Critical Beauty

Miss Utah USA Noelia Voigt, 23,  was crowned Miss USA 2023 at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno on Sept. 29. She succeeds North Carolina’s Morgan Romano, who took on the role after original winner R’Bonney Gabriel became Miss Universe 2022. Miss Hawaii USA Savannah Gankiewicz was awarded first runner-up, Miss Wisconsin USA Alexis Loomans was second runner-up, Miss Pennsylvania USA Jasmine Daniels was third runner-up, and Miss Texas USA Lluvia Alzate was fourth runner-up. Voigt is a licensed esthetician, certified lash technician and model from Park City, Utah. Her mother is from Venezuela. She will represent USA in Miss Universe 2023 to be held in El Salvador on November 18. In July, Voigt reflected on becoming the first Venezuelan-American named Miss Utah. "I am honored to be the first Venezuelan-American woman to hold the title of Miss Utah USA, and I am truly looking forward to breaking barriers and bridging the gap between communities by being able to speak Spanish and connect w

    Here she is, the new   Miss Teen USA ! On Thursday night, Miss New Jersey Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava was crowned Miss Teen USA 2023 after prevailing over 50 other competitors at the live-streamed pageant in Reno, Nevada. Among the other top finishers, Miss New York Teen USA Stephanie Skinner was named first runner-up, Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA Maggie Ross was second runner-up. Srivastava, a high school student, nabbed the night’s biggest honor after a week full of activities including interviews, preliminary rounds and a costume contest. "IS THIS REAL???  I am so grateful and honored  that I’m the first Mexican-Indian, first New Jersey, your MISS TEEN USA 2023!!!" the teen wrote social media. "This night is truly the best night of my life because I was crowned with the people that have loved and supported me throughout everything cheering for me in the audience." "The class of 2023 is truly so special. Getting to stand along side each of my intelligent,

  Kim Thitisan Goodburn of Thailand has won the 2023 Mister International title in Crystal Design Center Ballroom, Khwaeng Khlong Chan, Bangkok on September 17, 2023. This is Thailand’s first win in the pageant’s 15-year history. The 24-year-old actor, model and entrepreneur bested 35 other contestants from around the world.  The first runner-up is William Badell of Venezuela. The second runner-up is Edward Taiye Ogunniya of Brazil. The remaining top five were Lucas Schlacter of France and Shashwat Dwivedi of India. Congratulations to Thailand!

  The first ever Miss Universe Pakistan has been crowned. Erica Robin , 24, a professional model who lives in Karachi, won the title over four other finalists. The event took place in the Maldives because pageants are not allowed in Muslim-majority Pakistan. Swipe to the last slide to watch her coronation. Once the news of Robin’s coronation was posted on social media, Pakistan’s Information Minister Murtaza Solangi said that the government had not nominated anyone to represent Pakistan at Miss Universe pageant. Solangi was responding to a journalist’s post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) who had asked as to who in the government had given permission to five women in the contest. “The government and the state of Pakistan are represented by the state and government institutions. Our government has not nominated any non-state or non-governmental person or institution for any such activity, nor can any such person or institution represent the state or government. Period,

  This interview was conducted via Zoom on Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at 4:00 PM EST. Kirstin Yvonne Bangs will represent the USA at The Miss Globe 2023 in Tirana, Albania on November 17, 2023. Follow Kirstin’s journey to Albania on her Instagram account @kirstinyvonne

This interview was conducted via Zoom on Sunday, September 10, 2023 at 5:00 PM EST. Sheyla will represent Cuba in Miss International 2023 to be held in Tokyo, Japan on October 26. Follow Sheyla’s journey to Miss International on her Instagram @sheylaraveloperez

The interview was conducted via Zoom on Sunday, September 10, 2023 at 3:00 PM EST. Sofia Acosta will represent Cuba at Miss Grand International 2023 in Vietnam on October 25, 2023. Follow Sofia on her journey to MGI 2023 on her Instagram @sofiaacsta

  This interview was conducted via Zoom on Friday, September 8, 2023 at 12 noon. Heather Marie Thompson will represent the U.S. Virgin Islands at Miss Grand International 2023. Later during the chat, she is joined by her national director, Brian Javier, who is also a pageant analyst and vlogger. Heather and Brian tackle the questions surrounding Heather’s representation of the islands, among other things. Follow Heather Marie’s journey to MGI 2023 on her Instagram @officialheathermarie

