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| 06.03.07 | Sunday
Miss Argentina speaks out
The Argentine delegate to Miss Universe 2007 Daniela Stucan commented to
a local radio station that the Asian countries had a lot of influence on Miss Japan's victory. Here are some of her
statements [my translation] that were printed in Infobae.com:
- "I represented Argentina in Miss Universe, which is the most important contest."
- "People were saying many things. In pageants, there are many interests in the way. They were saying that
Asian countries were worried that another Latin would win, and that they would withdraw next year if this happened."
- "Asia won all of the prizes. From what I've heard, I was in the top 20, but the list was cut down to 15, so
I am not really sure."
Well, she certainly doesn't sound as bitter as Brazil's Natália Guimarães,
but like her Brazilian counterpart, Stucan is unquestionably disillusioned. Why is it that Latin delegates cannot fathom
the possibility than an Asian can beat the crap out of them? The only reason Miss Philippines Anna Theresa Licaros
won Miss Photogenic is because of a strong Filipino fan base. Miss China NingNing Zhang won Miss Congeniality
because the majority of her peers voted for her. There's no Asian conspiracy behind these prizes. Also, it's a bit
presumptuous of Stucan to declare that Miss Universe is "the most important contest" - this coming from someone who
placed fourth in Miss Earth 2001, a pageant that has already surpassed Miss Universe in production quality. Stucan
has competed in several pageants and has either won or placed decently; unfortunately, Miss Universe was not one of them.
The boos from a Mexican perspective
An editorial in a Mexican newspaper El Diario reiterated the notion that the boos
at Miss USA Rachel Smith were not made by the Mexicans alone but also of Asians, Europeans and other Latin Americans
who accompanied the delegates to the pageant, and that the boos symbolized a protest against the U.S. government for
provoking genocide in Iraq, for its strict illegal immigration policies, and for its indiscriminate maltreatment
of any foreigner who visits the U.S. If you read Spanish, here's the editorial.
Be that as it may; however, the editorial fails to rebuke the
booers themselves - which further reinforces the notion that booing must be an acceptable mode of behavior in
Mexico or other Latin American countries. What is even more appalling is that Lupita Jones, the only Miss Universe
from Mexico, or other Mexican beauty queens or celebrities did not speak out against the booing. As a matter of fact, I do
not know of any prominent Mexican who has publicly decried the rude treatment of Americans. They can certainly learn
a lot from Mexican columnist Tere Quezada who wrote a powerful article entitled, "Los Chilangos y su deplorable educación,"
in which she harshly criticizes the media for overwhelmingly sympathizing with the illegal Mexican migrant workers without
mentioning the fact that U.S. prisons are full of Mexicans; that domestic abuses are rampant in Mexican homes; and that the
children of Mexican migrant workers in the U.S. refuse to assimilate with the mainstream culture and prefer to identify
themselves as Mexicans - thus provoking racism and segregation. If you read Spanish, here's the entire article.
This is my last blog entry related to Miss Universe 2007. Additional
news related to the pageant will be incorporated in the Journal section starting Monday.
| 06.02.07 | Saturday
Sore loser?
A Brazilian newspaper O Estado de São Paulo, asked
Miss Brazil and Miss Universe first runner-up Natália Guimarães, about her opinion
on the results of the pageant. The paper reported that Brazilian fans call Miss Japan Riyo Mori's victory
as "unjust" and that Guimarães was "robbed" of the crown. Even Marta Rocha, a former Miss
Brazil who placed second in Miss Universe 1954, commented about Guimarães [my translation]: "She was the most
beautiful of all. She has an elegance that is worthy of a Miss." Rocha, who knows Guimarães personally,
attended the finals in Mexico City. "She should be elevated to Miss Universe. It would be a
question of injustice."
Asked about her loss to Mori, Guimarães remarked [my translation]:
"I did not expect to lose to Miss Japan. I was apprehensive because of Miss Venezuela who is beautiful.
I think that Riyo won because she had the best lobby. She was not the most prepared." Guimarães also
laments the fact that her wardrobe was not as glamorous or fashionable as that of Mori who has opulent
sponsors.
Guimarães seems not to like Mori very much: "She [Mori] did not
follow the directions of the organizers. On the runway, she did the opposite of what was required. She
danced during the swimsuit segment."
I can't remember of any first runner-up in the history of Miss Universe
who could be so whiney and bitter as Rocha and now Guimarães. Maybe Miss USA Christie Fichtner, who lost to
Barbara Palacios of Venezuela in 1986. Fichtner reportedly did not attend the coronation ball
because she could not accept her loss; however, I don't recall her bad-mouthing Palacios or dissing her in public,
unlike Guimarães.
In other news, William is back in Los Angeles and he will submit his
final report soon. His friend Miguel will also send pics from the pageant, so stay tuned!
| 06.01.07 | Friday
It's all about money
Fernando Meraz M., a columnist for the Mexican newspaper
Milenio, wrote an interesting report that reveals the ugliness the happened behind the scenes - not
of the pageant itself - but behind the Mexican organizers and MUO (Miss Universe Organization). Meraz
reported how local businessmen and politicians struggled to pay MUO the required fees of approximately $20 million.
The article mentions how MUO President Paula Shugart demanded the Mexican organizers to pay for events
that the organizers claimed were never part of the agreement, and that the payment, according to Shugart, would
have to be made by national sponsors.
