Bethpage, TN is the kind of small town with more cows than people, Cory likes to joke, but it's a place he clearly loves. He's a Gemini, so you suspect there's probably a more wicked twin hiding somewhere in the background, but Cory's an extremely genuine, funny, affable guy with an easy masculinity and an entrancing southern drawl.

When did you first think about modeling?

"One day my girlfriend and I were out driving and we heard an ad on the radio for ProScout, this model search. She really wanted me to try out for it, so that weekend we went over to the Nashville Marriott with about 400 others to sign up.

What happened when you got there?

First they had us all fill out this card, then someone looked me up and down and told me I had potential and said I should stay behind with about 60 others. So my girlfriend was really happy, and I'm like 'Wow, maybe I can do this'. So then they told us all about Proscout, showed us a video of other models who've been successful through their system and told us it would cost $400 if we wanted to go on to the next level at a convention with all of the modeling agencies.

What made you decide to go?

I already knew there was money involved, everybody knows modeling equals money. But when I heard that you get to take these great trips and people actually pay you for it, I was sold. I'd never been on a plane in my life, I'd never even been out of Tennessee except to Kentucky which is only fifteen minutes away from Bethpage. So I filled out all the forms, sent in my money and then waited for a very long six months until the convention. I kept questioning myself whether I had what it takes, I worked out a lot, I went to tanning salons, worried and just tried to concentrate on work.

What happened when you got there?

First you walk into this big convention hall filled with about 1600 other people. The first day is a long seminar where the modeling agencies let you what they're looking for. They tell you about Milan, how the markets work, the things they think you need to know.