The Miss Florida USA & Miss Florida Teen USA

Magazine of July 27th, 2006

Dear Miss Florida USA Family:

Welcome to another edition of YOUR Miss Florida USA & Miss Florida Teen USA Magazine YOUR information source for everything pageantry in the Sunshine State. More then a week past an outstanding state pageant we are still whooped! But pageantry in the great state of Florida is back again in full swing as we report on the first round of pageantry in pursuit of The Miss Hispanidad USA title. Then Sunday we saw the completion of the 2006 Miss USA Pageant Season as the world championship of pageantry was held. We have several reports on Miss Universe in World Pageant News.

With our headlines being Miss Universe and Miss Hispanidad USA we also bring you the announcement a new pageant to be held in Hialeah is announced. Faces & Places has more fun articles on Miss Florida USA and Gen Art keeps it clean in their fashion forward report. All the pageant news that fits to print and now video updated on Thursdays and Fridays only at YOUR Miss Florida USA Ezine, the only Ezine in the pageant world!

Grant H. Gravitt, Jr.

Executive Producer

Miss Florida USA & Miss Florida Teen USA

PAGEANT NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

» Puerto Rican teenager wins Miss Universe crown

by Paula Bustamanti

A tearful Miss Puerto Rico, Zuleyka Rivera, was crowned Miss Universe 2006 on Sunday, the fifth time the crown has gone to a woman from the US island territory in the Caribbean. "The truth is, I still do not believe it," the 18-year-old student and model said after she was crowned.

Beauties from 86 nations competed in the 55th Miss Universe pageant at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, vying to succeed Canadian Natalie Glebova, Miss Universe 2005. The event is broadcast to an estimated 600 million people in 170 countries. Rivera answered her final question, in Spanish, about how she viewed success: "That special satisfaction when a person gives what they can without worrying about the obstacles in the way."

Rivera is 175 centimeters (five feet, nine inches) tall, and was chosen from among the final five candidates, which included Switzerland, Japan, Paraguay and the United States, to wear the 250,000-dollar crown. Puerto Rican contestants won the crown in 1970, 1985, 1993 and 2001, the second-greatest number after the United States.

Miss Puerto Rico Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza walks down

the stairs during the evening gown competition

Miss Switzerland Lauriane Gillieron (L-R), Miss Paraguay Lourdes Arevalos,

Miss Japan Kurara Chibana, Miss USA Tara Conner and Miss Puerto Rico Zuleyka

Rivera Mendoza stand as the five finalists during the Miss Universe 2006

Pageant at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles

The US has won the title a record seven times and its representative, Tara Conner, made the final five contestants this time, as did Miss Paraguay, Lourdes Arevalo; Miss Switzerland, Lauriane Gillieron and Miss Japan, Kurara Chibana. Chibana, the first runner-up -- a journalism student who wants to be a war correspondent, said: "I want women in my country to see that it can be done."

The jury included Telemundo anchorwoman Maria Celeste Arraras and the Dominican Republic's Miss Universe 2003 Amelia Vega among them. Also on the judges' benches were "10" movie star Bo Derek, American football hero Emmitt Smith, actor James Lesure, society photographer Patrick McMullan, fashion designer Santino Rice, and Sean Yazbeck, who rose to fame as a contestant on Trump's reality show "The Apprentice".

Forty minutes into her reign as Miss Universe, Miss Puerto Rico Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza collapsed during a post-pageant news conference and was rushed offstage on Sunday night. Pageant officials immediately said the lithe 5-foot-9 18-year-old was all right and had fainted. "She's OK. She's fine," pageant representative Lark Anton told Reuters. "She got dizzy. Its very hot up here. Her dress is tight - as you could see it was beaded and heavy. She passed out."

Anton said Mendoza "had plenty to eat today," when pressed for the beauty queen's condition before she fainted at the centre of the stage at the Shrine Auditorium, where she had become the 55th Miss Universe before an international television audience less than an hour earlier.

Mendoza attended the pageant's Coronation Ball after recovering from her collapse, according to guests including Donald Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organisation. "Yes, she's fine," Trump said as he left.

Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza, Miss Puerto Rico 2006, reacts as she

stands with runner- up Kurara Chibana, Miss Japan 2006, after winning

the Miss Universe 2006 pageant

The Puerto Rican beauty queen was named Miss Universe 2006 over runner-up Miss Japan, Kurara Chibana, 24. Second runner-up was Miss Switzerland Lauriane Gillieron, 21. Rounding out the top five were Miss Paraguay Lourdes Arevalos, 22, and Miss United States, 20-year-old Tara Conner.

