Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from March, 2012

Venus Raj recounts brush with Miss Universe 2010 contestants

MANILA, Philippines – Behind the all-smiles facade on stage during the international pageant, Miss Universe 2010 fourth runner-up Venus Raj (photo, right)   said there were goings-on backstage that she now recounts to be less than pleasant experiences.  The always “thankful,” ever-smiling Philippine pride shared on “Showbiz Inside Report” Saturday that she didn’t get along with all her fellow candidates during her time in Miss Universe. “Merong isa, ito si Miss Peru ( Giuliana Zevallos ). Kasi nakilala ko si Miss Peru 2008 pa dito sa Pilipinas noong nagtatrabaho ako sa Carousel Productions bilang chaperone. Na-handle ko ito si Miss Peru,” she said. [Translation: "There was one, Miss Peru 2008 Giuliana Zevallos whom I met in the Philippines when I was working for Carousel Productions as a chaperone. I was assigned as Miss Peru's chaperone."] Zevallos had previously joined the international Miss Earth pageant in 2008, which was held in the Philippines. “And then nung

Lupita Jones admits to having a nose job

THEN (1991) AND NOW (2012) Miss Universe 1991 Lupita Jones  said that even though people love to say that she is hooked on cosmetic surgery, she says that it's not true. Though she admitted to using botox to rejuvenate her skin and plastic surgery to embellish her nose. T he director of Nuestra Belleza Mexico pageant said that this procedure is a great option for taking care of one's looks without resorting to extreme treatments under the knife, as it allows the face to look good without altering the facial features.  On the other hand, said that she's single and working hard, though she denies getting married. SOURCE: Radio Fórmula, Mexico, 3/29/2012 Will the real Lupita please wave! Lupita poses next to her wax version at  the House of Wax Museum in Mexico City.

Miss Austria 2012 crowned

Amina Dagi (photo, center) , 17, of Vorarlberg was crowned as Miss Austria 2012 on March 30th at Casino Baden. She will compete in Miss World 2012 to be held in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China on August 18th. The first runner-up is  Stefanie Steinmayr from Oberösterreich (left) and the second runner-up is  Marisa Gerhardter of Salzburg (right). Dagi was born in Dagestan, a federal republic of Russia located in the Northern Caucasus.  Eighteen young women competed in this year's pageant. Austria has won Miss World twice in the past: Eva Rueber-Staeir (1969) and Ulla Weigerstorfer (1987).  Could Amina bring Austria its third crown? SOURCE: Vienna.at, 3/31/2012

Fashion for Relief: Fiji Flood Appeal from Andhy Blake, National Director of Miss World Fiji

I wish I could greet you in a warm sunny way but I am sure you would have heard about the devastating weather hitting Fiji this very moment. Our main centers have been affected by rain and flash floods and many people have lost clothing, food and homes - it is heart breaking seeing all of this as this is the second time in 2 months for Fiji to experience the wrath of mother nature. I am temporarily based here to fulfill my Miss World contract and after viewing the natural disaster and seeing the people suffer, I am hoping to fulfill the motto of Miss World's   Beauty with a Purpose . Together with my 15 semi finalists for Miss World Fiji, we are reaching out to the international community to help our people that are currently suffering from this drastic weather change. I humbly request your generous support in each of the following areas: 1. Clothing - any sort to help those that have lost almost everything 2. Food items (canned) 3. Blankets 4. Shoes 5. Sundries 6. Toys 7. B

2012 Indian queens for Miss Earth, Miss World and Miss International

The winners of the Pantaloons Femina Miss India (PFMI) 2012 pageant were declared at a star-studded event at Bhavans Ground, Andheri on Friday evening. In above photo, from left to right:  Prachi Mishra  (Pantaloons Femina Miss India Earth 2012),    Vanya Mishra  (Pantaloons Femina Miss India World 2012),   and  Rochelle Maria Rao  (Pantaloons Femina Miss India International 2012).   Chandigarh girl, Vanya Mishra who got a direct entry in the final 20 after winning Dabur Gulabari Miss Rose Glow 2011 contest is finally PFMI'12 Miss World. In answer to the final question, 'If you have an option, will you create thousand jobs or feed thousand children daily?' Vanya said, "Little children are innocent and anybody's heart will melt. I will also try to give them education so that they can feed themselves and their family too." The  PFMI 2012  winners were crowned by Pantaloons Femina Miss India World 2011 Kanistha Dhankhar , Pantaloons Femina Miss India Ea

