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| 5.25.2009 | Monday
• BOLIVIAN BELLES : New Bolivian representatives to international pageants were crowned on May 21st in
Sucre's Gran Mariscal Theater. The pageant, which is usually held in July, has been moved two months earlier
to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the revolt against Spain by South American countries. This year also
marks the 30th anniversary of Gloria Suárez de Limpias as the pageant director. To mark the special event,
Limpias invited current Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza and her first runner-up Taliana Vargas. Also
present were Miss Universe Organization officers Annette Cammer and Roston Ogata.
Claudia Arce (Miss Chuquisaca), 18, was crowned Miss Bolivia and will go
to Miss Universe 2010. Flavia Foianini (Miss Bicentenario) was chosen as Miss Bolivia World and will go
to Miss World 2009. Ximena Vargas (Miss Santa Cruz) was crowned Miss Bolivia International and will go to
Miss International 2009. And Paola Flores (Srta. Litoral) was selected as Miss Bolivia Continente
Americano and will compete in Miss Continente Americano 2009. No one was selected as Bolivia's rep to Miss Earth,
which indicates that Limpias may have lost the franchise. Watch the coronation of the new queens.
• MAGYAR MADEMOISELLES : New Hungarian queens were crowned on May 21st in Budapest. Miss World Hungary is Orsolya Serdült, 21.
Miss Universe Hungary is Zsuzsa Budai, 21. And Miss Earth Hungary is Korinna Kocsis, 18. The beauty pageant named 'The Queen',
was held as a joint contest to select Miss World Hungary and Miss Universe Hungary.
• THE NEW MISS ICELAND is 18-year-old Guðrún Dögg Rúnarsdóttir of Vesturland who was crowned in Reykjavik this past weekend.
She wil compete in Miss World 2009. The 1st runner-up was Magdalena Dubik, and the 2nd runner-up was Sylvía Dagmar
Friðjónsdóttir. According to the official Miss Iceland website, last year's first runner-up Ingibjörg Ragnheiður Egilsdóttir
will compete in Miss Universe 2009. Iceland has never won Miss Universe, and the last Icelandic beauty to make the semifinals was
Guobjörg Sigurdardóttir in 1980. The country has fared better in Miss World, winning three crowns (1985, 1988 and 2005) and
in Miss International with one crown (1963) and numerous semifinalist placements.
• THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE ARGENTINA is Joahanna Lasic who was crowned Saturday at the Salón de las Américas del NH Gran
Hotel Provincial in Mar del Plata. Lasic represented the Capital District. She will now compete in Miss Universe 2009. The first princess is
Gretel Venecia Otto and the second princess is Gisela Berger. Twenty-three young women participated in this year's
pageant. This is the first time in the pageant's history that a reigning Miss Universe, Dayana Mendoza, was invited as a guest.
(Terra, Argentina, 24.05.09, 5/24/2009)
• DEATH OF AN ICON : Joji Felix Velarde, an icon in the Philippine fashion and beauty pageant scene, died last Thursday
at the age of 73. Fondly called Tita Joji, she was the vice president for external affairs of Carousel Productions, producer
of the Miss Philippines-Earth and Miss Earth beauty pageants. An accomplished ballerina, child actress, top fashion model and
perennial cover girl, Velarde was considered a second mother by many national and international beauty queens. A beauty queen
herself, she won the first Miss Caltex RPM in the 1950s and her image was used in every Caltex station in the country. Velarde was also crowned the first Miss Aviation in 1954 and after her career as a model, she got involved and active in the Mutya ng Pilipinas and Miss Philippines-Earth beauty pageants, honing many aspiring
national beauty queens until the very end. (The Philippine Star, Manila, 5/25/2009)
Velarde was honored during the Miss Philippines Earth 2009 a week before her death -
a videoclip of which you can watch in the blog of Binibining Pilipinas Universe 1985 Joyce Ann Burton who
pays a touching tribute to Velarde.
• GAY MOTHER? : Controversy keeps following Miss California USA Carrie Prejean: Now a woman claims to have had
a lesbian relationship with the "opposite marriage" crusader's mother. Valerie Vetrano of Corona, Calif., told Star
magazine she and Prejean's mother, Francine Coppola, "dated," and the relationship ended shortly before Carrie
Prejean was in the Miss USA competition. "I did date her," Vetrano, who is openly gay, told ABCNews.com. "I'm not going to
deny it, but I'm not going to say anything else." Both Coppola and Prejean declined to comment on the ABC story. Prejean's
parents, whose messy divorce proceedings began in 1996 and lasted nearly a decade, accused each other of having homosexual
relationships, according to a series of court documents made public on TMZ.com.
• HER FAVORITES : In her blog last week, Miss Universe Japan's national director Ines Ligron posted her favorite
contenders for Miss Universe 2009. In an entry on May 17th entitled, "Simply the best candidates of 2009!", Ligron lists
the candidates from Spain, Kazakhstan, Australia, Belgium, Colombia, Dominican Republic, England (Great Britain), Israel,
Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Russia, Venezuela and Vietnam. Who's missing? India and USA! Ines
writes that India's Ekta Chaudary "cannot talk" and "a little too immature" and USA's Kristen Dalton is
"nothing special for me, zero impact, just very American-girl-next-door but not in a good way." She also stated that
Dominican Republic's Ada Aimee de la Cruz "is the clear winner this year."
Her take on Miss Vietnam Hoang Yen: “Vo Hoang Yen is very special but she needs
to try to become finer. I have seen many photos of her. She looks like a beautiful Miss Tiffany to me sometimes.
Hoang Yen is a beautiful girl but she has to quickly build her own style. I wish her the best because I expect
success for Asian girls." Yen said she was not upset by Ligron’s comment because the comment was correct and frank,
and not easy to recognize. “There are some photos of me on the Internet in which I was captured at angles that make me look
quite husky. I will learn from them for my next photo shows,” Yen said. About Ligron’s suggestion of building her own style,
Yen said: “I’ll try to develop my image as a supermodel, but not so cold. I’ll smile more and be more cheerful.”