The youngest of the five finalists, Mendoza appeared radiant as she waved to photographers several minutes before collapsing. Most of the press had left by the time she fainted.

Having lingered on stage, Mendoza was leaning on some assistants when her face fell to her chest, her new tiara atop her head. Tottering on high, spiky heels, she appeared to lean in this fashion for about 10 seconds and, at 8:38 p.m., collapsed in the arms of pageant assistants.

She was rushed offstage while the organizer of a post-pageant press conference called for aid. "Is there a nurse in the house? Can a nurse come to the stage," said the announcer, who was not identified. Within a minute, Anton said Mendoza was fine and had merely fainted.

During her news conference, Mendoza said she would carry out the work of the Miss Universe Organisation, which is to work to help those with HIV/AIDS. The Miss Universe contest was held at the fabled Shrine Auditorium near downtown Los Angeles. It was a homecoming of sorts. The first Miss Universe pageant was held about 25 miles (40 km) away in Long Beach, California, in 1952. Ending her year as Miss Universe was Canadian Natalie Glebova, who was born in Russia.

Miss Universe Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza speaks to the media after the pageant

» Miss Universe Lords over America As TV draws go, it's no longer a contest

Miss Universe has Miss America beat by several cup sizes. Sunday's Miss Universe 2006 beautiful-humanitarian-people pageant was watched by 9.65 million, according to Nielsen Media Research--more than triple the audience for Miss America's most recent crowning.

Zuleyka Rivera, 18, of Puerto Rico, was crowned Miss Universe in the NBC telecast, which ranked third for the week ended Sunday. While Rivera fainted shortly after the show ended--a tight dress, not the psychic weight of assuming responsibility for all matter and energy, was blamed--it's Miss America who's out cold.

The once-surefire Hollywood launching pad--the American Idol of the 1970s and 1980s--was bypassed by Miss Universe in the ratings in 2003. In 2004, it lost its deal with ABC. In 2005, it sat out the year. In January, it returned, albeit to Las Vegas, not Atlantic City, and to cable, not broadcast TV. In the end, the show was watched by 3.1 million viewers: a record high for CMT, Miss America's new prime-time partner; a record low for the pageant.

Both Miss America and Miss Universe are shadows of their former Nielsen selves. In 1988, 31.4 million watched the Miss America coronation--more people than gathered for Idol's Taylor Hicks-Katharine McPhee sing-off in May. The pageant was even more dominant in the 1970s, but Nielsen doesn't have actual viewership numbers for the show prior to 1984.

Nielsen does, however, have such stats for Miss Universe--and they're big. In 1980, 37.8 million watched the parade of bikini nations--more people than watched Idol's Hicks-crowning finale. (Not without hard times itself, Miss Universe crashed in the early 1990s, allowing Donald Trump to step in and play white knight--he's owned the show and its two sister pageants, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, for the last decade.)

Like its plucky contestants, Miss America is determined to stay upright on its heels. While a proposed reality series has been scrapped, a two-hour contestant special was announced earlier this month. The program is apparently designed to introduce Miss America to the MTV nation. As such, the show will air on CMT, VH1, Logo--and MTV. In the meantime, Miss Universe looks to have the run of the place. Er, universe.

MISS FL USA NEWS!

» Miss Hispanidad Preliminary Pageant

In the pageantry world of Florida we never take a weekend off! The second entrance into next years Miss Florida USA is the Miami Dade extravaganza Miss Hispanidad and the first step towards the prestigious title took place this past Saturday afternoon at The Miami International Mall. 126 delegates took the stage and competed for one of the thirty-two entries into the August 13^th finals in Downtown Miami at Gusman Concert Hall.

Miss Florida USA alumni Melissa Hernandez greets the audience

It was standing room only!

Backstage before the preliminary competition at the Miami International Mall

The very supportive and large crowd saw the delegates introduce themselves in Spanish and give an up to two minute speech. Then the judging panel, which included Miss Florida USA 1991 Rosa de LA O, selected the delegates from their fashion style and ability to speak. The finals will have the traditional three areas of competition. Congratulations to Miss Florida USA alumni Melissa Hernandez and Nathalie Pozo along with Miss Florida USA Preliminary alumni Greta Aguilara and Priscilla Furrifino who were announced amongst the finalists.

