The Beauty Pageant Blog

9th annual Miss Earth Beauty Pageant on November 22, 2009

2009-11-05T14:02:00.003-06:00

Watch for the 9th annual Miss Earth beauty pageant to be held at the Boracay Ecovillage Resort and Convention Center, in the Island of Boracay, Philippines on November 22, 2009.

Delegates to the Miss Earth pageant number more than 80 contestants every year, hailing from such places as Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, the USA... to the UK, and every country in between!

The Miss Earth pageant took place live at its traditional home in the Philippines last year on Sunday, November 9, 2008. That's when Miss Philippines Karla Paula Henry bested 84 other international beauties to take the 2008 crown. An all around winner, Karla also took home the Miss Earth Designers Award and the title of Miss Photogenic.

During their 3-week stay, Miss Earth delegates promote environmental advocacy in nearby communities, and compete in the traditional pre-pageant events such as Long Gown, Swimsuit, Talent and National Costume competitions.

Throughout the year, the current Miss Earth will be kept busy attending to her obligations as the Ambassador of Mother Earth in promoting the care and protection of the environment.

On the Web, learn more about the history of one of the world's largest beauty pageants, the environmental causes it promotes along with personal details and pictures of Miss Earth contestants from around the world ...Miss Earth - Beauties for a Cause

Philippines’ quest for elusive Miss World crown continues

2009-11-05T13:53:00.002-06:00

The Philippines’ bet to the 2009 Miss World beauty pageant left Thursday morning for London and South Africa as the country continues its quest for the elusive title in the only major beauty contest that the Philippines has not won.

Marie Ann Umali, 22, of Batangas City, said she has prepared enough for the 58th edition of the beauty pageant.

“I’ve waited long enough and I think I have prepared for the contest,” Umali said during a send-off party at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City Thursday morning.

Russia’s Ksenia Sukhinova is the current Miss World. Some 120 contestants will compete in the pageant that will begin in London, England on November 7 and will end in Johannesburg on December 13.

During the preliminaries, the candidates will join four fast-track events – sports, beach beauty, top model, and talent – with the winner in each event advancing to the semis.

Of the fast-track competitions, Umali said that she is most interested in beach beauty and top model. She said she will not compete in the talent portion.

It was a redemption for Umali when she won the Bb. Pilipinas World crown in her second try after landing in the semifinals during her first attempt. She won the top two most coveted special titles – Best in Long Gown and Miss Photogenic – on her way to clinching the title.

Umali, a tourism graduate of the De La Salle University-College of St. Benilde, said she trained tirelessly and diligently to pursue her dream of becoming the country’s first Miss World titlist.

Umali stands 5’7” tall and measures 35-25½-36. She plans to pursue a career as a flight attendant prior to putting up a restaurant.

Of all the major beauty contests, only the Miss World crown has yet to be won by the Philippines. The highest the country has achieved was when Evangeline Pascual won first-runner- up in 1973. The winner, Marjorie Wallace of the USA, was later stripped of the title but Pascual was never crowned.

In 1993, Sharmaine “Ruffa” Gutierrez won second runner-up. Other placements were Caroline Subijano (Top 10, 1994), Katherine Anne Manalo (Top 10, 2002), Maria Rafaela Yunon (Top 5, 2003), Maria Karla Bautista (Top 5, 2004) and Carlene Aguilar (Top 15, 2005).

TV host Mario Lopez to host Miss America pageant

2009-11-05T13:43:00.001-06:00

TV host Mario Lopez to host Miss America pageant

LOS ANGELES — Here comes Mario Lopez as the Miss America pageant host.

TLC and the Miss America Organization said Wednesday that the 36-year-old “Extra” host and former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant will again serve as master of ceremonies for the live Jan. 30 ceremony at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Lopez previously hosted the Miss America pageant in 2007 and 2009.

Next year’s pageant will feature 53 contestants, including Miss District of Columbia, Miss Virgin Islands and Miss Puerto Rico, who returns after a 50-year absence from the event. As always, the women will compete in interview, swimsuit, evening gown and talent competitions for the title of Miss America.

