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| 06.30.2008 | Monday
Several special awards were presented, including the Critical Beauty
Spirit Award to Lorneka Joseph Rahming. CB's own Héctor Joaquín Colón González served as a judge.
Info courtesy of MBO.
• IT'S A GIRL : Former Miss Universe Alicia Machado has given birth to a baby girl in Miami, Florida.
The Venezuelan model and actress, who was crowned Miss Universe in 1996, will name the child Dinorah. She was born on
Thursday, June 26th. Machado, 31, has refused to name the father, but reports suggest he's a married Mexican businessman
named Rafael Hernández. She insists she's protecting her lover's identity because he is not involved in showbusiness. (Post Chronicle,
6/29/2008).
• MISS WORLD IN VIETNAM : Miss World 2007 Zhang Zi Lin arrived in Vietnam on June 28. Zhang, accompanied by
Miss World Organization’s Chairwoman and President Julia Morley and the first runner-up to Miss Vietnam Global,
Teresa Sam, is expected to do a series of charity events sponsored by U.S.-based blood product producer
RAAS Group during her trip. These include visiting HIV/AIDS centers, attending ceremonies to present charity houses
and scholarships throughout Vietnam. Zhang and Sam will also attend a flower parade next Monday in Nha Trang Town to
welcome the upcoming Miss Universe 2008 competition. “I’m very happy to be [back] here to help out because when
I went home, I missed Vietnam,” said Sam, who told the Vietnam beauty at Miss Universe to “smile” and “show the
world exactly how Vietnam is.”
RAAS CEO Hoang Kieu, a Vietnamese American, told local media before the trip
that he invited Morley to drop by Vietnam as the preliminary step to the country bidding to host Miss World in 2010.
“We are not yet making a full plan, we are only looking to understand,” Morley said after landing in Vietnam for
the first time yesterday. Morley said the most important factor for Vietnam in her bid to host Miss World would be
for the Vietnamese people to really “want it”. “It’s not just Miss World coming in, it must be with the people’s
blessing and it must be the people and Miss World working together.” But the first step, she said, was for Miss World
and Vietnam to “get to know each other.” (Thanh Nien Daily, Vietnam, 6/29/2008)
Originally from the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, the almond-eyed,
flowing-haired Korshunova appeared in advertisements and on runways for such designers as Marc Jacobs, Nina
Ricci and DKNY. British Vogue hailed her as "a face to be excited about" in 2005. Her break came when modeling booker
Debbie Jones noticed her while perusing an in-flight magazine article about Korushnova's hometown of Almaty,
according to the Vogue report. "She looked like something out of a fairytale!" Jones told the magazine.
"We had to find her and we searched high and low until we did!" (Associated Press, 6/29/2008)
Why do models kill themselves? Probably for the same reason as non-models do.
Korshunova was not the first model to commit suicide. Check this Wikipedia entry for a short list of models who
met a similar tragic fate.
• ERRONEOUS REPORT : Several Indian newspapers have reported that India's Simran Kaur Mundi has won the
National Costume competition. This is not true, since it is mentioned in the official Miss Universe website
that the winner will be selected via online public voting. The Times of India (6/28/2008) - quoting
designer Ritu Kumar - writes: "I do not know why it took so long to win at the pageant. It is always
a question of contestants, judges and the person who is carrying the costume," said Ritu, who has been
dressing Indian contestants at the show for the past 14 years."
Meanwhile, Zee News (6/27/2008) reports: "Pantaloons Femina Miss India Universe,
Simran Kaur Mundi has won the Best National Costume title in the ongoing Miss Universe contest being held in Vietnam.
Simran, according to reports has taken her first step towards winning the crown and has become one of the
strongest contenders for the Miss Universe crown."
This faulty news report was eventually picked up by the Spanish-language media.
Qué horror! LOL!
• NO MONEY, HONEY : The Miss Puerto Rico Universe Organization will not receive the $25,000 donation that
it had solicited from the Tourism Company of Puerto Rico. The funds were supposed to pay for the traveling expenses and
accomodations in Vietnam of the MPRU staff. However, negotiations are being made regarding the possibility of
using the money in contracting Ingrid Marie Rivera and other local celebrities to promote Puerto Rico's tourism
industry in its publicity campaigns. (Primera Hora, San Juan, 6/28/2008)
• MAGALI'S LATEST TROUBLE : Harold Rosario, MPRU's public relations director, broke off ties with its
national director Magali Febles due to irreconcilable differences. Rosario blames Febles for her bad
attitude. He said, "Once a new queen is crowned, she automatically becomes the director's enemy. She (Magali) had
problems with Zuleyka Rivera. All the past public relations directors ended their relationships with her,
so the problem is not me." Rosario also stated that he was not fired by Febles since he did not have a contract
with her. He has not spoken with Ingrid Rivera about this matter because he did not want to bother her, which
could affect her concentration on the pageant in Vietnam. Rivera did react to Rosario's departure: "I found out
that they had broken off their professional ties. It was the decision of the organization and I don't have anything
to do with it. I am satisfied with the work that Harold did with me." (El Nuevo Dia, 6/24/2008)
I saw the videoclip on the Ao Dai presentation show in its entirely, and I have
to say that there were girls who displayed the traditional Vietnamese costume better than Venezuela. I particularly
liked Dominican Republic, Singapore, Norway, Korea, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Antigua & Barbuda and Colombia who
I think should have won.