Former Miss Florida USA Rosa de LA O was a judge

Gretta and Priscilla backstage

Want more information? Surf to The Hispanic Heritage Festival’s website at http://www.hispanicfestival.com and hope to see a large turnout from our South Florida USA family at this great event!

» NEW MYSPACE.com SITES FOR MISS FLORIDA USA & MISS FLORIDA TEEN USA!

For the latest news reports posted around the clock check out our dedicated pages to Miss Florida USA and

Miss Florida Teen USA on www.MySpace.com. Our addresses are www.MySpace.com/MissFloridaTeenUSA

and www.MySpace.com/TheOfficialMissFloridaUSA and features latest updates, postings by our network of

friends, unique pictures and when the prelim season roles around the first place to see the reports and

pictures the evening of the pageants. Also video file sharing is in full effect on our www.YouTube.com

site with Miss Florida USA being the key word.

» MISS FLORIDA USA TELEVISION NETWORK STATION LIST AND AIR TIMES:

It’s not too late to catch the action and glamour that is Miss Florida USA 2007! Here are our Tape Delay dates in the remaining markets.

PANAMA CITY

WJHG - NBC CH7

WPGX FOX 28

Saturday, July 29th 1:30PM CT

MISS FLORIDA USA PAGEANT SCHEDULE:

August 5^th Miss Sunshine USA & Teen USA Pageants
August 13^th   Miss Hispanidad USA – Gusman Cultural Center 2:00pm
August 15^th  MISS TEEN USA (PALM SPRINGS)
October 13^th  Miss Florida Teen USA Registration
October 14^th  Miss Florida Teen USA Preliminary Pageant 7:30pm
October 15^th  Miss Florida Teen USA Finals – 2:00pm

Will Be Back Soon!

FEATURED MISS FLORIDA USA MINI MOVIE OF THE WEEK:

This week we have two features films – but they are really one big swimsuit montage featuring

all of the delegates from Miss Florida USA in and around the waterways of Hollywood.
This is a great way to check out your favorite delegate in some very pretty video.
Also either posted this week or soon to be posted at www.YouTube.com includes movies from this years “Too Hot For Fashion” and “Hollywood Helps Katrina’s Kids & Wilma’s Too!” telethons. We love this video file sharing! New movies up on Tel-Air’s channel include four tours of our host city of Hollywood featuring Cristin Duren and several of our delegates.

Keeping you visually up to date at www.MissFloridaUSA.com!

Past Clips:

Miss FL USA Crowning & Congratulations

Keep Evil At Bay
With Green Jeans

Do you get freaked out by the idea of strange preservatives in your food or chemicals in your water? How about this - pesticides rubbing against your very well-loofahed skin? Then you might want to consider that cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed crops (53 tons worth) coming up out of the ground today. Um, yelch. What's a loyal denim wearer to do? Go au naturel of course.

Give the Norwegian duo of Arne & Carlos a chance to get up close and personal with you. Using organic Japanese rope-dyed denim, this pair makes everything from cropped trousers to a full length denim coat with gingham cotton lining. Their selections are detailed to a fault including rivets, weathered buttons, and intricate stitching.

Another green bet is Del Forte Denim, who uses premium organic cotton and gives part of his profits to agricultural communities. Look fashionable and support sustainability efforts? We're not sure that shopping could ever be more guilt free... especially once you take a look at their Calla Slim jean with its perfect bunching around the angle. Better than your favorite pair of Sevens with less toxins, too!

Of course then there's Loomstate brought to you by a partnership between Rogan and nice-guy Bono. The label's spring/summer collection is amazing with its perfect plethora of colors and fits for both men and women. Loomstate's Creedence bootcut jean for the men is a perfect example of how wonderful the natural flaws produced by organic cotton processing can really set your jeans apart. With their loose angle fit and pocket detailing these are by far our favorite men's jeans on the market.

You could leave work tomorrow and set up camp on some farmer's lawn to protest the use of pesticides, ! or you could change your behavior and stimulate change by using your pocket book. Didn't you ever hear that it's the little things that count?

Article: Enter The Lion's Den

The collection of men's slip-on sneaks over at web store and Los Angeles gallery Lion's Den have our sense on overdrive. They're listed in the men's catergory, but clearly, they're unisex. 1. Modern Amusement Overdrive 2. Alife Slip on Floral...
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