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| 04.30.2007 | Monday
Meanwhile, the rest of this year's delegates are preparing their luggage and anxiously awaiting their
trip to Mexico. If my geography serves me right, the beauty from Down Under - New Zealand's Laural Barrett
will have the most arduous travel itinerary: it takes about 30 hours to fly from her country to Mexico.
So who's wearing what? It's a tradition in some countries that
their representatives present their pageant wardrobe days before they depart for the venue. Puerto Rico's
Uma Blasini will be bringing about forty dresses (designed by fourteen different top local designers
including Carlos Alberto), plus her much-maligned Cofresí pirate costume (complete with eye patch and a hooked arm).
Venezuela's Ly Jonaitis is bringing five suitcases, although she is still not sure what she will
wear for the prelims and the finals. Costa Rica's Verónica González will be wearing clothes
that will provide her with movement and fluidity. Colombia's Eileen Roca will be wearing clothes by
one designer only - Alfredo Barraza. (Al Dia, San José, 4/28/2007; El Universal, Caracas,
4/28/2007; Primera Hora, San Juan, 4/28/2007; El Heraldo, Barranquilla, 4/27/2007)
• DENIED : Mexico's secretary of tourism had envisioned that pre-recorded segments of the 2007 Miss Universe pageant
be realized in the archeological areas of Palenque (in Chiapas) and of Tulum (in Quintana Roo), but his vision
was shattered when a delegate from INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History) Emiliano Gallaga
Murrieta denied permission to use the areas, stating that the pageant production crew could damage
the archeological sites. Gallaga also said that if a camera fell and broke a plank, it would be erasing
one hundred years of history. (La Prensa, Honduras, 4/28/2007)
• INDO BEAUTIES : Two new Indonesian beauty queens were crowned on April 26th in Singapore's Gotham Penthouse.
Agustin Ramli, 24, from Jakarta, was crowned Miss Indonesia Tourism and will compete in Miss Tourism
pageant in Sarawak, Malaysia in August. Albertina Fransisca Mailoa, 21, was selected as Indonesia World
Miss University and will compete in the World Miss University pageant in Seoul, Korea in September. The
pageant is a joint production of MSO (Mister Singapore Organization) owned by Alan Sim and MIO
(Mister Indonesia Organization) owned by John Pupella, a former Mister Indonesia who won the Hombre
Internacional 2002 pageant.
• PINAY EARTH ANGELS : The new Miss Philippines Earth is Jeanne Angeles Harn, 25, who was crowned Saturday night
at the University of the Philippines Theater in Quezon City. She had participated in Binibining
Pilipinas 2004 and won the Miss Talent award, but did not place in the finals. Harn's court includes
second placer Kristel Dizon (Miss Air), third placer Joyce Nocomura (Miss Water), and
fourth placer Katrina Minoza(Miss Fire). A special title, Miss Eco-Tourism, was awarded to
Ana Katrina Bautista. Among the judges included the current Miss Earth from Chile Hil Hernández,
Miss Earth 2004 from Brazil Priscilla Mereilles and Miss Poland-Earth (and 2006 Miss Earth finalist)
Francys Barraza Sudnicka.
• TEEN BEAUTIES : Emily Velázquez, 15, representing Puerto Rico, was crowned as the new Miss Teen World
in Australia. Cali Tanner of Canada and Ashley Moser of USA placed second and third respectively.
This is the second time that Puerto Rico won the title; Haydil Rivera Escobales won in 2005. Information
courtesy of Carlos Figueroa.
• THE NEW MISS EGYPT is Ehsan Hatem, 21, who was crowned on April 23rd at
the Nile Theatre, Media Production City. She will represent her country in Miss Universe .Her court includes first runner-up Radwa Ahmed, 17; second
runner-up Yaran Naoum; third runner-up Sheriha Fouad and fourth runner-up Madonna Khaled.
Among the judges included Miss Earth 2005 Alexandra Braun. Information courtesy of Ahmed Khorshed.
You can watch the opening of the Miss Lebanon 2007 pageant in Youtube and
listen to the new, uptempo and catchy official Miss Lebanon theme song (in English and Arabic).
• THE NEW MISS SLOVAKIA is Veronika Husarova, who was crowned in Bratislava on April 27th. She will
represent her country in Miss World 2007. Her first runner-up is Romana Skamlova and her second runner-up
is Kristina Valuskova.
• INSIDE STORY : If you haven't seen it, check out this behind-the-scene video
of the Miss USA 2007 pageant. It's 26 minutes long. It shows the delegates rehearsing, giving beauty tips, and
enjoying themselves. Of course, you can't have an inside story without Donald Trump bragging about
how he saved the pageant from near extinction.
• ACCUSED : A jury found Alan Amador Chamón, 26, who participated in Mr. Bolivia 2004 representing the department
of Tarija, guilty of statutory rape after the victim's mother had accused Chamón of raping her 14 year-old daughter last
April 5th. Chamón was fined fifteen thousand bolivianos and must appear in the court every two weeks.
