C.J.: Modeling is new plan for Jimmy Jam's girl

Jimmy Jam's little girl, Bella Harris, has signed a contract with a major modeling agency.

LA Models is the agency, her mom and music producer Jimmy Jam's wife, Lisa Harris, confirmed Wednesday from Los Angeles. "They will also represent her at LA Talent. She signed at 13 years, 5 feet 10 inches tall. They put her directly in their women's division, not their teen division. They like her story: her dad a producer and [former chairman of the] Grammys, plus her uncle [Kevin Garnett] is in the NBA. I have been reading articles about kids of celebs in modeling who are forging their own way. She is in development now and very excited."

"In development" means being taught how to walk?

"Yeah. They are molding her, getting her portfolio together, runway training and commercial workshops," said Lisa. "Bella and me are looking at this as more like a business for her, so we can travel and get her a Plan B for school. Colleges want more than a straight-A student now. Now, when you go to college you need to have invented something to get in. This is one of those things where I hope she can really succeed.

"Even if she turns into Tyra Banks, she's still going to college."

What might Bella study in college?

"She's in eighth grade!" said her mom. "We finally figured out what Tyler [their 6-5 eldest child, 17] is going to do. With his college counselor we all agree that sports medicine would be fascinating for him. He wants to be a basketball player, D-1."

Lisa is certain that I'm not going to see Bella in the gossip mags hanging with Kylie and Kendall Jenner.

"No, no, no. I don't think she's that girl. She's 13! She stays at home. … Bella is eager, ambitious to come up with something in her own name, a clothing line, something, aside from education which she has to do. We are in high school/college mode around here with very tall people," she laughed.

My boy Max is not quite as tall as his twin Bella, but he's very much interested in his sister's business.

"We would come home, and Max would say How'd she do? … Then one day I was looking over her contract, and Max comes in and says, Mom, I think I need to take a look at that. I took a picture of him with his hand on his lip, looking over the whole thing. Her brothers are so proud."

Bella's dad, a five-time Grammy winner, is equally proud.

Jimmy Jam said his daughter, who's also a good athlete, has been thoroughly exposed to the entertainment industry, especially "singing-wise. A few years back she sang with Andrea Bocelli, who was in the studio with David Foster. But she wasn't really passionate. I remember Lisa said, Would she like to go do some singing with you? I said, 'If she wants to come, she's got to ask me.' She never really did. Matter of fact, the only time she was passionate about going to the studio was when we had Justin Bieber there."

But Bella's been passionate about all aspects of modeling. "She did a lot of research into the modeling thing," he said. "The fact that she has been rewarded with this modeling contract is the result of her desire, her passion and her hard work. That is what makes me proud."

Dr. Ben Carson's May 6 keynote before the Minnesota Family Council looked like an opportunity to interview the renowned neurosurgeon who some think should run for president.

After weeks of not getting anybody from the MFC to acknowledge my voice mails, I finally got someone on the horn who informed me that Carson is scheduled to speak only to "Christian media" while here.

I'm a Presbyterian.

That apparently won't help me get around this brand of media discrimination.

Carson, who was played by Cuba Gooding Jr. in a movie, won't be able to duck the secular media if he runs for president.

C.J. can be reached at cj@startribune.com and seen on Fox 9's "Buzz." E-mailers, please state a subject. Attachments are not opened.