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| 7.27.2009 | Monday
• THE NEW MISS WORLD PERU is Claudia Maria Carrasco, Miss Cuzco, the first ever winner from her department. The new queen
was crowned by Maria Julia Mantilla, Miss World 2004, from Peru. Miss Pasco, Tatiana Simon, was the 1st runner-up,
and received the title Miss Tourism Queen Peru 2009. She will represent Peru in China next month.
Miss Lima, Jimena Rumini, was the 2nd runner-up, followed by Miss Arequipa, Pieriangel Daniela Dodero, 3rd runner-up,
Miss La Libertad, Maria Lourdes Mantilla, 4th runner-up, and Miss Tumbes, Diana Carolina Limo, the 5th runner-up.
The show was hosted by Silvia Cornejo, Miss World Peru 2006 and Miss Tourism Queen 2008, and telecast live by Canal 7.
• THE NEW EARTH MISS UNITED STATES is Amy Diaz who was crowned July 22nd and will now represent the United
States in the Miss Earth 2009 pageant to be held in the Philippines in November. Diaz was Miss Rhode Island USA 2008
and Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 2001. Her court includes first runner-up and Miss United States Air Danielle Bounds of Missouri,
second runner-up and Miss United States Water Anastagia Pierre of Florida, and third runner-up and Miss United States Fire Dani Reeves
of Iowa. Pierre competed in Miss USA 2009 last April. In the teen division, the winner of Miss Teen Earth United States
is Jolie-Noelle Schamber of Florida, followed by first runner-up and Miss United States Teen Air Logan Bidack
of Oklahoma, second runner-up and Miss United States Teen Water Aubrey Carr of southwest Florida, and third
runner-up and Miss United States Teen Fire Songee Barker of Arizona.
• SORE LOSER? Miss Oxfordshire says her fellow Miss England contestants “felt cheated” by the result of this year’s
competition, which was won by the niece of Olympic sprinter Linford Christie. Zoiey Smale, from Headington,
who won the public vote for the beauty contest, also hit out at the organization of the prestigious competition,
which she labelled “very poor.” Miss Smale, a student nurse at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital, received 2,013 votes
from the public, more than 1,000 ahead of her nearest rival. However, the title went to Rachel Christie, who won
only nine votes from he public on her way to becoming the first black Miss England. Smale said: “I’m absolutely
gutted I will never be able to win Miss England. My dream is shattered. “Rachel was the favourite to win from the
start and all the bookies had her as the favourite. “We all knew very well who was the winner. A lot of the girls
felt quite cheated.”
Smale said she did not expect to automatically win the contest by topping
the public vote, but felt let down that her efforts to attract votes counted for little else than money-making for
the competition. Organizers of the competition said contestants were well aware winning the public vote would only
fast-track them to the final 15. She said: “Rachel is lovely. I’m not doing this because I’m a sore loser.
It’s nothing to do with Rachel, it’s the way it was organised. It was really poor. It was like a full-time job
trying to get the publicity and get people to vote. It got me through to the final 15, but it was made to feel it
wasn’t important, it was just a way of getting money. I ended up making myself ill because I wanted it so much.
I was worried at one point that my hair was going to fall out from the stress.”
Miss England organizer Angie Beasley said she had received no other complaints
from contestants. She said: “We’re very sad to hear Zoiey has bad things to say about the competition.
“It seems to be because she won the public vote but wasn’t placed. “We often get this in competitions. It’s sour
grapes basically – all the other girls have been sending emails and texts saying it was great. “It’s just such a shame.
It’s upsetting for Rachel to hear people are saying it’s fixed. There can only be one winner on the night and Rachel
won fair and square.” She said Christie was awarded first place by four of the competition’s six judges
who assessed candidates on factors such as posture and confidence. (Thisisoxfordshire.co.uk, 7/24/2009)
• THE NEW MISS WORLD AUSTRALIA is Sophie Lavers,, 24, an aspiring performer from Canberra who was crowned
in Sydney July 22nd, beating nineteen other competitors. When Lavers was announced the winner, she smiled, accepted a large
bouquet of roses and sat on a giant red throne. The sparkly tiara was a little too big for her head and she mouthed to the crowd:
"My crown doesn't fit." She will represent Australia at the Miss World contest in Johannesburg, South Africa, on December 12.
