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Pageant News Bureau |
Kimberly Heaton has been named state director for the Miss Utah Achievement program. She is a former Ms. Utah Achievement 1998 and the reigning Miss United Utah 2000. Christina Ellington, the reigning Miss Teen Connecticut Achievement and first runner-up to Miss Teen American Achievement, will be assuming the Miss Connecticut Achievement state directorship for 2001. She is also a former Miss Connecticut American Coed. The following state directors have been named for the 2001 Miss American Achievement Scholarship & Recognition Program: Cynthia Deese for Alabama, Beth Hutchens for North Carolina and Heather Garner for South Carolina. Following are some dates for showings of pageant-related programming in late 1999. Some will air twice in one day. Check local listings for exact times:
Denise Richards, who played the insufferable teenage beauty queen in the 1999 pageant movie "Drop Dead Gorgeous," is the cover girl on the December 1999 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine. Ms. Richards, who is actually well past her teens, is also starring as a scientist in the James Bond movie "The World Is Not Enough." The motion picture that made her famous, and controversial, was the 1998 hit "Wild Things," a hyper-whodunit that may be the most mentally challenging erotic thriller ever made. Jeniffer Renee Card, Miss Teen United States New York 1999, will be a special elf helper to well-known philanthropist Santa Claus at the annual tree-lighting ceremony on Dec. 11, 1999, in Lodi, N.J. She recently has been a guest speaker at benefits for AIDS and kidney disease. Abigail Spencer, a former International Cinderella Miss, has been nominated by Soap Opera Digest as Best Female Newcomer for her role as Becca on "All My Children." Ballots can be found in the magazine. The awards show will be in March 2000. Shannon Grace Clark, Miss Michigan USA 1998, is featured in the January 2000 issue of Muscle & Fitness magazine. The magazine goes on the newsstands on Nov. 24, 1999. Ms. Clark can be heard soon on Q95, a top metro Detroit radio station, at 630 a.m. She will be a guest on Nov. 23, 1999, and will begin filling in for newscaster Theresa Tomeo on Nov. 29. Former PNB cover girl Melanie Jayne appears as Miss May in the Sensual Asian Women 2000 calendar. The Web address for ordering is www.sensual2000.com. Readers should be forewarned that her calendar photo is considerably more provocative than her PNB spread. (Remember that May can be a very steamy month.)
Renelle Richardson, Miss New York Teen America 1999 and first runner-up at Miss Teen America, will appear in a "Drug-Free America" commercial with Tara Lipinski. Ms. Richardson is a freshman at Southern Connecticut State University. Debbie Delhomme, who was Miss Louisiana USA 1998 and made the Top 10 at Miss USA, will marry Seth Greene on Nov. 26, 1999, in Lafayette, La. Laura Flinn Baechtel, the reigning Mrs. California Globe and National Royal Parent, has become a spokeswoman for "successful parenting." She is currently home-schooling her second-grader. In the continuing saga of the JonBenet Ramsey homicide, John and Patsy Ramsey have agreed to an exclusive TV interview on CBS. A TV movie about the little beauty queen's death is also in the works. Ana Urbano, Ms. Florida Woman Plus 2000, has been selected to ride on a float in the nationally televised King Orange Bowl Parade in Miami on the last day of the 1900s. Bronze body, silver tongue Becky Coomes, Mrs. All American 1999-2000, has been selected to appear on billboards throughout the state of Mississippi for Burrell's Tanning Salon. She is also traveling the state as a motivational speaker. Following are dates for the E! program "Behind the Scenes: Miss Teen USA." Consult local listings for times in your area: Nov. 13, 1999; Nov. 14; Nov. 18; Nov. 19; Nov. 20; Nov. 21. Jeannie Schmitz, who was Mrs. Oklahoma USA 1993 and Mrs. Arizona America 1996, died Nov. 8, 1999, of cancer. In her final months, she had served as volunteer coordinator for VistaCare Hospice in Arizona and Utah. Donations can be made in her memory to Cowboys for Kids, 47811 North 41st Ave., New River, AZ 85087. Film star Jackie Chan has acknowledged an affair with a former beauty queen. Chan, who is married, says he takes responsibility for his actions. Elaine Ng, who was Miss Asia 1990, is pregnant and reportedly has named Chan as the father. John and Patsy Ramsey have announced plans to sue the Star, an American celebrity tabloid, over its coverage of the slaying of their daughter, JonBenet. The Ramseys say the Star falsely alleged that their young son was a suspect in the killing of the 6-year-old beauty queen. Authorities have said the boy is not a suspect. Police have, however, indicated that John and Patsy Ramsey remain under suspicion, and this has created tensions with the family. Kristina Hughes, who was Miss Connecticut USA 1998, will play the role of Officer Walsh on the Feb. 22, 2000, episode of "N.Y.P.D. Blue." Ms. Hughes told the Pageant News Bureau she sees the role as a great opportunity, even though its non-glamorous nature (practical haircut, no makeup) was a departure from what she has done in the past. She hopes the character will return in some future episode of the ABC crime drama. Miss America, Heather Renee French, will be a key participant in the U.S. Department of Labor's salute to veterans on Nov. 10, 1999, in Washington, D.C. She will discuss her platform, aiding homeless veterans. Nov. 11 is Veterans Day in the United States. The