Thursday, March 30, 2006

Miss Utah Competing for Miss USA



Photo courtesy of Justin Grant Photography
Soben Huon, Utah's first minority Miss Utah, will go on to compete in the Miss USA Pageant in Baltimore.

Growing up with three older brothers, Huon Huon often felt like the black sheep. Since she was the only girl, her brothers frequently teased her about being adopted. During Cambodian classical ballet she was always assigned to be the male character because she was a little bit taller than the rest of the other girls.

"I had such a complex with that," she said with a smile on her face. "I really thought I was meant to be a boy at that point, so I stopped doing it."

Since then, Huon has figured out who she is and what she wants.

She no longer questions her identity and has blossomed into a woman. She won the title of Miss Utah in November 2005, and she leaves this Sunday for the East Coast to begin preparations for the April 21, 2006, Miss USA Pageant in Baltimore.

"Before Nov. 12, I had my goals set and my life planned out," she said. "But as of right now I can honestly say I don't know which direction I'll go."

Going into Miss Utah, Huon was somewhat concerned about her ethnicity because Utah has never had a minority representative.

"It really worked to my benefit," she said. "I am glad the judges were able to overcome that."

However, Huon is not only the first minority to represent Utah, she is also the first Cambodian USA title holder, said Abbie Scott, state director for the Miss Utah USA pageant.

"I now realize the magnitude of her winning the Miss Utah title for the Cambodian community," said Kaony Huon, Huon's second oldest brother.

Coming out to BYU and competing for Miss Utah is a huge accomplishment because the Cambodian culture is very family oriented and close knit, Scott said. Many of the Cambodian communities have asked Huon to appear at different events nationwide.

In preparation for Miss USA, Huon's schedule is jam-packed; therefore, she is taking this semester off. She spends a few days each week attending interviews and getting in shape. She also makes two to three appearances a week at various charity events. She is a big proponent of breast cancer awareness. Huon also attends promotional appearances and visits elementary schools throughout Utah as well.

In addition, attaining a custom-designed, tailored wardrobe is a top priority. And although service hours are not required, Huon spends a substantial amount of her time performing community service.

"Huon doesn't really have time to do school and prepare to compete in Miss USA," Scott said. "Doing both would definitely take its toll."

Whether she wins the crown or not Huon said she intends to finish school. She is majoring in political science, with an emphasis in international relations. One of her of her goals is to attend the J. Reuben Clark Law School.

"Before Miss Utah, school was her main priority," said Haydee Cifuentes, Huon's best friend. "She is dedicated beyond what I think she would have to be dedicated."

Huon said she is very interested in politics and greatly admires Condoleezza Rice.

"I don't plan on being in such a high position as she is, but I really do admire her hard work and dreams in fulfilling that," she said.

Winning Miss Utah was a turning point in her life, but her decision to get baptized at age 16 was an even bigger turning point.

"It really affected my decision to go to BYU and it affects my decisions all together," she said. "Every decision I make is with the gospel in mind."

Huon is the only member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in her family, but she said they are very supportive in every aspect of her life.

"She has always shown dedication to the gospel and is very dynamic and friendly," said Rick Kinateder, Huon's bishop for the past two years.

Despite Huon's accomplishments and sheer beauty, she has remained down to earth and genuine.

"She was pretty humbled by winning Miss Utah," said Sean Sullivan, a BYU business management major, who has been Huon's good friend for the last couple of years. "I remember it took awhile for it to sink in. Weeks after she won she was still grasping the fact that she is Miss Utah now."

Her best friend Cifuentes said she was worried that winning the title and being in the spotlight would go to her head. She thought Huon might forget the basics and fundamentals of who she is.

"I have been above and beyond impressed on how she has completely stayed very level headed," Cifuentes said. "She is humble, hard working and continually strives to develop Huon as a woman and not just Huon as Miss Utah."

Huon's friends, family and colleagues have high hopes for her when she competes for the Miss USA crown in April.

"We hope and pray she wins," said Kaony Huon, her brother. "I know she is destined to do great things, and Miss Utah is the perfect example of what she is capable of. We hope it will open up bigger opportunities for her."

Abbie Scott, the director for Miss Utah USA, said the judges are looking for a businesswoman with classic beauty. They want a woman who is well mannered, well cultured, has high morals, is well educated and charistmatic.

"Huon emulates all of those qualities and in that sense the odds are in her favor," Scott said.

Huon leaves on April 2 to New York to compete for the title of Miss USA. The competition begins the moment she steps off the plane. She said the competition is much like being on camera, and she has to be on her best behavior - at all times.

However, Huon said she knows if she doesn't win it is not the end of the world.

"It is so easy, within the juxtaposition of things, to lose yourself," she said. "I am content with my Miss Utah title, and I love representing the state of Utah. I am not going to sell myself short though, I am going to give it my all."

By Jessica Mallard - 28 Mar 2006

Source: http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/59082




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Beautiful in her own way

It's easy to tell when Monica Pang has entered a room. Heads snap in her direction, jaws slacken considerably and unrelenting stares ensue.

Still, the slender Pang who is the reigning Miss Georgia and first runner-up in this year’s Miss America pageant in Las Vegas, insists she is no beauty queen.

“We call ourselves title holders,” says an adamant Pang with a slight, southern drawl.

“Beauty queen sounds so fluffy,” adds the 25-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia. “There is so much more involved when you’re in a pageant. You have to be a person of substance.”

It would seem that Pang – who has a Malaysian-born father – knows what she’s talking about. “Because the Miss America programme is scholarship based, all these girls are interested in furthering their studies and becoming successful, and a part of it is to be beautiful in your own way.”

Having competed in least 15 pageants since the age of 15 and winning almost half of them, Pang recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Consumer Journalism, with honours on the Dean’s and President’s lists.

“Most people know that I’m in pageants but they don’t really know my personality outside of pageants, and I think if they knew, they’d be very surprised,” says Pang, who professes to be more of a sporty personality than a girly one.

She is in Kuala Lumpur to introduce herself to the Malaysian media, and is gearing up for a break in the Asian entertainment industry.

This Tuesday morning, she is flitting about the Cigar Divan lounge at the Eastin Hotel in Section 16, Petaling Jaya, in between a seemingly endless number of costume changes for a photo shoot.

Not much of a label snob, Pang prefers casual and comfortable, over frilly and complicated.

“I like fashion, but I’m not stuck on designers. I like what’s comfortable, and I’m not too frou frou.

“I like to stick with solid colours and accessorise more than anything else.

“On this trip, I’ve brought pieces from BCBG Max Azria, Anthropologie, Trina Turk and Armani Exchange.”

Pang is not much of a label snob, preferring comfort with style. – Pictures by ART CHEN
Having arrived past midnight the same morning, Pang looks anything but jet-lagged despite a 21-hour flight from Atlanta.