The report also mentions the frustration among the competing delegates,
many of whom had been subjected to hectic schedules, from 6 A.M. until 11 P.M. Lupita Jones tried to alleviate
the stress level of the contestants by suggesting that the final rehearsals be executed using body doubles of the
contestants. The article in Spanish was published on May 27th; to the interest of our English-speaking readers, I managed
to translate the excerpt that describes the events that eventually led to the dispute between the two parties involved
(MUO and the Mexican organizers). Here it is:
A group of Mexican businessmen, led by Pedro Rodríguez, began negotiating with
Donald Trump two years ago to bring the pageant to Mexico. They paid 6.5 million dollars as
initial quota for the franchise and they agreed that the pageant would be supervised
by Paula M. Shugart. Coronel Barrera Ponce, ex-member of the Estado Mayor Presidencial
and of the Secretary of Defense department, remembers:
"It wasn't easy for Pedro Rodríguez or Eric Rider, the most active promoters. Once the
license for Miss Universe had been acquired, came complicated dealings to sell it
in a profitable manner. It's business."
Rodriguez and Rider traveled from one state to another to find sponsors and to convince the
governors. Those were difficult times. Paula Shugart threatened to change the
pageant venue and to take it to the U.S., as agreed in the contract, which would have
been a catastrophe for Mexico in terms of image. The first big step was made when
the venue was established in Mexico City with the help of government chief Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon,
who had paid $4 million and additional expenses estimated at $2 million. Other
states asked to be co-venues upon hearing that Oaxaca had been ruled out for lack of
security. "We studied it carefully: Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato; I don't want to
mention names so as not to hurt other people's feelings," says Barrera Ponce.
Finally, the governments of Quintana Roo, Félix González Canto, and of Chiapas, Juan Sabines Guerrero,
each paid $2 million so that their states would also be co-venues.
[...]
Suing The Mexicans for $4 Million
On May 24th, Paula M. Shugart, fuming with anger, announced that MUO would sue the local organizers
for the amount of $4 million for "failing to fulfill their obligations."
On Wednesday night after the visit of the First Lady Margarita Zavala de Calderón, the "bloody" battle
between both parties escalated during a meeting in a suite at Hotel Camino Real.
Carlos Astudillo, MUO and Donald Trump's lawyer and representative, presented the official
lawsuit. The last straw was a protest from the Mexicans who claimed that they had been
ignored by Paula Shugart during her visit to the residential palace in Los Pinos. After 45 minutes
of angry complaints from both sides, Shugart literally confronted the Mexicans.
Shugart gave orders that two thousand tickets - that the organizers had requested in the National
Auditorium for the invited officials (which included the governors of Chiapas, Juan Sabines; Quintana Roo,
Félix González; the chief of the Federal District, Marcelo Ebrard; and the representatives, delegates and
invited guests from competing countries) - not be distributed to the Mexican organizers.
Desperate, the Mexican organizers tried to arrange meetings with president Felipe Calderón and with Tourism
secretary, Rodolfo Elizondo. They also considered the possiblity of cancelling the event due to Shugart's
"outrageous demands."
Many pageant fans - upset by los errores cometidos by both sides, are
now wondering where next year's venue will be. Certainly not in Mexico again, and certainly not in a country
that pretends to afford the hosting fees and prematurely promises to fulfill all obligations.
| 05.30.07 | Wednesday
Posted 5:47 PM (Boston time)
Zuleyka's face - and they were not only Mexicans!
Zuleyka Rivera looked stunning in her irresdescent yellow-green gown when she was first introduced by the hosts. And she even looked more
beautiful when she did her final walk. But her beauty was quickly overshadowed by a hint of ugliness when she did not show any congratulatory gesture
towards Riyo Mori. Not a kiss, not a hug, and not even a sincere smile.
This morning, I received a call from a reliable source who informed
me that ever since she became Miss Universe 2006, Zuleyka had been behaving like a little diva not only
around Magali Febles (her national director) but also around the MUO staff. In other words, fame had gotten
to her head, to the point that she craved a lot of attention wherever she went and whatever she did. This same
source also informed me that Zuleyka gave Magali a lot of problems that produced much tension between the two.
The two Spanish-language networks Univisión and Telemundo reported that
the boos in the auditorium were started by the Venezuelan fans, who were then imitated by only a few Mexicans.
A few Mexicans? Hmmmm... I don't know about that. I've been reading some of the comments in the Miss Mexico Everywhere
forum that refer particularly to this incident. Meanwhile, in virtually all forums, the new Miss Universe is
getting bashed tremendously, some calling her the ugliest Miss Universe ever, which I think is very sad. I am sure
people's negative opinions about Riyo will eventually change after they have seen new fashion shoots
of her by Fadil Berisha.
Rosa María speaks out
A Mexican online paper just released this article (with my translation):
Rosa María Ojeda Cuen criticizes the judges
Rosa María Ojeda Cuen, the representative of Mexico in Miss Universe 2007, criticized the decision of the judges
of having included Rachel Smith, Miss USA, in the group of finalists, despite her horrendous fall. Ojeda said that
if this fall had happened to her, they would have disqualified her.
"It was impossible for Miss USA to advance to the top five, and especially herself. Honestly, if I had been the one who
had fallen, I wouldn't have advanced at all, and that might have been the reason why I got disqualified," remarked Ojeda Cuen.