(Sky News, Australia, 7/23/2009)
• THE NEW MISS WORLD PUERTO RICO is Jennifer Colón, a 21-year-old professional model and architecture student from
Bayamón. She was crowned last Thursday during a televised event at the Tapia Theater in Old San Juan. The first runner-up was
Yara Lasanta from Barranquitas and Melissa Serrano from Vega Baja was second runner-up. Isabela's
Amanda Diaz and Juncos' Libni Garcia finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Colón was first runner-up in
Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2009 which was won by Mayra Matos.
• RUNWAY BEST : Ethiopia's Kidan Tesfahun won the Best Female Model of the World 2009 contest held in Alicante, Spain on
July 24. The event was organized by Sukier Models International. Tesfahun, 24, was crowned as Ethiopia's Miss Millennium Queen in 2007
and had previously represented Ethiopia in Miss International 2008 and Miss Earth 2007 but has always personally favored modeling.
“I love to model, however it is a pity that the modeling industry is not professional or well established back home,
so aspiring models like my self cannot make a living out of want we like to do,” she said in an interview. Information provided
by Beauties of Africa, Inc.
• VEILED BEAUTY : Saudi beauty queen Aya Ali al-Mulla trounced 274 rivals to win a crown, jewelry, cash
and a trip to Malaysia, Saudi media reported on Friday. With her face and body covered by the black head-to-toe abaya,
18-year-old Mullah was named "Queen of Beautiful Morals" late on Thursday, newspapers said.
There was none of the swimsuit and evening gown competitions and heavy media coverage of beauty pageants elsewhere
when the contest was decided in the eastern city of Safwa. Instead, the winner and the two runner-up princesses
had to undergo a three-month test of their dutifulness to their parents and family, and their service to society.
This included a battery of personal, cultural, social and psychological tests, Al-Watan reported.
Al-Watan reported that the high school graduate had good grades and hopes to
go into medicine. She raked in a 5,000-riyal (1,333-dollar) prize, a pearl necklace, diamond watch, diamond necklace,
and a free ticket to Malaysia with her win. The 20-year-old first runner-up, one of triplets, had already won an
education ministry-sponsored "I love you, my country" competition. The second runner-up, a high school student aged 15,
was cited for taking care of her home and family during the week because her mother works far from home and can only
return on weekends. Public beauty contests focused on physical beauty are non-existent in segregated Saudi Arabia,
where women cannot mix with unrelated men. Miss Moral Beauty pageant organizer Khadra al-Mubarak kept the focus on
inner beauty, as defined by conservative standards of Saudi Arabia. "The real winner in this competition is the society.
The winners represent the culture of the society," Mubarak said, according to Al-Watan. (Middle-East-Online.com, 7/26/2009)
• BOOK DEAL : Former beauty queen Carrie Prejean has nabbed herself a book deal, according to the Associated Press.
The conservative book house Regnery Publishing announced Monday that it will release her memoir "Still Standing" which will reveal
the dethroned Miss California's side of the story from her controversial pageant answer to her de-crowning.
During the Miss USA pageant earlier this year, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton asked Prejean what she thought of legalizing gay
marriage in every U.S. state. She replied that she thinks marriage should be between a man and a woman.
Prejean believes her crown was taken because she said she opposed gay marriage. California pageant executive director Keith Lewis
has said that Prejean was skipping Miss California USA events while speaking out against gay marriage at unsanctioned appearances.
The 22-year-old little lass is expected to talk about the gay marriage controversy, her alleged nude photos and her war with Hilton.
The book will have an initial print run of 100,000 and will be released in November. (She Wired, USA, 7/23/2009)
• MISS UNIVERSE PERFORMERS REVEALED : The Miss Universe Organization has tapped tapper Flo Rida, reality star
Heidi Montag, DJ/Producer David Guetta and former Destiny’s Child and now solo singing artist
Kelly Rowland to perform for the upcoming pageant. Flo Rida will do a two-part medley of his hits "Right Round"
and "Jump" for the swimsuit competition. Montag is performing her single from her debut album, "Turn Ya Head."
While Guetta and Rowland will kick off the evening gown competition performing "When Love Takes Over."
