Miss Brazil booed by her own people
“Miss Brazil is booed during the Presentation Show”. This was the headline in most Brazilian internet portals right after the conclusion of yesterday’s night Miss Universe 2011 Presentation Show. The booing came in protest to a series of controversies surrounding her election as Miss Brazil (Universe) 2011.
Understand the controversyPriscila Machado had competed in state pageants in Rio Grande do Sul and Rio de Janeiro on three previews occasions, and had never gotten even close to win such local titles. When she finally won the Miss Rio Grande do Sul 2011 title, last December, topless photos of her started circulating on the internet. Not a word was said by her or by her state pageant coordinators.
Last July, although never a favorite for the crown, Priscila won the Miss Brazil Universe title. She was loudly booed by the audience, who protested against the supposed judges’ choice screaming: “Naked, Naked, Naked!”. During Miss Brazil’s press conference, she was immediately questioned about the topless photo, to which she answered: “Perhaps it was taken when I was changing clothes during a photo shoot. I was not aware of that and never allowed it to be published. When you do not give permission for a photo to be publish, legally it does not exist”, she claimed.
Meanwhile, one of the directors of Miss Brazil, told the press that such picture had been taken for a breast cancer campaign. When a journalist told him Priscila’s version, the man replied: “Oh, maybe I got mistaken then”.
It was the first contradiction.
Weeks later, several other photos of a topless Priscila, and a picture of Miss Brazil hugging another topless woman, emerged. On the website where the photos were published, her name appeared as “Sara”. Again, no reasonable explanation for the photos was given. The Miss Brazil Universe organizers simply said she was too keep the title. Miss Universe accepted her application, even by supposedly breaking a clear rule that states that a contestants shall never have posed naked.
Several pageant followers, state directors, and people in general, never digested her victory and supposed “contradictions”. Those people protested by booing Miss Brazil in all her presentations during yesterday’s night competition.
Machado tweets: “Respect is something good, and we all appreciate it. I work hard, seriously, and I have high morals. Nobody in this world has the right to judge me”
And then she complemented: “Tomorrow is another day, filled with good and bad things, but every night I put my head on my pillow knowing that I did my very best, that I was honest, and that God gave me a new chance.
It’s important to say that, while Priscila was booed by some, she was applauded and cheered by many others as well.
Mixed reactions by the fans on the internet
While several fans approved the protest, and there are rumors that something even bigger is being prepared for Monday night, others believe Brazilians showed complete lack of education and class, and compared the act to the Mexicans who, in 1993 and 2007, booed Miss USA whenever she appeared on stage, and the judges whenever Miss Mexico did not advance in the competition.
One of them wrote on a pageant-related message board: “Just imagine the hundreds of little girls who dream of growing up and becoming Miss Brazil, or Miss Universe. Is a woman with naked photos the right example for them? Is it right to show kids that rules can be broken and that the ends justify the means?’
On the other extreme, there are fans who believe that Brazilians should accept the facts and support their Miss Universe representative at home, to make it a beautiful happening, to be remembered and cherished forever. “She is beautiful and is doing a great job. We must support her”, they believe.
You can read more about the discussion on MBonB.com.
Sc: GB
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