The Sinaloa beauty heard the booing made at Smith when Smith's name was called as a finalist in spite of her fall, but
it does not justify the attitude of her compatriots.
"I am forever thankful to the people who supported me, because it was obvious that they loved me, but I don't approve
of the booing, and things like that should not happen. Oh well, that's how things went, and I was of course hoping for
a better result. I gave the best of myself," she remarked.
Ojeda Cuen understood the behavior of the audience and it was clear to her that they were bothered by Miss USA's
advancement to the finals despite her fall.
The beautiful representative from Mexico was disqualified in the second phase of the pageant because according to the
scores shown on the screen, she received a very low score in the evening gown competition.
Original source: http://www.esmas.com/laoreja/631290.html
| 05.28.07 | Monday
Posted 11:13 AM (Boston time)
Two new telecast judges
From the Miss Universe website:
Mauricio Islas - One of the most recognized soap opera actors in Latin America, Mauricio Islas has starred
in more than a dozen soap operas as well as several plays and films. A Mexico City native, Islas has worked extensively
with Telemundo in such novellas as "Prisoner," "The Silver" and "Loves of Market." (Islas replaced Ken Paves)
Christiane Martel - Miss Universe 1953 from France who has been living in Mexico for forty years.
Originally, MUO had selected nine judges without any native-born Mexicans on the panel. Now, they added Mexican native
Islas and a tenth judge, Martel, who is a naturalized Mexican citizen. Is this MUO's way of making sure that Miss Mexico
Rosa María Ojeda Cuen enters the finals to appease the unruly Mexican audience?
| 05.27.07 | Sunday
Do you really want this job?
The reigning queen Zuleyka Rivera will appear in a special show tonight
at Telemundo network (7:30 pm in Puerto Rico). Zuleyka will be interviewed by reporter Grenda Rivera
about her experiences during her reign as Miss Universe 2006, now considered to be the shortest (ten months).
The interview had been pre-taped a few days before Zuleyka left for Mexico. Zuleyka opened her heart and
soul and revealed several things, such as that she found her job very demanding and stressful that
she almost considered quitting. MUO convinced her to go into therapy which eventually helped her
preserve her sanity. She also talked about her plastic surgeries, her special participation in the
new telenovela "Dame Chocolate," and her role as an international embassador to promote AIDS awareness in
Latin America.
For the record, Zuleyka has been a very good Miss Universe. She has
never missed any of the required activities, she has satisfied all of the sponsors, she has been an excellent
representative of her country, and definitely a very good representative of MUO and its causes. Her critics
may pan her for her weight gain, her lack of intellectual sophistication, or her child-like comportment, but
she was able to fulfill the task at hand. And there were many tasks.
In less than one year, Zuleyka has probably touched the lives of more people than any U.S. politician
could have ever done in his or entire political career - and she still managed to look beautiful.
Zuleyka's temporary insanity has worried some of the girls to
the point that they are now wishing to lose. Which raises the question, "Which of the girls really want to win?"
Certainly those who understand the pressures of a hectic schedule and who are energetic and strong enough to
overcome them. In 1974, Amparo Muñóz of Spain almost got fired for insubordination. In 1996, Alicia
Machado of Venezuela risked getting dethroned for her weight gain. In 2002, Oxana Fyodorova of Russia
was dethroned for refusing to fulfill her duties. Zuleyka almost gave up the crown because of the rigorous
demands of her job. Good thing she sought therapy, because the last thing MUO needed was another Oxana. Although
Zuleyka's prize package included "a year-long membership to Gravity Fitness," one wonders if she actually
used the spa's exercise equipment, and if so, how often.
The new Miss Universe will be busier than ever, and naturally, she will not
have a personal life. Her name will probably be dragged into the mud of scandals and controversies, and she will
be the object of endless scrutiny by the crazy media that is constanly looking for sensation.
If you're one of the 77 contenders in this year's pageant, do you still want the job?
A May 25th article by Associated Press entitled, "Miss
Universe pageant faces hurdles," mentioned the withdrawal of Miss Sweden due to pressure from Swedish critics
who claim that pageants are degrading to women. The article also wrote: "Organizers say the Miss Universe contest
carefully selects women who are intelligent, well-mannered and cultured, and dispute the notion that beauty queens
are clueless about international issues." The latter part may be true, but the former is debatable: if they were looking
for an intelligent, well-mannered and cultured winner last year, then why did Miss Japan Kurara Chibana did not win?
She spoke four languages, lived in several countries, was very well-mannered, stylish and beautiful. This year,
another stunning Asian delegate, Honey Lee of Korea, is favored by many fans to win the crown, but would she
be make a good queen, really? It was noted that during the second week of her stay in Mexico, Lee was crying because
she was feeling nostalgic and missing her loved ones. There's nothing wrong with an emotional queen, but is MUO
ready to deal with one - who may or may not respond well to therapy?
| 05.24.07 | Thursday
The Theater of the Absurd
• SAY NO TO MUO : In an unusual twist of events, Mexican model and TV presenter Rebecca De Alba declined
to be part of the jury in this year's pageant after learning that she would not be part of the more prestigious
and more desired set of jury - the telecast jury that will eventually select Miss Universe 2007. Alba was
originally invited to judge the preliminaries (which took place last night at the Auditorio Nacional) - which
is technically more significant than the finals because it's the moment when each contestant is scrutinized
and fifteen lucky delegates advance to the finals.
