Over the years, the Miss Universe Pageant has had some long time sponsors, Catalina Swimsuits, Pan Am "The Official Airline of the Miss Universe Pageant," more recently Mikimoto jewelers, but none sticks in the mind more than this sponsor. The Flemington Fur Company of Flemington, New Jersey. Each winner of the title received an exclusive Flemington Fur that was constantly mentioned through out the telecast and then got a real plug again when they showed the outgoing winner modeling her "exclusive Flemington Fur." You just couldn't get away from it. One day it backfired. Bob Barker, the longtime emcee, who must have been an early founder of PETA wanted the furs off the show. The Miss Universe organization would not comply with his wishes, saying they had a long term contract with the company. Bob walked and never looked back or came back. Here is an ad for this sponsored prize from the program of the 1978 Miss Universe pageant held in Mexico. Before the fur was flying.
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