  Mariana Downing, 27, a professional model and artist representing the city of Sanchez Ramirez, was crowned Miss Universe Dominican Republic 2023 and will now compete in Miss Universe 2023 in El Salvador on November 18. The first runner-up is Yamilex Hernández of La Vega. The second runner-up is Eoanna Constanza of Distrito Nacional. Constanza competed in Miss Supranational 2021 where she placed fourth runner-up. Downing dated singer Marc Anthony when she was 21. Her mother is Dominican and her father is British. She answered her final question in English which is her primary language.

  This segment is an extract from the three-hour group chat with Ko Phanasa and George of the Pageant Empress that was conducted via Zoom last September 1, 2023 at 9 PM EST. On this segment, we discuss the business approach to pageantry by Miss Universe owner and JKN Global head Anne Jakrajutatip (Khun Anne) and Miss Grand International owner Nawat Itsaragrisil - this in the light of JKN Global’s failure to pay in full the $20 million fee to acquire Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.

  Melissa Flores, 25, representing the state of Michoacán, was crowned Mexicana Universal 2023 (Miss Universe Mexico 2023) on Saturday, September 2 at the Convention and Exhibition Center of Aguascalientes. She will now represent Mexico in Miss Universe 2023 to be held in El Salvador on November 18. The “Suplente” (“replacement”) is Andrea Farril of Guerrero who will take over the title should Flores is unable to fulfill her duties. Completing the top six were: Mariana Logue of Estado de Mexico, Maria José de la Torre of Jalisco, Fernanda Mejía of Nayarit, and Melody Murguía of the United States. The other winners include: Mexicana Universal Internacional 2023 - Valeria Villanueva of Colima will compete in Miss International 2024 whose date and venue have not been confirmed. Mexicana Universal Hispanoamerica 2023 - Carolina Perez of Sinaloa will compete in Reina Hispanoamericana 2023 in Bolivia in January 2024. Mexicana Universal Charm 2023 - Tania Estrada of Chihuahua will compete in

Camila Avella, 27, a married woman with a young child representing the department of Casanare, has been crowned Miss Universe Colombia 2023 on September 2 and will now represent her country in Miss Universe 2023 to be held in El Salvador on November 18. She becomes the second married contestant to compete in Miss Universe after Michelle Cohn of Guatemala. The first runner-up is Adriana Luma of Norte de Santander and the second runner-up is Lina Hurtado of Buenaventura.

In this group chat, we react on the finals of Miss Universe Thailand 2023 held on August 20, 2023 at MCC Hall, The Mall Lifestore Ngamwongwan, Nonthaburi, Thailand. We also discuss the financial crisis currently afflicting JKN Global which purchased Miss Universe for $20 million but has so far only paid $4.5 million, this prompting a rumor that JKN Global may be broke. My guests include Ko Phanasa of KP1 Worldwide (follow her on Instagram @kophanasa) and George of Pageant Empress (follow him on Instagram @pageantempress)  

  This brief interview was conducted via Zoom on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 6:00 PM EST. Antonio Rivadeneira, who judged Miss Universe Canada 2023 pageant, joins in 25 minutes into the chat.

BROKE? Last October, JKN Global owner and CEO Anne Jakrajutatip (Khun Anne) purchased the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) for US$20 million. However, she hasn’t paid in full. So far, she has only paid $4.5 million, and if she doesn’t come up with the remaining $15.5 million, she risks declaring bankruptcy and that the Miss Universe 2023 edition in El Salvador in November may have to be cancelled. JKN must settle the outstanding debt including capital and interest, for its JKN239A debentures by September 1st, but JKN has proposed to extend the payment which will be negotiated during a loan shareholder meeting scheduled for September 29 Meanwhile, JKN’s default on debt repayment has severely impacted JKN’s liquidity and has caused significant losses to investors. The latest Thai stock market graph shows JKN Global’s stocks taking a nosedive. When JKN Global took over MUO, there was much media fanfare celebrating the acquisition and pageant fans heralding a new era in pageantry. However,