journal | features | critical photo | telecasts | beauty in all creatures
belleza crítica | q & a | boutique | i love cb | links | about this site | cb group in facebook
| 12.28.2009 | Monday
• DEATH OF A PIONEER : Yves Rocher, who founded the beauty products group named after him five decades ago,
has died at the age of 79, the Paris hospital authority said on Saturday. Rocher, originally from Brittany, founded the company
in 1959 and nurtured it into a firm with annual sales of over 2 billion euros ($2.9 billion), nearly three times that of L'Oreal's
Body Shop, and a presence in over 80 countries. "I confirm that he passed away this morning," said a spokesman for the authority
without giving a cause of death. A spokesperson for the Rocher group did not have any immediate comment. Besides his company role,
Rocher was also mayor of Gacilly in Brittany and holds the rare distinction of the Legion d'Honneur.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office expressed its condolences in a statement
on Saturday. "The head of the state insists on paying homage to the civic commitment of this man, passionate about politics,
having held many mandates in Brittany, the place he loved so much and where he developed part of the activities of his company," it said.
The company is renowned for cultivating its own plants, such as chamomile and black iris, in southern Brittany and running its own
network of stores and mail order and online business. (Reuters, 12/26/2009)
I have been using Yves Rocher skin care products for nearly 15 years. Yves will be terribly missed,
and I hope even after his death his company will continue manufacturing plant-based cosmetics.
• THREATENED : Cynthia Olavarría, first runner-up in Miss Universe 2005, stated that she had been receiving threats
for her alleged romance with Jencarlos Canela, the lead actor in the Spanish-language soap opera "Más Sabe el Diablo”.
Olavarría denied the rumour that she is Canela's love interest: "He's a good friend of mine. We're very good friends. We've
known each other for a long time." In her Facebook, she commented to her female fans not to hate her. She has received both
threats as well as comments from well-wishers. (Primera Hora, San Juan, 12/21/2009)
• THE NEW MISS HUNGARY is Anett Maximovits who was crowned at Hotel Hilton in Budapest last December 19th.
She will represent Hungary at the Miss Europe contest next year.
• KANSAS QUEENS : The new Miss Kansas USA is Bethany Gerber and the new Miss Kansas Teen USA is Olivia Harlan.
Both women were crowned on December 20th in Lawrence, Kansas.
• THE PICS ARE UP : Miss Tourism International 2009 is now taking place in Malaysia and the winner will be crowned
on December 31st. You can see pictures of the candidates in Mohd Yusuf Ismail's fabulous website, Pageant Island.
• UNIVERSAL GLITCH : A CB reader, Rasheed, wrote to me and said that he noticed a glitch in preliminary scores shown during
the Miss Universe 1990 pageant. He writes: "The scores shown during the Parade of Nations did not match up with the Top 3
preliminary scores for the swimsuit and evening gown segments shown by the co-host (Leeza Gibbons) later on in the telecast.
After the Top 10 semifinalists were announced, the co-host referred to a monitor which indicated that the Top 3 preliminary
scores in swimsuit were: Norway (8.610), India (8.150) and Dominican Republic (8.090). However, these exact scores were
categorized as preliminary interview scores during the Parade of Nations for the respective delegates. Similiarly, the
co-anchor announced that the Top 3 preliminary scores in evening gown were: USA (8.570), Venezuela (8.450) and Czechoslovakia
(8.440). However, these exact scores were categorized as preliminary swimsuit scores during the Parade of Nations for the
respective delegates." Thank you, Rasheed, for your keen observation!
• FEAST YOUR EYES : Allie Is Wired blog posted the Top 10 celebrity beauty blunders of 2009. Did you favorite celebrity
make the list? Check it out.
• FEED YOUR MIND : It's been a while since I've read an academic book on beauty. The last one I read was "The Most
Beautiful Girl in the World. Beauty Pageants and National Identity" by Sarah Banet-Weiser (University of California
Press, 1999). The book focuses on the cultural, ethnographic and feminist aspects of beauty, and I recommend it highly to
anyone pursuing a scholarly work on the subject, or to anyone who seeks to expand their perception of beauty. It seems
that a new book is out, aptly called "100,000 Years of Beauty" - a five-volume set of scholarly research into the history
of beauty and was commissioned by the L'Oreal Foundation and edited by Elisabeth Azoulay. You can read a critical
review of this book on this site.
