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Brief history of the Miss Universe Pageant, conceived when a beauty queen refused public appearance in a bathing suit.
The annual Miss Universe® beauty contest has become an institution, only a dream some 56 years ago. Like the Miss USA Pageant, it was started in 1952 by Catalina Swimwear as product promotions. Since 1973, broadcast has been live around the world, and the title has been won by women from 34 countries. Yolanda Betbeze and that Bathing SuitIn 1951, 21-year-old convent-educated Yolanda Betbeze entered the Miss America pageant, her mind and pretty green dress focused on the scholarship opportunities which would be on offer should she win. She did. After accepting the title of Miss America, Betbeze was to appear at a department store wearing a bathing suit. She refused to do it declaring, "I'm an opera singer, not a pin-up!" Although the Miss America officials supported her decision, the major sponsor of the pageant, Catalina Swimwear, was furious. Pacific Mills and Miss UniversePromptly canceling their sponsorship of the pageant, Catalina Swimwear's parent company and manufacturer, Pacific Mills, decided to create an even sexier event as a platform for the Catalina range. The result is the Miss Universe pageant. In 1952, twenty-nine bathing beauties competed in the first pageant at Long Beach, California. The winner was Finland's Armi Kuusela. The following year, in 1953, Armi Kuusela gives up her crown when she discovers that Universal Pictures, with whom she won a contract as part of her prize, expects her to marry Tony Curtis to overcome work permit issues. Annual Beauty Pageant Goes OnThe Miss Universe event has been held in May or June each year with the winner traditionally crowned by the previous year's titleholder. To win the coveted title, according to organizers, the contestant must be intelligent, refined and talented, aside from the obvious appearance. Along with the prize package, the Miss Universe winner travels the world, in particular spreading messages of hope, health and proper hygiene measures, and world peace. Despite occasional controversies that surface as in any organization or institution, Miss Universe has developed and become a wholesome image. 20th Century Notable EventsIn 1997, the Miss Universe, along with Miss Teen USA and Miss USA pageants, are purchased by Donald Trump. A year later, in 1998, Miss Universe 1981, Irene Saez, loses her race for president of Venezuela. The 21st CenturyIn 2001 Miss Colombia, Andrea Noceti, threatened to sue American comedian and television talk-show host David Letterman after his drugs-related joke that her talent routine included swallowing bags of heroin. This year, 2008, the title has been won by women from thirty-four countries, including seven from USA, five from Puerto Rico, five from Venezuela, three from Sweden, and two from Australia, Canada, Finland, Philippines, Trinidad & Tobago, and Brazil, and one from Japan. Trivia: Currently, there are other beauty pageants including beauty pageant for kids, for babies, and the world's first international online beauty pageant, WMBW.
Source: Miss Universe® History (online)
The copyright of the article Beginnings of Miss Universe in International Affairs is owned by Tel Asiado. Permission to republish Beginnings of Miss Universe in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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