(El Nuevo Dia, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 4/29/2007)
• AUSSIE COSTUME : Miss Universe Australia winner Kimberley Busteed has chosen the iconic swimsuit and cap as her
national costume for the glamorous pageant in Mexico City next month. The former teen swimming champion and surf
lifesaving competitor has no qualms about strutting in her red, one-piece togs in front of a global audience.
"Portraying our beach image is going to be such a big hit," she said. Last year, Erin McNaught modelled a Steve
Irwin-style khaki outfit, and in 2005 Michelle Guy wore a wattle-and-gumleaf creation. Busteed's life has turned
upside-down since she won the Australian crown in Perth last Friday. (NEWS.com.au, Australia, 4/29/2007)
• FOR PETITE BEAUTIES : Alexander González, the man who stylized Amelia Vega and the one who
jumped on stage in Panama when Vega won Miss Universe in 2003, is organizing a new pageant for petite women called
Miss Petite Intercontinental that will be held in Venezuela
from May 5 to 11. González runs his own image consulting firm based
in Venezuela.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, May 7, 2007.
Photo credit: EPA, Reuters
| 04.23.2007 | Monday
• BRAVE OL' GAL : Venus Ramey, 82, Miss America 1944, confronted a man on her farm in south-central Kentucky last
week after she saw her dog run into a storage building where thieves had previously made off with old farm equipment.
Ramey said the man told her he would leave. "I said, 'Oh, no you won't,' and I shot their tires so they couldn't leave,"
Ramey said. She had to balance on her walker as she pulled out a snub-nosed .38-caliber handgun.
"I didn't even think twice. I just went and did it," she said. "If they'd even dared come close to me, they'd be 6
feet under by now." Ramey then flagged down a passing motorist, who called 911. Ramey lived in Cincinnati for several
years and was instrumental in helping rejuvenate Over-the-Rhine historic buildings. She returned to Kentucky in 1990
to live on her farm. "I'm trying to live a quiet, peaceful life and stay out of trouble, and all it is, is one thing after
another," she said. (Associated Press, 4/31/2007)
• MIAMI-BOUND : What's next on Zuleyka Rivera's agenda after relinquishing her Miss Universe crown on May 28th?
Here it is: "As soon as I give up my crown in Mexico, I'm going to take a week of vacation in that country; then
I'm going to be at the Puerto Rican parade in New York and I return to Puerto Rico to take care of paperwork
that will allow me to move to Miami where I will be involved with projects related to hosting and acting and where
I will study international business." Rivera says she is ready to start a new chapter in her life.
(El Vocero, San Juan, 4/21/2007)
• MARRIED, AT LAST : Film-crazy India held its breath Friday as two of its biggest stars, the emerald-eyed
former Miss World Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, a romantic hero and son of an Indian cinema
legend, celebrated their wedding. The affair, hyped by Indian media as "the wedding of the century," was
filled with the melodrama so beloved in Bollywood, India's flamboyant Hindi film industry: secrecy,
dance routines and even a suicidal fan who claimed to be the groom's jilted lover.
Hundreds of fans cheered as Bachchan, wearing a gold-and-cream turban -
his face covered with a traditional veil of white flowers -- emerged onto the streets outside his home astride
a white stallion, giving his admirers a thumbs-up sign while his friends danced around him. Bachchan bobbed
his head and punched the air with his hands in time to a Bollywood tune played by an accompanying band of
red-turbaned musicians.
He then made his way to a huge, flower-filled, air-conditioned tent
encircled by gold curtains in the garden adjoining the Bachchan family home - where - to the sound of trumpets,
drums and clanging cymbals -- he and Rai reportedly exchanged garlands and wedding vows. Rai remained hidden
inside the barricaded venue, but the Indian media was split down the middle with reports that she either wore
a red-and-gold, intricately embroidered sari, or a gold-and-cream creation. Hundreds of fans lined the roads,
climbed trees or scaled buildings, hoping to catch a glimpse of the wedding party. (The Daily Herald,
India, 4/22/2007)
• NEW QUEENS : The new Miss Universe Australia is Kimberley Busteed, 18, of Gladstone, Queensland. She
was crowned Friday in Perth's Burswood Casino. The pageant was marred with controversy when one of the contestants,
Carly Hanson,, 21, was forced to withdraw after organizers learned that she had posed topless in 2005.
The new Miss Peru Universe is Jimena Elias, 18, a former Miss Teen Peru. Elias's selection is considered
rigged by many observers because her father happens to own the Miss Universe franchise. The new Miss Malaysia
Universe is Adelaine Chin, 23, who was crowned last April 19th in Kuala Lumpur.
The new Miss Universe Slovenia is Tjasa Kokalj, a 21-year-old model from
Ljubljana who was crowned on April 20th. Her first runner-up is Teja Britovsek and her second runner-up
is Meta Logar. It's interesting to see the winner receiving her prizes first before she was crowned. See
her coronation here. Information
courtesy of Michael Knittel.
The new Miss Honduras Universe is Wendy Salgado, a 23-year-old student
and model who was crowned Saturday in Tegucigalpa. The last time Honduras competed in Miss Universe was in 2002. The
new Miss Singapore Universe is Jessica Tan, a 24-year-old flight attendant who was crowned Saturday.
• NEW KING : The new Mr. Egypt is Amr Samaha, 19, who was crowned Saturday at JW Marriott in Cairo.
The event was organized by the Miss and Mr. Egypt organization, Face To Face. Samaha is a Mechanical Engineering junior
and a private pilot. He will represent Egypt in Mr World 2008. His court includes first runner-up Tarik Naguib, 23;
second runner-up Amr Salem; third runner-up Mohamed El-Khouly and fourth runner-up Karim Gamal El-Din.
Information courtesy of Ahmed Khorshed.
• WHY ASIAN WOMEN WANT TO BE MISS ENGLAND : More Asian women than ever before are entering the Miss England beauty pageant
as traditional catwalk competitions enjoys a revival in popularity. Former beauty queen Angie Beasley, who organizes
the annual event, revealed that more girls from ethnic minorities are competing for the title whose previous winners include
Celebrity Big Brother contestant Danielle Lloyd, reflecting the changing face of society. Beasley said that the p
opularity of the competition had rocketed in the past five years, and since the first Muslim Miss England Hammasa Kohistani
won the contest in 2005, there had been a massive growth in the number of Asian entrants.
Beasley comments, "Hammasa Kohistani was the first Muslim Miss England last year, and we are getting a
lot more Asian girls entering the competition. There's about 10 pages about Miss England in the magazine Asian Woman.
"Living in Leicester today I can say that it's a very multicultural society that we live in. We don't feel that we
have to put these girls in to be politically correct, they are just entering. There are two Asian girls in the 15 finalists
that we have so far, and they've got through on their own right. In 2002 it was predominately white girls who were entering.
I don't think that we had any ethnic group in the competition. I don't think enough people knew about it the, or they thought
if they entered they wouldn't have a chance. I'd say that 20 per cent of the entrants are not your typical English girl now.
It's just how England is today, it's a realistic beauty contest.
"We are looking for a Miss England. Whether she's white, Asian or Chinese doesn't matter as
long as she was born here. The theme is going to be Bollywood, and we're having the set made by an Asian designer,
and there will be Bollywood dancers in the final, but that doesn't mean that there's got to be an Indian winner."
Asked about her opinion on Lloyd, Beasley replied, "Danielle Lloyd was Miss England in 2004, and she was a very good one.
She attended lots of functions, and she then went on to win Miss Great Britain, which she was sacked from, but I wouldn't
like to comment on that. Once they are not Miss England anymore then they are out of our control." (Life Style Extra, UK,
4/20/2007)
• RULES ON BEAUTY : "Chinese cosmetic producers are to be banned from exaggerating the effects of their products,
with wording like "100 percent effective" or "removes freckles instantly." Read more.
• BEAUTY SCHOOL : "Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan in 2002 to volunteer as a nurse's aide, but she stood
around doing laundry and making welcome posters before realizing that her most useful skill was cutting hair - both to
Western workers and Afghans." Read more.
• BEAUTY IN WAR : "Despite the fact that Lebanon has been reeling under the worst political and economic crisis since the end
of the Lebanese civil war, beauty, bodyshape and cosmetic surgery remain a priority for Lebanese women." Read more.
• NATURAL BEAUTY : "Alyssa Simons is not your stereotypical blow-dried and eye-shadowed beauty-pageant queen.
Yet she possesses key qualities of a beauty queen — honesty, integrity and self-confidence — sought by all beauty
pageant judges." Read more.
• CRITICAL PHOTO : Read William Prendiz de Jurado's latest photo essay.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, April 30, 2007.
Photo credits: Khaleej Times, Associated Press
| 04.16.2007 | Monday
• THE NEW MISS BRAZIL UNIVERSE is Natália Guimarães, a 22-year-old architecture student from Minas Gerais. She was crowned last Saturday night.
Her court includes first runner-up Carolina Prates Nery, 20, of Rio Grande do Sul who will compete in Miss
International and second runner-up Vivian Noronha, 20, of Paraná. Guimarães is the current Top Model of the World. She was crowned amidst
an ongoing controversy that involves Renata Marzolla of Bahia,
a semi-finalist, who is being denounced by her first runner-up in the state prelims, Iasmin Assis, of buying her state crown for fifteen thousand Brazilian
reais (roughly US$745). Assis also claims that Marzolla won the state title when she was still a minor (17), even though
regulations require that the winner should at least be 18 years of age. The pageant was attended by current Miss
Universe Zuleyka Rivera and choreographed by MUO's Scott Grossman. (A Tarde, Salvador, Brazil, 4/14/2007)
• THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE TANZANIA is Flaviana Matata who will be her country's first representative to
Miss Universe. She was crowned last Saturday in Dar Es Salaam. Her court includes Jamilla Munisi who will go to Miss International 2007; Kelly Kempton who will compete
in Miss Earth 2007; and Sophia Kapama who will go to Miss Tourism Queen International pageant. Info courtesy
of Michael Knittel.
• HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY : The new Miss Universe Hungary is Ildiko Bona who was crowned last Saturday. Watch the entire pageant
here. I must say that the production was sleek and edgy, and
the contestants are all hot, sexy and beautiful! And there were about twenty judges including famous Hungarian
artist Martin Szipál. Two things I didn't like: all throughout the competition, the
candidates holding a fan-shaped card with their respective numbers, and a major sponsor's sash (Peugeot) was placed
over the winner's Miss Universe Hungary sash. Bona bears a striking resemblance to dethroned Miss Universe
Oksana Fedorova of Russia.
• MORE NEW QUEENS : The new Miss Czech Republic is Katerina Sokolova who will go to Miss World. Her first runner-up, Veronika Pompeova,
will go to Miss Europe and Miss International, while the second runner-up Veronika Chmelirova will go to
Miss Intercontinental. The new Miss Ukraine is Lika Roman; her court includes finalists Aanna Gab who will
go to Miss Europe and Galina Andreeva who will go to Miss International. The new Miss El Salvador is
Lissette Rodríguez. The new Miss Curacao Universe is Naemi Monte and the new Miss Curacao
World is Lisaika Everitz All new queens were crowned on April 14th.
• NORWEGIAN BELLE : The new Miss Norway Universe is Kirby Ann Basken, 21 year-old Filipino-Norwegian, and the new Miss Norway World is
Lisa-Mari Moen Jünge, 18, who were crowned on April 8th in Oslo. Basken was first runner-up in last year's
Miss Norway pageant. She also represented the Philippines in Miss Intercontinental 2006 in the Bahamas where she
placed in the semifinals.
• ANGRY BEAUTY : Karla Caicedo, a black woman who was fourth runner-up in Miss Ecuador 2007, claims that she has
not received her prizes from the pageant organizers, even though she is the current Miss Latina World, a pageant
that she won in Dallas, Texas last summer. She also claims that she had not been invited to several activities
that were attended by the national winner and the three other finalists, believing that she is a victim of racial
discrimination. The Miss Ecuador officials said that they have supported Caicedo in everything, but that she
neglected to fulfill her duties; they also claim that she has never responded to any of their e-mails. Meanwhile, the
organizers of Miss Latina World promised to give Caicedo her prizes after crowning her successor in July.
(El Universo, Guayaquil, 4/15/2007)
• DISDAIN TOWARDS MUO : Beatriz Rodríguez Casasnovas , the Secretary of Tourism of Mexico, expressed doubt
that the Miss Universe 2007 pageant will boost tourism in her country. She said the paying two million dollars to get
only four minutes of promotional airtime is extravagant, and that televiewers will not pay attention to
Mexico as a tourist spot as much as they will to the delegates. "With that kind of money, I can sponsor more than
three events to attract tourists, not just Miss Universe," exclaims Rodríguez Casasnovas. She does not expect
the delegates to buy Mexican food since "all they eat is lettuce." As far as the MUO production crew goes,
she said that they will come to Mexico to work and not to spend money like tourists: "If they go to a restaurant,
they will not have to spend anything because the restaurant is a sponsor. So we really don't gain any profit
out of this pageant." (El Oaxaqueño, Mexico, 4/14/2007)
• WITHDREW : Jictzad Viña, Miss Venezuela 2005, had to withdraw from the reality show "Bailando
con las reinas" ("Dancing With Beauty Queens") due to a lesion in her vertebral column. Viña and Vanessa Peretti,
Miss Venezuela International 2006, were nearly eliminated two weeks ago. Plump ex-Miss Venezuela Inés María Calero
and Nina Sicilia, Miss International 1985, were eliminated last week.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, April 23, 2007.
Photo credits: Miss Hungary Universe, Miss Universe Organization
Declaring the "Miss India World" as the "winner" is a slap on the face of the Miss
Universe Organization, because it clearly suggests that Miss Universe is now second to Miss World in terms of prestige
and significance, at least in the eyes of the Miss India organizers. I am curious as to how MUO would react to the news.
Maybe not too happily... and they may even give the cold shoulder to Gupta in Mexico. Honestly, there's no reason the Pantaloons
people had to declare Dias as the "winner," since all three women received a specific title.
• THE NEW MISS NEPAL is Sitasma Chand, 23, who was crowned at the Birendra International Convention Centre
in Kathmandu last Saturday evening. She will go to Miss World to be held in China later this year. Her court includes first runner up Badna Sharma
and second runner-up Shweta Shah. Sharma will compete in Miss Asia Pacific International. The
pageant was opposed by by the women's wing of the Maoists (communist party) on the ground that it "degrades women
and uses them as a commodity to boost the sale of products by multinational companies." Really? I didn't know that! LOL!
The Miss Nepal pageant, started in 1994, is organized by the Kathmandu-based
Hidden Treasure event management group. The event has seen an astonishing rise in the number of contestants
each year and has sparked a series of other beauty contests. However, this is the first time the Maoists have
voiced their protest against the show. Considered an outlawed organization until last year, the Maoists became
a recognized parliamentary party after they signed a peace pact in 2006 and were inducted into the government
on April 1st. (EarthTimes.org, 4/6/2007)
The contest, which was telecasted live on the state-run Nepal Television,
was organized amidst heavy security as thousands of women rights activists and political cadres staged protest
outside the BICC demanding that the contest be stopped. Over 18 people protesters were injured when they clashed
with the police. The protesters also burned down the welcome gate at the BICC entrance and tore the banners put
up by the organizers. Oh, the horror!!! (Nepalnews, Nepal, 4/7/2007)
• KIWI CONTROVERSY : The new Miss Universe New Zealand is Laural Barrett who was crowned on March 31st.
Barrett's reputation is marred by a report that she was fired from a shoe shop two years ago for allegedly
giving away $400 worth of shoes without authority to male friends of her twin sister, Sharaine. Miss Universe New
Zealand contestants sign a contract declaring they have no criminal record, have not given birth and will not
generate adverse publicity. The pageant director Val Lott is supporting Barrett. Lott said, "When you are beautiful and
good-looking and you're in this industry, there is always going to be someone to pull you down." Barrett denied any wrongdoing.
On another issue, Sophie Evans, the webmistress of Big 4 Pageant, informed me
that Lott might have influenced the judges to select Barrett as the winner - a claim that is vehemently denied
by one of the judges, Jack Yan. Yan says the negative press has proved that Laural Barrett is not only the right Miss New Zealand,
she is potentially the right Miss Universe. "The pageant fully supports her ... and from the reactions I have had
publicly, the majority of New Zealand supports her," Yan said. "We are talking about a tiny, fringe element
bullying a 20-year-old for something she is innocent of doing." (Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand, 4/7/2007) Read the juicy postings in Sophie's blog now!
• FOLLOWING ALICIA'S FOOTSTEPS : Last year, Miss Universe 1996 turned reality TV personality Alicia Machado of Venezuela posed
nude in the Mexican edition of Playboy. Another compatriot seems to be following Alicia's lead. Ana Cepinska, 28,
who placed fourth in Miss World 1996, appears in her birthday suit in the latest Mexican edition of Playboy. One
hundred thousand copies of the edition were printed. Cepinska arrived three years ago in Mexico to start a career
in television. (Panorama, Maracaibo, 4/7/2007)
• A PLUMP UNIVERSE : A Quebec-based online beauty pageant for plus-size women, aptly called "Miss Plump Universenet," is taking place
as you read this. In the official website, the pageant's objectives are
clearly mentioned: to demonstrate that curves are responsible for feminine beauty; to demonstrate that feminine beauty finds
itself present in a wide variety of forms and sizes; and to demonstrate that women can feel that they are beautiful,
attractive, and comfortable physically with their curves. The goals may sound like clichés, but to the valiant
women who are participating, the goals can be achieved easily; all they need is a fat and round belly like this one.
The public gets to vote for their favorites for each participating country. Read the voting procedure in this page.
One of the frontrunners appears to be Venezuela's Jennifer Barreto-Leyva, an outspoken
lawyer and an adviser for a fat-oriented website. She has become quite a celebrity in her country, appearing in several
television shows and taking pictures alongside ex-Miss Venezuela beauties Chiquinquirá Delgado
and Mariángel Ruiz Torrealba. Barreto-Leyva maintains her own blog; in her latest entry, she vigorously defends
the look of her eyebrows: "Since I was a girl, I have received suggestions, advice, many jokes, invitations and other ideas
to fix my eyebrows, and I have always said NO." She also stated that nobody has to like her except herself, and if you don't like
her eyebrows, stop looking at them or fix your own eyebrows because this might stop you from "helping" others when they did
not ask for your help. Such a spunky girl! The more I stare at her face, the more I see a strong resemblance to
Barbara Palacios, Miss Universe 1986.
• ROYAL VOTE : The first round of the French presidential elections will take place on April 22nd, and Geneviève de
Fontenay, the director of Société Miss France, is not shying away from announcing her choice for president.
The Hat Lady's vote will go to Marie-Ségolène Royal, a member of the National Assembly and a prominent member
of the Socialist party. Why? Because de Fontenay thinks that Royal would be the only woman capable of becoming president
and the only female politician who wears dresses. (ShowbizActu, 4/5/2007)
• ELIMINATED : Former Miss USA Shandi Finnessey was eliminated from the hit ABC show 'Dancing with the Stars' on Tuesday night.
Finnessey was eliminated after surviving being in the bottom two last week. The Game Show Network hostess
and beauty queen said that her experience on the show was "amazing" and she enjoyed working with her professional
dance partner, Brian Fortuna. "I just hope I didn't disappoint him," she said. The previous week, Czech-born supermodel
Paulina Porizkova became the first celebrity to be cast off the show. (EZ-Tracks, NY, 4/5/2007)
• A DUBIOUS PAGEANT : Last November, a Miss Young International 2006 pageant took place in Manila and a young woman
from Venezuela, Jessica Chaya, was crowned. Last month, a posting on several message boards by one "Aileen Evangelista"
suggested that Chaya was "dismissed... for breach of contract because she has failed to fulfill the duties required of the title."