“I can sleep anywhere. And the flight was not as bad as I had expected.”

Pang was last in Malaysia 12 years ago to visit relatives in Kluang, Johor, where her father, Peter, is from.

“I don’t remember much except for the traffic and street vendors.”

Family time has not been pencilled into her schedule this time around, but she has plans to come back later this year.

“It’s sad that I came all this way and don’t have time to see them because they live in Kluang, but I’m hoping to come back to visit them. Most of my dad’s side is here – my grandparents, a few aunts, uncles and cousins,” says Pang, who leaves Malaysia tomorrow.

“I’ll be going back to Georgia to finish off my Miss Georgia reign which ends in June, and am hoping that there will be opportunities here that I can come back to pursue,” she says.

Absolute Entertainment, an event and talent management company in Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur, is managing Pang’s maiden foray into the regional entertainment scene.

“She’s got so much more potential in Asia because of her Asian heritage,” says Adrian Wong, the director and founder of Absolute, adding that several parties in China were already keen on signing her up for movie deals.

Not that Pang doesn’t already have her plate piled high. And wide.

She resigned from her job at a media representation firm last year and now spends most of her time travelling around the United States to speak to youths and advocate community work.

“The Miss America programme is very heavily based on community service, so each girl chooses what we call a platform to work on, and we speak about that to encourage the community and the state to get more involved with that. I speak to a lot of students and businesses about that.

Pang’s platform is America’s Promise, an initiative founded by US Secretary of State Colin Powell to empower American youths through education, living skills and community involvement.

“I do fund-raising for that and try to encourage as many different kinds of community projects as possible.”

Accessorising is Monica Pang’s forte. Here, she pairs an Anthropologie skirt with a strappy top and matching cardigan.
She acknowledges that making sacrifices are a part of what she does.

Keeping her lean, svelte figure the way it is, is one of them.

”Working out is a big part of it for the fitness factor. And I miss my friends. Because I’m away so often, work does get in the way of my social life, but that’s what I have to sacrifice.

“It hasn’t discouraged me because I’ve realised that anything worth having in life is worth working for and sacrificing a few things along the way to get there.”

Sacrifices aside, Pang wouldn’t give up her current role for anything.

“I really enjoy doing different things and meeting new people every day. Plus, I love to travel so it's nice being here,” she gushes.

Pang is surprised with the attention that she’s getting from the Malaysian media.

“I was pretty overwhelmed, especially after hearing that the Asian community was so generous and supportive of me. I didn’t even know that they were paying attention.

But they are, and Pang is hoping that being in the spotlight will encourage more Asian youths to see her as a role model.

“I hope that people will notice me not just necessarily as an Asian American, and realise that no matter what background you come from, you can achieve your goals if you work hard enough.”

View Photo Gallery





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Miss America Gets MADD


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

Miss America 2006 Jennifer Berry and MADD Team Up to Save Lives by Stopping Drunk Driving and Preventing Underage Drinking

Miss America's Platform is a First in Pageant History

PHILADELPHIA, March 30 -- Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and The Miss America Organization launched today the national partnership between MADD and Miss America 2006 Jennifer Berry. As a new MADD national spokesperson, Miss America will promote her platform Building Intolerance to Drunk Driving and Underage Drinking -- the first of its kind in the history of Miss America.

"We are honored to work with Miss America and are excited about the impact she will make," said Glynn Birch, MADD national president. "Jennifer will tackle tough issues that she knows well as a five-year volunteer for MADD on the state and local level in Oklahoma. The more people we can reach together, the more lives we can save."

Miss America will travel the country talking about MADD and its lifesaving goals including reducing drunk driving fatalities by 25 percent, supporting highly visible enforcement efforts, serving more victims/survivors of drunk driving and reducing binge drinking among college students in the next three years.

"MADD's mission is my mission," said Miss America 2006 Jennifer Berry of Tulsa, Okla. "With MADD as my platform partner, I will take every opportunity to raise awareness and educate the public about the dangers and consequences of drunk driving and underage drinking."

During July 4th weekend 1999, Miss Berry's life changed forever when she received the tragic news that one of her high school girlfriends was killed in an underage drunk driving crash. Her 15-year-old friend and a handful of other teens were at the lake and had been drinking. As they were heading to another party, the underage driver lost control of the car. Her friend -- sitting in the back seat and unbelted -- was killed instantly. The other teens were uninjured.

Berry added, "The death of my friend has made a lasting mark on my life. It was the first funeral I ever attended and that experience sparked a need to do something to help save other lives. I hope to be able to use my title as Miss America to make a lasting mark for the better."

The launch announcement was held in Philadelphia to help drive the state's legislative efforts. MADD and Miss America called for new laws in Pennsylvania including primary seatbelt. A primary seat belt law allows law enforcement to pull over a driver for not buckling-up. And research shows that drunk drivers typically don't wear their seat belt. "A seat belt is your best defense against a drunk driver," said Berry.

The groups also supported other laws including Administrative License Suspension allowing police to immediately suspend a driver's license at the time of an arrest for driving under the influence (DUI) or for refusal to submit to a breath test; vehicle immobilization which is effective in reducing DUIs among repeat offenders; and keg registration requiring purchasers to register their information that can be tracked if minors are served alcohol.

"Keg tagging is about prevention. The goal is to stop adults from purchasing kegs for minors," said Sen. Stewart J. Greenleaf, sponsor of Senate Bill 73, which would require keg identification tagging in Pennsylvania. "Twenty-four other states and the District of Columbia utilize this tool to help reduce underage drinking. It is a tactic that would be worth trying in the commonwealth."

Flanked by Pennsylvania State Police troopers and Philadelphia Police officers, MADD and Miss America applauded law enforcement for their selfless work and encouraged increased enforcement efforts to protect lives.

"It's time to shine the spotlight on needed laws and support law enforcement," said Rebecca Shaver, executive director, MADD Pennsylvania State Office. "Our state can do better and must do better to protect our loved ones from drunk driving and youth from underage drinking. These tragedies are 100 percent preventable. And we need 100 percent support from our legislators and the public."

In 2004, 16,694 people were killed nationally in alcohol-related traffic crashes, accounting for 39 percent of all traffic crashes. Of those, 12,874 were killed in crashes where the driver had a .08 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or higher. In Pennsylvania, 614 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes (541 drunk driving deaths), representing 41 percent of all traffic fatalities. Alcohol is the No. 1 drug of choice among the nation's youth and kills more teens than all other illicit drugs combined. More than one third of all traffic deaths among 15-20 year olds involve alcohol.

Jennifer Berry, 22, from Tulsa, Okla., was crowned Miss America on January 21. She is a President's Honor Roll student at the University of Oklahoma majoring in elementary education. Berry's ambition is to obtain a Master's Degree in Education and become an elementary school teacher.