Katie Stam of Indiana is the current Miss America.

On the Net:

www.missamerica.org/

tlc.discovery.com

Miss International Queen: World's Largest Transsexual Pageant Raises Awareness

2009-11-04T14:54:00.005-06:00

Beauty pageants get a bad rap for many stereotypes and promotion of shallow values, but the recent winner of Miss International Queen 2009 argues otherwise. Known as the world’s largest transsexual cabaret, the Miss International Queen pageant is seen as a platform not only to model swimsuits, but also to raise awareness for transgender issues.

The winner, Japan’s 37 year-old Haruna Ai, was overjoyed at press time, but also aware that her beauty and victory would not be well-received among all audiences, including her home country. “The way of life in Japan is more traditional and transsexuals cannot live freely, but in Thailand they can do what they want,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

In fact, the pageant, which took place at the Thai beach resort of Pattaya, is taken very seriously and respected for its open tolerance of sexual diversity. The contestants, all born men, were competing for the grand prize of $10,000, a year’s stay at the Pattaya hotel, and a 500-dollar surgical voucher, all of which Haruna Ai took home.

But Haruna Ai was not the only contestant to speak of experiences of sexual discrimination, as even the American contestant Sunny Dee-Lite, 32, admitted “an event like this for us is something we can only hope for in the United States,” where more traditional pageants rule the ratings.

Thailand has a reputation for being sexually tolerant, but many transsexuals believe that this openness is inherent in the country’s people, not its laws. Thai transsexuals argue that their inability to change their gender on their ID cards is discriminatory, as are the new laws on waiting periods imposed on sex-change operations.

However, while Thai legislation may still be in want of progressive scripture, the country continues to host the pageant, boosting public awareness of transgender issues on an international level, with contestants from as far as Brazil competing.

Says winner Haruna Ai, “I want contestants like this to show everyone that they should love each other and live freely.”

Source

Miss Plastic Celebrates Beauty of Plastic Surgery

2009-10-23T14:05:00.000-05:00

In most beauty pageants, plastic surgery is looked down on or at the very least kept quiet. So Make Me Heal was interested to learn of the Miss Plastic Hungary pageant in Europe, which celebrates women with plastic surgery.

To qualify for Miss Plastic Hungary, each contestant had to be over the age of 18 and prove that they’ve had at least one plastic surgery operation, but injections like Botox and collagen were not counted. Almost every contestant had breast implants, and nose jobs were the second most popular surgery among contestants. Women over 30 had their own special category.

22-year-old Rika Urban was the winner of the pageant, getting an apartment. The first runner up was Edina Kulcsar who won a new car, and third place went to Alexandra Horvath, who won diamond jewelry said to be worth $10,800.

Manhattan plastic surgeon Dr. Jennifer Walden says, “This contest is very similar to the U.S. reality TV show “The Swan”. The winner was a very beautiful girl who obviously benefited from plastic surgery.”

In addition the doctor who performed the surgeries also received some sort of award as well.

Plastic surgeon Dr. Tamas Rozsos said that plastic surgery has a “bad reputation” in Hungary, and the pageant is intended to show women there’s no shame in “restoring harmony” to their looks. The contest was arranged to help cosmetic surgeons promote their industry.

It seems that Miss Plastic was a huge success, as it is being talked about the world over, favorably or not. Make Me Heal thinks its great to see plastic surgery being openly discussed without shame and beauty contestants competing on an even keel, without any of the “did she or didn’t she” that often accompanies the lavish pageant events.

Source-Make Me Heal

Watch the Miss America Outstanding Teen Pageant Online!

2009-10-23T13:27:00.000-05:00

Watch the 2010 Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant on the Enterteenment Network Now! http://www.enterteenmentonline.com/enterteenment.html

Team Miss America have set off on "The Amazing Race"

2009-10-04T00:42:00.002-05:00

On the Sept. 27, 2009, the two-hour season premiere of 'The Amazing Race', included former Miss America (2004), Erica Dunlap and her husband, Brian Kleinschmidt.

"The Amazing Race" has won seven reality-competition Emmys in a row.

Sunday's exciting premiere suggests that an eighth prize wouldn't be a surprise. "The Amazing Race" is simply television's best reality contest, even if it doesn't have the ratings to match "American Idol" or "Dancing With the Stars."

All those Emmy victories have helped keep the "Race" running on CBS. The show is beautifully photographed, expertly edited and smartly cast. The new season starts with a two-hour premiere at 8 p.m. Sunday on WKMG-Channel 6.

Fans of Ericka Dunlap, the Miss America who graduated from the University of Central Florida, will see a lot of her with her husband, Brian Kleinschmidt.

Other players quickly emerge as strong characters: the fib-telling poker players, the Harlem Globetrotter teammates, the overbearing lawyer, the handsome gay brothers, the charming man with Asperger's Syndrome.

There's a nasty surprise at the starting line, a highly entertaining stop at a Japanese game show in Tokyo and a gripping race through flooded streets in Vietnam.
And -- spoiler alert -- here are the pit stops this season:

1. Tokyo

2. Cai Be, Vietnam

3. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

4. Phnom Penh, Cambodia

5. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

6. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

7. Groningen, The Netherlands

8. Stockholm

9. Tallinn, Estonia

10. Prague, Czech Republic

11. Prague

12. Las Vegas

Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap

Miss Florida Ericka Dunlap is crowned as the winner of the 2004 Miss America Pageant on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2003

Source

The Amazing Race 15-Miss America Team

2009-10-04T00:39:00.000-05:00

TUNE IN ALERT

Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap and Husband

Rise to the Next Challenge on CBS' The Amazing Race

Sunday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. EST*

CBS

Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap and her husband, Brian Kleinschmidt, will continue their competition on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. EST* on season 15 of CBS' The Amazing Race.

Click below to watch a clip from last week's episode!

Inside Venezuela's Top Beauty Queen School

2009-08-22T00:54:00.002-05:00

Venezuela is famous for its beauty queens: the country has produced five Miss Universes, five Miss Worlds, and Miss Venezuela has made it to Miss Universe's top 10 finalists for an uninterrupted 20-year span until 2003. The current Miss Universe is Venezuelan native Dayana Mendoza (who famously blogged in March that her visit to Guantanamo was "was a loooot of fun!").
So where are these bewitching creatures made? At beauty queen school, where students pursue lessons in plastic surgery and the art of public speaking.

Source

Miss Universe 2009 Float Parade

2009-08-21T23:02:00.003-05:00

The Miss Universe 2009 Motorcade that was scheduled for August 10th, but due to heavy rains and damage to floats went off without a hitch yesterday, August 20th at 4pm. The float route took contestants through Nassau from Arawak Cay to Wyndham Resort and Crystal Palace Casino. Locales, Tourists and Media traveled alongside cheering them on!

Wyndham Resort

The first Miss National US will be crowned August 21st!

2009-08-20T19:22:00.010-05:00

The 2009 Miss National US Scholarship Pageant will be held at the historical Le Petit Theatre duVieux Carre located in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Pageant at 7pm. Tickets available through Miss National US website
Portion of proceeds to be donated to New Orleans Habitat for Humanity!
Their mission and purpose is clearly stated here and on their website:
"The Miss National US Scholarship Pageant, LLC is a system that focuses on community service, continued education, and inspiring women across the country to follow their dreams and take control of their choices. The staff, titleholders, sponsors, and supporters know that the future of our country lies within the hopes and dreams of today's young women; the ultimate goal of MNUS is to help these women reach their full potential."

We wish them the best as they hit the runway this first year! Looks like their off to a good start they have all the social networks covered!

