Pageant News Bureau

The March 22, 2002, issues of The Wall Street Journal featured a front-page article about Neelam Noorani, Miss Pakistan Earth. This came only weeks after she was featured on PNB. Since autumn 2001, PNB has paid special attention to Pakistani contests, because of the pageant implications for Muslim countries. We are glad to have contributed to their greater exposure.

TV alert

Recently crowned Miss USA Shauntay Hinton was a guest presenter on the "Soul Train Awards" in March 2002. The event will be aired in syndication at various times, including in New York City on WPIX-TV at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on March 30, 2002, and in Chicago on WGN at 400 p.m. Central Time on March 31. Otherwise, check local listings.

TV alert

Miss USA 2002, Shauntay Hinton, will appear on the program "Live With Regis and Kelly" on March 11, 2002.
Showtime will air "Queen: The Making of an American Beauty" on March 17, 2002. The film follows the activities of two Miss Texas contestants in 1998. Check local listings.

Former Miss America Heather French Henry is working as morning co-anchor at the Louisville, Ky., affiliate of Fox News.

Retired teacher Yun Tau Chee, 73, one of the first non-Caucasians in the Miss America Pageant, died Feb. 21, 2002. She was crowned Miss Hawaii in 1948 and competed at Miss America that year. She was chosen Miss Congeniality.

Judge Paschal English, father of former Miss Georgia (America) Rachel English, is one of the competitors picked for the 2002 South Pacific version of the TV show "Survivor."

O n t h e N e w s s t a n d

The April 2002 issue of Marie Claire magazine looks at how Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA share accommodations in New York City.
The March 2002 issue of Ebony magazine features an article titled "Where Are the Black Miss Americas?" It focuses on the current situation for black women who have won the prestigious title.

Carol Hirata, director of the Miss Colorado USA and Montana USA pageants, is providing models for a new line of QuickChick racing apparel. Among the models with outstanding pageant backgrounds now featured at www.quickchickracing.com (under "products") are Lindsey Dowling, Kristi Krings and Tori Carter. More photo shoots are scheduled.

Acclaimed young vocalist Kristi Krings, Miss Montana Teen USA 2001, has been signed to do a series of 30 shows at a Michigan resort in summer 2002. Details are being finalized, but it is confirmed that she will be the opening act for a variety of performers, such as Ringo Starr, Tom Jones and the group Alabama.

California-based Middle Eastern Productions has assumed control of the Worldwide Pageant system after the retirement of Jeff and Connie Bigelow. The head of Middle Eastern is pageant veteran and civic activist Effie Horning.

Holly Campbell-Bradley, 2001 All American Woman Plus, has been asked by the newly developed online magazine Empowerment to write a monthly article. Each article will pertain to Plus Size issues, fashion and emotional issues. She is also associate producer for the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program, in the Miss America Organization, and was 2000 Ms. National Achiever Plus.

Newly crowned Miss Germany World 2002, Katrin Wrobel, will be the new "letter girl" in the German edition of the TV game show "Wheel of Fortune." Her job on the show starts in March 2002.

Katie Harmon is interviewed on American Express Publishing's Travel & Leisure Web site.

Greta Graham Hollingworth, Miss Tennessee 1950, died on Feb. 19, 2002, after a Memphis traffic accident. She was the first Miss Memphis to win the Miss Tennessee title, and represented the Volunteer State at Miss America.

"Entertainment Tonight" correspondent and part-time host Mark Steines announced late in January 2002 that he and his wife, Leanza Cornett, are expecting their first child. She was Miss America 1993 and continues to host dog shows and other programs. Last summer she featured their Marina Del Rey, Calif., home on HGTV's "Miss America Homes" special.

