February News

FEB 28 – Ex-Miss Universe donates B20m *Courtesy of Bangkok Post, written by ANJIRA ASSAVANONDA
Remember Miss Thailand from MU 88? The same woman who defeated HK's Pauline Yeung at Miss Universe? Check out this article.

Former Miss Universe Porntip Narkhirunkanok will contribute 20 million baht from her Angels Wings Foundation International to the tsunami victims in the six Andaman coastal provinces.

The donations will go towards the construction of 50 new homes for tsunami-hit families, building new boats, schools, and orphanages for children who lost their parents in the Dec 26 tragedy.

Ms Porntip donated the first six million baht through the Royal Thai Police office yesterday for the house construction project that would be carried out by the border patrol police.

In her special interview with the Bangkok Post, Ms Porntip described the news about the killer waves as a bad dream she had never expected.

''I sat glued to the television for information. My heart sank and I cried helplessly for the dead victims and those who lost their loved ones.

''I thought about the lives stolen, children left behind and the families torn apart,'' said Ms Porntip.

Since then, she had been thinking of ways to contribute to the victims for the long-term to make the greatest positive impact on their shattered lives.

Building shelters was the first thing that came to mind, as it was the most urgent and basic need of victims.

The next thing she thought of was giving them boats to get people's livelihoods in fishing communities back on track.

Tomorrow , she will travel with her mother to Phuket and tambon Khao Lak in Phangnga's Takua Pa District to see what happened for herself and to determine what she can do to help the people.

She would also bring with her some food and playground equipment she bought from Bangkok for children there.

''I want to give them a playground because I want something to represent my long-term support for them. It's my commitment to bring them support, joy and hope,'' said Ms Porntip.

She said she had not yet decided how many boats, schools and orphanages to build, saying it depended on the situation on the ground during Sunday's trip.

Her husband, Herb Simon, is very supportive of her devotion to Thai society.

''He encouraged me to come here although I said I felt guilty for leaving Sean, my 15-month-old child with him. This is the first time I have left my child since he was born. But Herb told me to go take care of the Thai people and he'll take care of our child,'' she said.

Ms Porntip will return to the US next Friday. But she plans to come back to Thailand in April to see how her projects have progressed.

FEB 22 – Beauty pageant may turn into reality show* courtesy of the Washington Times
The Miss America pageant, dropped by ABC last year because of poor ratings, may be turned into a reality show to revive the sagging franchise.

The pageant has signed a deal with William Morris and hopes to reinvent itself as a multi-episode reality show tracking contestants in regional competitions up to the live finale, Television Week reported.

The new version will feature reality staples such as backstabbing and contestant eliminations.

"It really hit home this past year that viewers in America are changing quite a bit -- what they want to see is different and that's been a problem with our show," Pageant President Art McMaster told The New York Post.

"We were live on a Saturday night, and in the first 15 minutes, 42 of the contestants exited stage left," McMaster said. "That doesn't really help us when America wants to get to know everyone."

Once one of TV's top-rated shows, the Miss America Pageant has fallen on hard times in recent years, drawing only 9.8 million viewers last year -- an all-time-low -- and only 10.3 million viewers in 2003, the Post said.

The reality about Miss America pageant: By Ellen Gray * courtesy of the Philadelphia Daily News
COULD PUBLIC apathy finally do what years of feminist protests couldn't - kill the Miss America pageant?

As one of those women who could never figure out why we needed a "scholarship pageant" to choose someone who behaved like a first-lady-in-training - and did it in high heels and a bathing suit - I wouldn't shed a tear if Miss A went the way of the dinosaurs.

I certainly didn't blame ABC for dumping Miss America when last year's show drew fewer than 10 million viewers. And I'm not exactly stunned that no other broadcast network has yet ridden to the rescue.

But now the New York Post reports that pageant officials, desperate for the TV coverage - and licensing fees - that help keep their organization afloat, are pitching the pageant to cable networks as a multi-episode "reality" show. According to the paper, "this new version of the pageant would feature reality staples such as backstabbing and contestant eliminations."

Oh. Please. No.

Turning Miss America into a "Bachelor" winner or "America's Next Top Model" won't make her more relevant, but it will strip her of her remaining dignity. (Let's not even talk about what it might do to poor Miss Congeniality.)