My birthday is coming up next month. Perhaps some kind CB reader would like to get me a copy as a birthday present! LOL!
• NEXT JOURNAL UPDATE : Monday, January 4, 2010. The End of the Year Review will be posted on January 1, 2010. Happy New Year everyone!
PHOTO CREDITS: Pipole Net, Belga Picture
| 12.21.2009 | Monday
• POSTPONED : After a wave of criticism, the finale of the first-ever Miss Palestine pageant has been postponed
indefinitely by the Palestinian Authority. The Ramallah Governorate announced on Sunday, “According to the requirements
of the public interest, we decided to freeze and delay indefinitely of the coronation of Miss Palestine 2009 that was
scheduled to be held on 26/12/2009 in Ramallah." The statement said the decision was made out of respect for the
anniversary of the onset of the Israeli war on Gaza, which will be marked on December 27th. But, the statement added,
“We encourage such ideas that promote beauty that is committed to age-old Palestinian traditions and values.”
The Miss Palestine pageant generated controversy when it was announced by the Trip Fashion Company earlier in December.
Islamist politicians denounced the competition as not in keeping with traditional values. The project originally
had support from the Palestinian Authority. Officials from the ministries of Information and Culture were to help
judge the contest, its organizers said. (Ma'an News Agency, 12/20/2009)
• MYSTIFIED : MISS Zimbabwe Vanessa Sibanda has admitted being slightly baffled by the judging after narrowly missing
out on the Miss World crown. The 21-year old was impressive in both Miss Beach Beauty and Miss Talent finals in which she
was in the top 12. Speaking in London on Wednesday, she said: “I was delighted to have made the Miss Beach Beauty and Miss
Talent finals and had thought I would have a top ten spot in the main event. “I just wish I knew how the judging process
was done because on the final night, we didn’t even parade for them to come up with the top ten, top seven and the winner.
“It seems like they already had the winner before the final night. But I’m happy for the winning country Gibraltar, she was
a lovely girl.”
The public relations student is however philosophical about her disappointment, declaring:
“I guess everything happens for a reason. I represented my country to the best of my abilities. “If Miss World was not for
Zimbabwe this year, maybe next time. There’s no point feeling sorry for myself forever, I will stay positive because usually
in life when one door closes, another opens.” Vanessa said she had a “great time” in the Miss World camp in South Africa
before last Saturday’s finals in Johannesburg. The girls from 120 countries also visited London, the United Arab Emirates
and witnessed the FIFA 2010 World Cup draw in Cape Town in the three weeks leading up to the event. (New Zimbabwe, 12/17/2009)
• SEN-SIBLE : Fifteen years after being crowned the first Miss Universe from India, Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen
has got franchise of the beauty pageant in the country. Sen recently unveiled her new brand, I AM, as well as its beauty
pageant division, I AM She, which will hold the Miss India Universe pageant. And the winner of the pageant will represent
India at the international Miss Universe contest. So far, the winner and two runners-up of the Femina Miss India have
been representing India at the Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss Asia-Pacific events respectively. Now, its two winners
will compete for the Miss World and Asia-Pacific crowns, while the winner of I AM She Miss India Universe will represent
the country at the Miss Universe contest globally. (Indian Express, 12/20/09)
• THE NEW MISTER INTERNATIONAL is Bruno Kettels, 20, of Bolivia who was crowned Saturday in Taichung, Taiwan.
His court includes first runner-up Hector Soria of Spain, second runner-up Marcelino Gebrayel of Lebanon,
third runner-up Maxime Thomasset of France, and fourth runner-up Sebastian Strzepka of Poland. Kettels's
victory marks Bolivia first major international beauty title, male or female. Kettels was sent by Promociones Gloria who
manages a modeling agency and owns several pageant franchises including Miss Universe and Miss World.
