tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84469631551402899632024-03-16T11:20:19.719-07:00Critical BeautyBeauty With AttitudeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1946125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-34980117499039015122024-03-14T05:51:00.000-07:002024-03-14T05:51:21.110-07:00Miss Universe Costa Rice Bans Transwomen<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOix_6A9JP4qwgbKn1C-qGnFJaznVKV0pr5h8tti4tUtmhzKh2kXyQtkdKOttY7cbOiDZrZb5ds3omDqmhOwYiW3dY-z4K1Od_Suxu95Dn4uBhC7mslqEjEjkKpUItBCpUzDuK0gueLsO8cTwHIhg19czZHz8jY_ZryjmUjmx9RwObyKMKUIFisZYfL3T/s800/NoTrans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOix_6A9JP4qwgbKn1C-qGnFJaznVKV0pr5h8tti4tUtmhzKh2kXyQtkdKOttY7cbOiDZrZb5ds3omDqmhOwYiW3dY-z4K1Od_Suxu95Dn4uBhC7mslqEjEjkKpUItBCpUzDuK0gueLsO8cTwHIhg19czZHz8jY_ZryjmUjmx9RwObyKMKUIFisZYfL3T/w640-h640/NoTrans.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span> </span>The Miss Universe Costa Rica Organization, in charge of choosing the Costa Rican representative for Miss Universe 2024, confirmed that trans women will not be able to participate in this edition of the contest.</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span> </span>This was announced by <span style="color: red;">Yessenia Ramírez</span>, director of the beauty contest, during an interview with La Nación: “In the last beauty contests (in the world) trans women have been participating, who are medically and legally recognized as women. What about that requirement? Are they no longer going to be allowed?”</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span> </span>Ramírez replied: “I want to handle this in a very sensitive way, for the respect that that population deserves. For me we are all the same and we all deserve the same respect, but, in this specific case, this contest is for women and that is something that even the same people demand. It is not our issue, if it is not something that is to do justice to women, so to speak.”</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Source: https://www.nacion.com/viva/farandula/miss-universe-costa-rica-mujeres-trans-no-podran/MRZ3N3JYXBB7ZFAHUM46WP3JWE/story/?outputType=amp-type</span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-45961831916136679682024-03-09T11:33:00.000-08:002024-03-09T11:33:35.304-08:00Czech Republic Is Crowned The 71st Miss World<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvs-HtNK5R9oKAxgEWKAj9CMeqOr5H6qDBgRh5FKwIzU8wCOMS8VNyRxWjwGCIIEaxn63ycJS-DlqBIvdmepEFTOSmNOIMmY9faLfcyzf7nVJUuCl7w9-GjjjdK4K5nwFBZuOxOB5J1zoqV4mgDIXZ_LdSTsZgErq6-laVK56qZaBQyKBCowbjte6kXR3/s1440/MW2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvs-HtNK5R9oKAxgEWKAj9CMeqOr5H6qDBgRh5FKwIzU8wCOMS8VNyRxWjwGCIIEaxn63ycJS-DlqBIvdmepEFTOSmNOIMmY9faLfcyzf7nVJUuCl7w9-GjjjdK4K5nwFBZuOxOB5J1zoqV4mgDIXZ_LdSTsZgErq6-laVK56qZaBQyKBCowbjte6kXR3/w640-h426/MW2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">The new Miss World is <span style="color: red;">Krystyna Pyszkova</span>, 23, of Czech Republic who was crowned in March 9, 2024 at Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India. </span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">The first runner-up is <span style="color: red;">Yasmina Zaytoun</span>, 21, of Lebanon.</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">The other two finalists are Lesego Chombo of Botswana and Aché Abrahams of Trinidad and Tobago. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Completing the top 8 and winning the continental queen titles are: <span style="color: red;">Leticia Frota</span> of Brazil (Miss World Americas & Caribbean), <span style="color: red;">Jessica Gagen</span> of England (Miss World Europe), <span style="color: red;">Sini Shetty</span> of India (Miss World Asia & Oceania) and <span style="color: red;">Hannah Tumukunde </span>of Uganda (Miss World Africa). </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSWeFFLM7C5sGr81oRtJamFKn5POerjKOcSaHO_ZUn7fnDd_PriB-EHJruhhPPsZjI3oNLfJ5noC7rQfJXNBndKRkuiidqdR5zcTz__0BSFsaGcxrGG4ypEZwtqc-J9K2N23AqwBH8NZT_yoNcF-1lILVU6r39aqjY2HA8PSnU-vjtURw9-Dfc0tolqD7/s1800/MW3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSWeFFLM7C5sGr81oRtJamFKn5POerjKOcSaHO_ZUn7fnDd_PriB-EHJruhhPPsZjI3oNLfJ5noC7rQfJXNBndKRkuiidqdR5zcTz__0BSFsaGcxrGG4ypEZwtqc-J9K2N23AqwBH8NZT_yoNcF-1lILVU6r39aqjY2HA8PSnU-vjtURw9-Dfc0tolqD7/w512-h640/MW3.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Krystyna is the second woman from her country to win Miss World, the first being Tatana Kucharova in 2006.</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Congratulations to the winner and finalists!</span></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-70828918856068154362024-03-08T14:08:00.000-08:002024-03-08T14:08:06.609-08:00Who Will Be Crowned The 71st Miss World?<p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Bitter; font-size: medium;">This group chat was conducted via Zoom on Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 10:00 PM EST. My guests include Ed Dominguez, Antonio Rivadeneira, Julio Rodriguez, George of the Pageant Empress and Lenka Vomocil. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Bitter; font-size: medium;">Watch with timestamps.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Bitter; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="368" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-xGx3Cy1uEA" width="484" youtube-src-id="-xGx3Cy1uEA"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-66677675568807200672024-03-01T14:23:00.000-08:002024-03-01T14:23:52.990-08:00Did Paula Shugart & Amy Emmerich Destroy Miss Universe?<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Bitter;"><span class="yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #131313; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In this clip, I share a message that pageant and Critical Beauty follower Sabrina Solomon of Singapore had sent me on Instagram expressing her sentiment on the Miss Universe video scandal.
This is an excerpt from a group chat from February 25, 2024 that you can watch in full here: </span><span class="yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #065fd4; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a class="yt-core-attributed-string__link yt-core-attributed-string__link--display-type yt-core-attributed-string__link--call-to-action-color" force-new-state="true" href="https://www.youtube.com/live/pBvUZWkuMMI?si=7Di8m5kaTA11uH4V" rel="nofollow" style="display: inline; text-decoration-line: none;" tabindex="0" target="">https://www.youtube.com/live/pBvUZWku...</a></span><span class="yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #131313; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;">
</span></span><span class="yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color" style="background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); border: 0px; color: #131313; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;">
</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="355" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dPxv9vhgHJA" width="482" youtube-src-id="dPxv9vhgHJA"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-13219485760754727382024-03-01T14:22:00.000-08:002024-03-01T14:22:01.789-08:00Why Was Paula Shugart Absent At The MUO Executive Meeting In Mexico?<p><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Bitter;"><span class="yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #131313; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Guest Ed Dominguez, who is the franchise owner of Miss World Panama, raised the question as to why Paula Shugart was not present at the Miss Universe Organization executive meeting that took place in Mexico last October 23, 2023. Shugart resigned from MUO a month later.
This is an excerpt from a group chat from February 25, 2024 that you can watch in full here: </span><span class="yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #065fd4; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a class="yt-core-attributed-string__link yt-core-attributed-string__link--display-type yt-core-attributed-string__link--call-to-action-color" force-new-state="true" href="https://www.youtube.com/live/pBvUZWkuMMI?si=7Di8m5kaTA11uH4V" rel="nofollow" style="display: inline; text-decoration-line: none;" tabindex="0" target="">https://www.youtube.com/live/pBvUZWku...</a></span></span><span class="yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color" style="background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); border: 0px; color: #131313; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;">
</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="352" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LsSaBMFWsvc" width="484" youtube-src-id="LsSaBMFWsvc"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-53429492392419046872024-02-26T10:06:00.000-08:002024-02-26T10:06:47.050-08:00First Miss USA Jackie Loughery Passes Away<p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAtbpdtRzIr50o8l369zrSheYzL1N2o0iY1o2uLSqtATUtgbEf4zj04by4ig_zsLTu_bYwjy_fl4spe9C3nzoOIrookJ1A6GXWOPHDY5c9ODTZfUBUudru4BJpfnndnECIuzxjD92doKFbTCCgahrMnfIO5fkum56IremPaUtI2iNgE01EDmNF6CkAxcGZ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="754" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAtbpdtRzIr50o8l369zrSheYzL1N2o0iY1o2uLSqtATUtgbEf4zj04by4ig_zsLTu_bYwjy_fl4spe9C3nzoOIrookJ1A6GXWOPHDY5c9ODTZfUBUudru4BJpfnndnECIuzxjD92doKFbTCCgahrMnfIO5fkum56IremPaUtI2iNgE01EDmNF6CkAxcGZ=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><span style="color: red;"> </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><span style="color: red;">Jackie Loughery</span><span style="color: #232323;">, former Miss USA and Miss Universe contestant, passed away at the age of 93. Loughery was an actress and the first woman to win the Miss USA title in the year 1952.</span></span></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">The news were shared on the Miss Universe social media account. “We are sorry to share that Jackie Loughery, the first ever Miss USA, has passed away. Jackie Loughery will be remembered as a woman who made history being the first Miss USA to compete at the first Miss Universe competition in 1952 and a trailblazer in the pageant community,” reads the post. “May you rest in power and peace.”</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Viewers shared their condolences in the comments section, sharing how much Loughery meant to them. “A truly beautiful soul for anyone who ever got the chance to be in her presence,” wrote business personality Thom Brodeur. “Rest in peace icon,” wrote Athenna Crosby, the first runner up of Miss World America.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Loughery represented the USA in the first Miss Universe pageant, where she placed in ninth place.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Following her success in the beauty industry, Loughery entered the entertainment world, becoming an actress and appearing in various films. Her credits include “Pardners,” “The D.I.,” and various TV show roles like “Perry Mason.” She was also featured in the game show “Earn Your Vacation,” where she served as Johnny Carson’s assistant.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Loughery married various men over the course of her life. In 1952, she married singer Guy Mitchell. The two divorced in 1955. She then married actor Jack Webb, in 1958, with them getting a divorce in 1964. Her last marriage was with Jack W. Schwietzer, in 1969, with the two remaining married until his death, in 2009.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Source: https://www.hola.com/us/celebrities/20240226356480/miss-usa-jackie-loughery-passed-away/</span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEBM1MdZqe1neYeJNaFhJowudwq4km3-GT2tosEFXB1Gnhry6UapxDaw6dMFjCLE8rV8iWZH9qGfiS9bSHSf94VUMKQQcdQKLYq7gggmO7JGXv1_JAB2TBJppkSB_n6Mj9PQiYiVEYGNkn-9pcbfvkhGerKX6w0Oi5JRlqo3mtnSqA3b7VGB1G7y_5CEs2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="716" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEBM1MdZqe1neYeJNaFhJowudwq4km3-GT2tosEFXB1Gnhry6UapxDaw6dMFjCLE8rV8iWZH9qGfiS9bSHSf94VUMKQQcdQKLYq7gggmO7JGXv1_JAB2TBJppkSB_n6Mj9PQiYiVEYGNkn-9pcbfvkhGerKX6w0Oi5JRlqo3mtnSqA3b7VGB1G7y_5CEs2=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #232323; font-family: Libre Baskerville, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"> </span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeB3QlATdAa0UYjXwKZ74zuNpECNhadgu86BTN4TL_6fbgPTTo_-szRxNAh0OH-t2KgF78fFaVHeN493NPvR1O34-8IK5FvlOy55P6bvkBBdG7d7mAX_TIhc7fF6KZxXeqr4LpQJZwKIaD00hWO3MJWasr0xH8yG7Z9FqtDCwjvD3jUCYZjeRtW3KZeV7g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="654" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeB3QlATdAa0UYjXwKZ74zuNpECNhadgu86BTN4TL_6fbgPTTo_-szRxNAh0OH-t2KgF78fFaVHeN493NPvR1O34-8IK5FvlOy55P6bvkBBdG7d7mAX_TIhc7fF6KZxXeqr4LpQJZwKIaD00hWO3MJWasr0xH8yG7Z9FqtDCwjvD3jUCYZjeRtW3KZeV7g=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-67722569766352436672024-02-26T10:00:00.000-08:002024-02-26T10:00:00.280-08:00Group Chat on the Miss Universe Video Scandal, Miss World Updates and More<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">This group chat was conducted via Zoom on Saturday, February 25, 2024 at 9:00 PM EST. Mg guests include Noemi Melendez, Gaspar Cruz, Antonio Rivadeneira and Ed Dominguez.
