Vivica Fox maintains her spot as one of the top cougars in Hollywood

Vivica Fox is not only the host of TV Land's new hit reality dating series, "The Cougar," she's a 44-year-old single woman with a hot career, hotter bod, and a penchant for younger men. That's right, she's a cougar herself! We caught up with Vivica and got the scoop on her show, her stint on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," her famous friends and how she stays looking fab.

Shine: Why is America so fascinated with cougars?

Vivica: [Laughs] I’m just glad that there is finally a fascination with cougars, you know, that everyone doesn’t think that when we turn 40 that we stop being interested in dating and getting our groove on. I think that so many baby boomers are turning 40 and that maybe they were previously married, or had children and now their children are grown up and they have their own money, they’re independent and they’re single and now they want to mingle too! They’re looking better than ever, they’re taking great care of themselves.

Shine: How would you define a cougar?

Vivica: For me a cougar is a 40-year-old, successful, sophisticated, single woman who’s ready to date again.

Shine: Do you think that the term is unfair? The closest male equivalent is a silver fox or a sugar daddy. Why does it sound like a woman has to hunt and trap?

Vivica: [Laughs] I think there used to be a negative stereotype attached to it, but it’s changing.

Shine: So, would you classify yourself as a cougar?

Vivica: Oh yes, I am a proud member of the cougar club.

Shine: Why do you think the dynamic between an older woman and younger man works so well?

Vivica: For me, I think if a woman is young-spirited, likes to go out, and she’s adventurous, then her spirit probably matches up a little bit better. Now, there’s a difference between a cougar and a sugar mama. I think some guys are like, “yeah, I want a cougar,” because they’re looking for somebody to pay their bills. Cougars don’t do that. Cougars don’t do sponsorships. There’s always, like, a code amongst cougars, like don’t start paying the bills, because then you turn into a sugar mama. That’s not a good dynamic for any relationship. But if you can find a younger guy with his own career, his own direction in life—you guys will probably have a fun relationship together. Age doesn’t always match up; it totally depends where you’re at.

Shine: What do you think of the guys on the show so far? There are all these frat boy antics going on, are any of them really worthy?

Vivica: [Laughs] You are funny. Yes, I do. When it comes down to the final five or six, I was really emotionally attached to a lot of the guys. When they left I shed a tear, I would give them a hug goodbye.

Shine: Who do you think are the hottest cougars in Hollywood?

Vivica: Demi Moore, Halle Berry, Mariah Carey, Vivica Fox and Jennifer Lopez.

Shine: One of my favorite roles of yours was in "Kill Bill." I couldn’t believe what great shape all you ladies were in. What do you do to keep yourself looking really hot?

Vivica: I work out with a trainer, her name is Vasheerah Ahmad, she comes to my house and we work out three to five times a week, five if I’ve really gotta be in shape for something. We do a lot of cardio, light weights, boxing and we work a jump rope.  I’ve gotta pay somebody to work me out. I’m lucky, I have a gym in my house, but I would walk past it every day if I didn’t have her coming to get my butt up out of the bed. And dieting is really important too.

Shine: If you find out you have a really important event to go to, what do you do? Do you diet? Do you have go-to designers you wear or makeup artists who style you?

Vivica: I pump up the cardio and eliminate all carbs and sugar. As for fashion, I love Mandalay dresses, because they make beautifully designed dresses for women and they’re pretty and they’re affordable. You’re not spending $3000 on a dress you’re gonna wear one time, you know? My makeup artist is ReaAnn Silva and my hair guy is Dr. Boogie. That’s my little A-squad that comes. I always tell them exactly how I wanna look. I read all the beauty magazines, I keep up on what the colors are, I try to stay current and update my look.

Shine: You just wrapped filming the seventh season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” with Larry David. How did you end up working with him?

Vivica: I got the part on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” the week after I got booted off “Dancing with the Stars.” I originally didn’t even want to go up for it, I was on my way out of town, heading on vacation and they said he wanted to find an attractive girl that can be funny and you should just go in and read. I walked in and I called him “L.D.” and because I called him L.D.—which now, everyone love it, I have people walk up, “I just love it when you call him L.D.”—he walked in and I was like, “What’s up L.D.?” and he was like, “That’s it! That’s her!” SO that’s how I got it. And I love working with him, because I’m so used to working with scripts and trying to make words funny that sometimes aren’t. This is raw, it’s real, it’s gritty, I’m not censored, so it was a blast. They were like, “yeah, go for it! Give it to me! Make it real!”

Shine: Last season was hilarious with the addition of the Blacks.

Vivica: Well you know what, the Blacks are back. How about that!

Shine: Was that montage at the end of the last season real? Did that all actually happen?

Vivica: It wasn’t a dream sequence. Me and Larry are together! No more cougar, now my husband is an older Jewish gentleman, it’s kinda fun. Variety is the spice of life.

Shine: Is there really no script written out? Is it all improv?

Vivica: When you come to work you get a little synopsis. But that’s all. There is no script. Though I prefer having a script and shaping it. Sometimes you’ll do something that you think was funny, and Larry will be like, that wasn’t funny. And you’re like, “oops! Sorry!” Sometimes it can be tough. There are a lot of laughs on set though. Especially when I’m working with J.B. Smoove, who plays my brother. We have to cut and we’ll bust out laughing. Sometimes you’re trying to hold it in and not bust out laughing. It’s so much fun, and sadly I think this might be Larry’s final hurrah.

Shine: Who have been some of your favorite people you’ve worked with in the past?

Vivica: Let me think. Will Smith.

Shine: Besides working with him in “Independence Day,” I remember you were on “Fresh Prince” when you first started out!

Vivica: Whoa, I sure was! OK, um, Queen Latifah, Jamie Foxx and my other one would be Quentin Tarantino. I love when he goes, “And the thing is…” I’m always like, “What is the thing? C’mon, c’mon.” He’s great, very demanding though. If you work with him, you better be on your game, baby.

Shine: I noticed you have some really great songs on your website- are you a big music fan? Who are some of your favorites?

Vivica: Oh my god, I love music, music sometimes is just the key to life, I love working out to it, winding down to it. My favorite current artists are Melanie Fiona, that song [sings] “Okay, Okay… give it to me right.” Oh, that song is a hot one. Of course there’s Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Flo Rida, Lil Wayne, Kanye West.

Shine: You’ve been an actress, a model, a producer, a reality host… is there any other area you want to hit up? Do you want your own fashion line? Do you want to direct?

Vivica: I’d love to have a fashion line and I’d love to direct. You know Vivica! You see the direction I’m going in…

Shine: Would you ever want your own fragrance?

Vivica: Mmm, I think that market is crowded enough. I’ll keep mine to myself. I can tell you my favorite scent is French Lime Blossom by Jo Malone. Jamie Foxx always sees me and he says, “You always smell so good!”

Shine: Is there any type of part or character you haven’t played yet that you’re dying to?

Vivica: I’d love to get back into action movies. Pam Grier is my idol, I’d love, love, love to work with her to remake Foxy Brown. The ultimate cougar, OK?!