"We are proud to have MADD as a corporate sponsor and to have them partner with Miss America 2006 Jennifer Berry as she launches her platform today," said Art McMaster, president of the Miss America Organization. "We believe that supporting this cause on a national level brings promise and awareness to such an important issue that continues to face our society."

The Miss America Organization is one of the nation's leading achievement programs and the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Last year, the Miss America Organization and its state and local organizations made available more then $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance. Web site: http://www.missamerica.org/ .

MADD is non-profit grassroots organization working to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. Founded in 1980, MADD has helped to save more than 300,000 lives. Web site: http://www.madd.org/ .

Source: http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/03/30/002402.html





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Wednesday, March 29, 2006

No beauty seen in teen drinking


Miss America delivers message

No beauty seen in teen drinking

Jennifer Berry tells of death of friend back in Oklahoma

The first time Jennifer Berry attended a funeral, it was for a 16-year-old friend who had died in an accident involving alcohol.

Berry was 15 then, but the death made a huge impact on the Tulsa, Okla., native. So much so that Berry — better known as Miss America 2006 — is spending her yearlong reign raising public awareness about the dangers of underage drinking.

“It is not a rite of passage, it is a dead-end road,” Berry told an audience at “Drunk and Drunker,” a community forum Tuesday night at Maple Woods Community College.

The program was sponsored by the Northland Coalition, Tri-County Mental Health Services and the Interagency Coordinating Committee for the Prevention of Underage Drinking.

Talking about the dangers of drinking and driving was a cause for Berry, now 22, long before she became Miss America. Over the past five years, she spoke to students and DUI offenders, lobbied the Oklahoma Legislature to raise the penalties for selling liquor to minors and even helped her local sheriff’s office bust clerks who give beer to people younger than 21.

At Tuesday’s program, a panel of experts urged mothers and fathers to talk with their children about the danger of underage drinking — not once, but repeatedly. They also warned parents about the legal penalties for serving alcohol to teens at house parties.

Spring is a crucial time of year for education and awareness, the experts said. As proms and graduations roll around, the risk increases for drunken driving crashes involving young people.

One of the speakers was Karen Wynn, a MADD volunteer who speaks at local schools about how drunken driving affected her family. Wynn’s 19-year-old daughter, Nicole, died in a 1995 crash at North Oak Trafficway and 55th Street. Nicole hadn’t been drinking, but she got into a car with someone who had.

“She was the only one in the car who wasn’t drunk,” Wynn said. Her daughter was the only one who perished.

There are many statistics that show how much damage underage drinking can do, Wynn said, but telling her story helps reach students in a way that numbers can’t.

“I think it makes more of an impact when there’s a face to go with it,” she said.

By JAMES HART
The Kansas City Star
Source: http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/14209973.htm



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Alice rises above crowd

6-foot-1 beauty topped pageant

A hushed awe descended on the room as Alice Panikian -- all 6-foot-1 of her -- entered the room.

The new Miss Universe Canada silenced about a dozen reporters and photographers as she strolled into the Rosewater Supper Club yesterday for a press conference announcing a speaking tour across GTA schools starting next month.

COMMANDING PRESENCE

Panikian, 20, struck a commanding presence with her long, chestnut hair, dark eyes, flawless olive skin and most of all, her stature: The long-time model towered over most of the room in her stiletto sandals.

Dressed in a sequined corset top and hip-hugging jeans, Panikian -- crowned March 21 in Montreal -- acknowledged she has big shoes to fill after her predecessor Natalie Glebova, also from Toronto, won the Miss Universe title last year.

"It's important for me not to have any expectations," said the York University student and aspiring broadcast reporter. "I know there's a small possibility of two winners from the same country in a row. I'm doing this for the experience ... I'm going to be my own person."

Despite beating out 48 other Canadian beauties for the title, Panikian said she wasn't always self-confident, especially because of her towering height and what she calls her natural weight -- 130 pounds.

"I don't do a lot of maintenance. A lot of people speculate I'm anorexic and I can understand that, but if anyone spent time with me, they'd see the kind of stuff I eat," she said.

'FEMINIST ATTITUDE'

When asked to comment on beauty pageants, Panikian balked, saying the term offends her.

"I think of it more as a competition, not a pageant," she said.

"It's more about intelligence. Beauty is definitely a part of it, but now it's changing towards a realistic look as opposed to the Barbie look."

But when it was noted that she's not exactly the girl-next-door, the Bulgarian-born beauty pointed out that her personality is.

"I think I'm real, I'm not rehearsed ... I know I'm not a typical Canadian woman. I was born this way. But I can use it to my advantage, it's my right to do so. That's a feminist attitude for me."

Source: http://torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2006/03/29/1510587-sun.html



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Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Family inspires Miss Michigan


Motivated by her mother's strength, Miss Michigan was determined to "make it."

Danelle Gay, 24, of Lapeer, was crowned Miss Michigan in September, awarding her the opportunity to compete in the Miss USA pageant next month. This accomplishment, and other milestones, were achieved as a result of her drive to push herself to success, despite the odds.

At Gay's age, her mother was married with children.

"But she still managed to finish high school and go on to get her medical assistant license," Gay said proudly from her Lapeer home.

A Lapeer West graduate, Gay went on to Central Michigan University where she not only graduated in December of 2003 with a degree in interpersonal communication and a minor in marketing, but participated extensively in charity work.

Gay was also involved with the cheer program at Central Michigan University, was an affiliate of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, and participated in extensive fund-raising for the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. She received a proclamation from the City of Lapeer for her community involvement, was rookie of the year for the Michigan district with First Horizon Pharmaceutical Sales Company, and currently volunteers for the Kiwanis Club, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Eastern Michigan Food drive.

But most important to her and her family, she was the first to graduate from college.

"I knew I had to do it," Danelle said. "Not only for my family, but for my cousins," who, she went on to say, are young and haven't had the opportunity to see a relative graduate from college.

"I wanted to be a good role model, they are very young."

Danelle's mother, Roberta Pethers, said her children understand the importance of education.

"While the kids were growing up, I instilled in them how important an education was," Pethers said. "Because I started my family so young, I knew that they were going to go to college one way or another. . . I will never forget the chills that I got when they announced her name and she proudly walked across the stage at Central.

"I cannot explain to you how proud I am of Danelle. When she puts her mind to it, she knows for a matter of fact what she want and will not stop until she accomplishes it. She truly is my best friend. I am blessed to say that she is my daughter."

Danelle never forgot what pushed her so hard to get the job done.

"Self motivation and my family are the two reasons that I was so determined to make it," she said. "And I knew that I wanted to be successful in life."

She is hoping that her success follows her to the Miss USA pageant in April. Her motivation certainly is, she said.

"I'm really excited," Gay said. "I got to meet 25 of the girls two weekends ago in LA . . . It was good to get some of the nerve out of our systems. We feel like we have a head start."

Viewers can find Gay on the televised Miss USA pageant on April 21 at 9 p.m. on NBC.

Source: http://www.countypress.com/stories/032606/loc_20060326002.shtml



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GSN and Shuffle Up Productions to Telecast First-Ever Million Dollar 'Three Card Poker National Championship Tournament'

GSN and Shuffle Up Productions to Telecast First-Ever Million Dollar 'Three Card Poker National Championship Tournament' (New Friday Airdates - April 21 and April 28)

SOON: The PageantCast will be airing an exclusive interview with Danielle Demski "soon!"

SANTA MONICA, Calif., March 27 /PRNewswire/ -- GSN has partnered with gaming company Shuffle Master Inc. to air the finals of the first ever Three Card Poker National Championship Tournament. The two one-hour specials, hosted by Mark L. Walberg ("Temptation Island," and "Russian Roulette") and Danielle Demski (Miss Arizona 2004 and Miss USA Finalist), are slated to air on Friday, April 21 and Friday, April 28 from 9:00-10:00 PM E/8:00-9:00 PM C and is being produced by LMNO Productions and Shuffle Master subsidiary Shuffle Up Productions. (Note: Three Card Poker was previously announced to air Monday, April 17 and Monday, April 24 from 9:00 to 10:00 PM ET/PT).

The popularity of Three Card Poker has risen quickly over the past nine years, making it one of the most played casino table games in North America, with international expansion close behind. Shuffle Master Inc. includes a portfolio of proprietary table games including Three Card Poker® and Let It Ride Bonus®.

"We are excited about giving away a $1 million to the winner of our first event. Next year we anticipate bigger crowds and more players competing for the finals at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. We expect to conduct 30 to 35 Regional events in 2006 throughout North America," said Brooke Dunn, Senior Vice President of Shuffle Master, Inc.

In Three Card Poker, players compete against the dealer. Each is dealt three cards face-down and must make the best poker hand with them. Hand rankings are slightly different from five-card poker: straights beat flushes, and the highest ranking hand is a straight flush. There are three wagers, pair plus, which pays based on the rank of the hand and the ante and play wagers that pay off if the players hand is higher than the dealers hand. The dealer must have a queen high or better to qualify.

Shuffle Master held 20 regional Three Card Poker tournaments throughout North America, and over 250 people qualified to play in the finals at The Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The special will focus on the nine finalists as they battle for the $1 million dollar grand prize and a diamond and ruby-encrusted bracelet worth over $30,000.

"GSN is on the forefront of bringing casino games to television in a compelling and entertaining manner," stated the show's executive producer, Eric Schotz. "Three Card Poker is a perfect fit for viewers. It is a game based on skill and luck that anyone can play."

GSN, the Network for Games, is the only U.S. television network dedicated to game-related programming. The network features game shows, reality series, documentaries and casino games. As the industry leader in interactivity, GSN has allowed viewers to play-along with on-air programming via their computers and GSN.com since 2002. Reaching more than 57 million Nielsen homes, GSN is distributed in the U.S. through all major cable systems and satellite providers. The network is jointly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Liberty Media Corporation. For further media information, visit GSN's press website at corp.gsn.com.

Source: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060327/lam103.html?.v=40




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Doll Promotes Cancer Awareness


Miss Ohio is teaming up with a local company to promote her platform.

Twenty-six-year-old Stacy Offenberger has partnered with the Lee Middleton Doll Company to create a breast cancer awareness doll.

When finished, the toy will be sold worldwide with 10 percent of the proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Offenberger says she helped with the design and picked the name, "Blessings of Hope."

"As a delegate for Miss USA we're required to take a gift that we think represents us personally and our hometowns. Growing up here in the area, Lee Middleton was in my backyard and I was fortunate to be Miss Ohio Teen USA in 1998 and I took a Lee Middleton Doll so I wanted to do the same thing this year, but only have a little bit of my own special touch on it."

Offenberger grew up in Vincent, Ohio and attended Warren High School. She will compete in Miss USA next month.

WTAP News




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Monday, March 27, 2006

PRESS RELEASE: Tiara Girls and Miss Michigan Galaxy

If you did not know, MTV was following one of the delegates of the 2006 Michigan Galaxy Pageants for a series entitled Tiara Girls. The first show is set to air Wednesday, April 19, 2006 at 10:00 PM EST. SEt your TiVo or VCR's for its debut!

Britt B. Harrison,
Managing Member
Harrison Productions, LLC
www.HarrisonProductions.com



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Laurne Gagliardino crowned Miss Outstanding Teen

The Miss Delaware Organization is proud to announce the winners of the Miss Delaware’s Outstanding Teen 2006 Pageant, held March 19 at Sussex Central High School in Georgetown.

Lauren Gagliardino, a student at Padua Academy, and a resident of Bear, was crowned Miss Delaware’s Outstanding Teen 2006 by outgoing title holder, Carly Economos. She performed a tap dance to “Digga Digga Da.” Gagliardino will represent Delaware at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2006 Pageant this August in Orlando, Fla.

The first runner up was Danielle McTeer of Seaford High School; the second runner up was Bethany Brindley of Brandywine High School; the third runner up was Alicia Furio of Padua Academy; and the fourth runner up was Tiffany Wen of Newark High School. Furio also won the Community Service Award.

Other award winners included Sara McCabe of Sussex Central High School and Tiffany Wen of Newark High School as runners up in the Community Service Award; and Chelsea Betts of Sussex Central High School as the nonfinalist Talent Award and Interview Award winner.

Source: http://www.capegazette.com/storiescurrent/0306/teen032406.html



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Beauty and backbone

Tiffany Kelly can't slow down. Not only is Miss Massachusetts working these days with a trainer, an interview coach, and a style consultant, the Brockton beauty has someone helping her walk. ''When I tell people I have to go to my walking lesson, I feel kind of like a dog," Kelly confesses with a laugh. ''But there's no leash involved." A relative newcomer to the world of pageants -- she's been in just one other -- Kelly, 18, insists she isn't nervous about strutting her stuff on national TV. (The Miss USA pageant will be held April 21 in Baltimore.) ''I'm going to make the most of it," she said. ''I've been acting since I was a kid, so I'm no stranger to the stage." Kelly said she's sworn off a few of her favorite foods to get fit -- chocolate and muffins, among them -- but thinks the judges admire backbone as much as backside. ''I've been studying past Miss Universe videos, and the winners didn't have the best bodies, they had the most confidence." (That said, have you checked out Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova?) With or without a crown, Kelly, who volunteers with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said she'll be attending Gordon College next fall.

By Carol Beggy & Mark Shanahan, Globe Staff | March 25, 2006

Source: http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/articles/2006/03/25/beauty_and_backbone/




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Self-value No. 1 for Miss USA

Reanna Patton walked away with a smile, an autograph and an important message Saturday after she spoke with Miss USA 2005 Chelsea Cooley at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

"Believe yourself, value your inner beauty and be open to opportunities," Cooley told Reanna, 14, and dozens of other young women and children at the mother-and-daughter event.

The morning started with a fashion show and was followed by motivational speeches by Cooley, Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, and Sue Straughn of WEAR-TV.

"When I was younger, I was shy," Cooley told the audience. "I was overweight. I wore glasses. I got teased a lot, I grew up watching pageants, but I never thought I was going to become Miss USA."

The 22-year-old started competing in pageants to receive scholarship money when she was 16.

Before she was crowned Miss USA, she was attending college in North Carolina studying fashion marketing.

"After I was crowned, I had to pack and go," she said. "Three weeks later, I was in Thailand to compete for Miss Universe."

Cooley wasn't the only one honored during the event, which benefited the ARC Gateway Foundation, an organization that provides services to children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Cameron Northup, 20, got on stage to share a message that many were proud to hear.

"I have Down syndrome, but that is not a bad thing. It just means we learn different than other people," said Northup, who has a passion for makeup and is opening her own birthday party business with the support of ARC Gateway Foundation members.

"Some people think we don't have dreams, but we do. I'm really excited about mine," Northup said.

Cooley, who is typically surrounded by the media, said the hardest question she was asked during numerous interviews came from a Brown Barge Middle School student during an appearance at the school Friday.

The question: "What would you do if you were president?"

Her answer: "You can't cure all the world's problem and cure all the hunger, but I would try to change the way people view each other."

Polyana da Costa

@PensacolaNewsJournal.com

Source: http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060326/NEWS01/603260328/1005



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Christy Hemme Update, Cena, Kennedy, Foley, & More

Christy Hemme Update, Cena, Kennedy, Foley, & More
Written by Ryan Clark on 03/26/06 at 3:45 PM

Several WWE stars attended a USO Fundraiser on 3/22 in Washington, DC. Mick Foley, Ken Kennedy, Jimmy Hart, Ron Simmons and Christopher Nowinski attended Metropolitan Washington’s annual dinner and fundraiser and were presented the Bob Hope “Legacy of Hope” award to the Miss America Organization. The WWE stars also visited Bethesda and Walter Reed military hospitals to spend time with wounded soldiers.

Source: http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/headlines/145412689.shtml



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KSD graduate vying for Miss Deaf America title

By STEPHANIE SCHELL
sschell@amnews.com

Miss Deaf America may not have its contestants walking across the stage in swim suits, but it compares to the other Miss America pageant in just about every other way.

Mickie Brunton, who was named Miss Deaf Kentucky in 2005 and serves for two years, is a 2004 Kentucky School for the Deaf graduate from Louisville. She will compete for Miss Deaf America this summer in California in the platform program, on-stage interview, talent, private interview and off-stage monitoring. Her talent will be using American Sign Language to recite a poem she wrote from her life experiences called "The Rose."

Brunton, 21, said a few of things are different than the other Miss America pageant. The amount of recognition, awards and funding Miss America gets compared to Miss Deaf America are the biggest differences.

Miss Deaf America contestants have to fund their own way. Brunton has raised nearly half of the $6,000 for the trip expenses for herself and her chaperone. Brunton isn't letting the money situation stop her from partaking in this opportunity. "I believed in myself enough to be a representative for Kentucky's deaf community," Brunton said through her interpreter and Miss Deaf America chaperone, Ina Faye Price. "I know that I'm going to represent well at the national level."

She chose domestic violence as her issue

Miss Deaf America contestants must come prepared with a platform devoted to an issue relevant to today's society. Brunton chose domestic violence. "I have some experience (from) a bad relationship," Brunton said. "I don't want that to happen to others."

When Brunton experienced the abuse from someone she thought loved her, she said she went to a shelter for abused women. The experience at the shelter literally sent her back to the abusive relationship because, Brunton said, no one at the shelter could communicate with her.


Brunton said the deaf community has little representation at facilities like shelters, and she is working to help change that. She said she wants to help develop a better shelter for deaf individuals in abusive relationships.

She thinks if the shelter she went to would have been more accommodating, it would have kept her from going back to the abuse a second time. Brunton is out of the relationship now and wants to keep others from getting involved with abusive partners. She said she will continue to work at her platform even after the pageant is over.

Brunton is known as a friendly person among contestants. She has won the title of Miss Congeniality twice. She won the title in both Miss Deaf Kentucky and the 2003 Miss Junior National Association of the Deaf pageant. In the Miss Junior NAD pageant, Brunton took the crown as well.

Raising money with calendar, bracelet

Brunton has been working hard to raise the other $3,000 for the rest of her pageant expenses. She has asked companies for donations and has developed a bracelet and calendar to sell. The bracelet comes in 11 different colors and is made of a stretchy rubber material. The bracelet has the ASL sign for 'I love you,' which Brunton drew. She wears a pink one, her favorite color. The bracelets sell for $3 each.

The calendar also was Brunton's idea also. Each month has a photo of a child signing a word that represents that particular month. The calendars are $10 for black-and-white, $20 for color.

For more information about the Miss Deaf America pageant, or to purchase a bracelet or calendar, e-mail Barbara Harris at mdeafky@yahoo.com.

Copyright The Advocate-Messenger 2006



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Stars in her eyes


A FORMER Bahrain student and fashion model has been crowned the new Miss Sri Lanka Universe. Ex-Sacred Heart School pupil Jacqueline Fernandez, 20, is now on her way to compete against some of the world's most beautiful women at the Miss Universe 2006 pageant, in June. The 5ft 7" beauty won the Miss Sri Lanka 2006 title on Saturday night at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo by beating 11 other contestants.

She was crowned by Miss Sri Lanka Universe 2005 Rozanne Diasz.

First runner-up was Chathurika Fernando and second runner up was Irosha Kurera.

Ms Fernandez's parents were there to see her crowned.

Ms Fernandez, is one of three children of long-time Bahrain residents Elroy and Kim Fernandez and currently works as an English teacher and an anchor on Sri Lanka's ETV in Colombo.

She revealed during the pageant that she hopes to become an international political television broadcaster.

Ms Fernandez has taken part in several major fashion shows, including the Jewellery Arabia and Visual Image shows, won several local beauty pageants and her face has graced many a billboard.

Her father owns Elroy Events Management and her mother is a senior advertising sales executive at Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group.

Ms Fernandez is the second former Bahrain pupil to have won a major beauty pageant abroad in the last year. Former Indian School pupil, Lara Quigaman, won the Miss Philippines International 2005 contest and later won the Miss International 2005 title in September last year.

Source: http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=139198&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29007




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Slight of hand

Miss Utah USA Soben Huon got a little lost in transition.

