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| 05.26.2008 | Monday
• THE NEW MISS THAILAND UNIVERSE is Gawintra Pothijakra, 22, who was crowned Bangkok's Aksara Grand Theater
last Friday night. Her court includes first runner-up Piyaporn Deejing, 19, who is going to Miss Earth;
second runner-up Ananya Chinsaengchai, 19; third runner-up Keerada Kajornmalee , 22; and fourth
runner-up Chawanthorn Wantanapisitkul, 20.
• EGYPTIAN QUEEN : As the Miss Egypt 2008 pageant is scheduled to take place in December to celebrate the pageant's 10th anniversary in
a mega-event, Miss Egypt Organization (Face To Face) had to choose a representative to Miss Universe 2008. A special pageant was held
Sunday night in Cairo to choose the Egyptian representative among twelve contestants who were all runner-ups in the last three editions
of the pageant. 20-year-old Yara Naoum, who was last year's 2nd runner-up, was crowned as Miss Egypt Universe 2008.
Yara is a senior student at the Higher Institute of Cinema in Cairo and has already starred in a major film production last year.
She is also a part-time model. Thanks to Fan-Man for this info.
• A REAL CROWN CHASER : The new Miss Singapore Universe is Shenise Wong, who was crowned during a five-hour show
on May 21st in Singapore's Marriott Hotel. Wong is a pageant veteran; her past titles include Miss Asia Pacific Singapore 1999,
Miss Singapore International 2002 and Miss Singapore World 2005. At 26, Wong is the oldest Miss Singapore Universe titleholder
in the last ten years. The average age of past winners is 24.
• THE NEW MISS PANAMA UNIVERSE is Carolina Dementiev, 19, who was crowned last Thursday during the reality show, "Realmente
bella" produced by Telemetro. Russian-born Dementiev is a professional model, a triatlon athlete and a law student.
She is very confident that she will win the Miss Universe crown: "There's a saying that the doors of the world open to
those who know where they are going, and I know where I'm going and I am going to win." (La Prensa, Panamá, 5/23/2008)
Here's a background on Vivian's lovelife. She was dumped by her last boyfriend
Khalil Lewis-Smith because he couldn't cope with her quest for fame. Khalil had dated Vivian for two
years on the paradise island where she lives in the Caribbean, but left her heartbroken when he called time
on the relationship. Now Vivian, 22, is dating Lewis, 23, the hottest property in sport. Vivian and Lewis hit
it off in February when he was visiting his grandfather on Grenada and asked her out for dinner.
Vivian's Grenadian opera singer mother Valerie dismissed any suggestion
that her daughter is a "gold digger" interested in Hamilton for his millions. "She is not after his fame -
she is a good, honest girl," said Valerie at the family's cliff-top villa, which has spectacular views of
the Caribbean. One of Vivian's friends said: "We call her 'racy lady' because she's a triathlete who swims
fast, runs fast, cycles fast and turns men's heads fast. "She genuinely likes Lewis and they have things in common.
They also make a pretty good-looking couple.": (Sunday Mirror, UK, 5/25/2008)
• TYING THE KNOT : Miss Universe 2002 Justine Pasek of Panama may be getting married in August or September to a Greek
entrepreneur whom she met during her reign. Justine was reluctant in giving the details of her wedding, except
that she is very happy and that she prefers to maintain her privacy. The Panamanian press reports that Justine
has been dating her fiancé for six year. The couple plans to have a civil ceremony in Los Angeles before engaging
in a religious ceremony. (La Prensa, Honduras, 5/24/2008)
• FREE - FINALLY : The love story that began in 1999 when Miss Universe 1987 Cecilia Bolocco interviewed ex-president
of Argentina, Carlos Saúl Menem, officially came to an end according to the Chilean newspaper, El Mercurio. Bolocco
confirmed that her marriage with the father of her 5-year-old son Máximo Saúl has been finalized. The filing of the
divorce papers began after the publication in May 2007 of Bolocco's topless photos with her then-lover Italian businessman
Lucciano Maroccino. (El Mundo, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 5/24/2008)
• FELICITA ARZU'S STATEMENT : Last week, Felicita Arzu was stripped off her title as Miss Belize World by
Margaret Johnson, the president of Pageants Belize who said that Arzu "had abandoned and breached her contracts and
obligations with Pageants Belize." Arzu tells her side of the story in this article in San Pedro Sun.