What is wrong with this picture? Didn't someone from MUO carefully
explain the job description and regulations to Alba? Maybe someone did, but perhaps the explanation was lost
in translation? Why did this drama happen just a day before the prelims? Alba claims that she is neither
bothered nor resentful, but only surprised by the situation. I think she's a nitwit and a snob. She was the only
Mexican in the panel of preliminary judges, and by disinviting herself she has greatly diminished Mexico's
chances in advancing to the finals. She was clearly thinking only about herself and her own narcissistic agenda,
and could care less about bringing a potential honor to her country. What a shame. I never could understand why
Ricky Martin dated her.
• HOTEL OF HORRORS : Patricia Vargas, a columnist for the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia,
is currently in Mexico covering the pageant. In her column written last Monday, she reported that thefts
are rampant at the hotel where the girls and guests are staying. Among the objects stolen included a
music equipment belonging to MUO valued at $10,000, personal affairs, and even Uma Blasini's Cofresí pirate hat -
which explains why she was hatless during the national competition show. Vargas also reported that
an MUO staff member was assaulted by an armed hoodlum right in front of the hotel.
The hotel itself is a disaster. In Vargas's room, the shower head could
not be turned off because it was broken; only after her relentless complaints did help finally arrive.
At one point, her key could not open the door and the safe would not open. "I hope I don't become a victim
of those punks because I'm at the same floor as the girls..." I love Vargas! She's such a bitch... but a good one!
• A PSEUDO-HORROR STORY : Yesterday, the Critical Beauty Message Board was hacked by someone who might have been
offended by my previous blog entry regarding the booing incident. This hacker probably does not have a life,
has no friends, has no job, has bad manners, has poor hygiene, and is lonely and miserable. This pathetic individual
probably thinks that hacking message boards is his consummate raison d'être, perhaps a sample of his undeniable joie de vivre.
Sadly to say, his joy was very brief, as I had to banish him from the board. Such a loser. Why are people so sensitive? Geesh! It's
only a friggin' pageant!
• MISGUIDED PASSIONS & FALSE NOTIONS : Do you realize that every year during Miss Universe season, the pageant world turns
upside down? You know what I mean: pageant fans of different nationalities excessively promoting and hyping their
candidates, dissing other candidates, depreciating rival cultures, and hacking boards. It could get really ugly. Many would believe
that international pageants are supposed to unite people from all nations and to create harmony, but let's face it,
that belief is only held by the most naïve and gullible segment of the pageant world. The truth is - beauty pageants seek
first and foremost to make money and most people involved in pageanty are vain, egotistical, and selfish. When I was in my
early teens, I took much delight in watching televised pageants because I was so enchanted by the theatrics (the colorful
costumes, the beautiful women, the exciting entertainers); I watched pageants to be entertained. But as I grew older and
learned more about the business, pageants to me have now become repulsive and useless. I speak in general terms, of course.
There are still many elements in a pageant that I find worthwhile, but when a pageant is as big as Miss Universe or Miss World - with
its political insinuations, chronic favoritisms and absurd string of scandals - it fails to acknowledge the little people - the fans.
To those people who own copies of Miss Universe programme books, do me a favor
and check if the several messages from Trump or Shugart contain any of these phrases: "Thank you to all the fans..." or "A heartfelt
thanks to all the fans..." or "I would like to extend my thanks to all the fans..." Aha! Nothing, right???!!! And you
wonder why William has an issue with security guards shooing away anyone who walks in the delegates' path!
| 05.22.07 | Tuesday
Elvis is alive and well - and she kicks ass!
• THE BOOING INCIDENT : The National Costume Presentation took place at the world-famous Angel of Independence
Plaza in Mexico City yesterday. The event was free to the general public, which meant that anyone - crazies,
loonies, perverts and intellectuals - could have hurled chimichangas or hurt any of the girls - but luckily
none of this sort happened. Thank God! However, poor Miss USA Rachel Smith was booed by an unruly
crowd. Wearing a well-fitted white Elvis Presley costume with dark glasses and guitar, Smith remained unhindered
by the boos and like a true beauty queen, held her composure, gyrated her hips, strummed her guitar, and rock-n-rolled
her way in and out of the stage, ever smiling! Watch a videoclip from the event in YouTube.
Flashback: 1993 in Mexico City's Auditorio Nacional. Miss USA Kenya Summer
Moore was booed everytime her country's name was called by host Dick Clark. Why? No one exactly knows
the reason, but it is now common knowledge that the Mexicans simply did not appreciate Moore and that the booing had not
been caused by some political or cultural rift between the U.S. and Mexico. In last year's Miss Universe
in Los Angeles, Miss USA Tara Conner was also booed by a predominantly Mexican audience at the Kodak Theatre, and it
was understandable why specially in the light of George W. Bush's illegal immigration reforms and the increasing cultural
and political clash between defenders of and protestors of illegal immigration. And this could also have been the
reason Smith was booed during the National Costume show yesterday - ironically - at a plaza that symbolizes
tolerance and freedom.
And because of this ugly booing incident, many pro-Rachel fans have
sent angry e-mails to MUO accusing the organization for being neglectful of the safety of their candidate, and
the lack of ample security overall. This anger is reflected on several message boards, specially the United States
of Beauty forum where pro-Rachel fans - and staunch American citizens - are expressing strong resentment towards
Mexicans ("Down with Mexico!" "Nuke Mexico City!" "Boycott Mexican goods!") Some observers have noted that MUO expected
this kind of rowdiness from the Mexicans, that it is all part of the Mexican concept of entertainment: you get booed
if you put on a bad show, and you get cheered if you put on a good show. Sounds like a universal concept to me!