Access Hollywood anchor Billy Bush hosts the competition live from Atlantic, Paradise Island, Bahamas
on August 23. The pageant will broadcast 9:00 p.m. ET on NBC and Telemundo. (Hollywood Outbreak, USA, 7/25/2009)
• IVAN UPDATES : Check out my latest Mister USA blog entry.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, August 3, 2009
PHOTO CREDITS: This Is Oxfordshire, Getty Images, Belga Picture
| 7.20.2009 | Monday
• THE NEW MISS WALES is 21-year-old nurse Lucy Whitehouse of Barry who was crowned Saturday at the Cardiff
International Arena in Cardiff. She will represent Wales in Miss World 2009 in Johannesburg, South Africa on
December 12. Meanwhile, the new Mr. Wales is Mark Tancock, 24, from Swansea. He will compete in Mr. World 2009
to be held in Korea in November. (Wales Online, 7/19/2009)
• THE NEW MISS JAMAICA UNIVERSE is Carolyn Yapp, a 25-year-old interior designer who was crowned July 16
in a private ceremony at The Refuge at Villa Ronai, attended by the family and friends of the contestants,
as well as producers and organizers from Pulse, licensees for the Jamaica preliminary to Miss Universe.
Yapp is something of a pageant veteran, having competed in Miss Jamaica World 2004 where she placed third,
and went on to again tie for third prize in the Miss Jamaica Universe 2005 pageant. Following the Miss Jamaica
World 2004 competition, Miss Yapp was at the centre of a 'controversy' after making disparaging comments about
the 2004 winner Tonoya Toyloy to the media. Following her bid for the 2005 Miss Jamaica Universe crown
she was the subject of a scathing feature in the Jamaica Star tabloid. (Pop Style, Jamaica, 7/18/2009)
• THE NEW MISS CURACAO UNIVERSE is Angenie Simon, a 23-year-old accounting student and financial assistant
from Willemstad who has been assigned as her country's representative to Miss Universe 2009 after the original
titleholder Ashanta Macauly gave up her crown due to physical and health problems. Simon is the current Miss
Caribe Hibiscus. She competed in Miss Curacao 2009 pageant (for Miss World) and placed second. Thanks to Gwendell Mercelina, Jr.
for this info.
• SALVADORAN QUEENS : Several titles were distributed to lucky young women in El Salvador last July 17th. These women
will represent El Salvador in their respective international pageants: Vanessa Hueck, 22 (Miss El Salvador International 2009),
Mayra Aldana, 22 (Miss El Salvador Earth 2009), Priscilla Dubón, 23 (Miss El Salvador Tourism Queen International 2009),
Melissa Henríquez, 23 (Miss El Salvador Top Model of the World 2009), Barbara Montiél, 18 (Miss El Salvador Hispano America 2009),
and Iris Martinez, 23 (Miss El Salvador Intercontinental 2009). Thanks to Miguel Antonio Castro-Rivera for this info.
• NATURAL-BORN KING : The U.S. representative to Mister International 2009 has been selected. His name is Josh Tolin,
a 23-year-old personal trainer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tolin holds the titles of Mr. Natural Philadelphia 2009
and Mister Natural America 2009. More information about him can be found at www.mrnaturalphilly.com.
Info provided by Warren Egebo, the U.S. franchise holder.
• IN MEMORIAM : Myrna Panlilio Borromeo, the first Binibining Pilipinas to the Miss Universe pageant,
died last Thursday from cardiac arrest at the Makati Medical Center, according to Manila Standard Today.
ABS-CBS News reported that Panlilio died of gall bladder disease. She was 66. Binibining Pilipinas-Universe 1982
and actress Maria Isabel Lopez, who had once locked horns with Panlilio, feels sorry about her death.
Lopez, speaking sadly, said she had already forgiven Panlilio for barring her from attending the Bb. Pilipinas
coronation night at the Araneta Coliseum last May. Panlilio cited Lopez's sexy image during the 1980s.
“I respected and understood what she had to do that time,” Lopez said. "I pray for her soul. I am sure she's
happy now with the Lord." (ABS-CBN News, 7/17/2009)
One pageant fan who was deeply touched by Panlilio's demise is William
Prendiz de Jurado who had been friends with the ex-beauty queen since 1972. He met her at the Araneta Coliseum;
she was holding her baby and enjoyed going through his International Beauty Congress scrapbook. She had been William's
house guest many times and they always got together whenever William was in Manila. An emotional William called me yesterday
and informed me that among the celebrities that attended Panlilio's wake included former Philippines first lady Imelda Marcos;
former Philippines president Joseph Estrada and his wife who sent a beautiful, huge crown floral reef - done with white flowers -
very fitting for a beauty queen; several former beauty titleholders including Miss International 1964
Gemma Cruz; actors, actresses and Stella Marquez de Araneta, owner of the Binibining Pilipinas pageant. Panlilio will be surely missed by
her many friends and loved ones.
