Beauty scandal: Andrea horrified by skeletal Miss Australia

Andrea Roche is appalled by the latest scandal to rock the modelling world -- the clearly underweight contestant in the Miss Australia contest who was chosen as runner-up.

Miss Universe Ireland organiser Andrea said that the images of Australian finalist, Stephanie Naumoska, shocked her and she was relieved that the girl wasn't crowned the winner of the competition.

Naumoska (19) was one of 32 contestants who made the final at an event aimed at promoting "healthy, proportioned, bodies".

At 5ft 11in tall, she weighed in at just 7st 8lb which represented a body mass index of 15.1. This figure is below the benchmark for malnutrition and the issue has caused controversy around the world.

"In my 12 years in the industry, I have never had any experience dealing with anyone like this," said Andrea. "With the photo that I saw, it's obvious that her body shape was malnourished. She had no glow, her eyes were dead, she had no shape."

Andrea (31) said she was always "a good size 10 model" and was a size 12 when she won Miss Ireland.

"I never felt any pressure or anything," she said.

"I once encountered an anorexia person at a competition, but they had to be sent home. Their hair had fallen out and their cheeks had become hollow."

But Andrea said the issue has highlighted that the modelling industry does not condone super-skinniness.

"Something good can come out of it because it will show girls how an unhealthy body shape is not something to aspire to," she said. "I'm glad there has been uproar around it. It just goes to show that it is not the norm in beauty pageants."

Andrea is continuing her search for Miss Universe Ireland 2009. The final will be held in the City West Hotel on June 26.

"There will be 30 representatives from around the country and the standard just keeps getting better," she said.

Another Beauty Queen Busted for Drugs

Life has certainly changed for a Maryland beauty queen, now busted on drug charges. Police arrested Tia Shorts, Miss Maryland USA 2004, last Wednesday at her home in Germantown. Police say she and her boyfriend were dealing drugs from their apartment. She's now charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine, possession of cocaine and possession of marijuana. "I guess something must have gone wrong, or I mean obviously we didn't know what was going on with them. There was more than meets the eye I guess." said neighbor Rebecca Straus. It all went down at Shorts' apartment on Pickering Court. Police staked out the place Tuesday night after getting a tip from a source that her boyfriend, Joey King, had heroin. Court documents say they spotted King leaving the apartment and pulled him over a short distance away. Officers say he had heroin, crack cocaine and large amounts of cash on him.

The next day, police kept the apartment under surveillance. Police say King's brother and mother showed up at the apartment. When they left, officers pulled the car over. Court documents say the pair had cocaine, a gun and more cash. Police say King's mother stuffed some of the cocaine into her bra. Inside the apartment, police say they found 29-year old Shorts and more drugs, including marijuana. "It's shameful. It is, because it's not a good example for the kids or the community." said Pamela, a mother who was playing with her children outside the apartment complex. When told about the arrest, the Miss Maryland USA pageant coordinator, Angela Shealy said "It's sad to hear the news for her. It troubles me and I am saddened to hear that. She's always been a very lovely lady."

Just a few years ago Shorts seemed to have everything, a place in the national spotlight. Now she's a beauty queen disgraced. "You can be glamorous and never know what you're doing undercover... anybody can live a double life," said neighbor Shirletta Reynolds who had heard about Shorts' pageant title. She was released on 10-thousand dollars bond. No one answered the door at her apartment today. Miss Maryland USA organizers say they lost touch with Shorts after she ended her term. The onetime beauty queen was also named Miss Amity, the equivalent of the Miss Congeniality Award. (From Criticalbeauty)

Get free website for your blog

Miss Universe Controversies Through the Years

Here are some of the controversies in the Miss Universe pageant collected to us by Joyce Lamela. This was sent to me by a reader.

Miss Universe, just like any other prestigious event and contest, is mixed with great anticipation and intrigues. Here, the author listed several controversies that happened in one of the oldest beauty pageant in the world.

MIRIAM STEVENSON OF USA (1954)-was the first Miss USA winner of the Miss Universe title in 1954. There it happen the first controversy of the pageant. Miriam tied with Miss Brazil’s Martha Rocha, the organizers decided to break the tie through the pageant’s major sponsor-the Catalina Swimwear, eventually the judging boiled down to who has the greater body. The votes favored Miriam Stevenson, because according to reports, she had the fitter hips compared to Miss Brazil.