(VietNamNet/VNE. VietnamNet Bridge, 5/22/2009)
Ines is not afraid to voice out her opinions about certain delegates, although
her critics say that it is divisive and unprofessional. Last year, Ines dissed the new Miss Korea Ree Na.
Ines stated that she was completely shocked that Nari was the winner, and that she was definitely not her choice.
She said that there would be no way she would train Nari but would concentrate on training Miss India instead.
• BACK TO VIETNAM : Miss World 2008 Ksenia Sukhinova is set to return to Vietnam with her 2004 Peruvian predecessor
Maria Mantilla Garcia in a cross-country charity tour called “Footprint of Charity” from May 28 to June 8.
The tour, organized by US-based Rare Antibody Antigen Supply Inc. (RAAS) group, will take the goodwill ambassadors across
the country through several major cities and provinces including Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Nam, Hau Giang, Can Tho, Quang Nam,
Da Nang, Hue, Quang Tri and Khanh Hoa. A budget estimated at over VND8 billion (US$450,000) will be used to finance local
philanthropic organizations and sponsor other cultural and social outreach activities including a music show at the
My Son World Heritage site and a road construction project in Bich Khue Village, Hue Town. Ksenia initially raised an
estimated US$3 million in her first charity trip to Vietnam during the lunar new year holidays in January and this
is her second visit to the country. Due to her busy schedule, Miss World 2007 Zhang Zi Lin won’t be joining the
tour as initially planned, but she will accompany Ksenia to Vietnam again in October next year when the country hosts
the 2010 Miss World Pageant. (Thanh Dien Daily, Vietnam, 5/24/2009)
• THREATENED : Former Miss Senegal Fabienne Feliho nearly lost her life last Wednesday night in her home.
Feliho was in her room when she heard her dog bark. She rushed out to the terrace only to be told by her housekeepers to
return to her room. Intrigued by what was happening, Feliho came out of her room and was told that three armed men
had been looking for her. The housekeepers told the intruders that Feliho was sleeping, and it was at this moment that
the intruders forced themselves inside the house; but when they reached the courtyard, Feliho's dog attacked them and
they fled. Feliho immediately called the police. Feliho suspects that it was her ex-husband Mansour Guissé who
masterminded the break-in. Guissé accuses Feliho of running off with his money, which Feliho denies. (Le Quotidien,
Senegal, 5/22/2009)
• THE MUSE : World-famous Puerto Rican Carlos Alberto, the official designer of the Miss Universe Organization,
has launched a local competition to find his muse - that special young lady who will be his source of inspiration. Two hundred-eighty
young women auditioned for the contest, but only 70 were chosen to compete with each other in a reality show that is
being broadcast by Telemundo. Every Saturday, the girls are judged by beauty and runway experts. The audience gets to
vote for their favorite via text messaging. Watch videos from the competition.
• PAGEANT MOVIES : Entertainment Weekly lists its 10 favorite pageant movies. Are your favorites in the list?
Check out which ones they are!
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, June 1, 2009.
PHOTO CREDITS: Miss Bahamas Universe, Reuters, Star Ellas, Getty Images, Philippine Star
| 5.18.2009 | Monday
• THE NEW MISS SCOTLAND is Katharine Brown who was crowned in Glasgow on May 15th. The beautiful blonde beat nine other
finalists to land the glittering crown and title at Glasgow’s Clyde Auditorium. She will represent Scotland in Miss World 2009.
(The Scottish Sun, 5/15/2009)
• THE NEW MISS WORLD ARGENTINA is Evelyn Lucía Manchón, a 22-year-old accounting stuedent from San Luis who was crowned Saturday in San Juan, Argentina.
The first runner-up is Mercedes Viaña who will go to Miss International 2009. The second runner-up is Gisela Menossi who
will compete in Miss Earth. (Diario Uno, Argentina, 15/17/2009)
• THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE CANADA is Mariana Valente, a 23-year old student of languages at York University, who was crowned
during an event held at the John Bassett Theatre in Toronto on May 16th. Valente, who was born in Brazil and moved to Canada at age 12,
will represent Canada at the Miss Universe pageant in the Bahamas on August 23rd. The 1st runner-up was model Ylenia Aurucci, 26,
who had been a contestant in Canada's Next Top Model and resides in Victoria, British Columbia; 2nd runner-up was
Ksenia Mezenina of Toronto, Ontario, 3rd runner-up was Neda Derakhshan from Calgary, Alberta and the 4th runner-up
was Isabelle Grastin of Toronto. (Beauties Of Canada, 5/17/2009)
• THE NEW MISS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC UNIVERSE is Ada Aimée de la Cruz who was crowned Sunday night. Her court
includes 1st runner-up Ana Rita Contreras, 2nd runner-up Rocio Castellanos, 3rd runner-up Sahoni Camarena,
4th runner-up Ana Carolina Viñas and 5th runner-up Raengel Solis. De la Cruz competed in Miss World 2007
where she was a semifinalist.
• SCAMMING EACH OTHER? A bizarre international row has erupted over claims of a con involving Australian models posing as foreigners in a
Taiwanese beauty pageant. Miss Teen Australia, Melbourne girl Esma Voloder, is caught in the middle of a fight between
the Australian and Taiwanese co-organizers of the World Supermodel Pageant, held in the Taiwanese city of Taichung last week.
Models representing 24 countries took part in the pageant organized by Taichung tourism association TMTA and Gold Coast promoter
Gavin Dooley, who runs Miss Teen Australia. Voloder, representing Bosnia, was crowned the competition's winner on Thursday.
But the Taiwanese organisers accused Mr Dooley of deception, claiming they had been led to believe the twelve models he brought across
were from the countries they were representing, not Australia.
"Mr Dooley's models represented nations including Bosnia, Croatia, France and Sri Lanka.
"I was conned by the Australians . . . I had no idea about this. I feel so foolish," organizer Huang Chih-hui reportedly
told Taiwanese media. Huang admitted she did not check the women's passports to verify their nationalities. But Dooley hit back,
saying the Taiwanese were always aware the girls were Australian. The girls are all from the background of the country they were
representing," he said, but he declined to provide any proof of the women's nationalities. Dooley said the complaint from the Taiwanese organizers was an excuse not to pay him. "I haven't been paid -
I'm out of pocket ($13,350)," he said. Dooley said pressure on the competitors since the story broke had been intense. "The girls have
had cameras shoved in their faces while they were trying to eat their breakfast," he said.
Voloder said she did not see any problem in competing for Bosnia. "I'm both Bosnian and Australian,"
she said. "I was actually born in Austria because my parents fled there because of the war." Taiwan's once-thriving pageant industry
has been plagued by a string of scandals in recent years. In 2003, Miss Taiwan Liu An-na was stripped of her crown after
she was found to have bribed judges while the runner-up who replaced her was accused of working as a hostess in Japanese bars -
charges she rejected. (AFP, 5/16/2009; Herald Sun, Melbourne City, Australia, 5/16/2009)
• WHO IS GAVIN DOOLEY? Gavin Dooley is the president and founding member of World Supermodel Pageant based
in Australia. According to Gaspar Cruz, the owner of U.S.-based Miss Teen World, Dooley violated the Miss Teen World
trademark when Dooley produced a pageant with similar title in Trinidad & Tobago a few years ago. Cruz's lawyers has sent several "cease
and desist" letters to Dooley demanding that he stop using the Miss Teen World trademark, but Dooley continues to use it and
added "Super Model" to the title. Cruz also said that Dooley moved his Miss Teen World pageant to Australia and promised to
hold it at the Palazzo Versace Hotel at the Gold Coast, but ended up in a Mexican restaurant.
A reliable source from Taiwan informed me that the World Supermodel Pageant contestants have
been detained in Taiwan for questioning, and that Huang and Dooley are now suing each other.
• CALLING IT QUITS : Former Miss USA Shanna Moakler resigned as co-executive director of the Miss California USA pageant
on Wednesday, saying she no longer believes in the organization because of pageant owner Donald Trump's decision to let the
state's controversial title holder keep her crown. After Miss California USA Carrie Prejean created a stir with her response
to a question about gay marriage at last month's Miss USA pageant, questions about her work with gay marriage opponents and nearly
nude photos taken of her when she was a teenager put her title in jeopardy. At a news conference last Monday, Moakler angrily accused
Prejean of violating the contract she signed with pageant organizers, but Trump announced Tuesday that Prejean would keep her title.
Moakler said she decided after Trump's news conference to quit. "I cannot with a clear conscience move forward supporting and promoting
the Miss Universe Organization when I no longer believe in it or the contracts I signed committing myself as a youth," she said in
a statement issued by her publicist. "I want to be a role model for young women with high hopes of pageantry, but now feel it more
important to be a role model for my children."
Moakler (photo above) said Monday that pageant officials were not as unhappy with what the photos of Prejean
showed as they were with the fact she didn't disclose their existence, as the contract she signed required. Trump, however, while
acknowledging the photos were "risqué," said he didn't think they were bad enough to get her booted. Lewis said Wednesday he was s
addened by Moakler's resignation but "would always respect the convictions that brought her to this place." Prejean spokeswoman
Melany Ethridge said Prejean, who turned 22 on Wednesday, was traveling and hadn't had a chance to speak with pageant
officials since Moakler's resignation. Moakler, an actress and model, posed nude for Playboy magazine but not until several years
after she was Miss USA. The December 2001 Playmate of the Month said in her Playboy bio that her turnoffs include, "People who lie,
cheat and are dishonest." (CBS News, 5/13/2009)
My thoughts: Moakler was hired by the Miss Universe Organization to co-direct the California
state pageant and to evenly enforce the rules for all contestants as pageant director. Unfortunately - and unethically - Trump
undercut Moakler by keeping Prejean after she lied about the photos not once, but twice. Trump is first and foremost a businessman,
and he would do anything for publicity (he must need desperate publicity because the ratings for his "Celebrity Apprentice"
show is down 21% and now his
condo-hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
might not open) - and that includes abusing his authority and manipulating the media by dismissing an "unfair" question from a reporter
during last Monday's press conference, and then lying to Moakler by telling her that he would fire Prejean if she breached her contract
(read the transcript of Moakler's inteview with Mike Galanos.) Trump's approval of Prejean's contract violation suggests that it is okay
now for future pageant contestants to pose nude or semi-nude and to lie about it to pageant organizers - and it's okay to
undermine the authority of state directors and to insult their intelligence. Not to mention loudly lambasting the rival pageant
Miss America in public. It is this very attitude that disgusts potential contestants and potential sponsors (i.e. parents and relatives of the contestants) who now believe that pageants have become an audition to
pose nude in sleazy magazines and are no longer a stepping stone for a lucrative and respectable career. Prejean can continue to say
that she is a Christian, but a true Christian is never vain and certainly does not expose her tits while posing as a model. Now the question is,
"Who else within the Miss Universe Organization will follow Moakler's suit by resigning?"
