Does A 2003 Video Change Your Opinion Of The ‘Too Hot For Citibank’ Story?

By , June 9, 2010 8:43 pm

The “too hot for Citibank” story took an interesting turn on Wednesday.

In case you haven’t heard, Debrahlee Lorenzana is suing her former employer, Citibank. She claims she was fired after her bosses said her beauty was too distracting. On Wednesday, a 2003 video surfaced showing Lorenzana getting her second breast implant procedure. In the video, she said she wants to “look like a Playboy Playmate” and be “tits on a stick.”

That’s a slightly different impression from the interviews and articles we’ve seen of her over the last week. Her story has been that she’s a single working mom whose bosses at Citibank said her beauty was so distracting to her bosses that they fired her. Whatever she wore, the beauty that blessed her  (or cursed her?) was too sexy for Citi.

Photo by Carrie Schechter

Here’s what she said on Monday’s “Today” show:

What I’m trying to make is the point that enough is enough. I’ve been through my whole entire life going through this type of harassments [sic]. And I have done the other.. gone the other way where you stayed quiet. You just leave, get a better job and it just.. it continues to happen. And it’s the point that you say, ‘I don’t want to go through this anymore.’

After hearing that, it’s hard not to feel a little sorry for her. Which makes it sound like such a great story. She’s a beautiful working mom who was pushed around by the big bank. Then there are the issues of workplace dress codes, what’s too sexy and what isn’t, and tons of reasons to show more photos of Lorenzana and have commentators say how beautiful she is.

The new video, however, shows that some of her beauty wasn’t a blessing. It was a purchase.

I was skeptical about Lorenzana’s motives from the beginning. There was the cover story in the Village Voice along with the extensive and professional-looking photo gallery. There were the “Today” show and “Early Show” appearances. And then all the appearances New York’s local TV media. It was like she was going on a press tour.

But this video and her appearances don’t mean she’s not telling the truth. Her breast implants and desire to be desirable don’t mean Citibank did fire her for her looks. Maybe she and her lawyer see this lawsuit as a way to seek justice and are using her looks and the media to make some money in the future. Perhaps she could be a Playboy Playmate. Maybe she could host a reality show about working moms, personal finance, or people standing up to big corporations.

What do you think?

Does the new video change your opinion about Lorenzana’s claim that she was fired for being too sexy? Does it matter that she claims she was fired for being too sexy when she had plastic surgery to look like a Playboy Playmate and be “tits on a stick”?

What do you think about her making herself available for so much media over the past week? Would you watch a show with her in it?

Leave your comments below.


Watch Debrahlee’s Breast Enhancement Surgery – Long Island Plastic Surgical Group in People & Blogs |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

4 Responses to “Does A 2003 Video Change Your Opinion Of The ‘Too Hot For Citibank’ Story?”

  1. Beth says:

    Who will ever know if she’s telling the truth or not. It’s been so warped by her, her lawyers, Citibank, and the media that we may never know.

    My issue is that she’s handling it unprofessionally *now.* Every interview she goes on (i.e. on MSNBC the other day, she said “I wore to work what I’m wearing today [a knee-length dress] except at work I wore a jacket”. So… why aren’t you wearing a jacket for your interviews? I know for a fact that the studio you’re sitting in isn’t too warm for it.)

    If she were serious, she’d stop taking sexy photos, stop risking her current job by speaking to the media about her old job, and yea, drop the frivolous lawsuit. She has another job, she’s an attractive woman, she’s media-savvy – many MANY people have NONE of these attributes in this economy, so she needs to move on with her otherwise successful life, as does the media.

    Leads me to one conclusion: At this point, she’s simply angling to garnish more publicity for herself, loves seeing herself made up and on TV/in magazines, and has trampled over any sort of real case she may have once had (if she ever really had one) in order to see her mug on TV more often.

    My question: Would someone claiming to be fired for being unattractive get this much media attention? I doubt it…

    My prediction: You’ll see her as a Playboy centerfold shortly.

  2. Mike Ottone says:

    HA! Ok, first of all, she says “sex on a stick” — which is, well, stereotypical of the mid-20′s single life. Both women and men, expecially in NYC, hit the scene for physical relationships. She is a single mom already, looks like she was around 21-22 when her son was born. So, she has not grownup yet. This is unfortunate for him. I think she is working the publicity and she will end up in a magazine. Her apparent goal.
    But, suing Citibank? I am sure they have all the support needed to fire her, because they would not risk opening themselves up for a lawsuit. Major corporations are prepared for this stuff all the time. My two cents.

  3. Lori Napoli says:

    The thing that has struck me the entire time with this story is that it runs counter to everything we have heard and been told for so many years–aren’t life and professional careers supposedly MORE successful and easier for the beautiful?

  4. Beth – I doubt it, too. And I’m sure her Playboy (or Maxim, etc.) photo spread will hit news stands and web browsers by the end of the year.

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