• IRAQ WAR VETERAN WINS MR. CALIFORNIA USA PAGEANT
Jeremy Buraglia is all smiles as he is announced the winner of the first-ever Mr. California USA pageant.
The new Mr. California USA's girlfriend had a suitably fond comment after the gold crown was placed on his head.
"It's really neat," Yahira Rojo, 20, said when Jeremy Buraglia became the first recipient of the title. "It's something new,
but he's been there before; we were the prom king and queen" in 2005. That was back at Anaheim's Magnolia High School before
Buraglia, 21, became a sergeant in the Army, did a 15-month stint in Iraq and returned to study law enforcement at Cal
State Dominguez Hills.
Earlier this year he entered what was then the Mr. Seal Beach pageant at the urging of his
grandmother. "People label everything, and you don't have to match the label," Buraglia said of the all-male pageant. "Everybody
expects things to be cookie-cut, and that's not how the world is." Somewhere along the line, the second annual Mr. Seal Beach
contest morphed into the first-ever Mr. California USA pageant, and, voila!, last weekend the future crime fighter was crowned a king.
"We call it a scholarship pageant, not a beauty pageant," insisted founder Sarah Ahmadinia,
who says she changed the event's name to broaden its range. The idea came to her, she said, while watching her 21-year-old daughter
Maryam become the 2007 Miss Seal Beach. "I saw it was a good opportunity for the girls," said Ahmadinia, 46, who also has a son.
"My daughter enjoyed it; I saw how much it did for her and thought, why can't boys do this?" Online research, she said, turned up
only one other "Mr." pageant not based on bodybuilding or ethnicity; that one is in nearby Downey. So Ahmadinia put up $30,000
to get the proverbial red carpet rolling, and aligned the Seal Beach pageant with the Mr. USA franchise.
Last year's pageant drew 35 participants, but they eventually dwindled to 14 under the misguided
sneers of their peers. This year's field began with 22 entrants, gradually whittled down to a dozen, ages 7 to 22. The contestants
are divided into four categories: Little Mr., ages 5 to 8; Junior Mr., from 9 to 12; Teen Mr. from 13 to 17; and Mr., ages 18 to 25.
Like their female counterparts, they are judged in personal interviews, casual wear, formal wear and, finally, on their answers to
questions asked onstage. One key difference is that males are not judged in bathing suits. "I didn't think it was appropriate,"
Ahmadinia said. Looks also aren't paramount. "It's not a beauty pageant," she repeated. "It's about how they present themselves.
I tell the judges to look for someone who is genuine and willing to support the community; we want a good role model."
During their yearlong reign, the pageant kings and their runner-up princes are expected to participate in charitable events.
They also represent the community at social functions. Winners in each division receive scholarships ranging from $400 to $1,000.
(Los Angeles Times, 5/24/2008)
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, June 2, 2008.
Photo credits: FHM, Sunday Mirror, Los Angeles Times
| 05.19.2008 | Monday
• DETHRONED : Felicita Arzu, who represented Belize in Miss World 2007, has been dethroned as Miss Belize World,
according to Pageant Belize Ltd. director Margaret Johnson. Arzu had written a letter addressed to the editor
of the Reporter Press newspaper dated May 11th in which she stated that she is "no longer associated with Pageants Belize Ltd. and
Margaret Johnson.” In a press release released on May 14th, Johnson stated that Arzu "has abandoned and breached her obligations and duties to Pageants Belize Ltd.
as per her signed contract which was valid up until the night a new Miss Belize World 2008 was to be chosen."