</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="356" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pBvUZWkuMMI" width="485" youtube-src-id="pBvUZWkuMMI"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-5501804252033391492024-02-24T09:43:00.000-08:002024-02-24T09:43:24.654-08:00Miss Universe Video Scandal<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zoFZJ083fgCy_Tkbec1AaczA7xt8X-qdCL-vKwCLqUVjOop_SgyNlQAls87ebWpkGJYOiJF7W4n64-aM4xFa1Z9S4ZL7mSm99qe-yptNpJHuu7aqVGYDr5u8DXZavhRP8HmOq0ZOHzRwhDheQU_ik3ny2a5-iJAysyXSoS5wkiRJmjGky7ujZ0j2DNyw/s2048/MUSCANDAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zoFZJ083fgCy_Tkbec1AaczA7xt8X-qdCL-vKwCLqUVjOop_SgyNlQAls87ebWpkGJYOiJF7W4n64-aM4xFa1Z9S4ZL7mSm99qe-yptNpJHuu7aqVGYDr5u8DXZavhRP8HmOq0ZOHzRwhDheQU_ik3ny2a5-iJAysyXSoS5wkiRJmjGky7ujZ0j2DNyw/w640-h640/MUSCANDAL.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Bitter; text-align: center;">IMPLODING UNIVERSE: Perhaps the biggest scandal of the Miss Universe organization was unleashed this Thursday, February 23, when the program "De Primera Mano", on Imagen TV , published leaked videos of a meeting headed by JKN Global CEO <span style="color: red;">Anne Jakrajutatip </span>and her team in Mexico that included MUO co-owner <span style="color: red;">Raul Rocha Cantu</span>, <span style="color: red;">Cynthia de la Vega </span>(new national director for Mexico). The meeting revealed the dark intentions of the organization which are only motivated by money. The videos were leaked by <span style="color: red;">Rodrigo Goytortua</span>, one of the terminated MUO workers who had recorded the meeting that took place in Mexico on October 23, 2023.<br /><br />These are the main take-aways from the meeting:<br /><br />- Anne said that the idea of inclusion that was realized during the 72nd edition, held last November 18 in El Salvador and that allowed plus-size, transgender women, mothers and married young people to participate, was only an advertising strategy to strengthen Anne's empire through a whole line of products - such as makeup and swimsuits - that have been part of the brand's innovation. They intend to repeat the same strategy this year - even more aggressively - at the Mexican headquarters, with a reality show and a false message based on "inner beauty" regardless of age. In other words, inclusion is used only to gain viewer ratings and new consumers of MUO products.<br /><br />- Anne said that all the contestants that fall in the "inclusion" category must believe that they can win, but that the organization will choose whoever suits them the best, implying that the judging panel is worthless. Cynthia de la Vega, the new national director of Mexico, tells Anne, "I like the way you think."<br /><br />- The semi-finalists will be chosen based on the number of their social media followers; because it is better for the business. Incidentally, the only countries mentioned at the meeting were the Philippines, Thailand, Dominican Republic, France and India. Anne jokingly said that she wanted Thailand to win.<br /><br />- Cynthia de la Vega said that "we have to make people forget about Mexicana Universal," - a jab against Lupita Jones, the former director who was dismissed without warning. Also, I find it funny that Cynthia literally says "you tell us which ones are the most worthy and we choose starting since that" They don't mention Nicaragua in the meeting though (at least from what was seen). In fact the only delegates mentioned are India, Philippines, Thailand, Dominican Republic and France when highlighting the most power-worthy contestants for that year. The organization decides who should win.<br /><br />- When selected Miss Universe 2023 contestants were flown to Mexico after the pageant, Rodrigo stated that the girls had been misled to believe that they would be attending charity events which never materialized. Instead, they were only tasked to promote the brand and partnership between Anne and Raul. Rodrigo also said that he and his associates were told that they were allowed to do anything they wanted with the girls.<br /><br />- Rodrigo was never paid for his services, and neither were international employees. When he asked Raul why he was never paid, Raul made several threats to him, that he would take him to court and send him to jail, and that he and his friend Salvador threatened to kill Rodrigo during a phone call which he was able to record. Rodrigo also said that if something happened to him or to his family, it would be Raul's doing. He has already filed a lawsuit against Raul who owes him millions.<br /><br />- Raul wants the national directors to buy products from his various businesses, and that they also create a reality show in their respective countries that would follow the format for which they will also have to pay. Their elected queens will have to sell MUO skincare products on the reality show to make more money for the company.<br /><br />- When asked if there are other things in the video that the viewers have not seen and that Rodrigo wanted to add, he said there are many things that are very delicate, but he cannot say them due to a pending lawsuit. He did say that an arrest warrant for Anne has been issued in Thailand and in Mexico and that Anne has scammed investors and filed for bankruptcy.<br /><br /><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="text-align: center;">You can watch the entire show in Spanish here: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DOOyNJiDTIj0&source=gmail&ust=1708881433054000&usg=AOvVaw2h4hQdqUFUQXCJ9iSApaE-" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOyNJiDTIj0" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?<wbr></wbr>v=OOyNJiDTIj0</a></span> </span></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-62400851953535603162024-02-19T13:05:00.000-08:002024-02-19T13:05:54.966-08:00Former MUO President Paula Shugart May Sue MUO Owner Anne Jakrajutatip<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8oM2MJXU0NbYoUqokqDUhYetwZtxpWfBvs3YPJ7N0Vc1X1s1vjv0D9gIRJXM1LuMUNjV793a_fyRqh8Tll3KG1ZA7lv0F66qaedGG4MtxaK442mNJg8P3pIjIFDAJZnNhw9wIQgMTckO-gscTF9MbyYtLjmGoj_GSrblBHR1aZj1OBBujfcJZECXAga2P/s2048/a11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8oM2MJXU0NbYoUqokqDUhYetwZtxpWfBvs3YPJ7N0Vc1X1s1vjv0D9gIRJXM1LuMUNjV793a_fyRqh8Tll3KG1ZA7lv0F66qaedGG4MtxaK442mNJg8P3pIjIFDAJZnNhw9wIQgMTckO-gscTF9MbyYtLjmGoj_GSrblBHR1aZj1OBBujfcJZECXAga2P/w640-h640/a11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="color: #050505;">Former Miss Universe Organization President </span><span style="color: red;">Paula Shugart</span><span style="color: #050505;">, who resigned from her post last November, has released a statement on her Instagram on February 18, 2024 </span><span style="animation-name: none !important; color: #050505; transition-property: none !important;"><a style="animation-name: none !important; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; transition-property: none !important;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="color: #050505;">addressing the allegations against her made by MUO owner </span><span style="color: red;">Anne Jakrajutatip</span><span style="color: #050505;">. Paula is considering taking legal action against Anne. The post has generated strong reactions from fans most of whom support Paula. </span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">Several titleholders expressed their support for Paula like the two former Miss Universe queens from Mexico, Lupita Jones (1991) and Ximena Navarrete (2010); Miss USA 2014 Nia Sanchez; and Miss USA 1998 Shawnae Jebbia. Miss Oregon USA 1994 Denise White, who judged Miss Universe 2023 finals, has some pretty harsh things to say about Anne. S </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">I’m sure more titleholders who have worked with Paula will share their thoughts soon. Meanwhile, I can imagine Anne pacing back and forth in her walk-in closet pulling her hair as she struggles to figure out how she is going to pay for a good lawyer. Here’s an idea, Anne: sell more fish sauce on TikTok! <span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od" style="animation-name: none !important; display: inline-flex; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; transition-property: none !important; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="😂" class="xz74otr" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/td0/1/16/1f602.png" style="animation-name: none !important; border: 0px; object-fit: fill; transition-property: none !important;" width="16" /></span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">Okay, I shouldn’t be making fun of Anne because she’s already made a mockery of herself since she took over MUO and began tarnishing the brand with her eccentricity and carelessness. Now Karma has bit her in the ass and the bite will take a long time to heal. But I doubt anyone of us cares anymore. </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">What are your thoughts of Paula’s post? Comment below.</span></div></div></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJjrQWLQk_VVniRNgKxtjukoY-suqmwHcW9pPeWixi2kkOJ0cWgrsYSZYXI0wj1asQuvU_cF67Lk5QBQ3nPwsl7kw_NztyOTVWs_VUftvkbJm7oaKyyS8QZLEmKhaWZTCloVOLaPLmTWIf3jggDz4RXe2hybQEL2sIqZ_0vJ2heA9hKFPo_4N-HnFH29-/s2048/A22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJjrQWLQk_VVniRNgKxtjukoY-suqmwHcW9pPeWixi2kkOJ0cWgrsYSZYXI0wj1asQuvU_cF67Lk5QBQ3nPwsl7kw_NztyOTVWs_VUftvkbJm7oaKyyS8QZLEmKhaWZTCloVOLaPLmTWIf3jggDz4RXe2hybQEL2sIqZ_0vJ2heA9hKFPo_4N-HnFH29-/w640-h640/A22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-33857044443002844572024-02-15T11:15:00.000-08:002024-02-15T11:15:50.202-08:00Anne JKN “Cleans House”<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #131313; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">In this vlog, I discuss the latest stories revolving around Anne Jakrajutatip, or Khun Anne, the co-owner of Miss Universe. Anne's company, JKN Global, sold half of its shares to Legacy Holdings whose CEO is Mexican businessman Raul Rocha Cantu who is also the franchise owner of Miss Universe Mexico. To restructure and to revamp the Miss Universe Organization, Anne fired all the top American executive officers including Paula Shugart whom she labeled as “corrupted.”</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="374" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wT4qP0hg5pg" width="506" youtube-src-id="wT4qP0hg5pg"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-73988720275101258932024-02-13T10:38:00.000-08:002024-02-13T10:38:55.588-08:00Miss World CEO Julia Morley Stresses Character Over Physical Beauty<p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUsqDRcaUJSJ-vI7wI27cBN_Oq5E3tX0ePMhr99KMKokxmITw7kkvH78Ft0Tur2AhirwDkO1BWrjaHUrOoHxitiJOP_jHmFMQ39tIzwl2QMY1rxUTJC5Qro2mpPXiwL2InlwWsWtCci_YTZxddmIzs1LDyYToNpQhO9k95WcUYxoU2fp6cGPdL90Ra7Qi/s855/Julia.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="855" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUsqDRcaUJSJ-vI7wI27cBN_Oq5E3tX0ePMhr99KMKokxmITw7kkvH78Ft0Tur2AhirwDkO1BWrjaHUrOoHxitiJOP_jHmFMQ39tIzwl2QMY1rxUTJC5Qro2mpPXiwL2InlwWsWtCci_YTZxddmIzs1LDyYToNpQhO9k95WcUYxoU2fp6cGPdL90Ra7Qi/w640-h426/Julia.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; text-align: start;">As beauty standards evolve, we prioritise character, actions, and expressions over traditional norms: Julia Morley, Miss World Organisation. The chairperson and chief executive officer underscores the role of brand partnerships in driving the event's success and their ability to forge meaningful connections with audiences worldwide</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; text-align: start;" /></b></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Lato, "Noto Sans CJK JP", "Noto Sans SC", Helvetica, Arial, "Hiragino Kaku Gothic", Osaka, Meiryo, "MS PGothic", "PingFang SC", "Heiti SC", "Apple LiGothic", "Microsoft YaHei", SimHei, NSimSun, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: start;" /><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Lato, Noto Sans CJK JP, Noto Sans SC, Helvetica, Arial, Hiragino Kaku Gothic, Osaka, Meiryo, MS PGothic, PingFang SC, Heiti SC, Apple LiGothic, Microsoft YaHei, SimHei, NSimSun, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Bitter;">After a hiatus of 28 years, Miss World makes a return to India, heralding the onset of a global appeal that promises to captivate audiences worldwide. The event is scheduled to take place on 9 March 2024 and the theme is 'beauty with a purpose'. The festival embarks on a 21-day journey marked by on-ground events to engage with young women as agents of change and leaders of tomorrow, before D-day. A total of 120 contestants representing nations from around the globe will converge in India, to compete in various competitions, to champion charitable initiatives, embodying the spirit of change and goodwill as ambassadors of their respective countries.</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;" /><span style="color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;">Through dedicated media channels on the MissWorld.com platform, contestants will be able to showcase their talents and vie for a spot among the top 20 finalists for this year's pageant. The live broadcast partnerships are forged with Sony LIV and production offerings will be handled by Endemol Shine India and Banijay Asia. For the events OOH responsibilities Bright Outdoor Media has been appointed. In addition, Adsplash Agency will drive marketing endeavours and introduce valuable supporting partners to the Miss World Organisation's 'beauty with a purpose' program. In an exclusive interview with Campaign India, Julia Morley, chairperson and chief executive officer of the Miss World Organisation, delves into the significance of leveraging India's cultural richness for brand associations and ensuring the event's continued relevance amidst evolving beauty pageant trends. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">Edited excerpts: </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><i>What influenced the decision to bring Miss World back to India after 28 years?</i></span></span></p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">Bringing the Miss World Festival to India holds a special significance for me, as my deep affection for this country is no secret. The long-awaited return of Miss World to India after 28 years is a testament to the collective efforts of everyone involved. A warm welcome is extended to the 120 Miss World Nations, whose 'beauty with a purpose' ambassadors have journeyed from across the globe to partake in the festivities. The local community's enthusiasm in witnessing the endeavours of our young women adds to the joyous atmosphere, making India a cherished destination for families and youth alike, seeking both cultural enlightenment and a warm embrace. </span></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><i>How will the Miss World Organisation leverage India's cultural richness for brand association? </i> </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">Brand partnerships are integral to the success of Miss World, exemplifying the importance of collaboration in driving meaningful initiatives forward. </span></span><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><i>How will Endemol Shine India and Banijay Asia, as producers, elevate marketing and media coverage for the show and how does the Miss World Organisation ensure the event stays relevant amidst changing beauty pageant trends? </i></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;">In the realm of large-scale events, collaboration is key. Regardless of the industry, effective promotion and communication are essential. Our partnerships with Endemol Shine India and Banijay Asia hold significant importance as they facilitate the expansion of our streaming platform, fostering global connectivity. Through these alliances, we collectively contribute to the promotion and sales efforts, recognising the integral role played by every individual involved, from designers to models. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;">We are fortunate to collaborate with various hotels, television networks, and media outlets in India, amplifying our message to a global audience spanning over 150 countries. Across generations, people are eager to stay informed about our initiatives. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;">As beauty standards evolve within the industry, our focus shifts towards individuals' character, actions, and expressions rather than conventional notions of beauty or body types. Communication remains paramount, embracing diversity in every form without discrimination. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><i>There was a time in the 90s and early 2000s when India dominated Miss World during this period. Which are the biggest markets for you globally?</i></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;">While India certainly excelled in pageant victories, its dominance didn't necessarily translate to market supremacy. Our winners have hailed from a variety of regions, spanning Latin America to Africa, showcasing the global diversity of our pageant. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><i>How does the Miss World Organisation plan to utilise MissWorld.com to engage audiences effectively, and how does it tailor marketing strategies to resonate with diverse global audiences? </i></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;">Websites play a crucial role in communication strategies. This year, we've launched a new website tailored to our needs. We need to assess the impact and effectiveness of this website moving forward. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><i>How will utilise social media to drive engagement and participation, and which media channel will telecast Miss World 2024 in India, and what influenced this decision? What else is in the media mix? </i></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;">Social media will play a vital role in our communication strategy, ensuring widespread engagement with our audience. Additionally, the 71st Miss World Festival will be live-streamed exclusively on our broadcast partner Sony LIV, offering comprehensive coverage of the event to viewers worldwide. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;">Every section that we can dominate to get the word out we are on. We have people all over the place and in different mediums spreading the word. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;" /><span style="color: #1c1c1c;"><span style="background-color: white;">Source: </span>https://www.campaignindia.in/article/as-beauty-standards-evolve-we-prioritise-character-actions-and-expressions-ove/494319</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c;" /> </span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-19530609127954793872024-02-13T07:32:00.000-08:002024-02-13T07:32:48.255-08:00Highlights From World Top Model 2024<p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="368" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N4xDB7_gka8" width="480" youtube-src-id="N4xDB7_gka8"></iframe></div> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #131313; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">The 6th World Top Model competition took place on February 10, 2024 at the New Yorker Hotel in New York City. 38 contestants competed in this year’s contest.
