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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Hungry Hawaiian Named Miss Universe

Compiled From Wire Services

Their faces must hurt from all the smiling.

They beamed for the judges and glowed for the cameras, parading down a Miami Beach Convention Center stage in the requisite regalia of glamorous gowns, showy swimsuits and outrageous headgear.

In the end, one Miss out-beautied all the rest.

Miss USA, who said she would “Eat anything in the world,” and “eat everything twice” if there were no rules for one day, took the crown Friday night.

Brook Mahealani Lee, 26, from Pearl City, Hawaii, lists alligator wrestling among her hobbies and wants to someday go from most beautiful woman in the world to filmmaker.

Her anti-diet proclamation summed up the controversy surrounding the past year’s Miss Universe, Alicia Machado of Venezuela, who got caught in a media feeding frenzy when she put on a few pounds.

Venezuela, land of the beauty queens, grabbed the first runner-up spot, as Marena Bencomo made her coach, queenmaker Osmel Sosa, proud by staring down at the judges - and only down at the judges - the whole time.

“If you’re staring at them while they’re pushing the buttons to judge you, they can’t make themselves give you a bad mark,” Sosa said.

Miss Trinidad and Tobago, 24-year-old Margot Bourgeois, was second runner-up.

The two-hour telecast was seen by an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide.