Smith shares Miss USA journey on trip home

Smith to be featured in MTV reality series
By JAMIE DEXTER
The Leaf-Chronicle

Just one year ago, Rachel Smith was just like any other college student.

"I was a college student at Belmont University getting my journalism degree and trying to figure out what my thesis was going to be on and get that out of the way so I could graduate in December," Smith said while standing in front of the Montgomery County Court Complex.

Since then, Smith was crowned Miss Tennessee USA at last year's pageant, then later crowned Miss USA — the second from Clarksville to achieve that honor — and finished fourth runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant.

Saturday, Smith will be handing off the crown to the new Miss Tennessee USA winner.

Things have changed drastically for her since then — she went from "cruising through Clarksville in my Beetle" to arriving for a public appearance in a white stretch limo, escorted by several units from the Clarksville Police Department.

"It's a complete 180," Smith said, showcasing her signature smile that would put even the most nervous greeters at ease.

Since being crowned Miss USA, Smith said she's been up to a whole lot more than could be shared in a few minutes' time — from putting her journalism talents at work interviewing celebrities at a philanthropic summit in Spain to introducing Wyclef John during a concert at Radio City Music Hall.

"I've been in this gig now for 6 months maybe, and so far I've traveled to Kenya for a volunteer project through a non-profit organization in New York called Project Sunshine," Smith said. "I've emceed an event at the White House for Black Music Month ... at a philanthropic event in Spain I got to walk the red carpet at the gala and turn around and interview A-list celebrities there including Eva Longoria, Goldie Hawn, Paris Hilton — It was insane."

She's also featured in a MTV reality television show, "Pageant Place," where cameras capture her life along with the lives of Miss Universe Riyo Mori and Miss Teen USA Katie Blair.

Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner and Miss Teen USA Hilary Cruz are also featured on the show — airing Wednesday at 9:30 p.m.

"It's been interesting," Smith said. "I've been able to do some incredible things during the time of the reality show — some things I wouldn't have had the opportunity to do otherwise."

Smith said the girls don't have a say in the editing process, so she said it will be interesting watching along with the audiences at home.

"They follow us on appearances and catch the drama, or lack thereof, that goes on behind the scenes on the way to events," Smith said.

Despite being a very busy woman, Smith said there are a lot of things she misses about her hometown.

"My family, of course," Smith said. "I miss going down to the Riverwalk with my dog, Zoe ... and just seeing everyone. You couldn't go to Wal-Mart without seeing someone you knew, ya know?"

Smith said that even rang true when she returned to see her family for her homecoming, and she went grocery shopping with her mom.

"I was in my pajamas, just casual grunge clothes, and people were like, 'Oh, there's Rachel Smith,' and taking pictures with camera phones," Smith said, laughing.

Before Smith made her way to meet the other Miss Tennessee USA contestants, she added the fact that Clarksville will always be her home.

"I can't thank you enough for your continued faith and support," Smith said about Clarksville.

"I will always give back to Clarksville ... And if you see me, say 'Hey, what's up,' because I'm always interested in knowing what's going on back home."

Source: The Leaf Chronicle

Miss International pageant features student contestant

By Kellie Geist

Media Credit: photo contributed
Ashlei's future holds hopes of becoming an FBI agent.

While the rest of us will spend the next couple weeks going to classes and work, Ashlei Sothard will be hanging out in Mahé in the Seychelles off the east coast of Africa. But she won't be lounging poolside - Sothard will be representing the U.S. in the 36th Annual Miss International Beauty Pageant.

"I was on stage at the Miss Kentuckiana Pageant when they told me I'd been selected to go," she said. "It was really exciting."

One of just 44 contestants from around the world, Sothard, a senior criminal justice major, will spend 10 days posing for photo shoots and strutting her stuff for the Oct. 13 worldwide telecast. But her pageant career is only four years in the making.

"I started competing when I was 17 with the Miss Kentucky Teen USA pageant," Sothard said. "I've been competing ever since."

Sothard has been named Miss Kentucky Teen Model 2003, Miss Kentucky Hawaiian Tropic, Miss Kenton County 2006 and Miss Virginia Hawaiian Tropic 2007. However, she's never been in a pageant that took take her away from home, work and school for three weeks.

"A few of my professors asked why I didn't just drop for the semester," Sothard said. "But I'm all set to graduate in December, so I asked if I could take my tests before I left." She said some of her classes have online quizzes and assignments, so during her downtime in Mahé, she'll be using her laptop and new wireless card to study and keep up.

"Most of my professors were pretty cool about it," she said. "It's just such a great opportunity that they didn't want to tell me I couldn't go."