They can talk all they want about how brainy and accomplished these contestants are, but that's what producers have been saying now for three editions of "The Apprentice," a show that has so far done little to enhance the image of this country's young businesswomen.

Here's what "reality" TV likes to show women doing:

• Crying.

• Bitching about one another.

• Using their looks to sell themselves.

I'm sure there's plenty of that going on behind the scenes of Miss America and its huge farm system of state and local pageants, but does an organization that's been pushing itself for decades as a producer of role models for young women really want to show that?

So far, every change the pageant has made to attract more viewers, starting with bikinis, has seemed to push viewers further away.

As it stands, the pageant's dull but harmless. If a Miss America were crowned in the forest - or on basic cable - and no one was around to witness it, she'd still get to keep the crown.

Not to mention her good name.

Turn her into a "reality" star, though, and the risk is that one of these days someone will say (or sing):

"There she is, Miss America. That slut."

Misc News
  • Jennifer Hawkins of Australia is Miss Of Misses 2005 * courtesy of Dawid
  • Miss Teen Newfoundland and Labrador 2005 is Nikita Hickey from Grand-Le-Pierre!Perseverence paid off for the honour student ... she was a top 10 finalist in 2002 and 2003, and came back to take home the crown tonight at the St. John's Arts and Culture Centre. * courtesy of Isabelle Fry & Jimmy Steele
  • MHK 2004 #14 Kayee Tsang appeared in Hins Cheung Ging-Hin's MTV! *courtesy of Lisa & TVB
  • The 2004 MCV court (Leanne, Pearl, & Angela) modeled the catwalk in a few outfits from a new boutique (AR Outlet) at Aberdeen Center. *courtesy of AL
  • Check out Lisa’s Miss HK Info page for screen captures from the entire MCI 2005 show!
  • MWC Inc. will be sending a Canadian representative to Miss Asia Pacific
  • MU 04 Jennifer Hawkins & MUSA 04 Shandi Finnessey appeared on the Feb 17th episode of the Apprentice3. Who’s been following the show? This season is very disappointing & looks as though every candidate is incompetent of completing any tasks.
  • Feb16th – It was confirmed that Bangkok, Thailand will host the 2005 Mis Universe Competition. The show will broadcast domestically on NBC and Telemundo on Monday, May 30, 2005 at 9PM ET (delayed PT) and will be distributed around the world to nearly a billion viewers.
FEB 18 – Miss Chinatown USA (AsianWeek Staff Report) *Courtesy of Annie Chang
SAN FRANCISCO — Continuing an almost half-century Chinese American tradition, Carol Chen was crowned Miss Chinatown USA 2005 at the famed Palace of Fine Arts. A native Texan, Chen beat out 15 other contestants with a combination of talent, poise and intelligence to become the 47th woman to earn this title.

In this staple Lunar New Year celebration, cities from all over the country, such as New York, Seattle and Houston, send eligible candidates to compete for top honors and prizes, including a $10,000 scholarship and a trip to Asia. This year approximately 1,000 enthusiastic well-wishers urged on the contestants.

Andrew Ishibashi, the principal of George Washington High School, took pride in alumna Flora Wang who won the title of Miss San Francisco Chinatown. “I have seen her around the school,” he exclaimed. “Wow!”

Charlene Wang, Miss Chinese Chamber of Commerce who also won the title of Miss Asian America for 2004, said it was a personal tradition for her. “I attended the Chinatown pageant 10 years ago (age 13),” she reminisced. “I followed it and wanted to participate (in it).”

Chen’s royal court includes Melissa Yen-Ching Lo, Second Princess; Nicole Chiu, Third Princess; Karen Wong, Fourth Princess; and Dana-Li Dung.

According to Judy Tzu-chun Wu in the Journal of Social History, the Miss Chinatown U.S.A. Beauty Pageant, first held in 1958 in San Francisco, serves as a beauty competition, a promotional event to attract tourism, and a means of exploring and celebrating ethnic identity.

http://www.chineseparade.com/graphics/ms_chinatown_2005_lrg.jpg
http://www.singtaousa.com/021305/sf08-1.jpg