• MEET THE HOSTS : The host of NBC’s hit show, "America’s Got Talent," Jerry Springer and actress-singer
Mel B (better known as "Scary Spice" of the girl group The Spice Girls) will host the 2008 Miss Universe
Pageant live on NBC from the Crown Convention Center in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam on Sunday, July 13th at 9:00 p.m.
The announcement of the show's hosts was made by Paula M. Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization.
"I’m thrilled to be a co-host of the Miss Universe Pageant," said Mel B. "I believe the diversity and dedication
that the pageant brings inspires and empowers young women across the globe," she said. (Hollyscoop, 6/24/2008)
• LEISURELY : Allina Leal of Australia was crowned as the first Miss Leisure World during a celebrated
pageant in Suzhou in the province of Jiangsu, China. Her court includes first runner up Park Jung-Hyeon of Korea,
Mariel Anniina of Finaland, third runner-up Andrea Rivas of Venezuela and fourth runner-up Ren Ting
of China. Completing the top ten are the delegates from Canada, Ecuador, Zambia, Philippines and Singapore. Earlier,
Miss Philippines Sarah Katrina Minoza won the Best Smile award. Miss Leisure World is a spin-off of Miss
Tourism Queen International. Check the official website.
• POLL : The current CB poll on Miss Internet Universe 2008
shows Puerto Rico leading, followed by Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela and USA. Vote for your favorite now!
• UPDATED : My Mister USA blog. Check out who won Miss Boston 2008!
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, July 7th, 2008.
Photo credits: Miss Bahamas Organization, Vogue, English VietNam Net
| 06.23.2008 | Monday
• A NEW CROWN : This year's winner of the Miss Universe title will get a new crown created by Vietnamese jewelry companies CAO
Fine Jewelry and Rosalina. The new crown is made of white and yellow gold with one thousand precious stones
including 555 diamonds, and is worth $120,000. The crown is supposed to evoke a natural rhythm and a stable structure, symbolizing
the spirit of unity, according to the designers Kim Lien and Rosalina Lydster. The colors chosen for
the crown are related the host country of Vietnam. Yellow gold represents the economic prosperity of the country.
White, light pink and cognac - which are the principal tones of the piece - represent inspiration. To Mikimoto fans, don't
get mad. The Mikimoto crown will return next year.
• TOTAL SECURITY : It is reported that the Vietnamese police had a special training early last week and
performed a simulation of a possible a terrorist attack in the city of Nha Trang where the finals will be held.
More than five hundred police officers participated in the simulation. "Now we are ready to give the maximum
security in the pageant," said Cao Minh Nhan, director of the police department. During the simulation, eight
men played the role of eight terrorists who killed a guard and took in thirty hostages. The simulation ended with the
killing of three terrorists and the capture of five others. Several sites had been considered to do the simulation,
but the Miss Universe venue was selected for being "one of the most complicated." (Primera Hora, San Juan, 6/20/2008)
• SECURITY, OR BUSINESS STRATEGY? A Vietnamese blogger commented that MUO has established a strict no-photo-taking policy,
among other things. This blogger writes:
The policy may seem strict or perhaps even unfair to some, but it is perfectly reasonable, at least from a business perspective.
All throughout the pageant, the girls are "commodities" of MUO and thus any unauthorized photos taken by anybody would signify
a potential loss of revenue for MUO. It is also proper not to give out the girls' private information, since they could be
targets of unwanted or unsavory solicitations.
• COLORS AND MORE COLORS : A group of Vietnamese judges selected the ten best national costumes in this year's Miss
Universe pageant. In the photo above, from left to right, the ten lucky winners are Mexico, Dominican Republic, India,
South Africa, Vietnam, Venezuela, Peru, Kosovo, Colombia and Albania. The top winner of this competition will be
selected by the public via online voting. Pics from the costume show can be viewed here
and here.