• BOOST OR BUST? : The new Miss USA Kristen Dalton says the recent controversy surrounding Miss California USA
Carrie Prejean has helped the Miss Universe Organization. Dalton said the media fallout from Prejean's pageant
comment against same-sex marriage will likely mean increased ratings for the annual fashion event in 2010, E! Online
reported Friday. "I really think that it's great for the Miss Universe Organization, because it's given us a lot of publicity,"
Dalton said. "And there's gonna be a lot of people watching this Miss USA pageant next year." Dalton also defended Prejean's
right to voice her opinions in such a public forum, while also clarifying her own position on gay marriage. "Everybody
has the right to vocalize their own opinion," Dalton said. "Me personally -- I think that everybody deserves equal rights,
it's really as simple as that." E! Online said Prejean was allowed to keep her Miss California crown despite her
comment and the recent release of topless lingerie photographs she posed for when she was only 17. (UPI, 5/16/2009)
The dethroned beauty spoke to Extra and revealed that, in light of Trump’s recent decision to
let Prejean keep her crown, she was considering her legal options against the pageant. The fact that both posed for pictures that
violated clauses of her contracts and only she (Rees) got the boot clearly shows that double standards are in place, Rees says.
Moreover, since Miss USA Tara Conner herself violated the rules by doing drugs and she wasn’t dethroned either,
Rees knows for a fact she stands to win a case in court, should she decide to file an action against the pageant.
“An accurate word to describe me is irate.” Rees says, adding that regardless of what the
stipulations are, the lack of a top in a picture still means someone is violating the contract, as was the case with several
pictures Prejean took. “Prejean broke the contact... she should’ve had her crown taken away just like mine... for her crown not
to be taken away is absolutely outrageous.” the dethroned beauty adds. Furthermore, Rees argues, if anyone should have kept
their crown, that person should have been her since the photos she took were personal, on her own time. “The fact is Carrie
purposely posed nude for these pictures... I did not. I was a teenager who accidentally was out having a good time with her
girlfriends and was unguarded. Tara Conner broke her contract for drug use... these girls get to keep their crown and I’m
the one who’s exploited. I just wonder if Mr. Trump knows what he put me through – what I’ve gone through these past
two years.” Rees says. In the same interview, Rees makes it clear she’s thinking suing Trump and the pageant for being
wrongfully dethroned. Still, she doesn’t hate Prejean for her lucky break, but rather wishes her all the best with the pageant.
“Stay strong. Keep your head up.” is Rees’ message to Prejean as regards the ongoing media backlash against her. (Extra TV, 5/14/2009)
• THAIS, TRANNIES AND TIARAS : Resplendent in a figure-hugging grey and black dress, Sorrawee Nattee (center, photo)
wept tears of joy after being crowned Thailand's most beautiful transsexual at a unique pageant. Sorrawee took the top prize at
Miss Tiffany's Universe 2009 in the beach resort of Pattaya, beating off 29 other transsexuals and receiving a small
Honda car, and 100,000 baht (2,860 dollars) in cash on Friday night. "I'm very excited," the willowy 20-year-old from
Thailand's southern Songkhla province said, touching the glimmering winner's crown with disbelieving fingers.
She appeared overwhelmed by hordes of photographers, camera crews and well-wishers, the scene played out before a
live television audience of 15 million people.
In a nation obsessed with beauty pageants and famous for its sexual tolerance, this
elaborate contest is taken every bit as seriously as the more traditional competitions. Against a soundtrack of thumping music,
the pageant featured an Italian Casanova-themed number involving gondolas and masked dancers. And a pirate ship drifted across
the stage swirled in thick "fog." There were categories for Best Costume, Miss Photogenic and even Miss Unlimited Sexy Star.
The packed theatre was a mix of transsexuals, gay and straight couples, and Western tourists who appeared to have
wandered in off the main Pattaya drag. Dresses ranged from flowing white ensembles to shimmering red numbers and pink
miniskirts. High heels were a must. The evening was put on by Tiffany's Show Pattaya, which owners say is the world's
largest transsexual cabaret. All contestants were born men, and organisers said they hoped to raise public awareness of
transgendered issues.
"She had smart answers and is very beautiful," Marut Sarowat, a well-known television
and stage director who was one of the judges, said of Sorrawee. He added that Thailand is generally accepting of transsexuals.
"I think our country is open for all kinds of genders," he said. "Because everyone should do their best for themselves and
for society. Thai people can accept transsexuals. All people must be good people." When asked to name her hero, winner
Sorrawee earned loud applause by naming her mother and father, and as the evening progressed, cheers for her grew
louder and louder as the audience urged their favorite to victory. "Kathoeys," also known as "ladyboys," are highly visible
in Buddhist-majority Thailand, and have achieved prominence in popular culture such as on television and in musical acts.
And many kathoeys work in salons, clothing shops, and travel agencies. But the nation's relaxed attitudes toward what it
views as the "third sex" does not mean that all obstacles to acceptance have been eliminated. Many transsexuals live their
lives as women, but cannot change their national ID cards from male to female. Napatsawan Cholakorn, 21, who
won third place, said she was not disappointed at missing out on the top prize. "It's very hard to win because the t
ransgendered people in Thailand are the best in the world," she said. "Transgendered people here are not much different
than women - and Thailand has a lot of competition." (AFP, 5/16/2009)
“A gentleman called me to say there shouldn’t be a black person representing York
and he said he would ‘get all of us.’” Mrs. Lee tells BBC, adding that she was “shocked and surprised” about the phone call
in the aftermath of Lawal winning the Miss York title. “Since living in Pickering she has not encountered any racism.
The Miss England competition has always been multicultural to reflect the country we live in.” Mrs. Lee adds for the
aforementioned media outlet. Lawal was born in Nigeria, but traveled to the UK when she was very small and grew up there.
She has a British passport, which is why she has had the right to enlist for the Miss Britain competition, hailed as a
multicultural event that knows no such racial boundaries. Lawal is now studying to follow in her father’s footsteps,
being in her fourth year at the University of York-based Hull York Medical School. Miss England 2009 will be held in London,
on July 20. (News.softpedia.com, 4/21/2009)
• FREED : With Austria helping to secure her release, Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi (Miss North Dakota 1997)
arrived in Vienna on Friday, days after she was released from prison in Iran following an appeals court decision suspending her sentence on an espionage charge.
Saberi and her parents left Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport for the Austrian capital, where they were greeted by United States
Consulate officials, an American Embassy representative said. She and her father, Reza Saberi, told reporters they would stay at
the home of a friend for several days before leaving for the U.S. "I came to Vienna because I heard it was a calm and relaxing place,"
Saberi, smiling and at ease at the airport, said in comments broadcast by Austria's ORF television. "I know you have many questions,
but I need some more time to think about what happened to me." She said she was not prepared to talk about her months-long ordeal.
"I will talk about it more in the future, I hope, but I am not prepared at this time," she said. (Los Angeles Times, 5/16/2009)
• WHAT THEY REALLY THINK : Former British titleholders including Miss UK Universe Brooke Johnston give their honest
opinions on beauty pageants. Read more.
• THE NEW NUESTRA BELLEZA LATINA is Greidys Gil, a 28-year-old Cuban-born . Gil was crowned Sunday night
during a live telecast of the reality show produced by Univisión.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, May 25, 2009.
PHOTO CREDITS: Telemetro, AFP, Getty Images, Associated Press, News.softpedia.com
| 5.11.2009 | Monday
• THE NEW MISS PHILIPPINES EARTH is Sandra Seifert, a 25-year-old registered nurse from the province
of Negros Occidental, who was crowned Sunday night at The Arena in San Juan, Metro Manila. She will represent the Philippines
in Miss Earth 2009 later this year. In the photo above, Seifert (center) is flanked by her court that includes
from left to right: Michelle Martha Braun of Aklan (Miss Philippines-Air), Grezilda Adelantar
of Victorias City (Miss Philippines Eco-Tourism and Miss PAGCOR), Patricia Marie Tumulak of Quezon City
(Miss Philippines-Fire and Miss Science and Technology), and Catherine Loyola representing the Filipino
community of Sydney, Australia (Miss Philippines-Water). Two months ago, Seifert was disqualified from the
Binibining Pilipinas pageant after she was found to have posed in the October 2007 issue of a men's magazine.
• THE NEW MISS BRAZIL is Larissa Costa, 25, representing the state of Rio Grande do Norte. She was crowned
Saturday night in São Paulo and she will now go to Miss Universe 2009 pageant. The first runner-up is Rayanne Morais
of Minas Gerais and the second runner-up is Denise Ribeiro of Distrito Federal. Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza
assisted in the coronation.
• THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE JAPAN is 24-year-old Emiri Miyasaka who was crowned Monday night at the Tokyo International
Forum in Tokyo. The pageant was organized by well-known French-born director Inés Ligron who also trained the contestants. Miyasaka
will now try for Japan's third Miss Universe crown. Akiko Kojima won in 1959 and Riyo Mori in 2007.
• THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE GREAT BRITAIN is Clair Cooper, 26, who was crowned May 5th in Birmingham. She will
now represent her country in Miss Universe 2009 to be held in August in the Bahamas. Her court includes finalists
Lydia Yhnell, 25, and Alize Mounter, 19. Cooper is multilingual, having been born in Germany and
lived in France for ten years.
• THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE SLOVENIA is 22-year-old Mirela Korac who was crowned Saturday. The first runner-up is
Aida Muratovic and the second runner-up is Rebeka Pevec.
• THE NEW MISS SINGAPORE UNIVERSE is Rachel Kum, 24, who was crowned May 9th in Singapore's Shangri-La Hotel.
Her court includes first runner-up Iman-April Wang and second runner-up Cheryl Gabrielle Wee. Kum's
victory did not "kum" without controversy. One of the delegates claimed that Kum skipped the preliminary auditions
and that the crown had already been reserved for her, a claim that pageant director Daryl Pang says is absurd.
• VIOLATIONS? The Miss California USA pageant says its co-directors plan to address whether current title holder
Carrie Prejean will hold onto her crown amid allegations of contract violations. Keith Lewis said
Friday that he and fellow co-director Shanna Moakler will make their case public Monday. He says they and
Prejean's representatives are close to a resolution. The state pageant is investigating whether the 21-year-old
old violated her contract by making public appearances with groups opposed to same-sex marriage and by failing
to reveal that she had posed in her underwear as a teenager. Lewis says Miss USA contest owner Donald Trump will
make the decision on whether to disqualify Prejean. She was named first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant on April 19.
If Prejean is dethroned, her first runner-up Tami Farrell, a former Miss Teen USA, will succeed her.
(Associated Press, 5/9/2009)
• A QUEEN WITH AN AGENDA : Maria Conchita Alonso, a former Miss Venezuela (1975) contestant turned actress and activist.
has an agenda. Alonso, who is Jewish, is working on a film whose aim is to "unmask" the real Hugo Chávez, the current president of Venezuela. Says Alonso, "Let the people
know that he's not the king of the poor as he wants to be called, that he really doesn't give a damn about the poor.
The so-called cleaning the river here in the Bronx (New York City) is just a propaganda, because if he really cares
about the people, then he would help them and Venezuela would not be as it is now." Alonso wants Chávez to help his
own people first before helping Americans. "I am a Venezuelan Jew who has the courage to fight against his regime, and
we are going to expose the connections between Iran and Venezuela, the drug lords, what is happening with the Jews,
we're going do it!" (El Heraldo, Barranquilla, 5/9/2009)
• CHANNELING CARRIE : Miss California USA Carrie Prejean is not the only beauty queen who has publicly
expressed homophobia and opposition to same-sex marriage. The newly crowned Miss Botswana Sumaiyah Marope, 20,
was asked by one of the judges during the contest if she advocated same-sex relationships. Marope replied,
"It is unnatural act...God made us men and women... It is only proper for men to have relationships with women
as God created us," she said to a loud roar of approval from hundreds of the beauty pageant's fans who thronged
the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) to witness the 2009 Miss Botswana finals on May 3rd.
