Critical Beauty

  Camila Recabarren, 21, was crowned Miss Chile 2012 on June 26 during the final of a reality-show produced by Channel 13 “No Basta con ser Bella” ("Being Beautiful Is Not Enough"). The winner was chosen through SMS sent by the TV audience. Recabarren won the title with 53.5% of the votes, beating Jill Bergenfreid with 39.9% of the votes.Recabarren will now represent Chile in Miss World 2012 to be held in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China on August 18th.   Love knows no age: Camila and her 57-year-old boyfriend Alberto.

  Charlotte Holmes , Miss Devon, has been crowned Miss England 2012 on June 26. Holmes – a former contestant on Britain’s Next Top Model – faced stiff competition in the shape of runners up Anastasia Smith (Miss North Yorkshire) and Tamzin Cummings (Sunderland People’s Choice), but eventually came out on top. (Shropshirestar.com) Charlotte Holmes (center) with runners up Tamzin Cummings (left) and Anastasia Smith (right)

Model  Wen Xia Yu was crowned Miss World China 2012 Saturday. She will compete in Miss World 2012 which will take place in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China, on August 18.  

Hava Hershkovitz (R), 79, was crowned "Miss Holocaust Survivor" at a pageant held in Israel on Thursday.      HAIFA, Israel (AP) — Grinning and waving, 14 women who survived the horrors of World War II paraded Thursday in an unusual pageant, vying for the honor of being crowned Israel's first "Miss Holocaust Survivor." Billed by organizers as a celebration of life, the event also stirred controversy. In a country where millions have been touched by the Holocaust, many argued that judging aging women who had suffered so much on physical appearance was inappropriate, and even offensive. "It sounds totally macabre to me," said Colette Avital , chairwoman of Israel's leading Holocaust survivors' umbrella group. "I am in favor of enriching lives, but a one-time pageant masquerading (survivors) with beautiful clothes is not what is going to make their lives more meaningful." Pageant organizer Shimon Sabag rejected the criti

When most people imagine a beauty pageant, they conjure up images of tanned young women in bikinis and high heels. Not so the organizers of Thursday’s Yad Ezer L’Haver beauty pageant, which seeks to crown the most beautiful Holocaust survivor in Israel. The Israeli charitable association, which on Monday publicized its unprecedented pageant for survivors, usually focuses on providing food and other services to needy Israelis. (Its name translates as “A Helping Hand to a Friend.”) Some 65 women entered an earlier phase of the contest, and Thursday’s event will feature the 14 finalists vying for the titles of Pageant Winner, Miss Congeniality, and Audience Favorite. The contestants, all Holocaust survivors aged between 78 and 92, will strut down the catwalk. After the contest, billed as part of an evening in honor of survivors, was announced, Time Out’s editor Dana-Tut Bar uploaded the invitation to Facebook, where commenters made jokes, many in poor taste, about the subj

Deanna Robins, 21was crowned Miss Jamaica World 2012 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on June 23. She will represent Jamaica in Miss World 2012 in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China on August 18. Trishauna Clarke was the first runner-up and Rashida Beckford was the second runner-up. Shona Bewley and Lauren Mackay completed the top five.  SOURCE: Times of Beauty  

  Christelle Mbeni , who hails from the province of Bandundu, was crowned Miss République Démocratique du Congo 2012  (Miss Congo 2012) on June 23rd at the Grand Hôtel de Kinshasa. Mado Bafana is the first runner-up and Cathia Lubolo is the 2nd runner-up. From 1971 to 1997, the pageant was called Miss Zaïre. Mbeni will compete in Miss World 2012 pageant to be held in China on August 18th.

Leighton Jordan , 19, was crowned on June 23rd as Miss Georgia 2012 by last year's pageant winner, Michaela Lackey , at the River Center for the Performing Arts, in Columbus, Ga.  Meanwhile, Jameson Kenerly , was crowned as Georgia's Outstanding Teen 2012. Chandler Lawson , a senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga majoring in political science/international studies, was crowned Miss Tennessee 2012 on June 23rd. Calista Kirby , 23, was crowned Miss South Dakota 2012 on June 23rd. Candice Bennatt was crowned Miss New Mexico 2012 on June 23rd at Spencer Theater in Ruidoso.   Arlie Honeycutt was crowned Miss North Carolina 2012 at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium on June 23rd. Lexie Madden (in yellow dress) was crowned Miss Wyoming 2012 on June 23rd.