Miss National US Blog
Myspace
Facebook

Miss Universe 2009 - Fashion Show

2009-08-20T02:00:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Sheraton Nassau Beach Hotel

Posted from local Bahamas Travel Guide

Miss Universe 2009 Bahamian Designer Fashion Show Description: Independence Ballroom, Sheraton Nassau Beach Hotel. 
Local designers have a rare opportunity to have the Miss Universe contestants wear their designs created from Androsia and Bahama Hand Print fabrics. Tickets: $75 - $125. There will be a Junkanoo Rushout on Cable Beach at 9:30pm. 
Location: New Providence, The Bahamas 
Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 
Time: 7:00pm EDT

Image via Wikipedia-Junkanoo Dancer

2009 Miss Universe Betting Odds Posted

2009-08-20T01:36:00.003-05:00

One of the more popular betting scenarios at BetUS.com is seeing a ton of action at BetUS.com these days. Fans from all over the globe are pledging their loyalty and laying their money down on their picks to win Miss Universe 2009. The analysts and oddsmakers at the largest most successful sportsbook on the web, BetUS.com have posted the 2009 Miss Universe betting odds, and action is rolling in.

"Our site users love the creativity they find when they log on for the latest in sports, pop-culture and breaking news odds," stated BetUS.com spokesman Reed Richards. "So when they come across prop opportunities like Miss Universe, Miss World, or Miss America, they show their appreciation for beauty by picking their favorite ladies to win these competitions. We get a ton of traffic from people just looking to check out the action as well."

Analysts at BetUS.com posted the following odds on Miss Universe 2009:

• Miss Australia 7/1

• Miss Mexico 9/1

• Miss Dominican Republic 9/1

• Miss Czech Republic 10/1

• Miss Ireland 10/1

• Miss Netherlands 12/1

• Miss USA 14/1

• Miss Puerto Rico 14/1

• Miss Costa Rica 18/1

• Miss Honduras 18/1

• Miss Japan 18/1

• Miss Spain 18/1

• Miss Croatia 20/1

• Miss Germany 20/1

• Miss Brazil 20/1

• Miss France 25/1

• Miss Panama 25/1

• Miss Ukraine 25/1

• Miss Aruba 28/1

• Miss Albania 30/1

• Miss Egypt 30/1

• Miss Argentina 30/1

• Miss Cayman Islands 30/1

• Miss Mauritius 30/1

• Miss Nicaragua 30/1

• Miss Italy 30/1

• Miss Norway 30/1

• Miss El Salvador 40/1

• Miss Lebanon 40/1

• Miss Hungary 40/1

• Miss Peru 40/1

• Miss Russia 40/1

• Miss Sweden 40/1

• Miss Venezuela 40/1

• Miss South Africa 40/1

• Miss Colombia 50/1

• Miss Greece 50/1

• Miss Malaysia 50/1

• Miss Philippines 50/1

• Miss Georgia 65/1

• Miss Great Britain 65/1

• Miss Ecuador 65/1

• Miss Guam 65/1

• Miss Paraguay 65/1

• Miss New Zealand 65/1

• Miss Slovak Republic 65/1

• Miss Belgium 80/1

• Miss Ethiopia 80/1

• Miss Canada 80/1

• Miss Iceland 80/1

• Miss Jamaica 80/1

• Miss Kosovo 80/1

• Miss Montenegro 80/1

• Miss Poland 80/1

• Miss Slovenia 80/1

• Miss Switzerland 80/1

• Miss Curacao 90/1

• Miss Cyprus 90/1

• Miss Serbia 100/1

• Miss Singapore 100/1

• Miss Vietnam 100/1

• Miss Bulgaria 100/1

• Miss Finland 100/1

• Miss Indonesia 125/1

• Miss Korea 125/1

• Miss Thailand 125/1

• Miss Romania 125/1

• Miss Angola 150/1

• Miss Bahamas 150/1

• Miss Bolivia 150/1

• Miss Estonia 150/1

• Miss India 150/1

• Miss Uruguay 150/1

• Miss China 200/1

• Miss Ghana 200/1

• Miss Guyana 200/1

• Miss Namibia 200/1

• Miss Israel 200/1

• Miss Nigeria 200/1

• Miss Turks & Caicos 200/1

• Miss Zambia 200/1

• Miss Turkey 200/1

Article Source

Blog Author Note: When I wrote about this last year, I couldn't believe it! But I guess whether you are a pageant authority, sporty fans or couch potato-we all like to guess the winner! Some of us for fun, and it seems for some of us for financial gain!

