like nobody’s business.
“I’ve seen hundreds of A-list celebrities walk through the bar here,” Chops manager Kevin Brown told us. “Nobody has been stopped as many times as Ric got stopped.”
If you weren’t there, don’t despair. Flair hosts a celebrity tailgate party from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Hard Rock Cafe, 215 Peachtree St. downtown. Tickets are $495 and include a gourmet buffet, open bar and autograph and photo sessions with Flair and several former NFL players. He has a link to the ticket site on his Twitter feed: twitter.com/RicFlairNatrBoy.
Watch the Super Bowl with Cam Newton
Don’t have Super Bowl tickets but want to watch the game in style?
Hometown hero Cam Newton is here to save you between $2,500 and $114,520 (the lowest and highest priced ticket we’ve seen in recent days).
His new Castleberry Hill restaurant Fellaship, at 110 Centennial Olympic Park Drive, celebrates its grand opening today and hosts events through the weekend.
“This is a dream come true for me, my brother CJ, my dad Cecil and others in my extended family,” said the Carolina Panthers quarterback and Westlake High School alum. “To be able to come back to Atlanta to such a thriving business environment and start a business is just one way that I want to start giving back to my hometown that gave me my start and has been so good to me and my family. I’d like to thank the city of Atlanta, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and others for helping this dream become a reality.”
Here’s the weekend lineup.
■Today, 6:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.: “The Art of Smoking” features hand-rolled cigars along with food and drink.
■Saturday, 6:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.: “Welcome to the 404” introduces 404 Vodka. Frank “The Big Hurt” Thomas is scheduled to be in the house.
■Sunday from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.: “Best Seat in the House” game watching party. Details: fellashipatl.com.