• CANCER-STRICKEN : THE fashion world has been rocked by the news that leading Australian designer Jayson Brunsdon
has been diagnosed with testicular cancer. He underwent an operation at a private hospital last week and is recuperating
at home in Sydney. He is expected to make a full recovery. The cancer was diagnosed just over a week ago, but he filmed
the final episode of the Foxtel reality series, Project Runway, the day before his operation. Brunsdon, in his 40s, also
did the last fitting for his controversial Miss Universe national costume, complete with a boomerang breastplate,
created for Australia's contestant Laura Dundovic. She will wear it during the finals in Vietnam next month.
The dress sparked a fashion frenzy which continued while Brunsdon admitted himself to hospital for an operation only a
few close friends knew about. He will complete his latest collection and be in Singapore for the opening of his
first free-standing store next month. (The Courier Mail, Australia, 6/22/2008)
• INES TO THE RESCUE? : In a recent posting in her blog, Inés Ligron writes that she would be willing to
assist Miss Philippines Jennifer Barrientos with her gown and styling because "Jennifer's dress and shoes are
very 80s." Inés also writes that she is not sure if Jennifer "will want to listen to me or accept my help, she doesn't
know me and probably she has never heard of me.... and she will think who the hell is this woman?!" Chapeau to Inés for
her kindness and sense of humor. However, it appears that Inés's kindness has been misinterpreted by a Filipino pageant
fan who sent a strong, lengthy e-mail to Inés that she posted. Read it here.
• INES THE MENACE : Inés stirred controversy last year when she posted Riyo Mori's
unflattering comments about particular delegates. Inés apologized for having posted that entry which was removed. This year,
Inés has posted an equally controversial entry - this time referring to Hiroko Mima's comments about her rivals.
Ines writes in her June 21st entry: "I spoke with Hiroko after she arrived and she said that she thinks that Trinida and Tabago is really
charming-cute, classy and mega smart. And, that she thinkls Miss India is the most beautitul of all the delegates.
She said that most of the delegates are so fake and old-fashion and even look like drag-queens, seriously! And, that
some girls really stand out for they real-girl look , fresh beauty and good heart. The look that Miss Universe is
looking for. Do you want to know who they are? Miss Universe wants someone like Jennifer Hawkins (2004) and Riyo Mori (2007)."
Naturally, the comments have been copied and pasted in practically ever pageant
message board in the universe. One pageant fan remarked that the success of Inés's girls can be attributed to this
magic formula: Gucci gowns + gossip = attention. It's so true. The Gucci gowns may be new, but gossip has been a
staple of pageantry since its inception. Gossips and rumour certainly attract more publicity than a Gucci gown, but
a plain-Jane Gucci-wearing Japanese gossiper should easily make TMZ or Page Six without any problem!
• WHAT? NO MISS PHOTOGENIC? This year, MUO decided to scrap the Miss Photogenic award and nobody knows why. Are they
that desperate in saving money? Couldn't they have found a sponsor to support this award? Eliminating this award means
eliminating any chance for either the Philippines or Puerto Rico to win it again! LOL! In place of the Miss Photogenic award,
MUO will highlight the Best National Costume award by allowing the public to select the winner via online - which opens the
possibility for Puerto Rico to win its first costume award or the second for the Philippines.
• CB's coverage of Miss Universe 2008 will be primarily done in Spanish in Belleza Crítica by Héctor Joaquín. HJ has been
working like crazy compiling news articles (in English, Spanish and Vietnamese) to share with our readers, as well as
galleries. I will be writing my own comments in the Journal, but this year I need to refrain from creating an English section due
to time constraint, as I need to prepare for my Mister USA 2008 pageant sometime in late August.
Come back tomorrow for Belleza Crítica's Fierce Top 20! And speaking of HJ, his blog was
named by Global Beauties as one of the four best pageant blogs in the world. Congratulations, HJ!
• THE NEW MISTER SINGAPORE is Jovin Koh, a 22-year old law student representing the estate of Bedok. Koh
was crowned last Friday at the Braddell Heights Auditorium. Koh won over $65,000 in cash and prizes and will
represent Singapore in the Mister International 2008 pageant to be held in Taiwan in October. His court includes
first runner-up Alex Zhang of Bukit Timah, second runner-up Ash Su of Pasir Ris, third runner-up Faryz
Rahmad of Serangoon and Shahrizal Razali of Yishun. Koh was crowned by last year's winner, Gabriel Goh.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, June 30, 2008.
Photo credits: Miss Universe Organization, VietNam Net
| 06.16.2008 | Monday
• IN OR OUT? Earlier last week, it was reported that Kosovo's representative to Miss Universe Zana Krasniqi, 19,
would not be allowed to compete in Vietnam because the Vietnamese government does not recognize Kosovo as
a country and therefore would not issue a visa to Krasniqi. But now it seems that Krasniqi may be able to participate
after all, thanks to MUO's plea bargaining with the Vietnamese government. The Kosovo and Albania franchises are
owned by Fadil Berisha, who is also the official photographer of Miss Universe.