But I don't think that the real problem is the Mexicans booing Miss USA; the
real problem is MUO's gradual descent to the abyss of mediocrity. Does anyone want reminders? I do! First, it took
MUO a considerable amount of time to find a suitable venue; they chose Mexico because it was cheaper and closer. Second,
lesser countries are bidding to host the pageant. Mexico for the fourth time? What else is there to know about Mexico
that we haven't seen through CNN, FOX news, Discovery Channel, YouTube, National Geographic, Univisión, Telemundo or
telenovelas, and through personal trips to the country? There are nearly 200 countries in the world (and most of them broadcast Miss Universe), yet no one could
come up with a fresher and lesser known country? Third, the quality of contestants has gone from sublime to profane (more and more countries are sending their national winners to Miss World). Fourth, significant activities have
been cancelled (fashion show, cultural trips, and now - according to William's report - the cancellation of a coronation
ball! I can't imagine Cinderella going straight to bed without partying after having found her glass slipper!). I could
go on and on, and but I decided to spare you the misery! LOL!
No, the Mexicans should not be booing Miss USA; they should be booing MUO and their
local officials who failed to control and discipline the booing crowd. The Mexicans should not be booing any of the
candidates on stage; instead, they should be booing at the incredible injustices and barbaric cultural practices in their country,
as expressed by sash-adorned local women protesting the brutal rapes, murders, false imprisonments, human rights abuses, and
cruel bullfights. No, the Rachel Smith supporters shouldn't be condemning an entire nation for a possible isolated
incident perpetrated by a few; instead, they should be condemning MUO for pretending that the booing would not happen again.
Imagine next year's Miss USA dressed up as a border patrol agent.
| 05.21.07 | Monday
If you can call them gifts!
• THE AUCTION : The National Gift Auction took place on May 17th in Mexico City's Arroyo Restaurant and
reportedly raised a little over $20,000 for charity (equivalent to 218,000 Mexican pesos). One wonders why only $20,000? Well, take a close look at
what some of the gifts that the girls had brought:
GERMANY - a coffee mug stuffed with a miniature teddy bear. Why on earth would anyone bid on a coffee mug if you can drink from any coffee mugs in the restaurant?
HUNGARY - a beer stein. Hungary has better things to offer than a beer stein with the country's name inscribed on it.
ANGOLA, TANZANIA, PERU - wooden figurines. You can find these in any Target, TJ-Maxx, or Marshalls store.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, ISRAEL - candle holders. Same as above.
GREECE, PUERTO RICO, UKRAINE - ceramic figurines.
ECUADOR - painting of a giant lizard that you can find in cheap motels.
ESTONIA - a framed map of Estonia that you can draw in 15 minutes and use highlighters to color it.
FRANCE - a bag of Yves Saint-Laurent beauty products. Just because the products were made by a French designer does not
mean it reflects French culture!
GUATEMALA - a handsome medieval-inspired chess set. But what does it say about her country, really?
ITALY - a boxed sportscar and a candle holder. I don't see any connection between these two gifts.
JAPAN - antique obi (sash). Beautiful.
KOREA - an oversized Korean string instrument
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA - a doll wearing a traditional costume from her country. I love it!
RUSSIA - lacquered nesting dolls (but no one knows how many there are!)
GEORGIA & ZAMBIA - tapestries reflecting their respective culture
BRAZIL - a stuffed toucan
SOUTH AFRICA - bag with tribal motif
CHINA - a fan that you can get in any country where there's a Chinatown
SPAIN - fabric with floral pattern (is it silk?)
AUSTRALIA - aborigine pole. Very unusual.
THAILAND - a purse. It hard's to tell whether it is representative of Thai culture or not. For all we know, it could
be something she had pulled out of her closet.
EGYPT - framed papyrus art featuring hieroglyphics
GUYANA - Okay, I love this gal! She brought not one, but several gifts: a framed image of a jaguar, an ornamental necklace,
a wooden tray, a box, and three miniature figurines of animals indigenous to her country
SLOVAK REPUBLIC - a crystal wine flask
TURKS & CAICOS - a framed photo of a beach. But this beach could be anywhere!
USA - a guitar that had been signed by someone
These girls brought books about their countries: ARUBA, BARBADOS, CYPRUS, CZECH REPUBLIC, EL SALVADOR, SWITZERLAND
These girls brought jewelry and/or accessories: HONDURAS, BELGIUM, POLAND, SINGAPORE, SLOVENIA, VENEZUELA
These girls brought things that you could hardly identify in the photos: BELIZE (a square vase?), BULGARIA (a plate?) COLOMBIA (a hammock?),
CCOSTA RICA (a pin? a broach?), DENMARK (an incense holder?), FINLAND (a hand vacuum cleaner?), KAZAKHSTAN (a warrior hat?), ARGENTINA
(wind chime?), BOLIVIA (a poncho?), ST. LUCIA (a card?), URUGUAY (a laundry bag?) and MEXICO (a pineapple bean bag?)