Here are the official results:
WTM Miss - Kaelyn Hollingsworth, Mississippi
WTM Ms. - Breona Calvert, California
WTM Teen - Ava Raiford, Virginia
WTM USA - Isabella Key, Florida
USA Swim Week Model - Cassidy Carpenter, Florida
WTM Junior Ambassador - Olivia Zink, Connecticut
WTM Little Ambassador - Kathleen Mountain, South Carolina
I had the privilege to judge this competition for the third straight year in a row and I must say that it’s getting more and more competitive every year. I had the chance to speak to a few girls who did not win and encouraged them to come back next time and to never give up on their dreams like Breona Calvert who finally won a title on her third try!
Huge shoutout to Rene Bionat of @beautyitseverywhere for producing the event and for providing opportunities for girls and women of all ages to showcase their talents. And a huge thank you for giving me another opportunity to be part of the judging panel.
Congratulations to all the winners!</span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-10650908047783635372024-02-08T11:15:00.000-08:002024-02-08T11:15:38.227-08:00Amy Emmerich Resigns As CEO Of Miss Universe<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAb2xWu0Bw95-PjoSKl10h_tpOQVbEZ3SWGWHoPCsNYYSJANwtyvN7oLer-sX4ypQgdrpPlVkRIWVm15256-5XJ6XAxZUEjtKaa377Ag-eB9q7LLb5Ps1OTxRZCrx5Qs_qNq6bLkP4m13urXxLkljgWVXUqcyX1lsOJYIBKeAkknSlMw-o4wkXHf25nkV0/s2048/AMY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAb2xWu0Bw95-PjoSKl10h_tpOQVbEZ3SWGWHoPCsNYYSJANwtyvN7oLer-sX4ypQgdrpPlVkRIWVm15256-5XJ6XAxZUEjtKaa377Ag-eB9q7LLb5Ps1OTxRZCrx5Qs_qNq6bLkP4m13urXxLkljgWVXUqcyX1lsOJYIBKeAkknSlMw-o4wkXHf25nkV0/w400-h400/AMY.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;"> Amy Emmerich</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the CEO of the Miss Universe Organization, announced on her social media on February 8 that she will be stepping down from her position effective March 1st, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">2024. She also announced that she will continue to be an advisor for the organization in the next few months. However, it is uncertain at this moment who will be the new CEO. Emmerich is the last major executive to leave MUO after Esther Swann, the former talent manager who left in March 2023 followed by Paula Shugart, the former president who resigned in November 2023. </span></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"> As you know, Emmerich started her job with MUO in January 2022, which led to IMG selling MUO to JKN Global in October 2022. Under Emmerich’s leadership, the traditional entry requirements to compete in Miss Universe/Miss USA have been replaced by “progressive” ones that now allow women from all walks of life (beyond age limit of 28, married, mothers, grandmothers, divorced, pregnant, transwomen). Traditionalists do not like these updated requirements because they have “tarnished” the Miss Universe brand and have taken away the space usually reserved for single and childless young women between 18-28. Progressives counter-argue that the updated changes open doors for women whose dream of being a beauty queen may have been crushed by too many restrictions.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"> With Emmerich’s departure, this raises the question whether the new co-owner, Raul Rocha Cantú, who owns 50% of the company, will buy out the other co-owner, Anne Jakrajutatip, and fully own the company and maybe - and this is a big maybe - repeal Emmerich’s progressive policies and return to the traditional requirements. </span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGvN1JhmZAXYFXPiMD6BC5f3mhyphenhyphenqY_2vtx07yxaC10C1ZWp4sLTncu9aG-bnJmmsf4vPUHCTOTxhYWTNkSUv-B-Jhh5Smxt1eLNeItwdPgvV50MrFiBXQUsjbZWtpsMdXXpo6LqtwWN7P4GTVb7NkPslDThdDn4l4_O_GyP9smlW6DlucVPtqUbSSegq3/s640/AMY2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGvN1JhmZAXYFXPiMD6BC5f3mhyphenhyphenqY_2vtx07yxaC10C1ZWp4sLTncu9aG-bnJmmsf4vPUHCTOTxhYWTNkSUv-B-Jhh5Smxt1eLNeItwdPgvV50MrFiBXQUsjbZWtpsMdXXpo6LqtwWN7P4GTVb7NkPslDThdDn4l4_O_GyP9smlW6DlucVPtqUbSSegq3/w400-h400/AMY2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"> </div></div><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-84902035556240167672024-02-01T10:05:00.000-08:002024-02-01T10:05:09.995-08:00Miss USA 2022 Morgan Romano Spills The Tea About Her Reign<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="357" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N2z4umFYSE0" width="483" youtube-src-id="N2z4umFYSE0"></iframe></div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br /></span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Miss USA 2022 <span style="color: red;">Morgan Romano </span>guested on Miss USA 2014 <span style="color: red;">Nia Sanchez’s</span> podcast where she reveals the struggles she experienced during her reign. Morgan was promoted to Miss USA after the original winner <span style="color: red;">R’Bonney Gabriel </span>won Miss Universe 2022.</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Morgan told Nia that she paid all the expenses she had incurred during her reign with her own money. She also stated that she might probably have been the first Miss USA without a manager and she traveled alone to booked events. There was “no system” or point of contact because no one was running the Miss USA organization after its president <span style="color: red;">Crystle Stewart</span> was dismissed by the Miss Universe Organization.</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">“Behind the scenes, nothing was normal,” says Morgan.</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Watch the entire interview on Nia’s YouTube channel, Nia Sanchez.</span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-23021531430898794272024-01-18T16:48:00.000-08:002024-01-18T16:48:47.962-08:00Puerto Rico Wins Miss Global 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUtjVpvvsNheOj4G9kNSATHYF7yAfR4B9K1x3eHNOVH6md9EOIX3gvou-iWwdDU2c6EGhGmYpATk20RV6NA2mhYPX5EOKGX72tTQt5RBs8uaYPrnCV7t7CM1GmzYJyaELHmenNrPAi3iD2wRgqJ4h6wiRBkzATLM5tq38PIOyEyobnnl1wX8CWd_BaroZ/s1440/Tio1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUtjVpvvsNheOj4G9kNSATHYF7yAfR4B9K1x3eHNOVH6md9EOIX3gvou-iWwdDU2c6EGhGmYpATk20RV6NA2mhYPX5EOKGX72tTQt5RBs8uaYPrnCV7t7CM1GmzYJyaELHmenNrPAi3iD2wRgqJ4h6wiRBkzATLM5tq38PIOyEyobnnl1wX8CWd_BaroZ/w640-h640/Tio1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: red;">Ashley Melendez</span> of Puerto Rico has been crowned Miss Global 2023 in Cambodia during the pageant’s tenth edition on January 18. She is the first woman from the island country to win the crown.</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Melendez had competed in Miss Earth Puerto Rico 2023 where she placed second and won the title of Miss Global Puerto Rico 2023.</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">1st Runner-Up - Haylani Kuruppu, Samoa</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">2nd Runner-Up - Chonnikarn Supittayaporn</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">3rd Runner-Up - Pearl Hung, Philippines</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">4th Runner-Up - Doan Thu Thuy, Vietnam</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Congratulations to the top 5!</span></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinT1_zxdDoIL3g5W5gzV2L3XHZ_CRWaBzHgTITZRkSoBj2FpPQWTzzhXE_2sgECz-OK_HoFcimh3mQ8kR24MbC5q9PI-Wfq_E6_STDYCFsr3K6MSHR_v3a4ayO-Cx4xVTshEwYeYHwXiuUFxqBEHZgiuPsdnYkrj18Mz0IL_13qmQ3YIRNsfNn1FGfe0oJ/s1440/Tio2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinT1_zxdDoIL3g5W5gzV2L3XHZ_CRWaBzHgTITZRkSoBj2FpPQWTzzhXE_2sgECz-OK_HoFcimh3mQ8kR24MbC5q9PI-Wfq_E6_STDYCFsr3K6MSHR_v3a4ayO-Cx4xVTshEwYeYHwXiuUFxqBEHZgiuPsdnYkrj18Mz0IL_13qmQ3YIRNsfNn1FGfe0oJ/w640-h640/Tio2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-23149027685147263162024-01-15T08:26:00.000-08:002024-01-15T08:26:35.847-08:00Madison Marsh Crowned Miss America 2024<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXkRt5NnCVKLsW5lFSzXh9064xUNnoLPaBdzyU-uZvG-po_xrY_bpG_VqN6Q_pbqat60fTzmNpQ6ugitrJTLnCCMY41tbHqAkFnccP_zGZR5w7F8xQX5BYaYo1c4vv_N_dxBzQerpClldDtGaOMfUZLj-4CQ7nPBMehQU6JiEasTod0VcGf9OBv7EZLRVg/s960/MA1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXkRt5NnCVKLsW5lFSzXh9064xUNnoLPaBdzyU-uZvG-po_xrY_bpG_VqN6Q_pbqat60fTzmNpQ6ugitrJTLnCCMY41tbHqAkFnccP_zGZR5w7F8xQX5BYaYo1c4vv_N_dxBzQerpClldDtGaOMfUZLj-4CQ7nPBMehQU6JiEasTod0VcGf9OBv7EZLRVg/w640-h426/MA1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: red;">Madison Marsh</span>, Miss Colorado, has been crowned Miss America 2024 in Orlando, Florida on January 14.</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">The 22-year-old beauty makes history by being the first active duty Air Force pilot to compete in the pageant and now the first of her kind to win the title. Her platform is pancreatic cancer awareness.</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">I featured her three days ago. 🤗</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Her court includes:</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">1st runner-up - Texas - Ellie Breaux</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">2nd runner-up - Indiana - Cydney Bridges</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">3rd runner-up - Kentucky - Mallory Hudson</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">4th runner-up - Rhode Island - Caroline Parente</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Completing the top 11 are the contestants from North Carolina, Kansas, Maryland, Florida, New York and Arkansas.</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">This is the first edition of Miss America under the new directorship of Robin Fleming. The show was streamed live for free for the global audience. I thought the production was fast-paced, the opening number was entertaining, and the overall stage presentation was well executed. It is always heart-warming to see past titleholders gracing the stage (from 1964 to 2018). My only major critique is that the two co-hosts were too chatty and that the musical performance was scarce.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7F2_VvEl9eaW0T-IlWzcepOIIMCcwnklqslQSM_cYa_GD6HhqgWYTum882KGVgS9UufpM8pPAH-c9kOrfP884dKESHKUUPhIfvjNntN-uetdqSrJJQxuSU_q13pnxc47hshqrxpSsP_X5vXG3Cipn82fhesgvTAJMY128gLUMN63_HqdwK1F4F6onBZW/s853/MA2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="853" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7F2_VvEl9eaW0T-IlWzcepOIIMCcwnklqslQSM_cYa_GD6HhqgWYTum882KGVgS9UufpM8pPAH-c9kOrfP884dKESHKUUPhIfvjNntN-uetdqSrJJQxuSU_q13pnxc47hshqrxpSsP_X5vXG3Cipn82fhesgvTAJMY128gLUMN63_HqdwK1F4F6onBZW/w640-h640/MA2.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></p>PHOTOS COURTESY OF MISS AMERICA ORGANIZATION</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><br /></span></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-81624542641234536882024-01-14T16:59:00.000-08:002024-01-14T16:59:25.250-08:00The Best & Worst of Pageantry In 2023<p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">This group chat was conducted via Zoom on Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 9:30 PM EST. My guests include Ed Dominguez (formerly of Global Beauties and license holder of Miss World Panama), Wilfredo Lopez (runway coach and mentor), Brian Javier (pageant blogger and national director of Miss Grand US Virgin Islands) and Lenka Vomocil (Mrs. National Universe 2022 and social media manager).</span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="358" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SN4XOzLXDa0" width="482" youtube-src-id="SN4XOzLXDa0"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-70595507474368074512024-01-12T11:37:00.000-08:002024-01-12T11:37:58.831-08:00Critical Beauty Group Chats - Some Highlights From 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">Looking back at the group chats that I hosted in 2023, I didn’t realize that I had conducted ten of them! There were so many interesting topics covered, and so many amazing conversation among my guests and me. I created a short compilation of some of the highlights from 2023 to give new and future subscribers and viewers a taste of what to expect from this channel, besides a critical analysis of pageants.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ak-nn9BOqSw" width="465" youtube-src-id="Ak-nn9BOqSw"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-41173038909150375032024-01-01T13:52:00.000-08:002024-01-01T13:52:10.390-08:00End Of The Year Review 2023<p style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;">And the winner is... Miss Drama. Runners-up are Miss Money and Miss Narcissist.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfasDWsnYN31ElVvIQsW4NIWVV1YFKLFA3hNvubhBnxWccisbyiYmebDsLc3kM-fT3wYjwVeOXy5JZaG7gowm41368dHQvXttJX-O2qxNVr9RpD_m2G-_SuMM_Fjqqv3yq-j7tq61lEHx62wTd6bKOebjoXMtTpLP0AL2PQghyphenhyphenpGtHanlp3p13XohCoCC1/s2044/photo_19.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="2044" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfasDWsnYN31ElVvIQsW4NIWVV1YFKLFA3hNvubhBnxWccisbyiYmebDsLc3kM-fT3wYjwVeOXy5JZaG7gowm41368dHQvXttJX-O2qxNVr9RpD_m2G-_SuMM_Fjqqv3yq-j7tq61lEHx62wTd6bKOebjoXMtTpLP0AL2PQghyphenhyphenpGtHanlp3p13XohCoCC1/w640-h316/photo_19.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #292929; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">2023 </span>pageantry can be described easily in one word: <i>self-conscious</i>. Virtually anyone involved in pageantry has experienced some level of uneasiness caused by uncertainty or skepticism. All of a sudden, being conscious of one's appearance and behavior has been replaced by being conscious of what others may think of you. This phenomenon best describes the two most powerful and influential pageant bosses - </span><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Nawat Itsaragrisil</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">, the president of Miss Grand International, and </span><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Anne Jakrajutatip</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">, the owner of Miss Universe. Once very good friends, the couple has been competing with each other for grand and universal attention ever since the two split. They would do anything to extend their sphere of influence and pump up their power either by selling merchandise, exploiting the Israel-Palestine conflict or delaying debt payment. Both have strong personalities, both think outside the box, but also both possess fragile Thai egos. Other than that, some individuals rose to the occasion, beating the odds and manifesting their gospel truth - which was the only way to shatter the adverse perception of themselves by the critical public.