• THE NEW MISS ANGOLA is Jurema Ferraz who was crowned December 11th in Luanda. She represented the
province of Namibe. The pageant was attended by the first lady of Angola, Ana Paula dos Santos. The first runner-up
is Ivanita Jones (Miss Zaire) and the second runner-up is Helena Jacinto (Lunda Sul). (Angola Press, 12/12/2009)
• THE NEW MISS RWANDA is Grace Bahati, 18, from the Southern Province, who was crowned last week the Kigali
Serena Hotel in Kigali. She will compete in Miss World 2010 to be held in Vietnam. Info courtesy of Paul Palmero
Miss France 2010 Malika Menard poses during a meeting with Caen deputy-mayor Philippe Duron (right) and Head of the Miss
France committee Genevieve de Fontenay (left) on December 19, 2009 in Caen, northern France. Malika Menard, Miss Normandie
before being crowned Miss France 2010, was born in Caen.
• INDIA GOES TRANNY : More than 100 hopefuls vied Saturday for the title of India's most beautiful transsexual at
the country's first such pageant for members of the marginalised community, an organizer said. The event in the
southern city of Chennai was unique in a country where transsexuals live on the fringes of society, drawing 120
contenders between the ages of 20 and 35 from across India, A.J. Hariharan told AFP. Hariharan is founder
secretary of the Indian Community Welfare Organisation (ICWO), which put on the contest and works for the rights of
gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people in Chennai.
Kareena, a 25-year-old model from the western financial hub Mumbai walked away with
top honors, while 23-year-old Romi, a beautician from the northeastern state of Manipur, was second. Local favorite
Padmini, 25, a dance instructor, bagged third place. Besides tiaras for the winners of the overall "Miss India" title,
crowns were also handed out to victorious contestants in the "Miss Beautiful Hair," "Miss Beautiful Eyes" and
"Miss Beautiful Skin" categories. "We had a meeting of the transgender community some months ago where we discussed
various events to bring community members into society," Hariharan said. After rejecting several proposals including
sporting events, "everyone unanimously supported the idea of a national-level beauty pageant," he said.
"We thought it would create an opportunity for the transgender community to showcase their skills, create a platform to
address the problems they face - discrimination, marginalization and misconception."
The pageant is the latest in a series of recent attempts to break down barriers.
In November, eunuchs - men who have been castrated - claimed victory in a long-standing campaign to be listed as
"others," distinct from males and females, on electoral rolls and voter identity cards. And in July, Delhi High Court
decriminalized gay sex between consenting adults by declaring a colonial-era ban on homosexuality unconstitutional.
(AFP, 12/20/2009)
• ARRESTED : Beauty contestant Lauryn Eagle has been arrested after allegedly lying to police. The Australian model
and water skiing champion, who has entered the 2010 Miss Universe Australia beauty pageant, reportedly gave officials fake
details when they pulled her over on Monday night. The police statement published by The Daily Telegraph said: "Police will
allege the woman failed to provide a current NSW driver's licence and stated false particulars. "She was arrested and
charged with stating a false name and driving while suspended." A spokesperson for Eagle said that they could not comment
because the "matter is before the court". The 22-year-old star was apparently bailed and will appear in court on
January 14. (Digital Spy, Australia, 12/17/2009)
• UPSETTING : Miss Gibraltar Kaiane Aldorino's victory in Miss World 2009 surprised even her own parents who were
convinced that Miss Mexico Perla Beltran would win the crown. But in the case of Lupita Jones, Beltran's
national director, the Aldorino's triump was very upsetting. Lupita said, "I am very angry. I am going to repeat what
everybody is saying here, that the crown was for Mexico! I take consolation in the fact that what the people and the organizers
are saying - that Perla is getting only good comments." Beltran said that Aldorino's parents told her that they had sworn
she was going to win and that they had never thought that their own daughter would be crowned. "But in a contest, everything
is left in the hands of the judges," she commented. (La Prensa, Honduras, 12/18/2009)
In another news article, Lupita stated that she does not know anymore what to do for
Mexico to win. "The truth is, I don't know what the judges are looking for. Even an impeccable wardrobe and the right accessories
are not enough to guarantee a place in the competition," remarked Lupita. (Mural, Jalisco, 12/19/2009)
Beauty queen-turned-actress Honey Lee, right, will hold a concert along with her mother (center) and sister (left), at
the National Center for the Korean Traditional Performing Arts on Dec. 25. / Korea Times File
• BEAUTY AND THE MAIDS : A one-time runner-up in the Miss Hong Kong pageant, who is said to have hired and fired 45 maids in five years,
has accused three of her current four maids of stealing almost 150 items of children's wear from her home. The maids
Marites Alberto Saddaran, 34, Aubrey Leal Garcia, 25, and Ginavilla Velasco Gongob, 41 have pleaded not guilty to stealing the clothes
from the Old Peak Road home of 45-year-old Winnie Chin Wai-yee between August and November 3. Appearing in Eastern Magistracy yesterday,
the maids suggested Chin second in the beauty pageant in 1981 was a shopaholic and that she frequently asked them to get rid of unwanted
clothing.