• THE NEW MISS SLOVENIA UNIVERSE is Anamarija Avbelj who was crowned in Ljubljana last Saturday night.
Her court includes first runner-up Vanesa Štefanovski and second runner-up Klara Kobe.
• THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE AUSTRALIA is Laura Dundovic who was crowned last Wednesday in Melbourne.
The 21-year-old psychology student from Sydney said, "I was shocked, to be honest. There were so many amazing girls this year.
I think before beauty pageants used to cop a lot of flak, but Jennifer Hawkins has done so much for it," she said.
She said Hawkins, who was Miss Universe four years ago and parlayed that into a successful modelling
and television career, had been an inspiration. Dundovic's first runner-up was Queenslander Michelle MacNamee.
More than 4,800 women contested in this year's event. (The West Australia, 5/15/2008)
• SHE'S COMPETING AFTER ALL : After a period of indecisiveness, one of Vietnam’s top models has confirmed she will compete in
the Miss Universe Vietnam competition. A recognizable face on the covers of magazines and on the catwalks at fashion shows, the
winner of last month’s national Supermodel Contest 2008 Hoang Yen executed a neat backflip, saying she will compete
in the Miss Universe Vietnam competition after all. After winning the recent contest, Yen was favored to represent Vietnam at the
Miss Universe 2008 pageant to be held for the first time ever in the country this July. For a time, Yen indulged the idea, but
in a Thanh Nien interview three days ago and in interviews with several media outlets since, she said she would not pursue
the prestigious title, nor would she attend the Asian Supermodel Contest in China at the end of this month.
“I prefer the image of a supermodel to that of a beauty queen,” said the 20-year-old
with stunning measurements. In her Yahoo blog, Yen wrote she needed to relax from the pressure and stress of her last contest.
“I’m still not ready for more challenges,” she said. She suddenly changed her mind Friday, becoming the last candidate to submit
an application to the Miss Universe Vietnam 2008 pageant. Yen said she was encouraged to take on the challenge by her family
and friends. Meanwhile, it is also reported that model Hoang Khanh Ngoc, 23, who represented Vietnam in Miss Universe 2004,
is being allowed to compete in the national pageant. (Thanh Nien Daily, Vietnam, 5/17/2008)
• SHE'S NOT COMPETING AFTER ALL : That's right. Former Miss World from Ireland Rosanna Davison is not competing
in this year's Miss Universe Ireland pageant, even though it was hinted in this ShowBiz Ireland page.
The Irish Daily Star published photos of this year's official candidates, and Davison was not in these pictures. Then another
rumour suggested that Davison was going to host the pageant instead. This rumour also proved to be false.
• NO ANSWER : Valérie Bègue, Miss France 2008, has been trying to call her first runner-up
Laura Tanguy (who will represent France in Miss Universe 2008), but she hasn't had any luck. Tanguy is not picking up
the phone. Bègue thinks that Tanguy is ignoring her on purpose for fear that she might anger her handler, Geneviève de Fontenay
who hates Bègue to death ever since Bègue's controversial photos were published. Bègue might be getting the cold shoulder
treatment from Tanguy, but not from channel TF1 who is considering offering a TV spokesperson job to the current queen.
(Le Post, 5/17/2008)
• THE NEW NUESTRA BELLEZA LATINA is Melissa Marty, 23, who was crowned Friday night at Univision's studio in Miami.
Marty, who is from Puerto Rico, triumphed over five other finalists to win the coveted reality-show beauty title. The judges
this year comprised of former Miss Universe from Mexico Lupita Jones, Miss Venezuela Organization president Osmel
Sousa and Puerto Rican actor Julian Gil. Marty had competed in Miss Puerto Rico Universe last November and entered
the semifinals.