For Brazil, beauty is serious business... for rich... and poor people

Brazilians get richer, so do their tastes. “From a cultural standpoint, women in Brazil really take their looks seriously,” says Nik Modi, analyst at UBS. “Then you think about the Olympics, the income story, wage inflation and people getting more wealthy. It all bodes well.” Brazilian consumers spend an average of $240 a year on beauty products, matching the consumption of more mature markets such as the U.S. and U.K., according to Hana Ben-Shabat , a partner at A.T. Kearney, a consulting firm that advises retailers on overseas expansion. Over the next five years, Brazil's consumption of personal care and beauty products will outpace that of developed markets including the U.S., says Ben-Shabat, who co-authored a report that ranked Brazil as the most attractive market for retail expansion. With a growth rate of 7 percent to 8 percent a year, Brazilian sales are growing four times faster than the U.S. with its 2 percent annual growth rate, she says.The consumer is very op

Former Mister USA Ivan Rusilko is now an erotic romance author

DALLAS, TX, March 28, 2012 --Omnific Publishing announces they have signed authors  Dr. Ivan Rusilko  (photo above) and  Everly Drummond  for the first title in a planned three book erotic romance series. The story is set in Miami and is loosely based on Dr. Ivan's past romantic triumphs and tragedies.  The Winemaker's Dinner  marks the first collaboration and book deal for the writing team. Women everywhere will be dying to get their hands on one of the few erotic romances featuring a male voice in this predominantly female-authored genre. Dr. Ivan's smoldering good looks, chiseled physique, impressive professional accomplishments, and passion for life, bring the romantic hero off the page, embodying a true blue, flesh and bone fantasy for erotica fans. Even writing partner, Everly Drummond says of the Good Doctor, "Ivan is going to be the obsession of women worldwide."  Synopsis:  The Winemakers Dinner  is a story about small town girl who is uprooted from

Miss Myanmar 2012 crowned

Myanmar Tourism Board(MTB) held a Miss Myanmar 2012 Pageant at Yangon on March 25, 2012 at Yangon Myanmar. Miss Myanmar International crown was won by Nan Khin Zeyar of Yangon (photo above) .  The 1st runner-up was Swan Yay Tun   and the 2nd runner-up was Aye Chan Moe . Miss Myanmar International also received a cash prize of 3,000,000 kyats plus a Yangon-Seoul-Yangon return airticket presented by Vietnam Airlines and a pearl and diamond pendant presented by Revital. The 1st runner-up was presented with a 1,500,000 kyats cash prize plus Yangon-Ho Chi Min City-Yangon return airticket by Vietnam Airlines and 2nd runner-up was presented with a cash prize of 1,000,000 Kyats plus Yangon-Singapore-Yangon return airtickets by Myanmar Airways International(MAI). In addition to the above prizes 11 contestants from the 11 Myanmar Hoteliers’ Association 11 zones were selected as representatives of the zones and were presented with a cash prize of 300,000 kyats plus gift vouchers each from va

Mr. Model Universe Ghana to whip up male pageants in Ghana

Organisers of the maiden edition of the Mr Model Universe Ghana 2012 pageant say male pageants are here to stay as they hope to compete with the female dominated events in Ghana. According to them, males also have the same potential as their female counterparts, and can equally use their physic and intelligence to change society. The pageant, the brain child of Zogar Events and Utain Entertainment with the support of Walk Model Management, targets males between the ages of 18 and 29 years with the sole aim of unlocking their potentials to represent Ghana at the international level. Gerald Howard , a member of the organizers explained in an interview with Myjoyonline.com that the pageant will enable "Ghanaian men to actually showcase their culture out there.” “International male pageant called Mr. Earth," he said for instance, "has been going on for a long time so I think it is high time to actually bring it down to Ghana to let people know how well Ghanaian men can actua

Dayana Mendoza on Transgender Beauty

Dayana Mendoza is asked about her opinion on Jenna Taclova , the 23-year-old model who had been disqualified from competing in Miss Universe Canada 2012 because she was not a natural-born female. Naturally, Dayana gives a rather neutral response because she does not want to alienate her boss Donald Trump (who owns Miss Universe) or her relationship with the GLBT (Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgendered) community. Bravo, Dayana! 