These girls were not in any of the photographs, but does not mean that they were not present at the auction: ALBANIA, BAHAMAS, CROATIA, INDIA, LEBANON, MALAYSIA,
MAURITIUS, MONTENEGRO, NEW ZEALAND, NICARAGUA, NIGERIA, NORWAY, PANAMA, PARAGUAY, SERBIA
So if I had to fill up an empty showcase glass armoire, I would certainly fill it up with these beautiful gifts:
- The ceramic figurines of Misses GREECE, PUERTO RICO and the UKRAINE
- The beautiful doll of Miss ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
- The ship figurine of Miss CURACAO
- The attractive beer stein of Miss HUNGARY
and virtually all of the gifts brought by the Asian candidates:
- The set of capiz boxes of Miss PHILIPPINES
- The boxed bird statue of Miss INDONESIA
- The colorful pair of candleholders of Miss ISRAEL
- The elegant obi of Miss JAPAN
- The unusual string instrument of Miss KOREA
Overall, many of the gifts lacked originality, uniqueness and cultural relevance. In the olden days, the National Gift Auction
was a classy affair where all the delegates wore their national costumes, came up on stage, introduced themselves, described
their gifts and presented them to the host country. It was a pageantry on its own. These days, the event has been diminished
to a common activity that could easily take place in a church hall or gymnasium.
• DISORGANIZED : Thirty-eight of the seventy-seven delegates were supposed to make a trip to Isla Mujeres last
week but the trip had to be cancelled due to bad planning by the local organizers - the Garrafón Company and
Dolphin Discovery. Isaac Sulú Martínez, the tourism director of Isla Mujeres, accused the organizers of being disrespectful
towards the Miss Universe delegates, but the organizers insisted that the cancellation was due to lack of
sufficient security.
• UNINVITED : Alicia Machado, Miss Universe 1996, will not be enjoying the pageant because she
was not invited, even though she has been living and working in Mexico for years. She does not blame Lupita Jones,
Miss Universe 1991 from Mexico since Lupita already organizes the national pageant, but instead blames MUO for
ignoring her. "They invited me on two occasions, but everytime they invited me I was either taping a soap opera
or they invited me to far away places, so I wasn't able to go. But now that I am here in Mexico, those bastards
didn't invite me at all!"
• HEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS MIGHT : This year's delegates come in all shapes and sizes, tall and short, slender and voluptuous.
One gal who does not allow her small stature hinder her quest for the crown is Miss Aruba Carolina Raven.
"Many people would consider my shortness as a liability, but I don't see it that way. My biggest weapon is my faith.
I have passion and internal strength, thanks to the love and affection that my family has given me." Raven dismisses
all sorts of diet. "We have to celebrate the fact that we have hips, and to exercise to make them firm!"
• ANTI-PAGEANT : Ecuador' president Rafael Correa said yesterday that beauty pageants promote anti-values and
exploit women. He accused Miss Universe of being "a brand of that American millionaire Donald Trump," and "we pay
them to participate in Miss Universe so that women can compete in swimsuit and whoever wins can talk about poverty,
justice, and peace. So ugly women can't do work for the poor?" Correa also said that there are values far more important than
parading in swimsuits, such as a honest life filled with virtues, service to others, and many more.(El Mercurio, 5/20/2007)
• THE JUDGES : There will be two sets of judges in this year's pageant. The first set will judge the contestants in the
preliminaries (swimsuit, interview and evening gown segments). This set is far more important than the second set
because their votes will determine which fifteen candidates will advance to the semi-finals. You can see the names of
the preliminary and telecast judges in this Miss Universe page.
It's great to see former Miss Universes as judges: Dayanara Torres (1993 from
Puerto Rico) in the telecast and Justine Pasek (2002 from Panama) in the preliminaries. If there's anyone who
has experienced the pain of being judged, it's these two former titleholders. However, I would have loved to see Bob Barker
as a judge, or at least an emcee for old time's sake. His appearance in Miss Universe would certainly attract his legion
of fans from "The Price Is Right." If MU is looking to add a touch of class in this year's telecast (or next year's), they
should consider presenting a special award of recognition to Bob Barker who has entertained and delighted millions of
televiewers during his years as a Miss Universe/Miss USA/Miss Teen USA emcee. Here's to you, Sir Bob!
What will the judges be looking for this year
in a winner? Probably the same as in the last few years since Donald Trump took over MUO: physical beauty, marketability,
tireless energy, and good in following instructions!
• TOMORROW : My take on the National Costume Presentation. I heard that poor Miss USA Rachel Smith got booed by
the rowdy Mexican crowd! History repeats itself!
| 05.14.07 | Monday
What's not so special about Miss Universe?
LIKE ANY OTHER BEAUTY PAGEANT or modeling competition,
Miss Universe is not immune to controversies, scandals, politics, and intense scrutiny by the public.
The fact that the pageant started out as a swimsuit competition was scandalous in itself; radical feminist groups
prematurely labeled the pageant as sexist or degrading to women, and that it only promotes the Western
standard of beauty. To this day, these very same opinions are not made by feminists only, but by
virtually every one who believes that pageants are a thing of the past and should be discarded permanently.
As an avid pageant fan, and specially during Miss Universe season, do
I really care about what the detractors think? Not really! LOL! Just like many of you, I expect first and
foremost to be entertained. After all, pageants are theatrical, and the first thing that I look for in a play,
a movie or a Broadway show - or in this case a pageant - is its capacity to fully engage the audience.
