Beauty Pageants

[GeneChing]

New Miss USA crowned, capping tumultuous year of pageant controversy
Story by Oscar Holland, CNN • 1w • 4 min read

Michigan’s Alma Cooper, a US Army officer, was named Miss USA on Sunday, becoming the third person to hold the title this year following the shock resignation of 2023’s winner.

The 22-year-old, who has a Master’s in data science from Stanford University, beat 50 other contestants in a pageant that included swimwear and evening gown competitions. Kentucky’s Connor Perry and Oklahoma’s Danika Christopherson were named first and second runners up, respectively.

“As the daughter of a migrant worker, a proud Afro Latina woman and an officer of the United States Army, I am living the American dream,” she had told judges during a Q&A session at Sunday’s finale. “If there’s anything that my life and my mother have taught me, it’s that your circumstances never define your destiny: You can make success accessible through demanding excellence.”

Cooper was crowned on stage by previous titleholder, Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii, who inherited the tiara in May after Utah’s Noelia Voigt stepped down in highly controversial circumstances.

The glitzy televised event capped three months of turbulence for pageant organizers sparked by Voigt’s surprise resignation — and that of then-reigning Miss Teen USA, New Jersey’s UmaSofia Srivastava, just days later. The show featured no explicit references to the controversy, though Gankiewicz described her unexpected three-month stint as Miss USA as “the most unique reign in history.”


Alma Cooper onstage with former Miss USA titleholder Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii. - Gilbert Flores/Variety//Getty Images
Announcing her decision via Instagram in May, Voigt attributed her resignation to mental health reasons. But social media users quickly spotted that the first letter of the first 11 sentences of her cryptic post spelled “I am silenced,” sparking rumors of a strict non-disclosure agreement.

Her resignation letter, later obtained by CNN, alleged delays in receiving prizes and a “toxic work environment” that “at best, is poor management and, at worst, is bullying and harassment.” Voigt also claimed to have been sexually harassed during a public appearance due the Miss USA organization’s failure to provide an “effective handler.”

Srivastava, who won the Miss Teen USA competition (a companion event, under the same ownership, for contestants aged 14 to 19), meanwhile attributed her resignation to a clash in “personal values” with the Miss USA organization. Both women’s mothers then appeared on Good Morning America, with Srivastava’s mother, Barbara, saying the beauty queens had been “ill-treated, abused, bullied and cornered,” and that “the job of their dreams turned out to be a nightmare.”

Organizers and the pageants’ parent company, the Miss Universe Organization, did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment at the time of the double resignation. Miss USA president Laylah Rose released a statement at the end of May, reported by the Los Angeles Times, refuting Voigt’s allegations.

New rules, groundbreaking firsts

The evening’s proceedings began with an elimination, as the 51 contestants were narrowed down to a top 20 based on judges’ scores from Saturday’s preliminary competition. The results of a swimwear competition saw the field reduced to 10 ahead of an eveningwear parade.

The final five were then asked the same question: “How can we bridge the gap between different cultures and foster understanding and respect?”


Contestants on stage at the Miss USA finale in Los Angeles, California. - Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
The televised finale, which was hosted by Garcelle Beauvais from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and E! News presenter Keltie Knight, saw the contest return to California for the first time since 2007.

Judges included shoe designer Jojo Bragais and former Miss USA titleholders Carole Gist and Lu Parker.

Sunday marked the first Miss USA pageant to take place since its owner, the Miss Universe Organization, lifted a longstanding age restriction banning women over 28 from participating. Several finalists benefited from the new rule, including 41-year-old Kristina Johnson of Arizona and contestants from Montana, North Dakota, Maryland and Indiana, who are all in their 30s.

In other firsts, Maryland’s Bailey Anne Kennedy became the first transgender contestant from her state to appear at the finals, and Shavana Clarke of Connecticut arrived as the “first openly lesbian Miss USA state titleholder,” according to organizers.

Sunday’s finale comes three days after Addie Carver of Mississippi was named Miss Teen USA, a title that had remained vacant since Srivastava’s resignation (last year’s first runner-up, Stephanie Skinner, declined to take on the title). Seventeen-year-old Carver is a dance teacher, cheerleader and choreographer who has used her platform to discuss young people’s mental health, telling judges of her own struggles following her father’s death. “As the next Miss Teen USA I want to make it my mission to know that every little girl who is just like me once is never alone,” she said on stage Thursday evening.

Cooper will now go onto compete in the Miss Universe 2024 contest, which will be held in Mexico later this year.

Sounds like a winner...