• OR DOES SHE? The $25,000 in public funds that Ingrid Marie Rivera was going to receive might be frozen
because Magali Febles has not submitted her formal and final proposal that would justify the donation of
the funds, according to Iván Cardona, the spokesperson for the Tourism Company of Puerto Rico. Cardona
said that the funds will be distributed as soon as the proposal has been submitted. Cardona believes that
the donation is a good investment as it might boost the country's tourism industry should Ingrid win Miss Universe.
(Frontera, Mexico, 6/15/2008)
• DEBORAH THINKS IT'S UNNECESSARY : In a recent interview with El Nuevo Dia, former Miss Universe titleholders from Puerto Rico,
Marisol Malaret (1970) and Deborah Carthy Deu (1985) stated that big changes have taken place since they
won their national titles. Marisol's competition gown belonged to a friend of hers, and she had to return her jewelry to the
company that had loaned it to her. Deborah said that she traveled to Miami alone, without an entourage. The only people who
sent her off at the airport were her family and her director Ana Santisteban. In their days, Marisol and Deborah never
received lucrative support from sponsors, compared to beauty queens of today who practically get everything for free, from
plastic surgery, to dental work, from personal training to expensive wardrobe - things that should be provided by the Miss Puerto
Rico Universe organization itself since it is a for-profit company. For this reason, Deborah thinks that the use of public funds
to pay for the travel costs of Ingrid Rivera and her entourage is not necessary and that the money would be better spent in
financing less privileged groups. (El Nuevo Dia, 6/14/2008)
• PLEASE, NO MORE WORLD PEACE! Nadine Velazquez doesn't want to hear about world peace. At least not at the
Miss Universe contest July 13 in Vietnam, where she will be judging. "That thing about 'I want to change the world,
to help combat poverty,"' Velazquez says in a sarcastic voice and laughs, "I don't want to hear that, because
they're not going to do it." The "My Name Is Earl" actress says she wants to see passion. "I think the girls have
to have a true passion, something to fight for, some desire to help people in a realistic way," says Velazquez,
the daughter of Puerto Rican parents who spoke in a mix of Spanish and English in a telephone interview
from Los Angeles. (Yahoo Canada News, 6/13/2008)
• THE SCHEDULE : The organising board of Miss Universe 2008 pageant has completed the working schedule for competitors
from June 17 to July 14 in Vietnam. According to the schedule, international beauties will participate in many fashion
shows in big cities of Vietnam. On June 21, they will attend a fashion show and a red-carpet party in HCM City.
On June 22, they will model traditional Vietnamese clothes, and on June 24, Vietnamese ao dai. These two events will be aired live.
In the central ancient town of Hoi An, 80 beauties will take part in a street parade on June 25. In Hanoi, they will
join a party called “Ambassadors’ Night”. They will go to Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province after that to take a boat
trip and participate in a charity gift auction. During this tour, the NBC channel will shoot a 9-minute clip to
advertise Vietnam.
After the tour to Ha Long city, competitors will come back to the coastal city of Nha
Trang in Khanh Hoa province to perform in swimsuits on July 2 and prepare for the final night on July 14. From July 2-14,
contestants will attend many events in Nha Trang city. Vietnam has nearly completed preparations for the beauty contest.
The press centre has welcomed the first foreign journalists. Nearly 400 experts of the Miss Universe Organisation (MUO)
have been working in Vietnam since late May. The major stage of over 1,000sq.m for Miss Universe 2008 contest in Nha Trang
was decorated on June 8 by MUO’s experts.
Vietnamese bamboo trees are the key image to decorate the stage. The stage’s
background will be changed continuously with Vietnam's symboles, from Thap Rua (Turtle Tower) to Khue Van Cac in Hanoi,
from Dong Son bronze drums to Nha Trang sea and Ha Long Bay and Vietnam’s images captured by NBC cameramen.
The major stage will be completed before June 30 to serve training activities for over 80 competitors from July 2-7.
(VietnamNet, 6/9/2008)
• FRUSTRATED : Lupita Jones, the only Miss Universe from Mexico and the national director of Nuestra
Belleza México, confessed that she was ready "to throw the towel" after seventeen years of running the national
pageant. Lupita is frustrated because she thinks that the judges have prevented Mexico from winning Miss Universe.
