WHAT A LOVELY REUNION

Mister Réunion 2009 will be held on February 7. In advance of the contest, the 12 contenders for the title have posed in all their natural glory...nude that is...for a wall calendar, the sale of which will benefit a local conservation association. Among the contenders for the Mister Réunion 2009 tile are Thomas Fontaine (also the naked hitchhiker below), Anthony Klein, and Christophe Bègue. Dean Harris kindly asks that if any student at Beauty School just so happens to be traveling to Réunion any time in the near future, to please purchase a calendar for him and he'll reimburse you for the cost. Merci.

Hitchin' A Ride

LET THE SUN SHINE

With much of the USA buried in a whole lot of snow, frigid temperatures, power outages, etc., we thought we should look forward to warmer times. How about California's Summer Bartholomew, Miss USA 1975, to see us through this winter.

PRETTY AS A PICTURE

Debbie Shelton of Virginia, Miss USA 1970, accepts her award as "Miss Photogenic" standing next to the Dean of Pageant Photography from the golden age, legendary Chris Hansen. Picture perfect.

MISS AMERICA A RATINGS WINNER

Multichannel News
27-Jan-2009

The Jan. 24 live telecast of the Miss America pageant drew 3.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research data. The pageant telecast, in which Miss Indiana Katie Stam won the 88-year old pageant's title, was the second-most viewed on cable, behind last year's Miss America Live! event on TLC, which averaged 3.6 million viewers. The show was the most-watched show on cable for the night among adults 18 to 49 (1.73 million viewers), women 18 to 49 (1.2 million), adults 18 to 34 (977,000 viewers) and women 18 to 34 (714,000).

OUR MISS AMERICA, KATIE STAM

26-Jan-2009
Seymour Daily Tribune

Less than 24 hours after realizing her dream - being named Miss America 2009 Saturday night - 22-year-old Katie Stam of Seymour was dreaming big again Sunday and urging young girls everywhere to dream big too.

Upon arrival in New York City today, she will begin a whirlwind tour of public appearances and photo shoots, embarking on her year-long reign as America's newest sweetheart.

"It's just thrilling," she said Sunday from an airport. "All of my dreams are coming true." "Any kind of positive emotion you can think of is coursing through my body right now," Stam added.

She was the talk at churches, diners and seemingly everywhere across Jackson County on Sunday. Local businesses quickly put up signs congratulating Stam and showing their pride for one of their own.

With the title of Miss America, Katie will be the official ambassador for the Children's Miracle Network as well as ZeroSmoke, a program to help people stop smoking. Not one to set small goals, Katie said Sunday she would like to meet with President Barack Obama to help her spread the word about the importance of community service.

"He has a strong voice for getting involved in community issues," she said. "It would be great to do a program and public service announcement with him to get more people to take part in their communities. It's all about helping each other, and I'm really looking forward to getting the opportunity to promote that on a national level."

MORE HERE.

ZEN ON SUNDAY

Jeffrey Zheng of China, Manhunt International 2007

MISS AMERICA 2009 IS MISS INDIANA!

The new Miss America 2009 is Miss Indiana Katie Stam. First runner-up was Miss Georgia, Chasity Hardman. This marks the first time in Miss America history that Indiana has won the crown.

MISS AMERICA 2009 - FAVES FOR THE CROWN

This morning, Dean Harris and Prof. Chandni met at IHOP, the one just off campus on Highway 1, for a pancake breakfast and to dish their faves for the Miss America 2009 crown. They reached consensus on these six: Miss Virgin Islands, Miss Oregon, Miss Indiana, Miss Mississippi, Miss Georgia, and Miss Hawaii.

P.S.: Prof. Chandni thinks Miss Indiana was robbed last year.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE 88 YEARS MAKE

When Deans Harris and Di Maggio came into work today to discuss payroll cuts, they found this note and photo in their office. It was of course from our beloved librarian, Lorraine. The note said, "Boys, who the hell is this? I found this photo in a shoe box marked really old beauty queens. Luv Ya, Lorraine." Poor Lorraine must be suffering from the side effects of inhaling too much of her new nail polish. This is of course the very first Miss America, Margaret Gorman of Washington D.C., in 1921. We doubt any of the contestants for the 2009 title will wear an outfit like this tomorrow. However, we do like the crown.

