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| 07.30.2007 | Monday
• LA VRAIE RAISON : Michel Le Parmentier, the president of Comité Miss France (CMF), the rival organization of
Geneviève de Fontenay's Société Miss France (SMF), sent a press release last week stating the real reason Rachel Legrain-Trapani,
the current Miss France, is not going to Miss World is because de Fontenay believes that Rachel could make more money
for SMF if she attended several lucrative events in Provence instead of sending her to China for more than a month.
This contradicts de Fontenay's earlier statement that suggested that Rachel had relinquished her opportunity to
go to Miss France in favor of her first runner-up, the deaf-mute Sophie Vouzelaud. Le Parmentier
reiterated Miss World's policy that clearly states that the only true representative must be crowned as the national
queen, and not runner-ups. Le Parmentier is also surprised that de Fontenay had never thought of sending
Vouzelaud to Miss Deaf World pageant that took place last July 14th in Prague which was won by China's
Bao Quing Ling.
• THE NEW MISS ARAB WORLD is Wafaa Ganahi, a 23-year-old teacher from the Law Faculty of Bahrain University.
She was crowned Friday night in Cairo in a pageant that lasted almost six hours. The first runner-up was 25-year-old Miss Egypt
Shaimaa Mansour. Miss Lebanon Rula Bahij, 23, was the second runner-up. Ganahi, Bahrain's first ever contestant in the event,
was crowned by Miss Arab World 2006 Claudia Hanna from Iraq. Seventeen women from 15 countries attended the final competition,
one of the major attractions of the second Arab Tourism Festival, which opened in Cairo. Controversy surrounded Ganahi'
participation in the event after a columnist in one Bahrain-based Arabic newspaper had written that the event was a
thinly disguised beauty contest. Ganahi was upset by what she perceived as a slur on her character, and announced
her withdrawal from the event. However after a groundswell of support, including messages of support from GDN
readers, she made the trip to Egypt. (Gulf Times, 7/28/2007; Gulf Daily News, 7/28/2007)
• NEW BOLIVIAN QUEENS were crowned last Thursday: Katherine David (Miss Bolivia Universe), Sandra Hernandez
(Miss Bolivia World), Angélica Olavarría (Miss Bolivia International), Karla Fuentes (Miss Bolivia Earth) and
Adriana Saavedra (Miss Young International Bolivia). Twenty-one young women competed in the annual pageant.
The jury included stylist Sixto Nolasco and the current Miss Earth Hil Hernández from Chile.
• NATALIE'S BODYGUARD : Minding a celebrity brings with it its own share of glamour, especially if the bodyguard
is a disarmingly tough woman. In November last year, during a food festival in Chiang Mai, a drunken Thai man
approached Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova. The youth shook her hand and tried to kiss it. Enter the bodyguard.
Instantly, Noppawan Pookkesorn, who was standing behind Glebova, delivered a karate chop to disengage the
amorous man’s grip on her client. “The man froze and realised that what he did was not good,” recalled Noppawan.
Later, Glebova thanked her bodyguard. It was all in a day’s work for the 34-year-old Thai woman who has been
responsible for Glebova’s personal safety since the 26-year-old Canadian made Thailand her home in August 2006.
It is rare for the bodyguard to karate chop overzealous fans of the beauty queen,
who won the hearts of Thais during the Miss Universe 2005 pageant in Bangkok when she greeted the audience with a wai
(a respectful Thai greeting). Most of the time, Noppawan’s task is to politely tell Glebova’s fans not to be too obtrusive.
Occasionally, Noppawan has to protect her client from fans – mostly male who, in the words of the bodyguard,
“probably want to boast that they’ve touched Miss Universe” – trying to grope Glebova while taking a photograph with her.
But the bodyguard does the fending off gently as she does not want to give the public the impression that the beauty
queen employed a minder who is tough and rough. Early last year, Thai beer brewer, Singha Corp, headhunted Noppawan to
be the 24-hour bodyguard of Glebova, who is the brewing company’s corporate brand ambassador.
The former policewoman’s resume is impressive. Four years ago, Noppawan, a policewoman
with the rank of captain, who worked as a nurse at the Police General Hospital in Bangkok, was selected to undergo
three months' training to guard foreign dignitaries attending the Apec 2003 meeting in Thailand. Her assignment was to
guard Janette, the wife of Australian Prime Minister John Howard. And in 2005, she was selected to protect another Australian,
Miss Universe 2004 Jennifer Hawkins, who was in Bangkok to crown the next Miss Universe. Comparing her experience
with the two Australians, Noppawan says guarding the beauty queen was more relaxing as she only had to protect Hawkins from fans.
“It was more formal with Janette, as the wife of a Prime Minister could face potential physical threats,” she said.
When Glebova arrived in Bangkok in August, 2006 to make Thailand her home, Noppawan lived with her. And within two
months, they became more like housemates. “After my official duty protecting Natalie, we would talk like friends,”
she says. “It was mostly girl talk, such as falling in love during high school. “Natalie is very nice. She is like a
Thai as she has a very soft heart and she is so gentle.”
