Tag Archives: Miss Universe Pageant

Beauty, International, Politics

MAYOR DUTERTE WANTS MISS PHILIPPINES TO WITHDRAW FROM MISS UNIVERSE CONTEST

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Miss Philippines-Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach
Miss Philippines-Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – If there is one quality that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte can be proud of, it is his consistency.

The on-again, off-again Philippine presidential contender finally confirmed that he is definitely running for president in the 2016 elections, citing as his main reason the fact that he does not want an “American Philippine president.”

Duterte is, of course, referring to Senator Grace Poe, candidate for president and consistent frontrunner in national polls.  Her candidacy has been challenged on the grounds that as a foundling whose biological parents have not been identified, she is not a natural-born citizen and is therefore ineligible to become president.

Poe was a dual citizen of the U.S. and the Philippines, but claims she had renounced her U.S. citizenship before she became involved in Philippine politics years ago.

Consistent with his view about Poe, Duterte has asked the Binibining Pilipinas Charities to withdraw the candidacy of Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, the country’s representative to next month’s Miss Universe Pageant to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Binibining Pilipinas Charities is the local franchise holder of the Miss Universe Pageant).

Wurtzbach was born in Stuttgard, Germany.

Duterte said that “our candidates to international competitions, including beauty pageants, should be truly representative of our country and people.  I cannot accept the fact that we are sending a German-born candidate to represent the Philippines in the Miss Universe Pageant.”

Stella Marquez-Araneta, chairperson of Binibining Pilipinas Charities, has not returned calls from The Adobo Chronicles.

 

Beauty, Diversity, Politics, Race Relations

AFTER 63 YEARS, IT’S THE END OF THE ROAD FOR THE MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT

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The very first Miss Universe (1952), Armi Kuusela
The very first Miss Universe (1952), Armi Kuusela

MIAMI, Florida (The Adobo Chronicles®) – After 63 years of existence, the Miss Universe Pageant is coming to an end, thanks to owner Donald Trump.

(The very first Miss Universe was Armi Kuusela from Finland, who shortly after being crowned in 1952, married a Filipino Virgilio Hilario, now deceased.  Kuusela has since remarried and now lives in San Diego, California)

After Mexico and Paraguay pulled out of the pageant because of Trump’s racist remarks about Mexicans — calling them “rapists, drug addicts and criminals” — the Republican presidential candidate knew a bigger fall out was about to happen.  Other Spanish-speaking countries are also considering dropping out of the international pageant.

Then came recent remarks by Trump, this time directed at African Americans.  “African American youth had reached a point where they’ve just about never done more poorly, there’s no spirit, there’s killings on an hourly basis virtually in places like Baltimore and Chicago and many other places,” he said during a campaign stop.

Trump also criticized his opponent, Jeb Bush,  saying that, “If Bush gets in, China will absolutely eat our lunch.”

And so the bigger fallout began:  countries in Africa are also pulling out of the Miss Universe pageant, in solidarity with African Americans.

Many Asian countries are also backing out from sending contestants to the pageant because of Trump’s comments about China.

Realizing that only European countries are left to participate in Miss Universe, Trump decided to cancel the pageant altogether.

“No big deal,” he said, “I’d rather be president of the United States than be an owner of a beauty pageant.

Trump has risen to the number two spot, behind Jeb Bush, in recent polls among Republican candidates for president.  Apparently, his racial rhetoric is working in his favor.

 

Beauty, Business, The Media

MEXICAN BILLIONAIRE WANTS TO BUY MISS USA AND MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANTS FROM DONALD TRUMP

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Top left, clockwise: Helú, Trump, and the Miss USA Pageant

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – First, it was Univision that severed its relationship with Donald Trump.  Now NBC Universal has followed suit.

Both networks are partners with Trump who owns the Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants.  The pageants have always been aired on Univision and NBC.

The souring of Trump’s relationships with the networks was an offshoot of the business mogul’s comments when he announced his candidacy for president of the United States. During that announcement, he promised that if elected, he would close the southern border so that Mexico would stop sending “rapists, drug addicts and criminals.”

Miss USA which is scheduled on July 12, 2015 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, will not be aired by either network.  The pageant’s future and that of Miss Universe remain unknown.

Until now.

The second richest man in the world, Mexican Carlos Slim Helú, just offered to buy the Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants from Trump for an undisclosed amount.

Known as the “Warren Buffett of Mexico,” Helú’s current net worth is estimated at $71.2 Billion, second only to that of Bill Gates.

“I want to give Trump a dose of his own medicine,” Helú said. ” If he thinks we Mexicans are nothing but rapists, addicts and criminals, then this Mexican wants him out for good — from Miss USA, Miss Universe and from all other his other business holdings. I will continue to buy him out.”

Both Univision and NBC Universal said that if Helú succeeds in buying the pageants from Trump, they would be happy to re-establish their partnership with the popular beauty contests.

The Adobo Chronicles® was unsuccessful in reaching Trump for comment or reaction to the proposed purchase.