Miss Universe 2009 National Costume

2009-08-20T01:13:00.001-05:00

Miss Universe 2009 National Costume Presentation
( Monday, August 10, 2009 )

The ad below was posted in the local Bahamas Newspaper

Miss Universe 2009 National Costume Presentation
Description: At the Rainforest Theatre, Wyndham Nassau Resort. Show your national pride. We invite Bahamians and all foreign nationals residing in the Bahamas to come and wave your national colours and support your country's queen at the Costume Parade. Tickets: $100 - $175 
Location: New Providence, The Bahamas 
Date: Monday, August 10, 2009 
Time: 7:00pm EDT

Blog Author Note: Motorcade had to be rescheduled due to rain damage to several floats. International Parade to be held Thursday, August 20th in Nassau, Bahamas weather permitting.

Who is your pick for Miss Universe 2009?

2009-08-20T00:30:00.009-05:00

View all 84 hopefuls at my favorite site for predicting pageant outcomes Missosology!

They also have a unique Kiss and Tell Forum, in which you can chat with titleholders and pageantry folks from all over the world!

Here's Their Top 10 Picks

Vote for your choice on our website!

Miss America works Dairy Queen for good cause!

2009-08-16T00:25:00.001-05:00

Miss America Katie Stam enjoys a Dairy Queen Blizzard
Miss America 2009 Katie Stam served up Blizzards Aug. 12 at Dairy Queen in Orlando, Florida in preparation for the annual Dairy Queen Miracle Treat Day. She also promoted the day and conducted several TV and radio interviews.

Thursday, participating Dairy Queen and DQ Grill & Chill locations celebrated the fourth annual Miracle Treat Day and donated proceeds from every Blizzard sold that day to Children’s Miracle Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals.

“I am honored to be a spokesperson for Children's Miracle Network to promote Miracle Treat Day, as I know this event will do so much to help children in local hospitals throughout North America,” said Katie. Dairy Queen has been a supporter of Children’s Miracle Network since 1984, raising more than $77 million during that time.

Katie is in Orlando this week to support Miss America’s sister program, Miss America's Outstanding Teen. The final night of the pageant is Aug. 15, where Katie will host and perform as one of the highlights to the evening's finale.

Source

Exhibit Honors Pageant Queens in Combat Boots

2009-08-14T19:49:00.003-05:00

An Arlington resident is among several women being celebrated in a new exhibit at the U.S. Army Women's Museum in Fort Lee, Va.

"Kevlar and Crowns" profiles American soldiers who have the distinction of holding pageant titles during their military service.

Exhibit Honors Pageant Queens in Combat Boots
WATCH

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcdfw.com/video.

Maj. Jeannie Deakyne is currently an assistant professor of Military Science at The University of Texas at Arlington. She was deployed twice to Iraq with the First Cavalry Division from Fort Hood, Texas.

She won the title of Mrs. Texas International 2005, and Mrs. U.S. Beauties 2008 and was a national spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation of America during her reigns.

"It's a unique perspective (to) see the boots and the shoes and the crowns and the Kevlar," Deakyne said. "And at first, it's sort of confusing to the eye, because you don't think of a beauty pageant existing in the context of the Army."

The seven women featured in the exhibit have, between them, a Purple Heart, four combat action badges, a combat medic badge, 13 college degrees, six bronze stars and eleven Meritorious Service Medals.

The women come from ethnically diverse backgrounds, all age ranges, and all ranks. Some have multiple deployments, with combat action. And they are all beauty queens.

"It shows, especially to my students and to prospective students, that there isn't necessarily a cookie-cutter image of who can be in the Army," Deakyne said. "You just bring your talents with you and you do the best that you can with them inside the Army."

Source

Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant Week Update

2009-08-13T12:19:00.006-05:00

Preliminary Evening Gown Winner

Preliminary Talent Winner

MISS CALIFORNIA'S OUTSTANDING TEEN
AND MISS NEW JERSEY'S OUTSTANDING TEEN WIN PRELIMINARY AWARDS

Miss California's Outstanding Teen, Monica Stainer, was named Wednesday night's preliminary talent winner at the Linda Chapin Theater in the Orange County Convention Center during the second night of competition. Also capturing a preliminary Evening Gown award was Miss New Jersey's Outstanding Teen, Brenna Weick.

MAOT, the "little sister" to Miss America, hosts its national competition in Orlando during the week of August 11-15, 2009 with 52 state representatives competing in various competitions for a chance to win over $30,000 in college scholarships and the title of Miss America's Outstanding Teen. The competition will be held in the Linda Chapin Theatre at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

Follow the competition online by viewing photos on the Miss America's Outstanding Teen website, www.MAOTEEN.org.

About Miss America's Outstanding Teen
A sister company to the Miss America Organization, Miss America's Outstanding Teen promotes scholastic achievement, creative accomplishment, healthy living and community involvement for America's teens. MAOT has provided over $3 million in scholarship assistance to its participants since 2005. For further information about MAOT or to obtain press credentials or tickets to the week long event, log onto www.maoteen.org or contact Allison Kreiger Walsh at 321-231-0791 or Allison@maoteen.org. MAOTeen and Miss America's Outstanding Teen and all related titles, characters, and logos are trademarks of Miss America's Outstanding Teen Organization, Inc. a 501 c 3, Not for Profit Corporation.
Source

Rare "Vivid Pink" Diamond could break sale record!

2009-08-04T02:53:00.006-05:00

HONG KONG (Reuters Life!) – A rare, 5-carat pink diamond will be sold in Hong Kong this December by Christie's, which expects the stone to hover near world record prices, thanks in part to the buying prowess of top Asian jewelry collectors.

The stone, set in a so-called "cushion-cut" ring by famed jewellers Graff Diamonds, is expected to fetch between $5-$7 million, in reach of the current world auction record for a pink diamond -- a 19.66-carat stone that sold in Geneva for $7.4 million in 1994.

While just a quarter the size of the record-holding pink gem and not quite flawless, the stone's "vivid pink" is considered near perfect and the auction house has touted it as one of the best colored stones to appear in recent years.

"There are pink diamonds and then there are pink diamonds," said Francois Curiel, the international head of Christie's jewelry department. "It is extremely rare for a stone of such top quality to appear on the market with top notes in color, cut, clarity and carat weight. This 5-carat vivid pink gem combines the best of all criteria," Curiel added.

While the South African-mined diamond isn't quite rated flawless given minor blemishes, Christie's said that these could be removed by minor repolishing.

Christie's has a track-record of putting rare polished stones up for sale in Asia, given its confidence in the depth of the Asian market for the world's top gemstones and artwork.

Last May, before the financial crisis began to bite the global auction market, Christie's sold a squash-ball-sized, 101.27-carat diamond in Hong Kong for $6.2 million.

"Asian collectors rank among our most important group of buyers ... Hong Kong is firmly alongside New York and Geneva as a top center for the best jewels," said Kate Malin, a spokeswoman for Christie's in Asia.

Despite this, some major gems have disappointed in Asia, including a 72.22-carat "D" flawless white diamond that failed to hit its reserve price in a Sotheby's Hong Kong sale last April, falling short of its 10-12 million pre-sale estimate.

While the world's most expensive jewel ever sold at auction is the "Wittelsbach" blue diamond-35.56 carat, a 17th-century deep greyish-blue stone that fetched $24 million last year, top red and pink gemstones are also known for stratospheric valuations.

"In the fascinating realm of natural color diamonds, those of a distinct pink hue are among the rarest and most sought after," Christie's said.

Article Source

Miss Teen USA 2009 Stormi Bree Henley

2009-08-03T03:07:00.002-05:00

Paradise Island, Bahamas – July 31, 2009 – Stormi Bree Henley, Miss Tennessee Teen USA was crowned Miss Teen USA 2009 at the beautiful Atlantis, Paradise Island in the Bahamas on July 31, 2009. The 18-year old winner is from Crossville, TN. For the first time ever, the Miss Teen USA pageant was streamed online to a worldwide audience at www.missteenusa.com. (She is the second Tennessee Miss Teen USA winner, which makes Oregon and Tennessee the only two states to crown more than one Miss Teen USA.