Although the 21-year-old said she's thrilled to be representing her country in the pageant, she's also a little excited about her journey to Mahé.

"My layover is in France, so I'll be in Paris for a full day by myself," she said. "That in itself is like a dream come true."

One of her outfits for the pageant is a modified Reds uniform complete with a cropped jersey, knee-length baseball pants and knee socks. "Baseball is known worldwide as America's pastime, and Cincinnati had the first professional baseball team," Sothard said in a press release. "It just seemed perfect for a national costume. Besides, it will be beautiful after it's tailored, and I add lots of rhinestones and sequins."

Sothard's pageant career has also taken her to Hawaii, New York City, Canada and Mexico. "A lot of what I enjoy (about competing) is having everything together and knowing that all of my hard work is paying off," she said.

Source: The Northerner

MTV to debut Donald Trump's 'Pageant Place' reality series October 10

By Christopher Rocchio

MTV has announced Pageant Place, a new Donald Trump-produced reality series that will follow several beauty queens as they live together in a New York City apartment and represent their different crowns, will premiere Wednesday, October 10 at 10:30PM ET/PT.

Current Miss Universe Riyo Mori and Miss USA Rachel Smith as well as former Miss Teen USA Katie Blair will star in Pageant Place, which captured the beauty queens' daily lives during their respective reigns this past summer. Pageant Place's season will also eventually feature Hilary Cruz -- who was crowned Miss Teen USA 2007 last month -- moving in with Mori and Smith and adjusting to the spotlight that comes with being Blair's successor.

While the women coexisting together isn't new -- as they normally live together during their yearlong reign -- this will be the first time viewers will be invited inside to witness some royal cattiness.

In addition, The Donald -- who is co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, which includes Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA -- will also make regular appearances on Pageant Place to keep the beauty queens on track and in check, similar to the way he handled the January controversy surrounding former Miss USA Tara Conner's underage drinking.

Instead of taking Conner's crown away, Trump announced she would keep her title and attend an in-patient substance abuse rehabilitation center. Conner -- now 21 years old -- will also be of part Pageant Place's cast and serve as the beauty queens' "unofficial peer advisor."

The previously announced eight-episode series is being produced via Trump Productions (which Trump launched last summer), Evolution Film & Tape, Inc. and the Miss Universe Organization.
In addition to Trump, Andy Litinsky (the former The Apprentice 2 contestant that Trump hired to run his own production company last year), Miss Universe Organization president Paula Shugart and Evolution's Douglas Ross, Greg Stewart and Kathleen French will serve as executive producers.

Source: Reality TV World

Welcome to MTV''s ''Pageant Place'' - Where Being Beautiful isn''t Always Pretty

NEW YORK, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- What happens when three of prettiest girls in the world become roommates? MTV''s newest reality series "Pageant Place," premiering Wednesday, October 10th at 10:30pm ET/PT, goes behind the sashes and crowns to answer that very question and shows the world what happens to beauty queens after they win. The 8-episode series follows Miss Universe Riyo Mori, Miss USA Rachel Smith and Miss Teen USA Katie Blair as they reign and live together for one year in a New York City high- rise apartment. It''s a long-held tradition of the Miss Universe Organization for title holders to room together annually and the series marks the first time viewers will get to see the girls'' home away from the spotlight.

Adding to the glamour and drama is Blair''s successor, Miss Teen USA 2007, Hilary Cruz who moves in mid-season, and former Miss USA 2006, Tara Conner, who serves as unofficial peer advisor to the beauty queens throughout the season. Dropping by to check-in and make sure they all stay on track is Donald J. Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization which produces the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty pageants annually. Titleholders and roomies for one year, Riyo, Rachel, Katie and Hilary are out to prove to the world that they''re more than just pretty faces. As they maintain a grueling schedule, become sudden stars and learn to temper the natural jealousies and friendships that arise, the girls have a now sober Tara to guide them away from the temptations and unrelenting attention that led to her notoriety when she was Miss USA.

The cameras show all the triumphs, fun and drama, as they deal with being plucked from obscurity and learn what it takes to be Queen. Crossing the globe to become Miss Universe, 20-year-old Riyo attempts to handle the culture shock of being so far from her home in Japan and her sick grandmother who raised her; 22-year-old Rachel struggles to step out of the shadow of her predecessor''s notorious reign and leave her own mark; in addition to weathering the challenges of a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend Josh, 19-year-old Katie prepares to relinquish her crown to 18-year-old Hilary and step out of the limelight she has grown accustomed to; and Tara, now 21- years-old, tries to rebuild a reputation that was almost destroyed during her reign and impart some crucial wisdom to her four counterparts.

Starting Wednesday, September 26th, viewers can log onto MTV.com for cast profiles, interviews and photo flipbooks; weekly episode trailers and quizzes; and the inside scoop on what it was like to film the show from the beauty queens'' personal blogs. In addition, Riyo, Rachel, Katie, Hilary and Tara will share their top beauty tips and music playlists so site visitors can learn everything from how they apply their makeup for a fashion shoot to what music they listen to when they work out. Full "Pageant Place" episodes will also be made available for download on iTunes.

"Pageant Place" is Executive Produced by Evolution Film & Tape, Inc., The Miss Universe Organization and Trump Productions. Douglas Ross, Greg Stewart and Kathleen French serve as Executive Producers for Evolution Film & Tape, Inc. Paula M. Shugart is President and Executive Producer for the Miss Universe Organization and Donald J. Trump and Andy Litinsky are Executive Producers for Trump Productions. The series is a co-production from Evolution Film & Tape, Inc. and the Miss Universe Organization. Co-Executive Producing for Evolution are Joe DeVito and Russ Heldt. Drew Tappon, Jackie French and Lauren Dolgen are the executives overseeing the project for MTV.

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom International Inc., is one of the world''s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with 100 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 80 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

About The Miss Universe Organization

The Miss Universe Organization, producers of the MISS UNIVERSE, MISS USA and MISS TEEN USA competitions, is a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal, Inc. partnership. Utilizing its global grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing HIV/AIDS awareness and increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education such as the Latino Commission on AIDS, Global Health Council, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Gilda''s Club, the women who champion these causes during their reign are armed to impact women today. The titleholders of the Miss Universe Organization personify the combination of beauty and intelligence that defines the 21st Century.

About Evolution Film & Tape, Inc.

Since 1987, Evolution Film & Tape, Inc. has forged a reputation as a bold, innovative provider of non-fiction programming. Evolution''s productions have spanned the broadcast and cable spectrums, with commercial success and critical acclaim in virtually all formats and genres. Current productions include Disney''s long running Movie Surfers, Bravo''s outrageous The Real Housewives of Orange County, TLC''s 10 Years Younger, HGTV''s upcoming Desperate Spaces, as well as Court TV''s docu-drama, Beach Patrol. Previous programming includes MTV''s Yo Momma, VH1''s Bands Reunited, ABC Family''s teen reality hit, Switched!, TLC''s Clean Sweep, and the reality comedies, The Adam Carolla Project (TLC) and He''s a Lady (TBS), as well as Evolution''s first tele- feature, Now You See It, for Disney Channel, and the award-winning feature documentary, Camp Out (LOGO).Evolution''s highly regarded docu-soaps include Bug Juice, Totally Hoops and Totally in Tune for Disney Channel, as well as Bravo''s groundbreaking series Gay Weddings and Boy Meets Boy.

About Trump Productions, LLC

Donald J. Trump is the Chairman/CEO of Trump Productions LLC. Based in Los Angeles, Trump Productions LLC is the television production and entertainment business arm of the privately held Trump Organization. Trump Productions LLC is an Executive Producer of many network and cable television shows including six seasons of the NBC worldwide hit show, "The Apprentice," in association with Mark Burnett Productions. Another edition of the "Apprentice" featuring celebrity contestants is currently in production in NYC for an early 2008 airing on NBC. Additionally, Donald J. Trump is co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization with NBC Universal and Executive Producer of the "Miss Universe," "Miss USA" and "Miss Teen USA" Pageants.

Source: MTV and JRJ

Winners Cite Broken Promises in Pageants

Ashley Wood, Miss South Carolina 2004, attends the Wharton School. She has not been able to collect her pageant scholarships. (Jessica Kourkounis for The New York Times)

By JENNIFER 8. LEE

When Ashley Wood was crowned Miss South Carolina in 2004, she thought her title came not only with a tiara and a shot at Miss America, but also a $20,000 state scholarship and $5,000 national pageant scholarship.

Ms. Wood said Miss America scholarship winners “encounter one obstacle after another.”

This fall, Ms. Wood entered the Wharton School, the business-studies arm of the University of Pennsylvania. But she has yet to receive any of that scholarship money, having been locked in a dispute with the Miss South Carolina pageant for more than two years.

“You are talking about an organization that is promoting itself as the largest scholarship provider for women in the world,” Ms. Wood, 26, said of the Miss America Organization. “When contestants try to collect their funds, they encounter one obstacle after another.”

