Venezuela Keeps Miss Universe Crown

Eva Ekvall fought to raise breast cancer awareness

(NEWSER) - Eva Ekvall was many things in her short life—a mother, an actress, a TV news anchor and, at the age of 17, Miss Venezuela. But she will be best remembered for her fight against breast cancer, which raised awareness of the disease among thousands of ordinary Venezuelans. Ekvall, who died in a Houston hospital over the weekend at the age of 28, became an advocate for a cancer charity after her diagnosis last year—and authored a book about her struggle, which included images of her undergoing chemotherapy, bald and without makeup, reports AP. More»

Leila Lopes didn't deserve to win, Laury Thilleman implies

(NEWSER) - Sounds like someone's a sore loser: Miss France Laury Thilleman snarked about Miss Angola Leila Lopes after Lopes was crowned Miss Universe , complaining to a French magazine about Lopes' fashion sense, among other things. The Washington Post offers a translation: "She was the only girl I didn’t know very well. We didn’t see her much; she was very discreet. She was often in jeans and not wearing makeup." More»

Leila Lopes wins the top honor

(NEWSER) - In a competition that was, for once, scandal-free, Miss Angola Leila Lopes was crowned Miss Universe last night in Brazil. Get a taste of the evening via the best lines, as reported by the AP :

• Lopes, 25, during the pageant's Q&A portion: Asked what she would change about her physical appearance, she replied, "Thank God I'm very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn't change a thing. I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty."
• Connie Chung, celebrity judge: "You have to keep in mind that these women are not objects just to be looked at. They're to be taken seriously."

Miss Universe is all business, no fun

(NEWSER) - Beauty pageants used to be “a hoot and a holler and a half,” but last night’s Miss Universe competition hailed their death. “Even as a gay man, I couldn't find joy or fun in last night's monument to wax figurines and Donald Trump,” writes Louis Bayard on Salon . It was essentially one long commercial, played out “efficiently and relentlessly and, yes, joylessly,” Bayard continues. “This is business. There's no room on the balance sheet for lust. Or camp. Or grunge. Or even beauty.” More»

Jimena Navarrete wants to improve her country's image

(NEWSER) - Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete won last night’s Miss Universe pageant, giving her home country its second-ever Miss Universe title. “I want the whole world to know about my country and my people,” said Navarrete, 22, adding that she hopes her victory will help Mexico’s image. Miss Venezuela Marelisa Gibson was hoping to give her country its third consecutive win , but neither she nor Miss USA Rima Fakih made the top 15. Gold-medal figure skater Evan Lysacek and actress Jane Seymour were among the celebrity judges. More»