She was supposedly replaced by the first runner-up Estefany Tomaselly of Ecuador, according to Mark Ancheta,
the president of Elite Productions that organized the pageant.
I initially mentioned this pageant in my
11.27.2006 Journal; instead of "Mark Ancheta," I had mentioned "Romulo Ancheta," who appears to be the brother
of Ronalyn Ancheta, whom he had handpicked as the "outgoing" Miss Young International, even though the last legitimately
produced MYI pageant occurred in 1983 and won by Norway's Ana Sofie Falkenaas. If indeed the revived MYI pageant
is a legitimate one, then why are there no pictures from the coronation? Why are there no references to the pageant
in pageant news sites or the mainstream press? Instead of issuing official press releases, casual announcements were instead
randomly posted on several message boards (excluding Critical Beauty's!) There is not even a mention of Chaya's dethronement
or Tomaselly's ascension to the throne in any of the Spanish-language pageant or news sites. Lastly, the official website has
been down for months, which suggests that Elite Productions has officially gone down.
Actually, there is nothing elite about Elite Productions at all. If anything,
it is good in producing deceit. Alan Sim, the president of the Mister Singapore Organization which produces
Mister International, informed me that a certain woman named "Cathy Cheng" from Elite Productions had written to him last summer
to solicit a Singapore rep for MYI. According to Sim, this "Cathy Cheng" individual aggressively demanded $500
from him to secure the Singapore franchise, but Sim wisely rejected the hasty proposal. Sim also informed me that
during the Mister International pageant in Singapore last October, a Filipino attendee - who has known of Ancheta -
had advised him that "Cathy Cheng" is actually a man who likes to impersonate women and who also uses several aliases
like "Jhunne Ancheta" and "Mark Ancheta." The truth is, Elite Productions is staffed by just one, disturbed, deceitful and demented
man who apparently has numerous fraud charges made against him. One unfortunate victim of this man's deceit was Maurice
Arcache, a columnist for the Philippine Inquirer. Read his story here.
So before you send a delegate to a pageant, ask a lot of questions and make sure
that the person you're dealing with is not wanted by authorities!
• HEPBURN'S SPIRIT LIVES : "Yukta Mokhey. when crowned as Miss World in 1999, stated that her role model was
Audrey Hepburn, whom she admired for her 'inner beauty, compassion and great aura'. In fact such virtues of head,
heart and spirit give fulfilment to physical beauty and all material acquisitions. This ‘inner beauty’ is in consequence
of clarity, poise, balance and courage of conviction within." Read more.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, April 16, 2007.
Photo credits: Associated Press, Jennifer Barreto-Leyva, Belleza Venezolana
A strong favorite for the title, David Camenzuli of Malta, failed to crack the semifinals. The official Mr.
World website is vague in terms of defining the voting procedure, thus leaving many pageant fans bewildered as to why
some of the favorites - including the winners of several contests (except for Lebanon) - did not make the top twelve.
This is not really surprising any more, especially considering the fact that Julia Morley sits in the jury (she is
the chairwoman of the judges) and that she ultimately decides who the winner should be.
But most of all, many fans were wondering how the delegate from the host country placed third, despite the fact that
there were other delegates who were far more deserving of the spot. Other fans even suggested that China's third place
position was merely a way to appease the Chinese organizers, which is not entirely false. It appears that everytime
an international pageant takes place in China, the host country always secures a spot in the finals or semifinals.
Personally, I feel that Brazil's Lucas Gil should have won. Why? Because I have
never seen a bad picture of the Brazilian hunk ever since he arrived in Sanya. Somehow he emits a kind of charismatic
aura that appeals strongly to both men and women. Although Spain's Postigo may look dashing and sophisticated in his
fashion shoots, I've seen casual images of him where he looked either tired, scrawny or older for his age. But Morley would
not allow a back-to-back win for Brazil, even though she would allow it in Miss World. Also, the so-called "challenges" (cocktail, cooking, sports, raft building, assault course, talent) were nothing more than a way to use the boys for
promotional purposes (that sometimes made fool of themselves) or to alleviate boredom (a pageant for men should not last over
two weeks!)
• AMERI-CANNED : The Miss America Pageant has been dropped by Country Music Television, leaving the 86-year-old
competition without a TV outlet for the second time in three years. The Viacom-owned network, which had rights to air the
pageant through 2011, notified the Atlantic City, New Jersey-based organization that it will not exercise its option to
televise the contest "in 2008 and beyond," the cable network said in a statement issued to The Associated Press on Thursday.