Marope's condemnation of gay relationships comes at a time when members of a gay organization in Botswana want
legalization of gay relationships. (Sila Press Agency. mmegi Online, Botswana, 5/6/2009)
• CONFUSED BEAUTY : Miss Panama 2009 contestant Giosue Cozzarelli was eliminated after giving an embarrassing
response to the question, "Who was Confucius?" Her response: "Confucius...was one of whom invented confusion and that's why...ehhh...
One of the most ancient, he was one of the Chinese Japanese who were one of the most ancient. Thank you!"
Watch her Q & A on YouTube. Giosue fans are protesting her
elimination, claiming that it was not fair that a question related to knowledge was asked instead of a question that required
one's personal opinion. I agree! Honestly, how many Western beauty queens these days have heard of Confucius, much less study
ancient philosophy?!!!
• BANNED : María Laura Nietch, 18, was supposed to compete in this year's Miss Bolivia pageant as Miss La Paz.
But Promociones Gloria, the pageant organizer, said that Nietch is not eligible to compete because she is of Argentine
nationality, even though she has been living in Bolivia for fifteen years. Nietch can continue being Miss La Paz.
Her placement in Miss Bolivia pageant will be taken over by Pamela Chavarría who will enter as Srta. La Paz.
The national pageant will take place on May 15th. (La Razón, la Paz, 5/6/2009).
• SENTENCED : A former beauty queen was sentenced Friday to a year in jail for writing more than $70,000 in bad checks, and
a judge characterized the former Mrs. New Jersey as a "master of deception" whose looks and charitable work masked a darker
side. State Superior Court Judge Torkwase Sekou had sharp words for Heather "Hedy" DiCarlo, the 2005 winner of the
Mrs. New Jersey US pageant, as she handed down the sentence of a year minus a day, the maximum allowed under a plea agreement
reached with the Essex County Prosecutor's Office in January. "A lot of people come to this courtroom every day, and not one has had
even close to the privileged life Ms. DiCarlo has had," Sekou said. "The difference is she is a master of deception.
It would send a bad message to people who are much less fortunate to give her just a slap on the wrist."
Dressed in a white pants suit with her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, DiCarlo
dabbed at tears during the proceeding. She appeared distraught when handcuffed by a court officer as Sekou handed down
the sentence, but the cuffs were removed minutes later when the judge agreed to let her report to the Essex County Jail
on June 8, after her children's school graduations. "I completely agree with your sentencing and I will abide by it,"
DiCarlo told Sekou. "I accept full responsibility." (The Daily Record, Morris County, New Jersey, 5/9/2009)
• COOL WEBSITE : Malaysia is not a pageant-crazy country compared to her Asian neighbor, the Philippines, but we may as well
consider Mohd Yusuf Ismail as his country's biggest pageant fan. Yusuf has taken upon himself to compile vintage photos
and newspaper clippings of interesting Asian-based pageants. Check out his fabulous website, Beauty Queen Gallery.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, May 18, 2009.
PHOTO CREDITS: Miss Philippines Earth, Associated Press, Getty Images
| 5.4.2009 | Monday
• BEAUTIFUL MODEL : The first International Beauty and Model Festival took place in Kunming, China Sunday night
and Miss Philippines April Love Jordan (photo, center) was crowned the winner, beating over forty young women from all over
the world. The pageant is organized and produced by World Beauty Congress (WBC), co-presided by Zamir Huseynov of Azerbaijan and
Ma Yongmei of China. Jordan's court includes from left to right: second runner-up Natalia Ospina Acevedo of Colombia, third runner-up Ella Marlyne Lea Ayele of Gabon,
fourth runner-up Olga Lobanova of Russia, and first runner-up Laura Kuliesaite of Lithuania. Jordan was a
semi-finalist in the Binibining Pilipinas 2009 pageant held last March.
Regional titles were also distributed. Christina Sylvia
of USA (Miss North America), Sabina Ovariova of Slovakia (Miss Europe), Anastasiya Shaulova of Azerbaijan
(Miss Eastern Europe), Maria Chapsa of Greece (Miss Western Europe), Alina Sheptunova of Kazakhstan
(Miss Eurasia), Suelen Caroline Correia of Brazil (Miss South America), Chen Guiqing of China (Miss Asia) and Mofya Chisenga
of Zambia (Miss Africa). Special awards were given to Yang Younghwa of South Korea (Miss Photogenic),
Tania Lim Kim Suan of Singapore (Best in Evening Gown) and Lin Chien-An of Taiwan (Best in Swimsuit). The finals were
shown live on national television. Other subsidiary awards will be distributed in separate events in the next two days.
Critical Beauty congratulates Christina Sylvia and April Love
Jordan for their titles. The girls are roommates at the pageant.
• TURKISH DELIGHTS : Ebru Sam, representing the Turkish community in Germany, was crowned Miss Turkey 2009 on April 29th.
She will represent her country at the Miss World 2009 pageant in South Africa, December 12th. Crowned as Miss Turkey Universe was
Senem Kuyucuoglu from Istanbul; she will compete at the Miss Universe 2010 pageant. Ebru Hacibedel, also from Germany,
was chosen Miss Turkey Europe and will compete in the Miss Europe pageant to be held this or next year. And Begum Yilmaz was
crowned Miss Turkey International. She will epresent Turkey at the Miss International 2009 pageant in Macau next November.