[GeneChing]

Former model and Miss Switzerland finalist Kristina Joksimovic 'pureed' in blender by husband - reports
Kristina Joksimovic, 38, was found dead in her home in Binningen, near Basel, Switzerland, in February this year. Local outlets report the Federal Supreme Court ruled against the release of Thomas after he admitted to the murder of his wife.

Thursday 12 September 2024 05:18, UK

The former model was found dead in her home near Basel in February this year. Pic: Instagram / Kristina Joksimovic

A former model who was a finalist in the Miss Switzerland contest was allegedly murdered and "pureed" in a blender by her husband, officials in Switzerland are reported to have said.

Kristina Joksimovic, 38, was found dead in her home in Binningen, near Basel, Switzerland, in February this year.

According to local news outlet BZ Basel, a man named Thomas, 41, had an appeal for release from custody denied by the Federal Court in Lausanne on Wednesday after he reportedly confessed to killing his wife, with whom he had two children.

The outlet said he had admitted to the killing during a crime reconstruction in March, and claimed it was in self-defence after she attacked him with a knife.

BZ Basel said the ruling from the court held Ms Joksimovic was strangled to death. An autopsy report included in the ruling said Ms Joksimovic's body was then dismembered in a laundry room with a jigsaw, knife and garden shears.

It added body parts were then chopped up with a hand blender, "pureed" and dissolved in a chemical solution.

BZ Basel also said Thomas was arrested the day after Ms Joksimovic's body was found, and initially told investigators he had found her dead and dismembered her body in their laundry room in panic.

According to local outlet 20 Minuten, Ms Joksimovic was crowned Miss Northwest Switzerland pageant and in 2007 was a finalist for Miss Switzerland.

She later ran her own business as a catwalk coach, and mentored model Dominique Rinderknecht for the Miss Universe pageant in 2013.

How horrific.

[GeneChing]

Is this S Korea's most glamorous granny? Miss Universe judges think so
3 days ago

Woongbee Lee and Flora Drury
BBC News
Reporting fromSeoul and London

Ms Choi was 72 when it was suggested she could make a good model
How would you like to spend your 80s?
Some gardening, maybe learning a language, a bit of travelling, spending time with the grandchildren.
Or perhaps entering an international beauty contest with the ultimate aim of launching your modelling career on the world stage.
For Choi Soon-hwa, it was a no-brainer.
This week, the 81-year-old took to the stage with women a quarter of her age for Miss Universe South Korea, hoping to make it to the finals in Mexico later this year.
The question, though, is why?
"After raising children and going through hardships, it’s just two people left, and that’s when you need to find what you want to do," the former hospital worker explained to the BBC shortly after she came off stage.
"Once you find it, it becomes the energy that drives your life, leading to a positive outlook and healthier relationships with people, which in turn helps your well-being."
For Ms Choi, the thing she wanted to do has been modelling, ever since a patient suggested she take it up at the spritely age of 72.
The comment gave her the confidence to take the leap after several years of financial hardship, which had pushed her and her family to the brink of ruin.

At 81, Choi Soon-hwa is the oldest ever Miss Universe contestant
In the years since, she has become a familiar face in South Korea - including walking the runway at fashion week - but launching a career outside the country has proved difficult.
So when Miss Universe, the famed beauty pageant which began nine years after Ms Choi was born, decided to throw out rules banning entrants over the age of 28 earlier this year, she jumped at the chance to take part - making her the oldest ever contestant so far to take part.
"It was something I couldn’t have imagined," she says. "For several years, I had wished to step onto the international stage as a model.
"However, there was no clear path or guidance for me, but since the Universe competition had no age restriction, I participated with the goal of reaching the global stage."
The removal of age restrictrions come as the Miss Universe competition has moved towards becoming more diverse in recent years - allowing married women, transgender women and single mothers to take part.
But her entry still caused quite the stir - not least among her competition.
"The participants were surprised to see me, and when they learned I was 80, they expressed admiration, saying, I want to age like you," she admits.
And it has brought her the international interest she was hoping: Ms Choi has garnered headlines around the world.

Ms Choi hopes to launch her career internationally
What it did not buy was a ticket to Mexico: the Miss Universe South Korea crown went instead to Han Ariel, 22.
Ms Choi didn't walk away completely empty handed however - but with the title of "Best Dressed".
"Just being able to participate is an amazing and honourable experience", she says, adding that she hopes she is the first of many older women to compete for the crown and, by extension, challenge beauty norms.
"Since this is still new, there’s a lot of buzz, but as more seniors participate, perspectives on them will shift, and there will come a time when seniors can compete in world competitions," she says. "But for now, it’s still time for the young to take the stage."
And whatever happens next, she knows some of her biggest fans will always be at home in the form of her grandsons, aged 23 and 24.
"My grandchildren cheer me on, saying, 'Our grandma is so cool, pretty, beautiful, and the best!'"

Do they still do bikini competition in Miss Universe? Just asking...

[GeneChing]

Marcela's moment: Delgado to represent Tamaulipas at Miss Universe Mexico
By David Gomez Jr.,
Laredo Morning Times
Aug 26, 2024


Courtesy/Liza Merino


Miss Universe Mexico is set to take place soon, with 33 contestants from across Mexico competing for the chance to win Miss Universe later this year in November.

Miss Tamaulipas, who happens to work in Laredo, shared her experience and expectations as she moves forward in the competition and aims to qualify for the world stage.

Taking place this week in Cancun, Mexico, Marcela Delgado is set to represent the state of Tamaulipas at Miss Universe Mexico. The winner of the competition will compete on the international stage of Miss Universe in Mexico City.

Delgado was handed the official sash by beauty pageant entrepreneur Osmel Sousa, who has coached seven Miss Universe winners for Venezuela. She calls this a "big deal."

“This feels like an official thing, a big deal, because I’ve already won state with Miss Tamaulipas, and then the representative of Mexico will go representing Mexico at the Miss Universe competition, which is to be held in November in Mexico City,” Delgado said. “Mexico is hosting Miss Universe this year.”

Miss Universe Mexico will air on TV Azteca, with the finals airing Sept. 7 on Telemundo.


Posed photo of Marcela Delgado
Courtesy/Liza Merino

Delgado said that since there are 33 contestants but only 32 Mexican states, the extra contestant is representing Mexico’s reach outside of its borders. They may live in the United States, Spain or even Egypt, as long as they are a Mexican citizen.

Delgado had few lighthearted words to say about the travel arrangements for the winner.

“Whoever wins, including me, won’t have to travel so much because it’s Mexico,” Delgado joked.

As far as her chances go, Delgado wants to live in the experience but looks forward to the competition.

“Honestly, I think I’m prepared, but I’m going to enjoy the experience,” Delgado said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I feel like I'm going to give it my all.”

It has been nearly two months since she was told she would be representing Tamaulipas, but she feels she is going strong into the pageant as she has been preparing for the moment. She’s competed in Miss Laredo; Miss Teen Universe 2019, where she placed third runner-up; a variety of pageants in her hometown; and her state’s pageant, Miss Tamaulipas. She felt like the growth she gained from it could not be taken away, and she feels it has prepared her for what is next.

“I feel like I’ve actually been preparing for this moment even though I just got announced now,” Delgado said. “I feel like every journey and every step along the way has prepared me, without knowing, for this moment that is about to come.

“I’m excited, I feel prepared. I’m going to give it my all, and I’m just going to enjoy it and we’ll see what it is. I think what’s meant for you will never pass you by. I’ve been waiting a lot for this moment, and now that it’s here, it still hasn’t hit me. Eating healthy and workout habits — it’s a discipline you need to take.”


Posed photo of Marcela Delgado
Courtesy/Liza Merino
Delgado said there’s a misconception about pageantry and that it is not all about looking glamorous on the stage. She said pageantry has changed a lot throughout the years.

“It’s not only about looking pretty, but of course it is because it’s still a beauty pageant, right?” Delgado said. “But it’s not only about looking pretty on the outside but also how you are on the inside.”

She calls it hard work to discipline one’s own mind and body, but if the word "privilege" comes into the conversation about her path in life, her discipline makes up for it because she is in charge of her own journey.

“I’m the only one who knows what my journey is about, no matter how much it has cost me, and I don’t mean money-wise, but I mean in other aspects that are way more important than that,” Delgado said. “With the pressure, I feel when you enjoy it and see things from a positive aspect and see the silver lining of it, then I feel that’s when you enjoy moments more, and I am just going to do me.”

The oldest of two at 23, with a younger brother, and a first-generation college graduate, she founded A21 Modeling Studio. According to Delgado, her studio is meant to provide her students the confidence they need in life, whether that be in the way they present themselves, the way they dress or the way they carry themselves. In other words — the attitude toward it.

“Teaching is something I thoroughly enjoy, and I do it by heart,” Delgado said. “I love doing what I do, and I love seeing the growth within my students. I’m not only showing them how to model on stage but how to walk through life, having that confidence and believing in themselves. I feel that is what truly stays with a person — in the soul. And that is what will truly make you shine more than on a stage, and that way, the opportunities come to you.”

continued next post

[GeneChing]

Marcela Delgado speaks at the Business Expo on Aug. 17, 2024, at the Sames Auto Arena.
Jose De La Rosa/Laredo Morning Times
She also believes in something more when it comes to working hard at anything. It is another lesson she hopes to instill in her students which she has learned herself.