“I will never forget my time in the orange shorts.”  As spoken by this year’s  Ms Hooters International  winner,  Amanda Jemini . For those of who like their burgers and fries with a little bit of eye candy Hooters has always been the benevolent favorite as it has always managed to find hot spunky young girls desperate to show off their assets and of course get to eventually become Ms Hooter herself. Making it as Ms Hooters this year was Amanda Jemini , Ms Boca Rotan who cut a fetching image in her paper thin swimsuit (I know it always helps make them buffalo wings taste better) and who impressed judges with her ‘perky’ good natured self. She’s got her heart set on being a film actress or something to that effect. The competition itself was held last night at the  Filmore  at the  Jackie Gleason Theater  in Miami, Florida and involved 101 of the most desirable handpicked Hooters girl’s out of a possible 18 000 entrants (who could imagine that many nearly naked girls serving beer and

L-R: 3rd Princess April Love Jordan, 1st Princess Mary Ann Ross Misa, Miss World Philippines 2012 Queenierich Rehman, 2nd Princess Vanessa Claudine Amman, 4th Princess Brenna Cassandra Gamboa MANILA, Philippines - Queenierich Rehman , 24, beatboxed her way to the crown. Rehman, who showed off her peculiar singing skills during the talent portion of the 2012 Miss World Philippines contest, bested 24 other candidates at the culmination beauty pageant in Manila Hotel Tent on Sunday, June 24. The Moroccan-Filipina basketball player from Assumption College will represent the Philippines in the 2012 Miss World competition on August 18 in Inner Mongolia, China. She also receives P1 million cash prize and a Hyundai car. Rehman was also hailed with a Brains and Beauty award for her response during the Question and Answer portion. She was asked this tweeted question: As an ambassador of the Philippines, what are the best features of your country that you can project to the world? She answ

Former Miss Universe Mexico Ximena Navarret e will play the role of a mother in her first foray as an actress on the big screen in "Agente Smith" ("Agent Smith"). "I'm training very hard. I am a woman of 38 years, I have a daughter, my name will be Erika, "Navarrete said on Thursday during the pink carpet event of the 2012 Barbie Awards. "(The character) is not that much different from my own personality, so I do not think it will be very difficult to interpret it." The former beauty queen, 24, came to the ceremony with her ​​hair loose, wearing a   long-sleeved  lace blouse in white and matching turquoise pleated skirt. Navarrete won the Miss Universe crown in 2010. Regarding the relationship of her characters to others, she said, "I'm not kissing any leading men." "It is a participation, not a leading role. It's a character that I like. I think it's a good starting point to be an actress," she r

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Just three months ago,  Debbe Ebben  had no hair. On Saturday night, she was crowned Miss Alaska. Ebben shaved her head in March to raise more than $4,000 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which donates money for childhood cancer research. She said she did it to let children who lost their hair because of cancer treatments know that it was OK to be bald. Choosing her words carefully, she said losing one’s hair should be special — whether it’s voluntary or not. “I wanted to put meaning and emotion behind it, and let them know why I’m doing it — for the kids,” she said. “I’m not shaving it to get attention. I’m not shaving it for publicity. I’m not shaving it because it’s a really easy hairstyle to go with. I’m shaving it for them.” Ebben’s brown hair had grown back to a pixie cut by the time she became the state’s top beauty queen over the weekend, but she says she will likely keep her hair short when she represents Alaska at the Miss America pageant in January

Vered Fisher (centre) was crowned this year's Miss Large Israel A 22-year-old weighing almost 250lbs has taken the crown in Israel’s annual Fat and Beautiful contest. Vered Fisher , who is this year’s Miss Large Israel, beat off stiff competition from 15 other women. Esterica Nagid , a modelling agent and the contest’s sponsor, told Reuters: “There’s no difference between skinny and fat. “Nobody said only thin girls are beautiful. I am not encouraging fat but if it exists, then this is the place for it.” Miss Fisher said: “Stay this way because you are pretty as you are and you can succeed as you are.” In March Israel banned the use of underweight models in advertising, under new legislation, which also forces magazines and papers to make it clear when they have used air-brushing. Contestants must weigh over 176 lbs. to enter SOURCE: The Huffington Post, 6/20/2012

DONALD TRUMP & LEILA LOPES The government of the Dominican Republic decided not to host the Miss Universe 2012 pageant in December. Several days ago, it was reported that the country would be the venue for the annual pageant, but yesterday the Dominican government said "No" to the the pageant's owner, American magnate Donald Trump . Several sources related to the Dominican Ministry of Tourism confirmed the information on the Internet. Apparently, the country would have to spend approximately 16 million U.S. dollars (623 million Dominican pesos) - an amount that the government is unable to offer for the moment.  Previously, the country of South Africa had been reported to host the 61st edition of Miss Universe, but the pageant organization could only confirm the month of December. The official hosting country will be announced by the end of July. The Bahamas, which hosted the pageant in 2009, seems to be the strong "favorite" to host the 2012 pageant

Lisa Jensen , 24, has been crowned Miss World Tanzania 2012 during a special ceremony held in Dar-Es-Salaam on June 16th. She will now represent Tanzania in Miss World 2012 pageant in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China on August 18th.

Jessica Bellinghieri , 23, who represented the region of Calabria, was crowned  Miss Mondo Italia (Miss World Italy) 2012  at the Area Blue Salento in Gallipoli on June 16th.  She will now represent Italy at the 62nd Miss World finals in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China on August 18th.

Anastasia Sidiropoulou, 19 ,  was chosen as the new  Miss World Greece 2012 . She will represent Greece in  Miss World 2012   in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China on August 18.   Star Hellas-Miss Hellas-Miss Young 2012   will take place later this year to select the contestants from Greece to Miss Universe 2012 and Miss World 2013.   Sidiropoulou was Miss Teen World 2011. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANASTASIA SIDIROPOULOU'S FACEBOOK PAGE

by Derrick Lee for Critical Beauty This year's Miss USA Pageant was an amazing experience! The time the pageant family spent in Las Vegas over that entire weekend (June 1-3, 2012) was nothing less than electric! It's always a pleasure to get to do this once a year and come together for the one thing that we all have in common. So with that in mind, let's recap some of the highlights of the events, shall we? DRESS REHEARSAL The die-hard pageant fans got up early after a night of partying just to come down to see the dress rehearsal. Trust me, it was a long night because so many of us looked a hot mess! Hair was lookin' cray on a few girls like they were taking the walk of shame, child. They're lucky the cameras weren't on them. But anyway, the dress rehearsal began. It went pretty well. Most people feel being called into the Top 16 during rehearsals is the "kiss of death." The only one it seems to have brought luck to was Jazz Wilkins , Miss Georgi

Andrea Fonseka (third from right) and Datuk Tiffanee Marie Lim (second from right) with Miss Universe Malaysia 2012 Kimberley Leggett and finalists. Pic by Nurul Syazana Rose Razman KUALA LUMPUR: If lack of height is the reason you have not been taking part in beauty pageants, fret no more. The Miss Universe Malaysia beauty pageant 2013 does not have a height requirement.  Miss Universe Malaysia Organisation (Mumo) national director Andrea Fonseka said this at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) recently. "There has always been a minimum height requirement of 163 cm but we believe all women eligible for this pageant should be given the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful experience," she said. This year, winners will again be chosen through reality television programme The Next Miss Universe Malaysia, but the elimination process via SMS will no longer be applied. "I cannot reveal how elimination will be carried out but I can tell you that

Siri Freeh  was crowned Miss Minnesota 2012 on June 16th. Angela Venditt i, 24, of Shelby Township was crowned Miss Michigan 2012 on June 16th. Miss La Crosse/Oktoberfest Kate Gorman won the 2012 Miss Wisconsin competition on June 16th. Miss Davis County Kara Arnold  was crowned Miss Utah 2012 on June 16th. Miss New York City Mallory Hogan was crowned Miss New York  2012 on June 16th. Lindsey Petrosh , from Egg Harbor City,   was crowned Miss New Jersey 2012 on June 16th. Miss Coastal Bay Alyssa Murray was crowned Miss Delaware 2012    on June 16th. Mollie Bouchard (right) is the new Miss Maine 2012. Katie Elliott (left) is Miss Maine's Outstanding Teen 2012. Both were crowned on June 16th.

William Masvinu, the reigning Mr Ugly The search for the most hideous looking man in the country has turned uglier, with the original Mr Ugly organiser accusing Harare organisers of “stealing our brainchild”. Lovemore Chonz i, the initiator of the Mr Ugly pageant, has said the show was hijacked by greedy people. He said the pageant was a Beitbridge idea that “thieves” from Harare had taken over. Chonzi was angry about the Mr Ugly pageant that was held in Harare last month, where William Masvinu was crowned the ugliest man in the capital city at a contest held at City Sports Bar. He won $100 and one night’s accommodation at a lodge for his ugliness. Mr Ugly was inaugurated in 2010 in Beitbridge where, Elmas Moses , popularly known as VaChiganda, won the competition walking away R1 500 richer. Last year, 30-year-old Austin Mbewe beat off stiff competition from Kudakwashe Chiramba (45) and Chitova Chizhira (39) to win the competition. Saturday Leisure this week spoke to Chonzi