date commemorates the end of World War I and is a holiday, celebrated under various names, in many countries. John and Patsy Ramsey are writing a book about the life and violent death of their daughter, child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey. JonBenet was found slain at home in Boulder, Colo., in December 1996, and the case sparked a media frenzy that has shown remarkable staying power. The Ramseys have been targets of suspicion in the killing, though they have not been charged and are adamant that they had no part in the crime. Their book will be inspirational, with a focus on how their Christian faith has helped them cope with tragedy. Jane Kim, who lost her crown as Miss Georgia Teen USA when it was discovered that she lacked U.S. citizenship, is reportedly in line for a major modeling assignment in Asia. She is currently a student in New York City. The upcoming Miss USA Pageant in Branson, Mo., has drawn expressions of concern in the conservative resort town. Some residents are still upset about the 1999 pageant, which they say contained too much sexually oriented onstage banter. Branson is a family-oriented entertainment center, with a heavy emphasis on country and Christian music. The 2000 pageant is scheduled for Feb. 4. Tammy Jansen, who represented the state of Washington in the 1999 Miss USA Pageant, can be seen competing on "Destination Stardom" early in the year 2000. Atlanta beauty queen Celentria Adams has been cast as a cheerleader in the upcoming Disney movie "Remember the Titans," starring Denzel Washington. Lacey Waldrep, Miss Lubbock (Texas) USA, is currently working at KLBK, CBS 3 in Lubbock. Nuestra Belleza de Mexico 1999 is scheduled to be broadcast on Univision on Oct. 24, 1999, at 8 p.m. Central time. Check local listings. Jennifer Corliss, the reigning Ms. Hit The Beach!, may be dropping out of bikini competitions for a while. She is expecting her first child early in 2000. She and her husband live in the Atlanta area. Marla Maples, ex-beauty queen and ex-wife of pageant mogul Donald Trump, is threatening to go public with unflattering details about their married life if Trump seeks the U.S. presidency. Trump, who is seriously considering a White House bid, says Maples has no information to reveal. The occasion for this discord is a dispute over payment of alimony. Trump is co-owner of the Miss Universe system. The American movie "Happy, Texas," about escaped convicts mistaken for pageant directors, has won critical acclaim, though it has gotten less public attention than another recent pageant comedy, "Drop Dead Gorgeous." But residents of the real Happy, Texas, have expressed some dissatisfaction with the film. Some object to the film's subject matter, which touches on issues of sexual orientation among pageant people. But many are annoyed that the movie was not shot in Happy and does not depict the true nature of the town. Jay Mann, who founded the Venus Swimwear International Model Search but parted with that organization in the late 1990s, has joined the Hit The Beach! pageant organization as vice president for marketing. Hit The Beach! includes competitions for men and women. Mrs. America, Starla Stanley of Utah, is engaged in a court fight with her former husband over custody of their children. The first husband, Mike Pomeroy, alleges that trouble between Mrs. Stanley and her current husband, Scott, makes the Stanley home an unsuitable environment for the children. Mrs. Stanley says domestic conflicts with her current husband have all been resolved and the family is happy and stable. Entertainer and pageant emcee Jim Gibson married Dr. Chiann Fan on the second weekend of October 1999 in Florida. The new Mrs. Gibson is a dentist who has worked on the smiles of many of the world's famous beauty queens. She is also a famous beauty herself. She was Miss Washington USA 1989 and Washington's Junior Miss 1986. Miss America, Heather Renee French, was lionized in her hometown of Maysville, Ky., in mid-October 1999, less than a month after winning her title. Ms. French was the first Kentucky contestant ever to be crowned Miss America. Her celebrity status at least temporarily overshadowed that of the Clooney dynasty of entertainers, who also have their roots in Maysville. Jade Esteban Estrada, the internationally known Latin pop star, will perform in the fall of 1999 at the Miss Louisiana USA and Louisiana Teen USA pageants. Becky Coomes, Mrs. All American 1999-2000, has been selected by Nature's Pharmacy to be its national spokesmodel. She will travel the country promoting the products and will be featured in numerous national publications. Erika Howe, All American Miss 1999-2000, will appear in a national Pier One Imports commercial during the 1999 Christmas season. She was selected to be one of five participants from among more than 400 applicants. Karen R. Smith, mother of Miss America 1996 Shawntel Smith, died on Oct. 8, 1999, of injuries sustained in a September auto accident. Mrs. Smith was credited by her daughter with being the major force in her pageant career, and had acted as her manager. Mrs. Smith had been hospitalized since the accident, which occurred Sept. 24 on an interstate highway in Oklahoma. Dana Rosengard, a popular pageant producer and emcee, has left his college faculty position in Vermont for life as a student. Rosengard was awarded a Park Fellowship to pursue his Ph.D. at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He has proposed dissertation research in the area of teaching and television, and the relationship between the