Last Saturday night, Hector called me from Puerto Rico to talk about the pageant (actually he did most of the
talking!) He said that he doesn't feel as excited this year as he was last year. He spoke with a Mexican
friend who lives in Mexico City who told him that very few people are paying attention to the pageant.
He asked me for my opinion about the quality of the delegates this year and how the pageant is doing.
I said that the quality of the delegates this year is not as optimal as compared to last year's, and the pictures
can prove it. Many of the girls have horrible bodies, if not bad skin, they either have flabby abs or untoned
legs. They make look beautiful in Fadil Berisha's shots, but when you take away the make-up and all the other
accoutrements of embellishment, they all look plain and unattractive, some bordering on just plain ugly.
• SWIMSUIT PICTORIAL : The group swimsuit shot is perhaps the worst group swimsuit shot I've seen in a long time.
Many of the girls have unkempt hairdo and bad posture; notice that nearly all the Latin delegates have one arm
resting on their hips, while the rest did not exactly know how to give their best pose. The girls in the first
row should have been sitting down, with their legs crossed or gracefully tilted to the side. By making them stand up,
you're forced to scrutinize their full bodies, which is not fair considering that you don't get to see the full bodies
of the other delegates from the second to the last row. Also, it was observed that two short girls in the front row,
Aruba and Bahamas, were standing on mounds of sand to make themselves appear taller.
• BOTHERED : The Honduran newspaper La Prensa de Tegucigalpa stated that the Miss Universe Organization
is purposely harming the winning chances of Miss Honduras Wendy Salgado and Miss Bolivia Jessica Jordan
by publishing their official photos that seem to lack any visual aesthetics. Bolivia's photo has been changed to
a better one, but not Honduras's photo that shows
a construction crane in the background. I believe that the candidates were shown several proofs of their photos and they
had to select their favorite one as their official photo. Why is the Honduran press even harping about this? Isn't there
anything in Honduras that is more newsworthy than Salgado's MU photo? I happen to like seeing a construction crane
in the background because its toughness contrasts strongly with Salgado's softness. Besides, there are some official
photos that are far more bothersome, like Puerto Rico's Uma Blasini
where she seems like she is being sexually or physically abused, or Poland's Dorota Gawron which looks like she is
about to sexually abuse someone.
• MEDIA BIAS: It is reported that some of the delegates (mostly Latin) were
complaining that too much media attention is being given to Miss Mexico Rosa María Ojeda. This is the first
time that I've heard that Latin delegates are complaining about getting little press attention; usually, when
the pageant is held in a Latin country, the Latin delegates automatically become the media darlings, but why is it
different this time in Mexico? Is it because the Mexican press only favor their national delegate? It's hard to tell.
However, it is easy to tell that the majority of pageant-related press articles printed in Latin America are barely mentioning
non-Latin delegates, or could care less about them. When you do a Yahoo or a Google search of news articles about Miss
Universe 2007 in English, you will see an average of two articles a day; compare this with news articles in Spanish where
the daily average is ten.
• GOWN UNFIT FOR A QUEEN : Last week, the girls attended a red carpet event where they showed off their best in evening
gowns. Many of them will probably keep the same gown for the prelims and the finals, and some will wear different gowns
for each segment. When Miss Philippines Anna Teresa Licaros's photo of her wearing her golden gown was published,
Filipino fans were not happy because the upper cut of the gown (by Colombian designer Alfredo Barraza) gives her a flat bosom and the design is reminiscent of
the gown that Maricar Balagtas had worn in 2002 (and worn again by Precious Lara Quigaman when she won
Miss International 2005). Why couldn't Barraza have thought of the photoshopped version of the gown which is more
sophisticated, sexier and elegant? All the gowns that he had designed for the Filipina delegates (from 2001 to 2006)
seemed to diminish the bustline, which makes one wonder whether he is actually sabotaging the chances of Filipinas in winning
Miss Universe. This year is no exception. Come to think of it, none of the Filipina queens that he has dressed has ever reached
the semifinals; the Filipinos can only wish that Licaros will have a much better gown for the prelims and the finals - hopefully
designed by a Filipino.
• AN ANGRY JOURNALIST : Mexican reporter Pedro Juarez Mauss of Diario de Quintana Roo (5/11/2007) wrote that the excessive
security system during the pageant is causing alienation between the locals and MUO. He writes [my translation]:
"They treated us (the press)like strangers in our own country and worse than terrorists. What's pathetic was the
excuse given by security guards in civilian clothing: "That's what the pageant organizers want."
Mauss's reaction is typical of anyone who thinks that MUO's security staff is
extremely harsh and inflexible. Last year in Los Angeles, it was reported that the MUO security staff did not give
any preferential treatment to anyone, regardless if you were a national director or a former titleholder. Why? Because
anyone is capable of causing trouble and endangering the safety of the delegates.
• TATTOOED QUEENS : Several delegates this year are sporting tattoos like the reps from Switzerland, Norway,
Germany, U.S. Virgin Islands, Cyprus, Canada and New Zealand. According to MUO President Paula Shugart:
"We have decided to respect them, because we cannot control them before the competition; however, should they win,
we ask them not to add any more tattoes." Tattooed queens starting appearing in Miss Universe in 2000.
• SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST : This year's pageant will go down as the longest in the history of Miss Universe - four weeks
long. Despite the numerous amount of activities, some of the girls are either getting bored, homesick, or missing
their loved ones. Some are just having too much fun that they've forgotten about their true purpose - to compete.