  • Hercules' Wang goes for glory *courtesy of contracostatimes.com
    CHARLENE WANG of Hercules, named Miss Asian America in 2003, competed Friday in the Miss Chinatown USA Pageant in San Francisco, sponsored by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco.
    Carol Chen of Dallas, Texas, won the title. Wang was named First Princess and Miss Chinese Chamber of Commerce. She received a $5,000 scholarship, a trophy and tiara, and other prizes.
    "And a sense of pride," Wang said by phone Monday.
    The 23-year-old Wang competed with Chen and 14 other women for the Miss Chinatown title, performing wushu, also known as kung fu or Chinese martial arts, for the talent portion.
    A senior at UC San Diego, Wang is majoring in economics and Chinese studies.
    She will be in the Chinese New Year Parade on Saturday in San Francisco, and will be a special guest at the Chinese Association of Hercules banquet in Oakland this month.
    Wang plans to compete in the Miss Chinese International competition in Hong Kong in January.
    For the record, it is still undecided as to who will be competing at MCI, as the winner Carol Chen may be moving to the Bay area.
FEB 17 – Miss Dragon returns to Tahiti shortly after the election of Miss Chinese International. * courtesy of the Tahiti Press
Elodie Chung, the beauty queen of the Chinese community of Polynesia, returned to Tahiti after having taken part in the election of MCI, held in HK. Although she did not win the prestigious title, there were a lot of good memories. The first 2 weeks were difficult for Elodie as she had problems breathing? (??). Nevertheless, she couldn’t wait to return to her homeland to see her family.

During her 3 weeks in HK, Elodie & her fellow contestants had to follow a hectic timetable. The final days were the worst as the contestants often completed filming or rehearsing after midnight.

Elodie felt she was at a disadvantage, & stated, “The questions during the Q&A were shallow & aimed at amusing the audience. Those who did not speak Chinese had a huge disadvantage. I also think that the color of skin played a factor. I do not agree with their standard of beauty but I knew it wasn’t meant to be”.

According to Elodie, certain favoritism was also felt. “The committee and the journalists were more interested in the girls of the large cities, as the committees of these cities had greater means”. Overall, she’s had good memories.

Currently, Miss Dragon is pursuing her education, in hopes of becoming an author of childrens literature.

The press made her sound very bitter! Although Elodie is known to be somewhat open, she was one of the most loved contestants this yr...for her personality & lovely accent!

http://www.tahiti-nui.com/fr/news/news.asp?id=9315&cat=people&pg=1

FEB 12 – Miss Chinatown USA 2005 * results courtesy of Nicola
Queen: Carol Chen (Dallas, Texas)
First Princess: Charlene Wang (Hercules, Calif.)
Miss San Francisco Chinatown: Flora Wang (San Francisco, Calif.)
Second Princess: Melissa Lo (Renton, Wash.)
Third Princess: Nicole Chiu (Costa Mesa, Calif.)
Fourth Princess: Karen Wong (Houston, Texas)
Miss Talent: Dana-Li Dung (Pleasanton, Calif.)

http://www.singtaousa.com/021305/sf08-1.jpg
http://www.singtaousa.com/021305/sf08.php

 

FEB 12 – Jennifer wins the hearts of sick kids after her samba * courtesy of The Sun-Herald (Sydney), written by Sean Berry
Rio's famous Mardi Gras Carnival was more than just a huge party for Australia's popular Miss Universe winner Jennifer Hawkins.

The down-to-earth blonde took time out from the frenetic pace of the Rio de Janeiro festival to visit sick local children and use her title and fame to promote a good cause.

On Friday, the model donned her crown and visited a cancer support centre in Brasilia, receiving a grateful kiss from an ill toddler.

She then autographed a T-shirt for the centre's fund-raising drive.

Earlier in the week, Hawkins starred in the famous carnival's parade.

Atop a float in the shape of a dragon, and in front of more than 60,000 screaming Brazilians, Hawkins danced to the samba at the Sambodrome Stadium.

Dressed in a bikini and bedecked with glittering jewels, she showed no signs of shyness in front of the huge crowd.

It topped off a busy stretch for Hawkins, who had her debut on Channel Seven's The Great Outdoors last Monday, had been in New York the week before, and in Australia the week before that.

For The Great Outdoors she had showcased her home town Newcastle, donning a bikini with former Miss Universe runner-up and fellow presenter Laura Csortan.

The former rugby league cheerleader's looks and personality have proven a killer combination since she was crowned Miss Universe last June in Ecuador.

She has visited several countries to attend fashion shows, racing meets and HIV summits.