GLADYS ZENDER OF PERU(1957)-born on October 1939, Gladys made history as the first Latin woman to win the prestigious Miss Universe title, but she was controversial because of her age. Few months after the pageant, it was revealed that the Peruvian beauty queen was only 17 years old, a year younger than the minimum age requirement of the pageant (18). The pageant organizers however was quick to defend that in Peru a person is considered one year older than their age after 6 months of their actual birthday. She was not dethroned however. She married Antonio Meier in 1965 and had 4 children together. Gladys Zender, the youngest Miss Universe winner ever, chose to live a quiet life away from the glittery world of show business.

AMPARO MUÑOZ OF SPAIN (1974)- born on June 22, 1954 in Spain, Amparo was the only Miss Universe titlist from Spain. She won the title in 1974 in Manila, Philippines. Several months after she was crowned, she gave up her title to pursue a showbiz career. She did not replace by the pageant organizer and managed to keep her crown.

MARITZA SAYALERO OF VENEZUELA (1979)- born on Feb.16,1961 in Caracas, Venezuela, Maritza became the first Venezuelan to win the Miss Unverse title. When she was named Miss Venezuela, her first runner up Maria Fernanda Ramirez refused to accept the result, Ramirez’s family confronted the jury, nevertheless the title secured by Maritza. But another unfortunate event greeted the first few hours of her reign in Perth, Australia where the pageant was held, when the live telecast was over, the stage collapsed due to the presence of so many journalists taking her photos, several contestants were injured including Miss Brazil and Miss Turkey. The audience panicked but Maritza, with her tiara and sash on, had the presence of mind to save one contestant from a hole of the stage. She then went to New York City to serve her term and responded her role with determination to help charities. She married in 1981 to a Mexican tennis player Raul Ramirez and presently lived in Mexico

IRENE SAEZ CONDE OF VENEZUELA (1981)-born in December 13, 1961 was the only Miss Universe titlist who floated to the world of politics. In early 1990’s she served a two term as mayor in the municipality of Chacao, Venezuela. Her performance as mayor gained her a nationwide popularity that in 1997 she was considered a potential presidential candidate, but in the 1998 Venezuelan national election she lost to Hugo Chavez. She regained her political career in 1999 when she won the gubernatorial race in the province of Nueva Esparta but gave up her post in the late 2000 when she got married and moved to Florida, USA.

DAYANARA TORRES OF PUERTO RICO (1993)-born on October 28,1974 in Puerto Rico, Dayanara’s victory in the Miss Universe tilt attracted controversy because she did not win any of the 3 major categories in that pageant held in Mexico. She placed 4th in the question & answer portion, fifth in both swimsuit and evening gown competition, nevertheless, Dayanara proved her worth on the crown, during her reign, she worked endlessly on various charities, she became an ambassador of UNICEF helping underprivileged children through out the world. After her reign, she established a foundation which provided scholarships to children. She lived for five years in the Philippines where she became a well-known TV host, actress and model. After her stint in Philippine television, she moved to Puerto Rico and to the US and started a singing and acting career, she married Latin singer Marc Anthony on May 9, 2000 where she had 2 sons, but on October 2003, they announced the sad news of separation and divorced a year after. Currently, Dayanara is dating American actor Amaury Nolasco. Her ex-husband Marc Anthony married Jennifer Lopez whom he had twins.

SUSHMITA SEN OF INDIA (1994)- born on November 19, 1975 in West Bengal, India, is the daughter of Indian Air force wing commander Shubeer Sen and Subhra Sen, a fashion artist and jewelry designer. In May 10, 1994, Sushmita became the first Indian to win the Miss Unverse title in Manila, Philippnes. The pageant result at first, did not suits well to the fame craze Pinoy audience who favored the Venezuelan bet Minorka Mercado, a towering 6’2 varsity player in volleyball. Sushmita, who was a dark horse during the contest, did not win the crowd’s admiration with her not-so elegant gown and appearance, even in the fearless forecast before the actual show she failed to capture the public’s fantasy, whose favorites were Kristelle Rolandt of Belgium, Areeya Chumsai of Thailand, Minorka Mercado of Venezuela and the home bet Charlene Gonzales. Sushmita only emerged 3rd during the interview portion and fourth on the swimsuit and evening gown competitions. But she impressed the 8 panel of judges, including the hairstylist of Princess Diana- Richard Dalton, with her unique poise, grace and intellect, her winning answer to the final question “What is the essence of being a woman” was inspiring that it became a household quotes among the Filipinos, she said: “A woman is a gift and it should be appreciated, she is the origin of life, therefore should be treated not as a mere sexual object but as an important human being”. After her reign, she joined Bollywood showbiz in India and became a famous actress. At 34, Sushmita Sen, however, is still single but adopted a girl in 2000 whom she named Renee.

ALICIA MACHADO OF VENEZUELA (1996)-born on December 6, 1976 in Maracay, Venezuela, Alicia almost lost her title when she gained too much weight during her reign. As Miss Universe, she was expected to stay fit and trim as she would represent the Miss Universe Organization with glamour and grace. Though Alicia is one of the most beautiful Miss Universe winners ever, she looked haggard and worn out when she ballooned beyond limit. The Miss Universe organization was considering of replacing her with her first runner up Taryn Mansell of Aruba, Alicia, pressured by her title and responsibilities tried hard to loss weight. In the end, she managed to shed off extra pounds and kept her crown. The pageant owner, American billionaire Donald Trump, slighted her with the dismissive title “an eating machine” in the 1997 promotion of the next Miss Universe pageant. After her reign, she made showbiz her lifetime career, debuting on Venezuelan soap opera as “Samantha”, the telenovela, which was shown in Philippine television GMA channel in 2000, was an instant hit. In February 2006, Alicia generated another controversy when she appeared in the Mexican issue of Playboy magazine as centerfold, making her as the only Miss Universe titlist to pose nude for playboy. She got married and gave birth to a daughter last June 2008.

DENISE MARIE QUIÑONEZ OF PUERTO RICO (2001)-born on September 9, 1980 at Ponce, Puerto Rico. She was the first Miss Universe winner to win at home, which gave rise to rumors “ home court decision”. In Miss Universe history, no pageant host country wins the title. Denise bested more than 80 delegates including the crowd favorite (and my favorite too) Greek model Evelina Papantoniou whom journalists regarded as a deserving winner. Denise pursued a movie career after her term.

OXANA FEDOROVA OF RUSSIA (2002)- born on December 17, 1977 in Russia, Oxana is the daughter of a Russian nuclear physicist whom she did not meet, her parents separated when she was 3 years old and she never heard from her father since then. Oxana became the first Russian to be crowned Miss Universe in the 2002 pageant held in Puerto Rico. She graduated from Russia’s Police Academy and became a police officer, later on, she enrolled at the Russian Ministry of Internal affairs University to become an investigator, she also worked as a fashion model. In 2001 she easily won the Miss Russia title but declined to represent Russia in Miss Universe 2001 for unknown reasons, but in 2002 she went on to join the pageant, her glamorous physique made her an event favorite and scored high in three major categories, according to the official tally of scores, she earned an almost perfect score of 9.88 in the swimsuit portion, making her as the only candidate with a highest score for that event in the history of the pageant. But several months after her victory, Oxana was dethroned by Miss Universe organizers for her failures to function on her responsibilities as Miss Universe. In her interview, she denied rumors of pregnancy. She was the only official title holder of Miss Universe who was dethroned and the organization did not recognized her as “former Miss Universe winner”, she was replaced by her first runner up, Justine Pasek of Panama.

A Viewpoint on Miss Cebu Controversy

Miss Cebu is an annual pageant in one of Philippines' most popular cities. In fact, Cebu is the oldest city in the Philippines when it was established by the Spaniards who colonized the country in 1500's. This pageant is said to be one of the most prestigious beauty pageants in the Philippines but this year's competition was hurled by accusations of manipulation by the pageant organizers.

I found out an interesting article written by Ariel Allera who is a pageant coach and a contributor for The Mindanao Examiner. The title of the article is The Glitch and Glamour: Burdened by 'the beauty & the best' of Miss Cebu by Ariel Allera. Let's read it.

This is in reaction to a myriad scuttlebutts around the Miss Cebu 2009 controversy , as though not only pageant fanatics but also the people in general have been feasting on the topic based on what they've heard on radio, seen on T.V., let alone read in the papers. It's quite burdening to note that some came up with reports, both written and spoken, as if they were missologists who knew much about pageants and the ropes.

It stems from just one minor award given out during the selection cum coronation night held last January 14 at the Pacific Grand Ballroom of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino. The award in question is Globe Texters' Choice, which went to Kris Tiffany Janson. While such must've gone to Kimberley Burden, because the latter was in the lead on the survey, it's not in any way Janson's fault that her name was called. The spectators present at the venue, not to mention the televiewers who were watching the event live on Studio 23, didn't have any inkling to whom Globe Texters' Choice award was supposed to go.

No less than Kris herself was quite taken aback on the spot, because the latest she'd heard about the poll was that it was Kimberley who was leading. Matter of fact, when she was proclaimed the winner, she was hesitant to come forward, until she was completely sure it was her name having been called out by the host. Janson's supporters were as surprised at the announcement, thinking that maybe, just maybe, her votes had surpassed Burden's at the eleventh hour.

Kris Tiffany Janson's bagging the Miss Cebu 2009 crown at the end of the night had nothing to do with the special awards she had garnered prior to the coronation, as well as those she had acquired several nights ago when the candidates were first presented to the public in a fashion show held at the Fuente Osmena Circle.

Quite a number of Miss Universe delegates ended up as winners without any special award in the first place. We can only wish that, before anyone dared to write something about this, they should have followed on prestigious pageants like Miss Universe, as religiously as they keep themselves abreast with current issues...so that they would've known that Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori of Japan didn't get any special award before her crown was relinquished by Puerto Rico's Zuleyka Rivera (Miss Universe 2006), who wasn't awarded with any trophy or whatever prior to her coronation.

Canada's Natalie Glebova won the Miss Universe title in 2005 despite her not getting any minor award. The three successive years had our country's delegates (2007 Bb Pilipinas Anna Theresa Licaros, 2006 Bb Pilipinas Lia Andrea Ramos, 2005 Bb Pilipinas Gionna Cabrera) winning the Miss Photogenic special awards, respectively; however, they were unplaced in the final slot. In 1999, Miriam Quiambao won as Clairol Herbal Essences Style awardee and Spain's Diana Noguera got both the Best in Swimsuit and the Best in Gown special awards, but then Mpule Kwelagobe eventually edged them out by wearing the Miss Universe crown on her way back home to Botswana.

For 25 years now, Miss Cebu organizers have maintained their opulent taste in choosing the right people with the trained eyes for beauty, the keen ears for the sensible brains to match. Unfortunately (read: addressed to the ones who pretend to know something), this search doesn't have a swimsuit competition. The fact that Janson was adjudged Miss Cebu would mean no more than that the judges saw her potentiality to be Cebu's next official ambassador of goodwill, spokesmodel for young Cebuanas, voice to the world. Kris was indisputably a stand-out amongst everyone's bet---what with her lovely face, her vibrant personality, her classy style, her regal carriage, her good breeding, let alone her no-nonsense answer to the final question. Any intelligent audience can attest to all of the above.

How could they question the credibility of judges Tweetie de Leon-Gonzales and Katrina Holigores? Now, some people are making insinuations that both judges must've accounted a lot for Kris's victory because she had been in one of Tweetie's and Katrina's modelling workshops in FTV-Philippines. Dear friends, Metro Magazine's Katrina Holigores was judging only the Best Fashion Designer (Oj Hofer) as well as the Best in Evening Gown awards (take note: the latter went to Rizzini Alexis Gomez). Isn't it shallow?

The pageant is not just for anybody who comes in the Cebu City Tourism Commission Office and goes through the process with at least a five-feet-four stature, a beautiful face, a well-curved body, a fair-complected skin, a mind that contains her canned answers to hackneyed questions. The commissioners aren't a dumb bunch of organizers who will give the last slot to whoever can fill in the blank. Which is why a string of screenings are completed before the list of official candidates is finalized. It is downright ridiculous that, after all, it seems easy for some to say that Kris Tiffany Janson had not undergone the screening process before she was enlisted as one of the 12 official candidates to the 2009 Miss Cebu Search.