She also denounced the rumour that reported that she influences the Miss Universe judges to never select
another Mexican woman to win because she wants to remain as the only Miss Universe from her country. Is she really
giving up as the director? On the contrary. "I can't back down now. What keeps me up are the girls themselves who,
even without us winning, tell me, 'Thanks, Lupita, for giving me the experience of my life.' This inspires me
to keep on going." (Tribuna de San Luís, México, 6/13/2008)
• HOT MOM : Former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres has been picked to represent "Hot Moms." Dayanara
will be the face of "beautiful moms" thanks to her participation in the video "Beautiful Now", the first
single by U.S. singer Alex Woodward. In the video, Dayanara appears with her sons Cristian and Ryan,
who are 7 and 4 years of age respectively. The song was inspired by the author and founder of HotMomsClub.com
Jessica Denay. (Billboard in Español, 6/13/2008)
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, June 23, 2008.
Photo credits: Miss Puerto Rico Unofficial Message Board, ShowBiz Ireland
| 06.09.2008 | Monday
• CONSERVATIVE VIETS : The culture czars of Vietnam are telling beauty pageant contestants and fashion models
to cover up, even as the country gears up to host the Miss Universe pageant. The contest, which will be broadcast
globally from Nha Trang in July, is being touted as the biggest international ev-ent to be held here since the
end of the Vietnam War. Arts and performance regulations ban sexy stage displays but do not clearly define how
much flesh can be bared. In recent weeks, however,Communist Party officials have made it tougher for shows to
be held unless outfits that they consider too scanty are redesigned or shrouded with a shawl or cape.
Professor Trinh Duy Luan, director of Hanoi's Institute for Social
Studies, said: "Monitoring stage performers to stop them from wearing clothes that might be regarded as too
sexy is a hot issue now." At the recent Vietnam Super Model Contest 2008, for instance, the competitors were
forced to don capes during the swimwear section. Organisers of fashion shows must obtain prior approval
from the Culture ministry's local officials. Many retailers and designers are criticising the crackdown.
Mr. Vu Ha, manager of a trendy clothing outlet in Hanoi, said: "What the models are wearing is not
indecent or even low-necked. The officials are too conservative and out of date, they should start to move
with the times."
One of Vietnam's best-known designers, Mr. Vo Viet Chung, chastised
the state censors. "A trashy half-naked disco dancer is different from a lady in a party dress that reveals
her bare back," he said. "We understand the difference between elegance and erotica."
As the much-hyped Miss Universe pageant looms, there is concern about how censorship may affect it.
"If the Miss Universe candidates are asked to wear shawls, it will make a mockery of the contest in
Viet Nam," said Ha. Miss Universe organisers such as the Ho Chi Minh City-based Thanh Nien Film Company are
nonplussed. Its vice-director, Mr. Ho Van Dac, who will be in charge of the show's swimsuit section, said:
"At the moment, I don't have any information about whether this cover-up rule will be applied to the
Miss Universe contest in July. But personally, I don't think the ministry of culture will ask us to do it."
He added: "I say that because when the Miss Earth 2007 contest was held at Nha Trang, where the Miss Universe
contest will take place, they did not ask candidates to follow this rule." (The Statesman, Kolkata, India, 6/7/2008)
• TOURISM SURGE? The central coastal city of Nha Trang is expecting to welcome tourists in their thousands during
the Miss Universe pageant in early July. The city predicts there will be 22,000 visitors a day arriving for the pageant
from July 7-15, representing a 20 percent increase from last year’s figures. Eighty percent of three- and five-star hotels
have already been booked, and 40 percent of the 350 other hotels in the coastal city have also been taken.
Two three-star hotels Novotel and Diamond Bay Resort with about 200 rooms are working to open their doors before the
pageant begins to meet the demands of tourists.(VietNamNet Bridge, Vietnam, 6/6/2008)
• THE NEW MISS INTERNATIONAL PANAMA is Alejandra Arias Rivera, a 20-year-old model who was crowned last Thursday in
Panama City. She will represent her country in Miss International 2008 pageant in Tokyo in November.
Her court includes first runner-up Shassia Falcón, second runner-up Vilma Tuñón, third runner-up
Vanessa Wachter and fourth runner-up Mares Bernal.
Absent at the event was last year's Miss Earth Venezuela Silvana Santaella
was dethroned two weeks ago for reasons that are not clear. However, in the Venezuelan
message boards, one can read a posting saying that Santaella was dethroned by the Sambil organizers for giving
them a hard time and not fulfilling her appearance obligations. Another poster wrote that as soon as Santaella collected her last paycheck, she renounced
her title and moved to Panama several months ago.
• THE NEW MANHUNT INTERNATIONAL is Abdelmoumen El Maghraouy, a 26-year-old teleoperator representing Morocco. He was
crowned at the Circle night club in Seoul, Korea last Monday. Completing the top five were first runner-up Egill Arnljots
of Sweden, second runner-up Cesar Vargas of Costa Rica, third runner-up Lee Jae-Hwan of Korea, and fourth
runner-up Claudio Furtado of Angola. Over forty contestants competed in this year's pageant.