Hawkins proved irresistible for Channel Seven management, who signed her up for three years and were rewarded when her debut show won the ratings battle for the 7.30pm to 8.30pm timeslot.

FEB 11 – Miss Chinatown USA 2005 * courtesy of whatsonwhen.com
Miss Chinatown USA was held on Friday, Feb 11th, 2005. A highlight of San Francisco's Chinese New Year festivities, the lavish annual Miss Chinatown USA Pageant at the Palace of Fine Arts welcomes contestants from all over the US, and the winner is flown to Hong Kong to challenge for the Miss Asia title. (really??!)

Girls from Chicago, Houston, New York, Seattle and Hawaii join local girls vie for the $10K scholarship, prizes, and the honor of serving as goodwill ambassador for the Chinese community, a tradition that has continued since the pageant’s debut in 1958.

There is an opening self-introductory spot, followed by the crowd-pleasing swimsuit round, talent round, questions and answers and lastly the "final glimpse".

The girls must be unmarried and need to have Chinese ancestry (a Chinese father) to enter and are judged by a panel of seven judges from the local community. The winner in 2004 was Shan Chen.

Coming soon, pictures from Shan! ^^

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2005/is_n1_v31/ai_20355258 (article)
http://www.chineseparade.com/graphics/miss_chinatown_2004.jpg (2004 court)

FEB 12 – Miss Quebec 2005 *Courtesy of Jimmy Steele
Marlène Lemay was crowned Miss Québec 2005 in Montréal on Jan. 22, 2005. She will compete in the 2005 Miss World Canada Contest this summer. She was crowned by last year's titleholder, Kathrin Lessard, who will also participate in the national contest. The first runner-up was Vanessa Martin Roy, and the second runner-up was Karen Lessard. The remaining finalists were Sandy Leblanc and Johannie Ménard. More than 50 contestants competed in the finals. The same evening, Simon Chatelin was crowned Monsieur (Mr.) Québec and Cassondra McCroy won the title of Miss Teen Québec. Miss World Canada 2004, Tijana Arnautovic, was the special guest at the event, and wowed the crowd with a beautiful speech in fluent French.

photo: L-R
Karen Lessard, second runner-up
Tijana Arnautovic, Miss World Canada 2004
Vanessa Martin Roy, first runner-up
Marlène Lemay, Miss Quebec 2005

 


Miss Universe enjoys Outdoor life *courtesy of the Melbourne Herald Sun
BEAUTY queen Jennifer Hawkins is slowly getting used to her role as a presenter on The Great Outdoors.
Talking to The Eye from New York, Hawkins said she was relishing the chance to get in front of the camera. "Las Vegas was unreal, the whole thing has been really good for me," she said.
Hawkins is based in New York, and has become used to living there. "When I first got here it was a bit too rushed for me, but I'm finally getting used to it," she said.
"I've made friends with people from the Miss Universe organisation, and a couple of my mates from Melbourne are over here."
Hawkins last week dumped her Australian manager Grant Dwyer, who ran the Australian Miss Universe competition last year, which set her on her way.
The Miss Universe Organisation claims that Dwyer does not have the experience to take her career to the next level. Dwyer has indicated he will look at all his legal options and quite possibly sue the Miss Universe Organisation.
After her period as Miss Universe is over in May, Hawkins will head back to Australia. Her boyfriend, Jake Wall, is in Sydney. "He's good," is all she would say.
Two weeks ago Hawkins met Mel Gibson and Nicole Kidman at a function in LA, and admitted to being a little star struck.
Hawkins' first episode of The Great Outdoors goes to air tonight.


FEB 7th Was Kate's placement justified? *translated by Em, Tvbspace News Roundup
The Miss Chinese International Pageant 2005 was held last week and with the reaction was the public was outrage that Hong Kong representative Kate Tsui did not make the top three, with the top spot being taken by Vancouver's Leanne Li. Kate had been among the favourites from the start and she was brimming with confidence, but leaving without a top award can only be put down to her being unlucky on the night. Maybe her slimming regime before the show had put undue pressure on her and this had affected the standard of her performance at the final show.

Miss Chinese International has been held for 17 years now and the Hong Kong representative has always fallen to the winner of the Miss Hong Kong contest, with many taking a second crown in first or second place. For Kate to break this tradition is already unusual, but she has great talent for performance and losing out at MCI has in no way impacted her future celebrity status.

Kate is articulate, photogenic and highly reactive and her latest skincare advertisement has generated a good public response. The star quality she possesses is the truth. Her chances to shine far outweigh those of her predecessor Mandy Cho and she has the determination and confidence to make strides in the entertainment industry.

The designs of the swimsuits in this year's pageant have been a bone of contention as the questions arise whether they are sexy and flattering or stepping into obscenity. In the earlier Miss Hong Kong pageant, it was obvious that TVB was testing the boundaries of decency and as beauty contests become more and more commercialised, then the use of sexiness to attract the ratings cannot be denied. However, the criteria for beauty is not based purely on the contestants figures or appearances and the themes introduced each year can play a big part, if they are well adhered to.

All in all, the quality of the contestant and how they are packaged directly affects the viewability of the show and in selecting which road to take, then there are different aspects. To maintain the brand without dropping decency, this is the way to keep the reputation of an established instution and win the support of the viewers, this is the truth.

  • FEB 6TH - FAIRCHILD TV will be airing MCI 2005 at 9PM EST on Sunday, Feb 6th
  • Fala Chen is returning to NY on the 11th of Feb, which is when the press conference and the banquet is going to be held. She will also appear in the Chinese New year Parade in C-town NY. *courtesy of SS
  • HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM FAIRCHILD *PICTURE
Beauty sector contributes to Chinese economy *courtesy of the China Daily
As her classmates headed home for family reunions after end of term exams, Yang Jin was flying to Beijing to attend a news conference arranged by her agent.

Miss China 2004, the 20-year-old sophomore was among 15 finalists at last year's Miss World contest held on South China's Hainan island.

A student of accounting at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in Wuhan, Hubei Province and student beauty contest winner, Yang is not alone.

Several months ago, Qiao Jing, a first year undergraduate at the Communications University of China in Beijing was a runner-up in the 2004 Miss Universe contest held in China.

Of the 50 finalists in the contest held in Kunming, Yunnan, 85 per cent were college students.

In the regional contest in Guangzhou, three quarters of the contestants were college students from within the province or Hong Kong, Macao and Singapore.

And winners of the Guangzhou and Zhuhai regional pageants were both students.

The reality today is that Chinese college students are playing an inordinately key role in such events.

"At least 50 per cent of contestants are still in full-time education and that is a conservative estimate," said Gao Jie, project manager of Beautiful World Lit, a Hong Kong-based company in charge of the Miss World Contest in China.

In order to take part in the 2004 Miss World contest and many linked activities, Yang has been absent from university for most of the semester - from September to mid- December.

And when she finally returned to classes, end of term exams were approaching. Although grabbing every minute possible and reading late into the night, Yang still had to postpone her accounting exam - her most important course - until next semester.

As a beauty contest usually lasts two to four months and involves business engagements, participants have to devote much time and energy to it.

But in some quarters the correctness and wisdom of mixing university education with the frippery of beauty contests, albeit international ones, is being questioned.

In particular in a country where the privilege of tertiary education still remains an unrealizable dream for many.

Questionable benefits

While participants may enjoy the experience they get from the contests, academics have their reservations and qualms.

"As a social phenomenon, beauty contests are motivated by many business interests. By setting the competition standard as beauty, charm and wisdom, the contests look more reasonable and attractive," said Chen Rudong, professor of ethics at the School of Journalism and Communication at Peking University.

Beauty contests show the tolerance of our society and people's freedom to choose different values. It is a combination of beauty and interest and it also reflects people's eagerness for instant success and quick profits, argues Chen.

Many scholars think student participation in such events is the result of changes in the education system and its values. On the other hand, it shows the impetuousness of our education. Student beauty queens can attract attention for their school.

"But it's contrary to the nature of university education," said Prof Chen.

University education is about building a strong knowledge base and developing healthy personalities. A sound and systematic university education is invaluable and irreplaceable and taking time out of academic study to participate in beauty contests runs contrary to the ethos of university excellence.

His sentiments were echoed by one of Yang's tutors who pointed out that the chance of becoming Miss China is remote. And the reality of life, particularly the lives of students is that 99.9 per cent of them will only realize their potential through hard work.

All participants are obliged to sign a contract with an agency. And when one gets on their name list, they must attend many activities and commercial meetings, said Qiao.

In an interview with CCTV (China Central Television), Qiao's agent said the company spent about 3 million yuan (US$362,700)on her "packaging and marketing," and hopes she will win the money back, plus a tidy profit.

"I hope Qiao wins 30 million or even 300 million for us," her agent told CCTV.

"I'm happy Yang Jin became Miss China and played on the world stage. I support her in showing herself in a different field," said Zhou Wei, her teacher.

"She got special approval from our school for her three months-plus leave of absence," Zhou added.

The Lanyue Model Club set up by Yang's college to encourage girls to improve their appearance and bearing, also provided invaluable advice and training.

"There is a lot of discrimination against girls in the job market and it's hard for them to find a job," said Zhou. Improved appearance and confidence will boost their eventual job prospects.

Differing perspectives

The School of Accounting of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law is one of the best in the country. But 90 per cent of job vacancies are for male graduates, while 70 per cent of its students are female. This means increased pressure.

"The school can do nothing about it and has to adapt to this trend," said Zhou.

A number of clubs giving tips on make-up and image dressing have also been set up by the school.

Zhou said the school encourages its female students to develop in different fields and find their own route to success.

"I'm happy if our graduates become professional accountants. And I'm also happy if they become Miss World or Miss Universe."

During the early part of last year's summer holiday, Yang, a freshman at that time, took part in a preliminary heat of the Miss World contest in Chongqing at her mother's suggestion.

The contest organizing committee offers free training for all participants and this appealed to both mother and daughter who both thought Yang a little introverted.They hoped entering the contest would boost her confidence and make her more outgoing.

"I wanted to send my daughter out of the ivory tower to breath some fresh air. I trust her and I think she will have a suitable attitude for the contest," said her mother Jin Yan.

Even the contest and the subsequent activities took her almost the whole semester and she had to do her accounting studies during the winter holiday and prepare for the postponed test.

"You have many chances to get an education, but only one chance to enter Miss World," she said.

To try another kind of life, make new friends and broaden their horizons are the motivation for many girls.

"I had unforgettable days during the contest and memory will last a lifetime," said Qiao, now a senior student majoring in compering.

Her success in the contest aroused the admiration of some of her classmates.

"My roommates said I became more charming and confident after the contest," she remarked.

Others regarded the contests as a more calculating way to gain an advantage in the job stakes.

"They are just trying to sharpen their edge in their way. I do not envy them and I think everyone has his or her own route. It's nothing unusual for beautiful girls to take part in beauty contests and we ordinary-looking persons have our way to show ourselves," said Wang Nan, a senior at the Communication School of China.

Lucrative rewards

Besides gaining special experience, contest winners benefit financially.

Qiao Jing gained by about 700,000 yuan (US$85,000) including the crown, home electrical appliances, car and other products offered by the sponsors.

Participants pay a mere 100 yuan (US$12) registration fee for the Miss Universe contest, but can get free training, air tickets, hotel accommodation and even sightseeing tours.

Almost all beauty contests are operated by specialist agencies and sponsored by companies, according to an insider.

This is the so-called "Beauty Economy." The beautiful is a great draw and great profits are to be had.

The biggest gainers are the media, agents and sponsors.

Broadcasting a beauty contest can greatly boost a TV station's audience rating, bring commercial benefits for sponsors and be a boon to the tourist industry of the host region.

The 2003 Miss Universe contest attracted audiences of more than 600 million in 167 countries around the world and the Panamanian government and sponsors profited to the tune of US$30 million.

London gained US$1.2 billion for holding the 52nd Miss World Contest.

And the beauty economy continues to hot up.

Since 2003 when the 53rd Miss World Contest was held in Sanya, people have become more and more open to them and their numbers have been rising.

In addition to international pagaents like Miss World, Miss Universe and Miss International, there are many others.

"There are more than 300 beauty or modelling contests running in the country now. The market is mixed," she added.

Many participants, says Qiao, are talked into signing a kind of five-year "exclusive" contract by agents giving them the right to arrange their activities.

She claims, however, that "of the 50 finalists only four did not (sign such contracts). You do not know what is going to happen in the future and five years is a long time."

Feb 4TH - Richmond woman crowned Miss Chinese International
By Martin van den Hemel *courtesy of the Richmond Review
Staff Reporter
Leanne Li honoured to win Hong Kong pageant

Richmond's Leanne Li was crowned Miss Chinese International in Hong Kong on Saturday.
The University of B.C. student and Cambie Secondary grad, who also attended Kathleen McNeely Elementary, moved to Richmond in 1995 with her parents, who own a graphic design business. The Shanghai-born Li also has an eight-year-old sister, Joanne.
"I don't know what the future holds for me," the 20-year-old said Wednesday after returning to Richmond with her mother who accompanied her. "I was very surprised."
Li was chosen from among 22 contestants from around the world.
"I was very honoured to receive this title," she said, adding that all of her competitors were "talented and beautiful."
Li qualified for the international pageant after winning the Miss Chinese Vancouver title in December.
She is currently in the second year of a bachelor's degree program in fine arts.
Among the prizes that came with the victory is a golden sceptre, her crown, a watch and cosmetics. And contracts could be in the offing with TVB television, the station that put on the pageant. Acting and modelling are two areas she'd now like to pursue.
"It's something I would like to challenge myself with."

Feb 3 RD - CAMBIE GRAD TAKES INTERNATIONAL STAGE
By: Eve Edmonds, typed by "BUM"
She’s a beauty all right – and it seems the world agrees. Richmond’s own Cambie secondary grad, Leanne Li, was crowned Miss Chinese International last Saturday in Hong Kong. “I guess you could say it’s a dream come true,” said Li, 20, who is now sporting a $90,000 diamond-studded watch, her winning gift from the pageant.
Li, who also won the title of Miss Chinese Vancouver in December, was speaking from Hong Kong where she is juggling a frantic schedule of media interviews, public appearances and screen tests, before returning home to Richmond Thursday. By then her face will be familiar to much of the world, appearing already in dozens of newspapers, magazines and on TV sets.
The international pageant is run by the television station TVB in Hong Kong and one of the perks of competing is the chance to get a foot in the door of the acting world. Linda Chung, also hailing from Vancouver, has launched an impressive acting career with TVB since she won the title of Miss Chinese International last year.
“She (Chung) is doing extremely well. She has been on a (television) sitcom, and she’s just about to start a new series,” said Eunice Ho, a promotions executive with Fairchild Television, which has hosted the Miss Chinese Vancouver pageant for the past 10 years.
The international pageant includes winners from 22 cities, and for the past four years Miss Vancouver has won the title. “I don’t know exactly why. I guess Vancouver just has a lot of beautiful girls,” said Ho. While the competition was tough in both the Vancouver and International pageants, one thing that set Li apart is her confidence and composure, said Ho. “You don’t get the sense that she cares a lot whether she wins. She’s just doing her best and having fun.”
Her composure was tested in the international pageant’s question-and-answer segment, in which the emcee asked an embarrassing question. Nevertheless, Li was unfazed and launched a zinger comeback – a move that impressed the judges.
Li said she’s not sure what’s in store in the coming year. “It depends on whether TVB wants to sign a contract,” she said. In the meantime, she’ll host charity shows and appear at various public functions in Hong Kong.
Certainly, for now, school is on hold. Li has started her second year at University of B.C. in the fine arts department in September, but pageant life became so hectic she had to drop out. “I’ll probably take some courses in the summer to catch up,” she said.
Although Li began modeling at age 12 and has been in a few pageants over the years, she has always thought her career lay in the visual arts and graphic design. Now with this big win – who knows?
These pageants are all about opening doors and new opportunities, said Ho. Back at home, father Quint Li said he knows his daughter is a doll, but he was still pleasantly shocked that she won first place. “I thought maybe top three – no problem. But champion, that was a surprise.”
The International pageant will air on Fairchild television on Feb. 6 at 9 p.m.
Miss HK 2005 Overseas Recruitment * translated by AL from Apple Daily
At the Shangri-La Hotel in Kowloon yesterday, a press conference for the 2005 Miss Hong Kong oversea recruitment was held for the press media. According to the TVB officials, the oversea recruitment will take place from February 8 to the 28th in which the recruitments will extend to Australia, Europe, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore in addition to Canada and USA.
The reigning Miss Hong Kong Kate Tsui has already encouraged her relatives and friends to compete for the pageant, she said, “I have many aunties who want their daughters to participate, I feel they all have potential, however, they are all very scared at the prospect of being on TV”. Recently, there has been reports that after Kate’s defeat in Miss Chinese International, she was seen to have a “black face”, therefore Kate said, “I was not unhappy, if that’s what people think, I will smile more!”


