Pageant News Ticker

MISS UNIVERSE UPDATE: Miss Colombia, Claudia Elena Vasquez Angel won the Best National Costume Award at the pageant in Miami. She wins a $1,000 cash prize and a Miss Universe trophy. The first runner-up was Miss Honduras, Joselina Garcia, and second runner-up was Miss Peru, Claudia Dopf. Miss Australia, Laura Csortan won the Miss Congeniality award, by a vote of all the delegates. This is the second year in a row that the Australian delegate has won the Miss Congeniality award. Ms. Csortan also takes home a $1,000 prize and Miss Universe trophy.

Miss Canada 1978, Catherine Swing, was hosting the Mother's Day Telethon on ON-TV in Hamilton, Ontario on May 10 and 11, 1997. Now a noted Canadian broadcaster, Ms. Swing was the first Miss Toronto to capture the Miss Canada crown in years. The Mother's Day Telethon raises money for various hospitals in the Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario.

The Miss International Pageant has opened a site on the Internet. Currently, the site features some photographs from last year's events and representatives, and how to become an entrant in the American preliminary. Their address is www.pageantnet.com/MissIntlHome.htm.

Many of you were wondering what why the number of Miss Universe contestants have fluxuated so much before the actual pageant. We have uncovered why there are only 74 contesntants. Originally, the pageant was expecting 76 contestants, yet two delegates had circumstances beyond their control occur. Miss Nicaragua, Luz Marina Herdocia, was elected Miss Nicaragua last year in the national pageant, and was to compete at Miss Universe this year, because she was elected in late-May right after Miss Universe took place in Las Vegas. However, Ms. Herdocia could not compete this year because the television station that ran Miss Nicaragua declared bankruptcy and could not pay the entry fee. Miss Western Samoa, Maryjane McKibben dropped out of the pageant after two days.

NOTE: Jimmy's Pageant Page will naturally be covering the Miss Universe Pageant, however we can not cover the behind-the-scenes aspect of the pageant which everyone loves. We would invite you to visit the Pageant News Bureau at www.pageant.com, for tons of new photos and information. Also check out Turn For The Judges at www.turnforthejudges.com (a pageant magazine we love), and naturally the official Miss Universe Web Site at www.missuniverse.com/uni97. Enjoy the show.

Here is the complete list of countries represented at Miss Universe this year: Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bonaire, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Korea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, Northern Marianas, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan (Republic of China), Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turks and Caicos, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, US Virgin Islands, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. Jimmy's Pageant Page brings you the information first!

More Miss Universe Mystery: The number of delegates has again dropped, this time to 74. In other news, Miss Germany, Nadine Schmidt, has elected not to compete at Miss Universe, and has been replaced by her third runner-up, Agathe Neunen. Ms. Schmidt was not replaced by her first- or second-runners-up because of their not meeting the age requirement of 18 for Miss Universe.

The Miss Universe Internet site at www.missuniverse.com/uni97 has been updated to include vintage photographs and some semi-finals and prize information. Standard information about pageant history, past winners, and more can be found on their site. However, Jimmy's Pageant Page still contains more information, and also more accurate information, than that of the Miss Universe page to date. For full results of all Miss Universe pageants, visit our titleholders section.

The number of Miss Universe delegates has returned back to 76. Our thanks to several attentive surfers.

Claudia Dopf representing the state of Ancash, won the title of Miss Peru-Universo in early April. She will be attempting to be the first Peruvian to win Miss Universe in forty years, in Miami Beach on May 16.

In a bizarre twist of fate, one delegate has apparently dropped out of the Miss Universe Pageant. The current number of delegates now stands at 75. This information is straight from the Miss Universe Web site, and was not previously misread, as printouts from earlier dates show that 76 contestants were supposed to come.

Some disheartening news for Miss Universe fans: there will only be 76 contestants at this year's pageant, not a number well-past 80 as earlier predicted. This raises concerns about the international presence at pageants, and if the recent controversy involving Alicia Machado could possibly having poisoned pageant interest around the world. Regardless, the pageant looks to be an exciting one, and for more information, stay with Jimmy's Pageant Page, and consult the newly-updated official Miss Universe Web site at http://www.missuniverse.com/uni97.

Cathy-Lynn Brown of Racine was crowned Mrs. Wisconsin International and will compete in the Mrs. U.S. International Pageant in August. Mrs. Brown, 32, held the preliminary title of Mrs. Racine. The first runner-up was Mrs. Milwaukee County, Laurie Jensen, and second runner-up was Mrs. Waterford, Margaret Mary Schnabl, 52.

The Miss Hawaiian Tropic International Pageant was held at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 20. The winner was Miss Ormond Beach, Florida, Renee Slaughter, who wins over $40,000 of cash and prizes. Ms. Slaughter is the third winner in a row from the USA, and the seventh American to hold the crown in the pageant's fourteen years. First runner-up was Miss Brussels, Belgium, Caroline Lessard, second runner-up was Maria Luisa Urena, Miss Costa Rica. Third runner-up was Chiann Fan, Miss Taipei, Taiwan, and fourth runner-up was Melissa Brewer, Miss Aspen, Colorado. Miss Congeniality was Erin Wilson, Miss Alberta, Canada, and Miss Photogenic was Miss Reykjavik, Iceland, Berglind Olafsdottir. The pageant was filmed for a television special which is scheduled to air on E! Entertainment Television in the spring or summer of this year.

Nayla Fernanda Affonso Micherif, Miss Minas Gerais, was crowned Miss Brazil 1997 on April 20. She's 20 years old and will be representing Brazil at Miss Universe in Miami Beach. The first runner-up was Valéria Bohm, Miss Rio Grande do Norte and will represent Brazil at Miss Internation in Japan later this year. The second runner-up was Miss Maranhao, Mical Pinheiro Pacheco and will be Brazil's representative in Miss Sudamerica. The third runner-up was Miss Rodonia, Ursula da Conceicao Mendes, and fourth runner-up was Miss Sao Paulo, Camila de Paula Freitas. The seven semi-finalists consisted of Miss Acre, Leila Gomes; Miss Amazonas, Liane Nascimento; Miss Paraiba, Carolina Thais Muller; Miss Parana, Cris Tomaszeck; Miss Piaui, Lianny Holanda; Miss Rio de Janeiro, Janaina Berenhauser; and Miss Santa Catarina, Vanessa Hernandes.

Miss Intercontinental was crowned in Freiburg, Germany on April 7, 1997. The winner was Miss India, Laura Dutta. The first runner-up was Milagros Carbanillas of Peru, and second runner-up was Miss Aruba, Afranina Henriquez, who was a semi-finalist in last year's Miss World Pageant. Perhaps the fourth-most prestigious international pageant, Miss International attracts about fifty national contestants. Ms. Dutta is the first Asian to win the crown.

Dalida Chammai won the Miss Lebanon-Universe Pageant and will represent the Land of the Cedars in the Miss Universe Pageant in Miami on May 16. The first runner-up was Zoya Sakr, second runner-up was Joelle Hatem, third runner-up was Nina Kaddis, and fourth runner-up was Roula Osta.

Miss Canada International, Danielle House has been invited to compete in the Miss Hawaiian Tropic International Pageant, to be held in Las Vegas in mid-April, featuring over 100 contestants from more than 40 countries. Ms. House was the beauty queen who attracted international attention last October for assaulting another young woman in a university campus bar. Canadians have won the Miss Hawaiian Tropic International Pageant twice in the pageant's 13-year history.

Applications are now being accepted for the 1998 Miss Florida USA Pageant, to be held July 26, 1997 on the campus of Broward Community College. About 75 contestants are expected to compete for over $30,000 in cash and prizes, including an all-expenses paid trip to Miss USA 1998. The last date applications are accepted is May 31, 1997. For more information, visit the Miss Florida USA Internet site at www.missfloridausa.com.

Mexico held its first male beauty pageant on April 9, 1997, which was dubbed "El Modelo Mexico". Eduardo Rodriguez Alvarez of San Luis Potosi was named the winner and will represent Mexico at the 1997 Mr. World Pageant. The first runner-up was Alejandro Fernandez of Monterrey. Gabriel Soto, last year's Mexican entry in the Mr. World pageant who placed as first runner-up, organized and produced the pageant. Our thanks to Arturo Garcia.

Panama will be represented in the upcoming Miss Universe Pageant by Lia Victoria Borrero. In addition to her national duties, she is the queen for one of Panama's most important Carnival parties, Calle Abajo. Thanks to Carlos Burgos for this info.

Ana Rosa Brito Suarez will be representing Puerto Rico at Miss Universe in May. She's a 26-year-old brunette who works in the public relations department of the Puerto Rican telephone company. She's the first from the island commonwealth to also have represented the nation at both Miss World and Miss International, in addition to Miss Universe. Ms. Suarez represented the capital of San Juan, and is the seventh from that city to win the pageant. Our thanks to Gary Bonilla and "Pageant Life" magazine for this information.

The Miss Canadian Universe Pageant was held April 3, 1997 at the Shaw Convention Center in Edmonton, Alberta, and featured 17 of the nation's most beautiful young women. The show, which was not televised anywhere in Canada, ran for over three-and-a-half hours, and finally concluded with Miss Red Deer (Alberta), Carmen Kempt, as the winner. The first runner-up was Miss St. Albert (Alberta), Viktorija Kujundzk, and the second runner-up was Miss Sudbury (Ontario), Marisol Teijeiro. Third runner-up was Miss Toronto, Ronda Copeland, and fourth runner-up was Miss Kelowna (British Columbia), Julie Williamson, who was previously first runner-up to Miss Canadian Universe 1995, Lana Buchberger. The semi-finalists were Miss Calgary, Tammy Gislason; Miss Edmonton, Sangeet Dhaliwal; Miss Fort Saskatchewan (Alberta), Bridgette Hardy; Miss New Brunswick, Vanessa Boucher; and Miss Winnipeg, Sharon Ram-Ditta. The winner of the preliminary Talent Competition was Miss Ottawa, Anjali Patil. Miss Niagara, Mary Gyurko was named Miss Photogenic, and Miss Congeniality was Miss Kelowna, Julie Williamson. Our sincere thanks to Jason Smith for this update.

Miss Republic of China 1997 is Kate Chiou, who was crowned in early April. She will be one of many young women representing their nations in Miss Universe 1997 in Miami.

The Miss Thailand Pageant was held on March 29, 1997 and 19-year-old Sruangsuda Lawanprasert was crowned the winner. She will represent the home of Miss Universe 1965 and 1988 in Miss Universe on May 16. Our thanks to Anurun Singkamanun.

The Miss Sweden Pageant was held March 29, 1997 in Stockholm, featuring 10 of the nation's most beautiful women. Victoria Lagerstroem, 24, is a business consultant and the new Miss Sweden 1997. She will represent the nation in the Miss Universe Pageant in Miami on May 16th. Sofia Joelsson, 24 years old and a flight attendent with Lufthansa Airlines, was the first runner-up and will represent Sweden at Miss World in November. Jessica Johansson, a 22-year-old university student, was second runner-up and will represent the Land of the Midnight Sun in the 1997 Miss Europe Pageant. Our thanks to Tommy Raczak for this great info.

Shelly Lehman, Miss Missouri USA 1994 and semi-finalist at the 1994 Miss USA Pageant, was assaulted at her home in Republic, Missouri by a reported stalker on March 27, 1997, not shot as was previously reported. Ms. Lehman was hospitalized and is in stable condition with head wounds and broken fingers. Ms. Lehman was pistol-whipped by her assailant for an undetermined period of time. Ms. Lehman is now a first-grade teacher, and is to be married in May. She is now in good health and healing from her wounds rapidly.

Renette Cruz, Miss Canadian Universe 1996, who is to give up her crown April 3rd in Edmonton, Alberta, is engaged to be married to a gentleman whom she met while living in Toronto. The wedding is scheduled for September in Vancouver. We wish her and her future husband all the best in the future.

The Internet has become home to three more extremely interesting pageant sites: the Miss Thailand Pageant (http://www.jewelthailand.com), the Miss District of Columbia Pageant (http://www.nubian.com/missdc), and the official homepage of Miss Thailand 1994, Areeya Chumsai (http://siamweb.inet.co.th/sanook/star_profile/pop/index.html). You can find links to these and other magical pageant sites on our links page.

In Caribbean pageant news, at the northeastern end of the region, Naomi Darrell has been crowned Miss Bermuda and will be representing the British dependancy in Miss Universe in May. This is the first time Bermuda has competed since 1992, and their pageant successes have been with Gina Swainson, Miss Bermuda 1979, who was first runner-up in Miss Universe and the Miss World winner of that year. Meanwhile, the exotic diver's paradise island of Bonaire, one of Dutch Windward Islands north of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea, will be represented by Jhane-Louise Landwier, who represented the island at Miss World last November. Due to the Miss Bonaire Pageant being moved to the last half of the year, the island did not have a new representative for Miss Universe, so Ms. Landwier has been given the opportunity. She is also the cousin of Donna Landwier, Miss Bonaire 1994, who represented the island at Miss Universe for the first time in at least twenty years. Our thanks to C.E. Gorenflo and Richard John Isa, respectively, for these great updates.

Shannon Marketic, Miss USA 1992, has filed suit against the Sultan of Brunei and others for $90 million, claiming she was held against her will as a "sex-slave" for over one month. The suit names the Sultan of Brunei and his brother as co-defendents; the Sultan is generally acredited to being the richest person in the world. Marketic says that she was led to believe that she was in the country for modeling and promotional work, but upon her arrival in Brunei --an oil-rich nation on the Indonesian island of Borneo-- with six other women, their passports and return tickets were confiscated, leading into allegations that Marketic and others were forced to engage in sexual contact with the Sultan, his brother, and their guests. Marketic also alleges that she was forced to dance at late-night parties seven times a week, when the sultan and his guests would grope at them while shouting lewd comments. She also says that after 32 days of being "forcibly detained", she was only released after she threatened to contact U.S. vice-presidential candidate Jack Kemp, whose political campaign she had worked on; she was forced to leave when it was revealed that she had had the oppotunity to smuggle a letter out to her parents, and that she also secured the help of a security chief. In another twist, the Philippines' Senate President, Ernesto Maceda, has praised Marketic for her courage in filing this lawsuit. In the Philippines, there have long been suspicions that Filipinas have been sent to the island for similar "purposes". Marketic is also suing the talent companies, Kaliber Talent Consultants, Inc. and the Kaliber Talent Consulting Corporation, as well as the two individuals who operate the agencies, of which she was a client; she alleges here that the owners knew that she was being sent as a prostitute, while they insisted that she would be modeling. We at Jimmy's Pageant Page would like to wish Ms. Marketic all the best, and to keep fighting for her cause.

Tracy Kennick, Miss Utah USA 1996, has just celebrated her one-year anniversary working as the primary political reporter at KBMT-TV in Beaumont, Texas, an ABC affiliate. She also anchors the 6 AM news. In addition to finishing seventh at Miss USA last year, another achievement is having founded an organization called C.A.G.I. (Confident, Achieving, Goal-Setting Individuals), an organization for at-risk teens. We would like to wish her continued good luck and success in the future.

Joselina Garcia Cobos will be representing Honduras in the Miss Universe Pageant in May. She earlier finished in seventh place in the Miss International Coffee Pageant in Colombia in January. Meanwhile, the Tourist Bureau of the Cayman Islands told Jimmy's Pageant Page that the islands will not be represented in this year's festivities. Complications arose last July, and they are not optimistic that an "emergency queen" can be fairly elected.

Saez is the mayor of Chacao, an upscale suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. Under her leadership, crime has been slashed, the budget deficit has turned into a surplus, and where garbage once lay, greenery is now found. But Saez is not without her opposition: some political analysts have dubbed her a "Barbie doll" with a fuzzy political platform. Some further say that should she leave Chacao, her popularity would deminish.

Saez was re-elected in 1995 for a second three-year term as mayor with over 95% of the vote. As an independent candidate, she has a possible advantage as a 1995 poll stated that over 70% of Venezuelans favour a candidate with no political affiliation.

The prospects of Saez becoming president is not new news: this has been rumoured since her 1995 mayoral re-election. However, her announcement of preparing a bid is definitely new and something to watch in the coming months.

Miss Universe 1997 Update: The pageant, to be held in Miami Beach, Florida on Friday, May 16, 1997 will be hosted by George Hamilton and Marla Maples Trump, who together hosted this year's Miss USA Pageant. Miss Universe will be seen in its regular time slot of 9-11 PM EST, delayed PST. The television audience is estimated to be upwards of 2.5 billion in more than 75 countries. Delegate entries are estimated in the mid-eighties, which would shatter the record of 82 contestants set in 1995.

Miss America Internet News: The Miss Rhode Island (http://www.missri.com) and Miss Idaho Pageants (http://www.primenet.com/~missid) have just opened Internet sites for the public. Visit our links page for these and other Miss America and pageant links. Our thanks to Jeff Ripp for this info.

Tricia Tan Siew Siew, a 24-year-old flight attendent, was crowned Miss Singapore Universe on Friday, March 14. Ms. Siew, who holds a degree in Banking and Financial Management from Nanyang Technological University, will represent the island nation in the Miss Universe Pageant in May. The first runner-up was Carolyn Lum, who was awarded the title of Miss Singapore Intercontinental, and will represent the island at the Miss Intercontinental Pageant in Germany later this year. Second runner-up Hayma Malini earned the right to represent Singapore in Miss Tourism International, and third runner-up Janice Chong will represent Singapore in Miss Petite International in Houston, Texas. The fourth runner-up, Audrey Chua will represent Singapore in Miss Queen of the World in Baden, Germany.