And due to a very tight schedule that leaves hardly any room for exercise, some of the girls are eating too much and have gotten heavier, like
Miss France Rachel Legrain-Trapani, Miss Russia Tatiana Kotova, Miss Switzerland Christa Rigozzi and Miss Poland Dorota Gawron.
Some are able to maintain their competitive weight, and some have shed a few pounds. The reps from four pageant powerhouses
(USA, India, Venezuela & Puerto Rico) always seem so put together - and these girls know that they're in Mexico to win.
• INES LIGRON'S DILEMMA : A few days ago (5/11), Miss Universe Japan national director Inés Ligron, left, had posted
in her blog
some comments that Miss Japan Riyo Mori had informed her via e-mail and telephone. The original blog entry has
been removed since then by Ligron, but disgruntled Filipino fans were shrewd enough to save the entry and posted it on
several message boards. The Filipinos were not happy that their delegate Anna Theresa Licaros was erroneously
misquoted by Mori as having said "I am not Asian" when a photographer assembled the Asian delegates for a group pictorial.
It is now established that Licaros (and Miss India Puja Gupta) had been excluded from the pictorial, and that
Licaros, surprised by the exclusion, reacted with a rhetorical question, "I am not Asian?" - which Mori misinterpreted.
So Mori reported back to Ligron with the impression that Licaros did not consider herself Asian - which Ligron then posted
on her blog. Now the die-hard Filipino fans (and fans from other nations) assumed that this was Mori and Ligron's attempt to depreciate Miss Philippines
and other delegates like Miss Russia ("loosing the drive to win"), Miss Korea ("spend too much time on the phone talking to their love ones
instead of focusing"), and that "many girls are really stupid and childish, just there to have a good time but
not even thinking of winning." Also, Mori told Ligron that "Miss Mexico is getting lots of attention and
that the other Hispanic girls are getting really jealous about it."
Despite Ligron's heartfelt apology to the Filipino fans, her blog entry generated lots of hate e-mails towards Mori and Ligron and
consequently made them the most despicable personalities in pageantry. Several fans even took the initiative
of sending the now infamous blog entry to MUO with a demand that Ligron be disciplined or fired as Japan's
national director - which will never happen only because Ligron has special ties with MUO and that MUO would never
stoop to the level of catty, bitchy, superficial, and merciless fans.
In the light of this scandalous incident, it has been suggested that
Critical Beauty take back its Best National Director Award to Ligron. Hmmmm... let me think about that for a moment!
And that's what makes Miss Universe not so special: it can never satisfy
anyone completely. Someone will always find something to make the pageant unpleasant, unsavory and unattractive to
those in and out of the pageant world.
Photo credits: Miss Universe Organization, Inés Ligron
| 05.09.07 | Wednesday
What's so special about Miss Universe?
IT'S THAT TIME of the year when pageant fans all over the world
take some time from their monotonous lives (LOL!) to scrutinize, critique, analyze, and probe
each and every delegate in Miss Universe 2007 pageant. What is it about Miss Universe that makes
the world go round, or square? Why is there so much fanfare and so much noise during Miss Universe season?
Why are there a lot of petulant quarreling and provocative write-ups in all message boards?
What is it about the Miss Universe pageant that makes even the most disenchanted fan turn into the most faithful fan?
In other words, what is so special about Miss Universe?
Well, for starters, Miss Universe is the most exciting pageant
in the world! It's the only pageant in the world where I anticipate seeing the delegates being made up, like
Miss Spain Natalia Zabala Arroyo in the photo. My initial reaction when I saw Zabala's photos when she
was crowned Miss Spain was that of dismay ("Oh, no! She looks like a horse! Not a chance.") She arrives
in Mexico looking tired and weary at the airport, but give her some time to rest - and some help from
MUO's top-notch make-up artists, stylists, and of course, Fadil Berisha - and lo and behold! Zabala is
turned from a so-so señorita to a luscious Lolita. Naturally, there will be a handful of delegates who -
no matter how many makeovers they undergo - will never land on the cover of a beauty magazine - yet they
will always excel in representing their countries and cherishing all the memories from this once-in-a-lifetime
experience.
This is the third year that Critical Beauty is covering Miss Universe.
During the first year (2005), a couple of CB fans from surprising Singapore, Lance & Simon, did an incredible
job covering the pageant in Thailand. Last year, William Prendiz de Jurado, the world's biggest
Miss Universe fan, not only volunteered for the pageant when it was held in Los Angeles but also entertained
us with his comments and stories. This year, William will again do the honor of covering the pageant in Mexico
starting on May 21st. And he will also have the great honor to present CB's Best National Director Award to
Inés Ligron, the woman behind the success of Japanese beauties in the last few years. Also this year, CB
will launch its first Miss Universe coverage in Spanish under the helm of Héctor Joaquín Colón González.
After a long hiatus, Héctor is back on track and will provide his own commentaries on the pageant to our Spanish-speaking
readers. This is really what makes Miss Universe special: it unites pageant fans together even though they have
never met each other in person, yet it seems that they have known each other for a long time. Even though I have
never met William, I have heard so much about him. And thanks to the Internet - William, Inés, Héctor, myself and
hundreds and thousands of beauty aficionados - are able to celebrate the diversity of beauty in spite of the physical
distance that separates us. Now that's really special.
Come back soon for my take on some issues that are heating up
the message boards. Meanwhile, vote for your favorites in the critical polls!