• FLASHBACK: Yesterday, July 19, marked the 30th coronation anniversary of Maritza Sayalero of Venezuela, the
first woman from her country to have won the Miss Universe title. The pageant took place in Perth, Australia. Maritza didn't speak English; in the videoclip above,
notice how she just went with the flow and seemed utterly clueless about what was going to happen. The first runner-up,
Gina Swainson of Bermuda, would win Miss World a few months later. Maritza is my favorite Miss Universe from Venezuela
(maybe because her zodiac sign in Aquarius like mine! LOL) She still looks every inch a universal queen as the day she was crowned. In December 1980, Maritza married famous Mexican tennis star
Raúl Ramírez and the couple produced three offsprings. The entire family lives in Mexico. In 2004, Maritza was
honored during the Miss Venezuela pageant for her 25th coronation anniversary.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, July 27, 2009
PHOTO CREDITS: Reuters, Noemi Melendez, Warren Egebo
| 7.13.2009 | Monday
• NEW PARAGUAYAN QUEENS were crowned Saturday night in Asunción. In the photo above, from left to right: Mareike Baumgarten Oroa, 19,
as Miss Universe Paraguay 2009, Tamara Sosa Zapattini, 19, as Miss World Paraguay 2009, and Romina Bogado, 24, as
Miss International Paraguay. The first princess is Carmen Valdivieso, 23, and the second princess is Dahiana Cubilla
Lee. The pageant is organized and produced by Promociones Gloria. (La Nación, Asunción, 7/12/2009)
• THE FIRST Miss Teen United States World was crowned at Stafford Performing Arts Center in Stafford, Texas on July 10th.
The winner is Michelle Leonardo, 19, from Tinton Falls, New Jersey, who was Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2008. Her court includes
first runner-up Cassie Sumimoto, 16, of Hawaii; second runner-up Alexis Banks, 18, of Oklahoma; third runner-up
Lindsay Becker, 18, of Minnesota; and fourth runner-up Elizabeth Beasley, 16, of Alabama. Among Leonardo's prizes
include a $5,000 educational scholarship and the chance to represent the U.S. in the Miss Teen World pageant to be held in Houston
from August 24-29. Thirty-six young women competed in the first edition of the pageant which is owned by Gaspar Cruz.
• THE NEW MISS UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL is Aileen Yap of Texas who was crowned in Houston, Texas on July 10th. She will
represent the U.S. in the Miss International 2009 pageant to be held in Japan and China. Her court includes first runner-up
Lees Garcia of Florida, second runner-up Shawna Vale of Michigan, third runner-up Kristy Davis of California,
and fourth runner-up Keri Shaw of Wyoming. The pageant is co-directed by Britt Harrison and Gaspar Cruz.
• NEW KOREAN BEAUTIES were crowned at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul on July 8th. The new Miss Korea
Kim Joo-ri, 21, will compete in Miss Universe 2010. There were two first runner-ups: Cha Ye-lin, 22,
and Seo Eun-mi 21. There were four second runner-ups: Park Ye-ju, 22, who was also crowned as Miss Korea-Natural
F&P; Choi Ji-hee, 22, also crowned as Miss Korea-Hankook Ilbo; You Su-jung, 21, and
Lee Seul-gi, 21. The new Miss Koreas will represent Korea at Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss World, Miss Earth and
Miss International Beauty competitions. (Korea Times, Seoul, 7/9/2009)
• HER CANNES MOMENT : The way actress Maria Isabel Lopez recalls it, walking on the red carpet at the Cannes International
Film Festival for the world premiere of Brillante Mendoza’s “Kinatay” was like reliving her glory days as the Philippines'
representative to the Miss Universe pageant held in Lima, Peru in 1983. “It was exciting, seeing the paparazzi, the crowd,” she
recalls in an exclusive interview. “I was featured on French television. I felt so glamorous.” To think she almost didn’t make it
to the festival last May. “I was vacationing in the US then and I couldn’t go back to Manila to get a French visa, which was
the regulation.” Fortunately, the French embassy in Los Angeles made an exception when she showed her official invitation from
Cannes organizers.