They also said Chin, who is married to banker Ma Ching-yeung, had a bad attitude and often used
abusive language including calling them idiots with no brain. Her husband is a member of the Tai Sang Bank's Ma clan. The couple have
two sons and a daughter. Quoting figures from the Philippine consulate, the maids' defense lawyer claimed Chin had hired and
fired 45 maids from 2004 to 2009 a figure that Chin disputed. Chin, a merchant, claimed the maids took 79 shirts, 46 trousers,
three skirts, three jackets, 15 pairs of shoes and two rucksacks together worth more than HK$30,000. In her testimony, Chin said she
had thought in October that some of her children's clothes had gone missing but did not suspect anyone. Then she saw Saddaran put a
pair of her eldest son's sports shoes under the bunk bed in the maids room that she shared with Garcia on the evening of November 3.
(The Standard, Hong Kong, 12/15/2009)
• NEXT JOURNAL UPDATE : Monday, December 28, 2009.
PHOTO CREDITS: Belga Picture, AFP, Getty Images
| 12.14.2009 | Monday
She joined seven other contestants in the final round of the show. The loudest
cheers were reserved for Miss South Africa, Tatum Keshwar who was the second runner-up. First runner-up was
Miss Mexico, Perla Beltran Acosta. Completing the top 7 were the delegates from France, Canada, Panama and
Colombia. Gibraltar, known as The Rock, is a quirky, multicultural British outpost of 30,000 people, most of whom speak
perfect Spanish and even own property along Spain's southern Mediterranean coast. An estimated 12,000 people cross
over from Spain daily to work and many more to visit. (Yahoo News, 12/15/2009)
I saw a live webcast of the pageant on a Venezuelan site, but the webcast
mysteriously went off the air after Miss Venezuela failed to make the semifinals. Minutes after the official
results were announced, pageant fans expressed surprise and discontent when Beltran did not win, as she was on everyone's
top 3 list. Many were also shocked that Miss Puerto Rico was shut out of the semifinals, specially since virtually
all betting agencies had selected her as the winner. Still, some say that the British Julia Morley
(the pageant owner) seems to favor girls from former or existing British colonies. Gibraltar is a self-governing British
territory and Aldorino is a British citizen.
Aldorino's victory marks Gibraltar's first-ever major international beauty crown.
It also makes Gibraltar as the smallest territory or country to win any international title. Watch Aldorino's coronation.
Show some attitude and express your thoughts about the pageant in the CB Facebook group!
• PRIYANKA ON MISS WORLD : Bollywood actress and Miss World 2000 Priyanka Chopra says she enjoyed being on the jury of the
Miss World 09 contest. She later tweeted from Johannesburg, “Wow! Eerie feeling.. I'm so excited! ... Sitting and watching the
rehearsals.. All the girls walking out in their finery... So nostalgic.. It’s almost like I can hear their thoughts.”
Before leaving for the pageant, where Miss Gibraltar was crowned Miss World and Pantaloons Femina Miss India Pooja Chopra was
crowned Beauty With A Purpose, Priyanka did a mock poll on whether she should wear her hair straight or sports curls with her sari.
At Johannesburg, Priyanka told PTI that it is wrong to expect the winning beauty to change the world. “Miss World is not the
President of a country, and people should not expect her to be that,” she said. The 59th edition of the contest saw beauties from
112 countries participating, and Priyanka says that the winner of the pageant is just another girl doing her bit to help.