Discovery Familia's "Princesitas" Explores the Fascinating World of Children's Beauty Pageants

MIAMI, March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On any given weekend, on stages across the country, little girls and boys compete in pageants and are judged on their beauty, personality and costumes.   Princesitas , a new series on Discovery Familia, takes viewers deep into the high stakes world of children beauty pageants, showcasing the intense preparation that is required and exploring the motivations of many of those involved.  The series premieres on April 5th and will air every Thursday at 9 PM E/P. Princesitas  closely follows the daily lives of different families vying for the same objective, the coveted crown.  Through these families, the series showcases the rigorous aspects of pageant life, including some of the intense preparation that is required. From hair and nail appointments, to finishing touches on gowns and suits, to numerous coaching sessions or rehearsals, each child preps exhaustively for each performance. Each week, the audience will see the drama increase and unfold as p

Binibining Pilipinas 2012 Parade of Beauties

 Watch videoclips from the Binibining Pilipinas 2012 Parade of Beauties held on March 25th  at the Araneta Center. Thanks to CB's David Natanawan for posting the video to YouTube. See more videos from previous events See pics from the event

Transgender group slams Miss Universe Canada for expelling tranny contestant

TORONTO - A prominent transgender advocacy group has slammed the Miss Universe Canada pageant for its decision to expel a competitor after discovering she was born a male. In a terse statement posted on its site Friday, Miss Universe Canada said, " Jenna Talackova (photo) from Vancouver, British Columbia, will not compete in the 2012 Miss Universe Canada competition because she did not meet the requirements to compete despite having stated otherwise on her entry form. We do, however, respect her goals, determination and wish her the best." Talackova's photograph has since been removed from Miss Universe Canada's site. The organization did not respond to QMI Agency's request for a phone and email interview. In an interview with QMI Agency. Mara Keisling , the executive director of the Washington D.C.-based National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), questioned the pageant organizer's motives. A transgender-identified woman and a parent, Keisling is consi

L'Oreal Paris honors ex-Miss World and actress Aishwarya Rai

Aishwarya Rai poses with her mother Brindya Rai at the L'Oreal Paris Femina Women Awards 2012 at Hotel ITC Grand Central in Parel, Mumbai on Thursday, March 22. Photo Credit: Imagesmith   March 23, 2012, ( Sawf News ) - Aishwarya Rai looked excruciatingly beautiful in an Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Georgette Sherwani at the L'Oreal Paris Femina Women Awards 2012 in Mumbai Thursday, March 22.  So beautiful that anyone seeing her standing all by herself could be mistaken into believing he / she was in heaven seeing an angel! So it was just as well Aishwarya's mother Brinda, the gene bank that Aishwarya cashed in on, was by her side at the event, perhaps to reiterate that Aishwarya is one from amidst us, even if she is the only one bestowed with so much beauty!      Motherhood adds to a woman's beauty and that works even when you are already the most beautiful woman that anyone can imagine. You just have to re-imagine! Such is the law of the land!  The 38-year-old new mommy

Brazil's Poor Get Free Beauty Treatment

Kudos to the Brazilians for equal opportunity embellishment! How I wish such opportunity  existed in the United States!  RIO DE JANEIRO — A machine purrs as it delivers electrical pulses deep into the saggy skin on Barbara Penha's jawline, a high-tech treatment used first to tighten her jowls and then to sculpt her tummy. The technique is all the rage at the chic dermatology clinics that cater to legions of wealthy women here who invest serious time and big bucks into looking their bikini best. But Penha isn't a socialite, nor did she fork out the $450 that a single radio-frequency session typically runs in Rio de Janeiro. The struggling housewife got the treatment free of charge at a clinic that provides the poor access to the kinds of pricey cosmetic treatments that have become almost de rigueur among Brazil's moneyed elite. Free Botox and laser hair removal, free chemical peels and anti-cellulite treatments may at first seem shockingly frivolous in a country like Brazi

Miss Thailand World 2012

The new Miss Thailand World is  Vanessa Muangkod  (center), 20, who was crowned March 24th at the Central World Hotel in Bangkok. She will compete in Miss World 2012 contest, in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China to be held in August. Her court includes 1st runner-up  Boonyisa Chantrarachai  and 2nd runner-up  Chawanluck Unger Moksiri.   Vanessa Muangkod   

Is Leila Lopes dating Russell Simmons?