At the press conference for “Kinatay” in Cannes, she was asked if her provocative role as a
hooker-druggie would have adverse effects on her reputation as a former Miss Philippines. “I answered that my movie career has
nothing to do with my being a beauty queen.” At the gala screening, Lopez was nervous. “I noticed some of the viewers were uneasy
and some even walked out during the chop-chop scene.” But after the end credits rolled, Lopez recalls, she and the Filipino
contingent were greeted with “wave upon wave of applause.” (Inquirer, Manila, 7/12/2009)
• SHE'LL BE THERE : At the Miss Universe 2009 beauty pageant Russia is going to be represented by 18-year-old Sophia Rudyeva,
in spite of her involvement in a child porn scandal. Rudyeva won the Miss Russia pageant in March. But soon after she
was crowned Russia’s most beautiful woman, an old erotic photo session featuring her appeared on the Internet.
The situation was especially controversial as at the time of the photo shooting, made for an international adult magazine,
Rudyeva was only 15 years old, although she already possessed an enviable figure. Organizers of the beauty pageant
questioned the appropriateness of Sophia’s participation in the world beauty contest, saying that millions of girls
worldwide look up to beauty pageant winners, and you can’t expect a child porn star to set a positive example.
Rudyeva responded to the debates in the media in an open letter, in which she
apologized to everyone she had upset. She blamed dishonest managers and photographers for tricking her into the illegal
photo shooting, and vowed that if she wins the Miss Universe title she will use her influence to prevent young and
silly girl models from repeating her mistakes. Controversy notwithstanding, Komsomolskaya Pravda daily reported
Thursday that Rudyeva is going to the Bahamas in August to represent Russia at the Miss Universe contest.
“I am now getting ready for the contest,” she told the newspaper. “I’ve been taking part in charity activities,
took yoga, fitness and singing classes. I became the face of three world-famous brands, such as Philip Plein.
I am very confident of myself.” (Mosnews Russia, 7/9/2009)
• PASSING THE BATON : Or is it abandonment? Mayra Matos, Puerto Rico's representative to Miss Universe 2009, is now being
supervised by the new franchise holders Desirée Lowry and Luisito Vigoreaux. A press conference held last week revealed
that Mayra's former director Magali Febles decided to give up coaching Mayra and focus instead on coaching Ada Aimée de
la Cruz, Miss Dominican Republic Universe. Vigoreaux stated that he and Lowry had received a note from the Miss Universe Organization
telling them that Magali would no longer work with Mayra and asking them if they could assume the responsibilities that include bringing
Mayra to the Bahamas. Mayra was presented with a new sash that says "Miss Universe Puerto Rico," instead of the old "Miss Puerto
Rico Universe" which is owned by Magali. (Primera Hora, San Juan, 7/10/2009)
• SINGAPORE CONTROVERSY : Critics are demanding that Miss Singapore Universe 2009 Rachel Kum be stripped of her title, after offensive
pictures of her have surfaced on the Internet. In one of the pictures, Kum is seen simulating oral sex with a birthday cake shaped
like an erect penis. Another picture showed the beauty queen with her pants pulled down in a sexy pose with a rubber doll in the
form of a scantily clad female, reports The Star Online. And one more photograph shows her in a skimpy top and hot pants, and a
friend wearing an outfit shaped like a penis. All the pictures have apparently been clicked during private parties with her friends,
according to reports by the daily Nanyang Siang Pau. Kum, 25, was crowned Miss Singapore Universe in May. She will be representing
Singapore at the Miss Universe pageant in the Bahamas next month. Her photographs have attracted more than 20,000 views since they
were uploaded on the Internet. (ANI Sidh Today, India, 7/10/2009)
• TWO PAGEANTS IN ONE : A new pageant called "Miss International Beauty" is supposed to be taking place from July 5 to 28 in Urumqui,
the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China's most western province. Urumqui witnessed deadly protests last
weekend caused by ethnic tensions between the Uyghurs, who are predominantly Muslim, and members of China's Han
majority. On July 10th, the coordinator of the pageant, Alex Liu of ERM World, sent a note to all national directors informing them
that the Miss International Beauty 2009 Contest will be moved to Daqing city in northern China. Another pageant, Miss
Global Beauty Queen 2009 (also produced by ERM World), will be held from July 16 to August 2nd also in Daqing city.
