beauty pageant news stories on Newser

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...

New Miss America: Miss Wisconsin

Polly Davis Doig — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 08:23:26 CST

Miss Wisconsin Laura Kaeppeler sang opera, wise-cracked, spoke candidly about being the child of a convict, and refused to get drawn into politics en route to grabbing the 2012 Miss America crown last night. Kaeppeler, when asked if beauty queens should bare their politics, responded: "Miss America represents everyone, so...

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...

'History Geek' Named Miss USA

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:51:50 CDT

Miss California Alyssa Campanella, a self-described “huge history geek,” was named Miss USA at the Las Vegas pageant last night. The 21-year-old formerly represented New Jersey in the Miss Teen USA contest in 2007, but moved to Los Angeles a year and a half ago and plans to stay. She...

Muslim Woman Stoned for Beauty Pageant Participation

Mark Russell — Tue, 31 May 2011 06:23:17 CDT

A 19-year-old Muslim woman in Ukraine was stoned to death and buried in the woods for participating in a beauty pageant, reports the Daily Mail . The woman reportedly liked clothes and fashion, and had recently placed seventh in a pageant. Local police think that three young men beat and killed...

Botox Girl Taken From California Mom

Mary Papenfuss — Tue, 17 May 2011 01:40:00 CDT

A California mom who admitted giving her 8-year-old daughter Botox injections has lost custody of the girl. San Francisco authorities launched an investigation last week after mom Kerry Campbell discussed the injections as part of their preparation for little girl beauty pageants on Good Morning America . "I just, like, don't...

Mom Gives Daughter, 8, Botox

Mary Papenfuss — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 03:45:36 CDT

An addled mom is boasting that she injects Botox into her 8-year-old daughter's face every three months so she can be a "star." She also arranges body waxes for her girl. "I wish that I'd had the same advantages when I was younger," mom Kerry Campbell tells the Sun . "I...