Ms. Wood said she was told that she would not get the $20,000 for winning the Miss South Carolina pageant in part because her two local pageants had not paid her $950 that she had won from them (Ms. Wood said that after she enrolled in classes, one group reneged on payment and the other dodged her when she tried to collect). In turn, because she did not receive the state money, the national pageant sent her a letter in June saying she was ineligible for the $5,000 from it, even though the deadline to use her national scholarship had not passed. “It’s like a game of gotcha,” she said. “What is very clear to me is that the goal is to not give out the scholarships if at all possible.”

Ms. Wood’s is among the most prominent disputes in recent years involving the pageant system, which endures — albeit diminished — since network television dropped the Miss America Pageant in 2004. But there have long been complaints that the 1,200 local and 52 state pageants run under the aegis of the national pageant often do not distribute scholarships to winners. The contestants say their difficulties collecting their money surprise them, given that the Miss America system promotes itself as a scholarship pageant rather than a beauty pageant, unlike its main rival, the Miss USA contest.

Interviews with contestants across the country describe a Miss America system in which local pageant directors do not return telephone calls and e-mail messages for months, local competitions close down before scholarships are distributed, and the fine print in contracts creates hurdles. Local winners across the country have threatened legal action, and some have taken it.

Pageant organizers at each level of the Miss America system say that such problems are the exception and that they occur because contestants miss deadlines or do not dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s to get paid.

In a statement, the Miss America Organization, based in Linwood, N.J., said: “While it is unimaginable that scholarships, which are the heart and soul of Miss America, could or would be wrongly withheld from pageant participants, we are looking into these allegations. We have definitive procedures in place to vet disputes and guarantee state organizations stand behind their scholarship agreements with the Miss America Organization and those to whom scholarships are promised.”

The statement added, “The Miss America Organization is absolutely unaware of any young lady that has ever been denied payment of scholarships after properly following the application process.”

Gail M. Sanders, comptroller of the Miss South Carolina contest, declined to discuss Ms. Wood’s case but said, “To my knowledge there is not a single contestant in the state of South Carolina who has abided by the rules who has not been paid.”

Carrie Davis Cousar, Miss South Carolina 1992, sued the pageant and settled a short time later; the terms were not disclosed. Last year, the South Carolina secretary of state investigated the Miss South Carolina competition and fined it $2,000 in March for not having its financial papers in order.

Pageant organizers and contestants at the local and state levels describe a system plagued by weak oversight and run largely by 100,000 volunteers. The local competitions, franchised by the 52 state pageants, have no legal ties to the national organization, though they feed contestants into the national pageant, which moved to Las Vegas from Atlantic City last year and will be broadcast on the TLC cable channel in January. And the local pageants vary in how well they are administered, contestants and administrators say.

Safiya Songhai, Miss Five Boroughs of New York in 2004, said she struggled to get the $1,000 scholarship she won. “I had been warned by a girl who won before me that I’m not going to see that money,” said Ms. Songhai, who said that in contrast, she had no problem collecting $5,000 as a runner-up to Miss District of Columbia in 2001 and 2003.

She filed and won a case by default in small claims court in Manhattan after the director of the Miss Five Boroughs Scholarship Pageant failed to respond to messages left over five months. When she still had not received her scholarship, she took her story to a local television station. She was paid within two days of the broadcast of her account, she said. The organizer of the now-disbanded pageant did not return calls for comment.

“Basically, if I hadn’t gone after them, I wouldn’t have gotten my money,” Ms. Songhai said. “There is no real checks and balances to make sure the contestants get their money.” She said that competing in Miss Five Boroughs was fun, but added, “They are disorganized and they are bad with money management.”

Saidah Story won a $1,000 scholarship as Miss Inland Empire 2003 in California, but her mother, Renee Wickman, said the pageant director informed her that there would be no scholarship.

“Instead of the scholarship, she was like, ‘You can take these gowns,’ ” Ms. Wickman said. The pageant folded after that year. Bob Arnhym, president of the Miss California Pageant, said the Miss Inland Empire director moved to Canada because her mother had fallen ill, but had notified the state she had given Ms. Story “the full value of the scholarship.”

Despite contractual agreements, the state organizations say they have only limited enforcement of local scholarships.

“Is there something that the state can do? In short, the answer is really no,” said Paul Brown, executive director of Miss New York. “While we require that they maintain scholarship bank accounts while they are in existence, we have no control over what happens to that,” he said. “The only control that we have is over them maintaining a legal franchise.”

In theory, state pageants could take local pageants to court, but “that legal battle is prohibitive financially,” Mr. Brown said. “It’s not worth doing that for a scholarship which is $1,000.”

Still, state-level executives will step in at times. Sherry Rush, the executive director of the Miss Maryland competition, said the organization tried to help Ashley Windle, Miss Chesapeake Bay 2006, and Kristy Chance, Miss Prince George’s County 2004, after they were unable to collect scholarship money from their local pageants. They have yet to be paid, however.

Source: The New York Times

Tadashi Shoji – New York Fashion Week Spring 2008

Hilary Cruz (Miss Teen USA 2007, left), Rachel Smith (Miss USA 2007, second from left) and Tara Conner (Miss USA 2006) were three of the numerous celebrities hitting the shows this season. Photo by Christopher Bourne

By Christopher Bourne

L.A. based designer Tadashi Shoji, in his second appearance at New York Fashion Week on Sept. 12, impressed with his latest show inspired by the colors and textures of the ocean.

This theme made for a quite aesthetically pleasing show, with such colors as Aegean blue, coral, oyster, and bamboo dominant throughout. Coolly elegant cocktail dresses and evening wear made extensive use of ruffles and folds that evoked the sea in every facet of their design.

This show left no doubt as to why Tadashi is the go-to designer for such celebrities as Tyra Banks and Halle Berry, as well as the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants. Practically speaking, most of these dresses would perhaps be out of place anywhere else other than Hollywood red carpets and beauty competitions. Still, on this day, the overall effect was quite memorable.

Source: Meniscus Magazine

Despite Lesbian, Drug Scandal Miss USA Tara Conner Says No Changes

By Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith

Despite the scandals that plagued her reign last year, former Miss USA Tara Conner says if she had the chance to do it all over, "I wouldn't have done anything differently." Controversy became Conner's last name after reports surfaced that she turned into a party animal, had been sneaking men into the Trump Place apartment appointed for Miss USA, was drinking underage, tested positive for cocaine, and kissed Miss Teen USA Katie Blair in public.

Despite Lesbian, Drug Charges Miss USA Tara Conner Says No Changes

Conner escaped dethronement only after Miss USA pageant owner/exec producer Donald Trump decided to give her a second chance and she entered rehab last December.

"I know it sounds crazy," says Conner of not wanting to change a thing about the past year, "but we all make mistakes. No one in this world is perfect. I can sit here and try to beat myself up about being the one who did go out too much, but all of these mistakes have formed the person I am today, who is someone I'm very proud of and have a lot of respect for."

Connor will be seen offering the benefit of her hindsight to 2007's reigning beauty queens, Miss Universe Riyo Mori, Miss USA Rachel Smith and Miss Teen USA Katie Blair, in MTV's Oct. 10-debuting reality series "Pageant Place," which chronicles what happens to a beauty queen after the win.

"I pretty much touched base on every issue you could touch base on," notes Conner, "so I'm an unofficial peer consultant there to try to keep them sane, help them look on the bright side of things and realize everything in life is temporary."

In retrospect, she says, "The crazy thing about it is that when I received the title, I didn't know what I wanted to achieve because of this disease, alcoholism, and all the 'isms' I fell into." In fact, she says now, "In no way did I think I would win and be put in this position, and when the first runner up got called, I thought, 'Oh, s---! What do I do now?' I was scared to death. I didn't realize how much went into it, how stressful it was. … I was only able to get three good sober months in as Miss USA, but it was still the best year of my life. It was the hardest year but still the best."

Source: National Ledger

Fashion Week: Tadashi Goes Environment, While Anne Klein Celebrates Spring

One celebrity fashion designer devotes his collection to the environment while another celebrates the rites of spring. NY1 Cheryl Wills bring us the latest designs of Tadashi and Anne Klein.

Jacques Cousteau would be proud. Tadashi Shoji's spring 2008 collection is all about the deep blue sea and the wonderment of the natural environment.

The Los Angeles-based designer revealed a tidal wave of flowing dresses and gowns that he says reflects the fluidity of water.

Shoji is the official fashion designer for the Miss Universe Organization and beauty queens at his show said his spring collection is one of his best yet.

"It's always fresh,” said Miss USA Rachel Smith. “I really enjoy his brilliant colors that he uses.”

"I love Tadashi's clothes because regardless it fits me perfect,” said former Miss USA Tara Conner. “Tadashi is such a sweet person, anyway, that there's good vibes that come from it."

When is the last time you've seen bamboo on a dress? Only Shoji could pull that off.

"It's a hand-woven bamboo corset bustier and – look at this – seaming, maybe a hundred different seams,” said designer Tadashi Shoji. “Feathery, real chiffon. Feather-like leaves.”