• THE NEW MISS ITALY WORLD is Claudia Russo, 25, of Messina who was crowned Saturday night at the Piazza Aldo Moro
in Gallipoli. The other two finalists were Incaldana Diletta Neri and Valentina Mascia. (Puglialive.net, 6/8/2008)
• THE NEW MISS NAMIBIA is Marelize Robberts who was crowned Saturday night in Windhoek. Her court includes first
princess Leani Roux and second princess Kimera Markowitz. Robberts will compete in Miss Universe 2008.
• THE NEW MISS EUROCOPA is Dominika Huzvarova of the Czech Republic who was crowned in Rust, Germany
on May 31st. Sixteen European contestants participated in a beauty pageant that coincides with the Eurocup, which
is the European soccer preliminaries to the World Cup. Filiz Heilmann of Turkey was named first princess
and Mariola Shabanaj of Greece was selected second princess. (Univision, 6/3/2008).
• NEWSPAPER BARRED : According to Informanté reporter Elvis Mboya, the organiser of the annual Miss Namibia pageant,
Connie Maritz, made it "categorically clear that Informanté will not cover this year's event. Mboya noted that Maritz
singled out the weekly tabloid because of what she termed as "negative publicity" in the newspaper's reports on the event.
Meanwhile, in a telephone interview with MISA Namibia, Maritz emphasized: "I did not invite the Informanté to the event,
and I will not allow any interviews to be conducted with any Informanté reporters. Any and all of the reports done
by the Informanté on the pageant and events around the pageant have been incorrect, unethical and untrue!
For that reason, they have not been invited." (Media Institute of Southern Africa, Windhoek, 6/5/2008)
• GALLIC POLL : In a recent poll conducted by TV Mag (the French equivalent of TV Guide), 59% of the French
said that they want Valérie Bègue to remain as Miss France 2008, while 84% said that they don't support
Geneviève de Fontenay, the director of Miss France. De Fontenay is skeptical about the poll: "These
results contradict what I often hear in the streets. Valérie Bègue is rejected by both Miss World and Miss Universe,
as if she never existed!" Bègue says otherwise: "This poll is important because it proves that the French are
behind me. Perhaps they also condemn De Fontenay's hatred towards me." (Le Blog de Jean-Marc Morandini, 7/6/2008)
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, June 16, 2008.
Photo credits: Sambil Models Venezuela, Miss Trinidad & Tobago
| 06.02.2008 | Monday
• THE NEW MISS MALAYSIA UNIVERSE is Levy Li Su Lin, a 20-year-old university student from Terengganu who
was crowned Friday at the Gardens Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. She beat thirteen other contenders. Her interpretation
of the pageant's theme “Real women behind the beauty” won her rapturous applause. “Beauty must come in a whole package
and it is just as its letters suggest – B, brain; E, elegance, A, attitude, U, unique, T, tall that means standing
tall and be confident, and Y, yourself,” she said. Jean Thor Jean Nee, 23, from Federal Territory, and
Valerie Chan Hsueh Yi, 23, from Sarawak, won the first and second runner-up titles, respectively.
(The Star, Malaysia, 5/31/2008)
• THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE TANZANIA is Amanda Sululu who was crowned in Dar-es-Salaam on May 29th. The first
runner-up if Jamila Nyanga and the second runner-up is Eva Babuely.
• THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE ITALY is Claudia Ferraris, 19, who comes from Bergamo. Ferraris was crowned in a ceremony
that took place in Riccione. She will now represent her country in Miss Universe 2008 in Vietnam.
• SPECIAL ELECTION : The new Norsk Miss Universe is Mariann Birkedal, 21, from Stavanger. She will represent
Norway in Miss Universe 2008. Norsk Miss Universe was a special pageant because Frøken Norge 2007, Lisa-Mari Moen Jünge,
was not accepted as a Miss Universe contestant because the a Norwegian search in 2008 had already taken place and
was won by Lene Egeli.
• DUTCH DUTCHESSES : Charlotte Labee, 22, was crowned as the new Miss Universe Top Beauty Netherlands 2008 who was
crowned May 30th. The first runner-up is Jelena Petrova and the second runner-up is Molou Verhoeks. The Miss
Universe Top Beauty Netherlands is a new pageant for the Netherlands organized by Sheida Wever, Miss Curaçao 1985. The
Netherlands return to Miss Universe after two years of absence; its last representative was Sharita Sopacua in 2005.
• GREEK GODDESSES : Dionisia Koukiou, a 22-year old student from Athens, was crowned Star Hellas 2008 during
an event held on May 26th. Dionisia stands 1.78 m tall and will represent Greece at the Miss Universe 2008 pageant
in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Her 1st runner-up was Ria Antoniou, who will represent Greece at the Miss International
2008 pageant in Macau next November. Crowned as Miss Hellas 2008 was Angeliki Kalaitzi, who will compete
at the Miss World 2008 contest in Ukraine next October. Her 1st runner-up was Sofia Roditi.