It was about 2:00PM on January 29 (Thursday) when Kris and I were together in Ayala Center, en route to Starbucks, where we were supposed to sit down on our interview for my entertainment article, when we received a text message from Dexter Alazas (her mentor, managing director of A.D. Models Philippines and StyleFirm) saying that there was a formal complaint to be filed against them for violating a pageant rule that prohibits the candidates' parents, handlers, and agents from being present in any official pageant activity. It was later stressed that Dexter attended the press conference at the Cebu City Hall and also the Miss Cebu pre-pageant night at the Fuente Osmena Circle.

Dexter had just arrived from Puerto Princesa, Palawan, together with Jam Charish Libatog, fresh from her victory at the Mutya Ng Pilipinas pageant the night prior. Being last year's Miss Cebu 2nd runner-up and another Cebuana who just did Cebu proud, Jam was brought straight to the Cebu City Hall where a press conference was being held for the Miss Cebu 2009 candidates, hosted by reigning queen Sian Elizabeth Maynard, attended by Libatog's fellow runners-up from the previous year and, of course, members of the press. Dexter's presence that evening was highly regarded because, for one, he's the manager of Jam's and, on the other hand, he's a fashion columnist of The Freeman newspaper and so he had every reason to participate in the so-called question-and-answer taking place in the room. Was that hard to understand?

True, Dexter was also present at the pre-pageant night held at the Fuente Osmena Circle. And why wouldn't he be? He's the one who designed and provided for all the 12 red evening gowns that the candidates were wearing at the finale of the fashion show. Is this harder to understand?

Anyhow, Kris and I then decided to just go straight to CCTC office where Dexter was awaiting. We couldn't help laughing up our sleeves because, how could Kris have been enlisted as official candidate if she hadn't passed through the screening? We were all just watching the video that contains the file of that said screening where Kris's first runner-up Rizzini Alexis Gomez was with her, standing before a panel of commissioners who were interviewing them.

It wasn't in any way intended as a special screening for Kris and Rizzini, because there were two other girls scheduled to undergo such but didn't show up for school reasons, because the list of official candidates was not finalized yet, because the last two applicants (Kris and Rizzini) were not difficult to fill in the blank. And w hat do they mean Kris failed to submit her curriculum vitae? There was the official Miss Cebu application form which every aspiring candidate filled out as a prerequisite for the screening. If that's what they mean, maybe it's time they knew its definition and the difference between the two.

Somehow, when thoughts are clouded with sour grapes, the mind becomes restless over nothing more or less than false accusations, a by-product of sheer envy and pure jealousy. Please bear in mind, this is not addressed to the Burdens. It doesn't carry a wisp of insinuation for anybody following on the controversy, for we believe that hate is too great a burden to bear it injures the hater more than it injures the hated. William Shakespeare wrote, "A wretched soul, bruised with adversity, We bid be quiet when we hear it cry; But were we burdened with like weight of pain, As much or more we should ourselves complain..."

Instead that we keep pulling the strings of Kris Tiffany Janson or try to lift the precious 25th Miss Cebu crown from her head, why don't we support the lovely Cebuana in her cause so that, together, we make Cebu go over with a bang in the next 25 years... and beyond?

Miss International 2008 Nipple Scandal

Have you heard about this controversy or scandal in the recent Miss International 2008 which was held in Japan and Macau, China? We have little news about this pageant and while I was browsing the internet, I found out this picture showing Miss Russia exposing her nipples.

The delegates were paying visits to sponsor Spa and getting some sensational massage. The press was allowed to take photographs and filming.

Miss Russia becomes an instant favorite since her towel did not fully cover her boobs. She later told the press that her cup size was E according to her "masseure". The press was thrilled to see so many beautiful women “semi-naked”.

Zuzana Putnarova of Czech Republic and Julia Galichenko of Ukraine were also lambasted by the some animal rights activists for wearing fur coat during the pageant. The fur coat wore by Galichenko is made by at least 40 dead animals.

The reason why Miss Czech Republic was condoned is because Humane Society of the United States concluded that the use of cats and dogs for fur is thriving in the Czech Republic and other Eastern European countries. This fur, which comes from both strays and captured pets, is often falsely labeled to disguise its origins.

Here are some pictures of the winners lead my Miss Spain who won the title. This is already the third Miss International for Spain.