From a nod to the environment to a burst of spring, we check out Anne Klein.

Spring is most definitely in the air, as Anne Klein's spring 2008 line comes into full bloom. The venerable designer makes a comeback of sorts with playful prints and sensual suits that are impressive by day and sensual by night.

Klein says it her inspiration came quite by accident.

"There's blooming dresses – actually it all happened because my husband was painting in his workroom, in his studio and he got some of the paint on some of the dresses and I said, ‘Oh my God! That's so beautiful,” said Anne Klein creative director Isabel Toledo. “It came alive."

Anne Klein’s 2008 collection is very much alive and well for the sophisticated woman who knows how to transform a power suit into anything she wants.

– Cheryl Wills

Source: New York 1 News

Taking On the World

By Kirthana Ramisetti

“I don’t think of myself as a beauty queen,” Riyo Mori says as she kicks up her feet in the air, smiling charmingly while her hair is styled for the East West photo shoot. Over the past few months, the former dance student has attended star-studded events, auditioned for a hit primetime series and is set to star in a reality show. Yet, she still has an air of wonder about the myriad of ways in which her life has been transformed since winning the Miss Universe 2007 crown.

Her joy and gratitude for all she has experienced so far has not been dampened by a busy schedule of appearances and interviews. Mori even manages to look surprisingly fresh and lovely after hiking up five flights of stairs to the New York City photography studio on one of the hottest days of the summer. Kah Leong Poon, the photographer, notes that he could take her pictures as is—wearing a simple white T-shirt, jeans and stylish wedge heels that add an extra few inches to her 5 foot 8 inch frame. Mori may not consider herself a beauty queen, but she looks every bit the part.

Growing up in Shizuoka, Japan, the rising star says she never dreamed that she would one day be crowned the winner of an international beauty pageant—but her grandmother did. In fact, she told Mori that she wanted her to become Miss Japan before the age of 20.

“My grandmother encouraged me to apply for the Miss Japan contest,” Mori says. “She said I should try to make good memories.” Mori adds that she would have never thought to enter the pageant herself. Even when she arrived at the competition, she says, she still felt out of place. “When I entered Miss Japan last year, I felt, wow, those girls are so beautiful—I could never be one of them.”

Devoted to dance, her “love and passion,” from an early age, Mori was a fixture at her mother’s ballroom dance studio as early as age 4. But once she became a teenager, Mori was ready to leave home, eager to seek new experiences. “I was 16 when I moved because I wanted to learn dance outside of my mom’s studio. It was a safe place where I knew the people, and I wanted to challenge myself in a different environment.” She studied abroad in Ontario, Canada, and was enrolled in ballet school and high school simultaneously. Three years later, it was time to make the move to New York City, where she continued to pursue dance and quickly became enamored with the idea of joining the Radio City Rockettes.

“That was my big goal. I was reading a dance magazine at my ballet school two years ago, and I was trying to think of my future, because I’m too tall to be a ballerina. When I was on point shoes, I would be too tall to have any partner to dance with. And I found this article about the Rockettes, and I thought they are so glamorous and have beautiful costumes. I thought it was perfect for me because I have the kick!” she demonstrates by half-raising her leg with a laugh.

Mori had just achieved her New York ambitions—finding an apartment and receiving acceptance to the Broadway Dance Center—when she learned she had made it into the Miss Universe Japan finals, which she had auditioned for during summer vacation. Without hesitation, she returned to Japan to participate in the pageant. She won the title in March and her now whirlwind life was set in motion.

Mori then traveled to Mexico City in May for the Miss Universe pageant, one of 77 representatives from around the world. During the event, she received the highest score in the swimsuit category and won fourth place in the evening gown competition even though her dress, a kimono-inspired gown with flowing black fabric and floral design from Gucci’s spring/summer line, was a last-minute choice. Mori says she ultimately picked the dress for its comfort and because she felt she looked like a “black butterfly.” And when she won and took her first walk as the newly crowned Miss Universe, her choice of dress—eschewing traditional slinky gowns for a long-sleeved garment with ethnic flair—was refreshing for what it communicated about Mori and her affinity for her country.

She is the first woman from Japan to hold the crown in 48 years and only the second Miss Universe ever from the country. Despite the historic nature of her win, Mori’s memories of the night are a blur, especially when her name was announced as the winner. “To be honest, I don’t remember because I was so excited, so shocked. A few seconds later I think I realized what had happened, and I was so happy. Not only for me, but for my parents because we went through so much together. They were worried about me being in a beauty pageant because I quit my school in New York and everything to be there.”