• BAHAMIAN BELLES : Following four months of an extensive training and grooming regimen, the fifteen young women vying for
the title of Miss Bahamas World 2008 will be unveiled to the public today during a red carpet premier reception
for their new TV show, "Miss Bahamas World: Backstage Pass!" The gala affair will be held at the Official Host Venue for
the 2008 Miss Bahamas World pageant – Baha Mar’s Wyndham Nassau Resort – in the ballroom foyer beginning at 7 p.m.
This year’s Miss Bahamas World Beauty Pageant is slated for June 29th, 2008 at the Rainforest Theatre of the
Wyndham Nassau Resort on Cable Beach under the theme, Pure Elegance. (Thank to the Miss Bahamas Organization for this info).
• QUEEN MIRIAM : Creative Options, Inc. - the company that owns the Puerto Rican franchise for Miss International -
has handpicked Miriam Pabón Carrión as the country's representative to Miss International 2008 to be held in
October and November in Tokyo, Japan and in Macao, China. Pabón is a professional model, actress and acting instructor.
She was Miss Puerto Rico Latina 2002. Earlier this year, she placed fourth in Miss World Puerto Rico 2008 and was a co-winner
of the Miss Critical Beauty World Puerto Rico 2008 award.
• WHO IS HE? Alan Martini, Mister International, left Singapore this morning with MSO president
Alan Sim for a week-long visit to Taiwan, the venue for this year's Mister International pageant. Singapore airport
officials almost blocked Martini from boarding because he had forgotten to bring his arrival/departure card
with him. When Sim informed the officials that Martini is the current Mister International, they didn't believe him.
Finally, they allowed him to board only after Martini had showed them his sash and several photos from his coronation.
• A PRECIOUS GIFT : Carlos Alberto, the world-renowned Puerto Rican designer, received a precious diamond-studded
ring from Al and Gail Clark, the couple who runs the Miss Texas USA organization, as an acknowledgment for his
fine work with Miss Texas USA Crystle Stewart who was crowned Miss USA 2008 wearing a Carlos Alberto gown. The
Clarks had promised Alberto that they would regale him with a ring - designed exclusively for Miss Texas USA by I.W. Jewelers -
if Stewart won Miss USA wearing one of his original gowns. Alberto will also be designing the gown that Miss Puerto Rico
Universe Ingrid Rivera will be wearing during the finals of Miss Universe 2008 in Vietnam.
Here's a
retrospective look of YSL's life, work and art.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, June 9, 2008.
Photo credits: Than Nien News, Mbl.is, AFP
MAY 2008
• THE NEW MISS BAHAMAS WORLD was crowned last evening before a capacity crowd at the Wyndham Nassau Resort's
Rainforest Theatre. She is 21-year-old Tinnyse Johnson who had entered the pageant as Miss Fox Phone Card Center.
Tinnyse won over fourteen contestants who were collectively billed as The Fierce Fifteen.
She will compete in the Miss World pageant in Ukraine on October 4th. Her court includes First Princess
Tiara Cooper who is also Miss Bahamas Tourism Queen, and Second Princess Crystal Bethel who was
also crowned Bahamas Top Model and Miss Beauty of the Bahamas. The other finalists were Sharrana Thompson
and Azaria Clare. 
• TRAGEDY : A European Vogue cover model fell to her death from her Manhattan apartment building Saturday in
an apparent suicide, published reports said. Ruslana Korshunova, 20, (photo) died around 2:30 p.m. in a fall from a
building on Water Street, in Manhattan's Financial District, The New York Post, the Daily News and Newsday reported.
The newspapers cited unnamed officials and police. Police said the fall was under investigation. Korushnova's New
York agency and a spokeswoman for medical examiners did not immediately return telephone messages. 
• AO DAI WINNER : Venezuela's Dayana Mendoza, (photo), who is virtually on everyone's list of favorites to win Miss
Universe 2008, won the Ao Dai competition early last week. During a phone interview with the Venezuelan press,
Mendoza stated that she did not expect to win because the girls had not been informed that it was going to be a
competition. Mendoza, who tripped in the beginning of her catwalk (she had stepped on her long skirt), managed
to laugh it off, much to the delight of the audience. (Diário 2001, Caracas, 6/28/2008)
If correspondents suggest taking photos with contestants, all of them will be eager to accept but MUO hasn't
allowed any to take. A female correspondent still disguised as desginer assistant to take pictures of contestants when
they're preparing for Ao dai Gala although she was informed about strict regulations: No photos, No Interview, No requests
for Contestants' phone numbers and emails. When she's about to take the 2nd photo, she faced a bodyguard with a direct warning
"No photo. I won’t corporate if you don’t accept rules." "Won't Corporate" means the correspondent card will be recalled.