Pageant officials said they've begun the search for a new TV home. "It's been a very good two-year run," said pageant head
Art McMaster. "But we're going to get out there and make the calls and see what the best offer is." The news is another
blow to an American institution that has struggled to find a place in modern popular culture. After 50 years on
network television, ABC dropped Miss America in 2004 when ratings fell to a record low. Nashville, Tennessee-based
CMT picked up the pageant, moved it to Las Vegas from its home in Atlantic City and updated its look with
reality-TV elements. The changes won a younger audience. CMT executive vice president Brian Philips cited the network's
focus on original programming, not ratings, for the decision. (CNN, 3/31/2007)
• WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Zuleyka Rivera also told the Mexican press that after her reign is over, she will pack her
bags and move to Mexico to pursue an acting or a television hosting career, and she believes that Mexico is the ideal place
to do it. "A chapter in my life will close and I am prepared to begin a new one. I believe that I have the capacity and
the talent to realize it, and of course I will prepare for it," said Rivera. She stated that she admires actress Angelina
Jolie for adopting three kids from diverse backgrounds. (El Siglo de Torreón, Mexico, 3/30/2007)
• PANIC ATTACK : Rosa María Ojeda, Mexico's representative to Miss Universe, revealed her
national costume last Wednesday to the public. The event was held in a restaurant in Mexico City. The 20-year-old beauty from the state of Sinaloa did not
feel comfortable being scrutinized by an audience of about sixty people. When she came back from changing,
she started to speak, but could barely finish a sentence. Some in the audience questioned the beauty's preparations.
She attempted again to say something, but she kept stammering, not knowing what to say or do. An astonished
Lupita Jones, her national director, came to her rescue by prematurely cutting off the question and answer
portion of the evening. Despite her diplomatic moves, Jones could not hide her embarassment. One observer
commented, "If she's nervous in front of six people, imagine how she would be in front of ten thousand people."
Jones explained that Ojeda was emotional because her mother was present in the audience, and she also assured
the public that her team would continue to work very closely with Ojeda in overcoming her anxieties.
(El Mañana de Matamoros, Mexico, 3/31/2007)
• ANOTHER THREE YEARS : Real estate mogul Donald Trump will remain in the TV beauty contest business for three more
years under a renewed deal with NBC for broadcasts of the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants, the network said on Wednesday.
The contract extension will keep Miss Universe and Miss USA on the General Electric Co.-owned network through 2010,
but a third pageant co-owned by Trump, Miss Teen USA, will be dropped from NBC after its summer 2007 broadcast.
Despite all the notoriety, Friday's Miss USA broadcast managed a relatively mediocre 7.4 million viewers down slightly
from last year. The July 2006 Miss Universe telecast was No. 1 for its night, averaging 9.6 million viewers overall,
up a bit from 2005. (Reuters, 3/29/2007)
No more broadcast of Miss Teen USA? This is a terrible blow to thousands
of teenage girls who aspire to win the title in a live telecast and who dream to follow the footsteps of
Vanessa Minnillo. But do we still really care about Miss Teen USA? In my case, I have never cared much for it.
Besides, even if NBC drops Miss Teen USA, the pageant will continue to have its league of followers and perhaps find a
more suitable new home in cablevision or syndication.
• NO TO MATERNITY : The Miss Universe Organization - once and for all - stressed that maternity is totally
incompatible with being Miss Universe, which is a hectic and very demanding job. During her visit to Mexico City to finalize
the hosting arrangement, MUO President Paula Shugart said that being Miss Universe is a full-time job, and that it
is not fair for the titleholder to be having a child and not spend quality time with it while she is traveling 365 days a
year. Shugart confirmed that once a new Miss Universe is crowned, she is immediately whisked away from her family and
flown to New York City to live in an apartment. The question of maternity was raised in regards to the recent controversy
in Miss Spain where a contestant, Angela Bustillo, 22, was stripped of her Miss Cantabria title after it was
discovered that she was a single mother of a three-year old son. (Primera Hora, San Juan, 3/30/2007)
• BEAUTY QUEEN COP SUES POLICE DEPARTMENT : A police officer who moonlights as a beauty queen is suing the Chula Vista
Police Department and the city on claims that top officials pressured the police union into dropping a suit defending
her right to compete in pageants. Officer Deanna Mory, 23, was named Ms. California in January 2006.
She first sued in July after police administrators told her to stop competing in pageants, including the Ms.
United States competition. Supervisors told Mory it violated a department policy on engaging in outside employment,
enterprise or activity for compensation not expressly authorized, according to court documents.
The Ms. United States pageant awards a $500 check and gifts to winners and prizes for
second, third and fourth places. According to the suit, filed on Mory's behalf by the police union, her bosses
discriminated against her by denying her constitutional right to free speech.Mory went on to compete in the Ms. United
States competition, placing second. The new suit, filed earlier this month, claims that nine lieutenants and top city
and police officials pressured the union into dropping the first lawsuit, violating a law banning government
employers from restraining or denying the exercise of employees' constitutional rights. Chula Vista Police Chief Rick
Emerson declined comment on the lawsuits. Liz Pursell, a city spokeswoman, issued a statement stating the lawsuits
have "no merit." Mory has continued competing, winning Ms. California 2007 in January. (San Diego Tribune, 3/30/2007)
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, April 9, 2007.