Last night,  Russell Simmons  (photo, right)  was tweeting about his newest "friend,"  Leila Lopes ( (photo, left)   , who is Miss Angola 2011. In addition, last year she made history by becoming the second Black African woman and the fourth Black woman to win the legendary Miss Universe title.    According to Simmons's Twitter feed last night, he was, "Hanging w/ @missuniverse. In the back of the maybach” and then “chillin’” with her at the Waverly Restaurant, a trendy eatery in downtown Manhattan. Always the gentleman, Simmons made sure Lopes arrived home safely and tweeted, "Home safe. First black @missuniverse. We need more voices from Africa very very pretty?"  Before getting Miss Universe home safely, an inside source tells BET.com that Simmons was spotted at a second restaurant with the 26-year-old beauty. Lopes and Simmons were reportedly "gazing into each others' eyes, getting chummy." Russ was "holding her hand" as they

Costa Rican queens for 2012

New Costa Rican queens were selected on March 22nd in the city of Heredia.  Natasha Sibaja (left) is Miss International Costa Rica 2012 and will compete in Miss International 2012 to be held in China.  Silvana Sánchez Jiménez (center) is Miss World Costa Rica 2012 and will compete in Miss World 2012 in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China in August.  Fabiana Granados (right) is Miss Earth Costa Rica 2012 and will compete in Miss Earth 2012. A fourth winner,  Yorleny Villalobos , will represent Costa Rica in Miss Tourism Queen International 2013. Photo by Chino Soto.

Transgendered candidate disqualified from competing in Miss Universe Canada 2012

A woman who was set to represent B.C. in the Miss Universe Canada competition has reportedly had her photos and profile scrubbed from the pageant's website – shortly after news surfaced that she is transgendered. Vancouver resident Jenna Talackova (photo above) made blog headlines last Tuesday when it was discovered the 6-1 tall blond, who was named among 65 Miss Universe Canada finalists, had undergone sexual reassignment surgery. Her inclusion was applauded by many online but drew scorn from some who argued beauty pageants should be for "naturally born" women only -- language widely considered to be prejudiced and derogatory in the transgendered community. Within days, the 23-year-old had vanished from the pageant site, according to numerous online reports. Miss Universe Canada, owned by Donald Trump , has yet to issue a statement about Talackova or respond to requests for comment. Talackova told ctvbc.ca Friday that she won't be speaking out about her situat

Comedienne Lisa Lampanelli calls Dayana Mendoza "retarded" and other names

     I don't know if you guys have been watching "The Celebrity Apprentice 2012" like I have. This season's celebrities include comedienne Lisa Lampanelli and Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza . On her Sirius XM Howard 101 radio program, Lampanelli added a new segment called "Boardroom Empire" where she talks dirt about "The Celebrity Apprentice." A caller suggested that Lampanelli must be jealous of Dayana's beauty, to which the comedienne reacted with utter disdain. Lampanelli then insulted Dayana by calling her all kinds of names under the sun, including "spic" which is an ethnic slur in the U.S. for a person of Hispanic background: "S he's a spic, she's gonna f---kin' do it anyway. She'll be knocked up before the end of the week!"  Listen to the entire segment and let me know what you think: In an interview that appeared on Pioneer Press , Lampanelli states that the show focuses more on intellect than

Broadway Beauty Pageant 2012

This year's Broadway Beauty Pageant took place on March 19th, at Symphony Space. The popular event is the annual benefit of New York's Ali Forney Center.   Celebrity judges for the sixth annual The Broadway Beauty Pageant included  Jackie Hoffman  (The Addams Family), pop culture columnist  Michael Musto , and  Tonya Pinkins  (Caroline, or Change). In the above photo were the participants, from left to right:   Wilkie Ferguson III  (Porgy and Bess),  Andrew Chappelle  (Mamma Mia!),  Corey Mach   (Godspell),   Anthony Wayne   (Priscilla Queen of the Desert) and  Jesse Swimm   (Mary Poppins).  Four-time Tony nominated and Drama Desk Award-winning actress   Tovah Feldshuh   hosted. The Broadway Beauty Pageant contestants represented their respective Broadway shows, competing for the title crown through talent, interview, and swimsuit competitions.  Andrew Chappelle was declared the 2012 winner. The Broadway Beauty Pageant was written and conceived by Jeffery Self and direc