EXCLUSIVE: Tyra Banks Talks About Move to TV

Sept. 4, 2009 — -- By day she is host of the Emmy Award-winning "Tyra Banks Show"; by night she hosts "America's Next Top Model."

In the wide-ranging interview, Tyra Banks, the queen of self-esteem and body image, told "Nightline's" Cynthia McFadden that she wishes she were more of a diva, if that means being a strong businesswoman and leader.

"I wish I was harder, I wish I didn't care so much about being the nice girl all the time because a lot of the time people can take kindness for weakness, so I wish I had a little bit more 'oomph' in me," Banks tells McFadden.

Turning her successful modeling career into a television empire, Banks has been famously dubbed "America's Next Top Mogul" by The New York Times. It's a title she doesn't feel she deserves ... yet.

"I think I'm too young to be a mogul. I think I'm too young for that," Banks says. "When I think about moguls, I think like Donald Trump who … owns NYC practically. That's a mogul. I feel like I'm on my way to a lot more, but mogul is a really serious thing. I think it's a word that gets thrown around easily."

Watch Cynthia McFadden's full-length exclusive interview with Tyra Banks on "Nightline" Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 11:35 p.m.

Despite her smashing success, Banks says she doesn't have expensive tastes, preferring to make sound investments in property than buying the latest trendy pocketbook.

"I don't like expensive things. ... I just can't help looking in a magazine for the splurge and the save," she tells ABC News. "I love being able to go to a store, let's say ... a store like Topshop or Zara or maybe even Macy's, depends on what department, and not have to look at the price tag. ... Some person told me I had ... a poor man's syndrome or something."

Tyra on Marriage, Children

On whether marriage is in her future, Banks says she has kept her personal relationship private, because it only creates "gossip fodder."

"I don't have that 'OMG, I gotta get married' thing! If it happens, it happens, but it's never been like, 'Oooo, I need to do that!'" she says. "I think it's because I'm a product of divorce. ... I don't understand that whole married thing when 70 percent of marriages fail and 50 percent of second marriages fail."

But Banks remains open about the possibility of starting a family of her own, saying she believes the world will see little Tyra's running around one day.

"I don't know when, but sooner than later definitely," she says. "I have a lot of success and make a good living, but after while, you start going 'Why? Why are you doing all this?'"