</span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e0aa6596-7fff-9d1e-66c5-f348f55b4d7c"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iB34asWMT7mq5aipQotDfwgRw7bkjVF2TuF9_PjRPZp7MKnxVRvTToTP-xlqFw4WDvE3VCQMiNeCJZgsezmZodtCxSd7H0xWrdpYdaz0edToqjUnwQXW4RNeFIgDRLvwC-YVl3lV-goRE8WGaGf2c54TgLRy24VUnjTPN1tjFDwsCWInvdSw4uYKY9KF/s640/phonto_12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iB34asWMT7mq5aipQotDfwgRw7bkjVF2TuF9_PjRPZp7MKnxVRvTToTP-xlqFw4WDvE3VCQMiNeCJZgsezmZodtCxSd7H0xWrdpYdaz0edToqjUnwQXW4RNeFIgDRLvwC-YVl3lV-goRE8WGaGf2c54TgLRy24VUnjTPN1tjFDwsCWInvdSw4uYKY9KF/w640-h429/phonto_12.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">AGE-LESS: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">R’Bonney Gabriel</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, Miss USA, was crowned Miss Universe 2022 on January 14 in New </span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Orleans. Her victory marks USA’s 9th Miss Universe crown and makes her the oldest winner at 28 years of age. During the finals, Gabriel was asked: "Miss Universe made an inclusive change allowing mothers and married women to compete this year. What's another change you would like to see and why?" "For me I would like to see an age increase because I am 28 years old and that is the oldest age you compete. And I think it's a beautiful thing. My favorite quote is 'if not now then when?' Because as a woman, I believe age doesn't define us. It's not tomorrow, it's not yesterday, but it's now. The time is now that you can go after what you want." Eight months later, the Miss Universe Organization, inspired by Gabriel’s response, decided to remove the age restrictions. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e0aa6596-7fff-9d1e-66c5-f348f55b4d7c"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">VICTORY FOR MISS FRANCE: On January 8, Paris court said that the Miss France contest was not discriminatory in the way it selected candidates. The judgment came in response to a case filed by a feminist group "Osez le féminisme" (Dare to be a Feminist), along with three failed contestants. The case was filed in October 2021 alleging that the contest was breaking French labor laws as the companies were discriminatory by asking contestants aspiring to be beauty queens to be more than 1.70 meters tall, single, and "representative of beauty". This is a big sigh of relief for private groups and companies who want to establish their own rules and regulations that would fit their brand and vision. </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: collapse;">____________________</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HERE SHE IS, MISS AMERICA CEO: On January 26, it was announced that </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Robin Ross Fleming</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> became the new CEO (Chief Empowerment Officer) of the Miss America Organization. Fleming used to direct the Miss Florida USA system for several years. Fleming made some changes within the system, such as replacing the word “candidate” with “delegate” or “contestant”. She also raised the Miss age limit from 25 to 28. Regarding the teen division, the age requirement will remain 13-18 years of age with the teen pageant now recognized as Miss America’s Teen” after removing the “Outstanding” reference previously branded. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: collapse;">____________________</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #101010; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #292929; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #101010; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6Iqw2ZkyRftpC6mwBdSxOkKoA28ASp1etXtQ2pTmtiBGC76QvLxgmVi2Fls0BI1i6fDbxnOdt7FSmzdhlvciErTWGalZd1CjCIZu3QiECZTWBkiRblu4nhCS0hSgErFcyixUDV1YXckUbH2-Tv41sO_eipb555GjGFqMKQj0RNahaeTNTihnuYbjDW2V/s2040/phonto_11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="2040" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6Iqw2ZkyRftpC6mwBdSxOkKoA28ASp1etXtQ2pTmtiBGC76QvLxgmVi2Fls0BI1i6fDbxnOdt7FSmzdhlvciErTWGalZd1CjCIZu3QiECZTWBkiRblu4nhCS0hSgErFcyixUDV1YXckUbH2-Tv41sO_eipb555GjGFqMKQj0RNahaeTNTihnuYbjDW2V/w640-h426/phonto_11.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #101010; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">WORLDLY EMBARRASSMENT: On February 13, 2023, the Miss World Organization (MWO) whose CEO is </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Julia Morley</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #101010; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, announced that the United Arab Emirates. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Four months later, on 8 June 2023, MWO announced that the competition was moved to India instead of the United Arab Emirates. On September 28, 2023, MWO announced that the pageant will take place on December 16, 2023 in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Delhi, India. However, due to the elections in India, the pageant has been postponed until March 2, 2024. Finally, on December 19, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">MWO changed the date again. Instead of March 2, 2024, the contest has now been delayed for another week, for March 9, 2024. The host city for the final has not been specified yet. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #292929; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;">____________________</span></span></p><div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">BIGGER AND BETTER: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Madison Anderson</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, who represented Puerto Rico in Miss Universe 2019 and placed first runner-up, won the third season of the popular Spanish-language reality show, “La Casa de los Famosos” which was broadcasted by Telemundo on April 24.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #292929; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;">____________________</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">BAD, BAD LADY: On April 28, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Mary Wickersham</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #101010; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, 77, the former executive director of the Miss Florida pageant, has been sentenced to more than a year in federal prison for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the organization. Wickersham began serving as the executive director of the Miss Florida Scholarship Program in 2002.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #292929; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;">____________________</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZcLQSW4Af4yg1ZkjZA58pw_GhmWZ3RR9dPpCfDZS8myLG5nvr8tZV9KtUvB5iD1jgx2MAbb6cyJ0xDnUw_T66brVce9rCO5L3HhxlBOXN4ftnAehjOTZ851Pxuh9j7mLqDxfFXV-bh_u-ax8YN9UzmdDP-uWqG3TogSq-18PNzGXOuWhg6afyrMKtSbp/s640/phonto_10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZcLQSW4Af4yg1ZkjZA58pw_GhmWZ3RR9dPpCfDZS8myLG5nvr8tZV9KtUvB5iD1jgx2MAbb6cyJ0xDnUw_T66brVce9rCO5L3HhxlBOXN4ftnAehjOTZ851Pxuh9j7mLqDxfFXV-bh_u-ax8YN9UzmdDP-uWqG3TogSq-18PNzGXOuWhg6afyrMKtSbp/w640-h429/phonto_10.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TRANS-FORMATIONAL HISTORY: On July 8, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Rikki Kollé </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">became the first transgender woman to be crowned Miss Universe Netherlands. On October 5, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Marina Machete</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> became the first transgender woman to be crowned Miss Universe Portugal. Both women competed in Miss Universe 2023 in El Salvador on November 18 where Machete ended up as a semifinalist. Trans activist </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Federico Barbarossa</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> entered the Miss Italy 2023 pageant after its organizer said trans women were not allowed. His protest went viral and more than 100 trans men signed up.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02MvsKxBDg4ye3sa_WlYm8Qob6i5-VO3QzkwzI455Pdf10ZdbOPN8BWCnT8R3-w6bsW7tcKVGWGzMMAdpk5sR8LHU4VUBno0000H8U9F7-J_x8KJTlulmsq-q7xM6bqux4gOYfVo-1vRy5u9btbYDiRzxJ_KK2qUqnizW-hs2u-WoPTEqrbXtH5wkGHig/s640/phonto_9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02MvsKxBDg4ye3sa_WlYm8Qob6i5-VO3QzkwzI455Pdf10ZdbOPN8BWCnT8R3-w6bsW7tcKVGWGzMMAdpk5sR8LHU4VUBno0000H8U9F7-J_x8KJTlulmsq-q7xM6bqux4gOYfVo-1vRy5u9btbYDiRzxJ_KK2qUqnizW-hs2u-WoPTEqrbXtH5wkGHig/w640-h429/phonto_9.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">MOTHERS RULE: Ever since Miss Universe updated its entry requirements by allowing married/divorced mothers and pregnant women, countries have been aggressively recruiting women who carry any of these traits to enter national pageants. On August 10, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Michele Cohn</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, 28, became the first married mother to win Miss Universe Guatemala. On September 2, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Camila Avella</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, 28, became the first married mother to win Miss Universe Colombia. On July 8, one of the top 7 finalists was </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Renata Guerra</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, a married mother. On December 7, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Ileana Marquez</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, a 28-year-old mother of an 11 year-old girl, was crowned Miss Venezuela 2023. Though not a mother yet, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Juliana Morehouse</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, Miss Maine USA 2023, got married on April 29 which instantly made her the first contestant to be officially recognized as a married woman to compete in Miss USA.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr8cIweU3zg2QHzpcniS8c9_4xhQiJlre_57mBNaZdPxeZRTkp2hd1zYrLaUZy-y3vua9Vpf9IA-x5kUtGtbViQHJ_brWDRbLw6h434m0jJp3naRZ9f3mHVTsvbUsrC-ipmL6g0eaSQ9Rvg50ssjfujXVpwShnuq6PpGmQ03UqsPdV4rLJPuyDtfLZURL/s640/phonto_15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr8cIweU3zg2QHzpcniS8c9_4xhQiJlre_57mBNaZdPxeZRTkp2hd1zYrLaUZy-y3vua9Vpf9IA-x5kUtGtbViQHJ_brWDRbLw6h434m0jJp3naRZ9f3mHVTsvbUsrC-ipmL6g0eaSQ9Rvg50ssjfujXVpwShnuq6PpGmQ03UqsPdV4rLJPuyDtfLZURL/w640-h360/phonto_15.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">SIGNIFICANT VICTORIES: On February 2 in Dubai, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Valentina Sanchez</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> of Venezuela was crowned as the first Universal Woman winner; she was Miss Supranational Venezuela 2021 and Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2014 . On February 16, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Luma Russo</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> of Brazil became the first woman and the first Brazilian woman to be crowned Miss Charm. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Athenea Perez</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> became the first black woman to win Miss Universe Spain held on July 1. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Natasha Joubert</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, who had competed in Miss South Africa 2020 placing second, returned to compete again in 2023 and won the coveted crown on August 13. The 25-year-old model and entrepreneur was trying her luck for the second time as new rules to enter the pageant were introduced earlier this year. On September 14, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Erica Robin </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">became the first Miss Universe Pakistan; due to Pakistan’s anti-pageant politics, Robin was crowned in the Maldives. She then competed in Miss Universe 2023, wore a kaftan during the swimsuit segment and managed to place in the top 20, giving Pakistan its first ever placement. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIOrqRw5V30CirVClB0NDvl2kasBHACdy0agbegWBudLCNfn67LnUe2aUZPbW_I-uVAQhTjRvFv-7lyzOJ0PsQCwDhxLcCiyDHdDNSDrxYzbIIilryoKugkg6d8mKiuKy9_h1K7ZhrtMqq-_41pfDkTKNdXG-rd3lRRkez15oPJ73gAqAEIMvIep-bbc8/s640/phonto_14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIOrqRw5V30CirVClB0NDvl2kasBHACdy0agbegWBudLCNfn67LnUe2aUZPbW_I-uVAQhTjRvFv-7lyzOJ0PsQCwDhxLcCiyDHdDNSDrxYzbIIilryoKugkg6d8mKiuKy9_h1K7ZhrtMqq-_41pfDkTKNdXG-rd3lRRkez15oPJ73gAqAEIMvIep-bbc8/w640-h360/phonto_14.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">On September 29, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Noelia Voigt </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">of Utah became the first woman of Venezuelan descent to be crowned Miss USA. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Luciana Fuster</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, an artist and brand ambassador with 5 million followers, was crowned Miss Grand International 2023 on October 25 in Vietnam, making Peru the first country to get its second crown in the pageant’s 11-year history. On November 18 in El Salvador, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sheynnis Palacios </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">became the first Nicaraguan woman to be crowned Miss Universe and the only second Central American winner after </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Justine Pasek</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> in 2002. On December 22 in Vietnam, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Drita Ziri </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">made history by becoming the first Albanian to win Miss Earth and the first Albanian to win a major international pageant. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQgrqx6l3JtJMBZaeEwsw1JJrbQpOiveu_Sp6fCXjVR1Zce6hwl5_40pjtzSyXO2tS5xGqerP5FP1Z6dV8wwewY-F44DIwM0GVPicr02nQD3k22gHotzRWMO2BAVv2l74cJJKJo_NBTKr46HQE5oOcj3sMYspNuRnrXodWh9_VI1SP4u06CKCNiJ_-ojg/s640/phonto_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQgrqx6l3JtJMBZaeEwsw1JJrbQpOiveu_Sp6fCXjVR1Zce6hwl5_40pjtzSyXO2tS5xGqerP5FP1Z6dV8wwewY-F44DIwM0GVPicr02nQD3k22gHotzRWMO2BAVv2l74cJJKJo_NBTKr46HQE5oOcj3sMYspNuRnrXodWh9_VI1SP4u06CKCNiJ_-ojg/w640-h429/phonto_3.