"She's just a girl who has been given this pedestal of power and position and she is going to do her bit to help whoever needs
help, especially because the Miss World organisation does so much for children who are disadvantaged, sick and underprivileged,"
Priyanka said. (The Times of India, 12/13/2009)
• THE NEW MISS SOUTH AFRICA is Nicole Flint who was crowned in Sun City last night. The first runner-up is Matapa Maila
and the second runner-up is Lisa Van Zyl. Flint will represent her country in next year's Miss Universe and Miss World pageants.
• SLEEP WITHOUT SAUSAGE : The most beautiful married woman on the planet, Victoria Radochinskaya of Russia, does not go
in for diets. She likes to sleep instead. Victoria was crowned as Mrs. World 2009 in Vietnam and recently returned to her home
town, Rostov-on-Don. Victoria said at a news conference in the city that she was terribly missing her four-year-old son, Bogdan,
whom she could not see for more than a month. “Like every woman I think about age and I don’t think that years will only make me
even more beautiful. I do yoga, I swim and exercise. I also try to get enough sleep. I have a rule: better eat less than sleep less.
I usually eat all I want to eat, but don’t eat sausage and pork,” Mrs. World 2009 said. (Pravda Online, 12/11/2009)
• SUCH A DRAG : It's time to start dusting off those feather boas. The Miss'd America Pageant will return to Atlantic City after
a five-year hiatus. The drag queen beauty pageant and charity fundraiser was created as a spoof of the Miss America Pageant,
which has since left the city. The pageant raised an estimated $250,000 for the AIDS Alliance from 1992 to 2004. The new Miss'd
America Pageant will take place on Jan. 31 at Boardwalk Hall. Richard Helfant, President of the Greater Atlantic City GLBT Alliance,
will hold a news conference at Boardwalk Hall on Tuesday to announce the pageant's return, accompanied by representatives
of sponsors Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. and Harrah's Entertainment Inc. Also there will be show writer and director
Robert "Sandy Beach" Hichen and still-reigning 2005 Miss'd America Andrea LaMour.(pressofatlanticcity.com, 12/12/2009)
• CHINA GOES GAY : A high-profile gay pageant is planned for the first time in China to select the country’s entrant in a
worldwide competition. The winner of the Mr. Gay China contest, scheduled for January 15 at a club in Beijing, will represent
China at the Mr. Gay World competition in Norway in February, according to Agence France-Presse. "There will be sportswear and
swimsuit segments, a Q&A session, and a panel of judges will select the winner based on overall performance," spokesman
Ben Zhang told AFP. Anyone who lives in China may apply online to enter the pageant. Gay issues remain a sensitive topic
in China, the world’s most populous country, where gay people were officially classified as mentally ill until 2001. (Advocate.com, 12/11/2009)
• ANOTHER DUBIOUS PAGEANT? On December 10th, 2009, I received an e-mail from a certain Frank Ikegwuonu of Nigeria. It was sent to
national directors warning them that Roland Jota, the main organizer of World Festival Queen pageant - which is supposed to take
place in the Philippines next February - is a scam artist. If you're a member of the CB Facebook group, you can read the entire e-mail
there and post comments.
• UPDATE ON MARK ANCHETA : I distinctly remember Jota was involved with Romulo "Mark" Ancheta, the Filipino organizer of
Miss Young International pageant who was jailed earlier this year for fraud. And speaking of Ancheta, it's possible that he has been released
because his website has been updated. When you visit his site, scroll down
all the way to the bottom of the page and you will read: "The prestigious Miss Young International will be holding a pageant this
November, 2009." Of course, we all know that no pageant ever took place; otherwise, it would have been documented. And on another page, it says: "Twenty-one-year-old Nigerian
princess Onome Aberare felt the rush of emotion as she was proclaimed Miss Young International 2008 at the end of a three-week
exhibition of pageantry, adventure, and style. This astonishing moment marked the highpoint of her career as a model and was tribute
to the dedication she has shown in the months and years running up to this prestigious contest."
• WHAT'S UP WITH GISELLE? Giselle Laronde-West, the only Miss World from Trinidad & Tobago (1986), now designs
her own line of children’s jewelry. Read more.