MISS AMERICA - YOU BE THE JUDGE

RIDE ME

Pravesh Rana, Mister India 2008

MISS AMERICA FLASHBACK - 1968

Dateline - September 7, 1968

Judi Ford of Illinois is the new Miss America 1969

“I about died when they called my name.”

(Source: Rockford Register Star)

MISS AMERICA FLASHBACK - 1966

Dateline - September 10, 1966
Miss America 1966 Deborah Bryant of Kansas crowns Miss America 1967 Jane Anne Jayroe of Oklahoma

Miss America 1967 and her court of honor

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!

Every June, Argentina celebrates the Fiesta Nacional de la Nieve, in the Andean ski resort of Bariloche. June? Remember, students, Argentina is in the southern hemisphere, where the seasons are reversed. Dean Harris, who has traveled to Argentina, can tell you it is cold as hell there in June! The Fiesta Nacional de la Nieve includes a beauty pageant, of course. The Reina de la Nieve gets more national press coverage in Argentina than any Reina that wins the Argentine leg of Miss Universe or Miss World.

Reina de la Nieve 2008, Gabriela Castañón

Reina de la Nieve 2007, Silvina Gisel Orellana Minder, and her court of honor

Instead of a swimsuit competition, the pageant features a pullover
(Argentine Spanish for sweater) competition.

RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES

All of pageantdom is well aware of the news that Kelli McCarty, Miss USA 1991, has become a film porn star at the age of 39, her new film is called "Faithless." She hails from Liberal, Kansas, and we guess they really are liberal there. Not to be outdone, let us hark back to the 1950's to the infamously dethroned Miss USA 1957, Leona Gage of Maryland. We came upon this rare photo of Leona, who went on to become a stripper. Here she is performing at the "Follies Burlesque" in Los Angeles.

WHY IS SHE SMILING?

Miss USA 1973, Amanda Jones, is absolutely beaming in this photo. Why? Well, it might be that she is thrilled (though we have no way to know who she voted for) that the former Senator from her home state of Illinois, Barack Obama, will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America tomorrow. Wonder if she's going to the inauguration?

SLUMDOG SEXY

Slumdog sexy...Neha Dhupia, Miss Universe India 2002, with Sonu Sood

Juhi Chawla, Miss Universe India 1984, with super-sexy slumdog Akshay Kumar

Priyanka Chopra, India's Miss World 2000, slumdogs it with Akshay Kumar

Slumdogging it in the water...Bipasha Basu and John Abraham, Manhunt India 1999

Lara Dutta, India's Miss Universe 2000 with Bobby Deol; and
John Abraham and Bispasha Basu do more slumdogging

A Spicy Slumdog Sandwich...
Akshay Kumar with Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta

RED CARPET

What with all the glitz, glamour, and gala inauguration balls in Washington, DC over the next two days, Beauty School presents some recent all-American Miss USA's on the red carpet.

Shana Moakler of New York, Miss USA 1995, with Miss California USA 2008 Raquel Beezley

Our undisputed favorite Miss USA of the 1990's - Ali Landry of Louisiana, Miss USA 1996
(Miss USA 1996 is a year - among a handful - for which Prof. Chandni does not say, "She was robbed..." about the first runner-up)

Two for the price of one! The price is right! Miss Universe 1997, the USA's Brook Lee of Hawaii, and her first runner-up and successor as Miss USA 1997, Brandi Sherwood of Idaho.

ZEN ON SUNDAY

Jeffrey Zheng of China, Manhunt International 2007

MISS CHINESE INTERNATIONAL 2009

The new Miss Chinese International 2009 is Christine Kuo of Toronto, Canada. First runner-up was Miss Hong Kong Skye Chan, and second runner-up was Ceci Chen, Miss Vancouver, Canada.

The Year of the Ox will be a great one for Christine!

THEY HAD FACES THEN

Miss America 1945, Bess Myerson of New York. As Barbra Striesand said, "Hello, gorgeous."

KEEPING IT REAL

Miss World 1976, Cindy Breakspeare of Jamaica, keeps it real and talks with SHE Caribbean about pageant titles, passion and parenting.