Liu informed the national directors that both pageants will be reorganized as one: "Two winners (Miss International
Beauty 2009 and Miss Global Beauty Queen 2009) will be selected on the 1st August 2009 and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th
Runners ups will be the runner-ups of both contests."
Miss International Beauty is not to be confused with other pageants that have the main word "international"
in it. There is the classic Miss International Beauty (officially titled The International Beauty Pageant) which originated in
Long Beach, California in 1960 and is now organized by the Japanese. Then you have the Illinois-based Miss International pageant whom critics consider as a rip-off of
the Long Beach pageant. Then you have Miss International Queen, a transvestite/transgender pageant based in Thailand.
Then finally you have Miss International Beauty Pageant
organized by Lino Ferrer and will be held in Miami from August 9 to 16. Gee, everyone seems to love the word "international"
in their pageants (that, or they simply lack originality!)
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, July 20, 2009
PHOTO CREDITS: La Nación, Belga Picture, Getty Images
| 7.6.2009 | Monday
• THE NEW STAR CYPRUS is Demetra Olimpiou and the new MISS CYPRUS is Christalla Tsiali. Both women
were crowned Saturday in Nicosia. Olimpiou will go to Miss Universe 2010 and Tsiali to Miss World 2009. The first
runner-up is Antrea Ckolou and the second runner-up is Valentina Elsagiet. (SigmaAlive.com, 7/4/2009)
• THE NEW MISS TEEN INTERNATIONAL is Nazareth Salazar of Costa Rica who was crowned Friday in San Jose,
Costa Rica. The first runner-up is Simone Borges of Brazil and the second runner-up is
Renata Moreira of Ecuador. Fourteen young women participated in the annual event. The pageant was
without major faults that included very low attendance, poor organization and incompetent translators.
Borges gave a lengthy reply in Portuguese to the final question, but her interpreter only managed to say,
"Muchas gracias" - which probably caused her the crown. (La Nación, San José, 7/5/2009)
• WHAT A RELIEF : A nasty rumor had been circulating on the Internet last week that claimed that Mayra Matos,
the current Miss Puerto Rico Universe, had been fired by her director Magali Febles and that she would be
replaced by her first runner-up Jennifer Colón. The reason for Mayra's supposed dethronement - it's because she
"violated" a clause in the contract that states that she must not have competed in an international competition and won.
Mayra was Miss Teen International 2006. No one is exactly sure who started the rumor or the motivation
behind it, but it certainly caused quite a commotion Puerto Rican pageantry, especially among Magali's detractors
who claim that the controversial national director could not afford to pay the franchise and that she expected
the new franchise owners (Desiree Lowry and Luis Vigoreaux) to pay for Mayra's preparation and travel
expenses.
Mayra's lawyer Yamil Caro Pérez and lawyers of the
new franchise owners were reviewing several clauses in Mayra's contract, specifically her role as a competitor
in other international pageants. Last Tuesday, Caro Pérez said that Mayra and Magali have had differences that
could be settled half-way. When he was asked if there has been any violation in the contract, he remarked,
"There are matters at this moment that we prefer not to be out in the public light." (Primera Hora, San Juan,
7/3/2009)
• DETHRONED : The Mister Singapore Organization announced two weeks ago that Jovin Koh of Bedok has
been terminated as Mister Singapore 2008, and the first runner-up, Alex Zhang, will ascend to the title and
serve the remaining two months of the term. Koh was dismissed for breach of contract because he has failed to
fulfill the duties required of the title, including competing in the Mister International 2008 pageant as
Singapore?s representative. The Mister Singapore title comes with a large array of responsibilities including,
but not limited to, competing in the Mister International pageant. "We are disappointed that it did not work
out with Jovin, but we wish him all the best in his future endeavors," explains Alan Sim, President of
the Mister Singapore Organization. "We are extremely excited that Alex Zhang will be taking over the title
and are confident that he will be a great Mister Singapore," adds Sim.