This action of Miss Universe is highly respected by Vietnamese correspondents although they can't have any photos. It's
very different from Miss Earth, correspondents could approach ladies easily, even in the changing-room to take photos.
• MISSPELLED : Rabid Filipino pageant fans took offense after seeing Miss Philippines Jennifer Barrientos's sash misspelled
with two Ls (Phillippines). It took three days for the MUO staff to correct the error, but a source is saying that the error
remains in the official program book. And speaking of more spelling, why oh why did they not spell out "United Kingdom?!!!"
The poor girl Lisa Lazarus has to wear her two-letter sash "UK". Geography illiterates may wonder or even mispronounce
the name of her country (ahk? ook? Sounds eschatological to me.) Talk about saving even more money.
• SHE'S GOT SUPPORT : The Tourism Company of Puerto Rico announced that it would donate US$25,000 to the
Miss Puerto Rico Universe Organization. The announcement took place when Ingrid Marie Rivera (photo), Miss
Puerto Rico Universe, met with senator Jorge de Castro Font last Thursday at the Capitol where she
was presented with an official recognition certificate. MPRU director Magal Febles could not hold her
tears when she was notified that she would receive the money that will cover the airfare and accomodation
costs of five staff members that will accompany Ingrid to the pageant in Vietnam. Says Magali: "I depend
on private funding. People think that one becomes a millionaire with the pageant and it's not like that.
The global cost in the pageant runs to around $100,000." Ingrid becomes the first Puerto Rican beauty queen
to receive financial support from her country's government. (El Nuevo Dia, San Juan, 6/13/2008) 
• THE NEW MISS UNIVERSE IRELAND is Lynn Kelly (photo), a 20-year-old patient coordinator and
and accomplished Irish dancer, who was crowned on June 8th in Dublin's CityWest Hotel. The first runner-up is
Lorraine Turner, 26, a stylist and part-time model from Tipperary. Twenty-seven young women competed
in the pageant whose judges included former Miss World from Ireland Rosanna Davison. (Limerickpost.ie, 6/9/2008).
• SHE'LL BE THERE : Anya Ayoung Chee (photo) departs next weekend to Vietnam to represent Trinidad and Tobago at
the 57th annual Miss Universe competition. Ayoung Chee was crowned Miss Trinidad and Tobago on February 24
and has been on a rigorous training regime in preparation for the pageant. In a statement, Ayoung Chee spoke about
the qualities she felt she had that would allow her to shine at Miss Universe 2008. “Like my country, I am unique
and eclectic in many ways, from my ethnicity to my interests and life experiences. “I have the sort of personality
that allows me to get along with everyone I meet. I am passionate and compassionate and most of all I intend
to have a great time. When I enjoy something it shows, so I know I will shine from the inside out,”
said Ayoung Chee. (Trinidad News, Trinidad and Tobago, 06/7/2008)
• THE NEW MISS VIETNAM UNIVERSE is Nguyen Thuy Lam, (photo), a 21-year-old popular singer who also became a
well-known TV actress. Lam was crowned in Nha Trang's Vinpearl Land resort. Lam used to live in Germany
and is fluent in English and German. The first runner-up is Vo Hoang Yen and the second runner-up is
Duong Truong Thien Ly. (Thanh Nien News, 6/1/2008)
• THE NEW MISS ICELAND is Alexandra Helga Ívarsdóttir, 18, (photo) from Reykjavik. The first runner-up is
Ingibjörg Ragnheiður Egilsdóttir from Austfirðingur and second runner-up is Sonja Björk Jónsdóttir, 18
from Svarfaðardal. Ívarsdóttir will represent Iceland in Miss World 2008. First Runner-Up, Ingibjörg Ragnheiður will
compete in Miss Universe 2008. 
• YVES THE GREAT : Yves Saint-Laurent, (photo) the world's greatest fashion designer, died yesterday in his
home in Paris. I have never worn or owned a YSL creation for men, not because I couldn't afford one, but that I had always
thought that I didn't deserve perfection. If YSL didn't influence my sense of fashion, he certainly influenced the way
I approached literature. When I was a graduate student in French, I analyzed several works by Philippe Sollers (b. 1936),
a French avant-garde writer. Sollers rejected anything traditional or bourgeois in the text, much in the same way that YSL
rejected anything banal or boring in the fabric. Both YSL and Sollers were ahead of their times, and their visionary approach
to their respective profession inspired me to cultivate my own vision, that is, of surrendering myself to the extraordinary while
being loyal to this quote by YSL: "We must never confuse elegance with snobbery."