One memory that does stand out from her crowning night: seeing her grandmother in the audience after Mori had fulfilled her wish. She had been crowned not only Miss Japan like her grandmother had hoped, but also Miss Universe, and she had done it all before her 21st birthday.

The crown has already afforded Mori two opportunities in a medium that is completely new to her: television. She received the chance to audition for a role in “Heroes,” as Masi Oka’s character’s love interest, an experience she describes as “kind of embarrassing, but challenging and fun because I have never acted before.” Acting, however, isn’t a factor on another TV show in which Mori will definitely be starring. Donald Trump and MTV have come together to produce a reality show, currently titled “Pageant Place,” about the three title winners in Trump-sponsored pageants living together in New York City during their respective reigns. Mori currently lives with Miss USA Rachel Smith and Miss Teen USA Katie Blair, and enjoys living with them, referring to her roommates as being like sisters. As for the show itself, which is expected to hit televisions by the end of the year, the concept of a reality show seems to hold both excitement and befuddlement. “I’ve never done it before, so I don’t know what to do.” She pauses, and then asks, “Kinda scary, because the cameras are always with us, right?”

Eager to try new things and open to every opportunity, Mori recognizes that life is now beaming toward a new direction. “If I was just a student in Japan, I’d just meet students and teachers. I’d never get to meet you guys!” she says as she raises her arms to indicate the various people in the room. She says encountering so many different people, from movie stars to hairstylists, is her favorite aspect of being Miss Universe.

She also embraces the fact that winning the title makes her a role model, especially to young girls from her native country. Mori has been blogging about her experience ever since making the finals of Miss Japan last year, and she will continue to blog during her reign as Miss Universe. “I want to let my fans know what I’m doing, because they don’t actually know what Miss Universe does.” (Read Mori’s blog at http://myblog.ask.jp/muj_riyo_mori/).

As for life after the Miss Universe ride ends, Mori already has some ideas, and says her goal is to open her own international dance studio in Tokyo and eventually get married and start a family.
“My mother raised me and my brother and also had a successful dance studio,” adds Mori, saying her mother is her inspiration. “She had to take care of her parents and she still raised us and had her school. And she never complained—she was always happy.” Mori hopes to influence other young women in the same way her mother has influenced her. “My mother taught me that women can have it all. You don’t have to choose between having a family or career. You can do both.”

For now, however, Mori looks forward to wherever life as Miss Universe takes her next, and she takes comfort in knowing that one thing will always remain constant. “I always have been myself—what you see is what you get.”

Source: East West Magazine

To Miss Universe —and beyond!

By Anna Theresa Licaros

MY most distinct memory of the Miss Universe pageant this year was of Miss France holding a cheeseburger served us at Hard Rock Café Mexico. Holding half a burger with her delicate fingers, she looked at me and said: “Ye know, Tu-ress, ze first thing I learn to zay in eve-ree langu-egh is ze word, hamburger.”

I looked at her, nodded and bit into my burger. I was so hungry after all that walking up and down the Basque de Chapultepec in four-inch heels. It’s not easy being a beauty queen. Try fitting a mirror, lipstick, lip gloss, face powder and extra eyelash glue into a tote and carrying it around with poise while negotiating palatial staircases in your heels and miniskirt. Every day was a marathon for us at Miss U.

Meanwhile, Miss France continued her train of thought: “Like here in Mexico… zey call it hamburguesa. What about you, Tu-ress? What do zey call it in ze Philippines?” I was taken aback. I’m a pretty articulate person with above average capacity for witty retorts, but in this pageant, all sorts of questions were hurled at me from nowhere!

It was like the question and answer portion, only worse: they were mostly everyday stuff about me and my country that I never really thought about before joining the pageant. I tried to buy some time by sipping my Coke light, sin hielo (without ice), lest I find myself running to the loo every five minutes. I struggled for the Filipino word for hamburger: Ham-barger?

Oops, too late. Someone mentioned another topic and the conversation shifted. Ham-barger, it was. I reeled at the thought of how this might affect how the Philippines is perceived by the next person Miss France meets if she repeats this conversation. That was my everyday reality as Miss Philippines in the Miss Universe pageant. I ceased to be just Theresa or Tu-ress to Rachel/Miss France. I became the Philippines.

Early on, I became aware of what representing my country really means. Having to wear the banner “Philippines” across my breast every single day kept me on my toes, careful of how I’ve been projecting myself and everything I say or do. To some extent it was scary, but also a source of pride. Every smile I flashed, each pose I struck was with the thought that it should be my best because this wasn’t just about me anymore.

