Tam Taylor is the breakout star of TLC’s new hit reality show “Behind Closed Doors,” on which she currently appears. On the show she deals with a slew of hot topic and hot button issues.
She’s a successful business owner with two budding ice cream shops in Florida. She is incredibly driven, a passionate business owner and ready to speak her truth. She wants to prove you can look like ‘an overstuffed barbie doll’ without any shame, while being a survivor, an advocate, and voice for all the women who are too ashamed to believe in themselves.
We are sharing our recent interview with her.
Pro Media Mag : Can you tell us a little about yourself, Tam?
Tam Taylor : Of course! I like to think of myself as a good-time girl who doesn’t take herself too seriously. Being from the south, I love big hair, big personalities, and some good ole down home cooking. I’ve always been told that I’m a walking contradiction. On one side, I look like the stereotypical big blonde with zero ambition and even less to say. When in reality, I am an incredibly driven and passionate business owner. I have worked hard in my life and I am at an age where I am ready to have fun and act a fool, which is what I think garnered the attention of reality TV producers. When you think advocate and successful business owner, I’m not exactly the first image that pops into your head. And I love that! I am all about breaking down stereotypes. At the end of the day, I am a daughter, a sister, an aunt and a big goofy blonde who’s just looking for my happiness in a world full of crazy.
Pro Media Mag : You are considered the breakout star of TLC’s new hit reality show “Behind Closed Doors.” What made you want to take part in that show?
Tam Taylor : Aw, thank you so much for saying that. That’s incredibly flattering. I think each of the families on the show had a lot of wonderful things to offer. That being said, nobody knows how to have a good time like Tam Taylor. Haha. When the opportunity presented itself, I jumped at the chance. Growing up, I spent a lot of time hiding myself from the world. I am someone who let their insecurities dictate their life’s path for far too long. In a way, deep down, I hoped that a strength and acceptance within myself would be forced to emerge during the process. And that’s exactly what happened.
Plus, I loved the idea that it’s a true reality show. No script. No set up situations. Just real, raw, unscripted life. And that really excited me. We all know life gets messy and I’ve always been an advocate for sharing that mess with your friends and family and in this situation, with the world. I think that’s truly the way we grow as people. No ONE person has all the Tam Taylors. I’ve always tried to be an open book. And this was the perfect opportunity to share that book with others who might be suffering some of the same demons.
Pro Media Mag : How has your experience been working on the show ?
Tam Taylor : At first it was very overwhelming. I mean, just imagine having cameras mounted in your home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with a crew camped out in your pool house, watching your every move, in every room, including the bathroom! I don’t think I peed for the first three days. Haha.
The hardest part was definitely the internal struggle that came during those first few days. Almost immediately after we started rolling, I became my biggest critic. I was suddenly watching myself from the point of view of the cameras perched high in the corners of my home. And I wasn’t happy. I was hiding years of depression under layers of spanx and mounds of mascara, while repeatedly pushing the little girl inside of me that just wanted to be strong and independent further and further into the background. Did I really want to magnify my unhappiness in front of millions of Americans? From that moment on I decided to be my strongest self. And that was life changing.
By the end of the first week, I honestly forgot the cameras were there. The people involved with the show really made me feel at ease. Shed Media, the production company behind the show and everyone at TLC, were just so wonderfully patient and supportive. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
Pro Media Mag : You are a business owner with two ice cream shops in Florida. Tell us more about that?
Tam Taylor : I own and operate two stores on the beach, where we specialize in mouth watering homemade ice cream!! Being that we are located in the heart of a vacation spot, spring and summer are always crazy busy. In season, I have over 25 employees. When people picture ice cream shops, they always think about how cute and fun they are and how relaxing running one must be,
but in reality, it’s actually the exact opposite. It’s hectic and fast paced.. I mean, listen, it’s Florida, y’all. People take their ice cream very seriously.
Pro Media Mag : How does it feels to be a successful businesswoman?
Tam Taylor : This Pro Media Mag is tricky. Even in today’s day and age, where women hold more power than ever, I still find myself continually being pushed down and shoved into a perfect little stereotypical box. At the end of the day, people like to look at me as a buxom blonde and nothing else. Everyday is another day I have to prove to people why I am not another carbon cutout of what they think I should be. And that usually means working twice as hard, twice as long, only to get half the respect a man gets. But you know what, at the end of the day, I am proud of myself. I have been in business 11 years. I have made some good decisions and some bad decisions, but when I lay down at night I’m a proud what I have accomplished and more importantly, what I will accomplish.
Pro Media Mag : What are some goals you’d like to achieve next with this new platform? Are there still things you’d like to say?
Tam Taylor : I would like to empower women and let them know it is ok to love yourself and treat yourself well. I want people to know you can look like an overstuffed barbie and gain acceptance. Did you know that women are more unhappy now then they were in the 1970s? I mean, that’s just insane to me. We live in a day and age where you’re basically a leper if you are not actively pursuing perfection at every level. A mantra that has left women feeling as if they have a lack of purpose because they aren’t consistently trying to physically perfect themselves. At what point in history did we start shaming ourselves for enjoying life? Depression and low-self esteem are at record levels. The problem is that society has taught us that the way we look is more important than the way we feel. Well, guess what, society? F*#% You! I want to tell people that Today is a new day. A day to choose inner love over outer love. A day to pursue happiness from the inside out, and not from the outside in. You know what’s better than looking healthy? Feeling healthy. And today, that’s how I choose to live. I also hope to shed light on adult bullying and teach others how to stand up for themselves. As you can tell, I have so much more to say. stay tuned!
Pro Media Mag : Anything else you would like to share with our readers that’s coming up next?
Tam Taylor : At this point I cant say anything about future projects.. but I will say this; Tam Taylor’s door is far from closing, so buckle up and get ready.
Pro Media Mag : Would you like to take part in similar shows?
Tam Taylor : I would absolutely love to take part in similar shows. I am an open book and if I can help one person feel good about themselves or make someone laugh and forget about the state of the world by watching me be a hot mess on TV, then it’s all worth it.