The Brigham Young University senior, who leaves next week for Baltimore to participate in the Miss USA pageant, was left scrambling to find funds after the Utah pageant franchise changed hands and she was suddenly without sponsors.

So she turned to her friends, and now Rick Kinateder, the bishop of her LDS ward, pulled out all the stops to throw Huon a festive fund-raising dinner party on Wednesday and send her off in style.

"I know that she's very sensitive to not badmouth the former group or hurt the name of the program," he said of Huon, whom he has known about two years. "I think it was just kind of an in-between unfortunate thing that just happened."

Huon declined to talk about the mishap, preferring instead to focus on the fund-raising effort and the pageant, she said.

The Miss Universe organization awarded the franchise to a different company this year, which had sponsorships lined up for next year, Kinateder said. The original sponsorships shouldn't be affected by a change in management, though, said Tricia Langa, the director of domestic license for Miss Universe.

"The outgoing state director does in fact have an obligation to fulfill the sponsorships," she said. "To our knowledge, everything is OK."

So instead, Huon's raising money the old-fashioned way; Kinateder is making paella, the national dish of Spain, the BYU Ballroom Dancers are providing entertainment and Huon will display her dresses and mingle with the crowd. It's also a chance for participants to wish her well, as she's leaving Sunday for Baltimore.

"It's a fun presentation dish," Kinateder said of the paella; it's full of chicken, pork, chorizo, calamari, mussels, clams and prawn shrimp, as well as saffron rice. It's named for a pan, which adds to the fun of it, he said. He got the idea when trying to figure out what he could cook, and that he could cook.

Huon is majoring in political science and after graduating plans to attend Stanford Law School.

The dinner party is at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the ballroom at Provo's Academy Square; tickets are available for a minimum donation of $20. Tickets are available by calling (801) 491-5052.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B1.

Source: http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/172114/



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Olivia has appeal for Jen

Jen & Olivia
Jennifer Hawkins and Olivia Newton-John.



FORMER Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins has mixed with some famous people, but meeting childhood hero Olivia Newton-John was the ultimate highlight.

"It was unreal," Hawkins said.

"Grease is my favourite movie of all time and to meet Olivia was a real honour."

Hawkins, 22, met the singer before Newton-John's performance on Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday night.

Newton-John will perform two songs on the Channel 7 show to promote her Cancer Centre Appeal.

Hawkins chose the charity to receive money raised via her voting line on the show.

Newton-John praised Hawkins' dancing prowess and thanked her for helping the appeal, which is raising funds to build a cancer and wellness centre.

"So vote for Jen, she's fantastic," the singer said. "She should win and the money is going to a wonderful, wonderful cause."

Hawkins supported the appeal after losing both her grandfather and her uncle to cancer.

"It's close to my heart, but everybody goes through it -- it's such a big thing," she said.

Source: http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,18600634%5e2902,00.html




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Friday, March 24, 2006

Miss America brings campaign on underage drinking to KC

The Kansas City Star

Miss America Jennifer Berry will speak about the problem of underage drinking during a free presentation at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Maple Woods Community College.

Berry, who made underage drinking prevention her platform, will appear with other experts in the campus' student union. The event is being sponsored by the Northland Coalition, Tri-County Mental Health Services and the Interagency Coordination Committee for the Prevention of Underage Drinking. It's part of a national campaign to inform the public about the issue.

Source: http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/breaking_news/14177547.htm




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Thursday, March 23, 2006

America Supports You: Miss America Tours Pentagon, Thanks Troops

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2006
Reigning Miss America Jennifer Berry had nothing but good to say about servicemembers she met in a tour of the Pentagon today.

Click photo for screen-resolution image
Miss America 2006 Jennifer Berry poses in front of the Pentagon with her famous crown March 23. Berry toured the Pentagon to meet with service members. Photo by Gerry J. Gilmore (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.
"It was absolutely wonderful and such an honor for me," the 22-year-old Tulsa, Okla., native said.

Berry visited with soldiers after a briefing on Army operations and later met with sailors working down the hallway. She also viewed a display of quilts made by Americans across the country in remembrance of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attack on the Pentagon.

Berry's visit was coordinated between the Army and the United Service Organizations of Metropolitan Washington. USO volunteer Annette Conway, wife of Marine Lt. Gen. James Conway, director of operations for the Joint Staff, was on hand to help out on the tour.

Mrs. Conway and Berry yesterday visited with wounded servicemembers at the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md., and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here. "We had a wonderful, wonderful visit," Conway said. Berry greatly buoyed the spirits of the servicemembers at Bethesda and Walter Reed and "really impressed me tremendously," she said.

Today at the Pentagon, Army Staff Sgt. Ricky Kannamore was one of many servicemembers who had their photo taken with Berry. Kannamore said he's grateful that celebrities like Miss America take the time to visit servicemembers. "It's just a happy thing to see that they appreciate what we do, being soldiers," Kannamore said. "We like that."

At the conclusion of her Pentagon tour, Berry said the pleasure was all hers. "Everyone was thanking me for coming to visit, but I can't thank them enough to allowing me to come give them the gratitude that I can for their hard work," she said.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service


Related Site:
America Supports You

Click photo for screen-resolution image Army Staff Sgt. Ricky Kannamore talks with Miss America 2006 Jennifer Berry near the Army Operations Center in the Pentagon March 23. Berry toured the Pentagon to meet with service members. Photo by Gerry J. Gilmore
Download screen-resolution
Download high-resolution
Source: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2006/20060323_4590.html



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Bulgaria-Born Beauty Victorious at Miss Universe 2006 Canada

Click to enlarge the photo
Charming brunette Alice Panikian, who was born in Bulgaria, was crowned the new Miss Universe Canada in Montreal Quebec. Photo by beautiesofcanada.com
Lifestyle: 23 March 2006, Thursday.

Charming brunette Alice Panikian, who was born in Bulgaria, was crowned the new Miss Universe Canada in Montreal Quebec.

Alice who is 20 years old and stands 1.86 m in height, will go on to compete in the Miss Universe 2006 pageant.

Alice Panikian was born in Sofia, Bulgaria and came to Canada when she was five years old. She is in her second year at York University majoring in English and Communications. She loves to read and write and hopes to become a broadcast journalist.

The young lady earned the nod of the judges with her elegance, intelligence and overall package. She was anointed Miss Universe Canada 2006, defeating 48 other hopefuls Tuesday night.

"It's surreal. I think I'm dreaming," Panikian said, checking her pulse. "No, no, I'm not."

The judges rated the young women on poise, confidence, intelligence, physical fitness, and beauty as they modelled in swimsuits and evening gowns and made impromptu speeches.

Source: http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=60919



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CMT Draws on Broadband Channel

Mike Shields
MARCH 22, 2006 -

CMT is planning to launch a new broadband platform, dubbed Loaded, sometime this summer.

Details are few on Loaded, which is still in development at this point, but the online video channel is expected to feature a heavy slate of Country music videos, along with content tied to popular CMT series - in the same vein as MTV Overdrive and VH1 VSpot. A CMT rep confirmed the channel's launch.

Loaded is also likely to feature original content produced in conjunction with several prominent Country artists.

Loaded is the latest major broadband play from MTV Networks, which has carved out a stake in the fast growing market for online video through launching line extensions from four of its networks in the past year.

In addition to Overdrive and VSpot, Nickelodeon launched TurboNick last summer and Comedy Central debuted Motherload last fall. While each platform is being programmed distinctly, MTV has made the development of original broadband fare a clear priority--both to entice viewers and advertisers.

CMT, which is available in just under 80 million homes, has been enjoying on-air success of late, delivering its largest audience on record this past January's with its broadcast of the Miss America Pageant.

It's Web site, CMT.com, has already been producing some original video content, including Studio 330 Sessions, which features exclusive artist performances.

Source: http://mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002234263&imw=Y



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Court rejects Revels' appeal for new hearing

RALEIGH - The state Court of Appeals has rejected Rebekah Revels' request for a new hearing in her court fight that began after she lost her Miss North Carolina crown because of a photograph of her topless.

The court ruled Tuesday that a lower court properly granted the motion to force arbitration in the case and that the ruling of the arbitrator should stand.

“In the legal system ... you just have to accept things as they are,” Revels said. “You cannot feel defeated. You just have to accept the way that things happen and turn out and leave it to the people who are put in the position to make the decisions they make.

“I feel happy that I've gone forth with everything that I've done. The outcome is what it is. I can't change it, but I'm definitely glad that I've taken steps that I've taken.”

The St. Pauls native declined to say whether she would appeal to the state Supreme Court. Attorney Ken Carlson, who represents the Miss North Carolina Pageant Organization, said his client was pleased with the ruling.

Revels' lawsuit against the state organization was dismissed in May 2004 after Revels refused an arbitrator's repeated orders to turn over the photographs that led to her removal as the state's reigning beauty queen. Her lawyer, Barry Nakell, argued to the court last month that his client was right to keep the photographs private.

Lawyers for the pageant organization said letting their clients see the photographs could help them determine whether Revels knew her picture was being made, which would violate a morality clause in her pageant contract.

Revels won the Miss North Carolina pageant in June 2002, but resigned under pressure from pageant officials after a former boyfriend, Tosh Welch, contacted Miss America pageant officials to say he had topless photos of her. Revels later sued to be reinstated.

Runner-up Misty Clymer assumed the title.

Nakell estimated in 2004 that Revels lost at least $30,000 in prizes, appearance fees and other income when she lost the crown. Revels got a court order in 2002 to get the photos from Welch, and she won an $11,000 judgment against him in 2004. Her lawsuit against the state pageant was sent to an independent arbitrator despite Revels' objections. Revels wanted a jury trial in Robeson County.

The arbitrator ordered Revels to produce the photos as evidence, but she refused. The arbitrator halted the case and ruled against her.

Revels asked Wake County Superior Court Judge Narley Cashwell to overturn the arbitrator's decision. He refused. She took the case to the Court of Appeals, and its three-judge panel unanimously decided that Cashwell made the correct decision.

Revels also participated in the Miss World pageant in 2002 and now is involved in a breach of contract claim against that pageant. Revels, who lives in Atlanta, said she is involved in jewelry sales and is working on a career in modeling, singing and acting.

Source: http://www.robesonian.com/articles/2006/03/23/news/news/story04.txt




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Big tobacco foes blast Miss America smokescreen

Big tobacco foes blast Miss America smokescreen
By Laura Crimaldi

The nation’s second-biggest cigarette maker is sending Miss America hopefuls into schools to stop kids from lighting up, but anti-smoking groups want the pageant beauties to clean the Big Tobacco tarnish off their crowns.
“Our concern is that Miss America’s association with R.J. Reynolds is causing harm because it’s diverting attention from the need for fundamental changes from R.J. Reynolds,” said Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “R.J. Reynolds is using Miss Massachusetts.”
Since 2002, R.J. Reynolds, whose brands include Camel, Winston and Doral, has awarded the winners of Miss America state pageants $5,000 to bring its youth anti-smoking campaign, “Right Decisions, Right Now” into middle schools.
“I think it’s kind of sad that they are criticizing us for doing something that is positive in the community,” said Miss Massachusetts Kristin Gauvin, who is visiting at least 20 middle schools this year with the anti-smoking message on R.J. Reynolds’ dime. “There are no other funds that are coming into the state of Massachusetts . . . if we were not given this grant from R.J. Reynolds, who would give us the money to do this presentation?”
R.J. Reynolds has expanded the Miss America program into 29 states so far. The company provides the state pageant winners with materials and funding, but it does not dictate their message, said David Howard, an R.J. Reynolds spokesman.
“Considering that the tobacco industry spends more in one week to promote their products in Massachusetts than the state spends in one year to prevent their use, the American Cancer Society does not believe that tobacco companies such as R.J. Reynolds are the ideal candidates for youth tobacco control,” Jennifer Cruickshank, a spokeswoman for the organization’s New England division.
Source: http://news.bostonherald.com/national/view.bg?articleid=131748



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CELEBRITY COOKING SHOWDOWN

NBC'S "CELEBRITY COOKING SHOWDOWN" NAMES PARTICIPATING STARS FOR EXCITING WEEK-LONG EVENT SERIES PREMIERING APRIL 17-21; ANNOUNCES TELEVISION FAVORITE ALAN THICKE AND SEMI-HOMEMADE COOKING CHEF SANDRA LEE AS HOSTS

Celebrity Event Planner Colin Cowie and New York Magazine Restaurant Critic Gael Greene Slated as Judges for New Cooking Competition Series from Reveille and Sean "Diddy" Combs

BURBANK, Calif. -- March 23, 2006 -- NBC's "Celebrity Cooking Showdown," from Reveille and Sean "Diddy" Combs, has revealed its celebrity participants in the week-long cooking competition series premiering April 17-21 (8-9 p.m. ET) and has announced the series will be hosted by television favorite Alan Thicke ("Growing Pains") and celebrity cook/author Sandra Lee (Food Network's "Semi Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee").

Celebrity participants facing off in the kitchen include: supermodel Naomi Campbell, Allison Sweeney (NBC's "Days of our Lives"), Big Kenny (country music's superstar duo, Big and Rich), comedic actor Tom Arnold ("True Lies"), football star Tony Gonzales (Kansas City Chiefs), rapper/actor Ja Rule ("Assault on Precinct 13"), professional volleyball player/model Gabrielle Reese, musician/reality star Ashley Parker Angel (MTV's "There and Back") and the reigning Miss USA 2005 Chelsea Cooley.

Event planner Colin Cowie ("Everyday Elegance") and New York magazine restaurant critic Gael Greene have also been named as in-studio judges. Previously announced celebrity chefs include world-renowned chef Wolfgang Puck, Cat Cora (Food Network's "Iron Chef America") and Govind Armstrong (executive chef/owner, Table 8, Los Angeles).

...continued...
Source: http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/pr.cgi?id=20060323nbc03



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Dancing With The Stars Drew Lachey To Host The Miss USA 2006 Pageant

NBC announced recently that "Access Hollywood's" Nancy O'Dell and "Dancing With The Star's" cycle two winner Drew Lachey will host the Miss USA 2006 Pageant telecast live from Baltimore, Maryland on Friday, April 21st, 9-11 p.m. ET/PT.

Source: http://www.realitytvmagazine.com/blog/2006/03/dancing_with_th_2.html




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Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Former Thai Miss Universe gets "Smart Card" ID update

BANGKOK, March 22 (TNA) - All Thai citizens, aged 15 upward, are to hold electronic identity cards, widely known as "Smart Cards", from now on.

This legal requirement has no exception even though one was once crowned "Miss Universe".

On Tuesday, Thailand former Miss Universe 1988, Pornthip Nakhirankanok Simon, was issued a "Smart Card" at Bangkok's Bangrak district to replace her expired ID card.

She was warmly greeted and welcome by not only the district office staff, but also members of the general public who asked to take photographs with her and sought for her signatures.

Ms. Pornthip, nicknamed Pui, married an American billionaire, Herb Simon, whose niece was once her college classmate, in 1999. She now has a son and visits Thailand from time to time. (TNA)-E002





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Nancy O'Dell, Other Celebs To Host 'Miss USA Pageant'

Source: http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2006/03/22/nancy_o_dell_other_celebs_to_host_miss_u

Nancy O'DellNBC just announced that "Access Hollywood's" Nancy O'Dell and "Dancing With The Star's" cycle two winner Drew Lachey will host the Miss USA 2006 Pageant telecast live from Baltimore, Maryland, on Friday, April 21.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of both the Miss USA and Miss Universe competitions, and for the first time ever Carson Kressley, author, style expert and star of Bravo's Queer Eye, will serve as commentator for the Miss USA 2006 pageant. In his role as pageant commentator, Kressley will enhance the broadcast with his commentary, on everything from the ladies gowns and their beauty looks to their on-stage presentation.





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Revels loses pageant lawsuit

Source: http://www.fayettevillenc.com/article?id=229072

RALEIGH — The legal struggle caused by topless photos of former Miss North Carolina Rebekah Revels reached a probable end Tuesday.

The N.C. Court of Appeals ruled against Revels in her effort to punish the pageant for kicking her out in 2002 because of the photos.

Revels can ask the N.C. Supreme Court to review the case, but the odds are the court will refuse to do so.

“In the legal system ... you just have to accept things as they are,” Revels said Tuesday afternoon. “You cannot feel defeated. You just have to accept the way that things happen and turn out and leave it to the people who are put in the position to make the decisions they make.

“I feel happy that I’ve gone forth with everything that I’ve done. The outcome is what it is. I can’t change it, but I’m definitely glad that I’ve taken steps that I’ve taken.”

She declined to answer questions on the details of the case or whether she would try to take it to the state Supreme Court. She said she wants to first consult her lawyer, Barry Nakell of Chapel Hill.

The ruling satisfied the Miss North Carolina Pageant Organization, said its lawyer, Ken Carlson of Winston-Salem. “We are quite pleased, and we think the facts and the law support the decision.”

The case started in June 2002. Revels, then a Robeson County teacher, was Miss Fayetteville and won the Miss North Carolina pageant. She began preparing to enter the Miss America pageant.

In July 2002, Revels’ ex-boyfriend Tosh Welch contacted Miss America pageant officials by e-mail. He suggested Revels had lived with a man and threatened to publish topless photos of her.

Nude pictures

“Nude pics of Miss America bring big bucks nowadays,” he wrote.

The pageant feared a repeat of a scandal in 1984 in which nude photos of reigning Miss America Vanessa Williams were published in the adult magazine Penthouse.

Officials said they also felt that Revels was in violation of her pageant contract. One clause says she could never have “done any act or engaged in any activity which could be characterized as dishonest, immoral, immodest, indecent, or in bad taste.” In addition, the contract says she could never have been married or lived with a man in lieu of marriage.

The Miss America Organization decided that Revels could not compete in the national pageant. The Miss North Carolina Pageant Organization told Revels to resign or she would be fired. She resigned. Runner-up Misty Clymer assumed the title.

In August and September 2002 Revels sued Welch, the Miss North Carolina Pageant Organization and the Miss America Organization.

During the legal wrangling of August and September 2002, Revels won back the right to serve as Miss North Carolina and briefly was allowed to appear alongside Clymer at the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, N.J., although she was not allowed to compete.

With the simultaneous legal claims of Clymer and Revels to the Miss North Carolina title through 2002 and 2003, no 2002 Miss North Carolina is listed on the Miss North Carolina Web site.

In court in 2004, Nakell estimated that Revels lost at least $30,000 in prizes, appearance fees, publicity and other income when she lost the crown.

Revels got a court order in 2002 to get the photos from Welch, and she won an $11,000 judgment against him in 2004.

Her case against the Miss America pageant was dismissed in summer 2005. A spokeswoman for Miss America said that case is over.

Her suit against the state pageant was sent to an independent arbitrator despite Revels’ objections. Revels wanted a jury trial in Robeson County.

The arbitrator ordered Revels to produce the photos as evidence, but Revels refused. The arbitrator halted the case and ruled against her.

Revels asked Wake County Superior Court Judge Narley Cashwell to overturn the arbitrator. He refused. She took the case to the Court of Appeals.

A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals unanimously decided that Cashwell made the correct decision.

After Revels was forced out of the Miss America program in 2002, the Miss World pageant asked her to serve as its American contestant that fall. Revels came in the top 10. In 2005, she sued Miss World’s American organizers, charging breach of contract.

At a hearing in October, Robeson County Superior Court Judge Frank Floyd awarded Revels $77,672.20 in damages in the Miss World case. None of the defendants were present.

The defendants, Peter Klamka, Miss World Holdings Inc. and Legend Mobile, filed paperwork in December that says they received no notice to be in court. They want the judgment overturned and the case transferred to Michigan, where they are based.

Klamka in August 2005 sued Revels in federal court in Michigan to try to force her lawsuit to that jurisdiction. That case is scheduled for trial in October.

Revels declined to discuss the Miss World case.

She said she’s trying to move her life forward. She lives in an Atlanta suburb. She said she works in jewelry sales and is pursuing a modeling, singing and acting career. She recently completed a modeling job for a bank, she said.

“I’m kind of stretched, but it’s a lot of fun,” she said.





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