Miss Universe news stories on Newser

Transgender Miss Universe Beauty Ends in Top 12

Mary Papenfuss — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:25:18 CDT

The first-ever transgender contestant in a Miss Universe pageant lost—but finished in the top 12 of 61 participants. Jenna Talackova failed to make the cut to the final five in the Canada contest, but was one of four contestants named Miss Congeniality, reports People . Talackova was born a male...

Transgender Beauty Will Likely Compete in Pageant

Rob Quinn — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:28:00 CDT

The Trump organization appears to have had a change of heart about a Canadian beauty who had a change of sex. Jenna Talackova—a transgender contestant booted from the Miss Universe Canada pageant —will be allowed to take part "provided she meets the legal gender recognition requirements of Canada and...

Miss Universe Execs Boot Transgender Contestant

Mary Papenfuss — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 01:02:00 CDT

Jenna Talackova might look like a babe, but that's not what it says on her birth certificate, so she's getting the boot from Canada's Miss Universe pageant. The transgender contestant from Vancouver might be a "real girl" now, say officials, but pageant rules require that each contender be a "naturally...

Trump on Love: Poor Boyfriend? Dump Him

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:12:11 CST

Last night on Celebrity Apprentice , Donald Trump made it clear that his thoughts on love are ... pretty much what you'd expect. The host asked Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza, one of the celebrity competitors, if she has "lots of boyfriends." Upon hearing that she has just one, the Donald wanted to...

Miss France: Miss Universe Wears Jeans

Evann Gastaldo — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:29:06 CDT

Sounds like someone's a sore loser: Miss France Laury Thilleman snarked about Miss Angola Leila Lopes after Lopes was crowned Miss Universe , complaining to a French magazine about Lopes' fashion sense, among other things. The Washington Post offers a translation: "She was the only girl I didn’t know very well....

Miss Angola Now Miss Universe

Evann Gastaldo — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 05:24:00 CDT

In a competition that was, for once, scandal-free, Miss Angola Leila Lopes was crowned Miss Universe last night in Brazil. Get a taste of the evening via the best lines, as reported by the AP : Lopes, 25, during the pageant's Q&A portion : Asked what she would change about her physical...

The Beauty Pageant Is Dead

Evann Gastaldo — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:51:12 CDT

Beauty pageants used to be “a hoot and a holler and a half,” but last night’s Miss Universe competition hailed their death. “Even as a gay man, I couldn't find joy or fun in last night's monument to wax figurines and Donald Trump,” writes Louis Bayard on Salon . It was...

Miss Mexico Crowned Miss Universe

Evann Gastaldo — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 06:11:31 CDT

Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete won last night’s Miss Universe pageant, giving her home country its second-ever Miss Universe title. “I want the whole world to know about my country and my people,” said Navarrete, 22, adding that she hopes her victory will help Mexico’s image. Miss Venezuela Marelisa Gibson was...

Miss Universe Contestants Go Topless

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:59:00 CDT

Topless photos of a few Miss Universe contestants have emerged...but these are no secret. Like the Miss USA pageant before it , the Miss Universe pageant itself released the racy pictures of the ladies covered in body paint and little else. One female VP justifies it by calling the women...