Posted on 06/26/2006 8:14:23 AM PDT by pissant
THE Miss Universe Australia pageant is in turmoil after raunchy photos of the newly crowned title holder appeared in a men's magazine.
Pageant officials have called for Gold Coast model Erin McNaught, 24, to be stripped of the Miss Universe Australia crown after topless shots were published in Zoo Weekly this week - less than a fortnight after she won the event.
Pageant judges Cathy Freeman, Jonathan Westbrook, Lillian Frank and Con Diavatiotis and pageant coordinator Deborah Miller say McNaught is not worthy of the Miss Universe Australia title. Mr Westbrook believes the pageant has ``descended into a farce'' and claims McNaught accepted the winner's $20,000 diamond tiara and failed to turn up for media and sponsorship commitments in Melbourne last week.
He is also outraged that MacNaught was allowed to enter the contest despite nude photos of her having been previously published in Black + White magazine.
The furore follows a gaffe-prone ceremony in Melbourne two weeks ago which saw the title of first runner-up incorrectly awarded to Victoria's Emma Newcombe ahead of Perth's Leah Fuhrmann. The pair have since had to swap sashes.
Mr Westbrook, a Perth businessman, said Miss McNaught was not fit to hold the title and accused her of ``dragging the contest into the gutter''.
``This is a prestigious event and these photos are bringing its image into disrepute,'' Mr Westbrook said.
``She is not the sort of wholesome role model we are looking for.''
He said Miss Fuhrmann deserved to be awarded the title instead.
Olympic superstar Cathy Freeman said: ``The images don't match the values on the grounds on which Miss Universe Australia is chosen.''
Ms Miller said the photos were ``not congruent with the role of an Australian ambassador'', while Ms Frank said it was `deceitful' of McNaught not to tell the judges about the photos.
``We want clean cut, nicely turned out, wholesome girls ... this girl is not one of them,'' she said.
Mr Diavatiotis, who made the winner's diamond encrusted tiara - which he has yet to receive back - said McNaught's topless photos ``sent the wrong message''.
``Miss Universe Australia is meant to be a princess, not somebody who looks hot in a cowboy hat and bikini,'' he said.
However, pageant director and licencee Jim Davie believes McNaught has done nothing wrong. Mr Davie said the photographs were not offensive - ``they are nothing more than you would see on any Australian beach, and any suggestion that they could cause offence is ludicrous in 2006.''
``She (McNaught) won by the biggest margin of any girl in the 15 years I've had the event and she is by far the cest chance we've got of winning the international competition,'' he said.
Mr Davie said the judges had made their decision on the night and only he had the power to revoke the title, which he would not do.
Another pageant judge, photographer Grant Good, endorsed Mr Davie's view.
``The (Zoo Weekly) shots were very tastefully done, and in any case they were taken before she became Miss Universe Australia,'' Mr Good said.
``They certainly don't contravene any rules or regulations.''
The Sunday Times yesterday contacted McNaught's parents in Brisbane who were unaware some judges wanted her stripped of her title.
Lin McNaught reacted angrily to claims Australian organisers of the Miss Universe quest were unaware Erin had posed nude before the competition.
``The national director knew about that (the nude photographs) before Erin was even appointed Miss Australia. He didn't have a problem with it,'' Mrs McNaught said.
Mrs McNaught said she had spoken to Mr Davie who denied there was any move to make Perth's Leah Fuhrmann should be the winner.
She said Erin was overseas preparing for the Miss Universe final and was yesterday having dress fitting for the event.
``There is no story there. She's going to LA for the final,`` Mrs McNaught said.
``She's fine. It's not true. She's getting her dress fitted. Jim Davie said as far as he's concerned, everything is on track.
``The contracts have been signed, it's all done and dusted. Whatever Perth is saying is wrong.`` Close friends in the modelling industry rallied behind McNaught yesterday, arguing she had been a model ambassador.
``To be honest, I haven't been in contact with her for two weeks because she's so hard to get in contact with, but this would be disappointing if it's the case,`` a friend and fashion industry businessman said.
``Erin is a great girl. What she's won, she's won on her own merit. For those photographs to come out, it's a disappointment but I wouldn't be taking the crown off her.
``She did those photographs a long time ago. For them to come out now, I guess that shows what happens when you become a celebrity.``
I second that motion....
I'll volunteer.
None of them are really pretty and with what they're wearing ... why not just pose nude and be done with it?
I'd post it, but I don't want to be banned....
Yeah but the Aussie accent just makes my day.
Adds a point to the rating scale.
Sounds like a good suggestion to me.
I cannot contribute to your delinquency!
.....Miss Universe Australia is meant to be a princess, not somebody who looks hot in a cowboy hat and bikini.......
Yeah, nice wholesome bikinis like the pic.
At least they got their belly buttons covered!
Hip. Oh. Crit. ;)
She's got bedroom eyes... I like bedroom eyes.
Wow! Makes you want to go down.... uh, I mean, "down under."
Well, you know what I mean.
The ONLY thing important in a pageant is how they look in a cowboy hat and a bikini.
She looks pretty wholesome to me...
At least they are not "eyes without a face"
Only problem is having to drink Australian beer.
That should be a requirement!
Such a human waste...
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