• HAWKO'S DILEMMA : She may be Australia's favourite girl-next-door, but former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins
is having no luck with her neighbours after enraging them with her antics. Seven months after buying and moving
into her $2.2 million Coogee townhouse, the model and TV personality has borne the brunt of constant complaints
from other residents in her leafy beachside street. Having already dealt with noise complaints, disgruntled
neighbours yesterday accused the 25-year-old of having a 12m bangalay tree removed from the nature strip
in front of her duplex for no reason.
The council confirmed that Hawkins had sought and received permission to remove the tree
under the provisions of the Tree Preservation Order. Geoff Ryder, of the Tree Raider company that
Hawkins paid to remove the tree, said it was full of termites.
"It was on its way out. It would have only
lasted another three months," he said. Hawkins, back from shooting a Myer campaign in Fiji, is required to plant
a "more appropriate species" in the tree's place within the next 30 days. Hawkins lives alone and has four
investment properties, three houses in her native Newcastle and a unit in Kings Cross. (Daily Telegraph,
Australia,7/3/2009)
FLASHBACK: July 9, 2009 marks the 25th coronation anniversary of Yvonne Ryding of Sweden who was crowned Miss Universe 1984. Enjoy this YouTube videoclip
of Yvonne and the other finalists being serenaded by singer Tom Jones! Yvonne wasn't my favorite that year; her "grandmother" frock
was a turn-off and if she had worn her hair up in a bun, she would've passed for one of the wives of a polygamous Mormon sect! Now,
Yvonne is a successful entrepreneur running her own beauty business. Good for her!
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, July 13, 2009
PHOTO CREDITS: Miss Mundo Brasil, Getty Images, Al Dia, Srta. Colombia, The Australian
JUNE 2009
• THE NEW MISS ENGLAND is Rachel Christie, 20, photo, who is the niece of British Olympic 100-meters gold medallist
Linford Christie. Rachel herself is an athlete, specializing in the heptathlon and the 400 metres and is
hoping to qualify for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Competing as Miss London City, she edged out her rivals to claim
the Miss England crown in a ceremony at London's Metropole Hilton Hotel and will now compete in the Miss World crown
in Johannesburg in December. "My ambition in life is to compete and win gold in the 2012 Olympics," she said. "I would
also love to do well in Miss England, I want to be successful in whatever I choose to do in life."
Kat Hodge, a 21-year-old soldier decorated for bravery in Iraq, came second which was decided after a public vote.
(News Yahoo, 7/21/2009)
• THE NEW MISS SPAIN is Estíbaliz Pereira Rabade, 22, photo, representing the city of Coruña. She was crowned during
in the resort town of Cancun in Mexico's state of Quintana Roo last Saturday. The Miss Spain pageant was held
in Mexico to promote tourism in the country. She will compete in Miss Universe 2009 and Miss World 2009. Her court
includes first runner-up Carmen Laura García Fernández of Granada and second runner-up Alejandra Echeverría
Pedraza of Jaen. Info courtesy of Michael Knittel. 
• THE NEW MISS DEAF WORLD is Diana Kovtun (photo) of the Ukraine who was crowned in Prague, Czech Republic on July 11. The
first runner-up is Simhiwe Magagula of Swaziland and the second runner-up is Maria Baranova of Russia. The title
of Miss Deaf Europe went to Nino Davitinidze of Georgia. 
• THE NEW MISS WORLD BRAZIL is Luciana Bertolini (photo), a 24-year-old journalism student from Roraima who was crowned Saturday at the Hotel Novo Frade,
in Angra dos Reis. The first runner-up is Lívia Barraque of Espírito Santo and the second runner-up is
Livia Nepomuceno of Distrito Federal. (From Miss Mundo Brasil website). 
• AUSSIE COSTUME : There wasn't a corkscrew hat in sight as Miss Universe Australia Rachael Finch unveiled the national
costume (photo) she will wear when she takes on beauties from around the world at the Miss Universe pageant in the Bahamas next month.
The dress, created by designer-to-the-stars Ruth Tarvydas, has been dubbed "Sunset Over the Opera House" and
was designed to be representative of Australia. It features a silver sequined bodice; a leg-revealing skirt in shades
of tangerine, melon and pink; flashes of flesh and a lace-up back. The revealing dress almost led to a wardrobe
malfunction during the unveiling when Finch came close to showing a little bit more skin than she wanted
while walking down a set of stairs. Finch said she was impressed by the outfit. "My goodness that woman is magnificent,"
the beauty queen said of the designer. (The Australian, 7/2/2009)