Photo credits: Miss World Organisation, Associated Press
MARCH 2007
• BIENVENIDAS A MEXICO : The first delegate to arrive in Mexico City for the Miss Universe 2007 pageant
is Korea's Honey Lee, who flew in Friday. She was greeted at the airport by District Tourism Secretary
Alejandra Barrales Magdaleno (in photo). Many observers were immediately struck by Lee's celestial and serene
beauty, enhanced by an equally beautiful and elegant hanbok, the traditional Korean dress for women.
• BEAUTY & POLITICS : Nadine Njeim, left, won the Miss Lebanon 2007 title in a nationally televised pageant at Casino
du Liban Friday, hours after two slain youths were buried amid mounting anger. Njeim, 19 and tall at 5'11", was crowned Miss Lebanon
by Gabrielle Bou Rached, Miss Lebanon 2006. An Nahar newspaper said Saturday that the pageant tried
to dispel feelings of frustration over the killing of the two youths who were kidnapped and murdered in what
was thought to be a political vendetta, were buried in Beirut Friday. The show's host was Tony Baroud,
whose wife Christina Sawaya is a previous Miss Lebanon title holder and Miss International 2001.
Nadine Njeim, who is an international business student, carries the same name as that of Miss Lebanon 2004.
(Naharnet, Beirut, 4/28/2007)
• THAI-TIED : Thailand’s tennis hero Paradorn Srichaphan and Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova
are expected to tie the knot in Bangkok later this year, reports said on Saturday. Paradorn, 28, and Natalie Glebova,
25 (left) have “developed a special relationship” and they will announce their engagement at a news conference in
Bangkok on Tuesday, the English-daily Nation said. Paradorn, the former world number nine, and Glebova were first
seen together last year when she kissed him as a reward for beating Britain’s Tim Henman in the quarter-finals of
the Thailand Open, the Nation said. Paradorn was long Asia’s top-rated men’s player before sliding out of the
world’s top 50 for the first time in five years in 2006. He has also become a staple of gossip magazines as he used
to date Thailand’s pop diva Tata Young. (Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates, 4/21/2007)
Newly wed Bollywood couple Abhishek Bachchan, and Aishwarya Rai, right, hold hands as they offer prayers at
the Venkateshwara temple at Tirupati, 156 kilometers (98 miles) north west of Chennai, India, Sunday, April 22, 2007.
Rai shot to fame when she was crowned Miss World in 1994 and is the brand ambassador for leading cosmetic companies.
Bachchan is a popular romantic hero and comes from a famous Bollywood movie family: his father Amitabh is an Indian
movie icon and his mother Jaya is also a famous actress. (AP Photo)
• THOSE LOVELY SMILES : Miss India-Earth Pooja Chitgopekar (left), Miss India-World Sarah Jane Dias (center), and
Miss India-Universe Puja Gupta (right), pose after they were crowned at the finals of the Femina Miss India beauty
contest in Mumbai yesterday evening. An official of the event organizer Pantaloons said that the pageant this year
had decided to declare the "Miss India World" as the official winner, whereas "Miss India Universe" is first
runner-up and "Miss India Earth" is second runner-up. Twenty-five contestants competed in the country's most prestigious
pageant. Former Miss Universe. Dias is a 24-year-old former video jockey and expressed that her mother had always
wished for her to be a Femina queen. Among the entertainers included India's second Miss Universe Lara Dutta. (DNAIndia.com,
4/9/2007)
| 04.02.2007 | Monday
• THE NEW MR. WORLD is Juan García Postigo, a 25-year-old blue-eyed dark-haired model from Málaga, Spain who was crowned Saturday night
in Sanya, China. The first runner-up is Lucas Gil of Brazil (in photo, right) and the second runner-up is Lejun Tony Jiang
of China. The other finalists are Patricio Laguna of Chile and Alonso Fernandez Alvarez, of Costa Rica.
Rounding up the semi-finals are the delegates from Austria, India, Lebanon, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, South Africa
and the Ukraine. Fifty-five countries competed in the pageant that takes place every two or three years. The panel
of judges included Julia Morley, the president and chairperson of the Miss World Organization; Maria Julia
Mantilla, Miss World 2004; Linda Petursdottir, Miss World 1988; and Tom Nuyens, Mr. World 1996.
• UNREGAL DIET : Zuleyka Rivera, left, arrived in Mexico last week to promote the 2007 Miss Universe pageant.
While being interviewed by the press, Rivera talked about her harsh preparations for competing in last year's pageant.
She said that had to undergo an extreme weight loss that caused her to faint constantly. She blames pageant fanatics
who had given her bad advice on how to look good. She also discussed the moment when she fainted minutes after she was
crowned. Now a little heavier, Rivera recognizes her current weight; she decries comparisons made between Latin women
and Asian or European women, saying that Latinas in general tend to be heavier. "The most important thing is that beauty
is not measured in how much you weigh but rather in your talent and how you progress in society," said Rivera.
During her stay in Mexico, Rivera visited an orphanage, the famous Plaza Garibaldi and the canals of Xochimilco.
(El Siglo de Torreón, México, 3/31/2007)