• WHAT'S UP WITH THE ISLAMISTS? Officials of the Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, condemned on Friday the decision by
the West Bank's authorities to hold a Miss Palestine beauty pageant. The event is scheduled to take place on December 26 in the West
Bank, controlled by the Fatah, the main political rival of Hamas. "The pageant shows moral degradation in the West Bank," the
Ministry of Women's Affairs said in a statement. "We are set to bring to justice all who damage the reputation of our people."
The goal of the contest is show a different, non-political face of the region. There will be 58 young women participating in the
region's first pageant, including 26 Arab-Israelis and 32 beauties from the West Bank. There are no contestants from the isolated
Gaza Strip. The winner of the Miss Palestine pageant, who will be chosen by a jury that includes representatives from the
Information Ministry and the Culture Ministry, will receive a new car, a 10-day trip to Turkey, and $2,700 in cash.
The only difference in the beauty pageant is that the Palestinians will not participate in a swimsuit contest due to cultural
differences. (What a bummer! LOL!) (RIA Novosti, 12/11/2009)
• NEXT JOURNAL UPDATE : Monday, December 21, 2009.
PHOTO CREDITS: Associated Press, Miss Young International
| 12.07.2009 | Monday
For the first time this year, the new Miss France was chosen by a vote conducted entirely by the public.
The show, hosted by Jean-Pierre Foucault on TF1, attracted 7.94 million French viewers, or 39.8% of the audience.
Th finalists themselves were elected during a joint vote split 50/50 between the public and the jury chaired by actress and
singer Arielle Dombasle.
• THE NEW MISS UKRAINE UNIVERSE is Anna Poslavskaya, 22, who was crowned Saturday night. She will now
compete in Miss Universe 2010.
• THE NEW MISS MODEL OF THE WORLD is 20-year-old Emene Nyame who represented France. Nyame was crowned
last Thursday in Shenzen, China. She was born in France to a Cameroonian father and an Algerian mother. She
represented Flanders in Miss France 2009, but her early elimination had infuriated the president of
Miss France Committee Geneviève de Fontenay. To prove her point, de Fontenay specially selected Nyame
to represent France at the ?Model of the World? competition, indicating that it is more ?respectable? than
the prestigious Miss Universe pageant. (Afrik.com, 12/4/2009)
• THE NEW MISS CARIBE HIBISCUS is Yoly Hawley of St. Maarten who was crowned Saturday in St. Maarten.
The first runner-up is Sundy Miranda Rodriguez of Colombia and the second runner-up is Stephanie La Bonne
of Martinique.
• MISS WORLD UPDATES : In the spirit of the 2010 FIFA World Cup draw which took place on Friday, Miss World
contestant's were invited to Soccer City yesterday (Sunday), as part of their month long South African tour, leading
up to the pageant Which takes place next Saturday, December 12, at Gallagher Estates, Johannesburg. Contestants from
the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup qualifying nations took to the pitch in their countries national soccer shirts,
where they played about with the ball and posed for photo opportunities with local soccer heroes. Speaking about
the World Cup draw, Miss Australia Sophie Lavers said: "I think that it is awesome that we qualified. We have been
drawn in Group D against Germany, Serbia and Ghana. I think that we can win - well I hope we can win. I used to
play soccer and my best friends who still play, are going to be really jealous that I am here. Australia
is going to win - it is our year!"
Contesting that statement Miss Ghana also from Group D, Mawuse Appea said:
"We were the first African country to qualify for the World Cup with the exception of the host country South Africa.
Ghana is really looking forward to making this World Cup one to remember . We are looking forward to taking the
cup home." Group G contender Miss Brazil Luciana Reis De Souza said that she will not only be supporting
her home team during the World Cup goal will now be rooting for South Africa now that she has had such a
wonderful time here.
Another event the contestants keeping busy over the weekend was the Miss
World Children's party at the Johannesburg Zoo on Saturday. Three hundred children from the Ekuvukeni Day Care Center
(Alexandra), Tshwarang OVC aids orphanage (Ebony Park) and Andana Day Care Center (Protea North) mingled, chatted
and shared plenty of photographic opportunities with 112 of the world's most beautiful women.
(Sowetan, South Africa,12/6/2009)
• FINALLY : After four years of being separated, former Miss Universe Cecilia Bolocco and ex-president of Argentina
Carlos Menem are now divorded. Bolocco traveled to Buenos Aires accompanied by her young son
Máximo to sign the divorce papers. For three hours, the couple discussed the division of estate and support
that Maximo will receive from his father. It is not known if Bolocco will get financial support. The couple were
married in May 2001. (MDZol.com, 12/6/2009)
• CROATIA TO HOST MISS UNIVERSE? Owner of Croatia’s competition licence, Vladimir Kraljevic, confirmed that American
multimillionaire Donald Trump decided for Croatia to host 2010 Miss Universe pageant after the president of MUO
President Paula Shugart returned from the country with positive comments. Such an event would be an excellent promotion
for Croatia and the tourism because it would bring as many as 85 international competitors for 30 days. All the costs of
the event are covered by sponsors and commercial companies. Specific location of the competition has not been confirmed yet,
but possible locations are the city of Zagreb and Split. Other cities involved with the project are Dubrovnik, Zadar,
Opatija, Rijeka, Pula and Varazdin. Support for this project was given by the Croatia’s Prime Minister, Jadranka Kosor,
and Tourism Minister, Damir Bajs. (Javno.com, 12/1/2009)
A picture dated 12/5/2009 shows Swiss candidate Nathalie Jeuoy (center) with Thai origins posing with first runner-up
Swedish candidate Hoa Van Kiet (left) with Vietnamese origins and second runner-up candidate Hungarian Viktoria Viet Nguyen
(right)) with Vietnamese origins during the first Miss Asia Europe beauty pageant in Budapest, Hungary. Nathalie Jeuoy has
been elected Queen of the Pageant, held for ladies with Asian origin living in Europe. EPA / ATTILA VOELGYI
• TRUMP LAMBASTES SALAHI : Add this to the growing list of reasons NBC Universal might want to hold off on splashing
Michaele and Tareq Salahi all over their network Bravo's new reality series "Real Housewives of DC."
Donald Trump, who owns the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants with NBC Universal, has learned the couple submitted pictures
for a December 2008 article in a magazine polo identifying Michaele Salahi as a "former Miss USA." No record exists of her winning
that beauty crown, The Post's Neely Tucker reported Friday. Trump takes a very view of women who pretend to be his winners
of beauty pageants. "She could not have been a former Miss USA if she'd tried," Trump told The TV Column Friday.
"This is disgusting," Trump said when he learned of the ruse.
He also called it an affront to all the women who work so hard through the "huge process" it takes to become Miss USA.
"This tells us they are all phonies," he said of the Salahis. Trump said his people "come down very hard" on anyone who
tries to pass themselves off as a winner of one of his pageants, in order to protect the franchise. Friday afternoon,
the president of the Miss Universe Organization Paula Shugart called and told told The TV Column that yes, in fact,
they are investigating Michaele Salahi. (The Washington Post, USA, 12/4/2009)
• BEAUTY-OBSESSED? French actress Fanny Valette says she has no problem doing an out-and-out Bollywood movie
but at the same time she is very critical about the concept of beauty in the industry. "Certainly, I would like to do
a Bollywood movie. Will love to do romantic movies. I have also heard about 'Devdas,' its lead actress Aishwarya Rai
and the legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan," Fanny told PTI. However, she was extremely critical when asked
about the size-zero fad and importance given to it in Hindi films. "Beauty is something that is very subjective.
What makes an actor or actress really beautiful is how he or she can touch your heart through their performance
and express themselves well," she said. (PTI News, Mumbai, 12/6/2009
• ROYAL CUT : Former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres appeared on a Puerto Rican morning talk show "Entre Nosotras" last
Thursday and for the first time in eleven years had her hair cut on live TV. She then donated her locks to the American
Cancer Society that makes wigs for cancer victims who lost their hair due to chemotherapy. Dayanara also launched a
campaign to encourage instructors and students in beauty schools in Puerto Rico to organize haircut sessions. The campaign
seeks to collect more hair for donation. Dayana said that it is a cause that is close to her heart because both her parents
battled cancer. "It's a gift that doesn't cost any money, but it has an incalculable value," remarked Dayana. (Primera Hora,
San Juan, 12/4/2009)
• DISABLED BEAUTIES : "The fashion world may be the last bastion of prejudice, a field that overtly discriminates
against people because of their looks. So there is something both bold and troubling about “Britain’s Missing Top Model,”
a reality show that begins on Tuesday on BBC America that pits disabled women against one another to compete for
a photo spread in the U.K. edition of Marie Claire magazine." Read more.
• SHOW SOME ATTITUDE : By signing up as a member of the CB group in Facebook, if you haven't done so! Join the increasing number
of pageant fans who love CB - former and current beauty queens, pageant directors, pageant webmasters and bloggers, critics, judges
and regular folks who can't live without CB (LOL!) If you become a member, you will be eligible to CB-sponsored online contests and
you may be featured in the CB Fan of the Month Club starting in January 2010! So what are you waiting for?!!! Sign up now!
• NEXT JOURNAL UPDATE : Monday, December 21, 2009.
PHOTO CREDITS: Associated Press
NOVEMBER 2009
• DETHRONED : The current Miss Paris Kelly Bochenko, (photo) who competed in Miss France 2010 three weeks ago, has
been officially dethroned on December 26th after the latest issue of Entrevue magazine published raunchy
photos of her. Geneviève de Fontenay, the director of the Miss France Committee that oversees regional pageants
including Miss Paris, stated that Bochenko, 23, was stripped of her title because she broke a sacred rule (Article 11) forbidding current
regional titleholders (including the new Miss France) from posing nude, semi-nude or engaging in sexually provocative
poses. Bochenko was ordered to return her crown, sash and prizes. Bochenko defended herself by saying that the photos
were taken three years ago by her ex-boyfriend and that she never gave him permission to have them published.
(Stars Avenue, France, 12/27/2009) A Romanian website published two topless images of Bochenko. 
• ROCKY HOME : The new Miss World, Kaiane Aldorino, (photo) was given a rapturous welcome on return to Gibraltar (the Rock) last
Thursday. Several thousands people waving the red and white Gibraltar flag jam-packed the John Mackintosh square. "I am thrilled,"
she told the crowd from a balcony in the City Hall. "I knew it would be a big welcome, but not that big," she said.
Earlier, when driven through the main street to cheering crowds, she felt "on top of the world." A spokesman for the Miss
World organization, in Gibraltar for Kaiane's homecoming, said: "We've never had a welcome like Gibraltar's. It's the most
special home-coming ever." The reigning Miss World flew to Gibraltar on a private jet chartered by the Gibraltar Government.
Their non-essential employees were allowed to leave early to take part in the celebrations. A fireworks display was organized
for the late evening. (Panorama, Gibraltar, 12/17/2009)
AFP PHOTO & GETTY IMAGES / KENZO TRIBOUILLARD
• ROCK OF THE WORLD : Kaiane Aldorino from Gibraltar (photo) was named the new Miss World at a glittering two-hour
pageant that put South Africa in the spotlight and featured traditional dancers and drummers. The leggy brunette,
dressed in white-lace evening gown, was crowned as silver confetti rained down onstage around her. She clapped her
hands to her mouth when her name was announced. "I have no words," she said when asked to describe how she felt.
"I am really happy." The 23-year-old administrative clerk from the British territory on the tip of the
Iberian peninsula was a crowd favorite after winning the swimsuit competition.
• THE NEW MISS FRANCE is Malika Ménard, a 22 year-old law student (photo), representing Normandy, who was crowned Saturday
night during a live telecast from Nice. She will now compete in Miss Universe and Miss World 2010. Her court includes first
runner-up Virginia Déchenaud of Rhône-Alpes, second runner-up Mélanie Craignou of Bretagne,
third runner-up Emilie Corbi of Provence, and fourth runner-up Nathalie More of Quercy-Rouergue. The new
queen was crowned by her predecessor Chloé Mortaud who had to temporarily fly out of South Africa where
she's competing in Miss World. Watch Ménard's coronation.