O n t h e N e w s s t a n d

Sharlene Wells Hawks, Miss America 1985, is featured on the cover and in a feature story in the current issue of Emerging Business magazine.
Miss Latina World 2002, Amy Diaz of the Dominican Republic, appears on the March cover of Ciao Magazine. The magazine also contains an inside feature article on the 18-year-old beauty queen. The magazine, published by Ciao Media, will be available in February.
Neelam Verma, Miss Canadian Universe 2002, is featured on the cover of the inaugural issue of Suhaag Magazine, Canada's largest South Asian bridal and fashion magazine. The issue was released in February 2002.

Neelam Verma, Miss Canadian Universe 2002, is the new host of one of CFMT Television's highest-rated shows, "Bollywood Blvd." Her debut show aired on Feb. 2, 2002. She can be seen hosting the show Saturdays at 12 p.m. EST. CFMT-TV is a Toronto-based multicultural cable channel that has logged impressive ratings.

James Usry, the first black mayor of Atlantic City, N.J., died Jan. 25, 2002, at age 79. An educator by profession, he served two terms and was a staunch supporter of the Miss America system.

Latin pop star Jade Esteban Estrada will host the Miss Black World Pageant 2002 on Feb. 24, 2002, in New York. His name is indelibly associated with pageant entertainment, and he is currently on his international Passions Tour 2002.

Beauty queen and former PNB cover girl Meredith Moser Boyd was the featured guest at the Georgia Special Olympics on the last weekend of January 2002. She helped bring in the traditional Special Olympics banner for the opening ceremonies.

Beauty queen, nurse and social activist Effie Horning, Ms. Elegant Worldwide 2002, has been nominated for a hometown heroes award from Oil of Olay. She has done community service work in various fields, never accepting compensation for any of these activities. Click here for nominees and voting.

TV alert

"Miss America: A Documentary Film," directed by the critically acclaimed Lisa Ades, is being shown on various PBS stations during January 2002. Check local listings. The film, which was screened at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival, promises unique insights into the pageant.
The 2002 Mrs. World Pageant will be televised on Jan. 19, 2002, on on the PAX cable network at 8--10 p.m. EST. (Check local listings.) The annual pageant was held in December 2001, in Las Vegas. Actress Florence Henderson returns to share hosting duties with John O'Hurley. Nicole Llewellyn Brink of Indiana represents the United States. She was Miss Indiana Teen USA 1992 and Miss Indiana USA 1998. There will be a repeat broadcast on Jan. 26.

Susanne Erichsen, Miss Germany 1950, died Jan. 13, 2002, in Berlin. She was 76. She was the first Miss Germany after World War II, and became a successful model after her pioneer work in pageantry.

Tia Brewer has become director of the Mrs. South Carolina United States Pageant. She plans a full stage production in spring 2002, with reduced fees for contestants.

TV alert

Lindy Christopher, Ms. Teen Petite Universal 2000, will be featured on MTV on Jan. 17. She was filmed for a documentary on her pageant experiences. A clip from the movie she just filmed will also be aired during the documentary. The time provided to PNB for the airing is 10 p.m. Check local listings. Ms. Christopher has worked as an actress in Los Angeles since August 2000.
The Miss Mexico Pageant, for Miss Universe, will air Jan. 13 at 9-11 pm EST. Check local listings.
Miss Mexico 2001, for Miss World, will be televised Jan. 6, 2002, on the Spanish-language cable channel Univision at 3-5 pm Eastern Standard Time.

O n t h e N e w s s t a n d

TV personality Vanessa Minnillo, Miss Teen USA 1998, is featured in the January 2002 issue of Stuff magazine. The article emphasizes her sex appeal and the fact that she has left her teen years behind.

Actor Pierce Brosnan has been chosen People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive. He is featured on the cover of the Nov. 26, 2001, issue.

Former PNB cover girl Melanie Jayne is making her mark in Hollywood, and was most recently featured in "The Fast and the Furious." As athletic as she is alluring, Ms. Jayne says she hopes to become the movies' best-known female villain. Whatever bad things she does on the screen, we will always love her.

PNB offstage archive