two. He continues to be a major player in the pageant industry and will be emceeing numerous Miss USA state preliminaries (and reporting the results to PNB). He has already emceed two Miss USA state preliminaries this year, in Idaho and Mississippi. Donald Trump, the billionaire co-owner of the Miss Universe Pageant, has formed an exploratory committee to become a possible candidate for president of the United States. Trump, a longtime Republican, is considering a run on the ticket of the Reform Party. The party has attracted a number of celebrities since former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura was elected governor of Minnesota as a Reform candidate. Abby Vaillancourt, a runner-up to Miss Teen All American, has been chosen to perform in the pre-game show at Superbowl 2000. Alexander Baez, a former Mr. Mexico and runner-up to Mr. Universe, is among those alleging that Reinaldo Silvestre of Miami Beach, Fla., posed as a plastic surgeon and performed disfiguring operations on those who came to him. Silvestre is currently a fugitive. Baez alleges that fake surgery gave him female-style breasts. Janice McQueen Ward, Mrs. United States, ran in the Komen Race for the Cure in Charlotte, N.C., on Oct. 2, 1999. The Mrs. United States Pageant supports the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and Mrs. Ward has a special interest in the disease since losing her mother to lung cancer in the mid-1990s. E! Entertainment Television will feature a program about Miss Universe on Oct. 3, 1999. Check your local TV listings. Lili Kohr, a fashion model and former Mrs. Pennsylvania International, has accepted the directorship of the Mrs. Pennsylvania International Pageant. Entertainer Vanessa Williams, a former Miss America, reportedly has confirmed that she married basketball star Rick Fox in mid-1999. Few other details were available. Ms. Williams -- who was forced to give up her crown in 1984 but has become one of the most successful former Miss Americas in history -- has three children from her previous marriage to Ramon Hervey. Erika Howe of Texas, who is 1999 All American Miss and the reigning Miss United America, has signed with a modeling/acting agency in Houston. Look for her in the new TV commercial campaign for Academy Sports Stores in sx states: Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi and Georgia. She is also an area director for Miss Texas USA/Miss Texas Teen USA, producing the Miss Rice Belt USA Pageant. Atlanta beauty queen Celentria Adams has been selected as a finalist to become a WCW Nitro Girl, a dancer for the popular wrestling association. The competition will be broadcast on Sept. 27, 1999, on TNT. Check your local listings. Voting is at www.nitrogirls.com Sarah Lowther, who was Miss Louisiana Teen USA 1994 and first runner-up to Miss Louisiana USA 1999, married Drew Scafide on Aug. 28, 1999, and the couple is residing in Birmingham, Alabama. Kate Shindle, Miss America 1998, has collaborated with a Chicago recording artist on a Christmas CD, which is now available on the Web. All profits and artist/producer royalties will benefit the National AIDS Fund. Ms. Shindle's platform involved AIDS awareness and prevention, and the cause remains very important to her. The recording features "secular, jazz-style Christmas music," Ms. Shindle said. It is available at www.ssprecords.com, and the cost is $16.95. Miss Oregon USA 1994, Denise White, has signed a country music recording contract with record company "2620" under the Sony label. She will start recording in October 1999, with release of the CD scheduled for 2000. Ms. White currently resides in Los Angeles, where she is pursuing an entertainment career. Beatriz Gill, beauty queen, radio personality and director of the American Achiever pageant system, was hospitalized in early September 1999 with a severe kidney infection. She is now recovering at home, but says the pageant will be delayed until April 2000. Isabelle Fry, a prominent Newfoundland modeling agent, has resigned from the Miss Canada International organization. She was national director as well as director for Labrador and Newfoundland. Ms. Fry stated that she objected to the standards and practices of the organization. The pageant has a history of controversy, with some winners being stripped of titles or otherwise deprived of privileges during their reigns. In the most widely publicized controversy, a Miss Canada International, Danielle House, was stripped of her title after an assault conviction. Ms. Fry said her resignation was not meant to be a reflection on any of the pageant's titleholders. Sheri Shepherd, Mrs. United States 1994, will be featured as a guest on the ABC program "Politically Incorrect" on Sept. 20, 1999. Two former pageant roommates have taken slightly different paths but are advancing toward their goals. Amanda "Mandy" Carraway, Miss Kansas Teen USA 1996 and Miss Kansas USA 1999, can be seen this fall in the modeling competition on the new TV program "Destination Stardom." She also has been signed for a regular part on "Baywatch Hawaii." Leah Sexton, Miss Missouri Teen USA 1996, is finishing her last year at the University of Kansas and is preparing for medical school. She also does considerable modeling in her spare time. Hollyn Adams, the 5-month-old daughter of former beauty queen Jennifer Weller Adams, has begun a modeling career. Her jobs thus far have involved baby transportation products. Mrs. Adams is a former Miss Southwest Georgia and a former Miss Georgia T.E.E.N.
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