• BEAUTIFUL BENEFITS : "Is being Miss Massachusetts a tough job? Most definitely, says Jackie Bruno, 23, who has been driving
around with her rhinestone crown carefully shielded in a plastic box, tucked into the back seat of her car. With her sash
wrapped around it and a few pictures for autographing, Bruno is ready for her frequent appearances at charity events and benefits."
Read more.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, May 26, 2008.
Photo credits: VietnamNet Bridge,
| 05.12.2008 | Monday
A Bahamian pageant fan who attended the MTWI finals sent me the following report.
This fan stated that during the talent portion of the show, Forbes came to do a Michael Jackson impersonation and had
brought a smoke-generating device that released too much smoke - which set off the fire alarm at the hotel ballroom where
the pageant was taking place . The fire company was called in to try clear the smoke, but the smoke was too intense for
the firefighters. Everyone had to be evacuated from the hotel and the pageant had to be moved to a sponsoring restaurant.
Apparently, the smoke-generating device had been placed in a bucket which was covered. When it exploded,
the thick black smoke shot up to the ceiling, then began falling downwards, covering the audience and causing everyone
to run for the door. The hotel management is considering taking legal actions against Rolle-Stubbs (and perhaps against
Forbes, too) for physical/material damages and loss of revenue, since the kitchen had to be closed and staff had to
be sent home. Incidentally, the hotel had just spent tons of money renovating the ballroom and other areas.
You can read more of this fiasco on the Miss Bahamas message board
where Gaynell's detractors and admirers are duking it out. The pro-Gaynell camp insists that the pageant was a total
success, and that the smoke incident would have made the local news if it had been worth reporting, but it did not. However,
the anti-Gaynell camp claims that the smoke incident has proven - yet again - that Gaynell is an incompetent and
unprofessional pageant organizer who has brought nothing but shame to the Bahamians.
Incidentally, Aruba's Gillienne Albertsz was crowned the first Miss
Teen World International. Guyana's Candace Charles was named First Princess Teen and Puerto Rico's
Raquel Vera as Second Princess Teen. Local girl Forbes was unplaced. I wonder why. LOL!
• THE NEW MISS PHILIPPINES EARTH is Karla Paula Henry, 21, from Cebu City who was crowned Sunday night at the Crowne Plaza
Galleria Manila. Henry and Lazaro joined Binibining Pilipinas 2008 earlier this year, but neither one placed. Aside from the traditional titles Miss Philippines-Earth,
Air, Water, Fire and Eco-Tourism, this year the pageant also proclaimed a Miss PAGCOR Tourism. The winner, sponsored
by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation will travel locally and around the world to promote the Philippines
as a destination. See pics from the pageant in this gallery. Watch
videoclips from the pageant on YouTube.
• SACKED ZACK : Zack Vasquez, Cuba's representative to the 2008 Manhunt International contest to take
place in Korea starting May 28th, has been disqualified after contest organizers learned that Vasquez had previously
posed nude in Playgirl and Men magazines. Vasquez was a featured model in the popular jock website Allamericanguys.com.
Vasquez is the second contestant to be disqualified in the history of Manhunt International. In 1999, the U.S. rep Eddie Leone
was forced to withdraw when the organizers discovered that he had posed nude in the April 1999 edition of Playgirl magazine.
• MUO SAYS NO TO LISA : Lisa-Mari Moen Junge, who was crowned as Miss Norway 2008-2009 and has already participated
in the Miss World 2008 beauty pageant, has not been accepted by the Miss Universe Organization as the Norwegian
entry for Miss Universe 2008. The reason is that her successor has already been chosen, Lene Egeli.
Since Lene must by contract participate in Miss World first, the Froken Norge Organization decided to stage a
new and exclusive national pageant for Miss Universe: Norwegian Miss Universe 2008. As 10 finalists from Froken Norge 2008
beauty pageant were selected to compete, the show will take place on May 31. Now, Lisa-Mari will travel and represent
Norway in Miss International 2008 beauty pageant, in Macao.