“I feel like no matter how many doors may close along the way, there is always a door that will open up for you, but you’ve got to dream big and work hard, and a ‘no’ is not a permanent no,” Delgado said. “Life is full of opportunities for everybody, but you just have to be determined, true to yourself and stay loyal to what you want to achieve. In a way, it will come to you as long as you keep working hard for it.”

Delgado did not think she would be involved in the pageantry world when she first began modeling at the age of 14, but the more events she participated in, the more other models told her to try out pageantry. Though it was recommended to her, she did not do any pageants until she went back home.

It turns out that on Delgado’s mother’s side of the family, the women were involved in all kinds of pageants in Nuevo Laredo, and by the time she was about to turn 17, she competed in her first pageant.

“My aunt got me into my first beauty pageant,” Delgado said. “All of my aunts from my mom’s side of the family had always done beauty pageants like reina this, reina that, La Feria, que esto y lo otro. And they said, ‘Hey, we got you enrolled. You’re going to do this. It’s a great experience. Do it. Have fun,’ and I was like, ‘OK.’”

Little did she know she was going to fall in love with it, but not because of the pageantry — the makeup, gowns and flashing lights — but because of how much she felt she was growing from it.

“I feel like beauty pageants do prepare you into a better version of yourself and, in a way, a more mature way of seeing life,” Delgado said. “I also feel that once you hold a beauty pageant title, the more you meet new people all the time. You become the best version of yourself but also try to inspire others, which is the most important. When people tell you you’ve inspired them, I feel like that is such a beautiful sentiment that makes you want to do it more.”

Then, there was a full stop on pageantry around early 2023. She focused on her studies and is a recent Texas A&M International University graduate.

“There was a time when I had so much going on in my life and so much to do that there are times when you don’t focus on the moment,” Delgado said. “So, I thought, ‘I want to give a moment to my school, enjoy my graduation, travel, and so I did that and got a job, and I wanted to focus on my job now.

“That’s when this opportunity came into my life. I was like, ‘wow.’ Without me knowing, I’ve been preparing for it. So, now that it came up to me, I thought, ‘I’m going to enjoy this and give it my all,’ and I feel like it has been blessing after blessing ever since.”

As far as Osmel Sousa reaching out to Delgado, her chances in the finals seem to look better.

“So, the opportunity of having him, an iconic figure within the Mexico pageant world, I think is very important, and the fact that he chose me, knowing that he has so much behind him, you know, I think is very crazy,” Delgado said. “I can’t believe that this opportunity came into my life because of him, too.

“I’m glad the Miss Universe Mexico organization is interested in me. They reached out to me and said they were interested in my profile, who I was, and what I’ve done, and I think that’s great because, to me, that means I am on the right path. I feel like everything gets to your life when it needs to be. I feel like God is preparing you for bigger things as long as you keep working hard toward that dream.”

In early August, Delgado went to Mexico City to meet the competition. Delgado said she got along with many of the other contestants and explored the city when they could. She even ate her first chapulín, or a grasshopper.

.
Marcela Delgado (right) interviews Dr. Claudia Mercado at her groundbreaking event of Border Clinic on Aug. 6, 2024.
David Gomez Jr./Laredo Morning Times

Delgado is also the host of "Hola!," a show from KGNS+ where she showcases lifestyle and all things within the Laredo community, from restaurants and events to new, upcoming businesses.

“With the 'Hola!' show, I feel like it is an amazing opportunity to show who I am and display my personality,” Delgado said. “Right now we’re promoting things local, lifestyle and entertainment. That is my job. I am a producer, and then I go out there and take video, edit and build content.”

Run by the sales team at KGNS, "Hola!" offers Delgado a place to utilize her marketing and communication degree.

“It fits into my marketing aspect and also to my personality in the communications side of it,” Delgado said.

As far as the stage goes, she knows she will give it her all as she glides across the stage and hopes to make a believer out of many people, including her supporters to whom she attributes her strength.

“It will not only be me, but it will be everyone else behind me on that stage,” Delgado said. “So, I know I’m going to feel the support that night and I’m just excited that everyone in the community supported me and is proud to have their representative in the Miss Universe Mexico Pageant from both Nuevo Laredo and Laredo.”

Reporter
David Gomez Jr. is a reporter for the Laredo Morning Times.

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