Any secrets to share about Natalie? “Yes, but it is top secret!” says the bodyguard,
who is also Glebova’s executive assistant. She’s also responsible for the beauty queen’s appointments. “I was trained
to keep secret what I learn about the VIPs I keep watch over.” What about Paradorn Srichaphan,
Thailand’s famous tennis player? Glebova recalled the first time she met the 28-year-old tennis ace nicknamed Super Ball.
It was when the two Singha brand ambassadors visited children affected by HIV at Wat Prabatr Nampu in Saraburi,
Thailand, late last year. “When we returned from the function, I could see in Natalie’s eyes that she had a good
impression of him,” says the bodyguard, who only revealed such intimate information as the celebrity couple had announced
their engagement in April. The glamour of guarding a celebrity has rubbed off on Noppawan. She has been featured in
Thai newspapers, magazines and television shows, as the public is curious about the story of a nurse who became the bodyguard of Miss Universe 2005.
The woman, who has travelled to Hong Kong, Australia and Russia to guard Glebova, is in midst of writing a pocketbook
in Thai on her life. “Are you famous?” I asked. With a disarming smile, the bodyguard says, “I don’t think so.”
(The Star, Malaysia, 7/29/2007)
• A RACIST PAGEANT? "Advocates for Roma women in Europe are demanding the cancellation of the forthcoming Miss
Roma International 2007 beauty pageant in Macedonia, on the grounds that it will promote a "racist" image of
beauty and undermine the confidence of Roma women as they struggle to combat poverty and prejudice." Read more.
• PAGEANTS ARE NOT JUST ABOUT BEAUTY : "The face of beauty is changing. Pageants are making a comeback, but not as
we once knew them. Now fans vote online for their favourite contestants; those vying for the crown are savvy about
self-promotion; and the events are heavily sponsored, with girls bearing such titles as Miss Teak Construction
and Miss Hick Bros Civil." Read more.
• PRAYERFUL PAGEANT : "Not many beauty pageants are opened with a prayer. But last night at the Pocono Best Western
in Stroudsburg, the traditional beauty pageant format found religion as the Miss Christian United States Pageant
crowned winners in six age groups." Read more.
• MEN LOVE BEAUTY PRODUCTS : "Ladies, if your shampoo or scented lotion is disappearing at an alarming rate, the man in
your life may be the one to blame." Read more.
• REMINDER : The deadline for the Mister USA costume design contest is Tuesday, July 31st. So if you haven't sent your
submission, do it now!
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, August 6, 2007
Photo credit: Miss Korea Organizationbr>
• U.S. AWARDS AFGHAN BEAUTY : Vida Samadzai missed a White House function where she was to be honoured by the US
Government because she was busy. Vida Samadzai's family was shocked when she was crowned Miss Afghanistan in 2003.
Vida accepts it too, "Everything happened because of the bikini I wore at the pageant." But that was a
long time ago. Life has come a full circle for Vida now. She has stood her ground and continues to do what she wants!
Samadzai was given the Ms. America 05-06 presidential award for voluntary work. "I was surprised when
I came to know that the White House was trying to get in touch with me. They had heard about the work
I do for the needy and wanted. There are three categories in this award - gold, silver and bronze.
I won the gold," says Vida.
She has also got a ticket to Bollywood. Right now, she is helping Subhash
Ghai with the translation for his next flick "Black and White," and is also shooting a commercial. That's the
reason why she couldn't make it to the award ceremony in the US too. "Though George Bush didn't give away
the awards, I wanted to be a part of the event. But I couldn't make it in time for the event and the mayor
of Costa Mesa, Allan R Mansoor handed me my award. President Bush, I believe, is busy planning and
building strategies for the Iraq war. But if Bill Clinton was giving the award, I would've swum
across the Atlantic Ocean to receive it from him," says Vida.
Vida rues the fact that the Afghan government refused to let
her attend her grandfather's funeral. "My grandfather was a minister in King Zahir Shah's period, and a
lot of people attended his funeral. But my country's government told me that my visit will
create controversy and divert the attention of people towards me," complains Vida.(Times of India, 7/22/2007)
• MILK MAIDEN : Miss America Lauren Nelson puts a new spin on her work this year by teaming up
and hitting the road with the Southwest Dairy Farmers to help promote healthy nutrition. The Southwest Dairy
Farmers is an alliance of dairy farmers from Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
Lauren is thrilled to be a part of this unique tie-in and to be the spokesperson for Southwest Dairy Farmers.
She is currently being featured on a series of outdoor billboards in the Southwest Dairy Farmers’ region
that all promote drinking milk and healthy nutrition. "I love being a part of this campaign and this promotion,”
said Lauren. “It’s a great nutritional message for children and adults: milk is a healthy way for all of
us to stay fit." (From Miss America website)
Hmmm... maybe someone should tell Lauren that humans are the only
mammals that drink the milk of other species, that milk is not good for certain ethnic groups, and that
milk is not necessarily healthy for you.
• NEW QUEENS: Anya Watkins, 21, is the new Miss Bahamas World. The 5'7" beauty defeated
14 other contestants to capture the title during a grand coronation show on July 22nd. She will compete
in the Miss World pageant in Sanya, China on December 1st. Capturing the titles of Miss Bahamas Tourism Queen
and Top Model Bahamas was 20-year-old Camille Kenny. She will compete in the 2008 Miss Tourism Queen
International Pageant, and the 2008 Top Model of the World competition. Ciji Adderley
will represent The Bahamas at the Miss Intercontinental pageant later this year. Thanks to MBO for this info.
The new Miss Dominican Republic World is Ada Aimee de la Cruz, 18, who was crowned Saturday. She
will go to Miss World 2007. De la Cruz was a semifinalist in Miss Dominican Republic Universe pageant earlier this year.
Info courtesy of Bellezas Dominicanas.
The new Miss Earth Sweden is Ivana Gagula, 18, who was crowned at the Café Opera
in Stockholm last Saturday. Info courtesy of Inger Hansson.
The new Miss Hong Kong is Kayi Cheung, a 23-year-old student who was crowned in Hong Kong last Saturday.
The first runner-up is Grace Wong, 21, and the second runner-up is Loretta Chow, 19. Cheung will go
to Miss World 2007 and Miss Chinese International 2008. Info courtesy of Rana Lee.
• VIETNAMESE PAGEANTS GALORE : "With around 10 national beauty pageants held annually and most of them similar in form
and content, many are now saying that beauty pageants are a mess." Read more.
• PAGEANTS ARE OUTMODED : "Across the country, young women participate in beauty pageants at county fairs and
the state and national levels. For months out of the year, these women prepare for the pageants, buying
the best shoes, practicing poise and rehearsing speeches they formulated for use at the event.
For contestants, it is important to achieve a state of near perfection in order to excel." Read more.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, July 30, 2007
Photo credits: Miss Universe Organization, Terra.com
• FALSE BRAIDS : The winner of a Bolivian beauty contest for indigenous women was stripped of her title moments
after her coronation when judges noticed she was wearing false plaits (braided hair), organizers said on Saturday.
The Miss Cholita Pacena pageant, held in the Andean city of La Paz late on Friday, seeks to instill pride in
indigenous women who choose to wear the traditional dress of wide skirt, bowler hat and long plaited hair.
But doubts over whether the winner was a genuine Cholita Pacena -- the name for Indian women from La Paz --
led judges to strip her of her victor's sash and call for a rerun, said pageant organizer Walter Gomez from
La Paz's city government. The judges "disqualified the winner because they realized she didn't have plaits, that the plaits she had
were false," he told Reuters. "Having short hair means they don't live like Cholitas."
Friday's contest was a far cry from the mainstream beauty contests
that are popular in Bolivia, in which the South American nation's indigenous majority are under-represented.
Not a bikini in sight, the toughest test for the 14 contestants was making a speech in the native Aymara
language to prove their Cholita credentials. It is not the first time scandal has hit the pageant. In 2004,
the winner caused a stir after her coronation by saying she did not normally wear traditional dress.
(Reuters, 7/14/2007)
• NOT STRIPPED : Miss New Jersey, Amy Polumbo, 22, said last week that her family and pageant
officials had received packages of photographs of her with friends from a private Internet site and that a
blackmailer had demanded she quit. But the Miss New Jersey Education Foundation board unanimously agreed on
Thursday to allow Polumbo to stay on. She won her crown last month and promised to lead a campaign to protect
children from Internet predators. Polumbo, who released the pictures on NBC's national morning television program "Today,"
will keep $10,000 in scholarship money and compete in the Miss America pageant. The pictures include one in which she is
dressed in a Halloween costume holding pumpkins to her breasts and another in which she is holding
her legs spread in the air.
The pageant committee gave its full support to Polumbo, saying she had been
"forthright" in her decision to reveal the photos, and that "she should continue in her reign as Miss
New Jersey," according to a statement read by Michele Gillian, spokeswoman for Ocean City, New Jersey,
where the pageant is held. The committee also branded as "despicable" the actions of those who tried to force
Polumbo to step down. (Reuters, 7/12/2007)
• LOSING HER GLOBE : Natália Guimarães, Miss Brazil Universe and first runner-up in Miss Universe 2007,
lost her balance during the opening ceremonies of the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro last Friday.
Guimarães was one of the all-women flag carriers who were dressed up in a blue costume consisting of a heavy
hoop skirt, a jacket with white lines representing the longitudes and the latitudes, and a big globe headdress.
As she tried to get on stage, she fell on the floor and her globe headdress came off. Guimarães ended up as
the only flag carrier without adornments on her head. (O Dia, 7/14/2007)
• STILL UPSET : Lupita Jones, ex-Miss Universe and national director of Nuestra Belleza Mexico, is
still miffed by her candidate Rosa Maria Ojeda's elimination from the top five of Miss Universe 2007.
She said, "When we are in international pageants, I always recognize some of the participants who have bad hairdos or
do not wear the right dress, or who do not have a correct body language." She also said that she and Ojeda
cried a lot after the results had been announced, though both understood the situation of Ojeda's disqualification.
(El Universal, Ciudad de México, 7/14/2007)
• IT'S A GIRL : Ali Landry, ex-Miss USA, former Doritos pitchwoman turned actress, and
hubby Alejandro Gomez Monteverde welcomed their first child together Wednesday morning, according to People magazine.
Daughter Estela Monteverde weighed in at 8 pounds, 2 ounces. "Mom and baby are doing great," Landry's rep told the
magazine, adding that the proud couple are "ecstatically happy." After an eleven-month engagement, Landry
and Monteverde tied the knot in Mexico in April 2006. Most recently, Monteverde directed his wife in the indie drama
"Bella," which he also cowrote and produced. (E!Online, 7/13/2007)
• CYPRIOT BELLES : The new Star Cyprus is Dimitra Sergiou, 22, who was crowned on July 12 at the Pavilion
in Nicosia. She will go to Miss Universe 2008. The new Miss Cyprus is Dora Anastasiou, 18, who will go to
Miss World 2007. Other winners are Stefani Paraskeua, 20, crowned as Miss Carlsberg 2007 and who will go to Miss Europe;
and Vesi Philippos, 19, crowned as Miss Mediterranean 2007 and will go to Miss International 2007. Info
courtesy of Paul Palmero.
• BASHFUL BEAUTY NO MORE : Bahrain beauty Wafa Janahi is to take part in the Miss Idealistic Arab World contest
in Cairo after all. Janahi, a 23-year-old law graduate, announced last Sunday that she was pulling out of the
contest over what she called a public slur. She was reacting to an article by Akhbar Al Khaleej columnist
Jaffer Abbas criticizing the contest as a thinly disguised beauty pageant. But on July 12th, she confirmed
that she would be flying to Cairo after having a change of heart following a groundswell of public support.
She said however that she would walk out if it was nothing but a beauty contest.
"I will enter the competition but on the condition that I will come back
to Bahrain if the competition has anything to do with beauty," said Janahi. She is the first Bahraini to enter the
contest and is backed by Bahrain-based events management company Treeworks International. "After putting Ms. Janahi's
participation on hold as a result of what some local newspapers have written on the subject, Treeworks International
declares that she is back on track and will participate in the pageant," company managing director Fathi Alawi
said in a statement issued last Thursday. (Gulf Daily News, 7/13/2007)
• GREEN TEA SCANDAL : A reliable source informed me that Alan Sim, president of Mister Singapore Organization that
also produces the Mister International pageant, was involved in a verbal squabble with a young woman. The incident
occurred at the Actors' Musical Pub on July 13th. According to witnesses, a young woman who appeared to be drunk,
was making her way out to the balcony for a smoke, as it is no longer allowed to smoke in enclosed areas in Singapore
effective July 1st. As she made her way out, she tripped onto someone else's foot. At that time, Sim was having his
green tea drink which was filled to the brim. When the young woman lost her balance, she lunged forward and grabbed Sim's hand
for balance just as Sim was drinking. The impact forced Sim to accidentally pour half a tall glass of green tea
onto the woman's dress.
The woman demanded an apology from Sim, but Sim refused, stating that it was the
woman's fault and that she should be the one apologizing. The woman rejoined her female companion "Sue" who apparently
was disturbed by the incident. "Sue" approached Sim and demanded him to apologize, even accusing him of not behaving
like a gentleman. A disgusted Sim replied, "Sweety, it was no fault of mine and one should bear full responsibility
for one's action!" Now, Sim is considering filing a five million dollar lawsuit against both women for emotional damage
and verbal assault. I contacted Sim via e-mail and he confirmed that the incident was indeed authentic.
• GETTING SHORTER : "America used to be the tallest country in the world. From the days of the founding fathers
right on through the industrial revolution and two world wars, Americans literally towered over other nations.
In a land of boundless open spaces and limitless natural abundance, the young nation transformed its increasing
wealth into human growth." Read more.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, July 23, 2007
Photo credits: VNN, Miss Aruba
Caruso won’t say what the photos show, except to say it’s nothing especially
revealing — certainly nothing more revealing than the bikini Polumbo wore during the Miss New Jersey competition.
He also declined to reveal what the captions said. And her lawyer said Polumbo wouldn’t comment because she
was being kept “under wraps” on Friday as the deadline for her resignation passed. Meanwhile, Polumbo didn’t step down.
And the photos — and captions — that caused all the commotion didn’t appear to have been made public. (MSNBC, 7/6/2007)
The latest news is that Polumbo has received a second threatening package from someone
trying to blackmail her into relinquishing her crown, her attorney says. Caruso would not comment Sunday on the exact
contents of the package or say who received it, but said he had given it to state investigators. (AP, 7/8/2007)
• NEW QUEENS : The new Miss Wales is Kelly Pesticcio, a 23-year-old medical student from Cardiff who was crowned at the Holland House Hotel
in Cardiff last Saturday night. She will represent Wales in Miss World 2007.
The new Miss Côte d'Ivoire is Bernadette Amenan N'Zi, 19, who was crowned
during the 11th edition of the pageant last Friday at L'Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan. She will go to Miss World 2007. Her
first runner-up is Georgina Seh and her second runner-up is Sery Koussougro Lapix. Info courtesy of Paul
Palmero.
The new Miss Indonesia is Kamidia Radisti, 23, of West Java who was crowned
on July 5th at the Jakarta Convention Center. She will go to Miss World 2007. Her first runner-up is Verna Gladies Merry Ingkiriwang
of Central Sulawesi and the second runner-up is I Gusti Agung Ary Kusumawardani of Bali. (Jakarta Post,
7/6/2007)
• NEW KINGS : The initial Mister Philippines pageant took place in Manila last Sunday night. Three winners were selected:
Ian Porlayagan of Nueva Ecija was crowned Mister Philippines-International for Mister International to be held
in Malaysia in December; Nino Sazon of Canada was crowned Mister Philippines-International man for International Man pageant, a new contest to be held in Indonesia
sometime in December; and Michael Raymond Lim of Manila was crowned Mister Philippines-Expo World for Mr. Expo World
pageant to be held in Guatemala in October. The first runner-up and second runner-up are both from Germany respectively:
Carsten Ertel and Michael Koegel. View photos of the winners here.
• NOT ALLOWED : Three weeks ago, it was reported that Sophie Vouzelaud, the first runner-up to
Miss France 2007 Rachel Legrain-Trapini, would replace Legrain-Trapini as the French representative to Miss World 2007.
Now, MWO director Julia Morley has announced that Vouzelaud - deaf since birth - is not allowed to compete because she was not
crowned as the national queen. Vouzelaud is shocked by the news and said that first runners-up have competed
in the past. She suspects that she is a victim of discrimination because she is deaf. It appears that Legrain-Trapani
will be sent to Miss World after all. (Le Blog TV News, 7/7/2007)
Does anyone else besides me thinks that Morley's regulations are abhorrently inconsistent
and sometimes sadistic? One would argue that MWO is a private organization owned by Morley and that she can do whatever she wants including
bending the rules, but why wouldn't she accept Vouzelaud this year if she accepted Annabelle Hilal to represent Lebanon
last year? Hilal placed second to the national winner Gabrielle Bou Rached who competed in Miss Universe. It is my
understanding that Morley will only accept representatives that have been crowned nationally or have been given a national title,
thus several countries award multiple winners (supposedly in equal standing) and send them to their respective pageants
(Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International, Miss Earth). Still, many countries continue the practice of crowning one national
winner and sending her to various pageants while her runners-up merely function as substitutes. To avoid conflicts, it is best
that countries that own several franchises should crown multiple national winners, such as in the case of Binibining Pilipinas,
Miss Venezuela or Miss India.
Obviously, this is not the first time that MWO has had conflicts with
Miss France president Geneviève de Fontenay. In 1999, she lost the Miss World franchise. My article on the Miss France Controversy
includes a photocopy of the letter by Eric and Julia Morley that explains the reason for de Fontenay's dismissal. The following
excerpt clearly exemplifies de Fontenay's bullheadedness and her penchant for disregarding rules:
The runner-up in her December 1998 contest was from mainland France. Madame de Fontenay had already been told that due to
the problems she has caused by her unfounded statements that we do not recognize French territories as part of France, we
were not going to accept her entry for this year's competition. She allegedly decided to play the French territories card
again by saying we would not accept her entry because she came from Tahiti. In order to do this, she had to send us the
winner for the first time. As we had already told her that we would not accept her entry, we naturally refused.
We have awarded the license for 1999 to Antoine de Villejoie who has undertaken to send us the winner of his Miss France
contest, who we will accept whether she comes from mainland France or any of her territories. At the same time, we
shall accept an entry from any of those territories in their own name if they choose to run a contest." (See the entire
letter here.)
If you have read my article on the Miss France Controversy, you will learn that the true legitimate owner of the title
"Miss France" is Antoine de Villejoie who relinquished his group - Comité Miss France - to Michel Le Parmentier.
Now you're probably wondering how de Fontenay was able to regain the franchise. Simple. Miss World - just like any other business
organization - started welcoming bids from the highest bidder. De Fontenay sold her group to Endemol, a television production
company based in the Netherlands. With her newly gained profit, de Fontenay outbid de Villejoie and that's how MWO dumped de
Villejoie (even though he's the true legitimate owner of "Miss France") and received de Fontenay again with open arms (because
she has more money despite her criminal background). So as you can see, MWO and de Fontenay are really sucking each other's blood.
• GETTING MARRIED : Ly Jonaitis, the current Miss Venezuela and second runner-up in Miss Universe, announced
last Tuesday during a press conference that she has accepted a marriage proposal from her longtime boyfriend
Leonardo Villalobos, a television host. The pair confirmed their romantic relationship which has been talked about
in the national press for several months. The wedding is planned for next year. Jonaitis was also given a
homecoming party by the Miss Venezuela Organization. Visit this Belleza Venezolana page for pictures from the
event. (La Prensa, Honduras, 7/6/2007)
• SINGH-ING ANOTHER SONG : John Singh, the corrupt and evil organizer and owner of several fourth-rate pageants
such as Miss Tourism World, Model of the World, Model of the Universe, Miss Bikini World and Miss Internet World (among
others), had originally planned to hold this year's Mister Tourism World pageant in Russia from June 20th to 30th. A reliable source informed me
that Singh has just pulled out another diabolical trick from his hat. All the delegates had already arrived in Russia only
to be told by Singh to return to their home countries due to some misunderstanding with the Russian organizers about the hosting fee.
Singh demanded that the Russians pay him US$100,000 and the money be deposited directly in his personal account, but the organizers
rejected his demanded because it is illegal in Russia to deposit state money in personal accounts. As a form of retaliation,
Singh organized a press conference by badmouthing Russia and ordered all the delegates to fly back home. Singh could not provide
a viable explanation to the Russian police as to why the money could not be deposited in his corporate account, so he just took
off and abandoned the distressed candidates.
• NEW FLAME : Marina Mora, ex-Miss Peru World and second runner-up in Miss World 2002, is reportedly
dating 56-year-old Mexican millionaire Jaime Camil Garza. The couple was seen together last week in a five-star
hotel in Miraflores, Peru. Mora's friends say that the former beauty queen has not revealed to the press about
her sentimental relationship with Garza, and that they think that Mora is merely a "pastime" for Garza. Mora
became controversial two years ago when she married her first cousin Gustavo Mora against her family's
wishes. To this day, Marina and Gustavo are still legally married. Maju Mantilla,, Miss World 2004 and one
of Mora's best friends, stated that she speaks with Mora every day and that Mora is "very much in love" with
Garza. (Diario Ojo, Lima, 7/7/2007).
Let me get this straight: Mora married her first cousin Gustavo, rebelled against
her family's wishes, and now cheats on Gustavo by screwing a rich man old enough to be her father. And they say that
Alicia Machado is the queen of all sluts! Hmmmm.... I think this title belongs to Mora!
• NEW OFFICE : The Miss America Organization has now relocated to a new office complex in Linwood, New Jersey.
The office is approximately 15 minutes from the former location in Atlantic City. The new address is 222 New Rd.,
Suite 700, Linwood, NJ 08221, USA. For more information, visit the official Miss America website.
• ARRESTED : Court allowed the issuance of arrest warrant against a son of a former Miss Thailand winner who
rammed his car into bus passengers on Thursday. Kanpithak Patchimsawat, 20-year-old son of Sawinee Pakaranang,
is charged with murder and attempted murder after he ran over several bus passengers with his car, killing one and injuring a
number of others. Police at Thong Lor station will go to question Kanpithak at Samithivej Hospital in the afternoon.
Police said they have completed their questioning of almost all eye-witnesses except three critically injured passengers
who are in emergency rooms. (Bangkok Post, 7/7/2007)
• SHE'S FULL OF TRASH : "Flamboyant former First Lady Imelda Marcos, known for extensive shoe collection and eye-popping
diamond jewelry, on Thursday said she has no beauty secrets except to see beauty in everything, even garbage." Read more.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, July 16, 2007
Photo credits: Associated Press, Nazanin Afshin-Jam Official Site
• BUILDER QUEEN : Indian beauty queen and former Miss World Diana Hayden has joined hands with some of Hollywood's
most influential women to build homes for the needy and poor in Los Angeles. Last week, Diana teamed up with more than
100 of Hollywood's leading women such as actresses Jeanne Tripplehorn of "Big Love" fame, Julie Bowen ("Ed" and "Boston Legal"),
Diane Farr ("Numbers") and author of "The Tuff Chix Guide to Easy Home Improvement" for an event designed to empower and
celebrate women while raising awareness about the need for affordable housing in the US. "Diana helped put up framing for
the homes and worked on other aspects including the fittings," said her spokesperson Dale Bhagwagar. "Apart from being
delighted to support a charitable project like this, the most touching part was when Diana met the families who will
one day live in these homes," he added. The families will be able to move into their new homes later this year.
"After the day's work was completed, a special ceremony took place to surprise 20
Los Angeles families with the news that they have qualified to become Habitat for Humanity partner families.
Their reactions were a mix of shock and joy," Bhagwagar said.
Recollects Diana, "The joy and euphoria was stunning! Some were clapping, some
laughing and crying. When you see the expression on their faces you feel so special to be part of something
so beautiful. And when you work alongside them, the love and magic you experience is priceless." (Newspost India, 7/1/2007)
• WHEN WILL SHE QUIT? Lupita Jones, the only Miss Universe from Mexico so far, said that she will continue
directing Nuestra Belleza Mexico until another Mexican delegate is crowned Miss Universe. "I would love to step down
and retire, but I have always said that I can't do it without a winner in Nuestra Belleza. I would feel like a
frustrated woman on a professional level, as if I have given up easily. I believe that the Mexican woman deserves to
be recognized beyond her physical beauty." Jones also thinks that Mexico will not have to wait long for another Miss Universe
from her country. (Esmas, 6/28/2007)
• EMERALD BEAUTIES : The new Miss Northern Ireland is Melissa Patton, a 19-year old former flight attendant
from Belfast who was crowned on June 26th. The new Miss Ireland is Blathnaid McKenna, 21, of Tullyeast who
was crowned in Cork on June 30th. Both women will represent their respective countries in Miss World to be held
in Sanya, China in December.
• A FADING PAGEANT : Many Wyoming women probably don't realize what a positive program the Miss Wyoming Pageant
is and may view it as "frilly" and "frivolous," said pageant co-executive director Arlis Wozniak, of Sheridan.
The pageant is an opportunity for young women to grow personally and professionally and compete for $9,900 of
college scholarships, Wozniak said. However, despite all the good things about the Miss Wyoming Pageant, which
took place on June 30 in Sheridan, there were only four contestants this year. "This has been a struggling
program in Wyoming for years," Wozniak acknowledged. It is heartbreaking that more women don't compete in the pageant,
said Jennifer McCafferty, Miss Albany County. "I think a lot of people don't realize what it is," McCafferty said. "They just think it's a beauty contest."
(Rocky Mountain News, 7/1/2007)
• BEAUTIFUL WO/MEN : In a traditional beauty pageant, contestants try to demonstrate their style, dignity, and grace
by donning evening gowns, bathing suits and scads of make-up. And so, the Miss Glamouresse beauty pageant is quite
normal. There’s just one difference. The contestants are all men. Bill Russell, director and co-writer, said “Pageant”
is not a drag show, but rather a parody of beauty pageants. “This show is really about the way beauty is sold to women
in our culture,” Russell said. “They go through things and do things that we would never expect men to do.”
The Kansas Summer Theatre musical production “Pageant” will hit the stage at Crafton-Preyer Theatre in Murphy Hall
this Friday at the University of Kansas. The six contestants — Miss Industrial Northeast, Miss West Coast, Miss Deep South,
Miss Bible Belt, Miss Great Plains, and Miss Texas — sing and dance, hoping to earn the top honor at the end of the show.
But the contestants don’t know who will take home the prize each night. That’s because the five judges are picked from
the audience at the beginning of each performance, meaning there potentially could be a different winner each night.
Leavenworth senior Jon Matteson, who plays Miss Deep South, said rehearsals
have been both challenging and hilarious. “The most difficult part was walking and dancing in stiletto heels,” he said.
Nearly everything about the show is genuine. The actors are in the same age range as Miss USA contestants.
The theater contains a stage leading to a runway with tables on both sides and the actors go backstage only to
change outfits. And, because the audience chooses the winners, the actors are truly pushing themselves to
become Miss Glamouresse, Cook said.“It actually has turned into a competition between all the actors,” he said.
(The Daily Kansan, 7/1/2007)
• DIVORCING : Cecila Bolocco, Miss Universe 1987 from Chile, and husband Carlos Menem, ex-president of
Argentina, have filed for divorce. The couple married in May 2001 in Argentina and bore a son named Maximo. The newspaper
La Cuarta reported that Bolocco does not want any more problems and that the couple's decision to end their
marriage was mutual. Bolocco is asking to have full custody of her son and that there would be no possibility for Menem
to fight her in court. (El Universal, Santiago, 7/1/2007)
• FALL & RISE : "An adverse reaction to a vaccine sent Erin MacPherson crashing face-first onto the floor, cutting her neck,
fracturing her jaw and cracking six teeth - two months before her Miss Teen America competition. For two weeks in April, MacPherson,
the current Miss Teen Maryland, couldn't talk because a compression bandage wound tightly around her chin clamped her
jaws shut. The Bel Air teen swallowed pureed bananas and chicken-vegetable mush, and drank lots of milkshakes."
Read more.
• BEAUTIFUL VEGETARIANS : Sir Paul McCartney, Joaquin Phoenix and more.
• FIFTY YEARS : This month, Gladys Zender of Peru marks the golden anniversary of her coronation as Miss Universe 1957.
Critical Beauty pays a tribute to this timeless beauty.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, July 9, 2007
Photo credits: Victor Serrano, Miss Sweden
JUNE 2007
• THE NEW MISS KOREA is 24-year-old Lee Ji-Sun, left, who was crowned Friday in Seoul. Lee is an aspiring fashion
designer who currently attends the Parsons School of Design in New York City. The first runner-up is Jo Eun-ju, 23.
The second runner-up is Park Ga-won, 21. Young women joined the contest from all over the world, including 14 domestic cities,
the United States, Japan, China and the Oceania region. During the event, beauties celebrated the aesthetics of
Korea as they strutted across the stage in exquisite hanbok (Korean traditional dress) and haute couture dresses
by Korea's top designer Andre Kim. K-pop stars Tei and M also heated up the night with dynamic performances.
(Hankook-Korea Times, Seoul, 7/29/2007) I must say that her crown is uniquely beautiful!
| 07.23.2007 | Monday
• RESIGNED : Angelina Glass, left, who represented Germany in Miss Universe 2007, has resigned for unknown reasons.
She has been replaced by the first runner-up in her national pageant, Alexandra Kuszlik. Kuszlik
presumably will not be eligible to compete for Miss Germany again and therefore will have no opportunity
to compete at Miss Universe. (From Pageant News Bureau).
• EX-GAY BOYFRIEND? Ruth Ocumarez, who represented the Dominican Republic in Miss Universe in 2002, is reportedly
engaged to Sixto Nolasco, a well-known Dominican-born-now-Puerto Rican stylist, make-up artist, photographer and choreographer who has worked
with numerous Latin American celebrities. Nolasco, who is known for his flamboyance, stated that he is "tired of the
gay lifestyle" and that he wants to spend the rest of his life with a woman because "gay life is not easy and you will end
up being alone." Nolasco made such declarations during an interview with Carmen Jovet in her show "Ahora podemos
hablar." Nolasco - who is a U.S. citizen - denies allegations that the only reason he wants to marry Ocumarez is so
that she could get a permanent residency in the U.S. (Primera Hora, San Juan, 7/21/2007)
| 07.16.2007 | Monday
• SOAP STAR : Univision has co-developed and co-produced a six-episode novela with Unilever's Caress
brand that will become the network's first novela to air on Univision.com. A shortened 90-second version of Episode
1 premiered last night during Univision's top-rated "Destilando Amor." The novela, "Mi Adorada Malena" ("My Beloved Malena"), stars
former Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Universe 2005 first runner-up Cynthia Olavarria, left, as a spokesmodel
for Caress Exotic Oil Infusions body wash. The brand's marketing messages also are integrated throughout
the four- to six-minute episodes, with characters speaking about the brand's ad slogans "unleashing your exotic side"
and "unleashing your mysterious side." The Web series, part of Caress' ongoing strategy of targeting Latina consumers,
will enable viewers to choose from one of two endings for the series at Univision.com. You may view the novela here.
• ARUBAN ANGELS: New Aruban queens were crowned on July 13th at the Westin Aruba Resort & Casino. Tracey Nicolaas,, left, was crowned Miss Aruba and
will go to Miss Universe 2008 pageant. The new Miss World Aruba is Boyoura Martijn for Miss World. And Miss International
Aruba is Jonella Oduber for Miss International. The two finalists were Nabhilach de Palm and Carolina Ramos.
Info from the official Miss Aruba site.
| 07.09.2007 | Monday
• BLACKMAILED : It’s not so much the photos that trouble Miss New Jersey; it’s the words that someone put with them.
Miss New Jersey, 22-year-old Amy Polumbo, left, announced Thursday that someone was trying to blackmail her with
old photographs and a demand that she give up her crown by Friday. Her refusal to give in and speculation about the
photos made her a star of the moment — at least in the world of tabloid newspapers and Internet gossip blogs.
But by Friday Polumbo’s lawyer, Anthony Caruso, said it was actually captions on the photographs that troubled the
beauty queen, not racy images. “They’re just disgusting captions,” Caruso said. “They’re clearly meant to have
one view these photos in an entirely different light.” Caruso also thinks his client may have been defamed by
the photo phrases and said he was meeting with officials from the state attorney general’s office to try to
determine whether any laws were broken. Lee Moore, a spokesman for the attorney general, said his office
would not confirm whether any matters were under investigation.
"We did not know at the time that the reason why we did not get winner, was that Madame de Fontenay ran her selection
contest for the following year in December of the preceding year. As she wanted the previous Miss France to crown her
successor she did not send her to Miss World, but held her back and send us the runner-up, so France was represented in
November of each year by runner-up of a contest held in December the previous year.
• BRAVE BEAUTIFUL CHANTEUSE : Nazanin Afshin-Jam, left, ex-Miss World Canada and first runner-up in Miss World 2003, is one of
those very few beauty queens who truly do something to promote causes close to their heart. Last year, Nazanin started
a campaign to help save the life of a teenage Iranian girl (also named Nazanin) who had been sentenced to hang for stabbing one of the three
men who tried to rape her. Because of Afshin-Jam's activist stance, perseverance, and bravery, the teenage girl was found innocent
and released last January. Recently, Afshin-Jam has started a new campaign and petition to stop all child executions in her
native Iran. Now, her activism is reflected in her musical talent: her debut CD, "Someday," was released last April and is rapidly
climbing the charts. You can watch the video of the song in her official website.
| 07.02.2007 | Monday
• BACK-TO-BACK : The new Miss Continente Americano is Marianne Cruz, 22, left, of the Dominican Republic, who succeeds
her compatriot Mia Taveras. Cruz was crowned Saturday night in Guayaquil, Ecuador and the pageant was
shown live via Gamavisión. The first runner-up is Francis Lugo of Venezuela and the second runner-up is
Gladys Castellanos of Mexico. The three other finalists are Uma Blasini of Puerto Rico, Nataly Chilet
of Chile, and Vivian Noronha of Brazil. Twenty-two young women competed in the pageant, and eleven of which
had competed earlier in Miss Universe. The pageant was co-hosted by Zuleyka Rivera, Miss Universe 2006, and
the jury included Miss Earth 2005 Alexandra Braun. It has been said that the pageant was created last year to give "frustrated"
Miss Universe contestants the chance to win an international title. But out of the eleven Miss Universe 2007
contestants, only one - Uma Blasini - managed to make the finals. Xiomara Blandino of Nicaragua failed
to equal or surpass her top ten achievement in Miss Universe 2007. 
• STRIPPED : Isabel Lestapier-Winqvist, 20, Fröken Sverige 2007 (Miss Sweden 2007), left, was stripped of her title on
magazine FHM confirmed that Lestapier-Winqvist had appeared in the magazine. "She was our ex-girlfriend of the month
in February 2006," editor Tobias Wickstrom told The Local. After buying the rights to the pageant, Panos Papadopoulos
gave it a makeover after allegation were made that the competition was outdated and sexist. The swimwear segment
was removed as part of the overhaul. Papadopoulos said Lestapier Winqvist's appearance in FHM is out of step with the "new" pageant.