• WHAT'S UP WITH ROSELYN : Roselyn Sanchez, Miss Puerto Rico Petite 1993 and Miss America Petite 1994 now turned
singer and actress, is getting married to U.S. actor Eric Winter. Sanchez is currently a regular in the hits
CBS series, "Without a Trace" where she plays agent Elena Delgado. An ardent animal rights activist, Sanchez owns six
dogs and is an active member of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). She is the first Latina to pose
nude for PETA'S "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur"
campaign. (El Nuevo Dia, 5/11/2008)
• THE NEW MISS GUAM UNIVERSE is 18-year-old Siera Robertson who was crowned Friday night at the Sheraton
Laguna Guam Resort in Tamuning. The first runner-up is Jennifer Neves and the second runner-up is
Danielle Leon Guerrero. Fifteen young women competed in the pageant. It will be the first time Guam is
competing in Miss Universe since 2000. Visit the official Miss Guam Universe site.
• BEAUTY IN TROUBLE : A Pakistani beauty queen who recently expressed a desire to date President Pervez Musharraf
is being chided for ‘bringing a bad name to Pakistan’. Reigning Miss Pakistan World Mahleej Sarkari surprised
everyone last month by saying she ‘loved’ Musharraf and wanted to ‘date’ him. She even had pictures of herself
blowing kisses at a Musharraf portrait posted on a website. Following the brouhaha over this ‘breaking news’,
Toronto-based Sarkari was invited by a Pakistani TV channel to its Dubai studio recently for an interview.
Though the beauty queen accepted the invite graciously, she was shocked by the host's aggressive tone during
the interview. Sarkari was ‘berated for bringing a bad name to Pakistan’ for her participation in beauty pageants
and particularly her comments on Musharraf, the weekly Friday Times reported. The beauty queen said the interviewer
seemed to be on a mission to discredit her and Musharraf.
When Sarkari returned to Toronto, she telephoned the producer and objected to
being lured to Dubai with false promises, but he said he was not at fault and was merely ‘following orders’.
Sarkari recorded her phone conversation with the producer and has sent the tape to a rival channel. She had dedicated
a long post to Musharraf on the Pakistani pageant's website. "Going to international pageants we have found out how
much Musharraf is known to all beautiful young girls, the beauty queens. Some have replied, "Oh yes, the general man
(sic)." While others have said, "’the man who rules Pakistan'," she wrote. (Expressindia.com, India, 5/10/2008)
Finally, the fact that Lazarus had posed topless might result in her being
barred by MUO from competing in Miss Universe in Vietnam in July.
• GALLIC CATFIGHT : Last Thursday, Miss France Valérie Bègue appeared on the French talk show "La Méthode Cauet"
to give her impression on Geneviève de Fontenay (GDF), the director of Miss France who has been insulting Bègue
publicly she the unauthorized publication of Bègue's scandalous photos. GDF just announced that she would not allow
Bègue to crown her successor: "It will either be her or me." Bègue said that she has every intention to crown her
successor and hopes to spend a great evening. (melty.fr, 5/9/2008)
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, May 26, 2008.
Photo credits: Miss Teen World International, Mabuhay Beauties, Hertfordshire Mercury
| 05.05.2008 | Monday
• MISS EGYPT'S TURN : Another former contestant of Miss Tourism Queen International 2008 is speaking out against
the injustices she had experienced at the pageant in China. Egypt's Hoda Kaiser, 23, below, wrote an e-mail to
Amy Lynne Holbrook who forwarded it to me. Hoda gave me permission to publish her e-mail, and here it is:
The other thing which revealed how inhospitable in particular the organizer of the
pageant was the preferential treatment we experienced once the contest was over. No security any longer, a real disgusting bus,
no company any longer, a barrack (however they still considered it a hotel), and they promised us at the final night,
that we do not have to pay for our excess luggage, which in fact anyone of us had, on the flight from Zheng Zhou
to Beijing. The next day when we arrived at the airport and went to check in our luggage, suddenly we were told
that we have to pay for excess luggage. It took us three hours shouting and yelling to Christine to get what we
were promised the other night. Bottom line, we were no longer treated as beauty queens once the whole event was
over, rather we were treated like cows in a slaughter house. These things are just the tip of the ice-berg but
they give a perfect impression of what really happened plus the Chinese expect from us that we are going
to recommend China as a lovely and hospitable country for tourists (hahahaha….).