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">CONTROVERSIAL QUEENS: Following her appointment as Miss Grand U.S. Virgin Islands 2023, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Heather Marie Thompson</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> was heavily bullied online by the islanders who claimed that she is not a true representative of the islands because she was not born and raised or even lives there. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Mileidy Materano</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> was also viciously attacked on social media by the citizens of Trinidad & Tobago when she was crowned as the country’s representative to Miss Grand International 2023. Materano was born and raised in Venezuela and has only lived in the islands for six years. She agreed to resign from her post, but her lawyer claims that her decision to resign was not a result of public pressure but due to financial constraints. Miss Universe Nepal </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Jane Dipika Garrett</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> made history by becoming the first plus-size contestant to place in Miss Universe. However, her critics argue that forced inclusion was the only reason she earned a spot. Also, videoclips of Garrett behaving badly during the competition surfaced on social media, which prompted fans and some contestants to question if bad behavior is rewarded in the pageant. On December 16, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Eve Gilles </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">was crowned Miss France 2024; critics slammed the 20-year-old because of her short hair and androgynous look, stating that she does not represent the classic French beauty with long hair and curvy figure. Gilles clapped back at her haters by saying that “No one should dictate who you are” and that every woman is unique.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #292929; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;">____________________</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #292929; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_Wz4x6lI6STTusiWM4yPn3mCGUUOMID8mkBWAavMj97p7j3A3cnQFsLF3Vy7GXHphA3UOn5wANTz755TSZrGHQcl20G1qj9OPTGAKaixXhCEWAsUmpcwvBP6MOpxOCqhMV65K5f1agD8mP6LYd8HwH4RR_As06PfXA_osZvzTv8TqRkWPVhiPRW0Rjen/s640/phonto_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_Wz4x6lI6STTusiWM4yPn3mCGUUOMID8mkBWAavMj97p7j3A3cnQFsLF3Vy7GXHphA3UOn5wANTz755TSZrGHQcl20G1qj9OPTGAKaixXhCEWAsUmpcwvBP6MOpxOCqhMV65K5f1agD8mP6LYd8HwH4RR_As06PfXA_osZvzTv8TqRkWPVhiPRW0Rjen/w640-h360/phonto_2.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">WILL THE REAL OWNER PLEASE STAND UP: On August 22, three influential pageant portals (Critical Beauty, Global Beauties, Missosology) released a joint statement recognizing Thailand’s </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pradit Pradinunt</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, the CEO of Mister Global, as the sole and legal proprietor of Mister International, and not </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Manuel Deldio</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, the self-proclaimed lawyer who claims that </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Alan Sim</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, the founder of Mister International, had assigned him to be Sim’s successor even though Deldio could not provide legitimate evidence for his claim. On September 25, the Thai court ruled in favor of Pradinunt. Deldio organized an illegitimate version of Mister International in October; not only did he fail to produce a top-notch show (with less than 30 contestants many of whom were male models already living and working in the Philippines), he also managed to scam the Argentine delegate, Angel Olaya, by not reimbursing the money that Olaya had spent to travel to the Philippines (the note posted above by Olaya shows that Deldio had promised to pay him back.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASZUGxRMZ_pmkigmnUEIUmNAS2oybo6s8anfVfbSTmjfKADAcUqX8W4P_mg6ttPhN1FkZol8LIk_DW_LQI00sbgXP1RuSSzKieyxoG_Ls3SElBqGxRNe6ppzoKLPz_0ug5q0gN_Z9CIJuyyLGimUkolkjbZMKsSyTyA5wa5yHWpo56idTdqooVES7V2bz/s1920/phonto_18.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASZUGxRMZ_pmkigmnUEIUmNAS2oybo6s8anfVfbSTmjfKADAcUqX8W4P_mg6ttPhN1FkZol8LIk_DW_LQI00sbgXP1RuSSzKieyxoG_Ls3SElBqGxRNe6ppzoKLPz_0ug5q0gN_Z9CIJuyyLGimUkolkjbZMKsSyTyA5wa5yHWpo56idTdqooVES7V2bz/w640-h360/phonto_18.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #292929; font-family: georgia;">JUSTIFIED CONDEMNATION: On her Instagram post published in October 16, Miss Israel 2013 </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;">Yityish “Titi” Aynaw</span><span style="color: #292929; font-family: georgia;">, who is of Ethiopian descent, </span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #292929; font-family: georgia;">slammed activist groups such as Black Lives Matter for not supporting the Jewish people terrorized by Hamas during its surprise attacks on innocent Israeli civilians on October 7. “I am so shocked by the response of Black Lives Matter regarding the terror attacks here in Israel. I remember you screaming in the streets, ‘I can’t breathe.’ I want to inform you right now … [it’s Israelis] who cannot breathe.” She invoked some 200 Israeli hostages held in Gaza — including babies, children, women, entire families and the elderly.</span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #292929; font-family: georgia;"> Two months later, Another </span></span><span style="color: #292929; font-family: georgia;">Israeli ex-beauty queen </span><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;">Linor Abargil</span><span style="color: #292929; font-family: georgia;">, who was crowned Miss World 1998, slammed the United Nations Organization and women’s groups for not condemning Hamas violence against Israeli women during an appearance on Fox News on December 7. </span><span style="color: #292929; font-family: georgia;">‘It’s not about which side you are on the map,’ said Linor Abargil, herself a rape survivor. ‘To use rape as an act of war is unbearable’. Abargil was raped and stabbed in Italy just weeks before she was crowned Miss World. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrD8G77lHoD5jjobaaln-9Uo-t3N_89ZwSh5JsxAEt8r-5x0KRPhke2DP4mkn7Rsy_Uq6HoVueTyc-3Q0mYAAOpMBG5dRqTzB9901PHRcdIH4UtzX3JejFzZKrNAaA4cw-n3_B-vPxTOw0SJW3dMi0lbaA7RZ48U_9l0zvkkCXado7yEV2MNjgn3PS4j5E/s526/Arline-Carino.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrD8G77lHoD5jjobaaln-9Uo-t3N_89ZwSh5JsxAEt8r-5x0KRPhke2DP4mkn7Rsy_Uq6HoVueTyc-3Q0mYAAOpMBG5dRqTzB9901PHRcdIH4UtzX3JejFzZKrNAaA4cw-n3_B-vPxTOw0SJW3dMi0lbaA7RZ48U_9l0zvkkCXado7yEV2MNjgn3PS4j5E/s320/Arline-Carino.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">MOST BITTER PERSON OF THE YEAR: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">On her Facebook post dated January 16, 2023 which had already been deleted, Miss Universe Puerto Rico Ashley Cariño’s mother, </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Arline </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Cariño</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">blames her daughter’s loss to MUO’s </span><span style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a style="animation-name: none !important; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; transition-property: none !important;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">favoritism towards Miss USA </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">R’Bonney Gabriel</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, saying that Gabriel’s victory was part of the deal under the new ownership. Arline also said that neither the Dominican Republic nor Venezuela deserved to be in the top 3 and that Puerto Rico was excluded because she was the biggest threat. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Arline also stated, among several things, that </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">the pageant should not be the platform to seek equality for different genders, which was the first message that “Aunt Anne” (referring to the new owner who is a transgender woman) sent and that she has nothing against other communities who already have their own contests. She ended her lengthy post by spewing the F-word </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">and insulting missosologists (pageant experts): “I don’t know where the hell they got that ill-founded title that doesn’t exist since to obtain a title you have to study and become a professional and nothing to do with all these hypocrites and more, ours only want guidelines and benefits and if I continue, I will not stop.”</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">NOT CRYSTLE CLEAR: On September 29, a documentary entitled “How To Fix A Pageant,” was shown on FX channel. The documentary features several Miss USA 2022 contestants who alleged that the Miss USA organization was guilty of everything from sexual harassment by its Vice President </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Max Sebrechts</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, the husband of Miss USA President </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Crystle Stewart</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, to rigging - claiming that there was big favoritism towards eventual winner, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">R’Bonney Gabriel</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> from Texas. The complainants, headed by Miss Montana USA 2022 </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Heather Lee O’Keefe</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, said that Stewart </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">had “something to hide” after the 2022 rigging scandal erupted. Stewart appeared stiff throughout her interview and often glanced toward her lawyer, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Nathan Sheffield</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, who once had to step in to coach her on how to respond. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The broadcast of the documentary took place on the same day that Miss USA 2023 coronation night was being held in Reno, Nevada. Stewart denied that the pageant had been rigged and claimed that the results had been verified by an accountant other than Ernst & Young, the accountants that Miss USA had been using before Stewart took over the organization. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9XQB2XPnoz_uxPVzVFYRWSZIlWUQADDO2bpjR11U-1WIJWae41z4tpKI8yISrvqSHRzUuJl_gcqG7SI6hIK_Yx-6RPVutmPr5Ma09lUSNHVBUgccAV-YHGODTCLiCtdIJjNISDN3YXzNGAMNyYzZVhHxqfBby3upx63iysQ_Bt2iVLtOLSfBRIzIZyTc/s640/phonto.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9XQB2XPnoz_uxPVzVFYRWSZIlWUQADDO2bpjR11U-1WIJWae41z4tpKI8yISrvqSHRzUuJl_gcqG7SI6hIK_Yx-6RPVutmPr5Ma09lUSNHVBUgccAV-YHGODTCLiCtdIJjNISDN3YXzNGAMNyYzZVhHxqfBby3upx63iysQ_Bt2iVLtOLSfBRIzIZyTc/w640-h429/phonto.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">UNIVERSAL WOES: </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Last March, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: red;">Pranome Thavaravej,</span> who was hired by the Miss Universe Organization to be the official chauffeur to Miss Universe <span style="color: red;">R’Bonney Gabriel </span>and finalists <span style="color: red;">Andreina Martinez</span>, and <span style="color: red;">Gabriëla Dos Santos</span> during their trip to Thailand in February, said that she has not been paid for her work. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Miss Universe doesn't pay their employees. I have been waiting for 3 months for my payment.”</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">On November 9, JKN Global, whose CEO is <span style="color: red;">Anne Jakrajutatip</span>, the owner of Miss Universe, filed for “debt rehabilitation” to seek to adjust interest rates and to extend its debt </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">repayment period. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“JKN will receive financial support from new investors or financial institutions to provide working capital. Non-productive assets would be sold to generate income to repay debts,” according to Jakrajutatip. JKN, which bought the Miss Universe Organization for $20 million in October last year, has delayed some payments for its bonds, citing global and domestic economic challenges. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #292929; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;">____________________</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZeZWv4iTxkxIcVAbtnB7_ieVcGMNMpkhtWZvbg4QOMXMHFlbYZ_CGijIEtdWvG_3oezf31OuJYuzVRS1sPYyCw6CgGQsVu5GzuU0PPbB0HGt009PYV78Gg-fz6Gil29jDTEiiRzDeMMk49N9ovWhNBUL9YcqHhb1-w4mvnHXoMDILwhGioM19hFW_lXg/s640/phonto_8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZeZWv4iTxkxIcVAbtnB7_ieVcGMNMpkhtWZvbg4QOMXMHFlbYZ_CGijIEtdWvG_3oezf31OuJYuzVRS1sPYyCw6CgGQsVu5GzuU0PPbB0HGt009PYV78Gg-fz6Gil29jDTEiiRzDeMMk49N9ovWhNBUL9YcqHhb1-w4mvnHXoMDILwhGioM19hFW_lXg/w640-h429/phonto_8.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">GRAND GLORIES: In late January, Miss Grand International filed an IPO (Initial Public Offering) which allows MGI to list its shares on a stock exchange, making them available for purchase by the general public. On December 13, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">MGI officially became a public company and celebrated the opening of its stock trading for the first time on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. The entire MGI 2023 team was present with Miss Grand Thailand 2022 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Engfa Waraha</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> ringing the bell. The first trading day immediately proved to be a big success. MGI closed the market with 8.5 bahts to 4.9 bahts (71.72%).