The pageant is without controversy. Ayça Kuru, a 22-year-old nurse, was dismissed from the hospital where she worked as a
nurse, for registering to take part in the Miss Turkey contest.(Mynet Galeri, 4/30/2009)
• SWISS MISTER : André Reithebuch, 22, is the new Mister Schweiz 2009. He won the title Saturday night in a gala ceremony at the
Centro Esposizioni in Lugano, Switzerland. Delmarque Vilela Gomes de Barros, 31, was first runner-up. Giovanni Romero, 26,
was second runner-up. It is not certain if Reithebuch will compete internationally.
• SCREWED : Congratulations Miss Vietnam USA - you've just won $10,000 (which you're not getting) and a new car
(which you have to finance yourself). According to a lawsuit filed last week in Orange County, Yen Le - who was
crowned Miss Vietnam USA in November 2007 - is suing the pageant organizers because she alleges she was supposed to
receive $10,000 and a new Mercedes for winning. Now get this - not only does she claim she never got the $10K, but
she says the pageant made her lease the car in her own name and then they defaulted on the payments.
She's suing for over $50K in damages, plus interest, attorneys' fees and court costs. (TMZ, USA, 5/3/2009)
• BOSOM BUDDIES : It turns out that Miss California USA Carrie Prejean, and evangelical Christian who is already
controversial for revealing her anti-gay marriage views during the Miss USA competition recently (she came in second), felt like she needed a little second-story
remodeling to present her very best side during the contest. So her friends at the Miss California USA Pageant helpfully paid for
breast implants. In an interview Friday on "The Early Show," Keith Lewis, the co-director of the Miss California USA Pageant,
admitted to helping Prejean get the breast job. "We assisted when Carrie came to us and voiced the interest in having the
procedure done," Lewis told "Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez. Lewis also said that his organization did not encourage
Prejean to have breast surgery, but that it was her personal choice to get one: "Well, I think that it's about how a woman
feels about herself. In terms of, for me, it's not a personal choice that I would recommend. But at the same time, I know so
many women that have done the procedure and feel better about themselves and the way they present themselves." (Mercury News,
San Jose, CA, 5/2/2009)
Lewis's co-director Shanna Moakler confirmed that her group had paid for Prejean's
breast surgery during an interview with Billy Bush's "Access Hollywood." Moakler, a former Miss USA herself, defended
the organization's decision to pay for the implants, telling Bush that it's a common practice in beauty competitions.
Moakler also told Bush that she had a hard time standing behind Carrie's opinion against gay marriage in her answer
to a question from Perez Hilton during the Q&A portion of the pageant. "The night of the show, I wrote Carrie and I
congratulated Carrie and I also told her her answer, for me, did hurt feelings," Moakler added. (WIBW, USA, 5/1/2009)
• NO SILENT TREATMENT : Carrie Prejean - despite attempts from one of her co-directors Shanna Moakler to cease
and desist from giving intetviews - continues to promote her anti-same-sex marriage agenda. When she responded to judge
Perez Hilton's question during the Miss USA pageant, she gave her honest opinion. But her opinion has now evolved into
a political agenda when Prejean aligned herself with the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), a conservative group that
seeks to defend traditional marriage. Hilton now believes that Prejean will capitalize on the controversy, the way some
celebrities he follows on his blog have done. “She’ll probably cash in on this and charge a lot of money to go on the lecture
circuit, might possibly write a book and may possibly use that money to get even bigger breast implants than the ones she
already has,” Hilton told Reuters. (Reuters, UK, 5/1/2009)
Meanwhile, Moakler posed for a NOH8 ("No Hate") campaign along with two former Miss
California USA titleholders, Tamiko Nash (2007) and Raquel Beezley (2008). You can see the campaign pics in
photographer Adam Bouska's website.
A few days ago on CNN's "Larry King Live," Moakler debated the Prejean controversy
along with proponent Nicole Lamarche, a former Miss California turned pastor, and with opponents Maggie Gallagher,
a NOM spokesperson and actor Stephen Baldwin. If you missed the debate, you can watch it here.
• DETHRONED : Ryan Oliver, 21, was stripped of his title as Mr. Panama 2009 after the contest organizers discovered that he
had previously posed nude in a gay porn site. The straight-identified model only filmed two videos with the site, both solos.
Oliver, who has a Panamanian-American citizenship and whose mother works for the American Embassy in Panama City, left Panama and
returned to the States, feeling embarrassed. It was also reported that Oliver has been trying desperately to have his nude
photos from the porn site removed, but the owner of the site has not done so. Oliver's first runner-up Diomedes Justavino
was elevated as the new Mr. Panama. (DIAaDIA, Panamá, 4/30/2009)
• ANTI-PAGEANT QUEEN : She’s known across the world as one of the most bangin’ bikini babes — but Monica Hansen (photo)
is no Miss Universe. After unexpectedly being crowned Miss Norway in 1997 (she was entered into the competition by a
friend as a joke) Hansen didn’t go on to compete in the now Donald Trump-owned pageant. Even though the Miss Universe
Organization reportedly told her it was too late to drop out after she explained the situation, Hansen was
struck down by a not-so-healthy gall bladder.
So while Hansen may consider the concept of catty queens pretty entertaining,
she was far from amused when a plastic surgeon used her famous face and figure to promote breast implants on his
website without her consent. The 6"1 stunner recently filed a lawsuit against Dr. Leonard M. Hochstein for
splashing copyrighted snaps of her assets across his site, and according to Hansen the case is only now starting
to heat up. But dodgy docs aren’t the only downfall of the modeling industry, it seems Miss Monica has had
and continues to have run-ins with the murky men behind the lens.
"The modeling industry is very sexist. Being a model you become a symbol/object
of all what human desire is about — including sex. There are always disparaging men that comes along with that,"
Hansen admitted. "You have to have a very strong head on your shoulders in order to make it in this industry.