By the way I plan to visit the states in the summer. If you have time we could
meet somewhere and you show me a little bit of California. I am sure you are way better guide than any Chinese.
It was also a pleasure for me to meet you, regardless of all adverse circumstances, and
of course all the other girls too, and maybe one or two friendship will result. Talk to you later! Hoda."
• THE NEW MISS BELARUS is Olga Hižinkova,, 21, from Vitebsk who was crowned in Minsk on May 2nd. She will
go to Miss World 2008 in the Ukraine. The first runner-up is 18-year-old Lyubov Yakovina from Minsk and will represent Belarus
in Miss International 2008 and Miss World 2009.
• THE NEW OUR BEAUTY EL SALVADOR UNIVERSE is Rebeca Moreno,, 22, who was crowned last Friday. Fifteen young women competed
in the pageant. Watch her coronation here.
Although she greatly enjoyed the week which included attending a Blue Jays baseball games visiting an elementary school
where girls cried with excitement at meeting the candidates, and much pageant preparation, she's not sure it was worth the
cost of a $3,500 entry fee plus airfare. She's game to enter more contests, but would prefer those that focus more on fitness and a healthy lifestyle.
The pageant winner, Samantha Tajik of Richmond Hill, Ont., represents Canada in the Miss Universe Pageant in Vietnam this summer.
First and second runners-up are Sahar Biniaz of Vancouver and Aleksandra Malkin of Concord, Ont.
(Prince George Citizen, Canada, 5/3/2008)
• BEAUTY QUEEN RUCKUS TURNS UGLY : Criticism of a Massey University (New Zealand) online article celebrating a beauty queen has been
met with a wave of hate mail. The Association of University Staff national president yesterday issued a press release
lambasting Massey for its presentation of a feature on Rhonda Grant. The 22-year-old science graduate was third in
the Miss Universe New Zealand beauty pageant last month. An interview with her, featuring a racy bikini-clad photograph,
was posted on the Massey website. The photograph was removed shortly after, following complaints, and replaced by a head-and-
shoulders shot.
Associate Professor Maureen Montgomery said the article was brought to her attention
after complaints from Massey staff. In the release, she called it "one of the most banal news features emanating from a
university this year". "I've actually had hate mail from people, anonymous of course," she said last night. "They seem to
think I'm just envious. I have to admit I had a laugh at that. I do have a sense of humour about this sort of thing and I
think that was prevalent in the news release as well."
Montgomery said staff raised their concerns because they thought it inappropriate
that a university promote itself by using a beauty queen. "It's fine to celebrate your students but that particular
presentation crossed the line and was little more than a rehashed publicity release from the pageant. I think the staff
were embarrassed, really," she said. "It has nothing to do with the girl and her talent. It's great for her,
but universities don't make beauty queens. Those are her natural endowments."
Massey spokesman James Gardiner said celebrating student achievement, in all areas of endeavour, had always been encouraged.
"The photographs supplied by Rhonda Grant did not seem inappropriate in the context of her being a finalist in a beauty pageant,
which was the reason for publishing the story on the Massey News website. "However, some complaints were received, so we
removed one of the images. We did not wish to offend anyone." (Stuff.co.nz, 5/1/2008)
• ISLAND OF BEAUTIFUL MEN : Alan Sim, President of the Mister Singapore Organization, announced last week that the
Republic of China (Taiwan) will host the Mister International 2008 pageant. The premier male pageant, featuring some of the world's
most handsome men, will take place in Kaohsiung on Saturday, October 4, 2008 from 8 - 10 p.m. "The Republic of China (Taiwan)
has shown unprecedented growth in recent years, both in the business and tourism sectors," said Sim. "The Mister International
pageant will mark the first event of its kind to be held in the Republic of China (Taiwan). We believe that the beauty,
culture and hospitality of the Republic of China (Taiwan) will perfectly complement the pageant,” added Sim.
“We look forward to showing the contestants and the world this exciting, vibrant and picturesque country." More than thirty
countries are expected to participate in this year's competition.
• THEIR FAVORITE MISS FRANCE : Elodie Gossuin (Miss France and Miss Europe 2001) beat Valérie Bègue,
(Miss France 2008) and Sonia Rolland (Miss France 2000) as the favorite Miss France of the last eleven years,
according to a poll conducted by "TV Magazine/Opinion Way". Gossuin is now Picardie's regional councilwoman, a mother
of twins, a TV hostess, and a fashion stylist. However, Gossuin placed third behind Rolland and Bègue as the most
beautiful Miss France ever. Bègue is voted as the most controversial Miss France, leading over Gossuin and Sophie
Thalmann (Miss France 1998). Geneviève de Fontenay, director of Miss France, commented that Gossuin and Rolland
represent the ideal French woman, but not Bègue. (AP. nouvelobs.com, 5/3/2008)
• BIRTHDAY BASH : The world's biggest Miss Universe fan, William Prendiz de Jurado, hosted a birthday party last April 29th for
fellow pageant fan and CB reader Miguel Castro-Rivera at the Smoke House restaurant in Burbank, California.
One of the guests was Amy Lynne Holbrook. According to Miguel: "Lots of conversation went on, with laughter included.
Amy, was so gracious and brought some of her pageant memorabilia, including her runner-up, 'twist-on' platinum and pearl crown,
that was awarded to her as Miss International 2004 first runner-up. Everyone had fun, placing it on their heads and looking at it,
and touching it at close range. Champagne kept flowing, the reason for more laughter!" See photos from the event in Amy's blog.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, May 12, 2008.
Photo credit: Miss Egypt Forum, Beauties Of Canada
APRIL 2008
• PREPARE YOURSELF, GENEVIEVE! Cindy Fabre, Miss France 2005, left, will be on the cover of the French edition
of FHM. Fabre has a seven-page layout in the men's magazine, and striking sexy poses - exactly the thing that will
surely tick off her former mentor and president of Miss France, Geneviève De Fontenay. Fabre has already
stated that De Fontenay would not be happy. The photos were taken on the beaches in south of France. Fabre is the second
former Miss France to pose semi-nude. Her predecessor, Laetitia Bléger, posed hlaf-naked in the French edition
of Playboy.
• DATING A RACER : Miss Grenada World 2007 Vivian Burkhardt makes the news after being seen accompanying
Formula 1 racer Lewis Hamilton this past weekend at Cannes. Vivian was flown from her Caribbean home to
France, where she joined Hamilton at the premiere of "Indiana Jones." They bunked at the Carlton Hotel together
and were seen leaving the hotel. (In photo, Burkhardt and Hamilton.)
• AO DAI DUDE : Vietnamese designer Vo Viet Chung has signed a contract with the organizing board of Miss Universe 2008
pageant to design ao dai for competitors. Eighty-five ao dais that Chung has nurtured for a long time will go to the stage on
world-wide beauties in the coastal city of Nha Trang this July. "When I was a small boy, each time I watched international pageant
contests on TV, I dreamed that one day they would wear my clothes and that dream has become reality. This is the greatest
happiness and luck for me in my over 10-year career. Chung stated that each design will have its own characteristics and will be
different from the others. "Each ao dai will be a story, which shows the cultural uniqueness of each country. I divide them into
four collections based on the four seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. When my ao dai go to stage, you will see a
colourful picture of nature and a splendid flower garden of Mother Nature." he said. In the inset photo, Chung designs
an ao dai for Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori. (VietNamNet Bridge, Hanoi,Vietnam, 5/17/2008)
• SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES : Gaynell Rolle-Stubbs, the woman who owns the Bahamas franchises for Miss Universe,
Miss International and Miss Earth - and who has earned a bad reputation in her country for alienating former
titleholders, for staging poorly produced local pageants, and for aggravating sponsors - is back in the limelight, this
time with the reluctant help of Miss Teen Bahamas Yulanda Forbes, left. You see, Rolle-Stubbs launched a new
pageant called Miss Teen World International (MTWI) pageant that took place last week in Nassau. Of the eighteen delegates
whose photos are posted in the official site, only eight
showed up in the finals. A reliable source informed me that some of the "delegates" are fictitious.
