Pageant News Bureau

Kara Monaco has been chosen Playboy's Playmate of the Year 2006. In the June 2006 issue, which announces her selection, she is shown wearing a crown -- and little else. This pageant-related touch shows the blurring of boundaries between traditional pageants and other types of contests.

Philippine actress Chat Silayan died April 23, 2006, in Quezon City after a long battle with cancer. She was 46. She was Miss Philippines and third runner-up to Miss Universe in 1980.

MTV's reality series "Tiara Girls" debuted on April 19, 2006. In the manner of such programs, its principals are beauty queens who fit certain pageant stereotypes. How it will fare in a saturated reality market is hard to divine.

Danni Boatright (Danielle Boatwright) has become the second PNB cover girl to win on "Survivor." Ms. Boatright, a former first runner-up at Miss USA, has won "Survivor: Guatemala." A previous PNB cover girl, Jenna Morasca, was the winner of "Survivor: Amazon."

Former Miss North Carolina contestant Kellie Pickler is the big attention-getter for the spring 2006 version of "American Idol." The show itself has seen unprecedented mainstream attention and popularity.

Lori Ann Sundberg, three-time Mrs. Pennsylvania winner (Pennsylvania International 1999, Pennnsylvania US 2000, Pennsylvania America 2001), has been called to fill the faculty position of the recently deceased Dr. Mark Southern at the renowned language institute at Middlebury College in Vermont. Ms. Sundberg pursued her doctoral education at the University of Pennsylvania and at Yale University.

On the Web: The U.S. edition of FHM magazine is conducting an online poll titled "Who is TV's Sexiest Newslady?" Former PNB cover girl Amy Robach is one of the group of broadcast journalists listed as a potential selection. We can't demand that you vote for her, but we do ask that you vote for a former beauty queen as a matter of principle. To vote click here.

TV alert

The Mrs. World 2006 Pageant will be featured on WE on the first weekend of June 2006. On June 3, the time is 8-10 p.m. EDT. On June 4, the time is 5-7 p.m. EDT. On the following weekend, on June 9, the times are 8 p.m and 12 midnight EDT.

PNB photographer Benjamin Gibbs will appear as a pageant and fashion expert on the Nashville program "More at Midday" on March 15, 2006. The program will on Nashville's Channel 4 at 12:30 p.m.

Miss Germany 1967, Fee von Zitzewitz, died on Feb. 9, 2006. She was 62 and died of cancer. She represented Germany at Miss Universe 1967.

Singer Scott Stapp married Jaclyn Nesheiwat, a former Miss New York USA, on Feb. 10, 2006, in Florida.

Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago, who was Miss Universe 1998, has announced that she is pregnant, and the fact that she is unmarried and proud of her situation has created controversy in her socially conservative country. She reportedly is pregnant by the former husband of Miss World 1993, Lisa Hanna of Jamaica.

Camille Anderson, a former Ms. Black International 2000, will be featured on WLKF Talk, 1430 AM, in Lakeland, Fla. Ms. Anderson, a native Michigander, will be promoting her book, "A Princess Cut Diamond," as well as discussing pageantry and her recent success in completing the Harvard University Management and Leadership Program. This show will be taped live on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2006 between 5-6 pm EST.

Lisa Wheeler, who was Miss Teen All-American 1980 and Miss Alabama USA 1982, died on Jan. 13, 2006. A memorial service was held on Jan. 16.

The newly crowned Mrs. Louisiana United America, Tracy Mitchell, has served as a panelist for "Politics with a Punch." She joined with politicians and other Louisiana celebrities in discussion of topics before a live audience. She will be a panelist throughout her reign.

Tara Darby, a former Miss Alabama USA who was a former "Miss Fear Factor" is starring with Abby Gregory and Brandi Trentham in the new Outdoor Channel program "Crossing Country." The three young women will roam the nation in search of male-dominated sports-type activities that they can try themselves. Check local listings for their next adventure.

Jaclyn Nesheiwat, who was Miss New York USA 2004, has announced that she will marry Grammy Award-winning singer Scott Stapp. They met early in 2005, and she is director of public affairs for the Scott Stapp Foundation. They will wed on Feb. 10, 2006, in Florida. She has close
ties to the Sunshine State and formerly competed in Florida pageants as well as in New York. Stapp is former lead singer of the group Creed.

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

The January 2006 issue of Smithsonian magazine discusses the donation of some Miss America memorabilia to the Smithsonian Institution.

PNB offstage archive