</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #292929; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;">____________________</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1a0g2Q4jAdUGmyJO9IgrhliZ7R4W1P3-bn5PhyphenhyphenymMVTXlk_kBJYFGWo6AcpMmOxEhpwFvG1OiJx_IuppBuRx_bzkEkfJwWFdFE-Vv4pONzILSGbyrkDeD4REOPPcahs9cLcBmqe-vljyyJGmuj18TqNhyc_4NFUVXOZJ0zjQfeb5L_JNtnWyPzpQgtN0/s640/phonto_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="640" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1a0g2Q4jAdUGmyJO9IgrhliZ7R4W1P3-bn5PhyphenhyphenymMVTXlk_kBJYFGWo6AcpMmOxEhpwFvG1OiJx_IuppBuRx_bzkEkfJwWFdFE-Vv4pONzILSGbyrkDeD4REOPPcahs9cLcBmqe-vljyyJGmuj18TqNhyc_4NFUVXOZJ0zjQfeb5L_JNtnWyPzpQgtN0/w640-h338/phonto_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">FRANCHISES LOST: On February 8, Miss Universe Organization took away the Indonesian franchise from <span style="color: red;">Yayasan Puteri Indonesia</span> (YPI) and gave it to <span style="color: red;">Poppy Capella</span>, allegedly a good friend of MUO owner <span style="color: red;">Anne Jakrajutatip</span>. According to YPI spokesperson <span style="color: red;">Mega Angkasa</span>, YPI offered more money to MUO to keep the franchise, but it was rejected and MUO gave the franchise to Capella instead. Angkasa also said, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"We felt there was an injustice because YPI was only given 3 working days while national directors from other countries got a grace period of 5-10 days. We were not given a proper bidding format, while other countries get detailed bidding formats." </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Capella was also awarded the Malaysian franchise. However, six months after acquiring the franchise for two countries, MUO cut ties with Capella after allegations of s</span></span><span style="text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">ix Miss Universe Indonesia contestants alleged that they were ordered to strip to their underwear for “body checks.” </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #1a1b1b; letter-spacing: -0.32px; text-align: left;">Five of the contestants said they were then photographed topless. MUO released a statement condemning the allegations. </span><span style="color: #1a1b1b; letter-spacing: -0.32px; text-align: left;">“In light of what we have learned took place at Miss Universe Indonesia, it has become clear that this franchise has not lived up to our brand standards and ethics,” the Miss Universe Organization said on X (formerly known as Twitter).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #1a1b1b; letter-spacing: -0.32px; text-align: left;">On February 10, the </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.32px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">Miss Universe Ghana Organization</span></span><span style="color: #1a1b1b; letter-spacing: -0.32px; text-align: left;"> released a statement announcing that they would not renew the franchise because MUO's new business model no longer conforms with theirs. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; letter-spacing: 0.2px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Vietnam, Belize, Mauritius, Seychelles followed suit. On </span></span><span style="color: #1a1b1b; font-family: georgia; letter-spacing: -0.32px; text-align: left;">March 2, the </span><span style="font-family: georgia; letter-spacing: -0.32px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">Miss Universe Cambodia Organization </span></span><span style="color: #1a1b1b; font-family: georgia; letter-spacing: -0.32px; text-align: left;">released a statement announcing that their franchise application has not been approved by MUO, making them the fourth group from Southeast Asia to lose the franchise (after Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam). </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivovBWuzTs7MfhjMDVG0hL_XaQY5O8WN-CEA9o5PBXnJMQ6qE1_IjC0TU2TAWV_m_9JeqgA2SoRAiBOvT-uP1lzx64KyjH9p48O7SFcS4RdZpjbx4qVoklEp9PzYrZnr3_cfK5x83cT4ejrLj5h_TcRmaApIATFxs2oAbkWOGJjDJAZES7q3zALkh641oS/s640/phonto_4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivovBWuzTs7MfhjMDVG0hL_XaQY5O8WN-CEA9o5PBXnJMQ6qE1_IjC0TU2TAWV_m_9JeqgA2SoRAiBOvT-uP1lzx64KyjH9p48O7SFcS4RdZpjbx4qVoklEp9PzYrZnr3_cfK5x83cT4ejrLj5h_TcRmaApIATFxs2oAbkWOGJjDJAZES7q3zALkh641oS/w640-h429/phonto_4.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Lupita Jones</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, who had been directing Miss Universe Mexico for over 20 years, has lost the Mexican franchise to big-time entrepreneur </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Raul Rocha Cantu</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Meanwhile, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Cynthia de la Vega</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, a former Miss World Mexico 2010 (who represented the state of Nuevo León) whom Lupita had dethroned for having gained weight before competing in Miss World 2011 contest, will be the new national director. In August, MUO decided to cut ties with Miss USA President </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Crystle Stewart</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. On December 29, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Henrique Fontes</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">, the director of Concurso Nacional de Beleza (Miss Brasil), announced on his Instagram page that the Brazilian franchise for Miss Grand International had been taken away from him and given to someone else who had placed a higher bid. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Under Fontes’s directorship, Brazil made the top 5 of MGI for four consecutive years, culminating in the 2022 victory of <span style="color: red;">Isabella Menin</span> whom many fans think is the most beautiful winner so far.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #292929; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: collapse;">____________________</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">FRANCHISES GAINED: Just a few days after </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Lupita Jones </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">lost the Mexican franchise for Miss Universe, she was offered the Mexican franchise for Miss Grand International which she accepted. Multimedia personality and pageant coach </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Evandro Hazzy</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hinted on his Instagram stories that he is the new Brazilian franchisee for Miss Grand International and intends to bring the pageant to Brazil in the future</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Señorita Panama Organization regained the Miss Universe license after the outgoing licensee Miss Universe Panama Organization - claiming that MUO is a fraudulent organization - decided not to renew it for 2024. Concurso Nacional de Belleza Ecuador, led by siblings </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Tahiz and Miguel Panus</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, gained the Ecuadorian franchise for Miss Universe after placing a higher bid than outgoing franchisee Miss Ecuador Organization. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Magali Febles</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, the long-time director of Miss Universe Dominican Republic, acquired the Dominican franchise for Mister and Miss Supranational.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">BEHAVING BADLY: </span></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: red;">Véronique Michielsen</span>, who was originally crowned as Miss Grand Ecuador 2023 last May and was supposed to compete in Miss Grand International 2023 finals in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on October 25, was stripped of her title because she got pregnant. In July, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: red;">Jennifer Barrantes </span>was dethroned from her title as Miss World Peru 2022, according to a statement released by the Miss World </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Peru Organization. Barrantes, who was crowned last September 2022, has not been preparing herself for Miss World 2023 and has been unable to fulfill her obligations that include promoting social causes. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">E</span></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">lena Correa</span>, who was Miss Costa Rica 2017 and represented her country in Miss Universe 2017, was arrested in June for computer theft and allegedly stealing more than $40,000 dollars, valuables, luxury watches and even the passport of her elderly husband, <span style="color: red;">Carlos Rodríguez</span>. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">______</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">______________</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjjSBAjZEK2Uppi6n0ul_J_vHnyqR5CGOCxEUWa0OLqQEqmUqnOV3jRmVve74JXdjzPrKMu2q6nQndV33jlmglwLltwp22TdJZVDvNcSXi0UmB6cm0jCnvpg-MnIt_tB89XUHKqVvVQ0osUFka0zLAePBW6uaBOGpv3jzWdm3g9n2EYWWuVyb8iWc245-/s640/phonto_13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjjSBAjZEK2Uppi6n0ul_J_vHnyqR5CGOCxEUWa0OLqQEqmUqnOV3jRmVve74JXdjzPrKMu2q6nQndV33jlmglwLltwp22TdJZVDvNcSXi0UmB6cm0jCnvpg-MnIt_tB89XUHKqVvVQ0osUFka0zLAePBW6uaBOGpv3jzWdm3g9n2EYWWuVyb8iWc245-/w640-h429/phonto_13.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RESIGNATIONS & RETIREMENTS: The acquisition of Miss Universe by JKN Global resulted in several administrative changes that included a bidding war among potential franchise applicants, which resulted in the departure of several directors who did not agree with the new agreement. Structural changes within MUO also materialized, beginning with the departure of franchise director </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">Carlos Capetillo</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in February, followed in March by talent manager </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">Esther Swan </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(who had been with the company for 22 years), and in November by </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">Paula Shugart</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who announced during the Miss Universe 2023 preliminary show that she would be resigning as president after 23 years. On December 8, the Miss Panama Organization (MPO) r</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">eleased a statement announcing that it will not renew its license with MUO after only two years. The organization believes that the recent changes in the organization under JKN Global no longer conform to MPO’s values. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPLnlt1Wt9x87d4pTvx_Pkat9rZdb6Cwd4T_7hgcPYp-7Qf9hBgIHvMNXqWEfGvSAnMDXkSa_wrfhvGgKpz6lGaXXZqhT9uUATasev3_60ln2AjeMWcopBDaTfmX-Y1Pd4DQm_VEDnDE9nYqg_BiExXigcz_GI7OmTrZtwKFmBte8QUvBz6MDvQz2cpMl/s640/phonto_7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPLnlt1Wt9x87d4pTvx_Pkat9rZdb6Cwd4T_7hgcPYp-7Qf9hBgIHvMNXqWEfGvSAnMDXkSa_wrfhvGgKpz6lGaXXZqhT9uUATasev3_60ln2AjeMWcopBDaTfmX-Y1Pd4DQm_VEDnDE9nYqg_BiExXigcz_GI7OmTrZtwKFmBte8QUvBz6MDvQz2cpMl/w640-h429/phonto_7.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On December 12, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">Karen Celebertti </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">announced that she was stepping down as Nicaragua’s national director, less than a month after Miss Nicaragua </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">Sheynnis Palacios</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was crowned Miss Universe 2023. Her decision comes on the heels of the oppressive government of Nicaragua, led by longtime dictator </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">Daniel Ortega</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who has banned Karen from returning to the country after she and her husband were accused of being traitors against the government. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Meanwhile, the acquisition of Miss USA by </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Laylah Rose </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">in August led to the departure of the state directors for seven states in the first week of December. All of them share the same sentiment expressed by <span style="color: red;">Melissa Proctor-Pitchford</span> that “recent changes within the organization, controversial incidents that have taken place, and an unpredictable future, no longer align with both my personal and professional standards, integrity, and ethics.” </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uSm0JF4FtjyG-TMnbaXLxaK9HtdknwxpCxMlzM2oG4arKq4RxAwYJ-J_QhEWFO0XqeeFPB72Dx1oWoSP1gJ5KK3BvG6yQRwMn7bAyn_ffNR4nKiHHQOouvk-7_Z3LhXWzGPiEJSXw16bPLYRkJ2ldVCGwZKkkQgSq35PU78pOeszCrdwHsmS_9D83WQs/s640/phonto_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="640" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uSm0JF4FtjyG-TMnbaXLxaK9HtdknwxpCxMlzM2oG4arKq4RxAwYJ-J_QhEWFO0XqeeFPB72Dx1oWoSP1gJ5KK3BvG6yQRwMn7bAyn_ffNR4nKiHHQOouvk-7_Z3LhXWzGPiEJSXw16bPLYRkJ2ldVCGwZKkkQgSq35PU78pOeszCrdwHsmS_9D83WQs/w640-h408/phonto_5.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">GRAND STORIES: The preliminary swimsuit competition of Miss Grand International 2023 attracted huge viewership - and harsh criticism - because it was held outdoors during a rainy day in Da Nang. Some of the girls slipped and fell on their buttocks as they reached a wet and slippery station. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt. The organizers decided to annul the competition and to replace it with another one held indoors on dry floor. <span style="color: red;">Kathryn Fanshawe,</span> Miss Grand Wales 2020 turned national director for Miss Grand United Kingdom, published in her story that several 2023 contestants had been arriving late (sometimes an hour). She warned them that their every move was being watched and noted by MGI president <span style="color: red;">Nawat Itsaragrisil</span> and tardiness could cost them a placement. During the preliminary interviews, Miss Grand Greece 2023 <span style="color: red;">Ioanna Skoula</span> boldly stated that she would not win because none of the contestants supported her. Itsaragrisil selected only thirteen girls for a private interview, and all of them made the top 20 during the finals. After competing in Miss Grand International 2023, Miss Grand Venezuela 2023 <span style="color: red;">Valentina Martinez </span>took to her Instagram page to explain her sudden weight gain caused by a mysterious medical condition. When she didn’t make the top 20, Venezuelan fans started attacking her on social media. The Top 10 finalists of Miss Grand International 2023 took to their social media to defend the MGI organization from attacks by toxic fans. The posts came on the heels of the video featuring former Miss Universe Philippines <span style="color: red;">Mary Jane Lastimosa</span> asking a Filipina trans woman celebrity <span style="color: red;">Maki Gingoyon </span>what the worst pageant in the Philippines is and Maki replied, “Miss Grand.”</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFldmz9vj0O3H7MDiQQxpqsMXZkQfB08n40pIK5stUUCS4kZVCQvmslfpa3RvodypDJEjc62vR_Sb-kq7-paU8_BTu006fjlySxD2dv8QlyvL2_tei_hrhPSsr11BPkqShv0uKBtST5utDdRU_ZxPQ5CWQOPZuT18WhnKepN9oQbTUEYYpkY3ag_lI3Rs/s614/phonto_17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="614" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFldmz9vj0O3H7MDiQQxpqsMXZkQfB08n40pIK5stUUCS4kZVCQvmslfpa3RvodypDJEjc62vR_Sb-kq7-paU8_BTu006fjlySxD2dv8QlyvL2_tei_hrhPSsr11BPkqShv0uKBtST5utDdRU_ZxPQ5CWQOPZuT18WhnKepN9oQbTUEYYpkY3ag_lI3Rs/w400-h395/phonto_17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Eight years since the most controversial crowning moment in Miss Universe history that occurred on December 20, 2015, Miss Universe Philippines 2015 <span style="color: red;">Pia Wurtzbach</span> and Miss Universe Colombia 2015 <span style="color: red;">Ariadna Gutierrez</span> reunited, much to the delight of pageant fans all over the world. “The reunion you’ve all been waiting for,” Wurtzbach wrote on September 26, alongside photos with Gutierrez as they walked the streets of Paris, France. The two were in the country for Paris Fashion Week. Gutierrez also shared her happiness in seeing Wurtzbach again. “It’s been almost eight years since the last time we were together. So happy to see you again,” she wrote. In a separate Instagram story, she added: “When time makes sure you meet the right people once again.”</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Winners of Significant International Pageants Held in 2023</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss Aura International - Thailand - Ketwalee Phonbodi</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss Charm - Brazil - Luma Russo</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss CosmoWorld - USA - Shelby Howell</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss Earth - Albania - Drita Ziri</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss Friendship International - China - Zhu Zi-Ying</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss Grand International - Peru - Luciana Fuster</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss Intercontinental - Thailand - </span></span><span style="text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: georgia;">Chatnalin Chotjirawarachat</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss International - Venezuela - Andrea Rubio</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss International Queen - Netherlands - Solange Dekker</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss Supranational - Ecuador - Andrea Aguilera</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss Tourism International - Thailand - Tia Li Taveepanichpan</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss Universe 2022 (held on January 14, 2023) - USA - R’Bonney Gabriel</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Miss Universe 2023 - Nicaragua - Sheynnis Palacios</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Reina Hispanoamericana 2022 (held on March 25, 2023) - Arlette Rujel</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reina Internacional del Café - Colombia - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isabella Bermúdez </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Miss Globe - Malaysia - Manvin Khera</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Caballero Universal - Dominican Republic - Leonardo Mendoza </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Man of the World - Korea - Jin Wook Kim</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mister Friendship International - Cambodia - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leav Veng Hour</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mister Global 2022 (held on February 13, 2023) - Cuba - Juan Carlos Ariosa</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mister Global 2023 - India - Jason Bretfelean </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mister International - Thailand - Kim Woodburn</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: georgia; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mister Supranational - Spain - Ivan Alvarez Guedes</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">____________________</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>IN MEMORIAM</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZjRA3EpUKIRK36flBTxZ1nyyklKfEgyfLjHwX1YI1ayBBFGKLpzuJhj0VuNxG9Bu_AemhNgCD81ktxElH6OTr6QHjgzBZZay6BzBbyrFr3BqEa_ftAVqJMLca4hsOiD8JTmZsqW_zrUJXany1z7Kf69KtgfY6s9TzghRBpLFxAGctEafCt5rcdvthSGD/s640/phonto_16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="640" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZjRA3EpUKIRK36flBTxZ1nyyklKfEgyfLjHwX1YI1ayBBFGKLpzuJhj0VuNxG9Bu_AemhNgCD81ktxElH6OTr6QHjgzBZZay6BzBbyrFr3BqEa_ftAVqJMLca4hsOiD8JTmZsqW_zrUJXany1z7Kf69KtgfY6s9TzghRBpLFxAGctEafCt5rcdvthSGD/w640-h354/phonto_16.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">On March 19, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Marisol Malaret Contreras</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, the first Puerto Rican woman crowned Miss Universe in 1970, died from complications of a pulmonary condition. She was 73. Her homecoming to Puerto Rico after winning Miss Universe was considered one of the biggest ever at that time, with around 50,000 attending to see her in person. After her reign, she appeared on several commercials and did modeling work before becoming the editor-of-chief of Caras Magazine for several years.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Jerry Springer</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, the former Cincinnati mayor who rose to tremendous fame as a syndicated talk show host, died on April 27 from pancreatic cancer. He was 79. Pageant fans will remember Springer as the host of Miss World 2000 and 2001 as well as a co-host of Miss Universe 2008.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Bob Barker</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">American media personality and animal rights advocate who was a long-time host of the game shows “The Price Is Right” and “Truth or Consequences”, as well as Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants, died on August 26 from Alzheimer’s Disease. Barker stepped down from hosting the Miss USA 1987 pageant when the producers refused his request to remove fur prizes.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Geneviève de Fontenay</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, also known as The Lady In The Hat (</span><span style="text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">because she was rarely seen without one) who was </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; white-space-collapse: preserve;">responsible for directing the Miss France Organization from 1981 to 2009, died on August 1st at the age of 90. </span><span style="text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Defending a conservative image of femininity, she gradually became ostracized and withdrew from public life. She was charged in June with insults and incitement to transphobic discrimination. Under her directorship, Miss France became a popular annual television event seen by millions around world.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;">Sherika De Armas</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, Miss World Uruguay 2015, died on October 13 at the age of 26 after her battle with cervical cancer. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>Text by Rafa Delfin, 1/1/2024</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-91875208419785212392023-12-29T10:49:00.000-08:002023-12-29T10:49:52.513-08:00My Recap & Review of Miss Earth 2023 Finals<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Bitter; font-size: medium;"> <span style="color: #131313; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In this vlog, I do a recap and review of Miss Earth 2023 finals that took place in Vietnam on December 22, 2023.</span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="352" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5CRRWJV0_1o" width="480" youtube-src-id="5CRRWJV0_1o"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-42287694357868434442023-12-22T20:26:00.000-08:002023-12-22T20:26:54.149-08:00Albania Wins Miss Earth 2023<p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLN0uNap-LFtc7l0lG3D47RsJJTqKq6N0NwTCe6zpzCuLEDFRJY5vzlHHmIpE7isVC01OQVAn_kGIjND9A69nMC2CVD-wpLRiwhEo3juYD8ObMeWW6ugSh9vbAu5NeN7VonISG9O0rP3WZUk9N7lMN3XpqL8SpXaLU5a3hARy5wUL8TG0BP2Gp5T4VN4Jl/s1616/drita2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1616" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLN0uNap-LFtc7l0lG3D47RsJJTqKq6N0NwTCe6zpzCuLEDFRJY5vzlHHmIpE7isVC01OQVAn_kGIjND9A69nMC2CVD-wpLRiwhEo3juYD8ObMeWW6ugSh9vbAu5NeN7VonISG9O0rP3WZUk9N7lMN3XpqL8SpXaLU5a3hARy5wUL8TG0BP2Gp5T4VN4Jl/w640-h428/drita2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Bitter; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Bitter; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><span style="color: red;">Drita Ziri</span>, 18, of Albania has been crowned Miss Earth 2023 in Van Phuc City, Vietnam on December 22. She is the first Albanian to win the Miss Earth title and the first to win a major international pageant. Ziri previously competed at The Miss Globe 2022 competition representing Albania and placed 2nd Runner-up.</span></div><span style="font-family: Bitter; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><div style="text-align: center;">Her court includes:</div></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><div style="text-align: center;">Miss Earth Air 2023 - Yllana Aduana, Philippines</div></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><div style="text-align: center;">Miss Earth Water 2023 - Do Thi Lan Anh, Vietnam</div></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><div style="text-align: center;">Miss Earth Fire 2023 - Cora Bliault, Thailand</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><div style="text-align: center;">Rounding up the top 8 (all named “Miss Earth 2023 Runner-Up”) were:</div></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><div style="text-align: center;">Morgana Carlos - Brazil</div></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><div style="text-align: center;">Dilnaz Tilaeva - Kazakhstan</div></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><div style="text-align: center;">Noa Claus - Netherlands</div></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><div style="text-align: center;">Daria Lukonkina - Russia</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve-breaks;"><div style="text-align: center;">Congratulations to the winners!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoFD0SuRLOc0qGuIad98nQ8GAMPssxnIxqzAakMq5sWVfqx-yj9OOkHwtxddMr5-KIXcHkwkMpdzdunutyfga8jl9XwFodNSJXLND_wgYl733INBDLKmL6OR165tlTP4F3eAu0GsYE_x3Ym2zLXwqsmp72dCBXAgbMnO3GlMc_3mdS5FUcv567Woawi2C/s1402/drita1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1402" data-original-width="1052" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoFD0SuRLOc0qGuIad98nQ8GAMPssxnIxqzAakMq5sWVfqx-yj9OOkHwtxddMr5-KIXcHkwkMpdzdunutyfga8jl9XwFodNSJXLND_wgYl733INBDLKmL6OR165tlTP4F3eAu0GsYE_x3Ym2zLXwqsmp72dCBXAgbMnO3GlMc_3mdS5FUcv567Woawi2C/w480-h640/drita1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-2705241067645905472023-12-19T19:12:00.000-08:002023-12-19T19:12:26.596-08:00My Top 10 Favorites For Miss Earth 2023<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Bitter; font-size: medium;">In this vlog, I reveal my top 10 favorites for Miss Earth 2023 whose finals will take place in Vietnam on December 22, 2023. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f0f; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Bitter; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LXq6Np13Hx8" width="476" youtube-src-id="LXq6Np13Hx8"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-36604218471466788732023-12-13T13:45:00.000-08:002023-12-13T13:45:12.408-08:00Miss Nicaragua Director Resigns<p><span style="font-family: Bitter;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaJYCGXG1rd7z7MyIttV7bbs3CVCrQWq4wlO_p_6V3EtOwFtFmMYQt4orTeWTmxIoTaztWqARco9e1RkxUOCJwxV_4v7tH64sQS1grDvliXWkOJnMT82nXF4g4VJQ6qEFjn82FuLcXC4f7ZaZTcgi0YXo5ay5EEHcx1mkiB69d3YgxndhgmI3KrCrfI1m/s1080/Karen-Celebertti-Miss-Nicaragua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaJYCGXG1rd7z7MyIttV7bbs3CVCrQWq4wlO_p_6V3EtOwFtFmMYQt4orTeWTmxIoTaztWqARco9e1RkxUOCJwxV_4v7tH64sQS1grDvliXWkOJnMT82nXF4g4VJQ6qEFjn82FuLcXC4f7ZaZTcgi0YXo5ay5EEHcx1mkiB69d3YgxndhgmI3KrCrfI1m/w640-h426/Karen-Celebertti-Miss-Nicaragua.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">Karen Celebertti </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">The director of the Miss Nicaragua pageant, Karen Celebertti, has resigned one week after the country’s national police charged her, along with her husband and son, with</span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"> </span><a href="https://www.cnn.com/style/nicaragua-miss-universe-conspiracy-charges/index.html" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.4px; line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height--from-small); text-decoration-color: var(--theme-paragraph__link-decoration-color); text-decoration-line: var(--theme-paragraph__link-decoration); text-decoration-skip-ink: var(--theme-underline-skip-ink); text-decoration-thickness: var(--theme-paragraph__link-decoration-thickness); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-underline-offset: var(--theme-paragraph__hover-link-offset);">conspiracy and treason</a><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">, accusing them of involvement in a plot to overthrow the government. Celebertti, who has led Nicaragua’s</span><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Miss Universe franchise for more than two decades, made the announcement on Tuesday via her Instagram account.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">The whirlwind, controversial turn of events came on the heels of Sheynnis Palacios’</span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"> </span>groundbreaking win<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">at Miss Universe 2023 — which was hosted in El Salvador last month — as the Central American country’s first representative to secure the title.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">“For 23 years I have worked with zeal and effort to exalt the name of my homeland Nicaragua… I have done it with transparency, with a lot of love and believing in each and every one of the Nicas because talent and beauty abound in every corner of the country,” Celebertti wrote in a </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0vF1q9rq7z/?hl=en&img_index=2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.4px; line-height: var(--theme-paragraph__line-height--from-small); text-decoration-color: var(--theme-paragraph__link-decoration-color); text-decoration-line: var(--theme-paragraph__link-decoration); text-decoration-skip-ink: var(--theme-underline-skip-ink); text-decoration-thickness: var(--theme-paragraph__link-decoration-thickness); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-underline-offset: var(--theme-paragraph__hover-link-offset);" target="_blank">post</a><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"> on Instagram, without directly addressing the accusations against her.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">“The </span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">time has come for my retirement,” she added. “I know that there will always be more opportunities for us: My husband and I come from hard-working, honest families that have always distinguished themselves by their support of the community… I have left an entire life at the service of my country, in the way that I can: with responsibility and professionalism.”</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">The charges against Celebertti stem from a period of </span>anti-government unrest<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">in 2018, as Nicaraguans protested changes to the country’s social security. Human rights organizations have estimated that at least 355 people were killed when police forces cracked down on the protests; Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his government has categorized the demonstrations as “</span>terrorism<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">” and an “attempted coup.” Earlier this month, police asserted Celebertti’s involvement with that alleged “</span>failed coup attempt<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">” in a statement.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Police said they also had evidence that Celebertti had used her role to turn b</span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">The Miss Universe Organization said in a statement to CNN that while Celebertti’s resignation had been accepted, the organization “stand(s) by our partners in asserting the transparency and integrity of their pageant.”</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">“Going forward, we are seeking a peaceful resolution of the issues raised by the country of Nicaragua, as well as the safety of everyone associated with the organization,” the statement continued. “We hope that the country will continue to come together and support Sheynnis and Karen as they advocate for a future forged by women — and to celebrate the beautiful culture and people of Nicaragua.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">Anne Jakrajutatip, the founder of JKN Global Group, which owns Miss Universe, also took to Instagram to voice her support for Celebertti, thanking her “for being so brave, so strong and so decisive” and for “believing in what women can do and fighting against all odds without fear.”</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">On November 23, Celebertti and her daughter were refused entry into the country when they attempted to return home from Mexico following events related to the pageant. CNN en Español</span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"> </span>reported<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">on Tuesday that, while Celebertti remains in Mexico, her husband and son have been detained in Nicaragua since November 27.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">Neither Celebertti nor the Nicaraguan government has responded to CNN’s request for comment.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Source: </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">https://www.cnn.com/style/miss-nicaragua-director-resigns-karen-celebertti/index.html</span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-31575511268444920922023-12-08T15:24:00.000-08:002023-12-08T15:24:02.744-08:00Single Mother Is Crowned Miss Venezuela 2023<p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAllsTD7m__M42YBDFvN0QiV0Z6xRTzkN_-YJtmADZbw1S1BXQ8hSQmZUqqWp8p48btb4haiE8hcAnHeXKDqAMIVQpYiysF9zlSquA8LpUSHL1L197aFETipeUzigKUlMKGrRnT9xskDA6AKOcP3LvduzQpqnjJo6IIMkHTf6wYNXtkfqT6B8I2kYU5DQW/s1350/Ileana1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAllsTD7m__M42YBDFvN0QiV0Z6xRTzkN_-YJtmADZbw1S1BXQ8hSQmZUqqWp8p48btb4haiE8hcAnHeXKDqAMIVQpYiysF9zlSquA8LpUSHL1L197aFETipeUzigKUlMKGrRnT9xskDA6AKOcP3LvduzQpqnjJo6IIMkHTf6wYNXtkfqT6B8I2kYU5DQW/w512-h640/Ileana1.jpg" width="512" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbe0vRSTEh7BE0XKZe-GA7sZNKiE0Cm6Ds7pcumJPC1tfSb3-FtaBYK9nQyBLxs-pBZI3mw54-iceJgcczMx9pxFoGZW3vUYqagUQH9o4cQy-9hYDiYhBkWR_sh6Ouxzk3kEw7PgFfGKGTiM8f_Q9Le798mLvvM-7uCWGnGjkIOlstvbukTBdxTMINiPc/s1350/Ileana2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbe0vRSTEh7BE0XKZe-GA7sZNKiE0Cm6Ds7pcumJPC1tfSb3-FtaBYK9nQyBLxs-pBZI3mw54-iceJgcczMx9pxFoGZW3vUYqagUQH9o4cQy-9hYDiYhBkWR_sh6Ouxzk3kEw7PgFfGKGTiM8f_Q9Le798mLvvM-7uCWGnGjkIOlstvbukTBdxTMINiPc/s320/Ileana2.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; text-align: left;">Ileana Marquez</span><span style="text-align: left;">, representing Amazonas, has been crowned Miss Venezuela 2023 and will represent Venezuela in the next edition of Miss Universe. Marquez, 28, makes history by being the first mother to win Miss Venezuela. She has an 11-year-old daughter named Guadalupe.</span></div></span><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqoMGuLYMFi8A_cg0AiqKDoQ0ls3GRvykpBKjTiFJadwxqAFssrJgVle4j1s4lXo4sddAZNO679Sojhd-g78cOqPWDZQ1B06bztR2RO6BGcF85YLQ6XW0PR-ZNlc9CPl8rbR69K_4k2_e33k9XHYzlmrSqr_PttgtDJsY7FkM8T8X-0c4GNJ7aqJn_IFn/s960/Ileane3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Bitter; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqoMGuLYMFi8A_cg0AiqKDoQ0ls3GRvykpBKjTiFJadwxqAFssrJgVle4j1s4lXo4sddAZNO679Sojhd-g78cOqPWDZQ1B06bztR2RO6BGcF85YLQ6XW0PR-ZNlc9CPl8rbR69K_4k2_e33k9XHYzlmrSqr_PttgtDJsY7FkM8T8X-0c4GNJ7aqJn_IFn/s320/Ileane3.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">Sakra Guerrero</span>, 24, representing Guárico, has been crowned Miss International Venezuela 2023 and will compete in Miss International 2024 and will attempt for a back-to-back win for her country. She was crowned by outgoing Miss International Andrea Rubio from Venezuela.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: center;">The first runner-up is Giorgiana Rosas of Anzoátegui, the second runner-up is Daniela Celis of Mérida, and the third runner-up is Caine Granadillo of Yaracuy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvf7RA02k5VIibkotx_IjopS8BtsRLemWuzRkQIJOIAfYcBB9gu2BR8pjxCm3dq0GRo4PeQ71VSL98msrtA8pzZY8BdGKK_yONOEfsnII6dKz-GcPw6T4Di1t7mXFrsSWEeqPHyM0wB5tG-rsM8wDn_jSNdYmbxy5U1lXCmIMuf0_2GB7XYfn7flKrShjp/s2048/Ileana3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1494" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvf7RA02k5VIibkotx_IjopS8BtsRLemWuzRkQIJOIAfYcBB9gu2BR8pjxCm3dq0GRo4PeQ71VSL98msrtA8pzZY8BdGKK_yONOEfsnII6dKz-GcPw6T4Di1t7mXFrsSWEeqPHyM0wB5tG-rsM8wDn_jSNdYmbxy5U1lXCmIMuf0_2GB7XYfn7flKrShjp/w291-h400/Ileana3.jpg" width="291" /></a></div></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446963155140289963.post-64880028827161840652023-12-07T12:28:00.000-08:002023-12-07T12:28:28.828-08:00Beauty Pageant Director Accused of Using Contestants to Overthrow Government<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrZKuP9-3Sllf9ZpS24_D4kEwA5_BPQ11yGmCEMUkDjkq-tDoKeA5Mkp9Fuq3Tf_ad_oVnA9nOytUOyFE7RPH4oN_ZCFVs8I5O1SoVF_2w8r3pr0jLwyeVxcSms4bfQuG2aG8hk6ePvakbaHLvX0fRcG2enzVbOPI07xpArrLhy4UQW-2yBSOVNQq6AGH/s600/karen-Celebertti-1-600x453.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="600" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrZKuP9-3Sllf9ZpS24_D4kEwA5_BPQ11yGmCEMUkDjkq-tDoKeA5Mkp9Fuq3Tf_ad_oVnA9nOytUOyFE7RPH4oN_ZCFVs8I5O1SoVF_2w8r3pr0jLwyeVxcSms4bfQuG2aG8hk6ePvakbaHLvX0fRcG2enzVbOPI07xpArrLhy4UQW-2yBSOVNQq6AGH/w400-h303/karen-Celebertti-1-600x453.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Karen Celebertti, director of Miss Nicaragua Organization</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;">A beauty pageant director planning to overthrow an oppressive Central American regime with some of the country's most stunning, intelligent, and anti-government women could be an amazing plot line for Miss Congeniality 3. But according to the Nicaraguan government, this is an actual conspiracy to take down authoritarian president, Daniel Ortega.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="abc__textblock size--article" data-component="TextBlock" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Bitter;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto 30px;">Nicaraguan police <a href="https://twitter.com/vppolicial/status/1730747345359294602/photo/1" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black;" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">announced Friday</span></a> that they want to arrest Karen Celebertti, the director of the Miss Nicaragua beauty pageant, for allegedly fixing the competition to favor anti-Ortega beauty queens to win. The shocking announcement from the authoritarian government came less than two weeks after Nicaraguan beauty queen Sheynnis Palacios won the Miss Universe competition, placing the country at the forefront of the beauty queen world. It was the first time a Nicaraguan had ever won the competition.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto 30px;">The Nicaraguan government, helmed by 78-year-old Daniel Ortega, has slowly become one of the most isolated regimes in the world. Ortega, a former revolutionary icon, once helped end a four-decade-long dictatorship, before eventually turning Nicaragua into his own authoritarian state. His continued repression of dissidents, including everyone from activists to members of the church, have led to protests in the country off-and-on for years. In 2018, an uprising was violently squashed by government forces, with over 300 people being killed.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px auto 30px;">When Palacios won the competition last month, it should have been a bright spot in what have been years of poor press for the country in the international media. However, the government quickly became worried when photos of Palacios participating in the 2018 protests circulated widely online. Palacios also wore a blue-and-white cape during the pageant, which many believed was a nod to the national flag that was banned in 2018. Ortega instead now uses a red-and-black Sandinista banner as his preferred national symbol.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px auto 30px;">A few days after Palacios' win, Vice President and First Lady Rosario Murillo spoke harshly of how opposition supporters were taking advantage of her victory.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto 30px;"><span class="abc__textblock size--article" data-component="TextBlock" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span><span class="abc__textblock size--article wknd-excl-p" data-component="TextBlock" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span><span class="abc__textblock size--article" data-component="TextBlock" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px auto 30px;">“We are seeing the evil, terrorist commentators making a clumsy and insulting attempt to turn what should be a beautiful and well-deserved moment of pride into destructive coup-mongering,” said Murillo.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px auto 30px;">The national police pointed the blame at the pageant director<span> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/vppolicial/status/1730747345359294602/photo/1" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black;" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">in a statement</span></a>, claiming that Celebertti was also involved in the 2018 protests, which they called “the terrorist actions of a failed coup.”</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px auto 30px;">“(Celebertti) remained in contact with the traitors, and offered to employ the franchises, platforms and spaces supposedly used to promote ‘innocent’ beauty pageants, in a conspiracy orchestrated to convert the contests into traps and political ambushes financed by foreign agents,” the police said in<span> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/vppolicial/status/1730747345359294602/photo/1" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black;" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">the statement.</span></a></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px auto 30px;"><span class="abc__textblock size--article" data-component="TextBlock" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span><span class="abc__textblock size--article wknd-excl-p" data-component="TextBlock" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span><span class="abc__textblock size--article" data-component="TextBlock" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px auto 30px;">Celebertti has yet to be arrested, and is believed to be outside Nicaragua.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px auto 30px;">Source: https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kxmyd/beauty-pageant-director-accused-of-using-contestants-to-overthrow-government</p></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0