L to R: Maria Venus Bayonito Raj of Legazpi, Albay (4th runner-up/Miss Eco-Tourism), Marie Razel
Triff Eguia of Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte (1st runner-up/Miss Air/Miss PHL TQI 2008-2009), Karla Paula Ginteroy Henry
of Cebu City (Miss PHL EARTH 2008), Melanie Cabanding Felix of USA, East Coast (Miss PAGCOR), Marian Michelle Talag Oblea
of Obando, Bulacan (2nd runner-up/Miss Water), & Maria Kristelle Micaller Lazaro of Candaba, Pampanga (3rd runner-up/Miss Fire)
• QUESTIONABLE QUEEN : The new Miss Universe UK is 20-year-old Welsh model Lisa Lazarus, who was crowned last May 4th
in London's Café de Paris, beating 38 competitors from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Lazarus exclaimed,
"Winning the Miss Universe UK competition is a dream come true and I can't wait for the final in Vietnam this June.
I'm determined to become the first British woman to win the (Miss Universe)competition." A CB reader thinks that the
pageant might have been rigged to favor Lazarus, because immediately after the pageant the organizers gave her
a special Union Jack gown that fit her perfectly (see inset photo). It was also suggested that a part of her prize package includes
a contract with the organizers (Vibe Models) although she is already a Vibe model. Lazarus was Miss Bikini Great Britain
2006 and used the name Lisa Lloyd-Hughes.
(Hertfordshire Mercury, UK, 5/5/2008)
"Hi Amy. Great to hear from you. I am back in my country and have adapted to normal
food and my regular life. It’s a wonderful feeling to know what you eat and drink and people understand me and last but
not least to be back with my family and of course my fiancée.
Sure, with great pleasure I am telling you my point of view of the story. I had the great
opportunity to visit a five-star hospital in China, when I fell from the steps in the mountains. I injured my lower back
and I was racked with pain. They brought to a hospital where I had an enthusiastic reception from a dead body on the
floor in the entrance of the hospital (no joke). After the x-ray the doctor gave me a spray (of course the list of
ingredients and the administration of the spray was all written in Chinese). But the highlight was the letter which
I was supposed to give to my doctor in Egypt to summarize the accident and the injury; all in Chinese. By the way,
the same spray was given to all girls who suffered from whatever, even a flu. Well, that’s the story about the
hospital which I do not recommend for a visit.
• THE NEW MISS PERU UNIVERSE is Karol Stephanie Castillo Pinillos,, 18, of Trujillo. She was crowned
on May 1st in Lima. Her court includes first runner-up Giuliana Zevallos, 20, of Loreto and second runner-up
Claudia Carrasco, 20, of Cuzco. 
• MISS-LED & MISS-GUIDED : Emily Hoddinott, left, came home from the Miss Canada Universe pageant disappointed but a lot wiser.
"I thought it would be much different than it was," said the 22-year-old Prince George woman who failed to place in the top 20.
"What disappointed me the most was that it should be an event where younger girls look at the candidates as healthy and fit role
models. But the finalists chosen were all super thin rather than looking fit and healthy. There were many who did have natural
beauty and fitness, but they weren't among the finalists, either," said Hoddinott, who represented northern B.C. among 59
contestants from across Canada.