You don’t have to take crap from these men, but it’s easy to fall into the traps they lay out." But hey, there are
times even away from the set when being blonde, busty and beautiful has bewitching benefits. "One time a girlfriend
and I got pulled over for a driving on red light, and we used our charm to get out of it," she laughed. (FOXNews, 5/1/2009)
• BELLA GENTE : People en Español published its list of fifty most people beautiful in the Latin world. Entertainers
dominate the list which also includes the only beauty queen, Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza
• WHO WILL SUCCEED Karla Henry as her country's earth ambassador? For the latest coverage of Miss Philippines Earth,
visit Woman Of The Earth website.
• EARTH ANGELS : The Miss Bahamas Organization has unveiled the thirteen contenders for this year's Miss Bahamas World pageant.
View the contestants in the official MBO website.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, May 11, 2009.
PHOTO CREDITS: CNS Photo, Miss America Organization, Getty Images, Miss Universe Organization, MonicaHansen.com
APRIL 2009
• BAHAMIAN BEAUTIES : Three new Bahamian queens were chosen last night at Nassau's Rainforest Theatre. Kiara Sherman,
25, (photo) was crowned Miss Bahamas Universe 2009 and will now play host to over 90 delegates when Miss Universe takes place
in her country in August. Ife Bethel Sears, 20, was crowned Miss Bahamas Earth 2009. And Amanda Appleyard, 19,
was crowned Miss Bahamas International 2009. The other finalists were 3rd runner-up Allyssa Knowles, 21, and 4th
runner-up Camille Kenny, 22. The pageant is without controversies. Originally, there were seventeen women who signed up for the pageant, but three dropped out
citing personal differences with pageant organizer Gaynell Rolle-Stubbs. Last year's Miss Bahamas Universe Sacha
Scott did not show up; rumour has it that she refused to attend the pageant because she has never received her prizes.
In place of Scott, her runner-up Garnell Storr, Miss Bahamas Earth 2008, was introduced simply as "Miss Bahamas."
One of the contestants, Enna Thomas, a big favorite but failed to reach the semifinals, walked out of the event before
it was finished and did not claim her two special awards.
• PANAMANIAN BEAUTIES : A reality TV show that lasted 9 weeks came to an end on Friday when Nadege Herrera, 22, (photo, left) a professional
model who holds a degree in Tourism and Marketing, was crowned Panama's representative to Miss World during the final show held
at the Tihany Spectacular Circus tent in Panama City on May 15th. Herrera will represent Panama at the Miss World 2009 pageant in London and South Africa next December.
Crowned as the Miss Universe representative was Diana Patricia Broce, 22, (photo, right) from Los Santos. The former carnival queen holds
a degree in finances and will compete at the Miss Universe 2009 pageant in the Bahamas, next August. (Misspanama.net, 5/15/2009)
Prejean, the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant, created a brouhaha when she responded to a
question by celebrity judge Perez Hilton by saying, "I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to
anybody out there, but that's how I was raised." After gay rights advocates took her to task, California pageant officials said
Prejean asked for permission to elaborate on her answer and they agreed. But then, they said, she began speaking without their
permission in front of crowds opposed to gay marriage, including her San Diego church and the National Organization for Marriage.
Keith Lewis, the state pageant's co-executive director, said Prejean also began missing Miss California events she was
contractually obligated to attend. Trump on Tuesday said there had been miscommunication among Prejean, pageant organizers
and the outside groups, but added that "the communication problem, I believe, is totally solved."
Photos of Prejean in her underwear, taken when she was 17, emerged after the Miss USA pageant.
• IRATE : During the press conference on May 12 in New York City, Donald Trump and the Miss Universe Organization
ruled that Carrie Prejean had every right to continue as Miss California USA, despite her statements on marriage
and a series of modeling photos that came in violation of her contract with the pageant. Katie Rees, (photo) who was dethroned
as Miss Nevada USA in 2007 also for a series of pictures, is now speaking out on the issue, claiming double standards in
the ruling, according to Extra TV. 
• TARGET OF RACISM : Nigerian-born Helen Lawal, (photo) the 23-year-old Miss Black Britain and, most recently, the freshly
crowned Miss York, is the target of a self-confessed racist who thinks she should not be part of the more important Miss
Britain competition. A threatening phone call was placed with event organizer Vivienne Lee, and the police are already
looking into the case, BBC informs. Although Lawal has not been directly threatened by the racist, who calls himself
Mr. Paver, the phone call in itself was threatening enough to alert the authorities, it has been said.
Among the many comments made, “we know where you are” and “these people should not be allowed in the country” were two of the
most worrying, Mrs. Lee points out. Because of this, she has alerted the police and they are now investigating the case.
• ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL : Two weeks ago, Mister International Ngo Tien Doan (photo) was talking on his cellphone in a busy street
in Ho Chi Minh City when two thugs approached him and grabbed his cellphone. Doan quickly subdued one of the thugs who fell on the ground.
A third party - presumably an accomplice - pretended to rush to Doan's aide, but dashed away as soon as he saw the police arrive.
The police questioned Doan, but they didn't know who he was. Apparently, a flamboyant male fashion designer who was walking his French
poodle happened to be at the scene and recognized Doan as the current Mister International. After the police left, the designer
hired Doan on the spot as one of the models for a major fashion campaign in Vietnam. "God takes away a small thing, and replaces it with
a bigger and better one," said the puzzled young man who is his country's first ever major titleholder. Thanks to Alan Sim, President of
Mister Singapore Organization, for this info.
"Beauty pageants bring out the best and worst in women: on one hand they enhance
already high level of cattiness women are known for, on the other hand they sure help the contestants to overcome
their shyness, improve self-esteem and unleash the go-getter in each of them," Hansen told Tarts in an exclusive
interview. "But overall I view pageants as a bit silly - yet one can't discount the entertainment factor."
(And based on the whirlwind two weeks surrounding Miss California’s controversial gay marriage response at
Miss USA, that’s an understatement).