Miss USA 2008®, Crystle Stewart, and Seth Goldman of NBC’s “Entertainment Buzz” emceed this year’s pageant. Canadian singer/songwriter, Leah Renee, performed her new song, “Insanity” from her debut CD, Storybook and hit band Honor Society performed songs “Over You” and “See You in the Dark” off their debut album, Fashionably Late.

Tune-in and watch as the next Miss Universe® is crowned live on NBC on Sunday, August 23rd at 9:00 p.m. ET from Atlantis, Paradise Island Bahamas!

Article Source

Queen Elizabeth's Wedding Cake-1923!

2009-08-03T00:55:00.001-05:00

Check It Out: New Calendar Features Librarians' Tattoos

2009-08-03T00:01:00.007-05:00

The newest calendar girls have heads -- and pages -- turning.
Twenty-one women with the Texas Library Association are showing off some illustrations of their own in a new calendar called "The Tattooed Ladies of TLA." It's all a part of their latest fund-raiser for the Texas Library Disaster Fund, which helps libraries along the Gulf Coast recover from hurricanes Katrina and Rita and other natural disasters.

"It was just a fun thing to do," said Gretchen Hoffmann, 42, who turned up the heat as Miss August 2010 by posing on a row boat, a purple boa strategically draped to highlight the starfish tattoo on her upper back. "I like the idea that the calendars are stereotype-busters. You don't usually see [librarians] as tattooed and sexy. We're not the little old ladies who walk around with buns."

The 40-page spread features past and present librarians throughout the Lone Star State, modeling tattoos of all shapes, sizes and locations.

"I'm somewhat amazed at the response we've had," said Miss June 2010, aka Melody Kelly, 62, associate dean of libraries at the University of North Texas and former president of TLA.

Kelly, who sports the universal symbol for goddess on her ankle, says the organization has received calls from fans around the world asking if they can check-out the calendar. Thursday morning alone, the association had received more than 60 online orders.

"I am just so thrilled -- it's phenomenal," she said. "There's a need for disaster funds to buy materials and help with shelving in small towns that don't have the resources."

The colorful idea came up in 2007, a year after the "Men of Texas Libraries" calendar flew off the shelves and quickly sold out, bringing in more than $9,000 in donations. After noticing the tattoos on some of her colleagues, Kelly suggested the women capitalize on their inked assets.

"It was one of those ideas that just floated around for a while until someone decided to finally work on it," said Hoffmann, who served as president of TLA when the men's calendar was released. "Now it's more than a buzz. It's an explosion."

Now a lawyer in Austin, Hoffman said coworkers and friends have been supportive of her decision to appear in the fund-raiser. The security guard in her downtown office building did a double-take, Hoffmann recalled, when he recognized her from the glossy pages.

Terese Morgan, associate professor and librarian at Austin Community College, said posing for the calendar was a unique experience.

"I had never done something like it before," Morgan said of the photo shoot. "The photographer came to my house and she took pictures of all my tattoos in different ways. I even posed with my Harley motorcycle. Needless to say, I'm not very typical for a librarian."

Morgan, 53, sports more than a dozen tattoos. She got her first body art when she was 40. After that, she was hooked.

"I had always wanted a tattoo, but my husband at the time was very tattooed and always talked about how painful it was," said Morgan. "Plus, my generation has a stigma around getting them. But when I turned 40, I figured I was old enough to do it."

Now Morgan sports all manner of designs, including insects, floral pictures, and even prehistoric art. One of her more impressive tattoos is of a large Chinese dragon on the front of her thigh.

"I'm very proud of my tattoos," she said. "I love them. I don't go out of my way to show them to people, but I don't hide them either. And I'll talk to people about them if they ask me questions. They all have a certain meaning for me."

Reclining With a Ukulele

Kelly, who lives in Denton, added, "I had no idea that we all shared that creativity, that sense of self and that love for family. Body art is very personal, and if you have the calendar, you'll see that connection."

Kelly's photo, for instance, shows her reclining in a red chair, playing the ukulele with a martini by her side, her goddess tattoo on full display. She got the tattoo, which depicts the three phases of a woman, on her 60th birthday to honor her mother and the other women in her life. Throughout the calendar, you can also find Kelly's twist on the lyrics of Groucho Marx's classic song, "Lydia the Tattooed Lady."

Kelly will soon hand over her library card, as she is set to retire after 38 years with the University of North Texas. She'll probably commemorate the occasion, she said, with some more ink.
Article Source

Heidi Montag among performers at Miss Universe pageant

2009-07-25T00:58:00.003-05:00

Flo Rida, Heidi Montag, David Guetta and Kelly Rowland will perform at the 2009 Miss Universe Pageant.

Billy Bush, co-anchor of "Access Hollywood" and Claudia Jordan of "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Deal or No Deal," will host the competition live from Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas on August 23rd at 9 p.m. ET on NBC and Telemundo.

Flo Rida will perform "Right Round" and "Jump" as part of a two-song medley during the swimsuit competition of the telecast.

Included in the show will also be a performance by reality star Heidi Montag featuring her single "Turn Ya Head." The song comes from Montag's debut album, "Unleashed," which was released in July. Along with her music career, Montag is a cast member on the hit MTV show "The Hills."

David Guetta and Kelly Rowland will set the tone for the Evening Gown portion of the pageant. The duo will perform their hit single, "When Love Takes Over."

Venezuelan native Dayana Mendoza, Miss Universe 2008, will crown her successor at the conclusion of the 2009 Miss Universe telecast.

Each contestant from more than 80 countries around the world will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview as they vie for the coveted title of Miss Universe 2009.

In recent years, the pageant has been viewed before an estimated worldwide viewing audience of approximately one billion viewers.

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Amy Diaz the winner Miss Earth United States 2009

2009-07-24T23:26:00.007-05:00

Miss Earth United Stated 2009, Amy Diaz
NEVADA: Newly crowned Miss Earth United Stated 2009. Amy Diaz, 24 year-old Miss Rhode Island, was crowned Miss Earth United States during the prestigious beauty pageant held at Primm Valley Resort and Conference Center in Nevada.

Her elemental court include Miss Air Danielle Bounds from Missouri, Miss Water Anastagia Pierre from Florida and Miss Fire Dani Reeves from Iowa.

Reigning Miss Earth 2008, Karla Henry was a special guest in the pageant. Amy will be as the Environmental Ambassadress of the United States and will prepare to compete in MISS EARTH 2009 on November in the Philippines.

Amy Diaz is a veteran of beauty pageants.
* A former Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 2001.
* Top 15 Semi-Finals in Miss USA 2008 beauty contest.
* The 3rd runner-up in Miss Florida USA 2007.

Miss Rhode Island, USA 2009

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NewTek, Ustream to webcast Miss Teen USA Pageant

2009-07-24T21:16:00.005-05:00

The Miss Universe Organization said Friday that it has selected Ustream and NewTek Inc. to Webcast the 2009 Miss Teen USA Pageant on July 31.

Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.

The event will be held at the Atlantis Paradise Island in Bahamas at 7 p.m. and it will be streamed on www.missteenusa.com. The pageant will be filmed and edited using the NewTek Tricaster Portable Live Production System. This will be the first time the Miss Teen USA pageant will be streamed online to a worldwide audience.

Ustream has a live interactive video broadcast platform that allows anyone with a camera and an Internet connection to broadcast to a global audience. NewTek TriCaster allows individuals to simultaneously produce, live stream and broadcast network-style productions.

The pageant will be hosted by Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart and Seth Goldman.

Ustream is a Mountain View, Calif.-based privately held broadcast-technology company. San Antonio-based NewTek develops and markets portable live production, video editing, 3D animation and special effects tools.

The Miss Universe Organization, the producers of the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants, is a joint venture of Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal.

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Which Country Has Won The Most Crowns?

Sweden, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the USA have all done well at the Miss Universe Pageant. But, which of these countries do you think has won more Miss Universe titles than any other? Vote here

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