MISS HONG KONG 2005 -
Overseas Recruitment Press Conference

DATE: Wed, Feb 2nd
TIME: 3PM
PLACE: Shangari-la (Tsimshatsui)
GUESTS: MHK 2004 Kate Tsui, MHK 2004 1st RU Queenie Chu, MHK 2004 2nd RU Fu Sze Sze

Included are posters from 2002-2004. What will this year's poster look like?

 

  • FEB 1ST - A short commercial featuring Leanne Li, reigning MCI titleholder, was aired tonight. Leanne thanked her family, friends, & Canada for their support while she participated in last month's Miss Chinese International pageant. She also said she'll be back in Vancouver very soon to see everyone!
  • Miss Universe Canada 2005 clips are out. Check them out here .

FEB 01 - Beauty queen Angela Yun Lu achieves perfect balance in life *Written by Thanh Pierre Nguyen, courtesy of Julia
Montreal Correspondent Julia found an excellent newspaper article on Angela Lu. Read on... (I typed it out instead because it saves loading time). Thanks Julia, for sharing the article with us! :)

At age 24, cover girl Angela Yun Lu has already seen and punched the stuff dreams are made of. Indeed, two years ago, she was crowned Miss Chinese Montreal 2003, and was sent to Hong Kong to represent Montreal in the glamorous Miss Chinese International Pageant.

"At MCI, they treat you like stars!" she recalls fondly, describing the red-carpet treatment, the pampering, the media attention and, of course, the unavoidable paperazzi.

"It was a shock to all of us (candidates). It was so surreal!"

Yet Angela is not just a pretty face, a slender body and a mellifiaous voice. She is the epitome of the Renaissance ideal of beauty & intelligence.

Take her academic achievements, for instance.

In 1997-1998, she won the University of Waterloo's National Decartes Math Contest, the University of Toronto's National Da Vinci Scholar competition and the Centenary Government Scholarship, from the Government of Newfoundland.

Then, during her subsequent computer science studies at McGill, she won the James McGill Scholarship for four years, and was on the Dean's Honor list (1999-2000).

Being an excellent student, somehow, has always been second nature to Angela.

Her secret? Good study habits and "wanting to go where you're going."

Support is also important. Angela credits her father for being the most positive, and constant, source of influence in her life.

"My father always made sure I was not too stressed at school, " she says, gratefull.

As a matter of fact, Angela participated in the beauty pageant following her parents' encouragement. They thought extra-curricular activities would balance her academic life. The rest, as they say, is history.

She won the crown in the Miss Chinese Montreal Pageant, organized by Ruth Koo Lam, chairman and founder of hte beauty pageant.

While Angela is grateful for the glamourous experience, she always knew her focus would be academis, not entertainment.

After graduating in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from McGill University, Angela went on to work as software specialist for CAE for two years. Then, in a bold career-changing move, she decided to return to school to pursue a law degree.

Currently enrolled full-time at McGill University, she's developing a strong interest in corporate law. In the future, she plans to work in merger and acquisition deals involving American and Chinese corporations, thus fully leveraging her linguistic abilities - she's fluent in English, Chinese, and French.

Speaking of cross-cultural business practices, Angela recalls a funny 2001 job interview in China, where she was invited to have dinner with the firm's clients. Angela aptly summarizes the Chinese way of doing business: "Everything happens over dinner!"

Interestingly, everything in Angela's life seems to happen with a perfect sence of balance. Her academic excellence, based on individual effort, is balanced by her crowning as a beauty queen, based on public performance. Her strong self-reliance is balanced by her exemplary involvement in the community (she volunteers as a mentor for the Big Brother Big Sister organization of Montreal, and as Master of Ceremony for the Montreal Chinese Hospital Foundation and the Montreal Chinese Arts and Cultural Center). Her technical computer science education is balanced by her current law studies, leading to an admitedly more liberal profession. And overall, her Chinese heritage and values seem harmoniously balanaced by her Western education and lifestyle.

In the end, what makes Angela so special and unique may be this knack for achieving a rare sense of balance, for realizing an elusive ideal that is hard to describe yet can be felt in the presence of the inspiring beauty queen.