For the most part, the other contestants were fantastic. Contrary to popular belief that women who join beauty pageants are airheads or bimbos, most are college graduates with full time jobs in their own countries. They are opinionated and know what they want.

When I came back from Mexico, I was always asked if acts of sabotage really took place during the pageant. (Reportedly the most controversial in years, the 2007 Miss Universe pageant saw Miss USA being booed by some Mexicans unhappy over a pending immigration bill in the US; Miss Sweden pulling out after complaints in her country described the contest as degrading to women; and Miss Mexico being asked to change costumes because the original was deemed in poor taste.—Ed.)

I’m happy to report that I didn’t experience any such incident firsthand. The closest thing to intrigue that I encountered was a remark from a fellow candidate, perhaps meant to psych me out. During one rehearsal, I was called onstage to do the evening gown pattern, after which I had to look at the camera and pose. Suddenly, everyone was clapping and cheering. I must have done something right, I thought.

Indeed, when I got off stage, Miss Tanzania approached me, saying “Girl, that was an amazing face!” Most everyone thought so, except for Miss Bolivia who told me flat out: “You look dead onstage. Your eyes are just blank. Maybe you should, like, move your eyebrows or something.” Just friendly advice, she said, because she wanted me to do well. That was odd, I told her; another candidate had just told me the exact opposite. Miss Bolivia simply rolled her eyes and said I should trust her instead. Well, I thought afterwards, when you do something significant, you’ll get both good and bad reactions.

As an insider, I also learned that the Miss Universe organizers and production team wanted to veer away from the traditional pageant look and feel. They discouraged stiff and exaggerated posturing and encouraged sexy, relaxed, fluid and model-like movements. A Miss Universe, said our catwalk teacher, Lu Sierra, must know how to smile. She hated it when the contestants sported sexy I’m-gonna-eat-you-alive looks. The pageant organizers had a “look” in mind and I was personally sold on the subtle but sexy model’s stance they advocated.

There were so many things to learn and it wasn’t always smooth sailing. There were really days when I just wanted to put a paper bag over my head and not wear any makeup. I had to keep telling myself that I was in Mexico to do a job and that the job requires me to put on makeup at five in the morning. So I’d just shake off whatever negative feelings I felt, play some dance music and sing along while putting on my pageant face. That was how I got through the doldrums.

Apparently, I did that so well that some contestants would ask me to close my eyes so they could check out my eye makeup. They said they liked the way I blended the colors. One photographer even took a photo of my right eye. Just my right eye! He said it looked so beautiful that he wanted a shot of it. My thanks go to Jay Lozada, Allen Rosales, Lia Ramos and Jenny Tan for selflessly sharing their makeup tips with me.

That kind of team work, of collaboration, also defined my Miss Universe experience. There were so many teachers who shared their knowledge with me, as well as family and friends who flew all the way to Mexico to become my cheering squad and support group. I got a lot of joshing when I gave my guest list: 25 people strong. Not bad for a Pacific islander who lives roughly 12 time zones away.

It was the kind of support that others could only envy. My roomie, Miss Thailand, wanted to “borrow” a brother because she didn’t have any family around during the pageant. I gladly obliged, telling the bunso (youngest) in our family to go wild when Thailand gets called. I think he did go wild —for all the girls—so that was substantial compliance.

The reality of representing one’s country can be daunting, but it also enhanced me as a person. While it might have been a source of insecurity to pose beside Barbie look-alikes, it boosted my confidence nonetheless. I looked at them and felt I deserved to be there. Cheesy, I know, but when I stood there in high heels beside the most beautiful women in the universe, something changed. I was no longer a passive participant to whom things happen; instead, I chose to embrace the experience and learn from it. That made all the difference for me.

More than just another beauty pageant, this year’s Miss U put things into perspective for me. In a nutshell, my 30 days in Mexico with 76 other women from all over the world was a crash course in culture, diplomacy, confidence, and worst of all, geography. I’ll always remember— with amusement tinged with shame—how I had managed to put so many countries in the wrong continent and historical era and unwittingly displayed such ignorance by asking the delegate about it.

So, I asked Miss Egypt, “You’re from Cairo. How are the pyramids?” She smiled and giggled: “They’re in Giza.” Getting my witty retort mode back, I countered: “Well, maybe if you’d take me around the Middle East one of these days, it won’t be so confusing.” As she wiped her fingers on a tissue, Miss France interjected: “Isn’t Egypt in Africa?”

Licaros is a junior at the UP College of Law. She plans to visit Egypt and see the pyramids next summer, and find out how they say “hamburger” in Arabic.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer